Surrey Chambers of Commerce Magazine - issue 4 by Platinum Media Group

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

The Official ofGCommerce M Surrey Chambers A AMagazineZ

SURINDER ARORA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

ROLLING THUNDER MERCEDES S-CLASS COUPE

Issue E 4

BUSINESS TRAVEL

DUSSELDORF GROWTH AWARDS

SURREY SUPERSTARS

MARK ZUCKERBERG

GEEKS COME OF AGE

FERRARI HAPPY BIRTHDAY

GROUP

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

SURREY CHAMBERS

Issue 3 - 2017

A word from the CEO

s I was basking in the sun for two weeks my colleagues were busy supporting Surrey businesses, with some fantastic opportunities on how entering global markets can be made easy.

With the support of our own International Trade team, the Department of International Trade and the local growth hubs it has never been a better environment for new exporters. We are keen to see a strong Surrey group at this year’s International Trade Summit taking place in Birmingham on October 12th where delegates will have the opportunity to learn from experienced exporters, take part in breakout sessions on the practical aspects of exporting and network with other exporters from all over the UK

Education and Business More recently we were present at the British Chambers of Commerce Business and Education Summit, with more than 300 delegates attending to hear from high-profile speakers including Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP and Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening MP on the importance of investing in education and skills training. Other highlights included young entrepreneur Ben Towers, who took the stage to discuss the practical challenges he faced starting a company at the age of 13, and our three panel debates focusing on collaboration between educators and the business community. Our work with schools around Careers Fairs has been well received and we plan to encourage more of this interaction going forward.

Brexit snap poll One year after the Brexit vote, along with our national network of Chambers we surveyed over 2,400 business people to understand business views of Brexit negotiations in the wake of the General Election. Our results make it clear that there are a range of views on what the UK should be seeking in a final deal with the EU, but there is near-universal consensus that a deep and comprehensive agreement is needed. ‘No deal’ isn’t seen as a viable option. Businesses want a pragmatic settlement on the practical, real-world issues that affect their operations, not arbitrary political red lines. By more than three to one, businesses want a transition period on the way to a final agreement with the EU. This is critical to prevent firms facing the prospect of repeated, costly adjustments to new trading conditions. If companies have to change their business model once in 2019 and again several years thereafter, the competitiveness and investment potential of our firms will be undermined. Getting transition arrangements on the negotiations agenda as quickly as possible would give businesses - many of whom are considering big investment decisions now - the confidence to press ahead. We will continue to be the voice of business in the hope that early resolutions will boost business confidence.

Louise Punter CEO Surrey Chambers of Commerce

The Team GROUP

PLATINUM PUBLISHING PUBLISHER The Platinum Publishing Group CHAMBER EDITOR Molly Edwards Molly.Edwards@surrey-chambers.co.uk Tel: 01483 735545 Web: www.surrey-chambers.co.uk If you have a news story for publication, email molly.edwards@surrey-chambers.co.uk

Directors: Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com Tel: 07966 244046 Ian Trevett Ian@ platinumbusinessmagazine.com Tel: 07989 970804 Website: www.platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Advertising Director: Lesley Alcock Tel: 07767 613707 lesley@platinumbusinessmagazine.com Head of Design: Amanda Harrington Travel Editor: Rose Dykins Sub Editor: Kate Morton Food Editor: Amanda Menahem Photographer: Sarah Walker-Bennett Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann

For editorial and advertising enquiries email lesley@platinumbusinessmagazine.com SURREY CHAMBERS

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Welcome

16 38

At a Glance 6

Policing Surrey

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Chambers President

Member News

NatWest - Tech Survey

Surinder Arora

SURINDER ARORA

20 Wilkins Kennedy

The hotel magnate who has devised an alternative plan for Heathrow expansion

Herrington Carmichael

22 DMH Stallard 25 Haines Watts

GROWTH AWARDS

Find out which companies are the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super Growers

28 The Apprenticeship Levy

Mentoring

33 School Open Days 35 Branding - Farrow Creative 36 Digital Marketing - Smart Monkey

MARK ZUCKERBERG PROFILE To be called a geek used to be quite insulting. Not any more. The Geeks are inheriting the earth

38 Supergrowth Awards 40 Leatherhead Awards 42 Mark Zuckerberg profile 47

Web Design - Akiko

48 Business Travel - Dusseldorf

53 Airport News - Gatwick

DUSSELDORF

54 International Trade

The German city that is known for its fast cars, high fashion and Japanese culture

58 Meet the Buyers - Rosemary French OBE 60 Business Women Excellence Awards 61

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FERRARI Ferrari is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous luxury brands and this year celebrates its 70th birthday

Public Speaking

Social Media

62 Motoring - The Ferrari Story 64 Motoring - Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe 69 Motoring - Tesla Model X 71

Bisley Shooting Ground

72 Golf

Chamber Events

ROLLING THUNDER

New Members

Our motoring editor Maarten Hoffmann reviews the Mercedes S-Class Coupe

Event Sponsorship

78 Promotional Features 80 Anger Management 82 Join the Chamber

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. Surrey Chambers Business Magazine is published and owned by the Platinum Publishing Group Limited.

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PLATINUM PUBLISHING G R O U P

Policing Surrey

TACKLING TERRORISM David Munro, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

ow we deal with the threat of terrorism here in Surrey has been brought sharply into focus following the truly awful and tragic events we have witnessed in London and Manchester over the last few months. Tackling terrorism is one of the six key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan and over the last year I have been keen to review the plans and resources police have in place to deter and defeat any threat in this county. Our security measures and police activities are under constant review and there are well rehearsed plans in place to deal with any eventuality. But of course we can never be complacent and these must be continuously updated and tested. Surrey Police supports the delivery of the national Prevent strategy in which they work closely with the public and partner agencies to prevent terrorism and violent extremism from taking root in our communities. The Force has a team of Prevent Engagement Officers whose aim is to not only to keep communities safe but to safeguard individuals and institutions from all forms of terrorist ideology. They work closely with partner agencies such as local authorities, schools, universities and health institutions, to ensure communities in Surrey are well placed to report and respond to terrorist related concerns. Sadly we live in a dangerous world at present but I am satisfied that Surrey Police are as prepared as they can be to deal with any attack. Of course we also depend on information from the public, who can be our eyes and ears, in our efforts to keep us all safe. If you see anything that causes you concern or are worried someone you know is being radicalised – please don’t hesitate to report it to the authorities via the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789321 or 999 in an emergency. There is likewise an important role for the businesses community in our county to play as well. We need you to be looking out for the unusual – some activity or behaviour which strikes you as not quite right and out of place in your normal day-to-day business. You may feel it is probably nothing but unless you trust

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your instincts and tell the authorities, we will not be able to judge whether it is important or not. Surrey Police are part of the regional South East Counter Terrorism Unit (SECTU) and have specially trained Counter Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) who can provide advice to businesses that could be at risk from terrorist activity, particularly those in crowded places. Those advisers facilitate two types of interactive training sessions across the county that enable businesses to identify what measures to take to plan for, deal with and recover from a catastrophic terrorist event. Project ARGUS is a multi-media terrorist simulation workshop which has different scenarios appropriate to those taking part such as retail, night time economy, health and education and is aimed at the management level of the business community. The audience is usually no larger than 25 and usually include roles such as Chief

Executive Officers, Heads of IT/Personnel, Crisis Management teams and Duty Managers. In addition, Project GRIFFIN is designed to be delivered to customer facing or ground level staff that may be more likely to come across suspicious behaviour or items. The CTSAs provide the training free of charge and the organiser provides the location and audience. It is sensible for organisations everywhere to be prepared and the learning can be equally applied to any other major event, such as a fire, gas explosion or flooding. These sessions provide a great opportunity to judge how well prepared your business is, increase your knowledge of terrorism issues and compare notes with other local businesses. The team have delivered numerous training sessions across Surrey and if you feel that your company could benefit from them, please contact the team who will be happy to discuss and progress any requests by emailing ctsa@ surrey.pnn.police.uk

President’s Column

A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT Passing on the Baton

t was great to see the attendance at the Chambers Summer BBQ at Denbies on 4th July and, fingers crossed, we will be able to enjoy the sun all throughout the summer. I appreciate that by the time you are reading this it may not be long before we are drawing back into the autumn with the nights closing in, and indulging in the great British pastime of complaining about the weather; too much rain and nothing but footie on the television. My two year term as Chamber President ends in September when I hand the baton over to Yvette Etcell who I hope will enjoy her time as much as I have. I do know she will bring plenty of enthusiasm and a strong business approach to the role. For my part the two years have flashed by. Although I have been on the Chamber Board for a while and will continue to do so as “immediate past President” for a bit longer, I now have a much greater appreciation of the hard work and dedication of the Chamber team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the help and support they have given me. There have been some surprises politically during my term. The Brexit referendum decision; then Donald Trump gets elected President of the USA followed by a UK General Election that did not quite go as expected. They say things come in threes and the fact they all happened on “my watch” is a little disconcerting but I’m sure it is just a coincidence. The British Chambers of Commerce will be working hard to ensure

the politicians keep business needs at the forefront of the Brexit negotiations. I would urge businesses in Surrey to respond to surveys and requests for views and information which can be fed back to the Chamber and help keep that focus in place. It is very easy for the media to concentrate on the “fear factor” as that is more sensational than an approach applauding common sense and realistic optimism.

Frankie Tierney President, Surrey Chambers of Commerce Managing Partner, Herrington & Carmichael LLP

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News

MEMBER NEWS LEADERSHIP INSIGHT Surrey Business School has launched its new Executive Education, Leadership Development Series, with masterclasses running this year. The school believes in turning its top-rated research into action by sharing all the latest perspectives with organisations and individual managers. The school has developed a series of practical one-day masterclasses and short courses focussing on leadership. With a constantly changing business landscape, the course will prepare delegates for today’s turbulent working environment with the latest insights from industry practitioners and world-leading thinkers into best business and leadership practices. Topics will focus on areas such as mindful leadership, enhancing professional networks and leading in a digital world. The masterclasses are designed for professionals interested in improving their effectiveness as leaders and wanting a better understanding of team dynamics. Delegates will work through a series of simple, easy-to-use exercises to translate theory into practice, with practical exercises and worked examples from a range of industries and group discussions. To find out more about the Executive Education masterclasses and short courses contact Jon Teckman, Director of the Leadership Development Series, j.teckman@surrey.ac.uk surrey.ac.uk/business-school/learn-with-us/ executive-education

REAL ESTATE LEADER Charles Russell Speechlys in Guildford has appointed Ingrid Saffin as Partner and Head of Commercial Real Estate. Ingrid will be one of 20 partners in Charles Russell Speechlys’ Guildford office, which has one of the largest and end-to-end property teams in the South East. Ingrid’s experience spans a broad spectrum of commercial property matters with particular expertise in retail, industrial, pipelines and health care. With 20 years’ practice in real estate law, she has held senior positions in leading firms in Surrey and London.

❝ Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.

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J. K. Galbraith

SURREY CHAMBERS

Duncan Elson, Partner and Head of the Guildford office comments, “We are delighted to welcome Ingrid as our new Head of Commercial Real Estate in Guildford as we continue to grow and consolidate our position as one of the region’s leading law firms. She has an excellent reputation and is widely recognised for advising major players in the South East market.” Ingrid Saffin adds: “The expertise that I have developed over many years dovetails well with Charles Russell Speechlys’ client base, and I am looking forward to working in a firm with such a strong ethos.” www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com

News

HAPPY CHILD AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS Surrey-based charity Happy Child International is holding its fundraising dinner at the House of Commons on Thursday November 30th. The event is being hosted by MP Sir Paul Beresford and is to help raise funds for street connected children and vulnerable young people who are suffering from violence and neglect in Brazil. The event provides a really good opportunity for Surrey businesses to offer corporate hospitality to their clients in a unique location. Surrey based corporate events company, TCE London is sourcing some fabulous auction prizes from their wide range of contacts and top class venues. Events Coordinator Jennie Sullivan says “This is a very popular event and tables of ten will sell quickly.” Happy Child has been operating for 25 years and has helped over 11,500 vulnerable children and young people through providing 24/7 care homes in Brazil. Today it is working in Recife, North East Brazil where young girls are being exploited on the streets and some are getting pregnant as young as 13 years old. Happy Child runs social activity programmes, helps young mums apply for any government support which they are entitled to and, where possible, helps them rebuild links with their extended family. Clarissa, 17, who is living in our safe home with her son Anderson says, “We are trying to improve our lives and we know that you are making a lot of effort to help us. Thank you”

To buy tickets, contact jennie.sullivan@happychild.org or go to www.happychild.org.

M3 TO INVEST £10 MILLION IN EZ³ Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership has announced a £10m investment in the government-backed EZ³ Enterprise Zone. The announcement was made at a launch event in the atrium of Belvedere House, in Basingstoke. EZ³, The London and South Innovation Valley, comprises three component sites totalling 40 hectares – Basing View, in Basingstoke, Longcross Park, near Chertsey and TechForest in Whitehill & Bordon. Geoff French, CBE, Chair of Enterprise M3 said: “Achieving an enterprise zone status is a significant step forward for business growth in our area. With proximity to Heathrow, London and other key transport hubs, EZ³ will strengthen our capacity to attract more businesses, create jobs and build on our sectoral strength in digital and sustainable technologies. “The £10m investment will be used for on-site infrastructure, including new build property, business support, skills, and technology. We will also ensure that eligible businesses have access to the 5G Innovation Centre across all three sites, where they can explore the commercial viability of 5G technology.”

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Personally, l have always looked on cricket as organised loafing.

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William Temple

(Former Archbishop of Canterbury)

Companies that locate in any of the three EZ³ sites before 31st March 2022, could be eligible for 100% business rates discount - up to £275,000 over a five year period. The launch event was also used to highlight the significance of 5G technology to businesses. Keith Robson, Chief Operating Officer of 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey, spoke said: “5G technology offers unprecedented possibilities that will change the way we live and do business. The opportunities are enormous and we are proud to be leading the world in bringing such opportunities to life for businesses within and beyond the Enterprise Zone.”

SURREY CHAMBERS

News

MEMBER NEWS

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When a man opens a car door for his wife it is either a new car or a new wife.

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NEW FACES AT ROFFE SWAYNE Anu Tayal

Jane Alsop

Prince Phillip

FLY THE ELIZABETH LINE

Accountants Roffe Swayne have recruited two new senior advisers into their team: Anu Tayal joins as Corporate Finance Director and Jane Alsop as Tax Investigations specialist.

Heathrow, Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport have agreed a commitment to boost integrated rail connectivity to the airport, including the addition of two new Elizabeth line trains per hour serving Terminal 5 from December 2019. Under the plan, services to Heathrow will increase from 18 trains per hour today to at least 22 trains per hour in 2019, of which six will be on the Elizabeth line. A train will depart Central London to Heathrow on average every two-and-a-half minutes – including two Elizabeth line trains per hour to Terminal 5. Journey times to Heathrow from Bond Street will be 27 minutes, Liverpool Street 35 minutes and Canary Wharf will be only 39 minutes away on a direct train. There is also an ambition to add further services in the future. A joint feasibility study is underway to look at delivering a further two Elizabeth line trains per hour to Terminal 5 meaning eight Elizabeth line trains per hour serving Heathrow, as well as additional work on developing western rail access to Heathrow. From May 2018, new ticket readers will be installed at Heathrow, meaning passengers using Heathrow Express and TfL Rail between Paddington and Heathrow will be able to use pay as you go Oyster or a contactless device. The initiative will support Heathrow’s plans to ensure that half of all journeys to and from the airport are by electric or low emission public transport by 2030. Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “Together Heathrow, TfL and the DfT are working together to boost rail connections to the UK’s hub, giving our passengers more choices to travel sustainably between Heathrow and London. “… Heathrow will be at the heart of an integrated transport network and our passengers will reap the benefits.”

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Guildford resident Anu joins from EY’s Corporate Finance team where he advised on a broad range of acquisitions and disposals, fundraising, due diligence and capital markets work. Anu said, “I used to help run our family business in Surrey for many years as Finance Director and so am also keen to help family business clients who are looking to grow through acquisition and financing options.” Jane joins as Tax Investigations Adviser after working for HMRC for 30 years. Whilst with HMRC Jane specialised in enquiry work moving from local tax enquiries to work for HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Services on Code of Practice 9 Enquiries, which are non-criminal investigations led by HMRC. She will be looking after Tax Investigation work for both individual and corporate clients and working with other local professional firms who require support in this area. Jane said, “The team here is extensive and their work with High Net Worth individuals means that I can add a lot of value in advising and supporting any client that is the subject of an investigation.” Jeremy Gardner, Managing Partner commented, “They each have impeccable credentials. Anu has expertise in IPOs and the energy, clean tech sectors, retail, real estate and industrials sectors, while Jane provides a level of experience and expertise that is hard to find outside London and the national accounting firms.” Diary Date 3rd October 2017, Guildford - Breakfast briefing for accountants, Jane and two of her colleagues will be talking through some of the problems facing clients of local smaller accountancy firms when a client faces a tax investigation or a shareholder dispute. They will also discuss how to value a business ready for selling. If you are a local accountancy firm and would like to attend, email marketing@ roffeswayne.com.

News

HFS MILBOURNE AT THE POLO Guests from the local business community enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of fine dining and gripping sport at the HFS Milbourne annual lunch and polo tournament which took place at Hurtwood Park Polo club in June. Two strong and very enthusiastic teams, TLC and Hurtwood Park took to the ground after ex Team GB player Tarquin Southwell explained the rules of the polo whilst Cody Jones of TLC provided a demo of some of the key shots of the game. TLC were ahead at half time 3 ½ -2 and it was Cody Jones of TLC that sealed the

game and secured the HFS Milbourne Challenge trophy with the only goal of the last chukka. Final score 5 ½– 3. “We are always incredibly lucky with the weather and once again we enjoyed fabulous sunshine at Hurtwood Park,” said Rod Milne, joint managing director at HFS Milbourne. “Clients and colleagues enjoyed a leisurely afternoon soaking up the sun with a delicious lunch and plenty of action on the field to keep them entertained. Mixing business and pleasure in this way is a great way to spend a summer afternoon.”

www.hfsmilbourne.co.uk Colin Hayden Cook, Rod Milne, joint managing directors, HFS Milbourne presents the HFS Milbourne Challenge trophy to winning team, TLC

ON THE WORK TREADMILL The easiest way to get healthy is by making it fun and by integrating workplace weight loss into your already existing daily schedule. Fitting a treadmill desk into the office for everyone to use is a great way to lose weight. If you have a home office, then replace your static desk with a treadmill desk and switch between sitting and walking through the day. Besides providing a calorie burn, there are a lot of additional benefits of walking and working at a treadmill desk including reducing stress and anxiety. Walking is something most people can do, regardless of their individual level of fitness, but its finding the time to fit it in. We drive to work, sit at a desk, drive home and sit on a sofa. So why not combine work with meeting your 10,000 a day steps goal. Google, Microsoft and Evernote, and the The difference hotel chains Hyatt and Marriott, are among the companies using treadmill desks. between

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“The interesting thing is that they are putting them in common areas, so that people can use them for an hour then go back to their normal location,” says Peter Schenk, president of the exercise equipment company LifeSpan. Whether you replace your existing desk with a treadmill height adjustable desk or install a communal desk so that everyone can take benefit from it, you need to build up slowly starting with 30 minute. You’ll be amazed how quickly you get used to walking and working. Healthy Home & Office have a treadmill desk in their showroom in Send. You may have to kick one of their staff off, but you are very welcome to come try it out for yourself. www.healthy-homeoffice.co.uk

stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.

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Spike Milligan SURREY CHAMBERS

Technology

LEADING THE WAY - but don't be complacent by Neil Bellamy, Head of Technology, Media and Telecoms at NatWest

ondon and the South East continues to be the leading hub for UK technology businesses.

But businesses can’t sit back and relax, with a host of regional hubs hot on their tail. According to our latest lending figures, lending to technology, media and telecoms companies in London and the South East grew by 15.5% in the year to May. However, lending in the South West jumped nearly 60% with areas in the North and Midlands not far behind. Figures show that although London and the South East is still a way ahead in terms

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of overall lending figures, other regions are catching up, with a hive of lending activity in the past 12 months.

have seen more ransomware attacks so there is huge potential for further growth and innovation in that space.

Software companies continue to represent the largest proportion of high growth businesses as they help businesses to automate, improve efficiency and productivity. This isn’t a new sector (Microsoft is 42 years old this year) but what is often missed is how relevant software development remains for today’s digital economy and how much room is left for growth.

And finally unified comms (UC) businesses which help businesses digitalise and unify their communications strategies. SME businesses in particular are doing well in this space – taking advantage of their ability to tailor services for a customer’s needs where larger businesses struggle with their higher cost to service model.

Cyber security is undoubtedly one of the biggest risk factors for most businesses as they transform digitally. Only this week, we

The role of universities in the region’s growth can not be overstated, with high levels of research and development into innovation across the fields of communications, robotic autonomous systems and digital

Technology entertainment. And we’re lucky to be able to work with some of the bright sparks of tomorrow through our partnership with university incubators. In June, we joined forces with RocketSpace to open their first technology campus in the UK. Housed in NatWest’s Regent’s House in London, the campus will be home to around 1,500 high-tech, high-growth companies. As they scale up their business, the tech companies will benefit not only from office space and a collaborative environment, but also global access to RocketSpace’s unique community and services.

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RocketSpace (pictured right) has worked with more than 1,000 tech scale-ups since it was founded in 2011, including some of the most recognisable names in technology such as Uber, Spotify and Blippa.

Our partnership with RocketSpace further strengthens the bank’s support to the technology sector, which remains an important growth area for the UK. Over the past two and a half years, the bank has been helping new businesses, including many tech start-ups, through the Entrepreneurial Spark powered by NatWest programme, which is also due to open a London hub in August this year.

The programme has supported a total of 1,736 companies, raised £151m of investment and created 3,152 jobs, and will be a great addition to the London technology space. It’s not hard to see why London and the South East continues to lead on all things technology, and with the government’s continued investment in the Golden Triangle of London, Oxford and Cambridge, it’s unlikely they will be surpassed by another city.

And there has never been a better time to start up a technology business. Thanks to new technology you can literally set up a business from your smart phone on your kitchen table – so getting a business started has never been cheaper or easier. There are also so many ways to use other people’s technology to scale up your business – like through the cloud – so opportunity and potential is unlimited.

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Interview with Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman, the Arora Group

A VERY SUCCESSFUL MISTAKE Surinder on the roof of his office

Surinder Arora was a bit of a surprise for his parents, and he has continued to surprise with his incredible rise to become one of the best-known hoteliers and businessmen in the UK. Surinder, who lives on the Wentworth Estate, told his fascinating story to the Surrey Chambers of Commerce…

ike the boy who grows up and buys the biggest train set in the world, Surinder Arora has made it. For Surinder, it was planes rather trains that stirred his passion, and his plush office overlooks the runway of Britain’s busiest airport. With a stunning portfolio of hotels at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports, Surinder has long been vocal of the need to expand airport capacity in the South East of England. Most recently, he has spoken out about the government’s planned expansion of Heathrow Airport. Having commissioned a review of Heathrow Airport Limited’s plans, the Arora Group believes that there are cheaper and better solutions to expand Heathrow, which could save up to £6.7bn compared to the costs of the HAL’s own plans. Arora now wants the Government to look carefully at its proposals and to challenge the current monopoly status of Heathrow. At the same time the airlines are calling Heathrow’s own plan unaffordable. As you enter Surinder’s office, your attention is immediately drawn to the procession of planes rising off the tarmac, soaring skywards on their journeys to all corners of the globe. If it wasn’t for his exhausting work ethic, there’s no doubt that Surinder would happily sit at his desk admiring the view while maintaining contact with the bridge through

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his personal walkie-talkie. And if he tired of this, there’s always the option of nipping up to the roof top, with its added benefit of the accompanying soundtrack of ferocious engines driving these metallic monsters forward. Not bad for a young ruffian from India who was going off the rails.

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I said to my newly-wed wife: “Next year I want to sit at the top table.”

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There really should be no Surinder Arora, but fate intervened: “I was born back in India in 1958, and when I was growing up I was told that I was a mistake. I was born after a 10-year gap: three siblings, and then I came out of nowhere. As my parents already had three kids, I was adopted by my mum’s younger sister when I was two weeks old. Growing up, I knew my uncle and aunt as my parents, and I referred to my real parents as uncle and auntie. In the mid-1960s my real parents

Interview with Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman, the Arora Group came here to the UK, and every time they’d go back and they’d bring a lot of toys and clothing and stuff, and I used to say to my other nieces and nephews: ‘That auntie from England, why does she love me more than you guys?’

Surinder and Sunita Arora

“In 1971 my mum came back to India to marry off my eldest brother and sister and she realised that I was turning out to be a real gangster. I was 12 or 13, I wasn’t studying, I’d smoke, I’d do all the wrong things. So my real mum said to my parents over in India, ‘Look, with him being your only son, you’ve spoilt him. You need to send him to London. Let me knock him into shape. After his studies you can have him back.’ “In April 1972 I landed at Heathrow thinking I was going to my uncle and aunt, until three days later, at the dining table, they said to me: ‘We’ve got something to tell you.’ It was a shock, but I actually thought I was lucky as I could have two mums and two dads.” Surinder may have felt lucky, but his ‘new’ mum was more demanding than he was used to. “Mum was very tough. I’d only been at school in Acton for a couple of months and a friend said, ‘Let’s bunk school this afternoon and go swimming. No-one will miss us.’ As I’d only been in the country a few weeks, the school rang my parents and said, ‘Your son’s missing.’ When I got home, my parents asked where I had been. I said, ‘School.’ And

that was lesson number one: I got a bit of a

lesson – why don’t you become a pilot?’

bashing, a few smacks and was told ‘Don’t lie to me again or you’re out of the door. Tell me the truth and I’ll forgive you.’

“I took my first lesson at Elstree London School of Flying and loved it. My parents said, ‘If that’s what you want to do, we’ll mortgage our house or do whatever it takes,’ but I didn’t want them to do that. I joined British Airways as a junior clerk in 1977, earning £34 a week. It was just over £20 an hour to learn to fly, which meant I could only have one lesson per week.”

“When I first came I didn’t even know the alphabet, so school was a struggle. The best grade I got was an O Level in Hindi. Because I couldn’t go into further education, I said to my parents ‘I think I’m going to be a policeman.’ Asian families always want their kids to be doctors, accountants and pilots, so a family friend took me to Elstree and said, ‘No, don’t be a policeman. Here, let me pay for the first

Surinder with Maarten Hoffmann from Platinum Publishing Group

Surinder also worked as a waiter at the Penta Hotel. Now it is the Renaissance, a hotel he owns. However, after the recession of the early 1980s, hotel work was hard to come by, so he found a new opportunity. “The financial adviser from Abbey Life used to come and try to flog me policies. He’d come to the front door and I’d leave out of the back door. My dear mum said to him, ‘He’s not going to buy any products, but if you’d got any part-time jobs, he’d be interested.’ In those days it was a lot easier and there was no FSA, so he said, ‘Yes, of course, we can give him a job.’ I joined Abbey Life in September 1982 and married Sunita in October. “At BA I flipped onto early shifts, worked from 6.30 am to 2.30 pm, then went to the Abbey office to catch up on admin work and saw clients in the evenings. An average day wouldn’t finish until about 11 pm. I was also flying, and I used to referee three football matches each week. “After a few months Sunita and I went to our first-ever Abbey Christmas party and, as I was new, we were shoved right at the back of the room. In the distance I could see the top table with the top financial adviser, the branch manager, the sales director and the MD. I said to my newly-wed wife: ‘Next year I want to

SURREY CHAMBERS

Interview with Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman, the Arora Group sit at the top table.’ And sure enough, for the next six years I was number one salesman, apart from one year when I was second. “My boss in Abbey Life used to say: ‘Surinder, you’re mad. You’re earning over £100K and you’re earning £20K a year in BA. What’s wrong with you, why don’t you give BA up?’ And I said, ‘No, boss, I enjoy it. It keeps my brain ticking.’ I did the two jobs and then I started dabbling in property, buying the odd house, flat and shop, renting and selling, so I was doing three jobs, working seven days a week. “By 1988 I realised that it was all taking its toll. I remember saying to my wife and my mum: ‘My body take it anymore, I can’t do this.’ Typically, they both said, ‘Don’t give up British Airways, you get free flights!’ “I did leave BA and went full time at Abbey, and that year I finished number four in the whole country out of about 4,500 salespeople, and I took home over £200K – a decent number in 1988. In 1989 I became a sales manager; a year later, in 1990, I became the youngest branch manager in Abbey. “In 1993 my dear mum fell seriously ill with cancer and I then resigned from my branch management and went back to being a sales advisor, because as sales advisor I didn’t have to be in the office, I was self-employed. I didn’t get paid if I didn’t work, but at least I could be my own boss.

Surinder with Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

“Around this time I was driving past Heathrow and I saw four derelict houses for sale. I went to the auction and bought them for £161,000, £40,000 each. The gardens were so overgrown, I didn’t realise there were a couple of garages hidden in the growth.

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How can I offer a 4-star product with 5-star service at 3.5-star prices? How can I look after my staff as family and my guests like royalty?

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“I didn’t know what to do with them, so I decided I’d renovate them and open up a B&B. I didn’t know what to call it, so I thought

I’d call it HSA. Some friends said ‘HSA? House of Surinder Arora? Hospital for Sick Animals?’ It was actually Heathrow Standby Accommodation. It went really well, and then I started buying the adjoining properties: a few more houses, an old Avis HQ and an old petrol station, to create the Arora Hotel.” New to the hotel game, Surinder went into the business with a can-do attitude and refused to countenance anyone telling him that something was not possible. This single-

mindedness led to a fruitful relationship with British Airways. “The hotel was right opposite the British Airways Crew Centre and a lot of the crew from BA would come and talk to me and say, ‘We love New York but we hate Heathrow. In New York the hotel is run by BA, no-one else stays in the hotel, we get good security, good service. At Heathrow we stay in different hotel rooms, we don’t get nice rooms, we get treated like cattle class.’ “I wrote to BA, even though I had no contacts in the company. When I finally got a response, I was told, ‘Surinder, we’ll only deal with you if you bring in one of the big hotel chains like Hilton or Marriott as you have no experience. If the hotel is not built to the right spec, or if it’s not run properly, our crews don’t sleep and we end up cancelling all our flights. Its too big a risk.’ “It took me a good 20 months to struggle through planning and to convince British Airways and then to get the funding. My own bank manager said, ‘I think you’re mad. Why the hell don’t you sell the land with the planning permission for a few good millions, and you can walk away and retire or do something else? Construction can go horribly wrong. It can run over time, over budget and you could end up in a council house.’ But to me it was a challenge. “We built the hotel in 1999, and within six months BA asked for more rooms at Heathrow and then asked if we would do the same at Gatwick, and they also promised to bring in business from American. So we built a second hotel in Heathrow and one in Crawley, but within seven weeks of opening the hotel in Crawley, 9/11 happened and the whole world collapsed. I had to get other carriers and the public in. I bought my fourth hotel from receivership in Manchester in 2004. Then in 2005 I started dreaming about T5. “I approached BAA and said: ‘I’ve been told that you’re going to tender. Will you consider me as one of the tenders?’ When I said the company was Arora, the MD said ‘No, thank you, Mister Arora. We’re building a £4.5 billion terminal and it’s going to be a 5-star international brand. So I’m sorry, we won’t even consider you.’ I started talking to all the big chains and said ‘Will you give me a franchise for your 5-star brand?’ All the hotel companies had the same view: ‘No, we don’t give franchises on our top brand. We want to protect our brand. Surinder, you can build it, but we must manage it.’ To me this was never an option.

“I went to Accor, the group that owns SURREY CHAMBERS

Interview with Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman, the Arora Group many hotel brands, and the MD said the same thing: ‘You can have the franchise for Novotel or Ibis, but never Sofitel (the premium brand).’ I didn’t give up, I called their CEO, showed him round Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, but they insisted Sofitel wouldn’t be franchised. About ten weeks later he came back and said, ‘Surinder, I’ve been sending mystery guests to your properties. I really like the way you run your operation. I’ve been to the main board in Paris. We’ll make an exception and give you a franchise.’ So we did that, and we won the bid against Marriott. We now have 14 hotels, of which seven we both own and operate.” Surinder is well-known for his collection of airport hotels, having partnered with some of the world’s most recognised brands, acquiring a number of valuable franchises, from Sofitel and Hilton to Renaissance and Intercontinental, and kept their focus primarily on the areas of London’s main airports including Gatwick, as well as a range of key business hubs across the UK. Close to home for the Chamber of Commerce in Surrey, the Arora Group has been strengthening its portfolio around the Gatwick Diamond region. In Spring this year the Arora Group secured the occupational lease for the flagship Hilton London Gatwick, the airport’s largest hotel now the largest hotel by bedrooms in Arora’s portfolio. The Group also acquired prime commercial office space in Crawley - The Office at Manor Royal Business District. The Group is currently active in a major redevelopment project in the Crawley Station Gateway Redevelopment project, improving the Crawley town centre, including development of Overline House, which dominates the entrance to the railway station. “I got a call in 2012 from my General Manager at Arora Gatwick saying that Overline House was up for sale. We have been talking to the council about Overline House, and they are keen for residential, but, importantly, it needs to be a nice building because of its location. It is a gateway to Crawley.

from the experience of the construction arm of the company. With all he has achieved, we asked what business initiative has made Surinder the most proud? “When I was opening the first hotel I always said to my senior team, ‘I want this to be different from other hotel companies. I don’t want this to be known as just as another hotel company.’ So my dream has always been: How can I offer a 4-star product with 5-star service at 3.5-star prices? How can I look after my staff as family and my guests like royalty?

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I am very passionate about my people in the company and I always say, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re a director in the company or you’re a porter, a maid or a receptionist, you’re just as important.’

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“I always say to newcomers who start in the company that life is a two-way traffic. You will be my family after you join the Arora Group, but only if you give me 100%. If you don’t give me 100%, you can’t be family. “Building the first hotel was a real challenge, because I knew nothing, but you always learn. Winning the bid for T5 was the proudest moment, one that I’ll never forget. It was an achievement to be shortlisted as one of the final two bids – and then everyone in the market place said ‘Arora? No chance. It’s Marriott.’ I was in Scotland when I got the news, and my

reaction was: ‘Wow, we’ve done it!’ “Now, my wife will say to me, ‘So, when are you going to retire? What are we going to do?’ and I say ‘I enjoy work, I never want to retire,’ because I do love working, but just taking life a little easier. I’ve got a fantastic team around me, a great management and advisory board, I can start stepping back and let them get on with it. “I am very passionate about my people in the company and I always say, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re a director in the company or you’re a porter, a maid or a receptionist, you’re just as important.’ I hate people calling me ‘Mister Arora’ or ‘Sir.’ Please call me Surinder. And if I turn up at a hotel the same time as a guest, open the door for him, because he’s going to pay the bill, I’m not. “I also take great pride in helping raise funds for charity. My wife Sunita and I founded the Arora Charitable Foundation, to support social responsibility initiatives in the UK and overseas. To date, we have held three Arora Balls, which have raised a combined total of £1.8 million. We are incredibly grateful to all those who have supported these events, including our guests sponsors, and all those involved in the organisation of the events – a fantastic sum for our nominated causes”. “We have run events for Cancer Research and the LILY Foundation, which helps in the fight against young girls getting sold for trafficking, and our most recent ball was held in aid ofhelped children causes such as Unicef amongst others. and Shiksha ki Ore, a campaign which helps educate underprivileged children in India. ” Judging by Surinder’s determination, drive, and accomplishments to date, weare all ears to hear what’s in the pipeline for the Arora Group, and Surinder’s next success. Surinder watches the Duke of York launching the revamped Renaissance Hotel at Heathrow

“Employment in Crawley has always been pretty good, in the top quarter of the country, and more housing is needed in the town centre. We’re looking at developing studios, one-and two-bedroom apartments - aimed at young professionals or married couples. We have listened to the local councillors, local businesses and the local neighbourhood, so people don’t find surprises.” The development will be a popular change to the Crawley town centre, and will benefit SURREY CHAMBERS

Accountancy

STAMPING OUT TRANSACTIONS? Tommy White from Wilkins Kennedy on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) changes and the effect on conveyancing work

hen the Government introduced the increased Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for second homeowners, there was significant concern in the legal sector that this could account for a reduced amount of conveyancing work for law firms, as people delayed, or even postponed, their Buy to Let purchase in view of the increased cost. At the time the Government stated that this levy was not likely to affect property prices and that their aim was to give first time buyers a chance to get a foot on the property ladder whilst fighting off competition from property investors. The figures however tell a different story. Residential property sales increased by a massive 71% between February and March 2016 in the lead up to the changes to SDLT introduced in April 2016. The figures had such an impact that the sale of flats and maisonettes in March 2016 was more than double the average compared to the last five years. London has seemingly been hit hard by the new tax levy. In the six months from May to October 2016, there was a 60% fall in transactions over £5m and more than a 33% fall in the number of transactions between £1m and £5m. As potential purchasers are faced with a tax of up to 13% of the value of

their homes priced at more than £925,000, which in London is not difficult to do, it is hardly surprising that people are stalling their purchase of additional properties. These reasons are also likely to see ceiling prices come down in places like London, but perhaps even for the rest of the country too. However, it might not be all doom and

gloom. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the property market has been flat lining for a while overall – since way before the SDLT increases. Actually, RICS has sighted a different reason for the recent price stall and that is the current political uncertainty, which was named by 44% of surveyors as the main reason for pessimism by investors. This figure is nearly double the number who blamed Brexit. Recent research by RICS suggests that property values are actually increasing overall, so there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for property lawyers and conveyancers in the next 12 months – we shall wait and see! Wilkins Kennedy offers a specialist service for law firms, including tailored seminars via the WK Law programme. If you would like some advice relating to the running of your legal practice, please contact us at our offices in Heathrow and Guildford for more information.

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Working Culture

TAXI FOR UBER When a workplace culture is unacceptable: The example of Uber

by Alistair McArthur, Head of Employment at Herrington Carmichael

ow is your workplace culture? Is it a nice place to work? Is it supportive? Are people polite to each other? Or, is it one where bullying and harassment is prevalent? Well, here is an example for you of how not to manage your work place! Uber, the mobile taxi app company, has had to take radical steps to change its culture following a scandal about aggressive business practices and a toxic workplace. Uber has dismissed more than 20 employees, including some senior executives, after investigating claims of sexual harassment and bullying. These dismissals were aimed at tackling what many at Uber say are deep-rooted cultural issues, which have made Uber a cautionary tale for what can go wrong, in particular when no action is taken early on. Tolerating bullying and harassment in the workplace is a high risk. This is not only in terms of a company’s goodwill and reputation but also in terms of high employee turnover. Uber’s workplace troubles came into the public eye in February when Susan Fowler, a former Uber engineer, published a blog post detailing sexual harassment she suffered at the hands of her supervisor and that Uber’s human resources department ignored her complaints. Since then other employees have reported similar issues, saying that a premium was placed on workers who delivered strong performance and aggressive growth, and that was why their behavioural transgressions were often overlooked. Following the claims being made, Uber hired international law firm Perkins Coie to look into the allegations of harassment, discrimination, bullying and other employee concerns. Perkins Coie investigated a total of 215 staff complaints going back as far as 2012. From these complaints, Uber only took action in 58 cases. Most workplaces are not going to have this extent of problems. But what should employers do about bullying and harassment? ACAS has provided guidelines for companies to ensure that correct and firm workplace policies are put in place. It is essential to set standards of behaviour. An organisational statement to all staff about the standards of behaviour expected can make it easier for everyone to be aware of their responsibilities to others. This may include information about what constitutes bullying and harassment and what work relationships are acceptable or not. Many organisations supplement basic information with guidance booklets and training sessions. Training can also increase employee’s awareness of the damage bullying and harassment does both to the

organisation and to the individual. Complaints of bullying and harassment can usually be dealt with using clear grievance and disciplinary procedures. Staff should also know to whom they can turn if they have a work-related problem, and managers should be trained to deal with such issues. It is important to let employees know that complaints will be dealt with fairly, confidentially and sensitively. Uber has decided to take a proactive approach to the problem and has appointed Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under former US president Barack Obama, to investigate and change the company’s broader culture. The findings of his report have been turned over to the board and recommendations are expected to be made public soon. Uber has already put some changes in place such as expanding its employee relations unit and dramatically increasing the company’s management training. Workplace culture is a valuable asset that can help to attract the best employees and keep them. Many clients would be reluctant or even unable to work with a company that has a history of discrimination and bullying. Ultimately any workplace culture comes from the top down and it is up to business leaders to set an example. Having the right processes and attitudes in place on day should mean fewer issues arise but any that do arise are brought to the attention of management and dealt with appropriately.

For further information or to discuss the issues raised by this article, please contact Herrington Carmichael’s Employment Department on 0118 977 4045 or employment@herrington-carmichael.com. SURREY CHAMBERS

Legal

KEEPING YOUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS ON TRACK Jonathan Compton and Lucienne Westbrook of law firm DMH Stallard look at some of the ways businesses can guard against disruptive contract disputes.

he course of true love never did run smooth, and the same can often be said of business relationships. Problems must be dealt with and disagreements resolved. But what if that disagreement escalates and you end up facing a court case?

All businesses start small You and a friend have come up with a great business idea and are about to become entrepreneurs. You’ve been friends for 20 years, you don’t need to get all formal and put everything in writing. Should any disagreements arise, as 50/50 shareholders,

SURREY CHAMBERS

you’ll be able to sit down and talk about them to come to a mutually agreeable solution. Or you’ll do it once you have more time. Right? If only… In what seems like the blink of an eye, it’s five years down the track, one shareholder wants to sell their shares and the other doesn’t agree with the timing or process. There’s a stalemate. Who owns your original idea at the heart of the company? What will happen to your idea if you cannot agree with your fellow shareholder and the court winds up your company on “just and equitable grounds”. Will the court order one of you to buy out the

other? How do we value the shares? In short: all heck breaks loose, and quicker than you know.

It started with a…contract (apologies to the popular musical combo “Hot Chocolate”) Contracts are great. No, seriously they are! Done properly, they can save a lot of headaches. They can stop disputes arising and, if they are well drafted, they can win the case for you. Done badly or left to “he said, she said” they are a lawyer’s playground. When

Legal

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Contracts are great. No, seriously they are! Done properly, they can save a lot of headaches. They can stop disputes arising and, if they are well drafted, they can win the case for you.

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we say, “lawyer’s playground”, we mean of course, parties spend amounts on lawyers that could have been avoided. In the earlier example, a well written shareholders’ agreement would give clear guidance on what would happen next. It can encompass a range of issues, such as who gets the deciding vote if there’s a stalemate, who you can and can’t sell shares to, and much more.

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Litigation in the courts can be expensive and time consuming taking you away from running your business and being emotionally draining.

The Brexit factor

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Contracts are equally important with suppliers when it comes to avoiding disputes, especially with the unknown quantity of Brexit on the horizon. Ensure that your terms and conditions are up to date, relevant and incorporated into your business dealings with third parties. For example, if there is a crossborder element in your supply chain contracts, make sure that there are appropriate law and jurisdiction clauses which specify how or where any disputes will be resolved. Without this, even before you turn to trying to find a solution to the dispute, there could be timeconsuming and protracted discussions about where and with what process you’re going to solve the problem.

The options for resolving disputes There are two major ways to address serious contract disagreements: alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and litigation. Litigation in the courts can be expensive and time consuming - taking you away from running your business and being emotionally draining. It is therefore no surprise that the Courts and

the Court Rules are increasingly encouraging people to explore ADR before resorting to the courts.

option of litigation in the courts.

ADR covers options such as conciliation, mediation, adjudication and arbitration. While the first two are voluntary, flexible and non-binding (unless an agreement is reached), adjudication is final and binding unless the decision is challenged by subsequent arbitration and/or litigation. Arbitration can be binding or non-binding, depending upon the agreement between the parties at the outset. All four of these options are confidential, unlike most court cases.

Disputes in business will occur no matter what, but if you plan for them before they happen, you will be in a much stronger position to resolve them in your favour. You can then focus more of your time on building your business, rather than fighting fires.

The solutions that can be made through ADR, where people get to air their grievances and get the chance to be heard, should not be underestimated. It’s easy in a dispute for viewpoints to become entrenched and for people to start fighting their corner and lose sight of the bigger picture. ADR can give people the chance to focus on the wider commercial considerations involved in a dispute and come to an agreement without ‘losing face’. Should ADR fail, there is then the

Be prepared

DMH Stallard lawyers manage and resolve all types of commercial and corporate disputes. We are able to draw on the expertise of colleagues in other parts of the firm as required in areas such as banking, real estate, employment, corporate/commercial and intellectual property. If you want to talk to us, give us a call. No charge. We will talk you through the issues and tell you what it will cost. For further information, please contact Jonathan Compton, LLB, LLM, MCIArb, Solicitor, Barrister, 01483 467433 jonathan.compton@dmhstallard.com and Lucienne Westbrook, LLB, Solicitor, 01483 467422 lucienne.westbrook@dmhstallard.com

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Taxation

A POT OF FREE MONEY The taxman is giving money back to businesses: don’t miss out on R&D tax credits, says Dan Morgan at Haines Watts

ot many business owners I know would pass up the opportunity to claw back money from the tax man. Yet a surprising number still don’t realise that there’s a pot of free money sitting there for the taking – most of which is completely untouched. Let me explain. 40% of all companies in the UK generate some form of innovation – this could be a product a service or a business process. Yet the majority of business owners do not realise that their activity qualifies for money back from the government in the form of Research and Development (R&D) tax credits.

Technology and innovation continue to be of critical importance to the UK – across all sectors and size of businesses. Successive governments have prioritised this and it seems likely that government strategy for industry in the UK will continue to emphasise this in the future.

We have supported over 150 business owners across a wide variety of sectors with R&D tax claims, delivering a total saving of £21.4m. Uptake of the relief is on the rise but there are still a significant amount of UK businesses not realising the benefit from a claim. Don’t miss out!

It’s worth noting that in addition to R&D tax credits, for SMEs who own a UK or EU patent from which they derive a profit, a further tax relief exists in the form of Patent Box relief. This could reduce the corporate tax rate down to 10% for those patent-derived profits – leading to even greater tax savings.

Dan Morgan T: 0208 549 5137 E: dmorgan@hwca.com Surrey offices in Esher and Godalming www.hwca.com

There is a general misconception that R&D claims only apply to technology and research focused companies, such as large pharmaceutical or tech companies. Whereas in fact, any business that can demonstrate that they have made some element of scientific or technological advance, could qualify. Don’t underestimate the value of a R&D tax credit. Under the SME scheme for example, £50,000 of qualifying expenditure could lead to a saving of £12,350 or if your business is loss making the claim could be converted to a cash refund of up to £16,675. Too many SMEs assume that R&D tax credits don’t apply to their type of business, sector or activity. As a result they miss out on money that could provide valuable new cash flow to the business. Businesses who successfully submit R&D claims typically direct the refunds back in to the business, by giving bonuses to employees, purchasing new equipment or innovating yet further. So more than just being a nice payback, R&D tax credits help switched on business owners retain talent and build competitive advantage. SURREY CHAMBERS

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Get qualified with our professional courses starting in September. Choose from: Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) CILEx – Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) Chartered Instituted of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

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Tel: 01483 44 85 30 Email: employers@guildford.ac.uk 26 Services to Business Stoke Road Guildford Surrey GU1 1EZ SURREY CHAMBERS

Mentoring

BUSINESS MENTORING SCHEME PILOT Places are limited for a unique business development opportunity

entoring is defined as a professional relationship between an experienced person (the mentor), supporting another individual (the mentee), through a process of developing and enhancing their career and personal growth. We are launching a new pilot scheme which will have 10 mentor-mentee pairs in the first instance, for a trial period of five months. The scheme, which is open to all members of the Chamber, launches on 9th November and will run until April 2018. The scheme is being jointly led by Marina Dieck and Nick Allsopp who are both experienced professionals and qualified coaches. In order to participate we would like you to attend three workshops, starting on Thursday 9th November 2017 with the other workshops taking place in January and April, as well as a minimum of four mentoring meetings. The workshops will take place from 4pm -8pm.

The benefits of Mentoring For Mentors:

7. Build additional professional relationships 8. Record your mentoring support as part of your CPD

For Mentees:

1. Increase interpersonal and communication skills

Increase interpersonal and communication skills.

2. Improve your self-confidence and selfawareness

Gain practical advice, encouragement and support

3. Build on your leadership skills

Supports Professional development

4. Hear fresh perspectives

5. Engage in a volunteering opportunity, valued by employers

Improved self-confidence and selfawareness

Learn from the experiences of others

Identify goals and establish a sense of direction

Build your professional network

6. Gain personal satisfaction and a sense of fulfilment through supporting the development of others

Record your mentoring support as part of your CPD

In addition to reviewing your communication skills both mentors and mentees will have the opportunity to access an individual strengths assessment using Harrison’s Assessments Tools (HATs). Reports can provide deep insight to help individuals reach their full potential. If you would like to apply please contact robyn.jackman@surrey-chambers.co.uk who will email you an application form, which will only take a brief time to complete. The deadline for applications is Friday 29th September 2017. There is a small charge of £50 for chamber members to cover printed materials, refreshments and administration.

Education Special Don’t miss our extended education feature in the next issue of Surrey Chambers of Commerce Magazine. If you want to spread the word about your School’s Open Day, an Apprenticeship programme or MBA courses, or any other education-related story, please contact Lesley Alcock on 07767 613707 or at lesley@platinumbusinessmagazine.com SURREY CHAMBERS

Promotional Feature

MAKING THE MOST OF THE LEVY

he Guildford College Group has a long established outstanding reputation for its commitment and knowledge towards Apprenticeships. Having nurtured many long term relationships with local businesses for nearly 80 years, Guildford College’s dedicated Services to Business team work closely with employers to identify what best fits their needs while supporting through the process of finding the perfect apprentice for their business.

• Level 3 Apprenticeship – also known as an ‘Advanced’ Apprenticeship.

How can Services to Business help?

• Level 4 Apprenticeship – also known as a ‘Higher’ Apprenticeship.

In response to a number of enquiries, Guildford College Services to Business has set up a Levy Support Service that will help

Adding an apprentice to your workforce, not only adds a valuable asset to your company, you will also be helping someone get their foot on the first step of a fledgling career.

The Apprenticeship Levy affects employers across all sectors, regardless of whether they already employ apprentices or not, employers with a paybill of £3m are already automatically paying into their levy. Employers receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against payment of the levy. The Apprenticeship Levy can be used to support either new recruits or existing staff. Smaller companies can still take advantage of available Government funding with employer grants available to eligible employers.

The Guildford College Group currently offers over 20 different Apprenticeships from Marketing through to Plumbing and offers three levels of Apprenticeship: • Level 2 Apprenticeship – also called an ‘Intermediate’ Apprenticeship.

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The Apprenticeship Levy In the 2015 Autumn Statement, the UK Government outlined plans to increase apprenticeship participation to 3 million by 2020 by making funding changes and introducing an Apprenticeship Levy.

employers to maximise their return on investment through the Levy. They can give support with: • Advice and guidance • Levy calculator • Training needs analysis • Workforce planning support • Recruitment service for new apprentices • Upskilling and reskilling service for existing staff using apprenticeship frameworks

To find out more, contact Services to Business on: 01483 44 85 30 or email: employers@guildford.ac.uk

APPRENTICESHIPS Good for Business

Upskill, develop and motivate your workforce with an Apprenticeship from the largest college provider in Surrey. We offer a wide range of subject areas from Intermediate to Advanced levels:

▶ Accounting ▶ Advanced Manufacturing Engineering ▶ Arboriculture ▶ Business Administration ▶ Carpentry and Joinery ▶ Catering and Hospitality ▶ Childcare and Playwork ▶ Civil Engineering ▶ Customer Service ▶ Electrical Installation

93%

OF EMPLOYERS WOULD CONSIDER TAKING ON ANOTHER APPRENTICE FROM THE GUILDFORD COLLEGE GROUP

▶ Environmental Conservation ▶ Hairdressing ▶ Horticulture ▶ Landscaping ▶ Marketing ▶ Plumbing ▶ Sports Turf ▶ Support Teaching & Learning ▶ Team Leading

76%

OF EMPLOYERS SAY THAT APPRENTICESHIPS PROVIDE HIGHER OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY

Our dedicated Services to Business team will support you through the employment process, including helping you to access any government Apprenticeship Grants for Employers that your business might be eligible for.

For an initial consultation to identify your requirements, and without obligation, please contact us on: 01483 44 85 30 or email us: employers@guildford.ac.uk SURREY CHAMBERS

Guildford College Stoke Road Guildford Surrey GU1 1EZ www.servicetobusiness.net

Terry Gatt, AAT accounting part-time student, chose Nescot as it was highly recommended by his predecessor, manager and whole team… they all came here too.

What can Nescot do for your business? The answers might surprise you. We are more than just a training provider for school leavers, in fact, a large percentage of our students are aged 20+ studying part-time courses, apprenticeships and higher education qualifications, funded by smart employers, who want to retain and develop talented staff to achieve their organisational objectives. Offered on-campus or via distance learning, these include AAT accounting, management and team leading, sports therapy and first aid, development for health, teaching, gas and electrical professionals and our esteemed IT Academy providing the latest accredited training from Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, Oracle and Cyberoam.

020 8394 1731 www.nescot.ac.uk

Nescot, Reigate Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 3DS SURREY CHAMBERS

Add to this our renowned apprenticeship programme – with subjects as diverse as construction, cheffing, animal care, computing, motor vehicle and business administration. Whether you are a levy payer or not you can benefit from employing a Nescot apprentice. Our Employer Hub team offer free advisory services so if you already run an apprenticeship programme, or want to find out the benefits of establishing one, contact the team today. Courses start from 11 September, have your teams visit our website – www.nescot.ac.uk – to discover all the options that will help them improve your organisation.

NESCOT Apprenticeships

NEGOTIATING THE APPRENTICESHIP MAZE

he word “Apprenticeship” is known by most employers, but do you know about the huge changes that are underway that could help you take on a new apprentice with up to 90% of the cost of the apprenticeship training being covered by the Government for micro and small businesses? The Government has listened to businesses feedback and via these reforms have placed more control in the hands of employers allowing them a greater say in the skills training that existed in their organisations and industries. The Government has asked each sector to help draw up the respective training specification relevant to their particular industry and sector. This will help ensure that those employees going via the apprenticeship route will learn skills relevant to the business they are working in, yet gain a valuable practical qualification and skills that will help make their employer more profitable and productive. For school leavers, the apprenticeship route now offers a route to further and higher education in-tandem with paid employment

without huge personal tuition debts. With apprenticeships available across most industries and at many levels there is bound to be an apprenticeship suitable for most people. For most micro and small businesses, they will only have to pay 10% of the apprenticeship training costs, for larger businesses with a payroll bill of over £3m they will pay a special apprenticeship ‘levy’ creating a dedicated fund which the business can use to cover their own apprenticeship training costs. Understanding that these reforms to apprenticeships are complex and constantly changing NESCOT college has created the ‘employer hub’ who offer free consultancy services to employers of all sizes, guiding you through the processes involved in establishing a programme, setting up a digital account, claiming funding, recruiting an apprentice, and all other elements required. Whether you are a micro or small business considering taking on new staff or a large levy paying business wondering how best to spend your levy fund, NESCOT has the expertise to help you navigate through the new apprenticeship system.

The ‘employer hub’ office is open throughout the summer so whether you want a general discussion by phone or more thorough overview in person, contact the team on 020 8394 1731 or www.nescot.ac.uk/employerhub. CASE STUDY: Shane Carpenter – BAE Systems apprentice at Nescot who is the UK’s sole competitor in the Cyber Security category at the World Skills finals in Abu Dhabi in October. Shane is fundraising to allow his supportive parents to accompany him for moral support and to help share in his success. To donate please visit https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/shane-carpenter

Catering & Professional Chefs apprentices get the skills to achieve and enhance their employer’s business.

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TATLER

THE WEEK

TATLER

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GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

Education

OPEN YOUR EYES AT OPEN DAYS Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. Open Days can help, if you know what to look for...

he holidays are almost over and it is back to school for a new year, and time to think about education choices for next September. The schools know that decisions will be made over the next few months, so they are keen to show off their school in the very best light. In other words, it is the season of the school Open Day. Open Days are a wonderful opportunity to explore potential schools and meet the headmaster, teachers and pupils. But how accurate a picture can you get from an organised tour? Inevitably, the event will be set up to make each school look as attractive as possible, but you can still get a good feel for a school. So how can you make the most of an Open Day? Here are our tips: • Always remember that the school is set up to sell a vision to potential parents. So how well have they done? Have they impressed you? After all, if they can’t organise a successful Open Day, do

you want them to organise your child’s education • Take your child with you. Don’t forget it is him/her that will be going to the school every day. Ask their opinion? Has the school inspired them? They will pick up on things you may not notice • Speak to the pupils. How do they fell about the school. Are they happy? Do they look confident and assured? Are they behaving impeccably? Are they good role models for your child? • Ask about clubs and activities. Are they wide-ranging and inclusive? If cost is an issue, are they expensive? • Read the noticeboards. Is there plenty going on? Most importantly, try to get a feel for what goes on in the school when it isn’t an Open Day. • Talk to teachers. Do they seem enthusiastic about the school? Do you think they can develop and nurture your child’s curiosity and eagerness to learn? In other words,

would you like them to teach your child? • Look round the classrooms. Are they stimulating environments? Do you think you child would thrive here? • Look at the pupils’ work on display. Don’t just concentrate on the quality, look at how many pupils have work shown. Are they are just showcasing the work of a few talented pupils? • Listen to the headteacher. If they give a welcoming speech, do they have a vision and passion. This is the person who leads and shapes the school. His /her job is to motivate and inspire. Did you feel inspired? • Remember the purpose of your visit is to get a feel for the school. If you like what you see, then do more research. Ask if you can come in when it is a normal schoolday. No-one should refuse this request. • Ask questions. If there is anything you want to know, this is your opportunity.

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The original girls’ school

OPEN DAY – SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER 2017 – 10AM ‘Excellent in every area’ in its recent ISI inspection report, Roedean has a holistic approach to education which embraces the wonder and excitement of learning, develops the talents of every girl, and kindles new passions. Happy, relaxed, and engaged, the girls are challenged in their learning, play cricket with the sea behind them, enjoy accommodation which is like a boutique hotel, and grow up at their own pace.

www.roedean.co.uk SURREY CHAMBERS

Marketing

LOOK WHO’S TALKING Our series on the three pillars that support a successful brand concludes with your Personality – what you say, how you say it, and the face and character your brand presents to the world

hen we talk about building brands, we’re really talking about creating and sustaining relationships. These are most obviously external – between the business and its customers – but also internal: how your people feel about and relate to the brand will have an enormous influence on their willingness to go the extra mile for it (or even just do what they’re paid to do). If that relationship is going to be deep, lasting and mutually satisfying, it follows that the brand and the customer have to find things in common: shared tastes, likes, attitudes and experiences, someone to engage with on social media and be part of their everyday activities. A brand, therefore needs to take on a life and have a personality of its own. The most powerful way your brand expresses this is in its tone of voice. As the old adage goes: it’s not (just) what you say, it’s how you say it. And just as in human relationships, brands need to be sensitive to their audience and modify their language to suit. What technical jargon, slang, idioms and colloquialisms to use, and the impression they create, is a delicate balancing act that requires thought, care and a deep

understanding of your audience. Business or consumer, professional or leisure, technical or lifestyle: you need to be clear what your customer expects your brand to be, say and do in the context where they encounter it. For some brands, challenging convention and the status quo is precisely their raison d’être, but you have to be sure your audience knows this and is prepared to meet your brand on those terms. It’s all about knowing when to call a spade and spade, and when to call it a manual non-powered earth-moving implement.

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We can all spot a fake smile or weasel words at a hundred paces; if your brand looks or sounds in any way ‘off’ to your audience, they’ll notice

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In the same way, just as we choose clothes and accessories to make statements about ourselves, so brands need to select colours,

images, fonts and other elements that convey the right visual messages. In this context, engaging a professional graphic designer is just like hiring a stylist to do your hair and make-up and help you pick out an outfit that makes you grab and hold people’s attention for all the right reasons. But as we’ve seen with your brand proposition and positioning, your brand personality has to be more than just carefully chosen words and attractive, compelling looks. It has to be rooted in fundamental truth, and add something to your customer’s life and experience. Put simply, it has to be genuine. We can all spot a fake smile or weasel words at a hundred paces; if your brand looks or sounds in any way ‘off’ to your audience, they’ll notice and react accordingly. And as they get to know your brand, they’ll also detect when it says or does something ‘out of character’. Again, this is fine if shaking things up is part of your brand’s truth; in most cases, though, people take comfort in consistency and knowing who they’re dealing with. Which starts with knowing yourself.

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Digital Marketing

MONKEY BUSINESS Digital marketing plays an important role in business. Kate Morton talks to digital marketing guru, Beth Nash, to find out more about how this fast-paced industry inspired her to start up her own digital agency, Smart Monkey.

here’s no getting away from it. It’s part of our daily lives, and we are consuming it at an alarming rate via our smart phones, computers, laptops and tablets… welcome to the digital world. With access to information anytime and anywhere, apparently people spend more time on social media than they do eating and drinking, and at least 80% of consumers use the internet to search for products and information. So it’s no wonder that Google processes over 10 billion searches every month (that’s around 40,000 searches every second!). And for businesses, being techsavvy when it comes to their own marketing is essential. Beth Nash explains why.

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KM: What is Smart Monkey?

come from?

BN: We are a digital marketing agency growing small and medium sized businesses in Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

BN: I always wanted an animal in my company name as animals are memorable words. My brother runs a software company called Red Monkey, so I thought I’d keep it in the family.

KM: Why did you start Smart Monkey? BN: In 2005 I became a Chartered Marketer having completed a three year Post Graduate Diploma, which I studied for at evening school, followed by two years professional development. Having worked in a few marketing roles, firstly in the automotive industry, moving to an agency and then for a telecoms company, I knew that I could go it alone and develop a business on my own terms. So in 2006, I went for it. KM: Where did the name Smart Monkey

And ‘Smart’ relates to setting smart marketing objectives. KM: Can you briefly describe your services? BN: We have a track record of delivering results for businesses through SEO, PPC, content marketing and social advertising. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) involves optimising a website so that it appears for the keywords your prospects are searching for online. SEO is a longer-term strategy as

Digital Marketing it takes time to move up the search rankings, however, once your website is there, the clicks through to your site are free. SEO links very closely with content marketing as Google likes to rank useful, information rich websites. We thoroughly research our clients’ markets to ensure we create sought-after web content. PPC (Pay Per Click) is great for generating new business quickly as people are actively searching for your service or product, whilst advertising on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram is more about brand building. Beth Nash

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Google processes over 10 billion searches every month, that’s around 40,000 searches every second!

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KM: Why do you think digital marketing is so important? BN: Because of the number of people who use their phone and computer to find something. If you’re not online, people won’t find you! One of the most critical things for success online is the initial research. When we start working with a client, we carry out in-depth research to understand their business, market, competitors, target audiences, etc. Our aim is to get under the skin of their business and find out what makes it tick. Armed with this information, we develop a robust strategy with the confidence it will deliver. KM: What are your top five tips to get started in the digital world? BN: Make sure you have set up a Google My Business account, especially if you are a local business, so that people can find you on the map listings. Set up a website with well written content that’s of value to your target audience - think quality over quantity. Increase your Domain Authority (a score that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines) by building relevant, good quality incoming links from other websites. Start with a paid search campaign (PPC) to quickly assess the opportunity online before you invest in organic SEO. Last of all, if a

business is very ambitious and has solid growth plans, working with an agency like us would be a great start!

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Our aim is to get under the skin of their business and find out what makes it tick. Armed with this information, we develop a robust strategy with the confidence it will deliver.

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KM: What are your dos and don’ts?

• Do share interesting sought-after content through your social channels. • You don’t have to cover every single social media platform - choose what’s right for your target audience. KM: What’s your business ethos? BN: We provide a proactive and transparent service for our clients so that they know exactly what we are doing, when, and ultimately, how it will meet their objectives. We also have strong ethics and an unwavering commitment to keep our promises. KM: Where do you see the future of digital marketing? BN: The ‘way’ people search is changing… voice activated searches are increasing. Looking further into the future, I will be keeping an eye on personalisation of websites for individual visitors as well as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.

BN: • Do make sure you only use ‘White Hat’ SEO techniques, meaning that your SEO follows Google’s guidelines. • Do your research to understand your target audiences.

www.smartmonkey.co.uk beth@smartmonkey.co.uk @Bethanie_Nash

• Do make sure you have a social media policy for your staff, if your staff are posting. SURREY CHAMBERS

Super Growth Awards

SUPER STARS The fastest growing companies are announced at the Surrey Super Growth Awards 2017

he Surrey Super Growth Awards took place on Thursday 6th July at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking. Now in its second year, over 100 people attended this prestigious breakfast event to find out which were the fastest-growing private companies across the region.

Surrey Super Growth is a collaboration between asb law, Lloyds Bank and RSM. It is different from traditional business awards in that the finalists don’t apply to participate as the work is already done in their financial reports filed at Companies House. The turnover growth of companies that meet the awards criteria is assessed over a three-year accounting period to produce a finalist list.

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Surrey Super Growth is a celebration of business success across the county and the range of great companies included is proof that the local economy is in very good shape

accommodation and medium-rise hotels all featuring in its rapidly expanding portfolio. Commenting on the success, Steve Brown, Finance Director of Marbank Construction Ltd, said: “It was a huge pleasure to receive the award on behalf of everyone at Marbank. I’m delighted for the team, and my sincere thanks go to the organisers, asb law, Lloyds Bank and RSM. My own ‘take-away’ point on the day was the diversity of the companies present, and to realise that such impressive growth is being achieved by so many Surrey companies. It was exciting to hear snippets of their stories; and uplifting to realise the depth of the Surrey talent pool. I’m looking forward to seeing the list of next year’s finalists.” blu-3 (UK), a civil engineering and utility specialist, followed as runner-up, with a growth rate of 294%. Lee Lawrence, Preconstruction Director at blu-3 said: “I was honoured to have been asked to accept this award on behalf of blu-3 and be given the opportunity to meet so many successful business owners and their representatives. The growth that blu-3 has experienced year-onyear is a real achievement, and to be a part of the company’s continued success and a member of team blu-3 is a real privilege.” Third place was awarded to State Oil Ltd,

an independent importer and supplier of automotive and industrial fuels, with a growth rate of 226%.

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Growth is one very important aspect of the success both of the companies and thus of the region.

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Simon Fanshawe OBE, who hosted the awards presentation, explained the importance of these companies to the region: “Growth is one very important aspect of the success both of the companies and thus of the region. I was struck reading about the companies’ level of ambition, their variety, and their commitment to improving the quality of life in Surrey in the extremely volatile business environment of Brexit.” Each of the Surrey Super Growth sponsors also added their own congratulations to the finalists. Andrew Hoad, Partner at asb law LLP, explained: “asb law is delighted to have had the opportunity to congratulate the Surrey Super Growth finalists. To be recognised

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Popular broadcaster, writer and business consultant, Simon Fanshawe OBE, announced the Surrey Super Growth 2017 winner as Weybridge-based Marbank Construction Ltd, with an outstanding growth rate of 527%. The company has two decades of expertise in the design and construction of commercial buildings, retail parks and distribution centres. Marbank works across a variety of sectors, with bespoke residential properties, student

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The Surrey Super Growth 2017 winners (L to R) Andrew Clinton, Managing Partner, asb law LLP; Steve Brown, Finance Director, Marbank Construction Ltd, Sarah Nichols. Associate Director, RSM UK and Gavin Potter, Business Development Director, Lloyds Commercial Banking

Super Growth Awards as one of the 60 fastest-growing private companies is a fantastic achievement. It was a pleasure to be part of the awards breakfast and witness a room full of people exuding such positivity regarding the future of their businesses.” Nicola Haigh, South East and Thames Valley Area Director for Lloyds Commercial Banking, also commented: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Surrey Super Growth and may I offer our congratulations to all the finalists. Surrey Super Growth is a celebration of business success across the county, and the range of great companies included is proof that the local economy is in very good shape.” Jon Da Costa, Partner at global audit, tax and consultancy adviser RSM UK, continued: “RSM is proud to sponsor the Surrey Super Growth Awards and highlight Surrey’s great successful and very diverse businesses. Each of these businesses have three themes in common; firstly they have core values running through the business, secondly they embrace technology and finally they’re passionate about the service that they deliver to their customers.”

The Surrey Super Growth Awards will return in 2018.

Surrey Super Growth Awards Criteria • A privately-owned business, trading and registered in Surrey over measurement period. • Growth in turnover measured over a three year accounting period, based on latest full accounts information filed at Companies House. • Minimum turnover of £2m in base year and positive turnover growth in latest year.

Simon Fanshawe OBE hosted the presentation of the Surrey Super Growth finalist awards

THE SURREY SUPER GROWTH 2017 COMPANY NAME

GROWTH %

COMPANY NAME

Marbank Construction Ltd

527%

Fitzpatrick Referrals Ltd

76%

blu-3 (UK) Ltd

294%

Tony Gee & Partners LLP

73%

State Oil Ltd

226%

E-Resourcing Ltd

71%

Nurture Landscapes Ltd

187%

Space and Time Media Ltd

67%

H & V Serviceplan Ltd

166%

Topwest Ltd

67%

MGS Distribution Ltd

161%

Heywood Ltd

66%

Gift Universe Group Ltd

148%

McLaren Applied Technologies Ltd

66%

Leander Build Ltd

145%

Sian Wholesale Ltd

64%

SAV United Kingdom Ltd

142%

Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging Ltd

63%

Romans International Ltd

139%

Eteach UK Ltd

63%

Eveready Hire Ltd

130%

Martin Grant Homes Ltd

61%

Caspian Food Retailers Ltd

128%

TJW Contract Solutions Ltd

61%

O’Halloran & O’Brien Ltd

123%

Wates Living Space (Maintenance) Ltd

59%

E S Pipelines Ltd

121%

Day Lewis Medical Ltd

58%

Fileturn Ltd

120%

Fizz Experience Ltd

58%

Keltbray Group (Holdings) Ltd

116%

Albion Stone plc

57%

Windmill Organics Ltd

113%

Tekzone Sound and Vision Ltd

57%

HH Global Ltd

109%

Lovering Foods Ltd

54%

Vines Ltd

108%

Techtools (Morden) Ltd

53%

20 Net Coverage Solutions Ltd

108%

Dowlis Inspired Branding Ltd

53%

Recruitment Store UK Ltd

105%

TRG Logistics Ltd

53%

Independent Commercial Broking Ltd

101%

Domus Tiles Ltd

49%

23 Ultrasun (UK) Ltd

99%

Memset Ltd

48%

24 Harvey Water Softeners Ltd

97%

Dwellcourt Ltd

48%

25 Management & Construction Services Ltd

94%

Roles Broderick Roofing Ltd

47%

26 Explore Learning Ltd

91%

Chemidex Pharma Ltd

47%

Natta Building Company Ltd

85%

Celtic Contractors Ltd

46%

28 Greenshields Cowie & Co Ltd

82%

Unicorn Ingredients Ltd

46%

29 Motofix Accident Repair Centres Ltd

78%

New England Seafood International Ltd

46%

30 Stackhouse Poland Ltd

76%

Longacres Garden Centre Ltd

44%

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Business Awards

LEATHERHEAD & DISTRICT BUSINESS AWARDS 2017

he Leatherhead & District Business Awards 2017 winners and runners-up were announced at a ceremony in July at St John’s School, Leatherhead hosted by Clare Cowan of BBC Surrey. Supported by headline sponsor ExxonMobil, the awards scheme has highlighted Leatherhead & District as the location of choice for successful companies. With excellent transport links and premises, the area is home to world-class corporates, retailers and innovative small enterprises. The Leatherhead Business Awards are designed to put the spotlight on the achievements of these companies and business leaders and to celebrate their success. Nominations were received across the six categories this year. David Eglinton, Regional Adviser, Public and Government Affairs for ExxonMobil said: “We were delighted to continue our support of the Leatherhead & District Business Awards again this year. The Awards provide an excellent opportunity to showcase local businesses, highlighting the strength and diversity of our business community”. The awards are also supported by Mole Valley District Council, the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce, Prowse & Co. Ltd, the Gatwick Diamond Initiative and Surrey Chambers Magazine Joanne Rogers, Managing Director of Prowse & Co. who created the Awards said: “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the finalists and to thank the judges and sponsors along with all those who put forward nominations. The evening was a huge success with a great feel-good factor!” Jackie Quinn, President of the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the Business of the Year category said: “The Leatherhead Business Awards offer a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to demonstrate how great they really are. There were a huge number of entries this year so everyone who reached the finals as well as the winners, should be incredibly proud of their achievement. My business, Jackie Quinn Estate Agents, won Business of the Year award in 2011 and since then, business has doubled. I believe this is because winning this prestigious award gives you fantastic credibility and inspires all team members to do their very best.”

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THE RESULTS BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2017 sponsored by the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce Winner: Waytime Technologies Ltd. Shortlisted: Sell Electrical & Liquid Productions Waytime Technologies is a Leatherhead based IT services and consultancy business that helps other companies sort out their IT. Established since 2004, the company has clients in all sorts of industries – from manufacturing to accountancy and oil & gas to transport planning.

Business Awards INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by the Gatwick Diamond Initiative Winner: HH Global. Shortlisted: Haltermann Carless & Cara Technology HH Global delivers marketing execution for print, packaging and creative services. The company works with some of the largest and most progressive global brands including Google, HP, HSBC and PepsiCo. Originally formed as a print broker in 1991, following a management buy-out in 2002 by Robert MacMillan, the company has grown significantly. Today HH Global employs 900+ staff and has offices across Europe, the US, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD sponsored by Prowse & Co. Ltd Winner: Helen Bullen Shortlisted: Be Kassapian & Peter Snell A registered Osteopath, Helen Bullen is well known in her profession. Over the past seven years, Helen has grown her company, Fine Fettle, to have more than 4,000 clients. Fine Fettle is a clinic with 20 part-time Associate Therapists and a team of five reception staff. Helen has also set up a coaching and mentoring business which she runs under her own name. She was involved in setting up the first Osteopathic degree course in Dublin and was the Vice Principal of the college for three years. She trains instructors from the Army, Navy and RAF and Helen is a committee member of the Bookham Traders Association.

START UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Mole Valley District Council Winner: First Hand Recruitment Shortlisted: SMART Business Supplies Ltd & Liquid Gold Whisky Co First Hand Recruitment Ltd was founded by Andrew Dunne, who has more than 10 years recruitment experience. His business recruits skilled technical staff for customers across the UK operating in the areas of Defence, Security & Technical Engineering.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY AWARD sponsored by Exxon Mobil Winner: Bocketts Farm Park Shortlisted: The Royal British Legion Industries @ B@titude Bocketts Farm Park was chosen because of its contribution to the lives of many children in the local community. A family business, it has become a real attraction in the area, coping with more than 20,000 children visiting it on school trips every year.

RETAIL/HOSPITALITY ESTABLISHMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD sponsored by Surrey Chambers Magazine Winner: Barton’s Bookshop Shortlisted: Bike Beans Cycle Café & AuBel Chocolates Barton’s Bookshop was established eight and a half years ago by Peter Barton to “run the style of bookshop that he would like to visit and use”. He encourages parents to bring reluctant readers to Barton’s to try a selection of hand-picked children’s books. He says, “I firmly believe that there are no non-readers; it is simply that they haven’t found the right book yet.”

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The Big Story

THE MAN THAT MADE GEEKS COOL ❝ M by Maarten Hoffmann

ark Zuckerberg is one of those incredibly annoying people - 33 years old with the face of a 12 year old and the fifth richest person on the planet, with a bank account showing over $62 billion. These days it seems there is only one way to get there that fast and that is in the digital and online sphere, meaning that if you are not hard at it at the age of 15, you have missed the boat. Zuckerberg founded Facebook from his dorm at Harvard University in 2004 and it was originally designed as a method of communication for students. Little did he know at the time quite what a behemoth it would become and, one might say, it has become the most socially life-changing invention since the horseless carriage.

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Facebook uses a complicated series of shell companies in tax havens to avoid paying billions of dollars in corporate tax.

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He was born in White Plains, New York in 1984 of a dentist Father and a psychiatrist Mother and won prizes at school in maths, astronomy and physics and attended the John Hopkins Centre for Talented Youths summer camp. On his college application he noted he could read and write French, Hebrew, Latin and ancient Greek and was captain of the fencing team.

Whilst the ‘cool’ kids were at the beach chasing girls and tequila, Zuckerberg was at the very uncool summer camp and labelled a prime geek. His Father aided his rapid programming development by hiring software developer David Newman, to privately tutor his son. Newman quickly claimed him a prodigy and moaned that it was really tough to keep up with him. According to writer Jose Antonio Vargas, “some kids played computer games.

Mark created them.” Zuckerberg himself recalls this period: “I had a bunch of friends who were artists. They’d come over, draw stuff, and I’d build a game out of it.” However, notes Vargas, Zuckerberg was not a typical “geek-klutz”, as he later became captain of his prep school fencing team and earned a classics

The Big Story because its popularity had overwhelmed one of Harvard’s network switches and prevented students from accessing the Internet. In addition, many students complained that their photos were being used without permission. Zuckerberg apologised publicly, and the student paper ran articles stating that his site was “completely improper.”

diploma. Napster co-founder Sean Parker, a close friend, notes that Zuckerberg was “really into Greek odysseys and all that stuff”, recalling how he once quoted lines from the Roman epic poem Aeneid, by Virgil, during a Facebook product conference. During Zuckerberg’s high school years, he worked under the company name Intelligent Media Group to build a music player called the Synapse Media Player. The device used machine learning to learn the user’s listening habits, which was posted to Slashdot and received a rating of 3 out of 5 from PC Magazine. Vargas noted that by the time Zuckerberg began classes at Harvard, he had already achieved a “reputation as a programming prodigy”. He studied psychology and computer science and belonged to Alpha Epsilon Pi and Kirkland House. In his sophomore year, he wrote a programme that he called CourseMatch, which allowed users to make

The following semester, in January 2004, Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched “Thefacebook”, originally located at thefacebook.com. Six days after the site launched, three Harvard seniors accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection. com, while he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product. The three complained to The Harvard Crimson, and the newspaper began an investigation in response. Following the official launch of the Facebook social media platform, the three filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg that resulted in a settlement. The agreed settlement was for 1.2 million Facebook shares that were worth US$300 million at Facebook’s IPO.

that Jobs had advised him on how to create a management team at Facebook that was “focused on building as high quality and good things as you possibly can”. In a public Facebook post, Zuckerberg launched the Internet.org project in late August 2013. Zuckerberg explained that the primary aim of the initiative is to provide Internet access to the 5 billion people who are not connected as of the launch date. Using a three-tier strategy, Internet.org will also create new jobs and open up new markets, according to Zuckerberg. He stated in his post: “The world economy is going through a massive transition right now. The knowledge economy is the future. By bringing everyone online, we’ll not only improve billions of lives, but we’ll also improve our own as we benefit from the ideas and productivity they contribute to the world. Giving everyone the opportunity to connect is the foundation for enabling the knowledge economy. It is not the only thing we need to do, but it’s a fundamental and necessary step.” A movie based on Zuckerberg and the founding years of Facebook, The Social

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There is something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in ten years, when millions of students can’t afford to pay off their loans

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Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard in his sophomore year to complete his project. In

class selection decisions based on the choices of other students and also to help them form study groups. A short time later, he created a different programme he initially called Facemash that let students select the best looking person from a choice of photos. According to Arie Hasit, Zuckerberg’s roommate at the time, “he built the site for fun”. Hasit explains “We had books called Face Books, which included the names and pictures of everyone who lived in the student dorms. At first, he built a site and placed two pictures of two males and two females. Visitors to the site had to choose who was “hotter” and according to the votes there would be a ranking.

January 2014, he recalled: “I remember really vividly, you know, having pizza with my friends a day or two after I opened up the first version of Facebook and at the time I thought, “You know, someone needs to build a service like this for the world.” But I just never thought that we’d be the ones to help do it. And I think a lot of what it comes down to is we just cared more”

The site went up over a weekend, but by Monday morning, the college shut it down,

In a 2011 interview with PBS shortly after the death of Steve Jobs, Zuckerberg said

Facebook was born and has been a hard to control bucking bronco ever since. Facebook was so well received that is took on a life of its own and Zuckerberg’s team have been trying to get ahead of the game ever since.

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The Big Story

Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan Network was released on October 1, 2010, and starred Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg. After Zuckerberg was told about the film, he responded, “I just wished that nobody made a movie of me while I was still alive.” Also, after the film’s script was leaked on the Internet and it was apparent that the film would not

portray Zuckerberg in a wholly positive light, he stated that he wanted to establish himself as a “good guy”. The film is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, which the book’s publicist once described as “big juicy fun” rather than “reportage”. The film’s screenwriter Aaron Sorkin told New York

magazine, “I don’t want my fidelity to be the truth; I want it to be storytelling”, adding, “What is the big deal about accuracy purely for accuracy’s sake, and can we not have the true be the enemy of the good?” Upon winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture in 2011, producer Scott Rudin thanked Facebook and Zuckerberg “for his willingness to allow us to use his life and work as a metaphor through which to tell a story about communication and the way we relate to each other.” Sorkin, who won for Best Screenplay, retracted some of the impressions given in his script: “I wanted to say to Mark Zuckerberg tonight, if you’re watching, Rooney Mara’s character makes a prediction at the beginning of the movie. She was wrong. You turned out to be a great entrepreneur, a visionary, and an incredible altruist.” On January 29, 2011, Zuckerberg made a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, which was being hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. They both said it was the first time they ever met. Eisenberg asked Zuckerberg, who had been critical of his portrayal by the film, what he thought of the movie. Zuckerberg replied, “It was interesting.” In a subsequent interview about their meeting, Eisenberg explains that he was “nervous to meet him, because I had spent a year and a half thinking about him. Mark has been so gracious about something that’s really so uncomfortable. The fact that he would do SNL and make fun of the situation is so sweet and so generous. It’s the best possible

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The Big Story way to handle something that, I think, could otherwise be very uncomfortable. Zuckerberg’s attention had now been drawn to politics, with rumours of his intention to run for President of the United States. He has never revealed his own political views: some consider him a conservative, while others consider him liberal. In 2013, Zuckerberg hosted his first ever fundraising event for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Zuckerberg’s particular interest on this occasion was education reform, and Christie’s education reform work focused on teachers unions and the expansion of charter schools. Later that year, he hosted a campaign fundraiser for Newark mayor Cory Booker, who was running in the 2013 New Jersey special Senate election. In September 2010, with the support of Governor Chris Christie, Booker obtained a US$100 million pledge from Zuckerberg to Newark Public Schools. In December 2012, Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a community organisation that includes education in its list of grant-making areas.

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Zuckerberg’s attention had now been drawn to politics, with rumours of his intention to run for President of the United States.

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Zuckerberg led the launch of a lobbying group called FWD.us. The founders and contributors to the group were primarily Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors, and its president was Joe Green, a close friend of Zuckerberg. The goals of the group include immigration reform, improving the state of education in the United States, and enabling more technological breakthroughs that benefit the public, yet it has also been criticised for financing ads advocating a variety of oil and gas development initiatives, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Keystone XL pipeline. In 2013, numerous liberal and progressive groups, agreed to either pull their Facebook ad buys or not buy Facebook ads for at least two weeks, in protest of Zuckerberg ads funded by FWD.us that were in support of oil drilling and the Keystone XL pipeline, and in opposition to Obamacare among Republican United States senators who back immigration reform.

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The Big Story filed a petition in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, asking for a court order to enforce an administrative summons issued to Facebook, Inc., under Internal Revenue Code section 7602, in connection with an Internal Revenue Service examination of Facebook’s year 2010 U.S. Federal income tax return.

When questioned about the mid-2013 PRISM scandal at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Zuckerberg stated that the U.S. government “blew it.” He further explained that the government performed poorly in regard to the protection of the freedoms of its citizens, the economy, and companies. In January 2017, Zuckerberg criticised Donald Trump’s executive order to severely limit immigrants and refugees from some countries. It would appear that the election of Donald Trump to the Oval Office has inspired him to move forward with his own political beliefs and, with his utter domination of the digital space and sufficient cash in the bank, his ability to bankroll his own campaign is not in doubt. At the start of the year, he embarked on a tour of every state in the US, saying he wanted to better understand how peoples’ lives are being changed by globalisation and technology. The tour, on which he has been meeting groups from sports teams to church congregations, sparked speculation that he might be considering running for president. He wrote a 6,000- word letter, which some called a Facebook manifesto, about how he wants the platform to improve the “global community” by making it safer, better informed and more civically engaged. First he will have to deal with the most pressing problem that Facebook faces, that of an increasing number of Western governments demanding that the company act against terrorist extremism, fake news, under-age porn and cyber bullying that plague the online space. It would appear that his sheltered early life did not allow him to look forward to the depraved wickedness that would swamp Facebook and now the company is struggling to police the system before legislation is passed to force them to do so. And here lies the problem. With 2 billion users every month, five new profiles created every second, 83 billion fake profiles and 300 million images uploaded per day, this is a problem of massive proportions. Safeguards built in when the system was designed might have been able to control this but retrograde solutions are nigh

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on impossible. The use of Facebook can have psychological effects, including feelings of jealousy and stress, a lack of attention, and social media addiction, in some cases comparable to drug addiction.

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So the company is beset with problems but if you think they are going anywhere soon, you would be sorely mistaken.

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Facebook’s company tactics have also received prominent coverage, including electricity usage, tax avoidance, real-name user requirement policies, censorship and its involvement in the United States PRISM surveillance programme.

Facebook uses a complicated series of shell companies in tax havens to avoid paying billions of dollars in corporate tax. For example, in 2011, Facebook paid £2.9m tax on £840m profits, no tax in 2012, no tax in 2013, and £4,327 in 2014 on hundreds of millions of pounds in UK revenues which were transferred to tax havens. Facebook routes billions of dollars in profits using the Double Irish and Dutch Sandwich tax avoidance schemes to bank accounts in the Cayman Islands. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice

Due to allowing users to publish material by themselves, Facebook has come under scrutiny for the amount of freedom it gives users, including copyright and intellectual property infringement, hate speech, incitement of rape, terrorism, fake news, and crimes, murders and violent incidents live-streamed through its Facebook Live functionality. Facebook was recently shaken by allegations that it could have influenced the election by accelerating the spread of fake news, much of which supported Donald Trump, and creating filter bubbles, where voters were not shown news beyond their own viewpoint. The platform has been banned by several governments, including Syria, China, and Iran but this originates from their desire to control the population rather than their outrage. So the company is beset with problems but if you think they are going anywhere soon, you would be sorely mistaken. The Facebook generation is here and life will never be quite the same again. I am sure the same worries were voiced when the first car scared the living daylights out of a horse, the first plane roared across the sky and the first computer relieved us all of having to use tipex. There can be little doubt that this genius multi-billionaire has good intentions and has voiced his intention to give 99% of his money away to good causes. In the two hours it has taken me to write this profile he has earned $2.5 million, so perhaps he had better hurry as he is making it faster than he can give it away. Proof, if proof were needed, that geeks are now cool.

Website Design

NEW WEB LOOK FOR CHAMBERS Akiko Design launches new responsive website for Surrey Chambers.

kiko Design Limited were delighted when approached by Surrey Chambers of Commerce to design and build their new, fully responsive website. Members of the Akiko Design team set to work to create a new look and feel for the Surrey Chambers website that works equally well across desktop and mobile devices. David Evans, Managing Director of Akiko Design Ltd commented, “Surrey Chambers do a fantastic job of bringing together and raising the profile of thousands of businesses in the county. As a Surrey-based business ourselves, we were thrilled to be given the opportunity to build this new interactive website.” Louise Punter, CEO of Surrey Chambers of Commerce said, “Surrey Chambers is an ideal vehicle for businesses to consider as part of their marketing strategy. It is imperative that our website allows members to connect with each other and generate new business in an effective and user-friendly way.” On all their projects, which range from microsites to huge e-commerce platforms, Akiko Design aim to produce unique digital experiences for their clients. The first step is to agree a strategy that will deliver the type of website the client wants and needs. This involves helping clients choose between responsive and adaptive design and then tailoring the build to meet their needs by

integrating key marketing tools such as video, social media and other marketing collateral. Jay Horner, Director and Co-founder of Akiko Design Ltd said, “Good design expresses a company’s core brand values and positions it ahead of the competition. We create digital communications that enable our clients to engage with their target audience and establish their reputation.” Having worked with a number of top brands, Akiko Design have established an excellent creative reputation and a track record for clear strategic thinking. The iconic British fashion brand, Ghost, recently commissioned Akiko Design to provide a rebrand and redesign of their website and the UK’s number one promotional merchandise

company, Sourcing City, relies on Akiko Design to provide a wide range of digital solutions. Over the last seven years Akiko has developed vast product directories, mobile apps, bespoke search tools and e-shots for Sourcing City; the website is renowned for always being ahead of the game and has won two British Promotional Marketing Association awards, including Best Website of the Year. David Long, Founder & Chairman of Sourcing City commented, “The Akiko Design team are innovative and creative, with excellent finished products, and are always a pleasure to work with.” In today’s modern world, mobile apps continue to go from strength to strength and Akiko Design are just about to launch a brand new one for online women’s health magazine, Healthista; it will combine the knowledge of health experts with the experiences of Healthista’s female readers in a new and exciting way. Definitely one for women on the move! As part of their suite of services, Akiko Design can also offer compelling 3D animations for technical demonstrations, reality simulations, special effects, product launches and much more.

Visit the new Surrey Chambers website www.surrey-chambers.co.uk Contact Akiko Design on 01483 510510 SURREY CHAMBERS

Travel - Dusseldorf

Shake hands in...

DUSSELDORF

Rose Dykins finds fast cars, high fashion and Japanese culture in the dynamic German city.

he glassy canal of Konigsallée is tinged deep blue by the sky above it. It is sandwiched by two rows of plane trees flourishing with lime green foliage. On both sides, well heeled shoppers relax at bistro tables, giving their credit cards a well deserved break after flexing them at Hermés, Prada, Versace and Cartier – some of the luxury flagship stores located along this leafy avenue. Clusters of somewhat scruffier folk linger at the traffic lights on Konigsallée’s corners, but they aren’t waiting to cross the street. When the red light flashes, so do the crowd’s cameras, as one exotic sports car after another slows to a halt – a yellow Lamborghini Garlado Roadster here, a bubblegum blue Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano there. These car spotters are in their element in Dusseldorf, where there are more millionaires than any other German city, appoximately one per 1,500 people.

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Though Dusseldorf’s centre gleams with sleek shiny car bonnets and swanky shopping centres, its suburbs harbour a subversive spirit and a more bohemian culture, conducive to the freeflowing of ideas.

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Dusseldorf’s strong economy is diverse, and the North Rhine-Westphalia’s GDP of approximately €645 billion is propped up

by a range of industries thriving within the city, including automotive manufacturing, ICT, finance, chemistry and fashion. In terms of international investment, Dusseldorf’s convenient position in the northwestern corner of Germany, within close proximity to Belgium, the Netherlands and France, has been sought after by one nation in particular. “After the Second World War, Japanese companies settled here because of Dusseldorf’s strong geographical location, in the hope of trade with western nations,” says my tour guide, Marion. “Now, we have somewhere between 550 and 650 companies from Japan here”. These companies include Fujitsu and department store chain Mitsukoshi. Dusseldorf is also home to the third largest Japanese population in Europe (after London and Paris, respectively). There’s even a “Little Tokyo” district in the centre of the city. A

Travel - Dusseldorf Konigsallée

couple of minutes on foot from Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof station is Immermannstrasse, the main drag of the city’s Japanese quarter (where Japan’s Chamber of Commerce is also located). Along here, and along the streets branching off of it, are Japanese supermarkets, bookstores, bakeries and restaurants, including Na Ni Wa (naniwa.de) where, any day of the week, you’ll see people sitting on benches outside, queuing for delicious bowls of noodles and soup.

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city’s avant-garde art culture, which challenges fixed perceptions of art. “The art scene here is moulded by the Dusseldorf Art Academy,” says local art historian Natalia Gershevskaya, who moved here from St Petersburg. “In the Sixties, it was artists like Joseph Beuys who formulated a new concept of art. Then came the whole generation of the avant-garde artists, who expressed their creativity not only through their art, but also through their lifestyle”.

This rejection of fixed definitions of art, and the experimental work of Dusseldorf’s avant-garde pioneers, influenced the concept that fashion could, in fact, be an art form. The two art forms went hand-in hand and today, the city has become known for its innovation in both fields. Today, art lovers still travel to Dusseldorf to request specially commissioned pieces; and the city stages several international fashion trade fairs, including Gallery

Dusseldorf Art Academy

As well as Little Tokyo, Dusseldorf has also gained the moniker of “Little Paris”, thanks to its internationally renowned fashion industry.

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As well as Little Tokyo, Dusseldorf has also gained the moniker of “Little Paris”, thanks to its internationally renowned fashion industry. Its innovative fashion scene is rooted in the SURREY CHAMBERS

Travel - Dusseldorf (gallery-duesseldorf.de), which takes place twice annually. There are 800 show rooms within its limits, where fashion buyers come from afar to seek out striking clothing to sell back at home. What’s more, there are seven fashion schools and, aside from the established designers, a slew of emerging talent. While some feel the city could do more to support young self-starters, who often move on after graduating due to the lack of funding and expensive rental fees, Dusseldorf’s creative

streak is tangible throughout the city. “We have a very good creative scene and a really collaborative atmosphere,” says Marion Strehlow (marion-strehlow.squarespace.com) a Dusseldorf-based designer. “Because we’re a small city, everybody knows everybody, and there’s a lot of mutual respect between musicians and artists here”. Though Dusseldorf’s centre gleams with sleek shiny car bonnets and swanky shopping centres, its suburbs harbour a subversive spirit and a more bohemian culture,

conducive to the free-flowing of ideas. Artistic collaborations abound, and there are a number of festivals where visitors can witness these in action, such as Open Source (opensource-festival.de) which takes place in July, and provides a platform for some fascinating co-creative projects. “Artists, musicians and fashion designers all come together here, often through self-initiated events,” says Gershevskaya. “It’s extremely productive for all parties, and it makes the city of Dusseldorf a very interesting place to be”.

WHERE TO EAT

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OKINII

A buzzy setting for a sushi lunch on Immermannstrasse (the main drag of the city’s Japanese quarter), where you order staggered sets of sashimi, succulent gyoza and flavoursome yaki tori via iPads. Definitely try the fried Okinni rolls – salmon sushi rolls fried in batter and drizzled with avocado sauce. okinii.de

EMMAFISCH A vast, laid-back venue in a converted building on the edge of Volksgarten park, with eclectic chairs, garden lanterns and mermaids grafittied upon the far wall. High-quality ingredients and excellent attention to detail make the fish, steak, pasta dishes and tapas here special, from the butterfish with tomato confit, to the dates wrapped in bacon. emmafisch.com

➠ CARLSPLATZ MARKT Grab a hefty hotdog and an Altbier – Dusseldorf’s crispy, fruity locally brewed beer – and watch the world go buy at this vibrant market in the heart of Old Town. More than 60 stalls selling international cuisine, artisan coffee and handmade sweet treats will keep you occupied during a lunch break, and the Rhine embankment promenade is a short stroll away. carlsplatz-markt.de

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Travel - Dusseldorf

TOP PLACES FOR A MEETING/EVENT MESSE DUSSELDORF

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Dusseldorf’s big daddy conference venue lies northwest of the city centre – a ten-minute taxi ride from the airport. Covering 305,000 sqm, with another trade hall being added for 2019, it staged 23 leading global trade fairs last year, and welcomed 1.5 billion visitors. messe-duesseldorf.com

K21 STAENDEHAUS This striking art venue, comprising 22 rooms set over three levels, presents the work of groundbreaking international artists within its airy, modern spaces, which can be hired for events, workshops or group tours. kunstsammlung.de

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STATION AIRPORT

Start your event the moment delegates get off the plane by hosting at Dusseldorf Airport’s long-distance railway station. There’s more than 3,500 sqm of flexible event space to choose from, including an outdoor terrace with panoramic runway views and a glass-roofed gallery VIP area. stationairport.de

ME AND ALL HOTEL DUSSELDORF This trendy hotel in the Japanese quarter has a smart co-working area in its lobby – a long boardroom table for ten delegates – which could be ideal if your team feels motivated by external stimuli. There’s also an eleventh floor lounge serving drinks and street food for when the hard work is done. duesseldorf.meandallhotels.com

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RHEINTERRASSE DÜSSELDORF Enjoying a prime location along the Rhine River, this 1920s-era building retains the glamour and hedonism of its age. It has five halls, a beer garden and a jetty allowing guests to arrive by boat. stockheim.de

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More destinations than any other UK airport

Source: OAG schedules 2016

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Gatwick Airport

ON A HIGH G

Record year of investment takes Gatwick Airport past its 45 million passengers milestone.

atwick Airport recently published its results for the year ended 31st March 2017 as the airport smashed through the 45 million annual passengers milestone in June. Gatwick has also just completed the biggest year of investment in the airport’s history, as it continues to deliver on its ambitious plans for growth. The airport’s annual results are the latest demonstration of Gatwick’s impressive growth record with 44.1 million passengers passing through the airport in 2016/17 - an increase of 3.2 million passengers (7.7%). This growth has been matched by record levels of service for the airport’s passengers, with customer satisfaction and advocacy at an all-time high. Long-haul continues to be a success story, with routes growing by 13.6% and now represents one in five of Gatwick’s passengers. As capacity issues become a challenge, the airport will continue to see considerable growth in passenger numbers as airlines swap

short-haul for long-haul services. Norwegian’s new route to Buenos Aires using a B787 Dreamliner, for instance, will replace a shorthaul European service in Gatwick’s schedule. Further growth across a broad range of travel markets with long-haul traffic, European business routes and destinations, have all combined to fuel a record-breaking year and provided a boost for local and national business. Gatwick is due to welcome the world’s longest low-cost long-haul route - to Singapore - this September. North Atlantic routes were up by 38.7%, with the two new routes launched by Norwegian in the year - Las Vegas and Oakland, and San Francisco - contributing to this growth. Norwegian is set to further increase its US routes from Gatwick, with Denver and Seattle starting this September, and a further direct route to Buenos Aires starting in February 2018. Meanwhile, China Airlines will be adding to Gatwick’s Asia routes by starting a new service to Taipei in December

2017, bringing Gatwick’s total long-haul routes to 60. Several airlines have also increased frequencies on routes and introduced new destinations with Cathay Pacific, increasing to daily, the frequency of their Hong Kong service, and Rwandair providing a new service to Kigali. Average seats per air traffic movement increased by four seats per movement, reflecting the airport’s increased long-haul flights. Meanwhile, air traffic movements increased by 4.9% to 280,000 ATMs annually, with the airport serving more than 177,000 passengers in its busiest day. Gatwick’s vital role within the UK economy was demonstrated by growth on domestic routes of +10.3%, as passengers took advantage of the regional services available from the London airport, best connected to the rest of the UK.

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International Trade

READY, SET, EXPORT

In June we welcomed over 50 businesses to the Ready, Set, Export event focussing on new exporters which was held in the HG Wells Conference Centre, Woking and partnered with the Department for International Trade and supported by Woking Works. Those who attended heard from experts in their field and from a local business case study, Silent Pool Gin and their incredible export journey. All important connections were made after the event where delegates could visit the partner village to gain additional information and advice.

n the 13th July we held the second Ready, Set, Export event in Reigate focussing on the ASEAN regions and we’re joined by local business case study Sesame Access Systems. Our members Surrey Translation Bureau wrote a blog post about the Woking event:

Surrey Chambers of Commerce Export Breakfast Briefing: Overcoming the barriers to export Did you know that companies who export are 11% more likely to stay in business and will see a 30% increase in productivity in the first

year of exporting? Exporting is great for companies, not just to increase sales, boost profits and increase productivity, but also to reduce the risk associated with operating in a single marketgetting gravely affected by any political or economic “uncertainty” within that country. If you have just started exporting or are

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International Trade thinking about it, you can get a lot of support from various different organisations that work both locally and nationally in the UK to help you expand your business and overcome the typical barriers to export. These include the different Chambers spread across UK and even internationally, Department of International Trade, Enterprise Europe Network, Growth Hub and many more. They organise a lot of events to offer guidance, alongside one to one support and wealth of useful literature. One such event was organised by Surrey Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Department of International Trade (DIT) in Woking. The Export Breakfast Briefing kicked off with an insightful talk by Rob Lewtas from DIT who provided some interesting statistics to start with. As an exporter, you will be faced with some anticipated and few unexpected challenges when you deal with the government, local bodies and customers in a foreign country. Finding the right customers, legal risks, logistics and communications were just some of the barriers Rob highlighted in his presentation. It is easy to get baffled or deterred by all these hurdles, but with an effective export plan, the right paperwork and proper support system, you will certainly be able to grow your business globally. You need to ensure that you are connected to the services you would require in this process, from intellectual property lawyers, translation companies to digital marketing agencies. Do your research or approach your local Chamber or institutions like DIT to help you make these connections. All of these organisations usually keep a list of suppliers for various services that are entailed in the exporting journey at different stages.

International Trade Event: • 11th September 2107 Impact of Brexit on International Trade Practice and Procedures. 1.30pm - 5pm • Member Rate: £150 +VAT, Non Member Rate: £200.00 +VAT • Venue: Arcom IT, Export House, Cawsey Way, Woking GU21 6QX The UK Government “Brexit” White Paper suggests that the UK will be seeking a new strategic relationship with the European Union encompassing a free trade agreement.

The White Paper implies that World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules will form the basis of our future trading relationships with the rest of the world. Whatever the final form of these agreements, existing UK trading practice and procedures with The EU and Rest of World are going to change. The reintroduction of UK borders will mean that there will have to be very significant modification to the physical, documentary and IT infrastructure that underpins international trade.

This is the reason why we were exhibiting at the event. Surrey Translation Bureau is a member of Surrey Chambers of Commerce and can help you overcome the communication barrier with your international customers and also ensure you have all your paperwork in the right language for your target country. Whether it is your website, marketing material, technical manuals or legal records, getting your collaterals translated by a professional agency like ours will iron out some of the creases in exporting. Get in touch with us at hello@ surreytranslation.co.uk or 01252 733999 to discuss how we can help your company expand internationally.

SURREY CHAMBERS

Exporting

WORLDWIDE OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Think Globally & Capitalise on the Market Potential for British Businesses Abroad! By Joshua Madden, Coast to Capital LEP

ave you considered exporting? It’s not just for conglomerates or manufacturers, in fact there is a strong appetite for British goods and services all over the world regardless of sector. Companies the world over are eager to buy from Britain because of its reputation for high quality, reliability, and value.

Why should you export? The Department for International Trade (DIT) research shows that businesses that export are in a more stable and sustainable position being 11% more likely to stay in business1, and tend to benefit from a 30% increase in productivity2 within their first year of exporting. Conducting business overseas also gives you and your business a broader perspective, encourages innovation, and spreads the risks associated with fluctuating exchange rates and demand across different markets. This is especially true in the case of British firms, for whom demand in markets around the world remains very strong.

How can you reach these markets? Support is available through many different organisations, including those organising trade visits around the world, such as DIT, UK-ASEAN Business Council, Enterprise Nation, and the British Chambers of Commerce. Comprehensive support is available from DIT who have worked alongside Coast to Capital to allocate £2m for the recently launched Export ASEAN project3, established to provide businesses with the expertise and support to export to countries in Asia Pacific (though the support is also available for exporters to other global locations). DIT provides twelve hours of

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free advice to help you develop your export strategy, and provides financial support which helps fund businesses to present at exhibitions at over 250 locations worldwide. If you are looking to grow your brand internationally and show the world that you are open for business, now is the time to start! Doing business abroad is far more than shipping goods, it also includes software development, consulting, food and drink, and all other sectors of business. In fact, if you are selling or have sold to a client on the European mainland, you already are exporting! Surrey Chambers of Commerce also offers a comprehensive range of International Trade Services, including an export document service, letters of credit & a foreign exchange service, amongst other services that make the export process much simpler. So why not call the Growth Hub on 0800 977 4146 and let us help you on your way to giving your product a global audience.

About us: Coast to Capital’s Growth Hub provides a free and impartial service that supports all stages and sizes of business with information, advice and guidance necessary to help grow your business.

To find out more visit www. c2cbusiness.org.uk Or email: info@business-navigator.org.uk. *1-2Data taken from Department for International Trade (DIT) material *3 Data taken from: http://www.c2cbusiness.org.uk/storage/ downloads/1499434829_erdf_project_flyer_-_asean. pdf

Public Speaking

PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP NO 4 Remember to smile!

hy do we put ourselves through the sweaty palms, the butterfly stomach of public speaking, that feeling of wanting to be somewhere else? Why don’t we simply send a Snapchat, whiz a WhatsApp? After all, that’s the way the world communicates today… Why bother building these skills? Actually, you know why. You’ve been to enough events, conferences and meetings to know that the confident speaker is more likely to have their story heard, and becomes the ‘go to’ person in the room; evolution has hard wired us to accord respect & authority to you, and yes, listen to you when you speak confidently. And surely you want to be successful in taking your message to your audience, building your opportunities to win business? So here’s a tip.

How will you leave your audience feeling? You’re giving a presentation in the morning, perhaps to clients, perhaps an internal meeting. Your notes are ready, your slides are prepared, you’ve rehearsed. What could be missing? To quote from Maya Angelou, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. How will you leave your audience feeling? Think of some of the best presentations that you’ve experienced. Of course the content is important, but I’ll lay odds that part of that experience for you as a member of the audience is how the presenter made you feel welcome, and feel engaged. Top Tip No 4: remember to smile! Easy to say, and easy to dismiss as obvious. But when the nerves strike, when the adrenaline is racing, we do need to remember the basics, remember to do when we’re presenting what we would automatically do in day to day interaction. Here’s an experiment for you. When you are next in conversation around the table, whether in a meeting or at home, deliberately smile and watch for the reaction. More times than not, a good percentage of the people around the table will automatically smile back at you, simply

because you smiled at them. Remember this as you stand up to deliver your presentation; smile at the audience, and a proportion of the audience will automatically smile back at you. Simply by remembering to do something you would instinctively do in a 1-2-1 meeting, you’ve just helped with the engagement with your audience, helped your audience better remember you. And all you did was smile….

Looking for more public speaking tips? If this resonates with you, I work with a range of businesses, from Corporate & SME teams to Director level 1-2-1 coaching, in workshops that run from a few hours to a full day with a model that suits you, building confidence in presenting, confidence in speaking in public, confidence in winning business. My background combines a career lifetime of Public Speaking, Public Speaking Competitions, Radio Broadcasting, delivering workshops, presenting, & compère roles in parallel with a previous Financial Services career and subsequent SME based Business Development Manager roles working in UK, also Europe & USA offices. Let’s have a conversation about how best to work with you and your team, through workshops that deliver essential and effective techniques to help build you and your team’s confidence in public speaking, and your audience’s confidence in you as a speaker, that can be put into practice immediately.

Phone: 07941 083722 Web: www.speakinginpublic.info Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gesray Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpeakingInPublic Twitter: https://twitter.com/gesspeaking

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Interview

MEET THE CHAIR

Rosemary French OBE, Executive Director of the Gatwick Diamond Initiative, is the Chair of the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer steering committee. Rosemary explains to PBM why Meet the Buyers is such a big date on the business calendar… Can you explain how the event works? We know how difficult it is for small businesses to get in front of larger companies, both in the private and public sector. Just getting past the receptionist and the secretary is often an achievement when you are a new supplier to that company. The idea of the event is to bring into one place on one day up to 40 large companies who currently have products or services they wish to purchase. We then invite up to 200 small businesses with products and services that match those contracts. These small businesses have an opportunity to meet the buyers privately on a one-to-one basis and make a sales pitch to them to be followed up with an appointment after the event. We do not put together suppliers and buyers where there are no contracts to match, so nobody’s time is wasted.

How did you get involved? I chair the steering group for the Meet the Buyer programme that meets fortnightly and works with our event organiser and delivery partner gdb: Gatwick Diamond Business Association. My relationship with the Meet the Buyer event goes back as far as 2001 when I also sponsored the event every year as CEO of Surrey Business Link. The event used to be called Gatwick Meet the Buyer because most of the larger UK airports held similar events. But we recognised that the event is larger than just Gatwick suppliers.

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How long has this event run in the Gatwick area?

Just getting past the receptionist and the secretary is often an achievement when you are a new supplier to that company

This is our 17th year! In that time, over £22.5m of business is estimated to have been created because of the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer. In 2017, there will be more than 2,000 sales meetings on the day alone and many hundreds of small businesses will have received free training at the workshops.

I believe that the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer is now the largest Meet the Buyer event in the UK, now that Heathrow dropped their event. Potential suppliers from across the UK are attracted to the Gatwick Diamond

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Rosemary French OBE Meet the Buyer although they pay a premium to attend the event. Businesses in Surrey, Kent, West and East Sussex and Brighton all receive a considerable discount at only £125 to meet up to 10 large buyers.

What role does the Gatwick Diamond Initiative play? The Gatwick Diamond Initiative is one of the sponsors and has been since 2008. All

Interview seven District and Borough Councils (Reigate & Banstead, Mole Valley, Epsom & Ewell, Tandridge, Crawley, Mid Sussex and Horsham) and two County Councils (Surrey and West Sussex) that fund us effectively sponsor the event through the Gatwick Diamond Initiative. It is so important to Crawley Borough Council that they add additional sponsorship. Critically, Gatwick Airport is a key sponsor recognising the importance of local supply chain development.

In your opinion, what makes this event special? What makes this programme special are the nine free training seminars and workshops. Eight of them before the event help small businesses prepare when making their pitch. Have they got the right policies in place? What is their competitive edge? How sharp is their elevator pitch? Overcoming negative behaviours. How to supply the public sector. Understanding the psychology of the customer and so on. Even if a small business does not have the right match for the big Meet the Buyers event on the 18th October, they can benefit from these workshops which could have cost them £3,000 in training costs if they attend them all. The final ninth event after the Meet the Buyer event is about how to follow up leads. It is so surprising how many small businesses have a good meeting arranged by us with the buyer only to find that they do not immediately follow up and expect the buyer to phone them!

bid for the delivery contract this year and beat two other very strong bidders. They won the contract because they could demonstrate that they knew the business sector make-up of the area very well, and because they had excellent relationships with partners such as the many national and local business organisations whose role is key in reaching as wide a business community as possible. They also have a long history of successful business events locally, the most well-known being the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.

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I believe that the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer is now the largest Meet the Buyer event in the UK

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environmentally friendly because goods lorries are not travelling long distances; it can contribute to their CSR policies; they can find out what products and services are available locally; it is time effective because they are able to meet several buyers on one day; and most large companies want to contribute to their local business community. And of course, it is free for a Supplier to attend! The Gatwick Diamond and its hinterland is an amazingly collaborative economic area. Already worth £24bn, the economic region is third only behind Thames Valley and London. The strength of the area is its diversity across several sectors which means just about anything can be bought and supplied here. So much so, that this year we are dividing the buying zones into our strongest sectors: • Business Services - to include Professional, Financial, Digital, Educational • Manufacturing and Innovation • Public Sector and Utilities

Why should suppliers be there?

• International Business

Suppliers recognise the importance of buying locally. They have more control over the buying and delivery process because it is closer to home; they often find it more

To finish, all I can say is why wouldn’t a supplier or a potential buyer want to take up this great opportunity!

• Construction and Infrastructure

gatwickdiamondmeetthebuyers.com

This year, Gatwick Diamond Business are helping deliver the event - what benefits does this relationship bring? GDB, Gatwick Diamond Business Association

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Women in Business

24 CARROT GOLD Supporting the success of business is at the heart of Surrey

Faiza Shafeek of Carrot Events, organisers of the awards said: “I am often asked why we should enter awards and what are the benefits to me and my business. My reply is that winning a business or personal award will raise your profile, the profile of your company, enhance its reputation, instil trust to your customers and attract new business, which will ultimately make you more profitable. In short, it will prove you are better than your competitors. Receiving an accolade for your outstanding work achievements brings your successes to light, and builds a positive path for other women to follow. Women have made so much progress in business over the years, and these awards have been designed to highlight and recognise their exceptional skills and talents”.

Sponsors on board so far: Media Sponsors:

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

GROUP

he prestigious Business Women Excellence Awards 2017 Surrey Edition have now launched with a brand new revamped website www.businesswomenexceelceawards.co.uk. The awards will stretch across the whole of the county and are staged to celebrate the success of Surrey’s crème de la crème of females in business. Whether we like it or not, many companies today still remain male dominated despite the obvious progress that has been made over the years to change that. These awards seek to highlight the best business women and the best businesses owned or co-owned by women, and from the interest shown and the number of entries we’ve received so far, they are set to be a fixture in the calendar for many years to come.

Category and Supporting Sponsors

Faiza Shafeek

Nikki Gatenby, CEO of Propellernet, winners of a number of categories at the 2016 Sussex edition of these awards said: “When leading a company, we all aim to be strong role models. I have the responsibility to create an atmosphere in my business in which dedicated, creative, innovative mavericks can do impactful work. The success of Propellernet is down to an energised and motivated team Nikki Gatenby, CEO of Propellernet of both men and women who embrace innovation, challenge and a healthy dose of risk. There is no roadmap, no blueprint, no sheet music for this, we are crafting our own path and creating our adventure as we go. To be recognised as doing this well, leading from the front, championing gender equality and creating positive change in the world, has left a lasting impression on us all”. Entry of third-party nominations is easy and free and you can enter into up to three categories, so why not do that now - shout about your achievements or about the achievements of others. Sponsorship opportunities are available, please contact Faiza Shafeek on 01323 461298 / 07540 406685 or email fs@carrotevents.co.uk

For further details visit www.businesswomenexcellenceawards.co.uk

Sponsorship opportunities are available, please contact Faiza Shafeek on 01323 461298 / 07540 406685 or email fs@carrotevents.co.uk For further details visit www.businesswomenexcellenceawards.co.uk

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Digital Marketing

SHOULD YOU OUTSOURCE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA? By Dan Adams , Conquest Media

f you run a small business, you will understand that building a social media campaign is a very time consuming process and you do not have time to manage all those social media platforms yourself.

the technology and mechanisms to track the results of your social media activity, and are proactive about getting measurable results.

To successfully run just one social networking platform can take hours of planning before delivery even commences. Given the amount of time that is required for social media it is often worth calling upon the experts. Should you be outsourcing?

Have you ever read your competitors’ Tweets, Facebook posts or Instagram updates and think, “why didn’t we do something like that? Why isn’t our content as engaging as theirs?”

Expertise Are your competitors visible on social media? Are you forever seeing their company updates on Facebook and seeing their name appear in your Twitter feed, tweeting about their and your industry’s latest news? Staying on top of the latest news as well as publishing it is quite a task and that is why it’s understandable that so many businesses are now outsourcing their social media. These companies have realised that having a professional social media service has the potential to convey professionalism and understanding of their brand. A social media company will take the time to research your industry and explore developments within to ensure that relevant quality content is produced and executed through your social media channels. A social media service has

Time

It is a well known phrase that with the use of any social media, content is king. It takes time to research and produce quality content for your pages. If you’re a small business finding the time to manage your social media activities can be so difficult, yet you want and need an active presence over all the major platforms. By outsourcing your social media, you’ll be able to rest assured that your messages are going out and questions are being answered. All without you needing to find the time or knowledge into learning how each platform works.

Customer Service Whilst it is recognised that many platforms are the first ‘go-to’ for customers who have either pre or post sales enquiries, Twitter is definitely a consumer favourite. As a business owner you will appreciate that leaving any

customer questions unanswered certainly gives an air of un-professionalism leaving the customer feeling as if the business simply doesn’t care. Bearing this in mind, it’s absolutely crucial that your brand is present and that the social media management company you employ is actively monitoring all channels for mentions of your brand and any questions that arise. Potential customers are given a feeling of trust in seeing that your brand is active on social media, signalling to them that in the event that anything goes wrong contacting you will be easy.

Financial How do you know you’re getting value for money when it comes to investing in social media marketing? This is the question that deters businesses from getting started, because obviously you want assurance that your spend won’t be wasted. As always, you tend to get what you pay for when it comes to marketing. When you’re speaking to a social media marketing agency, ask to see reviews from their existing clients. A company worth anything will jump at the chance to showcase their feedback.

www.conquestconsultancy.co.uk

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Motoring

THE

Ferrari LEGACY

This year Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary and what a 70 years.

he company was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 as Auto Avio Construzioni and built their first car in 1940. However, the company’s birth was actually registered in 1947 when the first Ferrari badged car was produced, the 125S. In 2014, Ferrari was rated as the world’s most powerful brand and in 2012, the 1962 Ferrari 250GTO became the most expensive car in history, selling at auction for $38.1 million to an American businessman. Fiat acquired 50% of the company in 1969 and in 2012, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles expanded their stake to 90% and split Ferrari into a separate company, completed in 2016. 10% of the company is still owned by Enzo’s son, Piero Ferrari. Ferrari has a long and illustrious history in motor racing, holding the most constructors championships (16) and having produced the largest number of winning drivers (15). Even today, the 2017 Formula 1 championship is led by Sebastian Vettel in the classic red prancing horse. To celebrate this milestone of one of the auto industry’s most illustrious marques, the company’s Tailor Made department have created 70 new liveries inspired by the most iconic Ferrari models. With five of each, this will give the world a total of 350 new and highly unique models.

Enzo in his early racing days

These include a blue F12, called The Stirling, inspired by the 250GT SWB in which Stirling Moss won the 1961 RAC TT. A red 488 GTB called The Schumacher, inspired by one of their greatest drivers, Michael Schumacher. Two Spiders called The Green Jewel and The Spider. The later has little explanation but the former apes the 365’s raced by David Pier in the 1960’s. And a California that is identical to Steve McQueen’s classic 250GT Berlinetta Lusso. Then we have the LaFerrari Aperta, an open-top version of the LaFerrari hybrid hypercard and a limited edition special series dedicated to Ferrari’s most loyal customers. It has the same hybrid power unit as the coupé: a 6,262cc V12 petrol engine developing 789bhp coupled with a 120 kW electric motor for a total power output of 950bhp. Few of these will ever see the light of day as, tucked away in a warm and very secret garage, it will trump any

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Motoring long-term investment imaginable. The demand for the Aperta was at least ten times the production run. Ferrari is one of those rare companies that does not need to sell or advertise their wares. They have but to mention a new model and the orders pile in regardless of the fact that the buyers will not have seen the car - they just know it will be beautiful, know it will drive like the wind and know that it will be worth more than they paid for it the second they drive it out of the showroom. So, happy birthday Ferrari and long may you reign.

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Motoring

ROLLING THUNDER Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé - review by Maarten Hoffmann

am often asked what car l personally drive as it is presumed l trundle around in some supercar. Due to the fact that l drive like my trousers were on fire every day in testing a huge variety of cars, l choose a car that l can calmly waft around in for the 500 odd miles a year l actually travel in my own car. I drive a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It certainly isn’t new but it is very low mileage, well maintained and wafts upon request. So when MB asked me to review the new S-Class coupe, l leapt at the chance.

take for granted in terms of safety systems, driveline technology and interior features. The S-Class is ranked as the world’s best-selling luxury sedan.

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I have been delivered of the S500 with a 4.7-litre V8 that is totally effortless and has oodles of power to spare in any situation. And it sounds fantastic. Not the howl of a sports car but the low rumbling growl that reminds me of distant thunder - until you bury the go pedal into the Axminster as then the thunder instantly arrives inside the car and makes my hair stand on end.

The S-Class is ranked as the world’s bestselling luxury sedan.

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The S stands for Sonderklasses, meaning special class, and has been the flagship model for the company since 1972 and has been in production ever since. They have used it to launch many innovations that today we

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First off, the Coupe is gorgeous to look at. Not as big as l thought although still 5 metres long, with beautiful sweeping likes and a stance that says you are coming through - at speed and in style. There is no slow Coupe and it comes simply with the choice of three hugely powerful engines - 4.7 V8, 5.4 V8 and the very sexy 6-litre V12.

It has one of the best interiors around and there is nothing to pick at. There is enough technology in this car to not only fill 40 pages

but to power a small City. The computers are working all the time, stabilising, gauging, monitoring and calculating your every move and although not the best at evil little switch backs or tight country lanes, it has astonishing grip and doesn’t roll around the corners. It offers Magic Body Control suspension, which reads the road ahead far faster than l can and actively pulls the wheels up and down to absorb every bump and the Curve Tilting function will actually lean the car into corners like a motorbike. It will demolish long distances with such ease that you might be inclined to just turn round and go back again just for the hell of it. Sadly, we don’t really drive for pleasure anymore but this made me just go out and drive with nowhere to go. It’s that good.

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There is enough technology in this car to not only fill 40 pages but to power a small City.

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Motoring The floating dash is glorious with a huge TFT screen, delivering world-class multimedia and connectivity and it is so damned quiet that only when you power down a window and the world comes rushing in do you really understand what they have achieved. This is due to superior sound proofing and double glazing and is on a par with the RR Wraith l recently reviewed. I am never that keen on the rear seats of a coupe as ease of access is sacrificed for the exterior looks and here’s no exception. When you lean the front seat forward it moves of its own accord and back again into its starting position but you are standing like a lemon waiting for it and then again before the driver can climb aboard. There is not a coupe on the market any different so perhaps l should shut up and just drive.

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I have been delivered of the S500 with a 4.7-litre V8 that is totally effortless and has oodles of power to spare in any situation

and the Magic Sky Control, which switches the panoramic roof from light to dark……..

TECH STUFF

I was pleased to see the 500 badge but not as ecstatic and l would of been seeing the top of the range S65 badge. That little monster will give you a V12 with 630bhp and 62 in 4.1 seconds although at £188,595, it bloody well

Model tested: S500 AMG Line

should. And the noise……..

Top speed:155 mph

This has always been, and still is, the best selling luxury car in the world. Now send me the new cabriolet please Mr. Jackman………

Engine: 4.7-litre, V8, 9-speed auto Power: 455 bhp Performance: 4.6 secs to 62 mph Economy: 32.5 mpg combined Price from: £100,985.00

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If getting picky, whilst smiling like a baboon, the indicator stalk is too close to the cruise control stalk, the handbrake is a faff working out which way it goes and the sheer number of buttons and features can make your head spin. Do what l do. Find the sport button, find the suspension button, the air conditioning, the satnav and the radio. Sod the rest and let this computing powerhouse sort everything else out and just drive. Oh, but then there’s the optional night vision camera

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford

Mercedes-Benz of Poole

Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester

Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead

Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

0330 0197893

www.sandown-group.co.uk SURREY CHAMBERS

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Mercedes-Benz

Customer Service

Team of the Year 2016

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MINI Business Partnership Official fuel economy figures for the new MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid: Combined 122.8-134.5 mpg (2.3-2.1 l/100km). CO2 emissions 52-49 g/km. *Figures are obtained in a standardised test cycle using a combination of battery power and petrol fuel after the battery had been fully charged. They are intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving conditions. The new MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that requires mains electricity for charging. Vines Ltd is a credit broker. Business users only. 1Price shown for a new MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 36 month Contract Hire agreement, with a contract mileage of 24,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 8.56 pence per mile. Applies for new vehicles ordered between 1 July and 30 September 2017 and registered by 31 December 2017 (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle and vehicle condition, excess mileage and other charges may be payable. Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Alphabet House, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. BMW (UK) Ltd, Summit ONE, Summit Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0FB. Registered in England and Wales 1378137. SURREY CHAMBERS Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking activities.

Motoring

TESLA MODEL X T

he long-awaited second Tesla model is here following Tesla’s mission to change the world and l would not bet a penny against them achieving exactly that.

The X would be regarded as an SUV but comes complete with aspects of all other model sectors. It has 4-wheel drive due to the electric power being fed to all wheels, it will house up to seven passengers and hits 60mph in 4.8 seconds. Order the P100D with the ‘ludicrous speed’ update and you will hit 60 in 2.8 seconds, which puts it up there with Ferrari and McLaren. And there is no engine, no fuel tank, so servicing and no petrol costs!

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We all suspected that jokers in car parks would park close enough to stop them opening but they do not open as you might expect

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So many facets of this car are unique that it would take too long to list them but one of the stand-out features would have to be the falcon wing rear doors that make entry as easy as possible and is a little bit of theatre every time you open them. We all suspected that jokers in a car park would park close enough to stop them opening but they don’t open as you expect. They essentially open in two parts whereby the top section cantilevers in if it senses an obstruction and it is a very very clever piece of kit. That old chestnut ‘range anxiety’ raises its ugly head here and is what has stopped electric cars really taking over. The least expensive option would be the 60D with a range of 220 miles or step up to the 75D and you will achieve 259 miles. This, like a petrol car, depends on how heavy you are with

your right foot, but unlike a dinosaur fuelled car, it will take longer to charge than it takes to fill with fuel. But that really is the only trade off. If at home, then pop it on charge and it will be ready to go every morning and if on the road, then the computer will tell you where the nearest charge point is and it takes 20 minutes for a half charge and a little less than an hour for a full charge. Therefore it just takes a little planning. Allow time to grab a coffee or a sandwich and you will be good to go but if you are on the road for business and plans change , then this becomes an issue as there is no engine in the car to get you out of trouble. The elephant in the room is the price. The 75D is £71,900, the shorter range 60D is £64,100 and then up the list to the 90D at £89,300 and the range topping P90D comes in at around £100,000. There is no doubt it is a revolutionary peek into the future but this price will, l am afraid, be a barrier for many. The killer car will be the Model 3 when it arrives as it is aimed at the mass market and, in the US, it will come in at $35,000 (£27,000). In my mind, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this car will sweep the planet and oh how our grandchildren will giggle in horrified amazement at the stories of how we used to pump fossil fuel into a hole at the back of our cars. The future is here.

TECH STUFF

Model tested: 90D Power unit: 90kWh Dual Motor Power: 417bhp eqv. Performance: 0-60mph 4.8 seconds Top speed: 155mph Price from: £89,300

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Take a fresh look HOME

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HG Wells Conference and Events Centre

18 October 9.30 - 4.30

Wide range of exhibitors Seminars on marketing, wellbeing and mindfulness HEALTH AND WELLBEING ROOM Sponsored by Mercers

Woking Borough Council Breakfast Forum Make the Connection Afternoon Drinks reception

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Venue Spotlight

SHOOTING AHEAD Shooting at Bisley is an effective team building experience

isley Shooting Ground is the UK’s largest sporting clay shooting ground. Open seven days a week for everyone from complete novice with no prior experience, to seasoned pros. The Clubhouse with function rooms is an 1865 Victorian building and the grounds are set on a beautiful 3,000 acre estate. The ground regularly hosts teambuilding, charity & corporate events from 10-250 people, with fantastic breakfast and lunch options available. After shooting, groups can relax by the bar or in the beer garden and reminisce about those great shots taken. No prior experience or equipment is needed. The industry-leading instructors are all GB or county shots, and with a huge range of shotguns to suit all shapes, ages (10+) and sizes, you are guaranteed to have a blast. Best of all, as every stand is serviced by up to 5 traps, mixed ability groups can all shoot together at targets relative to their experience. No need to have all the experienced in one group and the novices in another – perfect for networking. With a shooting history dating back to the 19th century, as well as being praised and frequented by the best in the business including

British Olympic Gold medallists, Bisley Shooting Ground is a family owned business steeped in history. Bisley Shooting Ground has two grounds on its Surrey campus. Cottesloe Heath for the truly bespoke experience for individuals or groups and Long Siberia – the country’s most versatile automated Pay & Play for the experienced shot. Whilst Cottesloe Heath benefits from the beautiful 1865 Victorian Clubhouse, an incredibly versatile and realistic offering for the sporting shot boasting the highest clay tower in the country, as well as some of the most realistic simulated game and grouse butts available; Long Siberia offers the experienced shot 23 automated stands to take themselves round without an instructor. Events: Bisley Shooting Ground holds monthly open 100 bird shoots, regular Ladies Days and Young Shots Days as well as Private, Corporate & Charity Events.

The Council Club, Bisley Camp, Brookwood, Woking, GU24 0NY Tel: 01483 797017 Email: office@bisleyshooting.co.uk Website: www.bisleyshooting.co.uk

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Golf

SURREY CHAMBERS GOLF SOCIETY Why not join a thriving Business Networking Golf Society? Now in it’s 21st year, it is open to all business people to join.

2017 FIXTURES WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

THURSDAY 9TH NOVEMBER

New Zealand GC

Bacon rolls, tee off 8.45am, 18 holes and late lunch. Ends 5.30pm.

Swinley Forest GC.

Coffee and bacon rolls, tee off from 8.45am, 18 holes and late lunch. Ends 5.30pm. SCGS & SCC Members £125.00 + vat/ Guests £140.00 + vat

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I think we must be pretty unique to have such a regularly well attended golf days throughout the year – testimony to the quality of the courses and the fact that we have a really big core of business players that enjoy meeting up with each other ANDREW LANE

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THURSDAY 19TH OCTOBER Camberley Heath GC Bacon rolls, tee off from 10am, 18 holes and late lunch. Ends 5.30pm. SCGS & SCC Members £70 + vat Guests £85 + vat

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SCGS & SCC Members £125 + vat Guests £140 + vat

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Excellent Society, brilliantly run, can’t fault anything JASON LURIE

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TUESDAY 5TH DECEMBER Woking GC Bacon rolls, tee off 9.10am, 18 holes followed by lunch. Ends 5.30pm. SCGS & SCC Members tbc Guests tbc Membership of the golf society runs annually. Members of Surrey Chambers can register for free. Non-members £50 +VAT (per person) or 2 years at a discounted rate of £85 +VAT

Golf

PGA Cup and Dinner for Grenfell Tower fund

FOXHILLS AND POWERDAY TEAM UP FOR GRENFELL TOWER FUNDRAISER

oxhills Club & Resort will be staging the Powerday Plc Invitational Pro-Am on Thursday 14th September to raise funds to go directly to those affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster. The invitational Pro-Am will include the ten members of the Great Britain and Ireland team and their United States counterparts, who – over the three following days – will compete at the prestigious Surrey venue for the 28th PGA Cup, the biennial match contested by PGA Professionals. The Pro-Am is the brainchild of Foxhills’ ambassador Brendan Reynolds and Mick Crossan - Powerday’s founder and owner of London Irish rugby club. Crossan supported the development of the Dale Youth Boxing Club, providing state-of-the-art gym and equipment within Grenfell Tower when it was refurbished in May 2016. The club has produced current world champions such as George Groves and James DeGale during 80 years of voluntary provision to the local community.

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It became obvious to Mick Crossan that the fundraising should go well beyond the boxing club and be extended to the whole of the Grenfell Tower community

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Reynolds said: “After the tragedy, Mick and I initially had a plan to re-launch the Dale Youth Boxing Club. However, after discussions with associates and business friends, it became obvious to Mick that the fundraising should go well beyond the boxing club and be extended to the whole of the Grenfell Tower community, whose lives have changed so dramatically.

“In Foxhills Club & Resort we have a magnificent venue to stage the Powerday Invitational Plc Pro-Am and to have the golf day co-ordinated by the PGA with the support of the two PGA Cup teams is fantastic. “After the golf on Thursday 14th September 2017, there will be a charity fundraising dinner to also be attended by sporting greats such as world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, plus George Groves and James DeGale along with other supporters of this worthy cause and event. During the evening, there will be a grand auction in which unique items and money-can’t-buy experiences will go under the hammer with all funds raised from the evening going to the Grenfell Tower residents. “I have no doubt that it will be a wonderful day. The dream is to raise a million and beyond for a truly exceptional cause and community. Let’s make it happen!” Chris Fitt, Director of Golf at Foxhills Club & Resort, said: “We are delighted to be hosting

this very special event in support of the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. “This Pro-Am is unique; it will bring together all the players from the US and GB&I teams, united for a single cause. We can’t think of a better way to kick off the 2017 PGA Cup and I am sure it will set the tone for a healthy, competitive few days to follow – played in a great spirit. “We extend a special thank you to the key drivers of the event, Mick Crossan and Foxhills’ ambassador Brendan Reynolds, who have worked tirelessly for a number of charities each year.”

For further information about how to get involved with the fundraising for this great cause by donation of funds or gifting of special auction items, please contact brendanreynolds@hotmail. com or call 07831 240636.

SURREY CHAMBERS

Chamber Events

SURREY CHAMBERS EVENTS DIARY 2017 To find a full list of our 2017 events visit www.surrey-chambers.co.uk/event-listing/

09:00 - 10:30

CHAMBERS POWER BREAKFAST GUILDFORD

th August

BUSINESS BREAKFAST AT THE BULLDOG Member Rate: £9.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £9.00 +VAT Event Location: The Bulldog, 556 London Road. Ashford TW15 3AF This is a joint networking business breakfast brought to you by Surrey Chambers of Commerce, Spelthorne Business Forum, Hounslow Chamber of Commerce and Ashford Chamber of Commerce and is an excellent opportunity to make some new contacts. There is no registration needed, just turn up on the day.

th September

IMPACT OF BREXIT ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURES 13:30 - 17:00 Member Rate: £150.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £200.00 +VAT Event Location: Arcom IT, Export House, Cawsey Way, Woking GU21 6QX The UK Government “Brexit” White Paper suggests that the UK will be seeking a new strategic relationship with the European Union encompassing a free trade agreement. The White Paper implies that World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules will form the basis of our future trading relationships with the rest of the world. Whatever the final form of these agreements, existing UK trading practice and procedures with The EU and Rest of World are going to change.

SURREY CHAMBERS

th September

07:45 - 09:30 Member Rate: £20.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £30.00 +VAT Event Location: Worplesdon Place, Perry Hill, Guildford, Surrey GU3 3RY Guest Speaker: Sarah Carter - Enterprise M3 ENTERPRISE M3 LEP drives the economic growth of the area by working with businesses, key delivery partners and central government. This is achieved by showcasing success, highlighting opportunities and inspiring thinking. The Enterprise M3 Growth Hub businesses can find out about opportunities available to them in the area and Sarah Carter will be explaining how this all works.

Worplesdon Place

Chamber Events

th September

OPEN 18 HOLE GOLF COMPETITION AT NEW ZEALAND GOLF CLUB 08:45 - 17:30 Member Rate: £125.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £140.00 +VAT Event Location: New Zealand Golf Club, Woodham Lane, Woodham KT15 3QD Open to all business people to attend. A round of golf with clients and colleagues is one of the most enjoyable forms of corporate entertainment and an excellent networking opportunity. The golf course provides an ideal setting for business deals, cementing networks and building friendships. So come and enjoy business golf specifically aimed at business people and professionals. Join us as a team of 3 or 4 players and entertain your clients or as a solo player and we will place you in a team.

th September

CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY FORUM AT THE LIGHTBOX 07:30 - 10:00 Member Rate: £15.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £25.00 +VAT Event Location: The Lightbox, Chobham Road, Woking GU21 4AA 2018 EPC regulation changes affecting all office properties Any business thinking of moving will be affected. Any landlord with a building in the lower band will have to carry out works or run the risk of his building being unlettable. To find out how to keep up to this ever shifting but potentially profitable market come and listen to two industry experts explain the modernisation of real estate.

The Lightbox

New Zealand Golf Club

th September

SURREY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORKING 18:00 - 21:00 Member Rate: £10.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £10.00 +VAT Event Location: Komo Bar, Weymead House, Mill Brook, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3YA Surrey Chambers in partnership with SNAP Sponsorship are back! We’re holding another Surrey Young Professionals networking, proudly sponsored by Surrey Business School. Join us for a free drink, food and informal networking at KOMO bar, Guildford. SYP is a chance to meet other like-minded young people from Surrey who are under the age of 30; networking, building relationships and sharing business between each other in the early stages of their career in a relaxed format style.

st September

MEMBERS’ NETWORKING EVENING 18:00 - 20:00 Member Rate: Free Non Member Rate: £20.00 +VAT Event Location: HG Wells Conference & Events Centre, Church Street , East Woking GU21 6HR Join members, non-members and the Surrey Chambers of Commerce team for our monthly evening networking event. Friendly, informal and relaxed these events take place at locations across Surrey and provide a great opportunity to build new relationships and deepen existing ones, growing your network of contacts and potential customers. FREE to members (a charge for non-members and affiliate chamber members applies) refreshments and canapes will be served throughout the evening. We very much look forward to seeing you there. SURREY CHAMBERS

New Members

NEW MEMBERS Surrey Chambers of Commerce welcomes its latest member companies

BUSINESS SUPPORT Kevin Rogers Ltd Contact: Kevin Rogers Tel: 07787 555034 www.kevinrogers.co.uk PW Consulting (A-HEAD for Success) Contact: Tricia Woolfrey Tel: 03451 300854 www.a-headforsuccess.co.uk BWH Cleaning Group Contact: Ben Hill Tel: 01483 342411 www.bwhgroup.co.uk The Core Asset Contact: Jeremy Williamson Tel: 07702 411550 www.accelerateformula.co.uk

CHARITY Happy Child International Contact: Val McNally Tel: 01372 375848 www.happychild.org

HEALTH & WELLBEING Jon Waters Mental Health Talks Contact: Jon Waters Tel: 07713 213328 www.jonwaters.co.uk Reigate Psychology Service Ltd Contact: Adrian Morton Tel: 07412 674550 www.reigatepsychologyservice.co.uk

IT & COMMUNICATIONS Freestyle IT Contact: Natasha Clement-Jones Tel: 01256 760922 www.freestyle-it.co.uk OGMA Communications Contact: Khadidja Merakchi Tel: 07938 650005

LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

Rusper Leisure ltd Contact: Sara Blunden Tel: 01293 871871 www.ruspergolfclub.co.uk

Spiritmen Ltd Contact: Ian McCulloch Tel: 01483 229136 www.silentpooldistillers.com

Bisley Shooting Ground Ltd Contact: Alexander Roupell Tel: 01483 797017 www.bisleyshooting.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS

MANUFACTURING/ENGINEERING Cillguard Ltd Contact: George Goodger Tel: 01784 882525 www.cillguard.co.uk JTI Gallaher Contact: Laura Fry Tel: 01932 859777 www.jti.com

RETAIL/WHOLESALE Satelliet UK Ltd Contact: Harvey Ockrim Tel: 01252 541386 www.satelliet.co.uk

TRAINING & EDUCATION Knowledge in ActionBlueBottleBiz Contact: David Jenkins Tel: 07531 075858 www.bluebottlebiz.com

Get Involved

SPONSOR A SURREY CHAMBERS EVENT

urrey Chambers of Commerce holds over 150 events a year spread across the county. We host regular breakfast meetings, industry specific forums and corporate dinners perfect for entertaining clients. These events are designed to give you the chance to enhance your business network, find new customers and local suppliers, and meet other dynamic business people. Sponsoring a Surrey Chambers event allows you to raise your profile and brand awareness within the county and showcase your expertise as a company. By sponsoring an event you can take advantage of the Surrey Chambers of Commerce subscription base and reach your target audience. It’s the perfect opportunity

to make new connections and be seen to be leading and influencing.

What can I sponsor? With over 150 events a year there can be a lot to choose from, Surrey Chambers hosts a wide variety of events, and all of these can be sponsored • Hot Topics - We react to the latest news and trends affecting the business community and run a number of targeted events throughout the year. They provide a great opportunity to get in front of senior decision makers but often come up at short notice. They tackle topics such as Brexit,

Cyber Security, Pensions and much more. • Property & Construction Forums - A series of events around issues affecting businesses working in the construction & property industries. • Business Women in Surrey Events - Business Women in Surrey is a specific stream of events designed to highlight and celebrate the achievements of business women in Surrey. • Flagship - Our flagship events include, Annual Summer BBQ, President’s Drinks Receptions and Annual Christmas Lunch. • Chamber Power Breakfasts - Our Power Breakfasts are a fantastic opportunity for businesses to connect in a friendly and relaxed environment. If you choose to sponsor a Surrey Chambers event you will receive complimentary tickets to the event, your stand or pop up banners & promotional literature at the event with branding on badges and delegate list alongside. Promotion before, during and after the event across all Surrey Chambers social media channels and press coverage in the Surrey Chambers of Commerce Business magazine. If you are interested in sponsoring a Surrey Chambers of Commerce event, please contact:

Molly.Edwards@surrey-chambers. co.uk or call 01483 735 540 SURREY CHAMBERS

Promotional Features

MEMBERS’ PROMOTIONAL FEATURES WORK FOR GOOD The term ‘ergonomic’ is over-used and often misused too. As a result people often get the wrong idea about what ergonomic is, and isn’t. The main problem is the lack of understanding, and the assumption that the solution is buying something, rather than holistically changing something. This will often result in unnecessary purchases, or purchasing a product which does not meet your particular needs. Some ‘ergonomic’ accessories are simply counter- productive. The wrist rest, for example, is completely redundant (and even deleterious) because our hands have been rather cleverly designed to include a slightly padded area at the base of the thumb and palm, which lifts the hands to the correct position to protect the wrists. The most problematic misconception is that an ergonomic solution is going to be expensive – quite the contrary. You can start with changing the small things. If you’re a laptop user then look at a separate keyboard, mouse and laptop stand. This will lift the screen, reducing the amount you tilt your head forward and the stress on your upper back and neck. You may want to consider an upright/vertical mouse which allows you to keep your lower arm and hand in a more natural position. When it comes to height adjustable desks and healthier office seating it really is worthwhile speaking to someone that knows what they are talking about. It is so easy to do some research on the internet for ‘ergonomic’ chairs, but how ‘ergonomic’ will it actually be? The upshot is: it’s really worth having an assessment to find out what your problem actually is, identify the priority product and then consider the other products at a later date.

For more information, please contact email is hello@workforgood.co.uk or visit https://workforgood.co.uk/

DO YOU HAVE A MINDFULNESS POLICY? Mindfulness is rapidly growing in popularity inside and outside of business. Many of us have come to realise we can’t sustain an adrenalinefuelled pace of life without it taking a toll on our mind and body. Executive burnout, anxiety and time off work from stress are increasing symptoms of life in the fast lane. As a result of numerous companies implementing Mindfulness policies for employees, we now have enough studies and data to show how Mindfulness is creating savings on the corporate bottom line.

What is Mindfulness? Simply put, Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judgment. If and when you get a chance to pay attention to your thoughts, you will often find them fixated in the past or the future. Rarely are we fully present. Being present, even for a few minutes every day has been shown to calm the nervous system resulting in numerous physiological benefits. A recent book “Mindful Work” by New York Times reporter David Gelles has highlighted how the implementation of Mindfulness is increasing productivity and reducing absence due to sickness and depression. There is a growing number of UK studies and articles in the press; these show that numerous companies in the UK are rapidly implementing Mindfulness as part of their corporate culture. Goldman Sachs, Barclays, JP Morgan, HSBC, BT, GE, GSK and Jaguar Land Rover are just some of the firms investing in the area. Gary Evans alongside his wife Olga have dedicated themselves to be the champions of Mindfulness in cooperation with Surrey Chambers of Commerce. If you have been thinking about giving Mindfulness a try, Gary and Olga would be happy to discuss the subject and the options available.

Gary Evans is co-director of Holistic Healing Therapy LTD. www.HolisticHealingTherapy.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS

Promotional Features

7 REASONS WHY YOU MUST USE TELEMARKETING THIS SUMMER Perfect pitch share their top tips • Hit the ground running for Q4. Make sure you put in maximum effort to line up as many leads as you can ahead of Q4. Decision makers will be putting plans in place already. • Speak to more senior decision makers. It’s true that many people holiday over the summer. However, you will have a greater chance of speaking with senior contacts, who tend to “hold the fort” whilst the rest of the team are away. • Review time. Plenty of businesses use the summer months to review their budget. A well-timed call could see you become part of their plans. • Test and measure. Find out what works, what doesn’t, tweak, then call again until you’re happy that you’ll be ready for your launch date. • Get feedback. Take the opportunity to obtain feedback. You’d be surprised at how your clients will be willing to help you, plus, a phone call provides the perfect platform for them to be open and forthcoming with their feedback. • Book people to attend your event in Q4. There’s nothing worse than going to all that effort and expense to put on an event, and have no one turn up! Get in early with calls over the summer months, and increase the chances of your delegates attending. • Don’t lose momentum! You’ve worked hard all year to nurture and grow your pipeline. Don’t miss out by taking your foot off the gas! Also, consider outsourcing your telemarketing to provide cover for your sales team. What better way to welcome them back after their summer holiday than with a big fat pot of leads! • Don’t fall into the trap of writing off summer. The last thing you want is to be chasing lost leads in the autumn, wondering what could have been!

If you want guidance on your telemarketing or you are considering outsourcing, visit ppitch.co.uk or call us on 01483 422 998.

HMRC WANT TO VISIT ME; WHAT SHOULD I DO? By Colin Laidlaw, VAT associate director at RSM UK. A VAT visit should be nothing to be scared of. HMRC’s job is to make sure the Revenue is protected; if they are presented with a credible, compliant business they will walk away satisfied. You can prepare for the visit: • Make sure your records are neat, in a tidy state and accessible. • Make sure the person who does the VAT returns is available. • Is your VAT system easy to explain and demonstrate to HMRC? If not, why not? • What systems and processes do you have in place to deal with VAT and any other aspects of your business which involve VAT (eg VAT liability chart, export documentation, duty payment etc). • Would you benefit from a pre-inspection review from professional advisers? HMRC will ask questions about the business and review records over a sample period. They will generally only go back further if they find anomalies and can only go back four years in most cases. Be honest as they may have information on you. Penalties are a key part of HMRC’s arsenal and they are all about behaviour – if you take reasonable care and have good systems in place and an error is made, it is less likely to incur a penalty than where there is clearly no regard paid to VAT. Penalties can be suspended, mitigated or even withdrawn in full, depending on circumstances. If you get to this stage you should seek advice. Lastly, most VAT officers are normal people like you and me. They have a job to do so let’s respect that. Treat them like you would anyone else; don’t forget to offer tea and coffee (but clearly no chocolate biscuits!), make sure they are set up in a comfortable environment to carry out the visit and that they have what they need. Make yourself available for them and most of all, be normal.

Tel: 01483 307174 or email colin.laidlaw@rsmuk.com SURREY CHAMBERS

Anger Management

ANGER MANAGEMENT

BEYOND PARODY by Maarten Hoffmann

he European Union can be a joke beyond parody and leaving this gaggle of squabbling minor politicians will, in all likelihood, be the finest hour for the United Kingdom. Take the migrant issue as one small example. They are coming over by the boatload and once on the high seas, they are ushered into our care, taken to shore and then become citizens of Europe with no further paperwork required. It is estimated that there will be 1 million a year coming over soon and it will not stop until the third world countries of North Africa are totally empty. Italy is currently being invaded by up to 2,000 per week and that chief booze sodden idiot, Jean-Claude Juncker praised the people of Italy over the crisis, promising solidarity and declaring, with a hypocrisy spectacular even by his own low standards, ‘Viva l’Italia’. Due to an accident of geography, Italy is bearing the brunt of the invasion that the EU have failed to get a grasp on year after year. Now that over 84,000 migrants are landing on its shores every year, swamping its hospitals

SURREY CHAMBERS

with rare diseases, overwhelming its state housing and destroying its tourism industry. Italy has finally had enough of the gross incompetence of the EU and threatened to close its ports and impound the do gooders in the rescue vessels - and who can blame them.

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They could not run a whelk stall in Margate yet have total control over the lives of all EU citizens and are tasked with controlling this migrant crisis that has been raging every day since 2015. These poor desperate people deserve better.

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No one is saying that these poor souls should be left to drown but certainly they should not be allowed to cross the Med unhindered. All this will do is encourage every

other resident of the continent to follow suit and if you think that Europe can cope withthe entire population of North America, you should be working in Brussels. It cannot. It is driving Europe back to the middle ages, destroying a culture that has taken centuries to refine and driving the hard right up the list at the ballot box. Italy has been screaming for help from the EU for years and have been roundly ignored. It is thought to cost over £100 billion across Europe in 2016 alone - imagine if that were invested into Africa every year to develop! Yet one of the main justifications for the EU is that it acts as a socio-economic unifier for the many disparate countries that fall under its umbrella. That its preservation is a vital safeguard against the divisions that tore Europe apart in the 20th century. Without it, we are told, Europe would descend into chaos. In fact, the reverse is true. It is precisely because of the incompetence of the EU leadership Italy is now forced to face alone a humanitarian crisis of biblical proportions. So much for unifying countries, it is ripping

Anger Management them apart and demonstrating their differences in a very sharp light. Other member states have taken their own path, happy to follow the rules only when it suits them, and have closed their borders to all migrants. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic refuse point-blank to take a single migrant and are currently being taken to court by Brussels France and Switzerland have slammed closed their borders with Italy as it is ‘not their problem’. I hear that France has agreed with Libya to patrol in their waters and turns back the traffickers - viva Macron if it works. The United Nations admitted this month that 70% of the migrants are not refugees fleeing war and persecution but economic migrants. Italy is already on its knees due to the ridiculous economic policies of the EU and were having trouble paying their bills before this debacle. I spent much of my childhood in Italy and my sister has lived there for over 40 years and they are already suffering with 65% youth unemployment in areas, and all they need now is millions of young men with no education, no language skills and no idea even of which country they are in. Their culture is being ripped apart as migrants are housed in churches, schools and museums and this is no temporary measure. Each wave of boats, 1,500 in one weekend alone hit Via Reggio, brings more misery for all and with their European ‘partners’ having closed their borders, they are trapped like a pressure cooker.

Mario Draghi

Jean-Claude Juncker

Federica Mogherini

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And as for Italy where the memory of Mussolini is never far beneath the surface, this is not a good omen.

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The top tier of the EU is run by small country mentality and many struggled to even make an impact in their own countries. Juncker was the Prime Minster of Luxembourg - a country with a population of 570,000 people - about the same size as Sheffield. Donald Tusk is the President of the European Council and was the PM of Poland, a country of 1 million as the other 37 million are currently in the UK as they are running away from a glaring lack of prosperity and development. Frans Timmermans is the Vice-President of the European Commission and the ex- Foreign Minster of Holland - he didn’t make it to the role of PM. Martin Schulz is the President of the European Parliament and was a minor German politician. Mario Draghi is the President of the European Bank and former Governor the Bank of Italy, that is currently bankrupt. Federica Mogherini is the EU’s foreign affairs chief and was, for all l know, the Italian foreign minister in charge of cheese.

These mediocre politicians are running the EU with a budget of 143 billions Euros and control over the lives of 508 million people. They could not run a whelk stall in Margate yet have total control over the lives of all EU citizens and are tasked with controlling this migrant crisis that has been raging every day since 2015. This really is beyond parody. These poor desperate people deserve better.

Martin Schulz

Frans Timmermans

Donald Tusk

The Nazis grew out of German dissatisfaction with the status quo and Hitler got the votes because he promised he would sort out the problems and make Germany great again. We know how that ended. And as for Italy where the memory of Mussolini is never far beneath the surface, this is not a good omen. Europe is creeping closer to an isolationist series of wars than at any time since 1945 thanks to the spectacular incompetence of the European Union. An oxymoron if ever l heard one.

SURREY CHAMBERS

Membership

JOIN THE CHAMBER Can your business afford not to be a member of Surrey Chambers of Commerce?

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Surrey Chambers of Commerce is the county’s largest independent, not-for-profit business support organisation that helps businesses to connect locally, nationally and globally in order to gain customers, suppliers and knowledge.

itting at the heart of the business community, Surrey Chambers of Commerce connects you to opportunities, skills, knowledge and valuable contacts. We can help you grow and develop, by promoting your business, introducing you to new customers, keeping you informed and representing you locally, regionally and nationally. With a membership representing businesses of all sizes across every sector of the economy, the Chamber works hard to ensure that the continued prosperity of Surrey takes into account the needs of business, as well as providing a range of high quality services to help businesses to grow and meet new potential customers, including making introductions into over 40 countries. Surrey Chambers of Commerce is an integral part of the Surrey business support network and alongside its partners offers specialist

advice, knowledge and information on a wide range of issues facing local businesses.

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We can: • Help you to find new customers – raise your profile, increase your brand awareness and generate new business by using our website, publications and database to communicate with thousands of business people. • Connect you to other businesses – we run over 100 events a year that give you the chance to enhance your business network, find new customers and meet like-minded and other successful business people. • Expand your network overseas – we provide friendly, professional advice and assistance and help you obtain necessary export documentation. Our relationship with 28 accredited overseas British Chambers means we can introduce you to our global network of experts to make your journey much easier. • Develop you and your workforce’s knowledge and skills - we run a range of training events throughout the year and can introduce you to a variety of training providers • Represent you – we believe it is important that you and your business are fairly represented locally, regionally, nationally and where appropriate, internationally on issues affecting business. We work closely

with Surrey County Council, the eleven local borough councils, district and 2 Local Enterprise Partnerships and we feedback and provide input to the British Chambers of Commerce who talk directly to government, influencing policy and strategic decisions. • Support your local community – we are passionate about contributing to the wider community and encourage you to work with us. We support a variety of local initiatives, providing you with the chance to give something back, whilst raising your company profile. • Save you money – we can provide you with a variety of discounts designed to save your company money. As well as national deals you will benefit from exclusive discounts offered by other Chamber members. You too can offer a special member to member deal.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? If you would like any further information about joining Surrey Chambers of Commerce please contact us: We look forward to hearing from you. Call: 01483 735540 Email: molly.edwards@surrey-chambers.co.uk Visit: www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS

Surrey’s Venue of Choice Merrist Wood College is set in 400 acres of Surrey countryside, located in Worplesdon, three miles from Guildford town centre. The College offers a unique location with indoor and outdoor venues, all of which are available for hire. We would be happy to talk to you about any event and can also arrange catering and other requirements. Indoor rooms, fully equipped with AV facilities, ideal for: ▶ Meetings and conferences ▶ Talks and presentations

▶ Training days ▶ Celebrations

Outdoor areas including fields, woodlands and workshops ideal for: ▶ Corporate family fun days ▶ Fairs/festivals ▶ Sporting events

▶ Car shows ▶ Trade fairs ▶ Weddings

For enquiries and bookings please contact Julie Tanner: Tel: 07854 27 48 66 or Email: mwevents@guildford.ac.uk

www.merristwoodevents.co.uk Merrist Wood College Holly Lane Worplesdon Guildford SurreySURREY GU3CHAMBERS 3PE

Diesel engines definitely have a future.

Ultra Low Emission Zone & Congestion charging

Diesel Scrappage Scheme 2017 - Proposals NO

• NO

No confirmed diesel scrappage plan.

•

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is an area within Central London which will require all vehicles to meet exhaust emission standards (ULEZ standards) or pay an additional daily charge to travel

•

The ULEZ will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the same area as the current Congestion Charging Zone (CCZ), and was planned to come into force in September 2020, however, it’s now proposed to launch earlier, in April 2019

•

Diesel vehicles that have been type approved as Euro 6 already meet ULEZ emissions standards

Scheme would Initial trial of10 cities before possible nationwide rollout. Scheme could be brought in within two years.

15,000 Euro1-5 diesel & Euro 1-3 petrol vehicles, out of 37 million cars on the road, may be replaced. Government scheduled to unveil ‘Clean air zone’ plans by 31st July 2017. EU6 diesel engines not planned to face penalty zone charges.

Our modern diesel-engined cars would not be affected by this draft scheme which targets older vehicles fitted with technology that has been replaced.

• This includes every new Mercedes-Benz car on sale today

Mercedes-Benz has invested €3 billion in the development and production of a completely new diesel engine family. This new family of engines embodies over 80 years of Mercedes-Benz diesel know-how. It marks the start of an engine family that achieves new benchmarks in terms of efficiency, emissions and environmental compatibility. All of our current engines feature the cleanest technology we’ve ever used. Latest diesel engines - 13% better fuel consumption and CO2 emissions than predecessor engines

All current Mercedes-Benz Cars meet Euro 6 standards

Euro 6 is the sixth incarnation of the European Union directive to reduce harmful pollutants from vehicle exhausts

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke Mercedes-Benz of Poole

0330 0190378 84 www.sandown-group.co.uk SURREY CHAMBERS

Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead Mercedes-Benz of Guildford

Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury