Platinum Business Magazine, Issue 10

The widest-read business publication in the South East

ISSUE 10 . 2015

PLATINUM GATWICK DIAMOND AWARDS Winners Announced

THE 2015 BUDGET Analysis by the experts at Kreston Reeves

PLATINUM THE INSIDE STORY CROWDFUNDING & BUSINESS SCHOOLS THE BIG STORY

JEREMY CLARKSON

THE MARMITE MAN

Plus: Business Funding Guide International Trade Legal Issues Accountancy Wealth Management Business Travel Chamber News Business Style Editorial Opinion Networking Motoring

READ ALL PAST ISSUES AT WWW.PLATINUMBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

The world awaits International solutions for you Trading overseas is an exciting proposition for any business, but there’s a lot to think about. It can be challenging, especially if it means venturing into a new territory where the language, the laws and the business culture are different. But it can also bring benefits – such as helping you win new customers, increase economies of scale and reduce your reliance on the domestic market.

We have a range of resources and partnerships that could help your business fulfil its global potential.

Gary Chown ACIB MCIBS - Chartered Banker Director Commercial Banking NatWest Bank Email: Gary.Chown@natwest.com 153 Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6BE. Tel +44 (0) 1273 545145

Be More Successful DMH Stallard has been working in partnership with businesses for over 40 years, helping them become more successful.

We focus on your business critical success factors and deliver commercial solutions to effectively manage your: • • •

Customer and supplier agreements Property and employees Finance, borrowing and insurance

Having the right strategic approach to effectively manage these factors can positively impact your bottom line.

Don’t leave this to chance.

• • •

Intellectual property Shareholders and Directors Environmental issues

Contact us now for your completely free business self assessment pack.

Email: dani.bennett@dmhstallard.com

DMH Stallard Corporate Law Firm of the Year 2014

London | Gatwick | Guildford | Brighton | Farnham | www.dmhstallard.com

WELCOME

ISSUE 10. 2015

This issue is the largest yet, packed with fascinating interviews, comment and news.

With the budget having just been delivered, Kreston Reeves work overnight to bring you an analysis of all the relevant facts and figures that will affect businesses in our region and across the country.

The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards winners are finally announced and we bring you details and images of the gala event that took place at the Copthorne Effingham Park Hotel. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners on the night, and next month we will bring you comment from each winner on what it means to them to have won this prestigious award. And get ready as the 2016 awards are just around the corner.

46 KRESTON REEVES - THE BUDGET Kreston Reeves work overnight to bring you an analysis of all the relevant facts and figures that will affect businesses in our region and across the country... See page 46.

In this packed issue, we also explain Crowdfunding, bring you all the news from the 85th Geneva Motor CEO Stewart Wingate invites us for lunch at the Shard.

GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS

And that just scratches the surface of this month’s

We announce the winners of

content.

the 2015 awards and bring

There will be exciting news over the coming months

you all the images of the

as PBM continues its march of dominance across

night...

See page 32.

Show, news of the Super Growth Awards, and Gatwick

the entire South East, as we launch into new areas, announce new partners within the magazine and continue to seek those stories, characters and events that make our region the powerhouse area of the UK. The new Platinum Business Club launches in the Gatwick Diamond on May 14,th 2015 at the superb Gatwick Hilton, and already several categories of

32

membership are full and closed, and we look to join with a diverse array of companies to ensure that Platinum in the Diamond is a great success. There are still memberships available, so don’t delay in joining the most dynamic networking group in the country.

Thanks to all of you, the magazine is growing at a quite extraordinary rate, and we have taken another floor in Platinum Towers to cope with the workload.

We love it and hope you do too.

Ian & Maarten 4

CROWDFUNDING Benita Matofska was voted Inspirational Woman of the Year in the Venus Awards, sponsored

by NatWest Bank, and as the Founder of Compare and Share, she explains the explosive rise of Crowdfunding in our economy...

See page 52.

52

THE TEAM WORKING LUNCH We take lunch at the elegant Ockenden Manor in Cuckfield and savour the delights of a Michelin starred restaurant right on our doorstep..

See page 116.

116 AT A GLANCE

48 52 58 60 66 70

Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

Lynne Edwards - Commercial Property lynne@portfoliopublications.co.uk Tel: 07931 537588

Politics Crowdfunding 6 News Travel 15 Institute of Directors Hilton Brighton Metropole 16 Jeremy Clarkson Brufords Interview 24 Finance Lewes & Wealden Business 28 Investments Awards 30 Company Structure 32 Gatwick Diamond Business 76 Anger Management 80 Motoring Awards 92 Education 38 Company Growth 108 Chamber News 41 Europe Debate 118 Platinum Style 44 Export Survey 120 Secret Sussex 46 The Budget

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Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

Sally Wynn - Senior Designer

Julia Trevett – Accounts Manager All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit.

Platinum Business Magazine is published and owned by Platinum Business Publications Limited.

Directors: Maarten Hoffmann and Ian Trevett

THE BIG STORY JEREMY CLARKSON Will he stay or will he go now that the BBC is briefing against him and disgracefully compared the issue to Saville.

Three people commented - one called him a huge talent; one a legend; one a knob.…

See page 16.

5

{ NEWS }

LOCAL NEWS SOUTH EAST DEALMAKERS AWARDS Kreston Reeves, one of the leading accountancy and financial services firms operating across London and the South East of England, is rightly proud to have been recognised for the winning transaction in the Deal of the Year for transactions under £10m category, at the South East Dealmakers Awards 2015, held by Insider Media.

The winning deal in the under £10m category was announced as the Acquisition of G.Burley & Sons by Business Growth Fund-backed TC Landscapes, on which John Cowie, Kreston Reeves’ Corporate Finance Partner advised. Tim Sadka and John Kirkwood of Rawlison Butler also advised the Burley family on this exceptional deal.

G Burley & Sons traces its roots to the immediate post-war period, when George Burley entered into a partnership with Crawley New Town to provide a comprehensive grounds maintenance package. The business has grown to turn over in excess of £8m annually and focusses primarily on long term contract landscaping and grounds maintenance.

David Burley, G Burley & Sons, said “We could not have chosen a better adviser than Kreston Reeves. Their attention to detail and professional handholding throughout the process, from first identifying TC Landscapes right through to completion, made it seem like plain sailing. We can’t thank John Cowie and his team enough.”

2015

FOOD STARS Four Kent and Sussex businesses have made the list of the UK’s 50 most promising food and drink entrepreneurs to be recognised as Food Stars in a new government initiative.

The 50 Food Stars, carefully selected from hundreds of awardwinning businesses, include two breweries—Westerham Brewery in Edenbridge and Hepworth & Co. in Horsham—and two of the UK’s leading winemakers, Ridgeview and Chapel Down.

The revival of UK food and drink has seen a new generation of entrepreneurs emerge in the South East, whose innovative ideas and can-do attitude are creating jobs in local communities and contributing to the record £103 billion generated by the UK food chain last year.

“I don’t pay good wages because I have a lot of money; I have a lot of money because I pay good wages” 6

METRO BREAKS A 150 YR-OLD RECORD A new banking license had not been issued in the UK for 150 years until Metro Bank came along. Their latest branch opened recently in North Street, Brighton, with the boast of doing things very differently, such as bank cards printed on the premises in less than five minutes, loos open to the public, a complete lack of counters and glass dividers, 7-day a week service, safe deposit boxes, free coin counting and room for dogs and children. Local Director Brian Quinton is very enthusiastic, and after nearly a year of development on the site, the new building has the look of a cool boutique hotel reception rather than a bank. Brian’s message is clear – come in and see for yourself.

Kevin Walker, Regional Director of Metro Bank, said: “We are thrilled to have opened our Brighton store and being part of such an exciting and admirable community. Our role is to make banking simple and convenient to all our customers, and we’re delighted to bring the people of Brighton a bank that is dedicated to providing amazing service and convenience. We look forward to welcoming both personal and business customers to the Banking Revolution.”

{ NEWS }

“Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it”

BDO EXPANDS INTO SURREY Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP is poised to move into one of Guildford’s newest premier office locations as part of its continued expansion and longterm investment in Surrey.

BDO is set to relocate its Guildford practice to 31 Chertsey Street in the Spring, having signed a ten year lease. It is taking more than 10,000 sq ft of the office space to accommodate its growing team.

The move comes just two years after the successful merger between PKF and BDO and demonstrates the firm’s long term commitment to Guildford, Surrey and the business community.

UK-wide BDO employs 3,500 people across 21 offices. In the South East, BDO has offices in Guildford, Gatwick, Reading, Southampton and London.

Partner-in-charge of BDO in Guildford, Richard Faulkner, commented: “We have gone from strength to strength in the last two years, and this was the natural next step for us.

“With our 110-strong team soon to be working together, all on one floor, we are confident that we will continue to build on our success and provide even more of what our clients are looking for.” The team at BDO acts for a wide range of mid-market businesses and individuals in Guildford and Surrey.

TIMEBOMB Analysis of new government figures published this month by the National Housing Federation shows that just 19,860 homes were built in the South East in 2014, a shortfall of 21,840 on the 41,700 experts predict are needed every year to keep pace with new households forming. Across the whole of England, last year’s shortfall totalled more than 120,000.

The lack of supply is pricing many people out of owning or privately renting a home in their local area. Experts now warn that 8,700 new affordable homes need to be built per year, yet just 4,140 affordable homes were built in 2014, less than half of what families desperately need.

Despite growing concern about the housing crisis and sustained population growth, housebuilding across England hovers below the 125,000 mark for the sixth year in a row – the lowest peacetime levels since the 1920s. The last ten years saw the birth of 7 million babies, the same as in the 1950s, when England was building an average of 230,000 homes a year.

Failure to build enough homes is already pushing prices out of reach, the average house in the South East costs just under £300,000, ten times average yearly earnings. With soaring housing costs and not enough affordable homes being built, more government money is going into the pockets of private landlords as working people are forced to rely on housing benefit to help pay their rent.

David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “The alarm bells sounded long ago, and yet nothing seems to have changed. For the sixth year in a row, new home building is at rock bottom. The public are now thoroughly aware that this country is facing a housing crisis on an unprecedented scale, and despite a spate of short-term initiatives, there is no grand plan”.

This problem directly affects business, as without adequate and economical homes for our employees, we all suffer lack of skills and rising staff costs.

2014

HOMES NEEDED

HOMES BUILT

HOMES SHORTFALL

SOCIAL HOMES NEEDED

SOCIAL HOMES BUILT

SOCIAL HOMES SHORTFALL

South East

41,700

19,860

21,840

8,700

4,140

4,560

East Sussex

2,553

1,060

1,493

533

190

343

Kent 8,519

3,100 5,419

1,777

630

1,147

Surrey 5,801

1,910

3,891

1,210

390

820

West Sussex

2,110

2,481

958

410

548

230

637

181

120

61

4,591

Brighton & Hove 867

7

{ NEWS }

LOCAL NEWS THE MISSING LINK Recruiting apprentices and graduates has been made easier for South East businesses, thanks to a new development from a jobs board specialising in local employment opportunities.

LoveLocalJobs.com has launched two new services, namely an apprenticeship matching scheme and a graduate recruitment service. The apprenticeship scheme aims to help young people in the South East into rewarding careers.

Believed to be the first of its kind, the project focusses on creating work placement opportunities for apprentices within local companies.

Gary Peters, Founder of LoveLocalJobs.com, has long been an advocate of apprenticeships. He commented: “The rising cost of university means that more and more young people are looking at alternative career paths, and apprenticeships can open doors to professions in almost anything from accounting to digital marketing.

“Any organisation can offer an apprentice scheme, and there is government funding available to help with the costs. However, there is simply not enough awareness among businesses as to how apprenticeships work, so the result is that the supply of work placements doesn’t meet the demand.

“We provide the missing link between the colleges and employers. We engage with local businesses to identify opportunities and help them to access government funding to set up an apprenticeship scheme. We will then place an appropriate apprentice who has the requisite skills, motivation and interest to learn the business”.

PROTECTION SOUGHT A bid is being launched for Sussex wines to join the illustrious ranks of some of the UK’s most famous food and drink, such as Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pies, by securing protected status.

Wine producers in the county aim to apply next month for protected designation of origin (PDO) status across the EU, putting them in league with Champagne and Bordeaux.

The reputation of Sussex wines has grown immeasurably in recent years, thanks partly to its warm, dry weather and the same chalky subsoil found in the Champagne region of France.

Many recognise that we suffer from a lack of brand image and a catchy name.

Champagne and Prosecco are well established but English Sparkling Wine does not quite have that cache’ to it. The quality is absolutely world class and now it deserves a great name to take on the big boys.

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from” 8

{ NEWS }

“Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?”

£240 MILLION GOVERNMENT DEAL Business Minister Matthew Hancock today signed the Coast to Capital Growth Deal, during a visit to Ricardo Ltd in Shoreham, which will bring nearly £240 million of Government investment to Brighton and Hove, Croydon, the Gatwick Diamond, Lewes and West Sussex.

The Minister joined Steve Allen, vice-chair of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, to sign the Growth Deal. Over the lifetime of its Deal (2015-2021) the Local Enterprise Partnership estimates that up to 21,000 new jobs could be created, 9,000 new homes built, and that it has the potential to generate £390m public and private investment.

Business Minister Matthew Hancock said: “Bringing thousands of jobs, homes and new investment to the area, this Growth Deal will bring security for local families and help Brighton move towards a brighter future.

“Working in tandem with the University for Brighton this new investment will help students secure meaningful work experience, help small businesses to get digitally savvy and improve local infrastructure to ease traffic.”

Tim Wates, chairman of Coast to Capital LEP said: “This Growth Deal is a substantial boost for the Coast to Capital economy and will benefit everyone in our region.

Importantly, this investment will help us move towards delivering the ambition set out in our Strategic Economic Plan, creating sustainable growth that benefits all who live, work and study here. We are now working closely with partners to deliver a pipeline of exciting projects which will help unlock the region’s long-term growth, boosting job creation and international trade.”

Martin Fausset, Managing Director of Ricardo Technical Consulting said: “We are pleased to host the Growth Deal signing which will benefit many businesses and communities in the coast to capital area. We are particularly pleased that the deal has funded continued development of our collaboration with Brighton University in creating a centre of excellence that will deliver leading automotive and environmental engineering training and research programme and also in the Adur flood defence schemes.”

MAJOR PUBLISHING DEAL EMC Corporate Finance has completed the sale of the East Sussex-based Lewes Holdings Group Ltd, the owner of Ivy Press and its imprints, to The Quarto Group Inc, the leading global illustrated book publisher. It will now become part of the Quarto International Co-Editions division. Legal advice to Lewes Holdings Group was provided by DMH Stallard.

It is the second sale of a Sussex publishing business to a major international quoted company negotiated by EMC Corporate Finance in the last few months. In November it completed the sale of Lewes illustrated publisher Ilex Press to the Octopus Publishing Group.

Since its foundation in 1996, Ivy has gained worldwide renown for its original titles and high quality editorial, design and production values. Ivy’s titles have gone from strength to strength in the international co-edition markets, with over 2.5 million copies of the 30-Second Series now in print in 23 languages. Distributed by Thames & Hudson since 2012, Ivy has emerged as a trade publisher of some note, its titles regularly featuring in the national and trade press.

EMC, which has five offices in Sussex and Kent, first advised Ivy Press when the company started, initially assisting with the raising of working capital before going on to lead the finance department, with EMC’s Michael Pay as Finance Director. Subsequently Michael and Nik Askaroff, EMC’s CEO, have advised the team on a number of operational and strategic issues.

Jenny Manstead, co-founder of Ivy Press, said: “We would like to thank Nik and Michael for their support over the whole journey of Ivy Press. They have been alongside us all the way, demonstrating the true nature of their ‘Mobile Boardroom’ philosophy and the uniqueness of their advisory proposition.”

BOTTOM TO TOP West Sussex and Gatwick-based chartered accountants and chartered tax advisers, Carpenter Box, has appointed Alan Edwards as its new managing partner. He succeeds John Billings, who has led the firm from strength to strength over the last ten years and who now takes up the post of senior partner at the firm. Alan has risen through the ranks from the day he joined Carpenter Box straight from college in 1993 at the tender age of 17. He qualified as an accountant in 1998 and was appointed to the board on becoming a partner in April 2006. Alan has taken the reins at a highly auspicious time for the company as they receive the Gatwick Diamond Business Award for Professional Services Firm of the Year 2015.

9

{ NEWS }

NATIONAL NEWS LONDON GONE MAD The latest Cushman and Wakefield report has revealed that London is the most expensive office location in the world for the third year running. Offices in the West End now run to £1,698 per square metre per year.

Paul Statham, CEO of leading workspace utilisation and space scheduling Condeco Software, comments: “The demand for London as a prestigious global business hub means that the leading brands that are based in the UK are under immense pressure to use their prime real estate as efficiently as they can.

Global companies cannot afford not to have a presence in the City, but with office space costing as much as £1,698 per square metre per year, they must ensure this costly space is not wasted.”

However, a shockingly high percentage of desk and meeting room space is still underused, and, in financial services, one of the main tenants of prime real estate, 48 per cent of all seats are unoccupied during the day on average, while meeting spaces are only used 29 per cent of the time. “Workspaces are becoming increasingly fluid as workers adopt flexible and remote working; companies simply cannot afford to let their space go unused for prolonged periods of time. With global prices continuing to soar, it is imperative they invest in intelligence to provide them with real-time data on how their second most costly asset is actually being used.

“Failure to do so will see them needlessly haemorrhage vast amounts of capital, severely impacting their ability to grow, and the benefits can be seen beyond just savings on costs. More efficient use of space and the creation of a better, enhanced collaborative environment also deliver a powerful boost to staff morale and employee engagement.”

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE A new study by Professor Foreman-Peck and Dr Peng Zhou launched this month in the House of Commons, in partnership with the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), shows in stark detail the impact of in-house language capabilities on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that export. The report ‘Firm-level evidence for the language investment effect on SME exporters’ shows that SMEs utilising language assets and skills achieved far higher export-toturnover ratios than others. These assets and skills included hiring staff with specific language expertise for export needs, employing native language speakers and training staff in languages.

“A picture is worth 1,000 words, but it uses up 3,000 times the memory” 10

RECORD LOW INTEREST RATES UK interest rates have been remained unchanged by the Bank of England, meaning they have now been at their record low of 0.5% for six years. Rates were first cut to 0.5% in March 2009 as the Bank sought to lift economic growth in the midst of the credit crunch.

Recent growth in the economy has prompted speculation that rates will start to rise again in the near future.

However, continuing low inflation, now at 0.3%, gives policymakers little reason to raise the cost of borrowing. The Bank also kept the size of its quantitative easing (QE) programme unchanged at £375bn.

{ NEWS }

“Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot”

HELP TO GROW SCHEME The Government recently announced that it will help 500 small businesses to become mid-market players through a new ‘Help to Grow’ scheme, in a move which further highlights the importance of British SMEs to the economy, says Business Environment’s Managing Director, David Saul.

In the announcement made by David Cameron at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) annual conference, he stated that the ‘Help to Grow’ scheme is aiming to create an equivalent to Germany’s thriving mid-market and will help fast-growing firms to secure financial support.

Serviced office provider, Business Environment, whose clientele is mostly made up of small or start-up organisations, supports the new scheme and sees it as a great opportunity to support prosperous businesses. David Saul said: “We’ve seen a real up-surge in occupancy rates recently, especially within the London and South-East areas, reflecting strong growth in the SME market. Some of these organisations are extraordinary and anything that supports them is a good idea - it’s about time that more of the UK’s innovative start-ups gain traction and recognition against larger players and across seas.”

StartUp Britain recently announced that a record number of new businesses was created

by UK entrepreneurs in 2014, with 581,173 businesses registering with Companies House last year. It has also been found that the number of business failures has also declined in recent years, leaving these small organisations open to growth opportunities.

As stated by Cameron, medium sized firms generated 45 per cent of the UK’s job growth last year.

VIRGIN DOES IT AGAIN Virgin Money has more than doubled annual profit in its first set of results since the bank backed

by Sir Richard Branson floated on the stock market. Virgin Money, which bought the “good” part of Northern Rock from the government in 2012, became a public company in November. It is one of several banks seeking to break the big lenders’ dominance after the financial crisis.

In the year to the end of December, underlying pre-tax profit increased to £121.2m from £53.4m the year before. Profit growth was encouraged by an 11.8% increase in mortgage balances to £21.9bn, beating wider market growth of 1.4%. Jayne-Anne Gadhia, Virgin Money’s Chief Executive, said the bank had outperformed the fiercely competitive mortgage market by establishing links with mortgage advisers and offering customers speedy service. Borrowers increasingly relied on advisers to steer them through tighter lending requirements, she said.

“From an intermediary’s perspective, they have to offer the customer a good deal in terms of price, but the quality of service is also important. If we don’t get an offer to their customer within 10 days of receiving all the information we need, we will pay the customer £100.”

Virgin Money’s market value has increased from £1.25bn at the time of its flotation to £1.42bn, and the company is likely to join the FTSE 250 index at the end of March.

UK LENDING CHAMPION Kevin Caley, Managing Director and Co-founder of ThinCats, comments on the ‘Moving Mainstream’ report by the Centre for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge “The UK accounts for 79% of all alternative loans made in Europe, but the rest of the continent is growing up fast, achieving average growth of 115% over the past three years.

“What’s clear from these fascinating figures is that peer to peer business lending is now seen as one of the most important financial innovations for several generations. It is a democratic response to the crisis in traditional financial institutions that has starved SMEs of the funds they desperately need and taxed savers to pay for bailing out the banks by reducing returns on their investments to virtually nothing.”

11

{ NEWS }

NATIONAL NEWS THE DEN OF BROKEN DREAMS Fans of the long-running business show Dragons Den might want to look away now. A new study has found 76 of the 143 businesses that successfully pitched on Dragons’ Den never saw a penny of the money offered to them by the multi-millionaire investors.

The research, carried out by TigerMobiles.com, looked at the 143 companies who successfully pitched for investment in Dragons’ Den from Series 1 through to Series 11. Data from Companies House and information divulged by business owners who appeared on the show was combined with the Duedil API to produce a comprehensive resource of every winning pitch in the den. The interactive content piece, designed in house by the Tiger Mobiles development team, shows who invested, the amount offered, the equity given up, whether they are still in business and if the investment ever materialised when the cameras stopped rolling. Key financial metrics are also included, as well as videos of the original pitches for those who want to refresh their memory of the businesses in question.

Key findings from the research include: - 76 out of the total 143 agreed investments never went through after the den.

- 23 of the 143 business that successfully pitched are no longer trading.

- Of the £13 million pledged by the Dragons, only £5.8 million was ever invested.

KICKSTART GREECE Could a Kickstarter fund rescue Greece’s ancient olive groves? Under the sword of Damacles, perhaps Syriza’s Financial hotshots could follow this lead? It would be a world first. Imagine crowdfunding for an entire country.

Greek bankers should throw out the worry beads and look out the window.

It may sound a bit Zen, but money really could grow on olive trees. As much as EUR 65 billion according to a Kickstarter project launched this month called Greek Groves.

This travel conservation project, started in 2005 by journalist and consultant June Field, aims to use the latest mapping technology to preserve the ancient olive groves by putting a price on each and every one.

‘These immortal trees are a vital asset to Greece’s tourism, environment and economy’ says June. ‘That’s why we are declaring every tree over 500 years old as a ‘protected national monument’. ‘Like California’s Redwoods, they are the symbolic soul of Western culture’ she adds.

The goal of EUR 65 billion would plug a hole in the debt. Rewards could be exciting. A private island. A stake in Piraeus. The odd Elgin marble?

THE BUNG CULTURE Corruption among officials is most prevalent in Somalia and North Korea, while the country where the authorities are seen as least likely to take a bribe is Denmark, according to an authoritative new study.

Britain is ranked as the 14th least corrupt nation, the same ranking as last year, and three places better than in 2012, in Transparency International’s study of corruption in 175 nations. Out of a possible score of 100, where a higher number indicated less bribery, Britain scored 78. The best rated country was Denmark with a score of 92, followed by New Zealand on 91 and Finland on 89.

Of other notable nations, Germany was ranked joint 12th with a score of 79, Japan was joint 15th with 76, Ireland and the US were joint 17th with a rating of 74, and France was joint 26th with 69.

At the other end of the scale, Somalia and North Korea shared joint last place with a score of just 8 out 100.

“A consultant is someone who takes the watch off your wrist and then charges to tell you the time” 12

{ NEWS }

“Failure is not an option — it comes bundled with the software”

BRUSSELS ATTACK THWARTED An attack on the City of London by the European Central Bank has been ruled illegal by the European Court of Justice in what has been described by London Conservative MEP Syed Kamall as a ‘victory for London’s place as the financial capital of Europe’.

The European Central Bank (ECB) had attempted to force British companies trading in Euros to relocate to Eurozone countries. However, today the Court annulled the so-called Eurosystem Oversight Policy Framework published by the ECB, which requires central counterparties to be located in the Eurozone.

The court found that the ECB does not have the competence necessary to unilaterally impose such a requirement on central counterparties involved in the clearing of financial instruments.

Given London’s role as a centre for foreign exchange trading, forcing those companies who are trading, clearing and settling in Euros to relocate could have severely harmed London and other major financial centres around the world.

Dr Kamall welcomed today’s ruling, saying: “This is a victory for London’s place as the financial capital of Europe. The European Central Bank adopted a highly protectionist policy that threatened the workings of the EU Single Market. It was quite right that the European Court has ruled it illegal.”

UHNWI The world’s super-rich continued their seemingly unstoppable rise last year with the number of people worth $30m (£19.7m) or more expanding to 172,850. Between them they control nearly $22tn in assets – more than the national output of the US and Germany combined.

Almost 5,300 people joined the ranks of so-called ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs), adding $7bn to the wealth of the global elite. Their numbers are forecast to swell by another third over the next decade to 230,000, according to the latest wealth report from upmarket estate agents Knight Frank.

The swelling of UHNWIs promises increasing competition among buyers for vineyards, ski chalets and riding stables. Asia’s wealthiest are keen buyers of wine estates, those from Africa and the Middle East favour equestrian properties, while the European and North American super-rich stick to second homes in the Alps or the Rockies.

Nearly a third plan to splash out more on luxury goods this year than last. Art, luxury watches, fine wine and classic cars remain the most popular “investments of passion”.

FREQUENT FLYER APPS Farfetch, a London-based luxury fashion retailer, has become the latest technology business to be valued at more than $1bn.

The company, based in Clerkenwell, is seen as fresh evidence of the capital’s efforts to rival Silicon Valley as a hub for digital start-ups.

The hefty valuation follows an $86m financing round for Farfetch, which allows customers to shop from 300 upmarket fashion boutiques across the world to purchase designer brands such as Christopher Kane, Kenzo and Marni.

Rather than having a warehouse full of designer clothes and accessories, Farfetch acts as a marketplace that allows customers to search for a product by typing in generic keywords and be connected with a particular boutique which stocks that hard-to-find luxury fashion item.

The company says that shoppers spend an average of $650 per order on the site. Farfetch generates revenues by collecting commission from the boutiques, which often lack proprietary websites or delivery systems.

13

Re: business, tax and wealth

Congratulations to the winners and all the finalists at the Sussex Super Growth awards For a complimentary initial discussion on accounting, tax or financial services please contact Shirley Smith on: T: +44 (0)1293 776152 E: shirley.smith@krestonreeves.com

www.krestonreeves.com

{ INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS }

MOTIVATING PURPOSE

By Dean Orgill Chairman of Mayo Wynne Baxter www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk • www.iod.com

A

few months ago, in this magazine, I asked as “just a thought”: “What is the purpose of your business?

If your answer starts and ends with “profit” is that ultimately sustainable and/or satisfying for you or for your business?”

From a recent survey of Millennials (people born after 1982) it is very clear that many of your employees and/or customers are of the view that profit as your sole motive will not sustain your business on its own. Certainly, it will not sustain their interest in you.

The survey, which can be found at www.deloitte.com/millennialsurvey, posed a number of questions on attitudes to business of Millennials from twenty-nine different countries.

A clear message came across that this group is looking for business to be conducted with a purpose, and not just for profit. For six in ten Millennials, a “sense of purpose” is part of the reason they chose to work for their current employers, and that sixty per cent figure rose to seventy-seven per cent amongst those who were high users of social media.

What does this tell us? For me, two things.

Firstly, to engage with this group as employees

or customers (which will inevitably become increasingly important over time) businesses must have a clear philosophy about why they exist in the wider social context.

However, if you fear that this would add additional complexities for managing your enterprise, I would say it may in fact make it simpler. For example, if your business has a role to provide key services in a particular sector to a specified target market, surely that helps to feed into how you plan your future? It is easier to make a plan if you know what you are setting out to achieve.

Secondly, businesses need to be more explicit and focused about their wider social contribution. I can think of very few, if any, businesses who will not “do their bit” for charitable causes when asked. Also, with the rise of the CSR culture we have seen more and more businesses actively seek out causes to help, and embed fundraising for those causes as part of the core activity of their staff. However, aligning this with a particular focus and purpose will make it even clearer why any activity is being undertaken and, I believe, make it more effective overall.

Not only will this bring with it the clearer sense of purpose increasingly being looked for, but the impact for the charities and causes is likely to be improved too.

Returning to the Millennials as a group, only twenty-eight per cent of them indicated that they felt that their employers made full use of their skills. It makes sense therefore, if you wish to retain them, to help them feel part of an organization that knows and values both the role of a wider purpose and its own place in society.

JUST A THOUGHT Why not ask your staff “if they could change one thing about you, what would it be?”

15

JEREMY CLARKSON THE MARMITE MAN

By Maarten Hoffmann

{ THE BIG STORY }

I

f ever there was a person who justifies the Marmite tag, it’s Jeremy Clarkson. Love him or hate him, it is undeniable that he is a superb television presenter who has managed to transform a pretty average and niche motoring programme into one of the most watched television shows in the history of the BBC. Top Gear has been around since 1977, when it started as a monthly motoring programme based at BBC Midlands Pebble Mill studios and was transmitted to the Midlands region only.

Believe it or not, the first presenter was Angela Rippon. In 1980 the BBC network took over the show and replaced Angela with Noel Edmonds, who the was the network’s flavour of the month at the time, plus Sue Baker and the bearded bore, Chris Goffey. It still didn’t capture the audience’s attention, so they switched Edmonds for William Woolard. 1987 saw an all-change again as former F1 driver Tiff Needell joined the show, along with Tom Boswell, Tony Mason and a little-known journalist from Performance Car Magazine, one Jeremy Clarkson.

This was the turning point as the show became more humorous, critical and controversial. Clarkson brought a new point of view to the show, one that would openly criticise any car they thought rubbish, and this fired up the imagination of the public, who were bored with bland motoring shows that were terrified to call a spade a spade. Despite constant

criticism that the show was overly macho and encouraged irresponsible driving, the show was a huge hit and pulled in over 5 million viewers for the first time and became BBC2’s top viewed

“This is the problem with the BBC – they often cannot see the wood for the trees, and, having worked there for over 20 years, l know whereof l speak” programme. This is due in no small measure to Clarkson’s presenting style, which chimed with the audience. As is the BBC’s way, and true to their inability to judge a winning format, they carried on chopping and changing the cast, adding used car salesman Quentin Willson and Vicki Butler-Henderson.

Fed up with the reluctance of the BBC to let him produce it his way, Clarkson left the show in 2001 and, predictably, viewing figures shrank to under 3 million, and it was eventually scrapped by the BBC in 2001.

This is the problem with the BBC – they often cannot see the wood for the trees, and, having worked there for over 20 years, I know whereof I speak.

The biggest problem at the network is hierarchy and the temptation to hang onto that job, regardless of being unable to do it. In my day, the BBC was stuffed with sycophants, old school ties and idiots who effectively worked for the government of the day to ensure that the network stayed ‘on message’. There were also a huge number of fabulously talented people who were constantly stifled under the cloak of political correctness and who left in their droves for the independent production sector, as did I. Clarkson was never on message, and indeed, I am not sure he knew that there ever was a message. He simply knew instinctively how to present a car show that got people viewing.

It was 2003 that saw Clarkson and his old school chum Andy Wilman pitch the new format to the BBC, and this is the format we see today – or don’t see today as, in a fit of pique, the network pulled the last three shows of the series.

17

{ THE BIG STORY }

“Danny Cohen remarked: ‘No one is bigger than the club,’ a phrase that may well be haunting him as 850,000 people sign a petition to save Clarkson” Clarkson and Wilman were boarding chums at Repton School in Derbyshire and have remained lifelong mates ever since. At Repton, one’s fag was affectionately known as ‘Stig’, hence the name of the masked racing driver in the repitched format. This new format saw Clarkson in the studio with Richard Hammond and Jason Dawe, who was replaced by James May for the second series, and that is what proves that you can have clever formats coming out of your rear end, but without the dynamic interplay between the presenters, you are left with a good idea on a piece of paper that will never see the light of day.

Interestingly, the launch of the new Top Gear was delayed as they waited to see what would happen when Channel 5 launched Fifth Gear, with Andy Wilman’s wife, Vicki ButlerHenderson, as part of the presenting team.

Realising they had nothing to worry about, Top Gear in its current format was launched in 2003 and has run virtually unchanged to this day.

The show’s success is truly remarkable.

When one considers what the BBC have in their archives, shows such as Fawlty Towers,

The Apprentice, Match of the Day, Not the Nine O’clock News, Boys from the Blackstuff, I, Claudius, Yes, Prime Minister, The Office and the like, Top Gear is the highest rating show in the corporation’s history and the biggest earner, with £150 million a year flowing into its coffers.

TG is broadcast to over 212 territories, with average viewers of 350 million per week, and appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the most watched factual programme in the world.

And this is just a car show, presented by three middle-aged, grumpy old men. But isn’t that the point?

Viewers identify with them as ‘normal blokes’ not scared of voicing their opinion. Viewers like this total lack of political correctness – the very political correctness and bunker mentality they are now suffering from as the BBC revert to type and try to reign in something that has become so powerful. They might instead have taken the view that this was their finest and most profitable product and nurtured it to great heights, as any good CEO would do with their best-selling product. But then, the BBC is very

different from any other corporation in that their budget flows without let or hindrance from the pockets of the UK taxpayer, under the threat of jail should it ever stop.

This changes the view of the board somewhat.

They can do nothing wrong as they answer to no man – not to shareholders, employees or the markets. This dangerously skews their decisions and then, as now, you place a liberal elitist toff with a double first from Oxford in charge who feels threatened by the power of ‘yobbish’ Clarkson, and we end up with a battle of personalities and with Danny Cohen hell-bent on exerting his power and getting rid of the one thing balancing the books: Top Gear. Or, rather, the presenter who saved TG. Danny Cohen is the Head of BBC Television and appears to hate Clarkson. This has been the case for quite some time, and it would appear that there has been a strong will to rein him in, come what may. After issuing several warnings over non-PC comments, Cohen seems to have just been waiting for his chance to kill the golden goose.

{ THE BIG STORY }

That opportunity came from Clarkson himself after the ‘handbagging’ incident on a recent shoot at a Yorkshire Hotel.

It is important to point out here that the producer who was allegedly punched made no formal complaint whatsoever as it was Clarkson who phoned Cohen, admitted there had been a fracas and apologised. This was all Cohen needed, and it clearly made his day.

The curious ‘fracas,’ as splayed across our newspapers, relates to an evening after a long day of filming. I can attest to the stress of a 12hour day of filming and the somewhat tetchy state that crews find themselves in at the end of the day, ready to be up at 5am to start it all over again. Clarkson was, by all reports, sober; interestingly, James May had consumed an entire bottle of Chablis whilst on route to the hotel via helicopter. Perhaps his nickname on the show – Captain Slow – refers to his metabolism rather than his driving style.

A young producer was supposed to have arranged a hot meal upon return but had screwed up and let the chef go home. Clarkson had a fit and words were had. That is it. Was there a bit of pushing and shoving? Maybe.

Did Clarkson throw his toys out of the pram?

Probably. But all this is a fairly minor incident that took place on location and not a soul made a complaint until he called Cohen himself.

There is a far greater issue at stake than one silly and very annoying motoring presenter having a tussle with a minor producer after a gruelling day. This is the BBC in all its elitist protectionism and righteous fury.

The BBC has always been run like a club. A club that is by invitation only. A club that is a safe port for politicians whose sun has set and when the PM is seeking a safe, quiet berth. The

fact that they make television programmes is often regarded as a hindrance that gets in the way of club business. That business is lashing out untold amounts of money on absolutely anything they see fit.

Danny Cohen remarked: ‘No one is bigger than the club,’ a phrase that may well be haunting him as 850,000 people sign a petition to save Clarkson, all liberal-baiting mischief, of course, and his boss, Lord Hall, thunders into his office complaining that his week has been disrupted by an annoying issue over the

“Former culture secretary Maria Miller called Clarkson ‘a legend’ and James May called him ‘a knob’”

corporation’s talent. The last time Cohen and Clarkson went head to head was over the use of the ‘n’ word in a non-broadcast slip-up. As they sat opposite each other in the classic macho face-off, Cohen suspended Clarkson, following which Clarkson, still opposite his nemesis, whipped out his phone and called (Lord) Tony Hall, who immediately overruled Cohen. This would have undoubtedly sown the seeds of fury within Cohen, and here we are.

Our Jeremy has some very powerful friends,

due not only to his value to the BBC and longevity in the business, but as a part of the infamous ‘Chipping Norton’ set that includes David Cameron, Elizabeth Murdoch, Rebekah Brookes and Matthew Freud. The Prime Minister, busy, one would hope, with the business of running the country and trying to get re-elected, made time to make a bizarre intervention: “ I don’t know exactly what happened here. He is a constituent of mine, a friend of mine, he is a huge talent. I see that he said he regrets some of what happened. All I would say, because he is a talent and he does amuse and entertain so many people, including my children, who’ll be heartbroken if Top Gear is taken off air, I hope this can be sorted out, because it is a great programme and he is a great talent.”

Former culture secretary Maria Miller called Clarkson ‘a legend’ and James May called him ‘a knob’.

Top Gear without Clarkson is dead in the water even though there isnews of Chris Evans or Stephen Fry taking over, but what the BBC, or Danny Cohen, specifically, seems to have ignored is that wherever Clarkson goes, the show goes with him. The BBC own the name and the rights, but they are ignoring the point of the whole thing – lost in the red haze of revenge - that two of Clarkson’s best mates are sitting on the side-line like rapacious vultures, ready to pounce. Head of ITV Peter Fincham and Sky mogul Rupert Murdoch will start a bidding war on how much they can snaffle him for. Call it Bottom Gear, stick it on Sky, and 99% of the audience will go with it.

Clarkson, for once tight-lipped, simply commented that he was off down to the job centre and was enjoying a nice cold pint and waiting for this to blow over.

19

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{ THE BIG STORY }

And this brings us back to the agitator in all of this, the BBC. The same public service broadcaster that every taxpayer in this country effectively owns. The same public services broadcaster that took our money, paid a king’s ransom to make the current series and then, in a childish fit of pique, pulled it from the schedule.

The crew and talent are paid. The only people affected are the viewers. In what was the finest broadcasting corporation on the planet, we have individuals making huge decisions based on their personal preferences, determining who should, and who should not, be on our screens.

Clarkson’s friend of 30 years, restaurant critic AA Gill said: “Those who say ‘Well, he’s just a presenter’ have no idea how much of Top Gear is down to him. The new format was created by Jeremy and his old school friend Andy Wilman, the producer. Jeremy does not just present, he comes up with the ideas, he also writes the scripts. All those jokes and that banter are not off-the-cuff wit.”

He added: “At the BBC, some of Jeremy’s colleagues have treated him as a liability. Not just failed to appreciate him but briefed against him while taking the hundreds of millions his talent earns them and using his image and Top Gear to promote themselves around the world.

This Cohen investigation is preposterous and ponderous. Cohen had a choice: to do the right thing or the bureaucratic thing, but at the BBC no good intention goes unquestioned.”

He further added: “People work long hours with a great deal of stress, and small things - almost invariably food - are tetchy trip-wires. Whatever did happen, in mitigation to Jeremy, nobody works harder or under more stress than he.”

Writing in The Sunday Times, Clarkson described himself as a “not very interesting fat man” and joked about retirement while he awaits the disciplinary hearing.

“We read often about active and busy people who die the day after they retire because they simply can’t cope with the concept of relaxation.

So as I seem to have a bit of time on my hands at the moment, I thought it would be a good idea to take up some kind of hobby.”

“I began by watching daytime television, and soon felt myself starting to slip away. So I turned over to the news and it was all about a not very interesting fat man who had been suspended from his not very important job.

“But watching the fat man made me hungry and that’s when the penny dropped: I’d take up cooking.”

He added: “I decided to get ambitious and cook the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in my life: a pho ... a Vietnamese noodle soup that contains about 128 ingredients.”

However, after tucking into wine while waiting for the beef broth to cook and adding chillies “that sat on the Scoville scale just above lava” he went to bed “hungry, drunk and with an ulcerated, gangrenous mouth”.

My new hobby is called ‘going out to restaurants and letting people who know what they’re doing cook my food,” he wrote at the end of his column.

“Viewers identify with them as ‘normal blokes’ not scared of voicing their opinion”

But not being one to keep his mouth shut and wait for things to blow over, at a charity auction after a few too many libations, he decided to auction off one last lap of the TG track at Dunsfold airfield to the highest bidder. Clarkson stood up and told the audience “I want to do one more lap of the track before the f****** b******* sack me.

I’ll be a bit tearful when l do it, but f*** it, let’s do it. For the highest bidder, I’ll drive somebody around in whatever l can get my hands on. I’m

sacked, so it’s probably going to be an Austin Maestro. There was an 18-year waiting list to be in the audience of Top Gear, but the BBC have f***** themselves”. He then auctioned the lap and raised an astonishing £100,000. And probably sealed his fate with the BBC. Many of his friends put his current dilemma down to the parting of the ways from his wife of 22 years Francie, who spent her life organising his life. He said “Happily my wife organises my diary, gets me into the right clothes, remind me when to be in and where to go when I’m out”. For her part, Francie has been unsparing about his domestic failings “He sings in the bath, leaves cigarettes by the side of the sink, never replaces the loo roll, leave his socks rolled up in a ball under the bed, sleeps through the loudest of child squawking and farts in bed. I left Jeremy without nanny cover one day and he threw up in the sink when he had to change a nappy”.

Warming to her theme, she added “Nappies aside, he is a brilliant and fun loving dad. I put this down to the Peter Pan syndrome, which enables him to build elaborate dens out of the furniture and turn bath time into a scene from the Poseidon Adventure”.

These happy days seem to be over as she kicked him out of their Oxfordshire farmhouse in 2013 and he took up with events organiser, Phillip Sage, who he spends time with whenever they are out of the country. His work schedule doesn’t help either as his chum and producer Andy Wilman commented: “He starts works at

Sussex-based Skerritts have won the industry-recognised Citywire New Model Adviser award for the South East for the 5th successive year. The awards were presented by comedian and TV presenter Clive Anderson.

{ THE BIG STORY }

“Clarkson was, by all reports, sober; interestingly, James May had consumed an entire bottle of Chablis”

6am and carries on until 10pm – 6 days a week.

I’m just a facilitator; the engine room is Jeremy.

It’s rare that you get a presenter with that level of involvement and that much editorial nous. I have seen him work on scripts through the night and then go to work at 8am the following day having had no sleep. To put a show like Top Gear together takes a lot of effort. You sign up for Top Gear and wave goodbye to your social life, that’s for sure”.

Nor are events helped by his bad health.

Clarkson admits he never exercises and still smokes 40 fags a day and commented: “I slipped two discs last year and have now been told l need two new hips. I recently had a full medical and the news was not good. Having spent an entire day making me run about on a treadmill with a selection of enormous probes up my bottom, the doctor pulled a stern face and described my fitness as ‘atrocious’. I get tired pulling my socks on these days but then I guess the fags and two bottles of Rose over lunch every non-working day, don’t help”.

The BBC’s in-house magazine, Ariel, published a letter from a receptionist at BBC Oxford that reflects the mood of some staff.

Pat Noel argued “there are only so many warnings the BBC can give one person. There is a lot of great talent in the BBC; let’s not make one man a god.”

Last month, the BBC approved its new bullying and harassment grievance policy, agreed with unions, and some are seeing allegations that

Clarkson threw a punch at a producer as a test I love the BBC and everything they used to case. stand for. The talent they used to nurture, the Luke Crawley, Assistant General Secretary incredible skills they used to foster in making of the broadcast workers’ union Bectu, told The some of the finest television programmes the Observer: “If it turns out that the allegations are world has ever seen. After my 20-odd years true, then the BBC must take a very firm line. there, l worked with some huge talent in front “Otherwise, it seems to be open season for of and behind the camera, and the reason the star presenters taking a pop at staff. This is a BBC was such a success? The license fee. They pretty serious test case.” answered to no one, didn’t have to pander to the The BBC have launched an internal commercial companies that bought airtime and investigation into this earth-shattering event; it just concentrated on making award-winning is to be led by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC programmes.

Scotland, who carried out the investigation into Unfortunately, time has moved on and pygmies Newsnight’s false expose of Lord McAlpine. are now in charge, who see themselves as larger Although this story will unfold over the next and more important than the very programmes few weeks, it seems sure that Clarkson will that sustain the entire edifice. depart the BBC and take his audience with him.

The BBC is dead. Long live the BBC. And along with him will go the largest single income generator the corporation has ever seen.

The BBC bigwigs will sit with sanctimonious satisfaction in their leather wingback chairs in their ‘club’, content that their dominance has not been thwarted and the upstart has been slapped down.

Across town, Rupert Murdoch will be rubbing his hands with glee and preparing the £10 million cheque that will tempt Jeremy and wife Francie Clarkson into his clutches.

23

BALANCING THE BUDGET Seven ways businesses can make their annual budget work harder

By Gary Chown ACIB MCIBS - Chartered Banker Director Commercial Banking NatWest Bank Gary.Chown@natwest.com

W

hether you’re juggling the numbers as a small start-up or a medium/ large enterprise turning over millions, budgeting is never easy.

And with the financial year-end approaching, identifying conclusions and trends from this current year’s spending can help mitigate problems in 2014-15.

Taking time to look at where your company has overspent, wasted money or not invested enough is crucial.

In a nutshell: • Calculate current costs and forecast future costs • Where should you invest?

• Wasting time? Then you’re wasting money Have a clear view of every number Ian Preston, VP of Sales for UK and Ireland at financial software platform Adaptive Insights, believes SMEs must first and foremost ensure they have accurate figures to hand when planning out their budgets for the next year.

He says: “Often businesses lack a comprehensive view of all the company spending or below line costs because they are budgeting on numerous spreadsheets which are not integrated. This results in numbers falling through the cracks.

“Companies need to utilise technology, which allows all employees to work from a single version of the truth, yet still drill down into granular detail.”

Cut out wasteful spending and wasting time Wasteful and duplicate spending also needs to be slashed. At the end of 2014, the Government announced it had saved businesses £10bn over the past four years due to a war on red tape. Identifying where your company can take advantage of these changing regulations is a must.

But looking at where you’re not spending enough is also key, says Morgan Davies, MD of Prime Accountants, who believes many smaller businesses waste time on doing jobs themselves that should be outsourced to professionals.

He says: “If you’re spending hours on back office functions, you could be losing out on chargeable hours. Weigh up the cost against what it will ‘cost’ you to do it.”

Tech time to know your IT spend Technology spending accounts for a large proportion of SME budgets, but according to Al Nagar, head of benchmarking at KnowledgeBus, not looking closely enough at what you are paying for things is a common mistake, especially on peripheral items that aren’t as closely scrutinised

as big ticket buys.

He explains: “For SMEs, getting the best possible value for every penny you spend is crucial, from software systems to cabling. With new products and technologies emerging every day and huge fluctuations in pricing, our market research has found that

some organisations are paying margins of up to 673% on IT equipment.

“SMEs can use benchmarking tools to secure the best prices for their IT equipment and to make sure they have the most up to date market information at their fingertips.”

Check your cash flow and currency forecasts Adam Holden, Finance Director of RBS Invoice Finance, points out that companies need to use this year’s budgets to more accurately predict their cash flow.

He says: “Putting effort into accurate forecasting gives you a solid baseline from which to assess your performance. Understanding how your business activities translate to cash flow needs allows you to identify pinch points well before they creep up on you.”

{ FINANCE }

“If you’re spending hours on back office functions, you could be losing out on chargeable hours. Weigh up the cost against what it will ‘cost’ you to do it”

Use technology tools to budget better For James Hind, founder of www.carwow.co.uk, however, budgeting doesn’t have to be complicated. He says SMEs should use all the tools at their disposal to be responsible for knowing every single number.

He says: “Budgeting is key to the success of an SME. We do this at carwow by using financial software, which really is invaluable.

“It helps us keep on top of our company income and outgoings. Throwing budgets out of the window can be a sure-fire way to turn your business venture into a failure.”

Look closely at staff costs Mark Beatson, Chief Economist for the CIPD, predicts employment may grow by as much as half a million in 2015. He says this is slightly more than the OBR forecast, with wage growth likely to remain in the 1-2% range for most or all of 2015.

Increasing spending in this area alongside HR and training could therefore prove profitable.

Mr Beatson adds: “Upskilling the existing workforce is an insurance policy against future skills shortages.”

Invest extra cash in employment That view is backed by members of the British Retail Consortium, where eight in ten (78%) admit they are likely to be employing more staff next year.

It is something Tom Walker, of sturents.com, identified towards the end of 2013-14 and acted on from his budget surplus in that financial year.

He says: “We’re only eight months into our first year and growing quite aggressively. With the money available to us at the end of last year we invested in new hires. Recruiting can take time, so we saw this as our surplus bleeding into the next year.”

A financial audit may seem like an expensive and lengthy task, but it is well worth the amount it can save your company in both time and money in the medium to long-term. If you can’t find the time, just do it bit by bit, looking at each area in turn, and you’ll quickly notice the improvement in your budget.

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{ INVESTMENTS }

THE UK ELECTION IS A WORRY

By Andy Merricks Head of Investments of Skerritts Wealth Management www.skerritts.co.uk

W

e’ve already seen the start of the countdown to the UK General Election on May 7th this year on numerous TV and radio programmes, and the noise is going to get louder and louder when the clocks go forward. And we have to say that we find the lead-up and outcome worrying. This is not to declare a political bias, but at the moment it doesn’t appear possible to expect anything other than a muddled outcome.

The last election was significant as it was the first time in living memory that power was shared by two parties. On the face of it, it has worked pretty well. This time around though it may well be different.

The problem lay in the sheer number of likely participants in the next coalition, assuming that no one party wins an outright majority.

Let’s look at the players involved. We have the

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Conservatives, of course, and Labour. But, as we’ve seen across the rest of Europe, there has been a surge in smaller parties grabbing market share and these fringe players will almost certainly become involved in a multiparty alliance once the votes have been counted.

So, apart from the Lib Dems who everyone expects will see their vote collapse, we have the rise of UKIP and the SNP, both of which can be expected to make inroads this time around. Can one envisage a coalition between the Tories and UKIP, the Tories and the SNP, Labour and UKIP or Labour and the SNP. The answer is no, in various degrees of emphasis.

This then means that the other regional parties such as Plaid Cymru and the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein are brought into the mix, and one can only imagine the deals that they will be trying to broker with whoever they are being

asked to co-exist with. The margins may be so thin that the likes of George Galloway and his Respect Party or even Al Murray’s Pub Landlord may hold the balance of power. As unlikely as it was that the Lib Dems and the Conservatives joined forces, it seems even more unlikely that any combinations of the above (bearing in mind that it will probably take more than just two parties this time around) will be able to form anything approaching a stable Government. And a stable Government is exactly what is needed at this stage of the economic recovery.

The last coalition took around five days to be sworn in once their negotiations had finished.

How long will it take the next Government to be formed? It could take weeks. And how long will it last? Who knows? One thing is for sure though - if the above comes to pass, the markets will hate the uncertainty that is caused and Sterling

{ INVESTMENTS }

“The markets will hate the uncertainty that is caused and Sterling will probably weaken. All of which leads us to be as underweight as we can for the UK right now” will probably weaken. All of which leads us to be as underweight as we can for the UK right now, crossing our fingers that between now and May 7th, one of the parties will shoot itself in the foot so badly that the UK electorate will return just a single party with a clear majority.

HAVE THE GREEKS SHOWN US WHAT TO EXPECT?: Syriza surprised a few when they won the recent Greek election, with their rhetoric causing the Greek stock market to shed some 30% in the days following their victory. We doubt whether their bite will be quite as bad as their bark when it comes to it, because the majority of the Greek people actually want to stay in the Euro – just with less of the handcuffs on. It is quite possible that Syriza will find out quite quickly that it is easier to be in opposition than it is to be in power. The likes of Podomos in Spain and the National Front in France (interestingly one extreme Left, one extreme Right – the actual politics meaning less than the need to protest at authority) will be watching closely how the new Greek Government gets on in taking on the core of the European Union. Success will encourage them. Failure will act as a warning.

In the middle of all of this are the Germans, and it is worth noting that, despite their strong words, it could be argued that they have more to lose than any other European nation if the union disintegrated. We read recently that “Germany are the spouse that doesn’t want to leave a dysfunctional marriage. As much as it complains, it craves the convenience of the union too much.” This view is not necessarily shared so strongly by the peripheral states (what have the Germans done for us, to paraphrase a famous Monty Python film). It remains to be seen whether the massive easing programme announced by the ECB will be enough to stave off deflation from taking a grip in Europe, or more importantly if it has eventually arrived in time, but it does appear that the Europeans are beginning to get the seriousness of the situation that they are facing (and the UK is not immune from it, thus leaving little room for instability in the forthcoming election). It wouldn’t surprise us if the European markets actually surprised the consensus view on the upside. But then Europe is starting to rival Japan for providing investors with false dawns.

THREE PARADIGM SHIFTS TO KEEP US BUSY: According to BCA Research’s excellent Geopolitical Report, the world is undergoing three paradigm shifts that explains the volatility and confusion that has typified markets since 2008. The first is the transformation from US dominance to multipolarity, the emergence of at least one secondary power in the shape of China to challenge the position that America has held on the world stage. Contrary to what one may suspect, the main beneficiary in market terms has been the one belonging to the diminishing power – the US. Faced with uncertainty, investors still prefer familiarity and the sense of security offered by the US over the less

“The last election was significant as it was the first time in living memory that power was shared by two parties” developed emerging power. How long will this continue? We would guess for quite a while yet.

Second is the end of the debt supercycle.

We have long said that the period from the 80s through to mid-2000s will be seen as a freak, and yet to all of us who lived through that time, it was the norm. Many a portfolio will be wrecked by investors and their advisers doing what they think SHOULD be done, rather than by facing the current and future conditions and acting in the present. Many theories and models born in the debt supercycle era will simply not work in the lower growth / lower return world that we appear to face. How will property perform when credit is harder to come by and wages wade through treacle? The market can not be propped up by foreign buyers indefinitely.

Which links to the third shift – the ending of the Emerging Market decade. Many of the emerging markets have wasted what was, in hindsight,

a once in a lifetime opportunity provided by the commodity explosion fuelled by Chinese growth. As we’ve said before, you can only build scores of cities and umpteen airports once. This demand for commodities is on the retreat and any country that has not used its commodity windfall wisely will hear its electorate loudly asking what have commodities done for us (to paraphrase once more a famous Monty Python film). We anticipate that, for some emerging markets, things will get progressively worse before they get better and so we will continue to avoid investing in them per se. Reward is much more likely to be found in identifying single countries rather than lumping them together as has been the fashion. With concentration however come risk, but then doesn’t the world look a riskier place as we propel ourselves further into 2015?

The information contained within this document is for guidance only and is not a recommendation of any investment or a financial promotion.

Skerritt Consultants, Skerritt House, 23 Coleridge Street, Hove, BN3 5AB. Tel: 01273 204 999.

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{ COMPANY STRUCTURE }

IS IT TIME YOU GAVE A NED THE NOD?

By Nik Askaroff, CEO, EMC Corporate Finance

U

NTIL relatively recent times, NonExecutive Directors (henceforth NEDs) were seen as the almost exclusive domain of PLCs and the very biggest private companies.

Not any longer. Increasingly, private companies of varying sizes are recognizing the virtues of having a voice in the boardroom independent of the executive management team.

NEDs are generally appointed to offer a “creative contribution” to the Board of Directors by giving objective criticism and advice.

Although it is accepted that they can’t give the same continuous attention to the business of the company as the Executive Directors, they are expected to show the same commitment to its success.

Their independence from the management of the company is essential to their effectiveness.

This allows them to bring a degree of objectivity to the Board’s deliberations and play a valuable role in monitoring management decisions. As the 1992 Cadbury Report stated, “they should bring an independent judgment to bear on

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issues of strategy, performance and resources, including key appointments and standards of conduct.”

NEDs are generally chosen for their calibre, their breadth of experience and their personal qualities. They may also possess specialist knowledge of use to the Board or have key contacts in related industries or financial institutions.

Whilst being careful not to stray into executive directions, NEDs should always be available to provide general guidance and to offer a different perspective on matters of concern.

Their principal responsibilities lie in the following areas: • Strategy: NEDs should constructively challenge and contribute to the development of strategy.

• Monitoring: NEDs should scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives. They should continually act as a sounding board for management, but also probe and ask

questions where they have doubts or concerns.

• Audit: NEDs should satisfy themselves that financial information is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.

There are all sorts of reasons for appointing NEDs. You may be lacking certain skills in the boardroom, need a sounding board, or require someone with experience of markets you want to expand into. Whatever the initial motivation, you will want to make sure that you get the best out of the appointment.

So what considerations and actions are required to ensure that both you and your NED achieve your goals?

Define your needs Clearly defined terms of reference are vital. Lay out your expectations up front so that both you and your appointee are clear on your respective roles and responsibilities. Failure to do so will leave you disappointed and potentially out of pocket. A good NED will always ask you to clearly

{ COMPANY STRUCTURE }

“Did Adam Crozier get appointed as the new ITV CEO for his broadcast expertise? Hardly. It is far more likely that his past record of success, his experience and skill set were the deciding factor” define your needs and expectations.

Your chosen NED is there to provide a specific service, add much-needed objective thinking, or, hopefully, both. But it should also be a requirement of a non-executive post that the appointee performs a role outside of the boardroom, at the very least as an ambassador for your business. Again, I recommend that you define your expectations in this regard as well.

Governance The Combined Code on Corporate Governance (June 2008) states that it is part of a NonExecutive Director’s role to constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy. It adds that an NED should ‘scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitoring the reporting of performance’. It also suggests that a Non-Executive Director ‘should be involved in the appointment, and, where necessary, the removal of Executive Directors’. Clearly, therefore, the code is emphasising objectivity.

The very term ‘non-executive’ indicates a role not hindered by day-to-day issues and therefore objective. If you’re running a company it’s very useful to have someone with whom you can discuss problems and potential solutions objectively. You may have a good management team, but will they remain objective and dispassionate if the problem or solution affects them?

Experience It is often said that you cannot buy experience, but in the case of NEDs, you can. You should be looking to hire someone with an extensive track record of senior management with multiple SMEs. Just having worked with one business, successful or not, will not be broad enough. Some will be specialists in a specific field. Either way, you will want someone who will add considerable value and more than repay their fees.

The skill chest One of the most valid reasons for appointing an NED is to add skills that are missing from your organisation. Negotiation or financial skills, legal knowledge, an understanding of business development, sales or marketing expertise appointing an NED can be a very cost-effective way to secure these additional benefits for your organisation. Specific industry or technical knowledge may be important in some cases, but I would argue that it is far more important to have

someone who can ‘see the wood from the trees’, is objective in their thinking, and brings expertise in a variety of disciplines. Specific industry nuances can be learned.

Network Business executives who have built a strong network of contacts usually guard them assiduously. One way around this, if you know someone who has contacts that would be useful to you, is to appoint them as a NED. Having a respected sector figure as a non-exec will raise your profile and open doors.

“The very term ‘nonexecutive’ indicates a role not hindered by day-to-day issues and therefore objective”

Strategic Planning The strategic business plan is the route map which guides an organisation to meet its objectives. It provides a vital framework within which you and your team can operate. It should be a living document, clear to everyone in your business, albeit adapted for different audiences.

Yet I am constantly surprised by the number of businesses I come across that do not have any sort of strategic plan, or, if they do, it is often gathering dust in the MD’s office. The old adage that ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail’ is as true in 2015 as it ever was.

Any plan, whether long or short term, needs constant reviewing and updating to recognise achievements, changes in economic conditions or any unforeseen opportunities / circumstances.

The NED can and should play an important part in helping to prepare such a plan and monitor its progress against established goals. Objective thinking and experience are crucial this regard.

Checking consistency of implementation is also critical.

Mentoring Leading a business can be lonely. Occasionally, we all need a sounding board or a confidante able to reassure us that we are heading in the right direction. Here again, the clarity of thought that comes from objectivity is crucial. One of my clients told me about a conversation he had with a friend who had asked about my role in the company. He told him: “Oh he’s my therapist, helping to keep me sane!” This can be a very valuable investment if used properly.

Conclusions On a final note, I would urge that executive search and the HR professionals think more about the skill chest rather than trying to pigeonhole candidates on the basis of an exact industry profile. Did Adam Crozier get appointed as the new ITV CEO for his broadcast expertise?

Hardly. It is far more likely that his past record of success, his experience and skill set were the deciding factors.

Whatever your reason for considering hiring a Non-Executive Director, I advise you to choose someone you above all can work with. Chemistry is vital and should not be underestimated.

Industry knowledge can be learned; an ability to work with all stakeholders cannot!

Nik Askaroff holds a number of non-executive positions with companies, including Posturite Ltd, the global ergonomics specialist, Montefiore House Ltd, Brighton and Hove’s leading private hospital, part of the Spire Group, Cmed Group Ltd, the International clinical research organisation and Cobb Media Group. EMC as a whole has extensive experience of acting as, or advising on, the appointment of NEDs. To find out more, call 01273 945984 or email contact@emcltd.co.uk

CONTACT: EMC Corporate Finance Rochester House, 48 Rochester Gardens, Hove BN3 3AW Nik Askaroff, CEO Tel: 01273 945984 Email: nik.askaroff@emcltd.co.uk Web: www.emcltd.co.uk

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AND THE WINNERS ARE...

THE AWARD FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY WINNER: ILG ILG are the UK leaders in fulfilment and courier services utilising the latest technology employing 120 dedicated staff and serving over 700 clients worldwide.

Sponsor:

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR WINNER: 1st CENTRAL This insurance company based in Haywards Heath is rapidly making a big name for itself with over 1 million car insurance policies issue since 2008.

Sponsor:

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER: TARGET IN 1 Target in 1 was founded in 2013 and have carved a niche for themselves specialising in a range of exhibition and event print services, interior office solutions and display requirements.

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Sponsor:

{ BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS }

THE AWARD FOR CUSTOMER DELIGHT WINNER: MAYO WYNNE BAXTER Sponsor:

Mayo Wynne Baxter is one of the leading law firms in the South East with over 200 Partners and staff across their nine locations providing an exemplary service to their clients.

THE AWARD FOR DEVELOPING PEOPLE FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS WINNER: VIRGIN HOLIDAYS Sponsor:

Virgin Holidays are the largest and most successful transatlantic tour operator and the market leader for travel to the USA and the Caribbean since 1985.

THE AWARD FOR SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE WINNER: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS Sponsor:

Varian Medical Systems’ mission is to focus energy on saving lives by equipping the world with new tools for fighting cancer, with over 6,500 staff around the world.

DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER: ROCKETMILL Sponsor:

RocketMill is a digital marketing agency based in Crawley with a proven track record that major brands trust, a team of major talent and a culture that has a strong moral compass.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR WINNER: CARPENTER BOX Sponsor:

Carpenter Box has been an Accountancy firm in Sussex for over 90 years and cover a wide range of business and individual services, building a solid foundation by word of mouth recommendations.

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR WINNER: KEITH PORDUM T/A BON APPETIT Sponsor:

Based in Crawley, Keith Pordum offers a national service in the supply of high quality food vending machines, offering a healthy, cost-effective 24hr virtual restaurant experience at the workplace.

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{ BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS }

THE WINNERS CONTINUED...

THE AWARD FOR PLACE TO MEET WINNER: SOUTHCOAST CONFERENCES

UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON Southcoast Conferences unifies the University of Brighton’s conferencing and events venues under one distinctive brand offering meeting space, venues and accommodation.

Sponsor:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER: B&CE B&CE is a not-for-profit organisation and is the largest stakeholder pension scheme in the UK, operating for the benefit of their members and their dependants, with 2.8million members built over 70 years.

Sponsor:

GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER: SONY DADC UK Sony DADC is a leading disc and digital solution provider for the entertainment, education and information industries, offering worldwide optical media replication services across 19 countries.

Sponsor:

THE AWARD FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY WINNER: AVTURA Avtura is a well-established and innovative provider of software management solutions for ground handling operations at international airports around most of the UK.

Sponsor:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WINNER: ACRO AIRCRAFT SEATING Acro is an award winning aerospace company based in Redhill manufacturing aircraft seating for a wide range of aircraft across the globe

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Sponsor:

OPEN FOR BUSINESS in the Gatwick Diamond

“We have a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the university to help us develop accurate temperature measurements”

My Profitnet peers have helped me tremendously with training and business strategy. I found the action learning part of the programme really valuable”

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“We’re investigating how we might extract and re-use the polymers from clinical waste” Stuart Brittle, Managing Director, Medisort

We can help your business with: • • • • •

Research and product development Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Graduate internships and placements Business development and growth programmes Developing opportunities for Corporate Social Responsibility

Contact our Business Helpdesk on 01273 643 098 or at businesshelpdesk@brighton.ac.uk.

Alternatively come and see us at our new Research and Enterprise Office at 7 Magellan Terrace, Gatwick Road, Crawley, RH10 9PJ.

THE GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS CEREMONY

Sophia Chapman, Lee-Ann Connor, Sally Brown, Jeremy Taylor

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Juliet Godfrey, Chris Randall, Rebecca Louis

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COPTHORNE EFFINGHAM PARK HOTEL 19TH MARCH 2015

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Violinist Naomi Tagg

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{ FINANCE }

SUPPORTING GROWTH We talk to Daryl Gayler, Executive Board Member, Coast to Capital LEP

E

xperienced banking professional, Daryl Gayler, is one of eight business representatives on the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership board and the LEP’s area champion for the Gatwick Diamond.

He also sits on the Executive Board.

Daryl is currently Regional Director (Corporate and Commercial Banking) for London and the South East at The Royal Bank of Scotland. In this role, he is responsible for corporate and commercial clients with turnovers of £2m to £500m throughout Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

Daryl has previously worked for Bank Austria, HypoVereinsbank and NatWest.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW ARE LOCAL BUSINESSES FARING IN THE CURRENT MARKET? From my position within the bank, we are starting to see growing confidence from our business customers within the local business community and a gradual increase in their appetite for

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borrowing. Just a year ago, many of these businesses were more cautious or felt it was just too early to be investing. However, they are now exhibiting more confidence on the strength of the UK’s economic outlook.

Whether it is borrowing to fund increased capital expenditure, new acquisitions, higher levels of working capital or maybe the purchase of new premises, they appreciate that there is a need to invest and that a ‘do-nothing strategy’ is no longer a valid option. Nevertheless, uncertainty about the European markets is still a cause for concern. The key challenge now is to encourage firms to reinvest after the recent lean years when budgets were severely reduced.

With unemployment in the South East currently at one of the lowest levels in the country and the economic outlook more positive, businesses in the region are generally motivated to take positive steps to invest. With new green shoots of growth evident, access to the right sources of finance will become an even bigger priority.

IS THERE FINANCE AVAILABLE FOR COMPANIES LOOKING TO GROW? The challenges for growing businesses in raising finance, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), have been debated for many years. As we enter a period of renewed economic growth, I believe we need to focus less on the finance ‘gap’ and more on the need to identify appropriate and tailored solutions to finance business growth in order to continue building a sustainable economic recovery.

A recent survey of businesses in the Gatwick Diamond region found that, while 70% of businesses were expecting to grow their turnover within the next six months, only 17% had sought external finance to fund that growth, with one third believing that the availability of finance options are poor.

One problem is a general misunderstanding about the banks’ appetite for lending, particularly to smaller businesses.

In fact, RBS and NatWest have been growing their loan book

{ FINANCE }

“The Coast to Capital Expansion Loan Scheme can provide up to £200,000 in the form of a loan to established SMEs requiring finance to implement activities that will deliver substantial growth” and increasing the number of SME customers they are supporting with additional lending. The financial market today is a competitive landscape with new financial providers coming onto the scene, and companies shouldn’t be nervous of approaching their banks.

And, while banks may have traditionally been the ‘go to’ source of funding for many businesses, let’s not forget that today there is a myriad of alternative options such as venture capital, business angels, crowdfunding, community finance development schemes and grants.

Bankers have an opportunity to prove their worth as trusted advisors by helping to signpost business customers to the most appropriate source of funding.

HOW IS COAST TO CAPITAL HELPING TO FINANCE GROWTH IN THE REGION? Our work at Coast to Capital is driven by the overarching goal to create the right conditions for business and economic growth. Financing growth is a key priority, and last year we were able to support 39 businesses from across the region with a total of £2.2m from the Coast to Capital Business Growth Grant Programme.

This programme helps SMEs expand their businesses by supporting projects such as skills improvement, research and development and investment in equipment or premises. More than

300 jobs have been created in the local enterprise partnership region as a result of this investment.

For example, Medical Imaging Partnership, based at Pease Pottage, received a grant of £200,000 to purchase a new mobile MRI unit to support its innovative new service delivery across Sussex. The business, which provides a complete diagnostic radiology service, will use the unit to offer patients the best image quality using the very latest in MRI technology. An additional 17 jobs have been created as a result of the funding.

As well as the Business Growth Grants Programme, Coast to Capital has committed £5 million of capital to create a new funding escalator comprising a loan scheme and an equity fund managed by the FSE Group. The Funding Escalator is aimed at ambitious SMEs based in the Coast to Capital region with the potential to deliver high growth and employment opportunities.

The Coast to Capital Expansion Loan Scheme can provide up to £200,000 in the form of a loan to established SMEs requiring finance to implement activities that will deliver substantial growth. The loan may be used to match the South East Sustainability Loan Fund, also operated by the FSE Group. The Coast to Capital Growth Equity Fund invests in high-growth SMEs and can provide up to £125,000 as an equity investment.

The investment must be matched by at least an

equal amount of private investment, which the FSE Group can assist the company in sourcing.

WHAT ADVICE IS AVAILABLE? At Coast to Capital, we are working hard to promote the message that financing growth is not simply a matter of chasing whatever funding is available. More importantly, it is an opportunity to seek advice in, firstly, identifying the type of finance best suited to the development stage of the business, and secondly, in identifying and acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve the growth objective.

As a banker, I recognise the constraints faced by smaller companies in accessing the information and advice necessary to making informed decisions. The Coast to Capital Business Navigator is one way in which businesses can help to find their way to the right kind of advice and support, acting as a signposting tool to local and national business support initiatives.

For further information on the financial support available to businesses, visit: www.coast2capital.org.uk or the Coast to Capital Business Navigator www.c2cbusiness.org.uk.

“The key challenge now is to encourage firms to reinvest after the recent lean years when budgets were severely reduced”

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EMC is the leading independent provider of corporate ďŹ nance, interim management and operational support to SMEs across all business sectors in the South East.

DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR

Offices at:

Brighton | Eastbourne | Maidstone | Crawley | London EMC Management Consultants Ltd | Rochester House | 48 Rochester Gardens | Hove BN3 3AW T: 01273 945984 | E: contact@emcltd.co.uk | www.emcltd.co.uk

EUROPE–IN OR OUT? O

ne of the biggest decisions this country has taken over the last few decades was to join the European Community. That was in 1969, followed in 1973 by a referendum called by Prime Minister Harold Wilson that saw 67.2% of the population vote to remain in the union. That was 42 years ago when the EU was a very different organisation to the one we are presented with today, and by anyone’s reckoning it is surely time to ask the electorate what they feel about continuing said membership.

The Conservatives have assured us of a vote should they be returned to power, whilst Labour have made no such pledge, and much will depend on what cobbled-together coalition we end up with on May 8th as to whether we will actually get a chance to have our say.

The beast that is the EU is a very different animal to the one we signed up for so long ago, and the two most divisive issues would appear to be open border immigration and Brussels making so many of our laws. These are the two items that seem to get the media stirred up, and, in turn, the electorate, but that is not

“The beast that is the EU is a very different animal to the one we signed up for so long ago” really the issue. Whilst a member of the EU, there’s no changing this, so the issue is what to do about them to ensure this small island does not become the most highly populated country in the world and that our treasured way of life is not changed beyond recognition due to our inability to set our own laws.

Some feel the scenario of leaving the union is too frightening to contemplate. Others feel that we would be better off out of it, to forge our own future as an independent sovereign country.

After all, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland have some of the highest standards of living on the continent, yet are not in the formal EU. And those plumping for departure are also keen to point out that, had we joined the Euro, we would be in a very sorry state today. Is that the longterm future of the entire union?

If we actually get a referendum and the country votes to depart and we wave a teary farewell to our friends across the sea, what happens then? The path to glory and prosperity, or the slow descent into bankruptcy and degradation?

So we decided to run our own small, local referendum and asked various local business leaders for their thoughts on the subject – Europe: In or Out?

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{ THE BIG DEBATE }

THE EU BAROMETER Ana Christie Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

S

ussex Chamber of Commerce works closely with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). As part of an accredited network of 52 Chambers throughout the UK, the Chamber network is expanding globally to include a further 41 Chambers which are gradually being accredited with the same standards and processes. Chambers can provide practical advice and support to companies trading around the world.

As well as expanding the network internationally, the British Chambers tracks a wide range of European policy issues and maintains a permanent representation in

Brussels. Within the European Chamber of Commerce network, the BCC is recognised as an expert on smart regulation and makes a strong contribution to policy proposals that seek to reduce the burden of regulation, particularly for European SMEs. The latest EU Barometer shows that businesses are strongly in favour of staying in the EU. However many businesses believe that the EU needs to reform and support the UK renegotiating the terms of its membership.

In the last quarter survey, with a total of 3,500 business responses, most businesses felt that withdrawal from the EU would be bad for Britain,

with 59% saying that full withdrawal would impact negatively on their business.

Business wants more decisions made in the UK with specific powers transferred back from Brussels to Westminster, with 57% of respondents believing that this would deliver a positive impact on their business.

41% of business felt that by remaining in the EU with no change to the current relationship would be a negative for their business.

So what is the future of the UK within the EU and how will this affect your business? Sussex Chamber is keen to hear your views, so tweet us @SussexChamber

CLIVE STEVENS, CEO, KRESTON REEVES I would much prefer we went back to the original idea of a Europe with all barriers to free trade eliminated. I am personally against joining the Euro or the creation of a larger federalist entity.

The truth is that business needs Europe as a vibrant trade partner for our goods and services but does not want Europe as the chief lawmaker in the UK – particularly in areas such as employment legislation, immigration and taxation. We need to be able trade globally but protect our British way of life. On balance I am for being in Europe but would like to see government negotiate much broader national powers to curb federalist tendencies.

NIK ASKAROFF, CEO, EMC CORPORATE FINANCE We should definitely try to remain in Europe but only on terms acceptable to the UK. It is unacceptable for us to be subjected to bureaucratic regulations that fail to be enforced by most of the EU and where we continue to be a continual net contributor. However the benefits of being in the club are clear not only in trade relationships but also practical cross border logistics relating to the movement of goods and people and the harmonisation of standards and business practice. We should not be scared into acceptance of membership as if we exited business would still find a way to trade as the UK does with the rest of the world.

HENRY SMITH MP, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR CRAWLEY In the House of Commons, I have consistently voted in favour of an in/out UK/EU referendum. Independent polling suggests that two thirds of business leaders back the call for a referendum. Additionally, Labour leader Ed Miliband’s position of denying us our say has been criticised by the Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce.

The EU only works for Britain if we benefit from it. The idea the rest of the world will stop trading with us if we were to leave is unrealistic. Given Great Britain’s unique global links through the Commonwealth and relationship with the United States along with our proximity to Europe we are well placed to be a conduit of free trade.

Other successful countries like Switzerland and Norway do well outside the EU but trading with it. National employers such as Airbus have stated they would remain in the United Kingdom if a referendum was called. It is time for everyone in our country to have a say.

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{ THE BIG DEBATE }

DEAN ORGILL, CHAIRMAN, MAYO WYNNE BAXTER We should never forget a key principle behind the EU is to ensure alliance and co-operation govern the future rather than raw conflict and aggression. The rise of nationalist and fundamentalist movements should concern the EU and make it mend its ways, but also means the union is as important as it ever was. An undoubtedly imperfect EU needs to be improved not abandoned. Britain has the benefits of political and trade integration with monetary separation which has proved to be the best of both worlds. Leaving now would damage our trading relationships, probably irrevocably.

RICHARD SKERRITT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, SKERRITT CONSULTANTS OUT – without question, the cost of being part of the EU far outweighs the benefits. Despite what the scaremongers say, Europe will continue to trade with us if we leave, we will be free to run our country in a way that suits us and the billions of pounds we save each year can be spent improving UK Plc rather than subsidising our competitors. Not joining the Euro wasn’t quite the disaster we were warned it was going to be was it? By the way, I am a qualified economist, not a Little Englander.

STEVE SAWYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MANOR ROYAL BUSINESS DISTRICT I think Britain’s interests are best served by being part of a reformed Europe. Being linked to the world’s largest trading block has benefits in terms of easier access to those markets, helps secure investment and being part of a single market provides the opportunity for Britain to have more influence and to take advantage of any trade deals negotiated by the EU. With growth returning now is not the time to jump ship, especially with a number of significant employers expressing concern about leaving the EU. However, reform is needed to reduce the regulatory burden which is surely easier to do from inside.

JOHN BURROUGHES, CEO, UNIGLOBE PREFERRED TRAVEL My vote would be to stay in the EU. Economically it’s a no-brainer, it’s estimated that the single market economy brings in to Britain between £30bn and 90bn a year, somewhere between 5 to 15 times the U.K.’s net contribution.

Which in turn gives us access to what continues to be a growing single market, approximately 60% of British trade is within the EU countries involving 700,000 UK companies with EU trade providing 3.5 million UK jobs.

If a vote does go ahead the political issue that must be addressed is around sovereignty and the ability to set and enforce our own laws, but we must not take an isolationist position. We must also be ever mindful of how close the recent Scottish vote was, this should be a wake-up call to everybody in business to fully engage in a positive manner or we could end up with a tabloid headline outcome.

RICHARD POLLINS, MANAGING PARTNER, DMH STALLARD From a business perspective I think it is very difficult to argue against the benefits of the UK remaining in the EU. The position is not perfect and there are of course some issues that don’t suit the UK entirely, but on balance I think the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

Collective strength in Europe has to be a positive in today’s rapidly changing world. A united Europe will give us the strength we need to adapt and to compete.

ROSEMARY FRENCH, CEO, GATWICK DIAMOND INITIATIVE One third of businesses in the Gatwick Diamond export which is a higher percentage than the UK as a whole.

Being in Europe is a valuable tool for our businesses to freely trade with our nearest neighbours in a single market with fewer regulatory challenges. Being part of the world’s largest trade block also makes it easier to trade with the US and the Far East. Yes I realise that not all is perfect in the EU but at least if we are still in the tent we have the opportunity to make the changes needed to make the partnership more watertight rather than being rained upon from outside.

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{ EXPORT SURVEY }

THE ROAD TO SUCCESSFUL EXPORTS UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has engaged leading regional law firm DMH Stallard to undertake a detailed qualitative report to uncover the most common strategies that have allowed organisations to significantly grow their bottom line through international trade.

Scott Garner, Head of Business Development at DMH Stallard, explains the importance of the research and how the firm is committed to investing in thought-leadership.

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y interviewing a range of businesses who have already entered international markets successfully and learning from their first-hand experiences, we are aiming to publish a completely independent report (The Road to Successful Exports) in May 2015.

This report, which builds on insight published in DMH Stallard’s earlier report “Venturing Abroad: Practical advice on getting into new markets overseas”, will be seen as the ‘go-to’ guide.

As a firm we believe in investing in sector

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‘thought-leadership’ to deliver value for our clients. We recognise the value of taking sector understanding to the next level. By doing so we help our clients by having a deep understanding of sector specific issues and therefore of how to achieve their strategic goals.

Having information like this means that clients have a better understanding of the current market that can really make the difference to the success of a business. Over the last few years DMH Stallard has commissioned a series of strategic research projects covering a range of

subjects from Intellectual Property to Ethics and Compliance.

By engaging directly with key decision makers through face-to-face interviews we are able to collate opinion and guidance on issues directly from businesses that have “been there and done it”, and feed the results back to others in the sector.

The reports have been incredibly successful and we will share the results of our latest report with readers of Platinum Business Magazine later this year.

{ EXPORT SURVEY }

About the future What plans does the business have for future exports and what considerations are there for external influences that might impact trading overseas.

The report aims to provide insight on how businesses: • deal with change and remain agile • review strategies to adapt to opportunities or threats (i.e., Geopolitical, Technological, Social and Economical) • consider future plans and how they might impact on their decision • pre-empt influence on the external market

James Colvin, DMH Stallard Partner is leading the interview process

WHAT THE REPORT HOPES TO UNCOVER The journey to exporting DMH Stallard wants to uncover the journey companies embarked upon to achieve successful entry into overseas markets. We are interested in what first provoked a business to consider exports as a strategy and what the company went through between then and day one of international trade. The report aims to provide insight on: • the main reason for businesses moving toward exporting • the decision-making process, who was the main driver and how did it progress • how an export strategy is created and implemented • the cost/risk vs benefits of exporting • the help of expertise that is available • the value of having a natural partnership with an overseas business or particular market Making exports a success We are keen to understand what strategies and objectives were identified as critical to ensure that exporting was a success and what operational activities were prioritised.

The report aims to provide insight on the approach to: • investing or acquiring overseas businesses • establishing overseas assets, including a designated workforce or properties • gaining market intelligence • managing any compliance issues • assessing the value of exporting, including value to the bottom line, market share and market/reputational exposure

THE ROAD TO SUCCESSFUL EXPORTS - ABOUT THE AUTHORS James Colvin, Partner, is a leading Dispute Resolution lawyer in the region and works in partnership with some of DMH Stallard’s most important clients. He has a track record of helping organisations to adopt best practice.

David Seall, Manufacturing Strategic Adviser and previously CEO of EFF South, has an established track record of helping companies with their strategic planning, growth strategies and day-to-day business issues by providing “outside objectivity” and assisting with management best practice.

They are undertaking informal interviews with businesses in the region to gather opinion on what makes up a successful export strategy.

Dermot Sheen, International Trade Advisor, UKTI South East “Exporting is a proven route to business growth.

In supporting DMH Stallard in their most recent report, ‘The Road to Successful Exports’, UKTI hope this will provide guidance and encourage more businesses in the South East to rise to the exciting opportunities and challenges that globalisation offers.

“With collated first-hand experiences and business know-how from companies already exporting, this report will be a great resource for other businesses looking to take advantage of the growth opportunities available through international trade.”

To find out more about how DMH Stallard is helping UK business or for more information on our report and how you might be able to participate please email scott.garner@dmhstallard.com

About DMH Stallard DMH Stallard is one of the most respected and forward thinking mid-market law firms in the country. With offices in London, Gatwick, Guildford, Brighton and Farnham, the firm is committed to building long-term collaborative relationships with clients to provide significant benefits for both organisations. www.dmhstallard.com Previous thought leadership reports by DMH Stallard Plan, Protect and Prosper, How Manufacturers Leverage IP to Create Value and Safeguard their Futures.

Ethics and Compliance, How Manufacturers are Embracing the Challenge and Reducing their Risk.

Secure Your Data – Protect Your Business.

Maximising Cash and Maintaining Working Capital in the Business.

Venturing Abroad: Practical advice on getting into new markets overseas.

All of DMH Stallard’s reports are available for free by emailing scott.garner@dmhstallard.com About UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) South East UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UKbased companies succeed in the global economy.

UKTI has assisted thousands of new and established exporters to achieve international success by providing tailored services with specialist support. UKTI also offers expertise and contacts through its extensive global network of specialists in the UK, British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world.

UKTI South East has over 45 International Trade Advisers located across Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

These expert trade advisers can provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage.

Benefits include: • Proactive guidance and information from an experienced International Trade Advisor; • Tailored overseas market intelligence; • Access to major international buyers, partners and distributors; • Access to international Business Opportunities; • Support to exhibit overseas.

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{ BUDGET DAY }

ON BUDGET AND ON TIME When George Osborne stood up to announce the final budget before the election, the expert teams from Kreston Reeves were poised to tweet their immediate responses. Business Services Partner, Paul Roe, reports on how one of the region’s leading accountancy firms reacted in real time to the unfolding events...

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moothly, another article gets into Platinum Magazine from Kreston Reeves. It’s the easiest thing in the world. Well, actually, to get it right and engage the audience is far from easy. In this article we will show what we do to ensure that what you read here is on time and on the money.

At Kreston Reeves we take considerable care in selecting what we present of budget changes.

A well-oiled machine springs into life. Firstly, colleagues across the firm will cock one ear to the radio where they can, listening for the changes that will affect their clients.

Additionally, in two of our six offices tax specialists and our marketing team will set up

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camps to listen to the Chancellor, looking for the general points which affect all businesses, and to concentrate on the industry sectors in which we are particularly strong.

No organisation can claim expertise in all things, but in Kreston Reeves we do feel strong in the following sectors. Of course, having an office so close to the Old Street Hub, we cover technology and technological issues well. So we were looking for enhancements to the R&D tax credits for this sector, and for Life Sciences, of course, and hidden deep in the Press Release was a relaxation of the procedure in the first three years of claim to what essentially appears to be self regulation for that period.

Additionally, we are particularly strong in property and construction, professional practices, financial services, manufacturing, charities and not-for-profit entities, agriculture, academies and education, and in the niche sector of London Livery Companies.

In London, a team comprising myself and David Noakes from the Crawley office, Sati Virdee and Michael Hesketh was ably led by Partner and Head of Corporate Taxation Brian Mulholland.

In Canterbury, an equally impressive team was led by Clive Relf, Head of Private Clients, and comprised Jenn Williamson, Matthew Creevy and Mark Heath. Paul Howson gave the input from our Financial Planning colleagues.

{ BUDGET DAY }

Our experts have great experience in the fields of Income Tax, Corporation Tax, VAT, Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty, and a myriad of the more obscure areas of the Tax Code. But we understand that some like to hear about the changes before the detail can be evaluated, so Twitter feeds were sent out from @ KrestonReeves and @KRGatwick.

In both camps there was lively discussion when Enterprise Investment Scheme, Venture Capital Trusts and Entrepreneurs Relief rules were mentioned. Reviewing them for compliance with EU State Aid Rules must mean they become more complex. That doesn’t sound like good news for entrepreneurs, especially in start-up cases, where increased complexity could well mean increased compliance needs and therefore costs.

Some local interest was sparked in the Canterbury meeting when the Chancellor announced a three-fold increase in the fund for church roof repairs. If it will not be needed directly on the Cathedral, we felt we could hear a sigh of relief coming from the financial cloisters not far from our offices! More still when we read the press release and noted an extension of the Discovery Park Enterprise Zone in Sandwich (but, as often the case, some disappointment when we noted it was subject to a business case per the Press Release!).

Sectors where we did note some positive comments were: Agriculture – averaging profits over the longer five years will probably mean easier tax cash flows.

Charities – small Charities will have welcomed the increase from £5,000 to £8,000, the limit before written gift aid details are needed to claim it.

Manufacturing – (and all businesses) will eagerly await the results of the review on what “significantly” higher level above £25,000, the Annual Investment Allowance, will revert to from £500,000 in November.

Some concern was raised when the end of

the annual tax return system was announced. Of course, we await details, but this is highly radical.

How will it work? Whatever the system, it’s going to be highly dependent on technology. Any one else getting jitters here? HM Revenue and Customs don’t have a great record in introducing technology; some will recall the IT troubles of an attempted new system for the NHS. Are we confident this is going to work? And, what do we think about HMRC telling us what tax they think we should pay?

When the Chancellor finishes, that’s only the start of the detailed work needed to put together a coherent, useful, engaging and most important

“At Kreston Reeves we take considerable care in selecting what we present of budget changes.

A well-oiled machine springs into life”

of all, correct Budget summary. The Treasury will circulate Budget Press Releases as Mr Osborne sits down, giving much greater detail on the Budget measures he has announced, and in some cases, changes not referred to at all in the Budget Speech. These must be reviewed and analysed for the detailed impact of all the measures to be understood, so we must emphasise this caveat in relation to comments included here.

And yet there will be more to do in the next week; we will have to check all this understanding

to the legislation which doesn’t get published until the following Tuesday!

So we’ve listened, tweeted, analysed, ordered our thoughts; what’s next to ensure we make a useful contribution to informing our clients and our local business communities?

Much work will be done into the evening, drafting articles, commenting on LinkedIn, and preparing the Budget Breakfast presentation running the following morning. And, of course, those who have been to one will know that Clive Relf will need some time to consider the jokes he’s going to include!

Once that event is over, there is yet more work to be done, ensuring all our colleagues are updated for the initial task of informing clients of any major threats or opportunities. We will aim to help that spreading of information with: • New tax cards, available on our website www.kreastonreeves.com from 9.00 am the day after the Budget Speech, and • Hard copies will be sent to all personal tax clients in April.

• Our Budget summary will also be available on the website from first thing the day after the Budget Speech • And, of course, we will include the important changes in our next monthly electronic newsletter!

One measure that was widely trailed and duly announced: Mr Osborne promised some penalties against professional advisers who promote aggressive tax evasion. No concern was expressed in either camp in relation to the advice Kreston Reeves give; we have never suggested clients follow such a path.

If you have any Budget queries, or simply wish to have a chat about anything relating to tax, wealth or accounting, do call either Shirley Smith or Paul Roe on 01293 776152.

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{ POLITICS }

If you are elected what will you do to assist businesses in your area?

Graham Cox Conservative Candidate for Hove and Portslade 2015

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ince 2010, the local economy has really started to turn around. Unemployment has fallen by 50% in Hove and Portslade and I’m keen to see this progress continue.

Independent businesses are the life-blood of our economy, and that’s why I’ll always support them. I’ve been listening closely to what local business owners say they need in order to keep growing and creating jobs for local people. The Government’s small business rate relief is a start, with many businesses in our area now paying no rates at all, but more can be done, particularly in the hospitality and tourism industry, which is vital to our seaside town.

The fact is, these sectors employ many people in Hove and Portslade, and we should do more to help them. That’s why I support the campaign to reduce VAT on tourism accommodation and attractions from 20% to 5%. The figures I have seen suggest that very quickly there would be a net return to the Treasury, with jobs created (especially for young and low skilled workers) and fairer prices for consumers holidaying here (encouraging more visitors from abroad, and people in London to come down to Brighton and Hove for a few days rather than flying off for a city break abroad).

I’d also lobby for investment in our shopping areas, some of which have been neglected and are now unappealing to shoppers. Simple things like fixing cracked pavements and adding more planting could make a huge difference in boosting the number of visitors to our shops and restaurants.

Additionally, along with my Conservative colleagues on the Council, I’m pushing for a four-year freeze on parking charges. Parking charges across the City have shot up in the last four years, deterring people from using our shopping thoroughfares and so drying up trade. I’d also like to see traders’ parking

permit costs slashed by 10% to support mobile businesses. I welcome recent improvements on this matter, including a 10 minute grace period before drivers are hit with parking charges, and an extension of the hours that traders are allowed to use their permits.

“I’d also lobby for investment in our shopping areas, some of which have been neglected and are now unappealing to shoppers”

Finally, my background in policing - I served Sussex police for 30 years, including as Superintendent of Hove Police - allowed me to see first-hand the disproportionate affect that crime has on business, particularly shoplifting and assaults on shop-keepers. I recently attended the regional dinner of the National Association of Retail Newsagents and they confirmed that these issues are still a concern.

I’ve contacted the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner to make sure that these issues are addressed as much as possible. I’d also like to see a greater police and PCSO presence on our streets to deter people from committing these offences, so I’m campaigning for a police base in Portslade.

Twitter: @CoxGraham Web: www.grahamcox.org.uk 48

{ POLITICS }

If you are elected what will you do to assist businesses in your area?

Greg Mountain Labour Party candidate for Mid Sussex

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uilding a stronger economy requires partnerships. Labour has a plan for a more productive economy that is based on a broader contribution with firms and working people in co-operation. In this article I outline Labour Party proposals for a path to higher productivity. I set the scene for our partnership with local businesses. Then I turn to specific cases where I am working with businesses now and where I will more do if I’m elected on 7 May 2015.

Britain needs to increase its rate of economic growth. Recent growth is based on more people doing jobs, not the same number producing more. But we need both. Workers are not increasing productivity and their take home pay suffers. The result - a hit on the economy as tax and national insurance contributions are estimated to be down by £33bn a year.

This must change. Firms need to generate increases in productivity to pay higher wages.

Achieving sustainable growth requires a new approach, based on greater certainty.

Britain’s world class firms, working in sectors which enjoy established comparative advantage need certainty to make long term planning decisions. That is why Labour is committed to staying in the European Union, and reforming it from within.

A thriving economy needs to plan its infrastructure. So Labour will set up a National Infrastructure Commission designed to stop long term decisions being postponed.

We will prepare for an economy based less on carbon fuels and more on low carbon technologies. Alongside the aim of being a world leader in green technology, creating a million additional high technology jobs by 2025 Labour will strengthen the Green Investment Bank.

Mid Sussex is home to many Small and Medium Enterprises, (SMEs). These firms with

less than 250 workers are the backbone of the British economy. They are vital as providers and sub-contractors to large and multi-national firms. I’ve already spoken with many such firms to understand their problems and how they would like to see a Labour Government help them.

“Britain needs to increase its rate of economic growth.

Recent growth is based on more people doing jobs, not the same number producing more.

But we need both” I’m building partnerships with firms and the organisations that support them. I will be an ambassador for Mid Sussex business and will support: • Moves to cut then freeze business rates.

This will help local businesses faced by tight cash constraints, • Labour’s commitment to freeze energy bills until 2017 and arrangements to prevent small businesses being forced onto higher tariffs by energy companies, • Ways to stop larger business operating disadvantageous ‘late payment policies ’ that hit small businesses, by for example compensating those affected, • Local engineering taking on apprentices

by ensuring employers have more control over apprenticeship funding and standards; and • Provision of tax rebates to those companies that sign up to become living wage employers in the first year of the next Parliament.

Mid Sussex is recognised as a great place to live, but we should always seek improvement.

I intend to ensure this happens. I’m already pressing our District Council to boost trade in our town centres by reducing the number of vacant shops and providing three hours free parking for shoppers. I will continue to encourage the Council to think imaginatively about how we help our local small retailers.

There are new industries in Mid Sussex, for example the English Sparkling Wine industry. I will continue to work with local businesses and entrepreneurs to promote them, their products and the links with tourism, for example establishing a ‘South East Wine and Food Trail’.

Britain will succeed when working people succeed. Labour has a plan that builds on this insight. And the plan is to build prosperity in 21st Century Britain. As Mid Sussex MP I will work with local business to help them grow and the local economy to prosper, whilst providing well paid, high skilled jobs for local people.

Email: greg.mountain@outlook.com Web: www.midsussexlabour.org.uk 49

{ BUSINESS SCENE }

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1. Shirley Smith (Kreston Reeves) with Phase Electrical Distributors 2. Chandlers 3. Arden Grange 4. The highest growth companies

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CELEBRATING THE SUPER GROWERS The Amex Community Stadium in Falmer hosted the inaugural Sussex Super Growth ceremony in March, celebrating the Sussex companies who are driving the expansion in the economy.

The inspirational list of high-growth companies in the county was created by Kreston Reeves, Lloyds, asb law and The Argus. To have been entered, companies must be active and their main trading address must be in Sussex. Turnover must be at least ÂŁ1 million in the base year, the company must be profitable and it must not be quoted. Growth figures were based on a three-year period with all information based on records filed with Companies House. Heading an impressive list of 90 companies were joint-winners Kingscote Rojay and Keysource.

5. Paul Roe (Kreston Reeves) with Keysource 6. Kingscote Rojay

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Photos courtesy of The Argus

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{ CROWDFUNDING }

THE TRUTH ABOUT CROWDFUNDING Benita Matofska is the Founder and CEO of Compare and Share and a global expert on the Sharing Economy. Compare and Share is currently raising its second round of funding on Crowdcube. www.compareandshare.com

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rowdfunding… it’s the buzz word of the moment; a new, disruptive sector that’s fast becoming mainstream, now valued at over £3 billion worldwide. The sector boasts growth rates of 557% since 2010, and according to Google, 2014 saw 21-times more searches performed than in 2013. This year is set to be even bigger, with a predicted valuation of £4.4 billion in the UK alone by the end of 2015.

But what exactly is this new trend that’s shaking up the finance business and voluntary sectors and impacting the economy at large?

Simply put, crowdfunding means funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of

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people, typically via the internet. This alternative finance market is filling a big gap in the capitalraising landscape. Previously, startups were reliant on the “three Fs” - Friends, Family and Fools - to kick start a venture, before finding angel investment and then climbing the ladder to VC funding. Crowdfunding’s entrance onto the scene has made it possible for a start-up to test a product, raise money, engage customers, generate PR and then decide whether to take an already validated idea to VCs. Until recently, financing a business involved asking a few people for big sums of money.

Crowdfunding is a classic disruptive innovation and turns this idea on its head by democratising

finance. It allows businesses and projects of all shapes and sizes, access to money while bypassing traditional banks. Investing in small businesses was previously the domain of the wealthy with many investors finding it difficult to identify and invest in private businesses. Now anyone can reap the benefits of investing in fledgling start-ups. Want to risk £25,000 or £5?

You decide.

It works by allowing innovators, creators, entrepreneurs and businesses to list their project on a crowdfunding platform and use their social networks to talk to thousands, or millions, of potential funders. Professional crowdfunding platforms take each business through a process

{ CROWDFUNDING}

“Of course, like any form of finance, crowdfunding has its downside. It’s a risky business with no instant returns or guarantees” to create a compelling pitch in order to benefit from the experience of sophisticated investors.

Raising money via the crowd has come a long way since 1843 when public subscription paid for the building of Nelson’s column.

Now there are over 600 crowdfunding sites worldwide, from Crowdcube to Kickstarter.

Two years ago, crowdfunding was unregulated and considered ‘niche’, with many angels and most VCs remaining sceptical. Fast forward to 2015 and the landscape has changed. FCA regulated, the alternative finance market provided £840 million worth of business finance for start–ups and SMEs in 2014. Corporates and banks are moving into the sector, and there’s already a row brewing between rival platforms, Syndicate Room and Seedrs, who both claim a first crowdfunding IPO. What’s clear is that crowdfunding has come of age.

Platforms fall into three categories: donationbased, debt or equity. On donation-based platforms like Kickstarter, the crowd makes a financial donation to projects, typically in exchange for a product or gift. People often invest simply because they believe in the cause.

Rewards, such as event tickets or product samples, may be offered.

Debt crowdfunding platforms, like Ratesetter or Zopa, also called peer-to-peer lending or lend-to-save, enable the lending of money without the banks. Returns are financial, but investors also contribute to the success of an idea worth supporting.

Equity based platforms offer individuals the opportunity to invest collectively in a private business for shares in the company. As with other types of shares, there’s a risk, and you could lose your money completely.

When my company, Compare and Share, the world’s first comparison marketplace of the Sharing Economy (think comparethemarket. com for airbnb to Zipcar) wanted to raise seed capital, we turned to the world’s first equitybased platform, Crowdcube. Choosing a site that chimes with your needs is key. We wanted a platform that understood ‘social’, the lifeblood of the Sharing Economy. The Crowdcube team worked with us to make sure we had a strong pitch with a clear proposition and a solid business case that would resonate with investors. Be under no illusions, crowdfunding is a mountain of work. Consider the amount of

time you’d need to launch the biggest marketing campaign you’ve ever launched and double it.

Running a crowdfunding campaign is itself a lot like investing: be smart, invest (your time) wisely and you’ll reap a handsome return. But expect to be grilled. The crowd are serious about the commitment they expect.

Crowdfunding has been the making of Compare and Share: in December 2012, we made crowdfunding history by becoming the

“Crowdfunding is a classic disruptive innovation and turns this idea on its head by democratising finance.

It allows not just businesses, but projects of all shapes and sizes, access to money while bypassing traditional banks”

first company in the world to triple our target on an equity based platform, raising 303% of our target. But raising £151,000 was only part of the benefit. Our crowd of 157 shareholders are helping us to deliver on our vision of becoming the go-to global brand of the Sharing Economy.

They offer insights, advice and other support – it’s like having a community of brand champions.

Crowdfunding has also given us valuable experience of working with shareholders, which should enable a smoother, more successful, transition to IPO in the long-term. What’s more, the PR and press generated during our campaign, from being featured on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, to the Telegraph, Times, Mail on Sunday and Sydney Morning Herald, increased brand awareness and led to a

string of awards. Compare and Share was voted in the top 100 start-ups of 2013 by startups. co.uk, won UKTI’s TechPitch, and was selected for the prestigious Google Blackbox Connect Programme to represent the UK tech start-up sector on a two-week residential trip to Silicon Valley for born global tech ventures in October 2014. In January 2015, I won the Venus NatWest Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Of course, like any form of finance, crowdfunding has its downside. It’s a risky business with no instant returns or guarantees that investors will receive a return at all. In fact, because the majority of start-up businesses fail, investors could end up losing their money, and, while they may receive a share of a business or project, investments could be diluted if more shares are issued.

Sceptics fear that crowdfunding will push the least desirable and riskiest investments that cannot attract mainstream investment out to the retail investor base, in other words, passing on the riskiest slice of investments to those who can’t afford the risk.

But despite the naysayers, the future for crowdfunding is bright, particularly in the UK, seen as the most advanced western crowdfunding marketplace. Predictions are that 2015 will see more than $20 billion in funding transactions globally, based on trends from the past three years, and the yearly total market potential could average $300 billion by 2025.

With banks and corporates muscling in on the crowdfunding market - both Sony and YouTube have had recent forays - and many Fortune 100 firms experimenting with crowdfunding for product testing, it is expected that major corporations will launch additional crowdfunding models to capture revenue.

Insiders claim that eBay, PayPal, Amazon and Facebook are not far behind.

I’d say this is one crowd worth joining.

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WELCOME TO THE TEAM Bennett Griffin LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of Jeremy Wootton in our expanding Commercial Property Team. Jeremy has a wealth of experience having spent his career at Thomas Eggar LLP acting on many high-value commercial property deals.

Jeremy joins us on 5th May 2015

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ob Fawcett, Head of Property at Bennett Griffin said, “This is an exciting opportunity for the firm as part of our strategic aim to continue to grow our offering to commercial clients across the South. We identified some time ago that in order for the firm to continue to grow we needed to identify ways in which the firm could evolve to meet the demands and requirements of our clients and to be able to offer the best legal advice. Two possibilities come to mind: a takeover or merger with another firm or the strategic appointment of key individuals into the core departments of the firm. We have opted for the later and this now forms part of the firm’s strategy for growth which will enable us to further develop our market share of the legal sector across the

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south. We will continue to bring great lawyers to the firm to complement our existing strength in providing excellent client focussed legal services for business and individuals.

Jeremy brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience which will be invaluable to our existing Lawyers in the Property Department.

His areas of expertise include residential and commercial development, site acquisitions, business expansion, property finance and investment property acquisitions to name just a few.

Jeremy says: “Having lived in Worthing nearly all my life, I’m excited at the opportunity to once again work, as well as live in the town. The choice of joining Bennett Griffin was an easy decision. They are a vibrant firm with a clear

focus on who they are and what they want to offer their clients. Like so many things in life, making a choice of a professional adviser is often influenced by recommendations from others. Bennett Griffin has the local residential and commercial communities at the core of its values and has built its reputation on strong relationships with the people and businesses of the town. I’m looking forward to carrying on many existing relationships from a more local perspective as well as building new ones within the community.”

Bennett Griffin is one of the most dynamic, forward looking law firms in the area and as we go from strength to strength, we will be bringing you more exciting news in the coming months as we expand and strengthen our partner base.

{ BUSINESS }

Established in Worthing following the merger of two existing Solicitors practices over twenty years ago, Bennett Griffin is proud of its reputation for providing private and corporate clients with expert, effective and timely advice – doing what we say we will do. By consistently offering you unequalled service, we have been able to grow as a practice and now have branches in Worthing and Ferring.

“We choose our staff carefully, not just for their experience and specialist knowledge, but also for their ability to interact with our clients in an honest, thoughtful and sensitive manner”

all aspects of company and employment law, business and civil litigation, commercial property conveyancing, planning, family, personal injury and probate services as well as criminal law from our offices in Worthing and Ferring, West Sussex.

We choose our staff carefully, not just for their experience and specialist knowledge, but also for their ability to interact with you in an honest, thoughtful and sensitive manner.

Trust and long-term relationships are very important to us, understanding what you want, advising you on what is possible and protecting you, your business, your assets and your family; always making sure you know exactly what is involved, what your options are and what costs are involved.

Bennett Griffin are also winners of various awards including two lifetime achievement awards, a Business in the Community award and at least two Customer Care awards. We were also voted the UK’s “Third Most Loved Solicitor” by one of the most successful business directories in the UK – The Best Of.

www.bennett-griffin.co.uk Tel: 01903 229948

Our company has grown steadily over the years so that today, with over 50 staff, we can offer you a comprehensive service covering

“The choice of joining Bennett Griffin was an easy decision. They are a vibrant firm with a clear focus on who they are and what they want to offer their clients”

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Tel: 01273 803430 Mob: 07939 478571 Email: roy.whitehouse@wis-int.com Website: www.wis-int.com

BAD DEBTS DESTROY GOOD COMPANIES KNOW WHO YOU’RE DEALING WITH WORLDWIDE ENQUIRIES, COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOLVING PROBLEMS & PREVENTING LOSS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE WORLDWIDE. DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON Roy Whitehouse has been in private practice for over 30 years and is a past President of the Council of International Investigators, was on the board of the British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. His company, WIS International, have offices in London, Brighton and Portugal. In 2013 WIS International were awarded the Internationalisation Award, by the UK Trade & Investment, (UKTI) for its contribution to British Business Abroad.

{ MOTIVATIONAL THINKING }

THE ‘I’ IN TEAM

By Sarah Hopwood, Business Transition expert… driving the change you want. www.sarahhopwood.com

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here is an ‘i’ in team – it’s respons‘i’bility.

A team is a small number of people with complementary skills. They are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

So why do we get it so wrong? As human beings we are usually drawn to people like ourselves.

If you remember back to the playground, you are no doubt already regurgitating those great emotions around either doom (you were never selected) or dominance (picked every time) as team leaders chose their ‘best friends’ above less popular members of the group. Years on, I wonder if things have really changed very much at all?

The percentage of teams that fail is frighteningly high, which I believe is because the ‘i’ is missing. It is easier to blame than to take responsibility.

Diversity is key, yet typically, teams are drawn together as a board, department or, indeed, habit - the usual few. How often do business owners sit down identifying not only their desired outcome but also the specific skills and character traits needed to drive that mission through to fruition?

70% of success is determined by your preparation! So how do you prepare properly?

We need to look at Task Needs, Individual Needs and Group Needs. You may well have heard about the power of three – I want to talk about the power of four!

4 types of people: • Adders: these people bring value to the table • Subtractors: these people are negative and hold things back • Dividers: these people tend not to share the dream and so lack motivation • Multipliers: these people encourage and enable others – they will take on the world 4 team styles: • Leaders • Thinkers • Doers • Carers If you don’t have a mixture of these four, then the members will either fight, sit thinking all day without doing much, run around like busy fools or spend their time having ‘group hugs’. Ideally you need one leader, one thinker and a couple of the remaining two. Do email me if you would like a diagnostic.

Team psychology: 1) Forming stage – the team has a high dependence on the leader for guidance and direction. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear. At the start everyone is wellbehaved, the honeymoon period, where people are polite. True feelings are repressed.

Enthusiasm modifies frustration.

2) Storming stage - Decisions don’t come easily within the team. Members challenge for position

as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members. Clarity of their purpose increases, but plenty of uncertainties persist. Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles. The polite behavior erupts into anger. The team synergy is destroyed. The team struggles to survive.

3) Norming stage - Agreement and consensus largely forms among the team who respond well to the leader’s facilitation. Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted.

Decisions are made by group agreement.

Commitment and unity is strong. The team members continue to work and grow together, controlling their feelings and working through the frustrations. Progress is good.

4) Performing stage - The team is more strategically aware and knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing. The team has a shared vision and is able to stand on its own feet with no interference or participation from the leader.

The struggle of Stage Three has established a new team culture and the team settles into a high- performing mode. As the team gets closer to its task completion, the results come freely.

Team satisfaction peaks, just in time.

By taking responsibility and preparing the team properly, you will see the extraordinary ability for ordinary people to be extraOrdinary!

As Henry Ford said, ‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember that an airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.’

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{ TRAVEL }

SUPERSONIC DREAMS

By John Burroughes Managing Director of UNIGLOBE Preferred Travel T: 0845 180 7817 • E: sales@uniglobepreferred.co.uk • W: www.uniglobepreferred.co.uk

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hat a month in aviation, from “Nut Rage” to a plane flying on the sun’s energy and all things in between!

I have often said the world of aviation is a crazy place, as so succinctly demonstrated this month by the jailing for one year of Heather Cho, a former executive of Korean Air, who ordered the plane she was aboard, and which was about to take off from New York’s JFK airport in December, back to the terminal to offload an air hostess who had served her nuts in a bag instead of a bowl. I wonder what Heather Cho would make of Ryanair?

I also had a wry smile when I read what Bjorn Kjos, who heads up Norwegian Airlines, is up to. Under his leadership Norwegian Airlines are currently seeking to reinvent themselves as a British carrier. Their stated aim is to “up end” the transatlantic market with super low fares to the

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“Concorde was costly, noisy and thirsty on fuel, and was withdrawn from service in 2003, so will supersonic passenger flight ever make a comeback?”

US. Anybody remember the name Freddie Laker?

I will keep you posted.

Air passenger duty (APD) is about to hit the headlines again; this is a tax is levied on every passenger seat sold in the UK. To put this in perspective, in 2013/14 this tax raised £2.9bn, with £200m coming from Scotland. If the SNP take control in Scotland, one of the powers that will be passed to them will be to legislate on this APD, and their initial proposal is to reduce this tax in Scotland by 50% with a view to scrapping it altogether. I wonder how Newcastle airport would fare under this potential new arrangement, and could we see a change of heart at Westminster over this unnecessary and punitive tax.

While we are on taxes, contained inside the manifesto of both main parties is a proposal to introduce a £1 per night levy on London hotel rooms. Is this a tax on business or tourism, and,

{ TRAVEL }

“Airbus even envisages aircraft skin that can become transparent, allowing passengers to see outside” like APD, how long before £1 becomes £10?

Again, one to watch.

I’m sure you saw in the news that the recordbreaking attempt to fly around the world in the solar powered plane has successfully completed its first leg, touching down in Muscat in Oman after a 12 hour flight. Well done to all those involved, and over the next 12 months we will follow their progress with interest.

CAN SUPERSONIC DREAMS SURVIVE THE GLOBAL WARMING AGE? The wings of the Aerion2, a concept business jet, are designed to reduce air friction at supersonic speeds.

When Concorde swooshed across the Atlantic at supersonic speeds of 1,350mph (2,170km/h), you could fly from London to New York in under four hours, and it seemed as if the glamorous age of super-fast aviation was here to stay.

But Concorde was costly, noisy and thirsty on fuel, and was withdrawn from service in 2003, so will supersonic passenger flight ever make a comeback?

The sad truth for speed freaks, including Jeremy Clarkson, is that reducing carbon dioxide emissions, rather than increasing speed, has become the new imperative for the aviation industry amid widespread concerns about global warming.

This means most of the innovation is happening in the fields of engine efficiency, aerodynamics and cabin comfort. Modern passenger jets are very different beasts compared to their forebears, despite their basic shape remaining remarkably similar.

They now feature much more sophisticated avionics, lightweight composite materials, and engines that are 90 times more powerful than their 1940s predecessors, yet 70% more fuelefficient. They are also a lot safer.

Manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, General Electric and Pratt & Whitney believe there’s plenty more efficiency to be squeezed out of the turbofan jet engine over the coming decades.

“Our new advanced engines coming in 2020 will incorporate carbon fibre blades with a titanium edge to counter the increased weight of the bigger engines,” says Alan Newby, RollsRoyce’s Chief Engineer, Future Programmes and Technology.

“Engines are getting bigger to allow more air to flow through but at slower speeds, improving fuel efficiency and reducing noise,” says Mr Newby.

“New materials, such as “ceramic matrix composites” and “single crystal turbine alloys”, will allow engines to run at higher temperatures - in excess of 2,200C (4,000F) in some cases which also improves efficiency.

“Subsonic [under 761mph] is definitely going to be with us for a long, long time, because a driver of the future is the impact on the environment,” says Prof Jeff Jupp, fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Airlines, like car manufacturers, are also looking towards hybrid engines as a way of reducing emissions.

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY? Perhaps the most radical innovation in aviation is happening inside the cabin.

For example, Spike Aerospace has talked about getting rid of windows completely and replacing them with digital screens relaying camera images of the view outside or any other media the passenger wants. The company believes that removing windows would reduce the weight of the aircraft and improve aerodynamics.

“And the general trend is towards wireless connectivity and interactive displays,” says Jared Shoemaker of BAE Systems, although this will present extra security challenges.

“Traditionally, cabins have been closed worlds, not connected to anything outside,” says Shoemaker, director of cabin systems.

“But now it’s all about connectivity and interacting with the crew and other passengers through personal devices.”

“Removing heavy wires will save weight and allow for more innovative cabin layouts,” argues Anthony Harcup of Acumen Design Associates, the company behind the Airbus A380’s interior.

New smart materials will allow passengers to take complete control of their environments, setting lighting and heating levels, for example, while seats will mould themselves to your body shape.

Airbus even envisages aircraft skin that can become transparent, allowing passengers to see outside.

“In 20 years the jet will look remarkably similar, but the passenger experience will be completely different,” says Mr Shoemaker.

“Flexible displays and projections will make you feel you’re not walking into a tube, but a much softer, bigger space. Whatever you can do in your living room you’ll be able to do on a plane.”

The fascinating world of aviation continues to develop at an astonishing speed.

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METROPOLITAN METROPOLE The new General Manager of the Hilton Brighton Metropole, Sascha Koehler, has experience in the hospitality industry from across the globe. Interview by Ian Trevett

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t is Britain’s biggest South Coast residential conference centre and a landmark in the city, but Brighton is not a place where you can rest on your laurels. This year the Hilton Brighton Metropole is celebrating its 125th anniversary, spending £3.75 million on renovations, launching a new spa, has opened an iconic sea-facing restaurant - and has a new General Manager. It is no surprise to find that Sascha Koehler has a huge smile on his face.

“I love it. I must say, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a job for a very long time, and that’s not just to do with the beautiful weather we’ve got out here at the moment. The team are absolutely fantastic.

Fully committed, dedicated, exciting, energetic… I

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just love it. There’s so much passion in this city and in the team here. The hotel is going through a great transition at the moment.”

From the outside the most obvious change is the new restaurant, The Salt Room, created by Raz Helalat, who runs the popular Coal Shed restaurant in the city.

“Raz has done a phenomenal job, and it reflects what he delivered at the Coal Shed, so I’m really excited to have him on board. The same goes for Schmoo by the Sea, our new Spa concept that runs successfully in a number of other Hilton Hotels also.”

Of course, hotel GMs are expected to reel out the predictable gushing promotion of their

properties. After all, if they can’t talk-up their hotels, then who will? But there is no doubting that this is a man who is genuinely pleased to be where he is - and that is rather infectious.

“There’s obviously a lot of positivity going through the hotel,” continues Sascha. “My first job here, even before I started, was to pick up the Hilton Hotel of the Year award for 2014. As you can imagine, the energy and the vibe that goes through this place at the moment is incredible.”

Well, it’s all very nice, but this is supposed to be an interview. Time for a trickier question.

Over the last few years, the Metropole has had some excellent GMs, but much like the typical Premiership football managers, they don’t tend

{ INTERVIEW }

to stay that long before they are moved on to new challenges. Is Sascha here for the long haul?

“Brighton is such a well-connected community and I enjoy the openness and the interaction.

Down here you don’t get people being careful and talking around subjects. They will tell you to your face. I’ve heard that comment about the GM moving on quite a few times. If this is what people think, it’s actually quite positive because they want stability, they want to see someone make it their own.

“Having said that, we’ve been living near Gatwick since June 2011 and the kids are in school just a few hundred metres away from the Sussex / Surrey border. We are really happy there and the children have established roots, so I don’t see an urgent need to move on. And I have really enjoyed the job here so far.

“I’ve been with the company for 15, 16 years now, and I haven’t even counted the jobs and the locations I’ve worked in. It’s obviously one of

the biggest incentives if you are travel-minded and if you are career-minded that there is that progression, and that attracts a certain type of people. I am one of them.

“Do I think that a GM should ideally stay in a place a little bit longer than a year, a year-anda-half, two years? Yes, but it’s always down to circumstances. And I suppose some changes have been a bit quicker than would have been great for the actual hotel to establish itself but it’s probably part of the nature of the industry and us as a company to a certain degree.”

Perhaps Sascha is ready to stick up the ‘Dunroamin’ plaque and settle down. He has certainly stacked up enough air miles. In his early years he was in Mongolia and Zimbabwe, before going to the German school in Japan.

“I’ve grown up internationally, including a year in the US as an exchange student. But my passion for the hotel industry developed when I was quite young. When I was fourteen, we went to Bangkok and we walked into the Oriental, which is obviously one of the finest hotels in the world.

I walked into this lobby in awe of how great a place it was, and there was this one gentleman standing in the lobby, speaking to guests and speaking to the team members amongst all the flowers and orchids and beauty of that lobby.

I said, “Whatever he does, I want to do.” I found out that he was the General Manager. Kurt Wachtveitl was his name, a very, very established and renowned person in the hotel industry. He has retired since, but he was driven to achieve the highest quality in hospitality. And I was like: “Wow, that’s a job I want to do.”

“So I found my vocation very early and my career planning was very easy. I did a number of internships in Hong Kong, in Yangon, in Myanmar and in Austria. I studied Hotel Management in Vienna, a great place. I was sent to the Austrian House at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, as I had local knowledge of Japan, and that’s where I met my wife.

“I joined the Hilton Elevator Programme in 1999 and worked at Hilton Zurich, Hilton Park Lane, Hilton Trafalgar as well as in Budapest and Hilton Istanbul and became GM at Hilton London Gatwick Airport followed by Hilton London Syon Park. Not bad for an East German!”

Is there a difference between how you treat a hotel depending on the location, or are the principles basically the same?

“I suppose commercially you treat it differently. It depends on your business mix. Are you, like Trafalgar, a hotel that is right smack, bang in the middle of London, that can sell every single weekend to tourists? In which case, it’s a matter of finding the right price point. Or are

you more, like Gatwick, an airport hotel that is really there because people want to fly out on the next morning and they need a night before and a night after? Plus, you’ve got a corporate base to look after. Are you like the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel, that lives and breathes with the conference and events business because we’ve got unbelievable space? I’ve never seen anything like that before.

“The Hotel is huge. My first experience with Brighton was during the Labour Party conference in 2000. I was a trainee in London with Hilton, and they called us all over. They put us up with some host families and we were working from

“This year the HBM is celebrating its 125th anniversary, spending 3.75m on renovations”

morning until late at night turning over the rooms and working wherever we were needed. I loved that experience and I realised back then how vast this place was. But back to your question: yes, it makes a big difference where you are - it is all about location, location, location.”

For the Hilton Brighton Metropole, it’s a mix between conventions and tourism?

“Correct. Our business is completely different on a Friday, Saturday night than it will be on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday where you’ve got a mix of corporate, and, obviously, the convention business. Syon Park was quite similar. If you had a Twickenham match on, you knew you were in for a busy time. That hotel was the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, but during my time there we rebranded it to Hilton. We could be commercially more successful if we put the Hilton brand on and concentrated on the core business and the right sales price. We did a fab job over there. It’s a beautiful hotel with a nice spa, great gardens and it’s a big wedding venue.”

As the Hilton Brighton Metropole is very much a convention hotel, which cities is Brighton competing with?

“Well, there’s London, obviously, because everybody wants to go to London. But nationally, from what I gather, Bournemouth is going to be

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a big competitor, and not just because we are opening a Hilton there! And then you’ve got the Birminghams, the Liverpools, the Manchesters…”

Sascha, like his predecessors, is very aware that the success in attracting the biggest conventions is closely linked with the ambition of Brighton itself. For this reason he is very supportive of the i360 viewing platform which will open next year.

“We are interested in developing a venue, and that’s why we are in a city. Anything that improves the attractiveness of a city is welcome, and that includes new competition, even if it was a hotel. The i360 is a phenomenal venue, not just as an eye catcher but also what it can bring to tourism. Perhaps they will hold some evening events, which could be seen as competition, but maybe people will stay a night longer because there’s suddenly a new attraction. It will be a winwin proposition, particularly with where we are location-wise. We’re right there.

“We’re all curious and interested to see what happens with the Brighton Centre. It forms an integral part of the city’s and hotel’s strategy going forward.”

Presumably, Sascha has been lobbying the council and the economic forums?

“I haven’t started yet. I haven’t really established myself in the local market yet,” says Sascha with a look that suggests he will do so very soon!

In the meantime the refurbishment of the hotel continues. I ask how the renovation decisions work in a big organisation such as Hilton. Is it about who shouts the loudest?

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“It really depends on your ownership and what contract you’ve got in place. You could have a management agreement whereby the owner is responsible for the actual refurb works, so it’s then a negotiation with the actual owner. In our case it’s a lease, and it’s Hilton Capital specific.

So, there is a certain amount of negotiation that needs to take place for a refurb to get signed off.

In our case it was quite critical. There are great business opportunities going forward”

“It’s all about the people - making sure you’ve got the right people in the right place”

With Labour here in the autumn, is it better for the city if they are the party in Government?

“Business-wise it doesn’t matter, and we are politically neutral. You can argue both ways. If they’re in power, it is a bigger event, but then there is a need for more security. We wish everybody all the best.”

Finally, what will you bring personally to the hotel?

“I’ve been very fortunate in my career in that I’ve experienced a lot of different roles. I have worked in food and beverage, front office, conference and event sales, operations, business development, and I have run hotels since 2007.

I have a passion for the industry, and I am still young at heart with energy and enthusiasm.

“My biggest philosophy is that, usually, people on the floor know the hotel much better than any manager, so it’s about engaging them. It’s all about the people – making sure you’ve got the right people in the right place and that they want to come to work. They should enjoy serving a customer if that’s what they do, selling to a customer if that’s their role, or cleaning after the customer and appreciating them all in the same manner. It’s really about empowering and engaging them. Hilton has got a great concept called “Make it Right,” and it is my job to back my staff up. If it’s not the right thing, I would have a conversation with them.

“I am competitive, and Germany winning the World Cup is probably one of the happiest moments I’ve had for a very long time. You can imagine there is a healthy amount of banter going on.”

I’m sure that Sascha will have a big impact on the hotel, and also the city. His can-do spirit will drive his team and the reputation of the hotel.

And he is great company. Or at least he is when he isn’t going on about Germany winning the World Cup! www.hilton.com/brightonmet

EVEN THE DIRTY MARTINI IS SPOTLESS BAR & TERRACE

Relax in style in the Waterhouse Bar & Terrace, experience our hospitality and enjoy our ‘Perfect Pairings’.

The menu features locally sourced items for a real taste of Sussex, with Hailsham Lamb burger ‘Perfectly Paired, with a Sussex Mule or our decadent Tea by the Sea ‘Seaside Delights’ Afternoon Tea taken on the terrace.

With a car park on site, the Waterhouse Bar & Terrace is the perfect place to enjoy a family lunch with a difference, revel in a gathering of friends or savor any special occasion.

Open daily from 08:00am. For Afternoon Tea reservations please call 01273 775432 Hilton Brighton Metropole, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2FU

YOU’RE NOW CLEARED FOR VACATION. Whether flying from Gatwick Airport to your holiday destination or planning a London City Break, we are the best hotel for your stay!

Start your holiday the night before you fly with one of our perfectly tailored Park & Fly Packages.

Family holidays? Book one of our fully renovated family rooms which can accommodate up to 6 people (2 adults and up to 4 kids) Book our Super Saver Sale with early check-in, late check-out, WiFi, and airport shopping savings in Harrods and World Duty Free.

For room reservations please visit gatwick.hilton.com, call +44 (0) 1293 610 828 or email london.gatwick@hilton.com

South Terminal, Gatwick Airport | West Sussex | RH6 0LL Š2014 Hilton Worldwide

facebook.com/HiltonGatwick | twitter.com/HiltonGatwick

{ HOSPITALITY }

GOING THE EXTRA ‘GREEN’ MILE

So far, 2015 has proven to be a great year for Guy Hilton and his team at the Hilton London Gatwick Airport hotel

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t the beginning of the year, Guy Hilton – General Manager of this Gatwick hotel – was presented with the General Manager of the Year award, presented for his incredible leadership skills, people development and customer service as well as having a great commercial impact on the hotel’s business.

Following this superb achievement, the Hilton London Gatwick team has been recognised with two great awards by the Hilton Metro Region, a region formed of 29 Hilton hotels.

As a team, Hilton Gatwick exceeded the set targets, reducing energy and water usage by 8.39% and 8.8% respectively. Moreover, the Co2 usage was reduced by 5.47% - which, without doubt, is a fantastic result!

Additionally, the Green Team organised different activities throughout 2014 to reeducate all team members about the importance of recycling and waste reduction. These great ‘green’ initiatives and accomplishments translated into the hotel receiving the Sustainability Award in 2015.

Likewise, the Giving Back Award 2015 was awarded to the team at Hilton Gatwick for the great contribution to the community during 2014. Hilton London Gatwick Airport is proud to say that in 2014 the team has raised over £15,000 for Hilton in the Community Foundation and the charity partner Rockinghorse.

Furthermore, the local community was supported through different activities, such as: •

•

•

•

•

Gardening and Cleaning: Crawley Youth & Community Centre and the Springboard Project in Crawley Mocktail Apprentice Project: Organised with Horsham Matters and attended by students from Coulsdon Sixth Form College, focused on early intervention, prevention of alcohol misuse, safe and responsible drinking, and alcohol related crime, such as antisocial behaviour and drink driving, with an emphasis on healthy fun alternatives Duvets and Pillows Initiative: Hilton Gatwick has given over 600 duvets and pillows to different local communities, including Horsham Matters, Xtrax and Crawley Open House Bring, Buy and Donate Activities: The Hilton Gatwick team has been collecting clothes, books, toys, CDs and DVDs and donated these items to St Catherine’s Hospice and Crawley Charity Shop Sports Activities: Various team members have taken part in different sports activities to raise funds, including Go Ape Challenge, Tough Mudder Challenge, Brighton Marathon and London Marathon.

“The Hilton London Gatwick team has been recognised with two great awards by the Hilton Metro Region, a region formed of 29 Hilton hotels”

The team at Hilton London Gatwick Airport will continue to focus on community involvement and energy savings as part of everyday life and operation. www.gatwick.hilton.com

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MISTER BRUFORD Ashley Pugh has added a modern touch to the traditional Eastbourne jewellers, W Bruford, but maintained the family heritage. Ashley talks to Ian Trevett about how the business has evolved with the new trends in jewellery retailing.

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n the 1998 romantic comedy, Sliding Doors, the fate of the main character (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) rests on whether she catches or misses a particular underground train. By stepping inside the closing tube doors she gets home early, discovers her partner’s infidelity, walks out and builds a successful and happy new life. If she misses the train, she remains trapped in her unsatisfactory existence.

The film of Ashley Pugh’s life could be called Moving Steps. On leaving school, he went to the shopping centre near his home in Walsall with the intention of acting on his mum’s advice of applying for a job in Marks & Spencer. On a whim, rather than taking the escalator up to M&S, he chose to go down instead, walked into the first shop and asked for work. The shop was a high street jewellery

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retailer. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Ashley is the owner of the traditional Eastbourne jewellers, W Bruford, plus two fashion jewellery retailers in the town’s shopping centre, and there is very little he doesn’t know about the jewellery and watch industries.

“I started in the trade in 1983 by fluke, maybe not the best word, but it was by complete accident,” confesses Ashley. It may have started as an accident, but his successful career as a jeweller has been down to his professionalism and accumulation of knowledge.

W Bruford has been a recognisable name in Eastbourne since 1886. “It had always been the Bruford family business, but in 1998 the business was sold to a like-minded family in Norwich called Winsor Bishop. Unfortunately, the father died and

they needed someone to manage the Sussex business, so they approached me in 2000 and said, ‘Look, we’ve got this business in Eastbourne.

We know you’re local. We know you know a lot of people. Would you come and manage it?’ I jumped at the chance.

“By this time I had moved to Eastbourne and was actually working in Goldsmiths in Brighton. I learnt an awful lot there because you’ve got two parts to the jewellery business: you’ve got the jeweller retailers, and then you’ve got the jewellers. A lot of jewellers aren’t necessarily good business people. They know everything about jewellery and watches but they are not always good about running a business. Goldsmiths are fantastic retailers, and as a manager, in the days when I was there, you were given a lot of responsibility in

{ INTERVIEW }

buying your own stock. You weren’t necessarily a jeweller. You knew about the product to a degree, but not the level that a jeweller would know.

“I took the Bruford job, and after being here about a year or so, I had a conversation with the owners. It was a brother, sister and mother, who knew very little about jewellery. It was their father’s business. So we struck a deal, so I ended up buying the business and I have been here now getting on for nearly 15 years.

“We’ve moved on. This has always been a very traditional business, selling the traditional, higherend brands such as Rolex and TAG Heuer, and these brands remain as respected as ever. There was a change around 2006-2008, when fashion jewellery became more important in the market.

Historically, fashion jewellery was low-end. It wasn’t at the quality end of the market, and you started to get brands like Links of London and Hot Diamonds.

“We took on a few brands in here such as Links of London and Lalique, and for us it was a bit of volume. But we could then see it really starting to take off, and a couple of years we took a brand on

called Pandora, which was the silver bead brand, which has been a phenomenon. It has taken the trade by storm and actually changed retailing in our business beyond belief. On a Saturday we would have four or five staff, and suddenly we had become nine or ten staff, with a massive volume of people starting to come into the store.

“We realised that we had got the right product in the wrong location. We’ve got a closed door policy with a security buzzer. People still found us, but we are slightly off high street. So we opened a business in the shopping centre called Inspired

by Bruford’s. We struggled with the name but we always had people coming in and saying, ‘I’m just looking for inspiration.’ We wanted to keep the company link, the family link, so we added ‘by Bruford’s’.

“We took all the fashion brands out of Bruford, and it just took off. The first year performed beyond anything we could believe, so we spent a couple of years just really growing it. We were one of the first of what we now call ‘multi-brand stores’ in the UK, and we’ve not really ever looked back. Pandora is aimed at a slightly younger market, but it is popular through the age brackets and the brand has just gone on from strength to strength, to the point that last year we opened a Pandora stand-alone store.

“We have three stores now. The Inspired store now also stocks fashion watches, and suddenly some of these watch brands have become ultracool. For instance, you see Eminem promoting Casio watches. So a watch that was probably a little bit geeky back in the 1980s and 1990s is now really trendy.

Brands such as Pandora have shaken up the business and introduced new generations. We used to sell 9-carat gold earrings for £50-100 pounds, but because the metal prices rose so much, that market became very difficult. Now you can go into Pandora and get affordable luxury. You can buy a silver product in there at a very affordable price, beautifully packaged, very well made, very good value for money, and it has created a whole new market.

“You will often see these customers grow and they mature, and they become a Bruford customer.

They might buy a £300-£500 pound fashion watch, and, later in life, they might look at a TAG Heuer or aspire to a Breitling or to an Omega and then eventually to a Rolex. So for us, it’s a way of nurturing our customers to be used to our business.

“We want to deal with the whole family. I’ve been in Eastbourne since 1984 and dealt with grandparents, parents, and now the children are actually coming to buy their engagement rings and their wedding rings. It’s not about the now, it’s about the long-term generational relationship, where they trust us.”

In you career you have been a jewellery retailer and a jeweller. Has this mix of experience helped you?

“At Goldsmiths I learnt to look at things from a business point of view. I’ve got x amount of retail space. Am I getting the best return from that space? As a traditional business, we may buy an item of stock and we may sit on it for a year, two years, three years before we sell it, whereas for the fashion brands, it’s in, sold and gone for the next season. You have to look at the traditional business and ask: ‘Is that piece of stock an investment or a liability?’ At the end of the day, it isn’t like a nice coat or a pair of shoes which will go out of fashion. An emerald and diamond cluster ring is a classic item, so whether you hold it one year or two years, it actually becomes better value for money because as you hold it in stock, the prices are going up and you still have it. So, there are two ways of looking at stock management.

“Now the marketing is so important. We have invested in HR, digital, websites, marketing. We have to embrace Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and emails.

“The high street has changed immeasurably, and the businesses that have succeeded are

“This has always been a very traditional business, selling the traditional, higher-end brands such as Rolex and TAG Heuer, and these brands remain as respected as ever” the ones that have been able to adapt. Those retailers that haven’t embraced the internet have unfortunately gone out of business.

“You’ve got to be in the right location and you’ve got to have the right product. We’ve got a new shopping centre extension in Eastbourne coming in two years’ time. We would look to be in the right place with our businesses. We’re looking forward to that. It’s going to change the town but we are ready to adapt to the changes.”

NEXT ISSUE: Ashley Pugh talks about the enduring popularity of Rolex, Breitling and other renowned watch brands, plus the latest news from Baselworld 2015, the premier event for the watch and jewellery industry www.wbruford.com 11-13 Cornfield Road, Eastbourne BN21 3NA

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Platinum Business News!

Develop potential and access future talent through placements At the University of Sussex we believe that Undergraduate Placements can open up a world of opportunity for both the employer and student.

Finding a placement is a very competitive process and so successful students tend to be motivated, enthusiastic and very keen to learn.

You can test potential graduate hires over the course of the year and in doing so expand your talent pipeline and narrow the graduate skills gap.

Students on placement can bring enthusiasm, creativity and up-to-date academic knowledge; they can be a huge asset to your business for a year. If you have a project or temporary role that could benefit from extra staff and fresh ideas, a placement student could be just the employee you are looking for.

The Careers and Employability Centre can help you at each step, from honing a job description to engaging with potential employees. We can advertise and promote your vacancy free of charge.

All undergraduate students at the University of Sussex can choose to undertake a placement as part of their degree, so you can access a wide range of subjects and students. Students retain a University supervisor, so your company can build links with the faculty here, many of whom are engaged in cutting-edge research.

for more information on our Placements and Work Experience service to employers: Contact Claire Colburn, Senior Placements and Work Experience Officer.

Careers and Employability Centre, The Library, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QL T: 01273 877528 E: c.colburn@sussex.ac.uk W: www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/employers

Please mention Platinum Business Magazine when you contact us.

{ MARKETING }

IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE…

By Craig Walden Director of Big Beach Marketing …you’ll always get, what you always got. Which is fine if it’s working for you, but what if it’s not?

As it’s Spring, why not try something different in your marketing activity to get a different reaction? Here are ten simple marketing ideas to consider: 1) Use your existing data. Review your sales process/script/team; is it working properly?

Do you know where your sales are coming from and why? Are you maximising every opportunity by up-selling, cross-selling and back-selling(!)?

Do this before you spend any time/money/ resource on marketing.

2) Conduct a free seminar or webinar about a product or service you offer. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be relevant.

It provides a reason to contact prospective customers, it positions you as experts and creates news for your website and social media channels.

3) Put together a short marketing video (no more than 2 minutes). Google loves video. When it’s complete, upload it YouTube and then embed it on your website and wherever else you can think of. Prospects are far more likely to click on an email link to a video clip than a standard web page.

4) Write an article about what you know and post it on your website, blog and other websites, everywhere! We all have an opinion or knowledge to impart, so promote your business

through your expertise in that subject. (Who’d do a thing like that…?)

5) Comment on someone else’s article. Choose individuals who have lots of social media followers or a high profile. Don’t be afraid to be contentious, controversial or have the opposite view, whatever gets you noticed.

“Try one different marketing activity this Spring and you may just get your business name in front of somebody you wouldn’t have otherwise”

6) Try advertising on the buses. Not too expensive, perfect if your serve domestic or B2C markets and even better if you’re aiming for a small/local geographic area.

7) Create a loyalty program or referral scheme.

The best introduction to a prospect is through a recommendation from an existing customer.

Big Beach Marketing Tel: 01273 434552 Web: www.bigbeach.co.uk Approach your most loyal customers; will they refer you to any other businesses? Do this personally if you can by making a courtesy call and maybe offer an incentive they will value (please, no M&S vouchers).

8) Post on your website top tips and mistakes to avoid about the products and services you offer. They are hard to resist if you are in the market, very search engine friendly and you can choose to ask for contact details in return for the information.

9) Create a calendar or a desk pad to give away (honestly!). You’ve missed the window for a calendar but people love a big pad to scribble on and, of course, it will have your business name, proposition and contact information on it…for a long time!

10) Join your local Chamber of Commerce, mostly for the incredible networking opportunities it will offer you, but also to show your sense of community. Not only will you be notified of new businesses joining the Chamber, but you also have an excuse to get in touch with a few ‘fellow members…’

Try one different marketing activity this Spring and you may just get your business name in front of somebody you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Naturally, if you need help choosing the right activity for your business and actually making it happen, you can call Big Beach Marketing.

69

THE LEWES & WEALDEN Order your tickets now for the magnificent Lewes & Wealden Business Awards Event at the East Sussex National Hotel 19 June, 2015 The gala black tie event will be hosted by celebrity comperes with live entertainment

Tickets include:

• A welcome drink • A three course dinner • Entertainment

PRICE

£50pp + VAT

Numbers are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment

Contact Faiza Shafeek on 01323 414493 or email: faiza.shafeek@ipress.co.uk Little Horsted, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 5ES

HEADLINE SPONSOR

S O L I C I TO R S

EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR

L L P

BUSINESS AWARDS 2015

Enter now to have a chance at winning. This years Categories are: INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Award for the retail business that can best demonstrate strong growth, an innovative approach to customer and employee relations together with creativity to enhance sales.

Award for an exceptional individual aged under 30 has set up or developed a new business, product or service.

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR An individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the business community.

Award for an exceptional individual whose effort and determination has made an exceptional contribution to a business resulting in a positive gain for the organisation.

HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & LEISURE

QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

A business that has best demonstrated exceptional financial returns, innovation, strong growth and market leadership in the field of tourism, leisure or hospitality activities.

Award for a company who exceeds customer expectations in its service.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (1-10) Open to all businesses with less than 10 employees that can demonstrate exceptional performance, growth and market leadership.

MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (10-50) Open to all businesses with between 10-50 employees that can demonstrate exceptional performance, growth and market leadership.

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (50+)

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

SERVICE AND SUPPORT COMPANY OF THE YEAR A company that is committed to providing a quality service and support to their customers, to the general public or other businesses.

ENVIRONMENT AWARD A business or organisation, irrespective of its size or sector, that can demonstrate environmental awareness and responsibility in all aspects of its work and output.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Open to all businesses with 50+ employees that can demonstrate exceptional performance, growth and market leadership.

An exceptional individual whose effort and determination over time has made a significant contribution to a business and the wider business community resulting in a positive gain for both.

MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR

EDUCATION TRAINING AND MOTIVATION AWARD

A company that has best demonstrated exceptional financial returns, innovation, strong growth and market leadership in the field of manufacturing and/or construction.

Award for companies demonstrating outstanding commitment to training in Lewes and Wealden.

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

All short listed applications will be entered into this category Award to any business in the Lewes and Wealden area that has demonstrated innovative strategies to bring about exceptional financial returns, strong growth and market leadership in its sector.

Award for a business that has great staff relations, good staff retention, with excellent training and who cares for their employees. The best company to work for.

OVERALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS CAN NOMINATE THEMSELVES OR YOU ARE FREE TO NOMINATE ANOTHER WHO YOU FEEL WARRANTS RECOGNITION. AWARD SPONSORS

Do you want to be part of a winning team?

Hastings Direct is an agile and fast moving insurance company which continues to challenge industry convention and remains one of the fastest growing insurance providers in the UK, with over 1.7 million customers. As an ambitious, industry innovator, we are seeking talented individuals to join our multi-award winning team at our head office based in Bexhill-on-Sea. In a culture which recognises achievement and actively promotes career progression, we can offer you the tools to excel and continue to grow with us in the future.

We have a variety of exciting opportunities across an array of business functions including: Continuous Improvement Deployment Manager To deploy end to end Continuous Improvement in order to deliver tangible and targeted productivity, customer experience and people engagement benefits.

Technical Engineering Manager - Accountable for managing the IT Infrastructure team across multiple disciplines including databases, servers, storage and networks.

Senior Marketing Analyst and Database Manager Ensuring data and analysis is at the heart of our customer acquisition and retention strategies, as well as increasing our incremental revenues and managing Marketing ROI. Customer Representatives Starting salary of £15,500 with exciting and achievable career development and the opportunity to earn up to £18,500 as you progress.

Claims: Planning Business Partner - To lead a team responsible for forecasting contact volumes and designing appropriate shift patterns and schedules for colleagues across multiple functions.

We’re on the lookout for great people, so experience is not required as we will invest lots of time up front in our fantastic training environment. All we need from you is the flexibility to work when our customers need us and to enjoy working as part of a team. If that sounds like you and you have basic computer and communication skills, as well as the drive to really go places, we want to hear from you.

Group Finance Reporting Accountant - Responsible for the production of monthly and quarterly management reports for the Group, as well as management of the parent company accounts and processes.

Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm.

Sat 9am to 5:30pm and Sun 10am to 5pm.

HR Business Partner - Delivering a range of people strategies and solutions in close partnership with business leaders resulting in excellent commercial performance.

Part time opportunities are also available working evenings and weekends

If you would like to know more about us or any of the above vacancies please contact us on:

recruitmentteam@hastingsdirect.com

01424 735735 ext 8924.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

By Amanda Menahem, HR Director, Hastings Direct Insurance www.hastingsdirect.com

M

uch is written about the skills shortages in the UK and the need to bridge more effectively the link between education and employment. This is something I have long been passionate about, having experienced these gaps first-hand from the perspective of being a graduate trainee myself, then as a line manager, as a leader of development programmes and now as an employer with challenging targets for jobs growth. Bridging this link effectively is also at the heart of the Coast to Capital LEP strategy for the long-term sustainability and economic success of our region. Of course, it’s easy to talk about – and we have done many times in this very magazine. It’s more difficult to do something about it. Readers of this magazine will know that last year we commenced partnerships with both Sussex and Brighton universities, putting the issues firmly on the table and jointly working to create innovative and bespoke solutions. We are also working with the schools and colleges in Sussex and are currently in dialogue on some longer-term plans for collaboration. In the meantime, I wanted to update you on some exciting developments with the universities in our region.

I’m delighted to report that we have now established clear programmes with both institutions. At Sussex I was already impressed with the current ‘learning to lead’ programme, which I’d been invited to assist with last year. This programme emphasises personal accountability and provides undergrads with an insight into the skills and tasks of leadership. I have seen the results of the programme and was struck by how much confidence participants came away with. I

was keen to contribute more to the programme, and in March this year we delivered a Hastingsdesigned module that fits within the programme entitled ‘Brand you’. This helps students to think about their own personal impact and be more purposeful rather than leave it to chance – a vital life tool for anyone embarking on a career. I look forward to sharing the feedback and results with you in a future issue

“This helps students to think about their own personal impact and be more purposeful rather than leave it to chance – a vital life tool for anyone embarking on a career” We have also agreed placement opportunities for Sussex University students to join some of the areas of our business that are key to our long-term growth and that can be challenging to recruit for. These will provide real challenge and business experience for graduates which will add to their future employability, and will hopefully attract them to a permanent role in our team.

With Brighton University we have worked

in partnership to design the ‘Hastings Direct Leadership In Action’ programme. This comprises five workshops covering topics such as organisational context, leadership theory and practice, organisational culture, managing people, motivation and high performance. It also equips students with specific skills such as business writing, business presentation skills, influencing and negotiation. In addition, participants get to spend time shadowing and working in our business with mentoring support from our leaders. The programme is also co-delivered by our senior leaders and learning professionals.

The icing on the cake is that participants get to work on a real business project that will solve a genuine business challenge. Great for us, but also invaluable for them, as this will help them apply their learning and get real life experience to fuel their development. Because, of course, as we all know, the real learning takes place on the job, in real life by having exposure to new experiences. The key is for us as leaders and coaches to help participants reflect and learn from those experiences. This is a new venture for both Brighton Business School and Hastings Direct and I am so excited about the difference a programme like this could make to students in our region. I will keep you updated as we follow the progress of the first cohort. I am always inspired by raw talent, and I’m sure we’ll find some real superstars on the programme – of course, the students on this programme could also be our future leaders! So this makes good business sense, and I’d encourage other employers to consider how they can also play their part.

73

{ GREEN BUSINESS }

AN ECO FUTURE Eco Technology Show delivers the best energy-saving ideas for business, says Nicola Gunstone

B

usiness bosses can be forgiven for getting confused about going green. Funding cuts are sending mixed messages as the Coalition Government’s commitment to reduce the public deficit means there are fewer grants and funding sources available. Indeed, the incentives seem to be mainly for businesses developing and promoting eco technology rather than the users – and many of them will be showing the fruits of their R&D at the Eco Technology Show at the Amex Stadium this June (11-12).

Larger firms, of course, have little choice in introducing reductions in carbon footprints.

The ESOS Regulations 2014 brought into force Article 8 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive and mean that all large businesses in the UK must assess energy use and energy efficiency opportunities at least once every four years. As a rule of thumb, if you employ 250 people or more, you need to be part of the scheme. ESOS stands for Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme, and Thameslink, a business which has ensured that ESOS is an opportunity and not just a compliance chore, will be sharing its experiences in one of the free seminars at the Eco Technology Show. The rail operator will share the ideas it uncovered, many of which can be adapted for smaller businesses.

Solar boom in sunny Sussex Probably the most familiar source of financial support in our region is FiT (Feed-in Tariff) for

74

solar panels on commercial roof space. It is actively being encouraged, and here in Sussex we live and work in the UK’s sunniest county, so every building owner and occupier should at least explore the options. The Eco Technology Show will provide a one-stop shop to talk to a range of providers and gain a comprehensive understanding of the latest technologies and business models before making what will be a long-term commitment.

“The Eco Technology Show will provide a onestop shop to talk to a range of providers and gain a comprehensive understanding of the latest technologies” Setting the scene at the Eco Technology Show will be Lord Rupert Redesdale, Founder of Energy Managers’ Association, who has

once again chosen the Sussex event as a platform for his campaign to transform the energy management profession in the UK and encourage businesses of all sizes to proactively manage their business’ energy usage.

Electric vehicles and charging points are now familiar sights on our roads, and their use will be promoted by actor, comic and writer Robert Llewellyn. He has always been a science and technology enthusiast, even before he played the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf.

Now, perhaps, known for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge ,he is an advocate of using and re-using resources efficiently, another key theme of the Eco Technology Show.

For any business, the main incentive for going green is still energy and utility savings that will pay dividends year after year, as well as reputation. Indeed, many potential customers will ask about green credentials as part of their tender processes.

Exhibitors will show a remarkable range of ideas, from water softeners to complex energy management systems, and I defy any businessperson to leave the show without a headful of ideas that can boost their green credentials and their bottom line.

The Show and seminars are all free to attend, and there’s no need to book for the talks. Register for fast track entry at www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk.

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APRIL 2015

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{ ANGER MANAGEMENT }

ANGER MANAGEMENT

By Maarten Hoffmann

PAY PEANUTS, GET MONKEYS N

aomi Campbell once famously said that she wouldn’t get out of bed for less than ten grand.

After the spectacularly high-profile downfall of MPs Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind, we have to ask the question: “What do we expect of our political masters?” The rabble will stand at the gates with burning torches, howling at length about how well paid they are for doing a part-time job, but most of us know better.

Should we not expect the country to be run by the best educated, wisest, most honest and most passionate amongst us? Yet, when it comes to renumeration, we expect to pay them less than every CEO and the majority of Managing Directors across the land. Is the reason that we expect them to be driven by the higher ideal of service to one’s country? Poppycock!

Like you and l, they need to earn a living, but one that leaves them free of earthly ties, such as paying the bills, so that they can concentrate on the bigger picture of trying to put the Great back into Britain. We also have to deal with their susceptibility to large corporations whilst seeking that second and third job. This, in the main, is to earn a crust rather than greed.

When it comes to politicians, there is little praise going their way, whether in the media or from the man in the street, but as long as we are a democracy we had better find a better way of dealing with them to ensure we get the best and the brightest. Paying them the equivalent of

76

a middle manager or computer programmer is not the way to do it.

According to the Institute of Directors, the average Managing Director of a small firm is paid £72,339 rising to £148,223 for a medium to large firm. The average CEO looks well north of £500,000, with golden hellos and goodbyes.

“The rabble will stand at the gates with burning torches, howling at length about how well paid they are for doing a part-time job, but most of us know better” Said MD works 5 ½ days a week, is subject to board approval only once a year, and otherwise can live a quiet and peaceful life as long as the share price keeps rising and profits keep rolling in.

The average MP earns £67,000, with an average take-home after tax of £46,000. Of course, there are expenses, allowances and pensions, but such are received by business leaders. So, for the sake of argument, l will ignore them. For this they have to maintain two homes, be available at a moment’s notice for a vote, attend Parliament in London and surgeries in their constituency, toe the party line, take flak from every quarter and get pilloried if they so much as think of using their skills outside the House, even if they have declared it. They have to keep their private lives squeaky clean lest they are splashed across the red tops one morning and their lives and family are thrown to the wolves, their reputations decimated, spouses destroyed and their children’s lives blighted.

Take Jack Straw. After 36 years of service to the country as an MP, Lord Chancellor, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary his reputation has been destroyed overnight as he sought to feather his nest when he was due to retire next year. And he clearly stated in the ruse conducted by the Telegraph and Channel 4 that he could not take on such a role until after he retired.

Be that as it may, he has been condemned from every corner, suspended by the Labour Party, has referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Committee, and it would appear his long held dream of a seat in the House of Lords is all but dust in his hands.

{ ANGER MANAGEMENT }

But what else does a retiring MP have to offer but his experience and contacts? Is this not the case with all CEOs leaving one corporation to join another? One takes one’s contacts along and uses them wherever appropriate for the benefit of the new firm.

If we want the very best MPs we can find, who work solely on representing their constituents, we had better get working on paying them a sensible salary and then introducing an outright ban on secondary jobs rather than simply asking them to sign a register with the details.

As with business, we all want the best man for the job, but unlike business, where the CEOs’ failure affects that business, shareholders and staff, a failure by an MP can affect the entire country and our reputation around the world.

Malcolm Rifkind tried to move the debate on, but in a series of disastrous media interviews, he claimed that it was ‘quite unrealistic’ to expect backbench MPs with professional backgrounds to ‘simply accept a salary of £67,000’. He told BBC Radio 4: ‘If you are trying to attract people of a business or a professional background to serve in the House of Commons, and if they are not ministers, it is quite unrealistic to believe they will go through their parliamentary career being able to simply accept a salary of £67,000.’

He is absolutely right. Is there anyone

reading this with a first class degree who has risen to the very top of their profession through diligence and hard graft, and who, at the age of 60 feels that all they are worth is a take-home of £46,000? I think not.

MPs’ salaries and the issue of funding political parties need to be overhauled, and fast, or we are destined to be ruled by ignorant pygmies who can’t get employed anywhere else and who see Parliament as a safe and cozy berth as the best and brightest head off to the corporate world. This is surely not the world we want to live in, but who amongst us would volunteer to put ourselves in the constant firing line, where every media outlet considers us fair game, the public spit on us and then toss us out like a used tissue when we, legally, try to earn an extra buck?

The answer: Pay all MPs a £150,000 basic and ban them from any secondary employment.

Demand that they work for their constituents and the country full-time; following retirement, ban them from ever working for a foreign government or corporation. This would ensure their full-time attention while in office and ensure that after retirement their talents and contacts will only ever be used for the good of the country that paid them.

Possibly, the only vote against would come from one multi-millionaire, Mr. Anthony Blair.

77

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{ MOTORING REVIEW }

Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann

Audi Q7

QUINTESSENTIALLY

AUDI

TECHNICAL STUFF: Model Tested: AUDI Q7 3.0 TDI Quattro S Line Engine: 3.0 litre turbo Performance: 0-62mph 7.8 seconds Top Speed: 135mph Economy: 38.3mpg Price from: £46,655.

As Tested: £52,310.00 80

A

udi have been producing cars under their own banner since 1910 following the company’s purchase of Auto Union from the Daimler-Benz Corporation. The company name is based on that of the Founder, August Horch. Horch means listen in German and becomes audi in Latin. The company is 99.55% owned by the Volkswagen Group, and in 2014 the company sold 1.7 million cars worldwide. Audi is still one of the only manufacturers offering permanent 4-wheel drive across the range and I utterly fail to understand why more haven’t caught onto this fact. My wife drives an Audi A6 Avant and when the great British winter descends upon us and all is white, my car remains in the drive as her’s is the only one that will make it out.

I like Audis, as, like Mercedes and BMW, they have gained a reputation for solid engineering, bullet-proof build quality, reliability and strong resale values. The Q7 was introduced in 2005, followed by the Q5 in 2007 and the Q3 in 2011. As you might know if you read my reviews on a regular basis, l am a great fan of the Q5. It’s the perfect SUV size with a great engine, superbly comfortable and highly manoeuvrable. The Q3 is a good car, but for my tastes a tad too basic and utilitarian, and there is only one car in the range that l have not driven - the big boy of the family, the Q7 – until now.

The first thing that grabs your attention is that this car is vast. It drives like a standard saloon, although at the height of Ben Nevis, but it’s when you come to park it, manoeuvre through tight traffic or get out of it in a car park that you realise that this car is vast.

Although comparable in size with the likes of the Range Rover, the RR feels leaner and lighter, whereas the Q7 just feels vast, fat and bloated.

The one thing that brings joy here is the seven seats, which are so useful when you have kids or hordes of friends as, unlike so many others, you actually have the opportunity to all go out in one car.

Let’s leave size aside for a moment and look at the car itself. The engine range is limited to three diesel options, and it is the entry level 3.0-litre V6 that is the pick of the bunch. As with all Audis, it’s fast, smooth and feels like it will go ‘round the clock’ a few times with ease, hits 60mph in around nine seconds and still returns 39 mpg. Steering is accurate and gives reasonable feedback through your hands, and it can really feel like you are driving a normal car.

One of the main reasons given for buying SUVs such as the Q7 is that they are safe, or at least they make the occupants feel safe. The size of this hulking great beast will deliver an overwhelming feeling of wellbeing, but there’s far more to the Q7’s safety credentials than its obvious dimensions.

First, and perhaps foremost, in the Audi’s armoury of safety features is its permanent four-wheel drive system, which is backed up by electronic stability control, differential lock, and all manner of other electronic gizmos designed to keep you on the road.

There’s also a raft of airbags throughout a vehicle that, all-in-all, is a pretty safe place to be even though it only has a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. If any vehicle illustrates that a five-star rating doesn’t tell you everything, it’s the Q7. Although a Fiat 500 has five stars as opposed to the Audi’s four stars, we know which one we’d rather be sat in during a collision between the two.

It’s absolutely enormous and utterly inappropriate, but the Q7 is an endearing car nonetheless. It’ll be expensive to buy and run, but there are few nicer places to be – or safer ones to stow the family. Where the Q7 does fall down these days is in its styling, which is starting to look a tad dated, but that is all taken care of this month when the facelift version will be revealed, and, as Audi rarely drop the ball, it is bound to be better looking and to include things that customers might have moaned about.

The great thing about facelift models is that they often reduce the price of the existing model at dealerships; therefore, there can be great deals to be found if you’re quick, before they are all gone.

In conclusion, it’s a good drive due to the sharing of the same platform as the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne, handles well, offers plenty of power, is well equipped and comes with all the bells and whistles you would want, but the drawback will always be its size. 82% of all driving is now performed in urban environments, and the size will therefore come into play almost every day, and paying this much for a car and then having to exit out of the window in every city centre car park does somewhat take the shine off the proposition.

To be fair, it could probably get away with it if the Range Rover Sport didn’t exist. Just be aware that it’ll be a pig to park in a UK-sized parking space, and despite the fact that the V12 has now been dropped, it’ll attract the hatred of every ecowarrior in the country.

Perhaps this is the reason to buy it!

85th GENEVA It’s that time again when, due to my total selfless commitment to my readers, I am forced to fly to Geneva to study, report on and occasionally lick the finest metal the world has to offer. As my plane lands, I set off for my hotel: the Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues and lunch at their magnificent two-star Michelin restaurant, Il Largo.

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!

BENTLEY EXP 10-SPEED CONCEPT Just look at this absolute beauty that Bentley ‘might’ put into production. A mighty 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 engine that will no doubt cost the same as a small country, but l begged Bentley to produce it. Just look and imagine yourself in that interior buzzing down to Monaco.

McLAREN The Surrey based manufacturer revealed their limited edition 675LT, the fastest, most powerful and lightest model in their Super Series. They will produce only 500 units for the quickest through their door with £260,000 readies.

FERRARI 488 GTB The GTB is back. This new Ferrari is powered by a 3902cc turbo engine coupled to a seven-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox. Much F1 technology is coming through to road cars now, making Formula 1 an R&D department.

VW PASSAT

THE VAUXHALL VIVA IS BACK

Not only has the current Passat just been voted Car of the Year 2015, but this Sports Coupe GTE Concept just goes to show that there is life in the old dog yet.

After many years, the Viva moniker is back on this small city car with a 1.0 litre engine, five seats and priced just under £8,000.

MOTOR SHOW ASTON MARTIN Much excitement on the Aston stand as they revealed two new concept cars. The DBX concept is a luxury GT that will take four passengers and their luggage, and then there is the dramatically named Vulcan. Designed as a track day car for the person who has it all – and they will certainly need it all to buy this gorgeous creature, just to have it in the garage for the odd weekend.

But what an odd weekend.

ROLLS ROYCE

ALPHA ROMEO

The Sussex based manufacturer revealed their most elaborate model to date. The one-off Serenity, based on the LWB Phantom, was given to a bunch of students from the Royal College of Art, and look what they came up with. I think the world is running out of despotic dictators who would order such a monstrosity, but perhaps a few LA based Rappers would be interested – once they’d changed the rims, of course.

The 4C was on show with the obligatory model posing alongside, and although a lovely-looking car, buyers are having a hell of a time getting delivery even after full payment, their performance stats are all over the place and, l hope l am wrong, but buyers had better ensure they have full breakdown insurance.

SEAT

FOCUS RS

Seat’s new 20V20 SUV looks very nice indeed, and if the production model looks this good, you will be seeing a lot on our roads.

Ford showed off their all-new Focus RS with all-wheel drive and a drift mode! New tyres please.

LOOKERS MERCEDES-BENZ FLEET Whatever your business needs, you can trust our experienced and professional approach at Lookers Mercedes-Benz to help you arrange your business vehicles. Whether you require a fleet of cars for your business or a single car, our knowledgeable corporate team can help find the best solution for you.

We feature a great range of Mercedes-Benz finance options for businesses, so you won’t need to worry about how to balance your cashflow. Choose from the broad range of cars on offer at our comfortable showrooms, which allow you the space and time you need to make the best decision regarding your vehicles. We know how important efficiency and emissions are to your business too, so ask our team for details on any of our models.

All our servicing and aftercare services are available to our corporate clients. From MOTs to manufacturer-standard paintwork repairs, our experienced team will help you find a solution to your business needs.

Lookers Mercedes-Benz Fleet team is available via telephone, email, or alternatively you can visit us in person at our Brighton or Maidstone showrooms to discuss how we can help you.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOUR BUSINESS GROW For more details, visit www.lookers.co.uk/mercedes-benz Mercedes-Benz of Brighton Victoria Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex BN411DY 0844 6593301

{ BUSINESS SCENE }

RLF LAUNCH NEW OFFICE Robinson Low Francis Brighton Partners Stephen Cheesman and Sean Clemons welcomed colleagues and clients as they showcased their new Brighton office in March.

The office was bathed in pink light (as can be seen in the picture gallery) as guests were welcomed with drinks and canapĂŠs. The mild evening meant that guests could admire the beautiful views from the roof terrace during the event.

RLF are a UK construction and property consultant firm, working nationally and globally through several international offices.

9.

Photos by Simon Callaghan

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Mergers and Acquisitions Commercial Property and Development Planning advice Commercial Landlord and Tennant Employment Law Intellectual Property Litigation Charities Debt Collection

RETAILER WARNING Ian Hopping, Auditel UK Tel: 01825 791128 E: ian.hopping@auditel.co.uk | W: www.auditel.co.uk

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very company that accepts card payments will soon be affected by changes to the way card processing fees are charged.

What are the changes?

The European Union has had a long, running battle with Visa and Mastercard to reduce interchange, the charge that is payable by your card processor (Cardnet, Worldpay, Barclaycard, etc) to the bank who issued the card being charged. Interchange is extremely important to your card processor, as it makes up about 90% of their cost base. They pass this cost on to you and it makes up the majority of your charge – if you currently pay a fee of 1.3% for credit cards, then about 70% of this is the recharge of the interchange.

To comply with the EU, Visa have announced new interchange rates of 1p plus 0.2% for secure transactions, in place of the current 8p per transaction, regardless of value. The new charges will come into effect for Visa Debit from March 1st 2015. Mastercard have not yet announced their plans, but are widely expected to go for a phased approach, reducing their interchange and altering their debit card charging structure in stages over 12 months from mid-2015.

Who will this affect?

For many this will result in an increase for the cost of their card transactions. The big losers will be those businesses where average transaction values are high, or those who take telephone transactions (CNP - customer not present) as these will now be deemed nonsecure, even with CVV2 verification. Visa Debit telephone transaction interchange charge is currently 10.5p, but will increase to 11p PLUS 0.2% of the transaction value.

“Now would be a good time to review your merchant card providers to see how you will be affected” Auditel have seen a very recent example of the change where pricing is set to increase from a flat 11p per transaction currently, to 0.495% of the transaction value (i.e. 49.5p per £100 of card turnover). In this example all orders valued

over £22.25 would incur higher fees. The fees payable on a £100 order would be 4.5 times the current rates charged.

There is some good news in that, provided your provider passes on these changes, credit card transaction charges should be around 0.4% cheaper than current rates. The other small consolation for hard pressed merchants is that Visa have declared they will cap fees at a maximum of 50p for secure transactions, and at £1 for non-secure transactions, an increase of between 500% and 1000%! But remember, interchange is the base cost that the acquirer pays the card schemes- your actual merchant service charge is likely to be considerably higher.

What can you do?

Now would be a good time to review your merchant card providers to see how you will be affected. Not all providers have announced how they plan to deal with the change in the market, but evidence so far has shown some are using these changes to not only cover the increase, but to add some additional income to their bottom line. Keep an eye on your bills and make sure you fully understand the cost implications of any changes to your charges made by your provider.

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T

CHESTNUT TREE HOUSE

he generosity of businesses across Sussex was celebrated at the second Chestnut Tree House Business Awards.

The awards, which were established as part of the Chestnut Tree House’s 10th Anniversary celebrations back in 2013, rewarded and recognised local businesses and individual employees for outstanding achievements within their communities.

Hosted by South Lodge Hotel, the awards were presented by long-time supporters and patrons of the charity, Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell OBE and Ambrose Harcourt from Juice 107.2.

Chief Executive of the charity Hugh Lowson said, “We are so grateful to the hundreds of businesses from across Sussex who have raised thousands of pounds for Chestnut Tree House in a variety of ways.

The staff from these businesses have shown huge passion and dedication to help us make life easier for children with life-shortening illnesses and their families.”

“Our Business Awards are a way we can say thank you to them and give something back for all their hard work. We need to raise £6,850 per day to provide all our care services, at the hospice and out in the community across Sussex, whilst less than 8% of our funding comes from central government, so we are reliant on the generosity of local businesses and individuals to cover our costs.”

Chestnut Tree House currently cares for over 300 children and young adults from 0-25 years of age with progressive life-shortening and lifethreatening illnesses from all over the county. www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

All the winners on stage!

Outstanding Voluntary Project, HSBC

Outstanding SME Supporter, ILG

Fundraising Team of The Year, Gatwick Airport

Most Innovative Fundraising Idea, Willmott Dixon Construction

Outstanding Corporate Supporter, Goodwood Outstanding Individual Fundraiser, Paul Jones

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Festival of Speed

Outstanding Long Term Supporter, Technetix

BUSINESS AWARDS

Hugh Lowson, Guy Clinch and Linda Perry

Charlotte Vohtz, Ian Taylor, Sue Losson Emily

The Chestnut Tree House team

(Chestnut Tree House)

Sheldrake (Green People)

Chris and Elaine Goodman (Focus Group)

Travel Places

and guests

ILG

Paul and Annette Jones and family

Great Sussex Bath Race and guests

Anna Woodward and Sam Rider-Ashley

Chris and Brian Dell (Gallagher Heath)

Matt and James Turner (Creative Pod)

Ambrose and Pauline Harcourt

Linda Perry with Sally Gunnell OBE

Max Cauntye and Iain Flitcroft

Platinum Business Magazine, Great Sussex Bath Race

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{ WORK PLACEMENTS }

THE WORKING YEAR Why today’s students are choosing professional placements It used to be called a sandwich course, with a year in work tucked in between academic studies. The year away from the campus now has the slicker title of a professional placement, and this mix of work and study is more popular than ever among career-minded students. Claire Colburn, Senior Placements and Work Experience Officer at the University of Sussex, explains how the courses are structured. Interview by Ian Trevett

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t the University of Sussex, we work with employers of all sizes on graduate recruitment. In response to employer feedback that some graduates may need assistance in preparing for work, we designed our Placement Preparation Programme. It gives students a comprehensive introduction to finding work, acing interviews and workplace etiquette.

We are delighted that the programme has been nominated for the Association of Graduate Recruiters’ ‘Best Preparation for Work’ award, recognising its value to graduate development.

“The placement application process is very valuable. Right from the first year, students undertake Sussex’s placement preparation programme. There’s an online programme where they learn about what it takes to apply for a placement. They have their CV reviewed and they receive interview practise, so when they come to graduate, applying for jobs is not such a daunting prospect.

“Obviously, there is nothing that really substitutes for the work experience itself. We are very clear that it’s a learning process for the

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students who are on placements. Employers shouldn’t necessarily expect a fully-formed graduate recruit, because they are still studying.

We evaluate the training and development provided as they have to be doing work that’s the equivalent of third-year work; reasonably complex work, sometimes project work. Of course, the businesses get that level of work for a year from their employee. The students have a dual status, they are employees and they are still students.

Students have to put in reflective learning observations which go in to their tutors so that businesses that employ the placement students can get the link back to the faculties.”

SOME COURSES ARE MORE VOCATIONAL THAN OTHERS. IS THE DEMAND FROM BUSINESS CONCENTRATED ON TECHNICAL SUBJECTS? “Traditionally, many people associate placement opportunities with subjects such as Engineering or Business Studies. However the innovative Sussex Choice initiatives allows students of any subject to choose a placement year. More and more, Employers are tapping in to the skills of students from a huge variety of disciplines. For example we

are working with students from Psychology and Sociology who have been successful in securing placements in Human Resources and Training and Development for large companies.

WHAT SORT OF SKILLS ARE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR? “We’re seeing employers looking more and more at students’ outside interests, such as Societies and club memberships, and any part-time work.

Employers are looking at. I think employers are looking at the whole person, a good work ethic, and that’s why we’re preparing students right from the first year. The placements start in the summer of their second and then the whole of their third year.”

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE SUSSEX CHOICE? ‘We actively promote placements to all First Year students via email, dedicated face-to-face workshops and online training resources. We work intensively with students who choose to apply for placements. A large part of our role is providing encouragement to students who may have experienced rejection in the application process.

{ WORK PLACEMENTS }

“We’ve all had job rejections. It stings, it really does. But that normally means it’s not necessarily you or the student that’s been the failure. It could just be that you’ve got all the right skills, you’re just not fitting the company, or you could be lacking one particular attribute that’s very specialist that someone else has got. It’s our job to say, ‘It’s okay, that’s normal, keep going.’

“A unique feature of Sussex’s placement programme is that students don’t have to sign up for a placement year when they apply.

Students can choose to change their degree structure when they’re here. In general, students don’t necessarily apply to the four-year course, but when they are here they find out about placements, and many think that it sounds like a good idea.”

DO ALL STUDENTS GET A PLACEMENT? “We don’t guarantee that students get placements. Businesses want to recruit and select their own students. Students apply for placements as a normal vacancy. We advertised more than 1,500 placements on our jobs board last year.

‘We’ve worked with students who have been successful in securing placements at companies as large as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, exciting local companies such as Brandwatch, and microcompanies with a payroll of one.

We have worked with a Law student who has been recruited to shadow a QC in Sri Lanka, and a

student who is going to be employed in Australia – we encourage students to work globally.

“The application process is very valuable. Right from the first year, students undertake a placement preparation programme”

“We often offer advice to companies who are new to placement students. We can talk to them about the level of work that students should be undertaking, and we can assist with advertising vacancies, and recruiting students by organising recruitment events.

“We have lots of opportunities for companies to come and talk to us. And we can also put

them with academic faculties as well, if there’s a particular skill that they’re looking for. We want businesses to see how good our students are and what they can do.”

HOW MUCH ARE STUDENTS PAID? “We recommend that students are paid at least the higher national minimum wage for their work. They will be doing real work in real companies, so we think that students should be valued financially for what they do, as well as through training and development.”

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR TIME IN THE ROLE? I’ve been involved with placements, internships and employer engagement at Sussex for five years. Over that time, I have seen a huge increase in both employer and student interest in work experience opportunities. Compared to five years ago students today are much more focused on their employability and are prepared to work on it much earlier in their University career. Increased fees and financial pressures means that the job that they get at the end of their degree really does matter. Students are also much more focused and aware of their skills and abilities and are very keen to utilise their talents in the workplace in a positive and active way.

To contact Claire Colburn, call 01273 877528 or email C.Colburn@sussex.ac.uk Twitter @SussxUniCareers Facebook www.facebook.com/SussexCareers

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{ WORK PLACEMENTS }

Photo of Placement Team, left to right: Andrea Wall, Employer Engagement Manager, Susanna Davis, Careers and Employability Adviser, Alexandra Stanciu, Placements and Work Experience Administrator, Claire Colburn, Senior Placements and Work Experience Officer, Simon Topham, Placements Officer, Izabela Pompova, Employment Assistant

CASE STUDIES Bella Eldred-Smith, Business and Management studies  My placement year benefitted me in so many ways; I gained invaluable first-hand experience of the banking industry, which gives me more confidence to enter back into work after I graduate. I had the opportunity to network with amazing and inspirational people who aided my contacts in a relationship-driven industry, but also, their influence made me more determined and motivated.

The skills and capabilities I developed on a daily basis built on my university learning and gave me an advantage over students without a placement experience in entering the financial job market.

A placement year definitely prepares you for the working world, which makes the prospect of post-university employment a little less daunting!

On returning from my placement I was able to see the relevance of my studies in industry and work and so had more of a keen interest to understand in order to apply the knowledge.

Having had experience of the working world, I am far more driven to succeed in my final year and return to the buzz of the industry.

Daniel Roberts BSc Computer Science For my placement year I worked as a software developer at Mobbu, a Brighton based company specialising in fast and secure mobile technology for the police, government and security organisations. As part of a small, agile development team, my role required me to use a wide range of the skills IÂ learned during my studies and apply these to new challenges and exciting new technologies.

Working at Mobbu was fast-paced and dynamic and I found myself quickly working on projects, learning new languages and integrated as part of the team.

A placement year is a golden opportunity to work with the experts in industry and Mobbu are certainly among these experts.

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‘Ceres Power has a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Brighton, to develop temperature measurements.’

UNIVERSITY MANOR University of Brighton sets up base in heart of the Diamond The University of Brighton has set up a new base in the Manor Royal Business District in Crawley, to work alongside businesses, development organisations and community partners in the Gatwick Diamond area.

Services will include Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programmes, which are funded up to 67% by government, to bring university experts and a high-calibre graduate to work on a strategic project which will help the business to grow: specialist training which can be tailor-made to suit needs of a particular business; internships, peer to peer mentoring groups and business networking with university experts. There will also be a new series of ‘Research Insights’ seminars designed take the latest research findings directly to businesses that could use the research in developing innovative products and services. The seminars will be delivered in partnership with Gatwick Diamond Business.

There is a new degree programme in business management being co-designed with business to specifically to suit the needs of businesses and employees in the Gatwick Diamond. This will be part-time, and designed for people already in employment, to be studied alongside their existing job. It will blend on-line learning and face to face support delivered locally.

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Debra Vice-Holt, the university’s Head of Economic and Social Engagement for the Gatwick Diamond “This is a really exciting time for the University of Brighton. The establishment of our new office in the Manor Royal locates us in the heart of the Gatwick Diamond as we continue to work with our partners in the area on collaborative research, curriculum development and community engagement.”

The CEO of the Manor Royal BID, Steve Sawyer “By moving into Manor Royal the University of Brighton are showing real intent to actively work with companies, both in the Business District and the wider Gatwick Diamond area. It shows how important they think the area is and how important it is for the university to actually have a base among the many great companies we have here. I hope to take advantage of this relationship and I hope others do too.”

The new premises are at: University of Brighton, Research and Enterprise Office, 7 Magellan Terrace, Gatwick Road, Crawley RH10 9PJ. 01293 510222 businesshelpdesk@brighton.ac.uk

‘Surrey Highways engineers on a specialist MSc course designed specifically for local authority highway managers.’

“KTP was essential investment in our growth and has added considerably to the continued profitable growth of Bon Appetit” Keith Pordum, Business Person of the Year 2015, Gatwick Diamond Business Awards

Keith Pordum, Managing Director of Bon Appetit

University of Brighton in The Gatwick Diamond Case study - Bon Appetit The successful launch of Bon Appetit in 2004 followed two years of research and development after identifying a gap in the ‘workplace consumption’ market for a low cost, high quality, 24/7 hot food vending service. By combining Bon Appetit’s unique food products and the latest in vending technology, the company now offers a national service.

The company has taken advantage of three of the research and development services offered by the University of Brighton.

packaging solution.

“He introduced a range of new management and information systems into the business which enabled us to monitor performance. He also set up a sales and account management database, which has helped us grow the business.

“The combination of university adviser and the contribution of the graduate worked very well and has produced a lasting and profitable legacy. KTP was essential investment in our growth and has added considerably to the continued profitable growth of Bon Appetit.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnership

Profitnet

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a partnership between a company, university and a graduate who work together to deliver a strategic project for the business which the company would be unable to do without the knowledge and expertise provided by the university. It is a national government scheme which provides up to 67% grant funding.

Bon Appetit embarked on a two-year marketing project designed to reassess and improve product offering and to increase market penetration. Guided by the university expert, Harvey Ells, they recruited a top calibre graduate, Marco Ferrara, who was a self-starter and very proactive with his input.

Managing Director Keith Pordum reports: “The initial impact of Marco was that he uncovered that our new product packaging was costing us sales and then worked on an innovative and successful

Profitnet is a unique business collaboration and learning network for business leaders and chief executives created by the Centre for Research and Innovation Management (CENTRIM) at the University of Brighton.

Selected business owners and managers meet in total confidence once a month to collaboratively address real business challenges and help each other seek new opportunities for innovation and growth.

“I have been personally involved in Profitnet for over seven years in four groups and it is the best business group I have ever been involved with,” says Keith Pordum.

“At meetings I have the opportunity to present my business plan and challenges and get feedback from the group members, and I likewise give them advice and input on their plans and challenges.

“In addition we have structured sessions on business innovation and any areas of interest to the group. At the last meeting there was a presentation on social media.

“ProfitNet gives me that monthly opportunity to get away from working in my business to working on my business, which has been so valuable.

“I have built up professional contacts and friendships, and received advice from members which has directly saved me over £20k.”

Graduate Internships The university can help arrange internships, both with grants and recruitment.

“Our intern signed up for 12 weeks part-time to work with our digital marketing agency to develop campaigns targeting healthcare professionals,” says Keith.

“We were very pleased with her skills and application, and the results she has produced. Her key project was developing the LinkedIn strategy, as well as website and email marketing programmes.

We extended the programme for a further 12 weeks, with the intention to make the position fulltime by end of April.

Summary All three programmes have added considerable value to the Bon Appetit business and helped us maintain our position as the leading hot food vending business in the UK. www.hotfoodvending.com

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{ BUSINESS SCENE }

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1. Fiona Monson (Uckfield Chamber), Hannah Staunton (Gatwick Airport) 2. Julie Harrison (Chichester Chamber), Christina Ewbank (ACES & Eastbourne Chamber) 3. Ron Crank (Coast to Capital LEP), Tina Tilley (Worthing & Adur Chamber), Maarten Hoffmann (Platinum Business Magazine) 4. Peter Bennett (Worthing & Adur Chamber), Jeremy Taylor (Gatwick Diamond Business) 5. Stewart Wingate (Gatwick Airport), Hugh Lowson (Chestnut Tree House)

GATWICK TAKES TO THE CLOUDS Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport, invited leaders of the local business community to lunch at London’s Shard this month by way of thanks for all the effort expended in support of the second runway. The location was the stunning Aqua Restaurant on the 31st floor and with a crystal clear day, the view was inspiring. The Airport Commission will present their recommendations to the new government after the election and we can only hope that Gatwick is chosen over Heathrow. As David Cameron boldly stated: ‘No ifs, no buts, no expansion at Heathrow’. If re-elected, we will hold him to his words.

6. Kerry Kyriacou (Chichester Chamber), Annie Lorys (Newhaven Chamber) 7. Jo Gumb (Develop Croydon), Steve Yewman (Westfield, Croydon), Alison Addy (Gatwick Airport), Soozie Campbell (Brighton Tourism Alliance), Patrick Warner (Metrobus) 8. Richard Coltart (Streatham BID), Paul Roe (Crawley & Gatwick Chamber), Jonathan Dolding (Let’s Do Business & Hastings Chamber) 9. Frances Wadsworth (Croydon College), Rosemary French (Gatwick Diamond Initiative) 10. Chris Tsikolis (Victoria BID), Anna Mitra (Gatwick Airport)

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Hurst

www.hppc.co.uk

Hurst

Hurstpierpoint College

Pre-Prep | Prep | Senior School | Sixth Form

Hurstpierpoint College

Pre-Prep | Prep | Senior School | Sixth Form

Outstanding education for girls and boys aged 4 - 18 years 140 acre campus just to the north of the South Downs National Park yet within easy reach of M23/M25 motorway network Boarding options for Senior School; Day School for Prep and Pre-Prep To find out more, visit our website www.hppc.co.uk Excellent education for girls and boys

aged 4 - 18 years

Hurstpierpoint College Hurstpierpoint West Sussex BN6 9JS Admissions 01273 836936 Hurstpierpoint College College Lane Hurstpierpoint West Sussex BN6 9JS Admissions 01273 836936

{ EDUCATION }

YOUNG INSPIRATION

STUDENT ENTERPRISE The student Young Enterprise team at Hurstpierpoint College were awarded a special certificate of commendation for their impressive and professional stand at the Holmbush Shopping Centre in Shoreham.

The Young Enterprise trade fair for the West Sussex region took place in February and the Hurst students took part voluntarily as they did not participate in the West Sussex competition.

The team had already taken part in the Mid Sussex trade fair in Burgess Hill and qualified for the Sussex final in April after winning first prize.

A Vida spokesperson said, “We decided to go there to increase our sales as that is what business is about. This was our second major trade stand, so we were more experienced and confident than we had been in Burgess Hill back in December.”

Vida were the first to arrive at the shopping centre and claimed a prime pitch in the building, parallel to the walkway between Tesco and Marks and Spencer.

Their product was ‘A jar for life’; a jar filled with all the main ingredients for making a high-quality snack. The range includes a pineapple and banana smoothie, a ‘super healthy salad’, an Oreo Cookie milkshake and gingerbread cookies.

“Despite not being in the official competition, the judges loved our stand so much that they awarded us an unprecedented certificate of commendation, which we were very proud to accept.”

“It was a long and busy day and we had plenty of customers. It was definitely a worthwhile experience.”

For more information about Vida, please visit www.vidahurst.uk and follow them on Twitter @vida_jar

FUN RUN FOR CHESTNUT TREE HOUSE Hurst Prep School have raised over £2,000 for charity by holding a fun run at the school.

In March pupils presented a certificate and cheque to a representative of Chestnut Tree House. A total of £2,138.60 was split between the charities Chestnut Tree House Hospice, MIND, NSPCC and Young Epilepsy.

The presentation took place at Hurstpierpoint College after a talk from Jayne Todd, Community Fundraiser for Chestnut Tree House, about how the donation will help children and their families at the hospice.

Chestnut Tree House is the only children’s hospice in Sussex and cares for over 300 children and young adults with progressive life-shortening conditions. The care services at Chestnut Tree House also extend to the whole family.

Pupils in Lowes House chose their fundraising event last term, which involved a Reindeer Run in December. The 73 pupils ran around the Prep School Astro pitch wearing antlers and flashing red noses. They also held an own-clothes day and cake sale to raise extra funds for the charities.

“The 73 pupils ran around the Prep School Astro pitch wearing antlers and flashing red noses” 101

{ EDUCATION }

DOING IT PROPERLY Gary Jeffries

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ary Jeffries, chairman of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and managing director of his own professional services company, Hughes Ellard, was awarded an MBA by Portsmouth Business School in 2009.

“Studying for my MBA was certainly challenging on a number of levels, but what I learned and the different people and ideas I was exposed to at University has been of immense benefit.

“I studied the MBA part-time, on the executive stream, and my cohort included people who had not been near a university for years but who were, if you like, putting an academic wrapper around many years of cumulated professional experience.

And there were others on the cohort who had masses of academic qualifications. It opened my eyes to the challenges other sectors face.

“I wanted to study for my MBA because I thought if I’m going to work at senior management level to help regenerate this region then I want to make sure I’m doing it properly. Before I studied for my MBA, I had very specific skills and education for my role in professional services, but when you step into management you need a different tool set. I estimate I spent 15-20 hours a week on my studies in addition to working fulltime and having a family. It’s certainly challenging but learning about best practice in all the different areas of business has proved invaluable.”

Portsmouth Business School holds regular postgraduate information events where you can meet lecturers and discuss courses. Please visit www.showyoumeanbusiness.com for details.

You’re a professional – so prove it Project Manager

HR Practitioner

Whether you are responsible for projects, HR, marketing, risk management or have ambitions for a top-level executive role, Portsmouth Business School offers part-time and professionally recognised postgraduate programmes for busy working people.

A first degree may not be essential, as long as you have the right attitude and work experience which will have prepared you to succeed. You’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain, so come along to our next open evening – for details please visit www.showyoumeanbusiness.com.

Sales Manager

Head of Programme Transformation

We’ve got our credentials – have you got yours?

T: +44 (0)23 9284 2991 E: pbs-studentrecruitment@port.ac.uk W: www.port.ac.uk/pbscourses

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{ YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS }

HAPPY GO-GETTER Imrich Berta of ‘Happy Go Sushi’ wins the Young Start-up Talent £50k prize fund

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mrich Berta, a student from Central Sussex College, has won the 2015 Gatwick Diamond Young Start-up Talent competition, picking up his award at the finals held at Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club. Imrich is hoping to make a success of his Sushi Home Delivery company, having noticed a gap in the local market. With plenty of experience working and training with chefs, Imrich’s quality product could just fill the gap.

Imrich Berta commented “I was so shocked at first; now I see all the new opportunities available for me. It’s a big opportunity for young talent, its perfect. Young start-up talent is one of the great opportunities this country offers.”

The judges were thoroughly impressed with the 2015 finalists. Daryl Gayler of RBS said, “There was a hair’s width between our five finalists and any one of them would have done us proud. They should all be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved. Every one of them will come out of this process a lot stronger having learnt a lot with some pointers, coaching and mentoring.”

Ben Towers of Towers Design – the 16-year-old multi-award winning young entrepreneur - was a guest speaker at the event and commented: “Young Start-Up Talent gives forward- thinking young people the chance to take the next step into business without being influenced by alter-ego organisations who wish to financially gain from young entrepreneurs. Furthermore, what makes

YST stand out is that, not only does the winner collect the prize, all of the shortlisted contestants have the chance to attend workshops and receive valuable advice and guidance whilst in a safe, secure environment.”

Another speaker, and also sponsor of the initiative, Michael Ibbitson, Chief Information Officer from Gatwick Airport, said, “There is so much talent. I think it’s important we encourage young people to start up their own businesses.

We love being part of encouraging that. The finalists are all very impressive. They have such a different array of ideas, from Sushi to IT to stage make-up, its great.”

Among the finalists were: 21-year-old Christopher Foster, who wants to provide a platform for students and businesses to connect to one another through his website, ‘Student Engine,’ is focusing predominantly on Start-up businesses and argues that his platform makes the process of applying or uploading jobs easy, quick and manageable.

24-year-old Bethany Landskroner is passionate about her already up and running performing arts company, ‘Terra Nova’. She is looking to instil confidence and new skills in both adults and children and offers the first session free to newcomers.

16-year-old business duo Rhian Gillah and Conor Haskins have produced a unique Theatrical Prosthetic and SFX Make-up company which provides materials and applications.

Sussex graduate Will Bowers is moving forward with his successful company, ‘Royalty Three’, a creative, corporate video production agency. Will wants to produce videos primarily aimed at the younger generation.

Matthew Tyson of Richard Place Dobson, and supporter of the initiative since its inception five years ago, added, “I think all of the finalists could have been worthy winners. I’ve been very impressed with the quality this year; they have had coaching to help them along and they’ve all been doing really well.”

Penina Shepherd of Acumen Business Law further commented: “Before the night of the judging, I admit I had never eaten raw fish before, but on the night when Imrich walked in with his sushi I tried it and found it to be absolutely delicious. He has well and truly converted me into a Sushi lover.”

To find out more or become a part of the initiative visit www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk.

Judges Daryl Gayler, RBS Matt Tyson, Richard Place Dobson Jane McGill, British Airways Lorraine Nugent, Media Word Waves Peter Hitchcock, Thales Crawley Matt Turner, Creative Pod Gary Shipton, West Sussex County Times Group Penina Shepard, Acumen Business Law.

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{ EDUCATION }

WHAT’S WRONG WITH TODAY’S BUSINESS SCHOOLS?

By Dr Ashish Jaiswal, Author of How to Reform a Business School

T

he FT Global MBA 2015 rankings are out.

An astonishing figure is that out of the thousands of new MBA students who start at the London Business School - ranked number one in the UK - only 9% of UK students actually graduate. The figures surrounding MBAs are worrying and cast doubt on the contribution that business schools make to the economy.

The high cost of studying for an MBA has a negative effect on admissions, both for students and universities. While an average degree at Oxford costs around £14,000 a year, an MBA in its business school will net the university £46,000. These high prices are an indicator that universities see their business schools as first and foremost a business. They have become

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cash cows that plough money into the rest of the institution.

Unfortunately, this encourages admissions policies based on pushing a school up the top 100 rankings. The higher the ranking, the greater the chance a business school has of bringing in money. To receive a respectable ranking, schools have to show that their alumni have gone on to high-earning positions. This leads business schools to prefer a certain type of student: those who can pass standardised tests, have experience in sectors such as consulting or finance and have a track record of steady promotion in their field.

This results in MBA programmes which reward a systematic approach and penalise creativity.

This, in turn, often results in a large number of

MBA graduates who lack the ability to adapt to evolving markets.

Arguably, this concern with league table rankings takes attention away from the content and methods of the programmes. A recent survey in India revealed that over 90% of MBA graduates are unemployable, lacking even the basic skills required for business management. The news that 147 business schools in India closed last year alone has clearly set alarm bells ringing for business schools worldwide, particularly those looking to set up campuses in emerging economies such as India. Except for the elite few at the top of the rankings, the situation for the UK’s business schools doesn’t appear to be much better. For those studying in the majority

{ EDUCATION }

“While an average degree at Oxford costs around £14,000 a year, an MBA in its business school will net the university £46,000” of business schools, an MBA degree may never pay for itself.

If nothing changes, a large number of business schools face extinction. Moreover, the thousands of MBA students trained by them will inevitably suffer. Business schools must reform in three key areas: ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP In today’s digital economy, entrepreneurial ability is considered one of the most important skill sets on a business professional’s CV. Thus, business schools must move in the direction of producing job creators rather than job seekers.

Interestingly, most entrepreneurial activities in UK universities don’t take place in their business schools. The total value of spin-off companies at Oxford University stands at more than £2 billion, but their founders largely come from the medical, life and physical sciences. Business schools must foster relationships with these departments in order to make greater contributions to start-ups.

INCREASING REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN Female representation in UK business schools

is astoundingly poor. A paltry 12% of faculty members at the Judge Business School at Cambridge are female, the second lowest percentage in the FT’s top 100 global business schools, and a figure only just exceeded by

“For those studying in the majority of business schools, an MBA degree may never pay for itself”

to consolidate experience across the gender divide and so establish a fairer, more diverse workforce.

A RELEVANT CURRICULUM The ‘case study method’ – which is archaic in its rigid methodology and use of period-specific and fictional data – is still the most popular methodology used in business teaching. Another outdated part of the typical MBA curriculum today sorts its subjects into “silos” of finance, marketing, operations, and so on. In the real world of business, problems and opportunities are not so neatly compartmentalised. The future MBA curriculum must incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to help students deal with the real challenges of running a company and to understand the global and macro issues at the heart of the economy.

Oxford’s Saïd Business School with 18%.

Business schools must commit to a minimum percentage of female faculty members in order

It is time for business schools to seriously consider their contribution to the economy and look beyond their own interests. We need them to reform – not only so that they continue to grow, but so that they continue to grow the careers of the business leaders of tomorrow.

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{ NETWORKING }

FOCUS ON 4NETWORKING

Stephen Lloyd MP with the best business magazine in the country

By Emma Pearce, Marketing Consultant outsourced marketing services and social media training www.pearcemarketing.co.uk

I

f you are networking to help build your business, you will have a choice of 4Networking (4N) events close by. This national networking organisation has unique elements to its format, including everyone participating in three 10-minute 1-2-1 meetings during every event.

I went along to the recent Eastbourne meeting, which coincided with 4N’s first trade show (an idea from the local Sussex groups, rather than the national HQ).

The trade show was opened by Stephen Lloyd MP and held at the Lansdowne Hotel on Eastbourne seafront. Thirty-four businesses had stands, including Clive Hawkesley from property insurance claims management company, Aspray. “4N is a relatively new networking group for me, but it’s great. It’s so easy to cover a wider area by visiting meetings in other areas as often as I want to. It’s certainly more relaxed than other networks, but still has a good format to make it work well for my business.”

The Eastbourne lunch meeting is a fortnightly event and is usually held at the Beachy Head Hotel. However, it was moved (for one week only) to accommodate all the trade stand holders too. Over 60 people sat down for lunch!

The 4N hosts welcomed everyone to lunch and we were all given a personalised place holder for the tablet (a very useful aidemémoire for names!).

The 4N meeting format is: • 30 minutes’ mingling and networking with everyone (visitors, regulars and 4N members from other groups)

•

•

•

Sit down for breakfast/lunch/dinner and listen to each person’s 40-second presentation (with a call to action if you are maximising this opportunity!)

Listen to the speaker for 15 minutes - a group member gives an insight into their business and topical issues (not a sales pitch) Three 10-minute individual conversations with other people in the room - all done via swapping cards (numbered 1,2 and 3) earlier on in the meeting!

At this special event on 2 March there was a very eclectic mix of businesses from across Sussex. Skills ranged from IT and marketing to catering, coaching, conveyancing, wellbeing, construction, private investigating and many more.

A typical meeting would be 15-22 people comprising regular members, visiting 4N members and guests.

In my 10-minute 1-2-1 with Chris Lodge from Gray Hooper Holt solicitors, I discovered that he is the Regional Leader for 4N in the South East Central Area. He has an impressive knowledge of everyone’s names without seeing the place names on the tables!

“The 1-2-1’s are a real USP for 4Networking, along with the “passport” to visit any other groups across the country. We don’t think that lock-outs are necessary either - we’ve seen (and experienced ourselves) that meeting people from your own sector typically leads to beneficial collaborations.”

You can visit 3 times before deciding whether to join or not - so why not try your local group

to get a taste of 4N? Visit www.4networking.biz to find out where your closest events are. There are also other resources for members including online networking and free training.

The 1-2-1 format is a great idea and, although 10 minutes may not be enough, it does give you more insight into a business. You can always decide to meet again to chat more. I have seen how arranging 1-2-1s before or after other regular networking meetings has really been worthwhile. Investing that little bit of extra time will uncover useful knowledge and often unexpected opportunities to support each others’ businesses.

4Networking Key Facts • • • • • • • • • • •

Location: local, regional & national meetings Frequency: fortnightly Size: 15-22 people Time: breakfast, lunch or dinner options Lock out: no Visit other groups: yes, any time USP: 3 x 10 minute 1-2-1s during the meeting Minute round: Nearly - 40 seconds each!

Speaker slot: yes (15 minutes 4Sight slot) Visit before join: yes, 3 times Cost: annual fee and cost for each event attended

www.4networking.biz

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{ CHAMBER NEWS } ACES

WHAT CAN ACES DO FOR ME? To become a Member of ACES just join your local Chamber of Commerce in East Sussex. Full details at www.acesalliance.org ACES IS THE ALLIANCE OF CHAMBERS IN EAST SUSSEX, LINKING 4,000 BUSINESS MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTY. If you belong to either Battle, Bexhill, Crowborough, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Hastings Heathfield, Lewes, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Seaford or Uckfield Chamber of Commerce, or the IoD or FSB in East Sussex, you are automatically a member of ACES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO MY BUSINESS? This means that you can share your company news on these pages – without charge. Just email your news item to your local Chamber with a high resolution picture and they will pass it on to the ACES press office.

Alternatively, if you would like to network with progressive business people from further afield, you can attend one of our varied events or the BEST4Biz Conference in October 2015.

Finally, we have a strong voice with local policy makers and can lobby on your behalf to remove barriers to business.

Just call ACES on 01323 641144 to see how we can help.

ALISON SPARKLES ON BIG NIGHT Alison Thompson sparkled her way to another great victory, winning two categories at the Dental Hygiene and Therapy awards in February, held at the prestigious Radisson Blu Portman Hotel in London. Alison won Best Hygienist over 30 and Overall Best Hygienist UK 2015, beating 13 other finalists to bring home the trophies to her practice, The Dental Barn near Hailsham.

The awards were created to recognise progress, effort and enterprise in general practice.

The winners epitomise practice teams that are trying to better themselves and ultimately provide a higher calibre of patient experience. Their ideas and developments also serve as an inspiration to the thousands of dental professionals in the UK. Alison said “I am really proud to have won these awards. I want to show Dental Care Professionals that they can achieve great things with hard work and vision. In the future I hope to see Dental Care Professionals owning a greater share of practices.” If you would like to know more about Alison’s practice go to www.thedentalbarn.co.uk or call 01323 325397

Battle Chamber of Commerce www.battlechamber.org.uk

Bexhill Chamber of Commerce 01424 842892 www.bexhillchamber.co.uk

Crowborough Chamber of Commerce www.crowboroughchamber.co.uk

Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce 01323 641144 www.eastbournechamber.co.uk

East Sussex County Council 01273 481570 www.eastsussex.gov.uk

Federation of Small Businesses 01424 754686 Reg Office: 01323 482018 www.fsb.org.uk/eastsussex

Hailsham Chamber of Commerce 01323 310531 www.hailshamchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Hastings Chamber of Commerce 01424 205500 www.hastingschamber.co.uk

Heathfield Chamber of Commerce 01435 865858 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk

{ CHAMBER NEWS } ACES

AMBER RUDD MP CHECKS OUT BANKING IN HASTINGS

Amber Rudd MP visited the innovative new Barclays branch in Queens Road, Hastings to see first hand the changes the bank has made.

Barclays Hastings is one of a hundred in the country to have a new design and technology, where most of the staff are in the banking hall, helping customers rather than sitting behind a counter.

Most of the old-style tills have been replaced by assisted service counters which allow customers to do their everyday banking transactions more efficiently, with community bankers on hand to

help them if they need support. This provides staff with additional time to spend with customers who have more complex banking needs.

Branch Manager Sam Marley said: “I’m proud that the Hastings branch has been chosen to have this new technology installed. It’s a big investment in the town and a vote of confidence in Hastings.

“The new technology has some great features, including providing photocopies of cheques deposited for customers’ records and the ability to pay coins directly into an account without

having to separate them out in advance.”

Amber Rudd MP said: “I was so impressed to see how our local branch of Hastings has been transformed into the digital age. It was fantastic to see the Tech Hub in the front of the bank and how customers can now do online banking at the new terminals.

“I was also pleased to learn that there are sufficient staff at hand who are friendly, enthusiastic and committed to showing customers who are new to this technology how to use it.”

FINDING FUNDING IN THE SOUTH EAST The Ultimate Finance Group, which provides cashflow solutions to SME’s, is expanding in the South East with the appointment of Phil Coutanche as Regional Director.

Phil, who lives in Cooden, near Bexhill, will operate out of Ultimate Finance’s Uckfield office and be responsible for growing the business across Sussex, Kent and London.

Phil’s move coincides with impressive growth for Ultimate Finance over the last 12 months with loans and other receivables increasing by 60% and the client base expanding across all funding types by over 36%.

Speaking about his move to Ultimate Finance,

The Institute of Directors 0207 766 8866 www.iod.com

Lewes Chamber of Commerce 07919 382316 www.leweschamber.org.uk

Locate East Sussex 0844 415 9255 www.locateeastsussex.org.uk

Phil said: “It is great to be joining such a forward thinking and ambitious company which has a great attitude towards helping SMEs find a solution to their funding problems. I have been particularly impressed with their ‘blue sky’ approach, flexibility and speed of response.”

Martin Bennison who leads the team in the South of England is delighted to welcome Phil to the team. “Phil’s experience, knowledge and connections in the area, both with intermediaries and businesses, make him a great addition to the team,” he said. “These are really exciting times for the group, and by attracting people of Phil’s calibre we are looking forward to continuing to help businesses in the South East area to grow and become successful.”

Established over 12 years ago, the group has rapidly established itself as a leading provider

Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk

Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce 01273 586222 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk

Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 www.seafordchamber.co.uk

of cashflow solutions to SMEs across the UK. Helping over 1000 SMEs across a wide range of industries, sectors and stages of development, the company has developed specialist finance solutions for the construction, recruitment and transport sectors, areas that many traditional lenders find awkward. Ultimate Asset Finance also helps companies purchase new equipment while Ultimate Trade Finance offers integrated supply chain finance solutions to companies purchasing products from abroad.

Ultimate Finance is also licensed to offer business loans under the government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme and has recently developed Ultimate Business Cash, an online platform for flexible short term lending.

Contact Phil Coutanche on 0800 121 7757 for more information.

South East Local Enterprise Partnership 01245 431469 www.southeastlep.com

Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 01825 722607 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk

Wealden District Council 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

{ CHAMBER NEWS } BRIGHTON

THE OOHS AND THE AAHS HAVE IT Construction Voice prepares for the election

by Miranda Birch, Miranda Birch Media

I

remember it well. I heard gasps to my left and a couple of “oohs”. Eighty pairs of eyes were glued to the images of beautiful tall buildings.

Not grey concrete monstrosities from another century; sleek, light buildings that fitted in with their surroundings.

Then the President said, “This looks lovely.

I’ve already bought my penthouse flat. But how much will they cost? I’m not on a seven figure salary yet.”

At this point there was another ripple of noise and nodding of heads. I heard a few sober “aaahs”, acknowledging that she had a point. ‘She’ is Julia Chanteray, President of the Brighton and Hove Chamber Of Commerce, which hosts Construction Voice.

Construction voice is a forum which brings together anyone involved in the city’s property and construction sector. Each event focuses on a particular issue with a panel of speakers to start

the debate. The most recent evening discussed the city’s ‘growing pains’. How on earth will it find space for between 18,000 to 24,000 new homes over the next 15 years?

Which brings me back to the audible response to the images on Paul Zara’s slides. Paul Zara is a Director at Conran and Partners in Brighton, the design company which led the restoration of Embassy Court. He was also one of the panellists, presenting the case for Brighton and Hove to build ‘up’.

“The city is a vibrant place but it’s not a precious place in the same way that Bath is a precious place. It can take tall buildings as long as they are in the right place and as long as they are well designed. If they’re with the right clusters of buildings – say, all the way alongside Preston Park, where you get all those ropey office buildings - imagine if there were a series of lovely, elegant towers as you come into

Brighton. They could be an advert for the city.”

So those are the ingredients of Construction Voice: relevant and pressing issues, a panel of speakers who know their subject inside out and an audience who also know their stuff because it works in the sector.

Sean Clemons, Partner at Robinson Low Francis (RLF), is a founder member of Construction Voice: “People come with a view that you’re going to have an adult conversation about some of the challenges facing the city and the region and about how we can try as an industry to overcome them.”

Having an adult conversation means that views will differ. That’s all to the good. Just pity the poor person who is juggling the audience’s questions, the panellists’ answers and the ticking clock. Oh, that’s me. The Chair.

Of course, if time runs out you can carry on the discussion over a glass of something restorative. Using your Construction Voice is a rewarding business but it can make you a bit parched.

The next Construction Voice event on Wednesday 15th April is Pre-Election Question Time. It’s a chance to explore key development issues - housing, employment space, retail and tourism – with local politicians.

If your business is involved in construction, property or development and you’d like to book a place, please contact the Chamber on 01273 719 097 or book online at www.businessinbrighton.org.uk

Photos: Simon Callaghan Photography

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{ BUSINESS SCENE }

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THE P L AT I N U M CLUB

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1. Abigail Owen (DMH Stallard), Karim Mohamed (Mayo Wynne Baxter), Caroline Whitaker (Westwood), Lisa Henning (Beautiful Ink) 2. Faye Honey-Green (Mercedes-Benz), Simon Gregg (IT First),Gemma Warrenne (Metro Bank), Abigail Owen (DMH Stallard) 3. Jayna Shah (JPS Wealth Management), Christopher Whippy (Whippy Insurance), Gemma King (Vivid Marketing), Richard Zinzan (ZSTa Architects) 4. Karim Mohamed (Mayo Wynne Baxter), Jayna Shah (JPS Wealth Management), Chris Sparkes (Baker Tilly) 5. Tony Rice (Audi), Gavin Whippy (Whippy Insurance)

THE PLATINUM BUSINESS CLUB, THE GRAND HOTEL, BRIGHTON Yet another successful and highly enjoyable Platinum Club event at the Grand Hotel, Brighton this month. There was much talk of the exciting announcement of the new Platinum location in the Gatwick Diamond that launches in May and with memberships limited to four members per industry sector, places are going fast. This extends the most successful and dynamic networking group into two regions in the South East and as they say: Let the Platinum Club take the ‘work’ out of networking.

6. Rob Fawcett (Bennett Griffin), Sarah Orchin (Quiddity), Marc Trathen (Euler Hermes) 7. Robbie Vella (Brighton University), Chris White (EMC Corporate Finance), John Burroughes (Uniglobe Travel) 8. Sarah Hopwood (Hopwood Consulting), Caroline Whitaker (Westwood) 9. Neil Laughton (Laughton & Co), Gemma King (Vivid Marketing) 10. Pete Webb (Pipeline Digital), Craig Walden (Big Beach Marketing)

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For more information on joining the most dynamic networking group in Sussex, contact info@theplatinumclubbrighton.co.uk or call 07966 244046

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{ CHAMBER NEWS } CRAWLEY & GATWICK

LEARN AND COMMUNICATE

How your local businesses can help you grow www.crawleychamber.co.uk

ACUMEN BUSINESS ACADEMY As part of the launch of their new Gatwick Office, Acumen Business Law have introduced the Acumen Business Academy, providing a high-level platform for business and legal training sessions to the Gatwick Business Community at no cost.

Acumen Business Law are known for their passion for business! They love it! They also love engaging with their local community, have been doing it for years in Brighton & Hove and now aspire to be equally proactive in the Gatwick Diamond community.

“By offering free business & legal training sessions we can share our passion for business, offer enhanced insight into the important matters affecting your business and provide a platform for business executives to network and meet new contacts”, explained Penina Shepherd, the firm’s Founder & MD. Why not get involved?

The ethos behind the Academy is to provide training in all business specialties, which is why Acumen want other businesses to be involved. The idea is to have holistic training forums, run by business experts with a proven record of expertise for business. The sessions should provide an opportunity to discuss business matters with other local community businesses. So if you are you an expert in your field, passionate about your business, able to provide an interesting and informative presentation about a topic that is useful to local businesses, then Acumen Business Law would love you to get in touch!

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Please visit their website on www.acumenbusinesslaw.co.uk or call 08458 678978 to discuss the arrangements.

NEED HELP SEEKING FINANCE TO GROW? Beta Futures is a social enterprise company. The founding members passionately believe that businesses, especially small businesses, hold the key to the success of individuals, communities and the economy within which they operate.

The services offered to employers include identifying potential funding streams, business planning, advice and guidance, apprenticeships, training and voluntary opportunities.

What makes Beta Futures different is that they are a not for profit organization. Their only remit is to provide an excellent service to support businesses and individuals to grow, realize their full potential, and ultimately help to create jobs.

Clients range from Start-Ups through to wellestablished businesses that just need a little financial injection to move to them on to the next stage of growth.

Beta Futures’ commodity is time; companies spend hours trawling through thousands of websites looking for financial support. This whole arena is a minefield, with thousands of pots of funding open at any one time, each with different criteria, varying application processes, sector specificity and with tight deadlines. Call us, the experts. We will match your business objectives to funding criteria and position you for success. www.betafutures.co.uk

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS With so many ways to communicate nowadays, we are often spoilt for choice on how to convey our messages, and we don’t always think about which route may be the best for each particular task.

It is all too easy to converse with our clients and potential customers via email and text, but is this the most suitable and efficient method?

Certainly, an email is sometimes the ideal communication, but far too often an email can be misinterpreted and misunderstood, with lots of emails flying back and forth over a few days.

With our busy lives our inboxes get bombarded with all sorts of messages that we may not necessarily be interested in, and the important ones get lost in the crowd and are not always opened.

It is important to establish: • Who is keeping track of communication in your business?

• Are your key business aims and objectives being delivered to your employees and customers?

• Is there a more efficient way of communicating your business goals?

Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other forms of social media can all play a part in your business, whether you are communicating to your employees, customers or potential customers. Please remember, there are other tried and tested methods that have worked for many years, such as a physical letter, a printed newsletter, an advert or press release in the local paper or relevant magazine or simply picking up the phone. Possibly the most effective way of communicating is face- to- face meetings, whether one- to- one or in a group.

All too often we overlook these tried and tested methods for a quick and easy option in our busy lives!

If you would like to talk further about your current methods of communicating, please get in touch by emailing info@mediawordwaves. com or visit www.mediawordwaves.com.

{ CHAMBER NEWS } EASTBOURNE

SHARES FOR SUPPORTERS Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce www.eastbourneunltd.co.uk | Tel: 01323 641144

F

ans raise funds for Eastbourne Borough Football Club as the club announces plans to secure their future as an exciting and progressive sports club.

The sale of shares to fans has been brisk since the Club announced late last year that it had secured assurances from HMRC that any shares sold would benefit from tax relief under the Enterprise Investment Scheme. This means that for £100 of shares purchased the actual cost is only £70. The first batch of EIS certificates were received from the Revenue recently and will be sent out to shareholders with their share certificates in the next few days.

The Club will ring-fence all income from the sale of shares to supporters for capital projects designed to create sustainable revenue streams for the future. Chief among these capital projects is the creation of a 3G pitch, and EBFC expects to be amongst one of the first clubs to convert their pitch.

Borough Chairman Paul Maynard said, “I am convinced that the conversion to an all-weather pitch will help our mid-season form. Most

seasons we start strongly and end brightly but suffer during the winter months playing on a heavy pitch. If you look at the clubs who already

“I am convinced that the conversion to an allweather pitch will help our mid-season form”

play on 3G pitches, the majority are towards the top of their respective divisions. Our style of play and the type of players we recruit lend themselves to playing on a quality surface.

“Also, it is clear from our research that there are good revenue streams available

from renting the main pitch out to commercial soccer leagues, football clubs and schools and community organisations.

“The club will also benefit from a raised profile in the town as more and more people visit the site. It is still surprising how many people in the town have not visited the facilities at Priory Lane – this became apparent when we recently hosted a members’ evening for Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce and provided guided tours of our corporate boxes.

Many members had no idea there was a football stadium here with a large indoor bowling facility and an archery range!”

The 3G All Weather Pitch is due to be completed by the end of the season in 2016, and if any sports or community organisations would like to know more, they should contact Commercial Manager, Sharon Hind, at the club on 01323 766265.

Alternatively, if you would like to support your local community and purchase shares in the Club to help them build the pitch without any borrowing at all, contact info@ebfc.co.uk.

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{ CHAMBER NEWS } WORTHING

GROW YOUR BUSINESS Free service to find funding support within our region

W

ith over 150 business funding and advisory initiatives out there, it’s difficult to know where to start. The answer is simple: talk to a Business Support Navigator. This free project, helping local businesses navigate the plethora of growth schemes and providers, is delivered in the Coast to Capital area by Brighton & Hove, Worthing & Adur and Chichester Chambers of Commerce and Croydon Business Venture through a small dedicated team helping businesses access grants, funding and other practical support.

Two local businesses contacted their local Navigator and were delighted with the results.

WELLBEING EVENTS Debbie Stevens started her reflexology business in 2004, and now, ten years later, Wellbeing Events is firmly established in Sussex. Debbie is now taking the business to the next step with the help of the Business Navigator Scheme.

With our Navigator’s help, Debbie has been accessing sources of funding and guidance which she would not have known about otherwise. Debbie says, ‘I didn’t realise that this was available for established companies too.’ As a result, Debbie has now taken on an apprentice and is setting up as a limited company. ‘Now that I have accessed the scheme’ Debbie continues ‘I know it’s going to help take Wellbeing Events to the next level.’

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ETI Worthing Business of the Year 2014, Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, is another local firm benefiting from funding accessed via the Business Support Navigator Project. The company manufactures and supplies digital thermometers and temperature sensors to a wide variety of industries in the UK and beyond.

ETI was keen to refurbish its Worthing factory with energy efficient LED lighting, to save money and reduce carbon emissions. Again, our local Business Support Navigator helped the company navigate the grant system, identifying eligibility for a £5,000 Low Carbon Workspaces grant. The process was speedy and the initial online application was approved the following day.

Erika Marsh, ETI’s Company Accountant says, ‘We’ve found the Business Support Navigator scheme invaluable to access opportunities about which we’d otherwise be unaware.’

OUR EXCITING 2015 PROGRAMME WISEUP2 HAS STARTED!

Run by Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce, WiseUp2 short courses are designed with busy business owners in mind.

The workshops are 2 to 3 hours long, interactive, with small groups limited to 8/10 delegates and offered at an affordable price. Don’t miss these opportunities to tweak your skills and put into practice knowledge that will help YOUR bottom line. Be prepared to come away with inspiration and many actions!!

We have an extensive schedule of courses planned for the year ahead including: • • • •

Further information about the scheme can be found at www.c2cbusiness.org.uk

FOR

• • •

Business Growth & Development The 7 P’s of marketing planning and how to use them Tweeting is not just for birds, it’s for business!

Getting started with social media and what will work for your business How to be found using SEO Achieving online sales success Managing your finances

The WiseUp2 topics are constantly reviewed to reflect current trends, don’t forget to check our website for any new courses available and suggest any you feel you would like us to offer.

You can Book Online NOW at www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

{ NETWORKING EVENTS }

DATES FOR THE DIARY GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS

Emsworth - April 14th 2015. The Brookfield Hotel.

Lewes - April 15th 2015. The Volunteer.

Shoreham - April 16th 2015. Adur Outdoor Activities Centre.

Brighton - April 17th 2015. Laughing Dog Gallery.

Worthing - April 17th 2015. The Thomas A Becket.

Arundel - April 22nd 2015. The Loft at Sparks Yard.

Portsmouth - April 28th 2015. The Queens Hotel.

Edinburgh - April 29th 2015. Premier Inn Haymarket.

Chichester - April 30th 2015. Student Union 2 Common Room, Chichester College www.mumpreneursnetworkingclub.co.uk

Thursday 9th April 2015, 10.30am - 12pm Elevenses & Networking at Borde Hill Garden Friday 17th April 2015, 12-2:30pm Networking at Ease at Arora Hotel Gatwick/Crawley 24th April 2015, 11.00 - 2.30pm GDB Members Meeting Holiday Inn London Gatwick Worth with Kreston Reeves Thursday 30th April 2015, 2:30 - 4:30pm Afternoon Tea at Alexander House & Utopia Spa

NETWORKING FOR PARENTS

Telephone: 01293 440088 gatwickdiamondbusiness.com

MUMPRENEURS The Mumpreneurs Networking Club, business networking events for entrepreneurial women, business mums and those that want to reach them.

Everyone welcome.

25th April – Network Express + Pop Up Play Saturday morning networking club + bring kids aged 4-11 years of age.

Two rooms – Musical Speed Networking for Adults & Arts and crafts for Kids.

The Koorana Centre, Street Lane, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6UB Time: 9.45am – 11.45am – Free tea, coffee and a bottle of wine is always up for grabs.

Book in on the website or call Sonny Cutting on 01273 833 222.

Our services include: • Accountancy & bookkeeping • Audit services • Tax returns • Tax planning

Passionate about business.

• Payroll services • Financial and investment services* • Wealth management We love to make your profits larger and tax payments smaller!

Go to www.carpenterbox.com to see what our clients say or get in touch on 01903 234094

*Carpenter Box Wealth Management LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

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OCKENDEN MANOR Maarten Hoffmann tastes a little bit of heaven at Ockenden Manor

{ WORKING LUNCH }

Ockenden Manor Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, West Sussex, RH17 5LD T : 01444 416111 W : www.hshotels.co.uk

O

ckenden Manor is located is Cuckfield, a very pretty Tudor village, and this Elizabethan Manor House, set in nine acres, comes straight off a chocolate box lid. The Manor’s first recorded owner was the Michael family in 1550, who then proceeded to burn it down. Rebuilt in 1658, it was home to the Duke of Marlborough for a while, subsequently occupied by a Jewish Boys’ School and a billet for Canadian Troops in WW2.

It is currently a part of the Historic Sussex Hotel Group, comprising Bailiffscourt and the Spread Eagle in Midhurst. The rooms are sumptuous, and the addition of a spa just seals the deal. But we are here to test drive the cuisine, so into the dining room we proceed and gird our loins for the task ahead.

There is something Olde-Worldy about the dining room, in that it has the whiff of a gentlemens’ club of old, with silent, hovering waiting staff, people chatting in hushed tones and a couple of old school ties in evidence. It took Lynne all of three seconds to remind me to lower the usual boom of my voice. I was intending to look hurt and offended, but then totally forgot when the charming Christina silently arrived with menus. We were off and running.

The lunch menu is 4, 4, & 3, and comes in at £19.50 for two-courses, three-courses for £26, which is terribly reasonable for such a lovely dining room and what appears to be a cracking menu.

The Chef is Stephen Crane, former Head Chef at London’s celebrity haunt, The Halcyon Hotel, and, although there is nothing too surprising on the menu, it all has the ring of quality and filled us with anticipation. Chef Crane is certainly influenced by French cuisine but seems to add that elusive ‘special’ touch. I went for the leek & potato soup with truffle oil, which was spot-on.

Lynne plumped for the roquefort mousse with chicory, apple and walnut salad, and Dan selected the confit salmon with crispy oyster beignets,

dressed with horseradish cream and beetroot.

I tried to engage Dan in conversation about my soup, but all I got out of him was Oh My God! That was it – nothing more until he had polished off the salmon, at which point the floodgates opened and I couldn’t shut him up. He found the entire dish sublime, and all three of them looked a picture of presentation.

“Any vegetarian would be delighted with it, as was Lynne, judging by the look of sublime pleasure plastered across her face. Either that or she was having a Meg Ryan moment” The wild Balcombe Estate duck had flown off the menu, but in its place I chose the lamb fillet with french beans Provençal, charlotte potatoes, Baba Ganoush, and a puree of spices that was not on the menu. I didn’t fancy the Newhaven skate in front of Dan or the pearl barley risotto sitting proudly in front of Lynne. The lamb was absolutely superb: pink, succulent and in small bite-sized pieces. The Baba Ganoush was a stretch, but it melded beautifully with the beans and potatoes. Dan is, by now, wondering why he can’t get a word out of me!

The risotto, the dish that so displeases vegetarians by virtue of often being the only dish for on the menu suitable for them, nevertheless

looked yummy. I stole a forkfull from Lynne and found that it was delicately flavoured without a hint of stickiness. Any vegetarian would be delighted with it, as was Lynne, judging by the look of sublime pleasure plastered across her face. Either that or she was having a Meg Ryan moment. Dan’s skate with onion fondant, flower sprouts, parsnip puree and red wine sauce was expertly cooked and beautifully presented.

By this point, we were feeling no pain, and as the dining room emptied, Dan was banging on about the shape of Bill Clinton’s appendage – odd boy, Dan! I am not sure where on earth that came from, but our conversation was full-blooded and wide-ranging, and that, in my humble opinion, is one of the marks of a good restaurant: sated diners in an atmosphere conducive to, and encouraging of, comfortable and flowing conversation.

OK, the lunchtime merlot helped a bit.

Pudding was whisked to the table and my caramelised lemon tart slice was cut with such perfection, with edges that you could cut yourself on, that I am now convinced that Chef Stephen suffers/benefits from OCD. I have never seen such perfect slices in my life, and it tasted of Heaven. With a little blackcurrant sauce giving it a slightly tart edge, it was truly superb. Lynne had thrown caution to the wind and was tucking into an assiette of chocolate, and they were (OCD again) delicately constructed and presented.

The restaurant rightfully carries a Michelin star, an Egon Ronay Award and three AA Rosettes and I am not the least bit surprised. Ockenden was voted one of the ‘50 best places for a romantic meal,’ with the added comment: “Extraordinarily pretty dishes free from architectural or painterly pretensions alongside...flawless technique and luxurious cooking”. Quite an accolade, but as I looked over at Dan’s ugly mug, I was struggling with the whole romantic thing.

In all, bravo! A beautiful location and a really outstanding lunch.

The Halcyon’s loss is Ockenden’s gain.

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MEN LOVE SHOES TOO S

hoe designer Roger Vivier once said that ‘to wear dreams on one’s feet is to begin to give a reality to one’s dreams’. Shoes capture our imagination and are a recurring cultural motif: ruby red slippers in Oz, Elvis’ blue suede shoes, Nancy Sinatra’s walking boots, the list goes on…

This country has a proud tradition of shoemaking, with Northampton at its centre. Over a hundred small firms made shoes in the traditional way for almost two centuries. By the end of the 1990s, only a handful remained, the five key makers being Crockett & Jones, Church’s, Trickers, Edward Green and Cheaney.

Why are shoes important? Simply put, a cheap or ill-fitting pair of shoes can instantly let down an entire look. It is the one element of the wardrobe that I would implore everyone to invest in. Good quality shoes lift your whole outfit, are (usually) more comfortable, and, they will last.

MEN LOVE SHOES TOO It’s a commonly held misconception (in my opinion) that women love shoes more than men.

Many men love shoes too – they’re just quieter about it. And they tend to own fewer pairs…

Whatever you choose – please – no clumpy black rubber soles. And do think about the shape of the toe. Pointy toes may be very trendy but if they look ridiculous with your clothes (or your foot size) don’t wear them. As I mentioned in this magazine’s January column, balance is important when considering the relationship between your shoe size and trouser length.

The well-dressed man’s wardrobe should contain the ‘essential five’ pairs: •

•

For work and more formal occasions: a pair of leather brogues (dark brown or black) and a pair of black leather derby’s (with or without broguing) For off-duty days: a pair of loafers (leather or suede, neutral or colours), a pair of deck or boat shoes and a pair of desert boots

During the tricky transition from winter to spring, you may want to consider additional options. These work well with less formal trousers on ‘dress down’ office days as well as with denim or chinos at the weekend.

•

•

•

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Suede brogues: can be alternative work shoes, depending on your office. They are lighter in weight and have some texture, but do need protecting with a good stainrepellent spray [see box] Chukka boots: versatile lace-up leather boots that are less formal than brogues but smarter than trainers Leather trainers in dark colours: increasingly popular in recent years and great for very casual occasions.

TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR SHOES • • •

Rotate your shoes, allowing them to air out between outings Invest in shoe trees or store your shoes in their boxes Clean your shoes and boots regularly with polish and brushes

• • •

Use stain repellent spray to protect your shoes (and bags) Get your shoes and boots re-heeled and re-soled before it becomes urgent!

When travelling, pack your shoes in dust bags to protect their shape and keep them (and your clothes) clean

{ PLATINUM STYLE }

Samantha Wilding Tel: 07833 084864 Email: Samantha@styleandgrace.eu Website: www.styleandgrace.eu Twitter: @alwayschicUK

NOW TURNING TO THE GIRLS...

21 PAIRS AND COUNTING

THINK HEIGHT AND BALANCE

I believe women have a more explicit (if I can put it that way) relationship with shoes – one that men don’t quite understand. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, women’s shoes tend to be beautiful, with the ability to transform the everyday into something spectacular. Secondly, they are the one article of clothing that remains constant – no-one has to diet to fit into their shoes! Thirdly, and this is vital, high heels make every woman look taller and slimmer (even if they are bitterly uncomfortable….).

Height and balance are important to think about when shopping for shoes or putting outfits together. If you are petite like me, and wear heels for height, take care that they are not too high as you may totter and look out of proportion. If you are blessed with height, you will look great in heels and flats – as long as you stand up straight. When wearing flats, make sure that your trousers are neatly hemmed Think about your outfit’s silhouette, colour and style. For example, if you are wearing an outfit with several layers (or a thick jumper), counterbalance it with a chunkier heel or boot – a dainty heel would look too spindly. On the other hand, a floaty dress demands a strappy stiletto. When wearing different tones of the same colour, keep the darkest tone for your feet (e.g. brown shoes with a camel toned outfit). Do not, however, match your shoes and handbag – it looks like you are trying too hard (and can be frumpy). And think about the overall style of your outfit. If you are wearing sexy stilettos, pair them with a sleek clutch bag to keep everything streamlined. Likewise, a slouchy hobo or bucket bag works well with knee high flat boots.

And finally, ladies, please, do not be seduced by a sensational pair of shoes in the sale that you know you will never wear or that are cripplingly uncomfortable. Say goodbye to them and let them go. There’ll be another pair along soon enough…

Ignoring the fact that most women have, on average, 21 pairs of shoes, what key items does a woman really need? My ‘essential five’ for women are: •

• •

• •

A pair (or two) of flat shoes (ballet pumps, loafers, brogues, etc) in neutral colours that go with everything good court, mid or kitten heel shoes for your workwear and more formal outfits two pairs of evening shoes (summer and winter) which can be slingbacks, peep toes or strappy sandals one pair of knee high boots for wearing with skirts, dresses and under trousers a pair of wedges to give you height, comfortably, in warmer weather

Obviously, you can add to these suggestions, but in doing so, please choose quality over quantity. Marlene Dietrich once advised buying one pair of good shoes instead of three pairs of poor quality. She was right. Good shoes will last, assuming you care for them properly [see box].

“Many men love shoes too – they’re just quieter about it. And they tend to own fewer pairs” 119

{ SECRET SUSSEX }

SECRET SUSSEX LEADERSHIP EXTRAORDINAIRE

N

eil Laughton is a man who leaves you exhausted. And that’s just reading his resume: Royal Marine Commando and SAS Officer; Pulled a sled to the North and South Poles; His company built the Rolls Royce Motorcar HQ; Holder of extreme golf world records; Piloted the world’s first road legal flying car across the Sahara Desert; Gives up his time to help disadvantaged kids, wounded soldiers and various charities; Escorted Bear Grylls to the summit of Mt Everest; Just returned from hosting a black tie dinner party atop Mont Blanc.

Phew! Do you get the point? This is a not a man who knows the joy of a good pipe and a pair of comfy slippers.

I caught up with Neil at his beautiful home in Small Dole on the edge of the South Downs National Park, where he was doing his day job - running a leadership, communications and

teamwork training programme for companies across the South East, and if there is any man who will subdue and command respect from a group of CEOs, its Neil Laughton.

Leadership is a vastly underrated talent. There is many a company boss who feels they have such a talent, but more often than not their staff would fail to agree. For those great corporate leaders, there is the constant demand to build and develop a solid team to take the company to great heights, and Neil is the man the smart firms are drafting in to deal with such team building.

And if Neil can’t build a cohesive and successful team, then l don’t know who can!

When I arrived, Neil had ten local business leaders busy building make-shift bridges over a swimming pool, playing blind golf, building towers out of spaghetti and racing powerful off-road buggies around a track blindfold whilst learning to trust the directions given by a team member and all the while trying not to kill Neil’s pet alpacas. Such odd-sounding tasks are very carefully designed and structured to develop leadership skills, encourage effective communication and foster team cooperation, collaboration and trust.

His aim is for companies to send him their troops and he returns them as one cohesive fighting unit ready for corporate battle. So often, courses such as this are run by people who have taken a course on team building and like the sound of their own voice, or by American ‘experts’

who use every buzzword in the dictionary. Neil is not one of them.

Neil passes on the knowledge he has gained over 30 years in demanding leadership roles in the military, in business and on his many adventurous expeditions. Here is a man worth listening to and learning from, reaping the benefits that a well-honed, collaborative team can bring to any company.

Laughton & Co offer bespoke leadership and and management training programmes - inhouse or externally facilitated.

The aim of the popular Executive Leadership Programme is to give delegates a refresher in great leadership, with a mix of theoretical, conversational, presentational, practical and experiential sessions to help cement good practices that can be taken back to the workplace and applied.

The Executive Leadership Programme includes: • • • • • • • • • •

Values driven & authentic leadership Differences between leading & managing Leadership success & failure analysis Leadership theory and latest thinking Ten traits of Transformational Managers Leading and performing in a crisis High-level team performance Self-awareness and communication skills Emotional intelligence and EQ modelling Personality profiling and character analysis

www.laughton.co Tel: +44 (0) 7973 289552 Neil@Laughton.co 120

{ SECRET SUSSEX }

“Great leadership is the key to high level business performance and success”

The programme is challenging, thoughtprovoking and a lot of fun! The result? More selfaware, self-confident and dynamic managers with enhanced communication, team building and leadership skills. Certainly, when l arrived there was a great mix of laughter, team bonding and a raft of happy but very dirty faces.

Not only does Neil have the background to lead, but his corporate experience offers him a unique insight into how the business team should function to achieve success. Neil founded eight companies over the years and successfully sold them to a FTSE 100 group in 2011. In 2002, one such company won the contract to build the new Rolls Royce HQ and plant, and in 2010 he won the multi-million pound contract to refurbish the BAA HQ at Heathrow Airport.

A man more rounded and suited to the task of teaching corporate teams to work well together I have yet to meet.

“This is a not a man who knows the joy of a good pipe and a pair of comfy slippers” 121

{ WISE WORDS }

Words

Issue 10 Wise

By Lord Brett McLean Chairman East Sussex Economic Advisory Board, Charity Worker and Entrepreneur www.lordbrettmclean.co.uk “Stars Can’t Shine Without Darkness” My cousin, Paul Robinson, former President of EMI Records and Executive Chairman of Mint Global Ltd This is a perfect example of how life and business are created, evolve and operate. Life and business will not always be shining like a star and can become challenging with examples of darkness which take on the form of knockbacks, business interruptions and negativity.

The more negativity I am subjected to, the more determined I am to become a shining star in the form of an ambassador for positivity and success, which is what everyone should be like.

“When one is high-profile as a result of a business or personal life, one generates fans and followers, but, equally, can also generate a small minority of haters who can spread rumours that are believed by fools just to generate negativity and conflict.”

Coco Chanel.

Unfortunately for those haters, Coco Chanel gives the perfect advice, the quote being: “I don’t care what you think about me as I don’t think about you at all.”

The reason why? Negativity generates negativity and haters do not deserve anyone’s time or attention. Often, no reaction is the best reaction.

Life is too short!

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“Make a difference” I’m a Director, Consultant, President, Patron and Ambassador for 22 business and charitable organisations at local, regional, national and international level and I believe that every organisation is deserving of equal support.

My key to success is being prepared to make a difference to people’s lives. If one isn’t making a difference, then what’s the point of being in business?

“I get by with a little help from my friends.”

Lennon & McCartney Surround yourselves with an array of people, including dreamers, doers, believers and thinkers - with those who see greatness within you, even when you can’t identify it yourself.

A successful business needs F.R.I.E.N.D.S.!

A flourishing business should regard its employees as friends!

These are the people who will:

“I am determined to become a shining star in the form of an ambassador for positivity and success” “Carpe Diem!”

Seize the day! Attend networking events and make your presence known.

Create a strategic marketing programme using a digital presence that is deemed the most popular, with very little expense, but with maximum results. Use Facebook and Twitter, which are resource-effective and reach your desired audiences. Remember, if you are not appearing, you are, in fact, disappearing!

FIGHT FOR YOU. RESPECT YOU INCLUDE YOU ENCOURAGE YOU NEED YOU DESERVE YOU STAND BY YOU! “Believe that you can, and you are half-way there.”

Finally, believe in your service or product, believe in your workforce and believe in your business - and remember that anything is accomplishable or everything can be achieved?

Stag House, Upper Bedford Street, Brighton BN2 1GW