Ulster Business - April 2017 by Ulster Business

APRIL 2017 Price £2.30 (¤2.70)

Keeping it in the family

PwC on playing a leading role at the centre of Northern Ireland’s thriving family businesses UB 200

A rundown of Northern Ireland’s fleet of medium-sized companies

Business Start-ups How your dream to run your own business can become a reality

Contents 6 News

53 Business Start-ups

84 Appointments

If it’s going on in the Northern Ireland business world it’s here

We talk to the entrepreneurs who have been there and done it to get their advice

Annoyingly, most of you will turn to these pages first. Are you in here?

18 NOW Group

65 Branding & Marketing

92 The Chairman

We profile one of Northern Ireland’s most inspiring social enterprises

What does Northern Ireland’s brand look like and how can we improve it?

Settling back into his role, the Chairman scars the business events to find you

23 UB 200

64 Business Breakfast

84 Technology

We profile number 101-300 in the list of Northern Ireland’s biggest companies

We start the day off with smashed avocado and Carson McDowell’s managing partner

Adam Weckler is the Pat Burns of gadgets, that’s how good he is. Check in here.

39 SME & Family Business

77 Motoring

96 Travel

A look at the challenges and opportunities which family business face daily

Our Lancia man of speed, it’s Pat “Brake Late” Burns with this month’s inside track

Houston, it doesn’t have a problem. Your travel guide here

18 39

35 84

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Keep focused on the bottom line

elcome to the April edition of Ulster Business. We come to you, once again, as the business world is held to ransom by a political world in turmoil. Calls for a swift and definite resolution to the ongoing negotiations in Stormont appear to have fallen on deaf ears, a situation which has stalled investment and made forward planning for many businesses a game of “pin the tail on the donkey”. We could go on complaining about the political stalemate on these pages, but we’d be much better employed focusing on the actions which we can control. That’s why this magazine is taking a look at the entrepreneurship that keeps the economy sharp, with a business start-up guide, a focus on family businesses and SMEs and a look at how you should market your company. Topping it all off is our UB 200 list, a rundown of the firms at the heart of the Northern Ireland economy.

The Top 100 companies tend to get much of the glory so, over the last few years, we’ve been giving the next 200 some of the limelight. They should be an inspiration to the legion of small firms in Northern Ireland to aspire to, firms which could easily be in next year’s UB 200 list with the right focus. The profiles of just a handful of this year’s list, printed in the following pages, reveals some fascinating companies which have the common attributes of a steely determination combined with a nose for innovation. We send this magazine to print on the day the former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness is buried. While there are huge differences of opinion on his legacy, we can only speak of the good work we witnessed as he welcomed overseas investors to these shores and the support he gave us at our Top 100 Gala Dinner in September. Until next month. ■

They’re the next 200 firms which come after our annual ranking of the Top 100 and include some of the bestknown names on these shores.

Publisher Ulster Business c/o Independent News & Media Ltd Belfast Telegraph House 33 Clarendon Road, Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3BG Printer W&G Baird Greystone Press, Caulside Drive, Antrim BT41 2RS www.wgbaird.com

Independent News & Media Ltd © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Independent News & Media Ltd.

APRIL 2017

David Elliott

Editor David Elliott

Cover photography Elaine Hill

Manager Sonia Armstrong

Production Stuart McKinley

Deputy Manager Sylvie Brando Sales Executive Sarah-Ann Gamble

Free to download. Free to read. ulsterbusiness/app 5

NEWS

A month in numbers 5.7% The amount by which the average residential property prices rose in the year to January, according to the Office of National Statistics. 45% - the amount by which house prices in Northern Ireland remain below their predownturn peak from 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

Pictured (l-r) are Andrew Brammer, Allen & Overy Belfast; Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paddy Nixon; Executive Director of Backer McKenzie Belfast, Jason Marty and Professor Jonathan Askin, Brooklyn Law School

25,000 The number of borrowers still in negative equity in Northern Ireland in the wake of collapse of property prices here since 2007, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. That’s around 10% of all regulated mortgages and represents an average shortfall of £32,000.

Legal and tech minds collide at new Ulster University centre

orthern Ireland will be leading the charge in the use of technology in the legal world after Ulster University opened its new Legal Innovation Centre. The centre is the first of its kind in the UK and represents a collaboration between both the School of Law and the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems.

2.48 The typical multiple of average income to average house price for home movers in Northern Ireland in the last quarter of 2016, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. That’s up from 2.54 times the previous quarter but well under the UK average of 3.29. The typical amount borrowed was £112,500.

Backed by two of the world’s biggest law firms which both have bases in Belfast – Baker McKenzie and Allen & Overy – it will address the profession’s growing use of technology to carry out legal functions. Dr Catrina Denvir, the director of the new centre, told Ulster Business it would focus that need.

2.88

“Our motivation was to prepare our students for the legal careers they would be going in to,” she said. “We have one of the largest computer science departments in the UK which, when combined with our legal expertise provides a real opportunity to leverage the expertise both to educate and to provide research into the sector.

The typical multiple of income to house price for first time buyers in Northern Ireland, up from 2.86 but below the UK average of 3.56. The typical amount borrowed was £95,000.

“We’ll be looking at how technology influences legal service delivery and how it should be shaping education, access for

justice and asking what are the implications of technology on the profession are, both challenges and opportunities.” She said the involvement of the two legal firms is vital to expanding on the legal technology community in Northern Ireland. Jason Marty, the Global Director of Operations at Baker McKenzie in Belfast, said the centre is a boon for the legal profession in Northern Ireland, and beyond. “We see the centre as a really important collaboration which will have huge benefits for both the technology and the legal world. We’ve witnessed a growing demand for legal services around helping explore, test and pilot new technology. “Belfast has emerged as the ideal location for the kind of work. We’ll be working with the centre on some long-term research, preparing for the emergence of artificial intelligence, the collaboration around research projects, how we use unstructured data. “We’ll also be helping work on the curriculum. We already have employees taking courses there. “Belfast is emerging as a technology hub and as a legal hub.”

NEWS

KME Steelworks completes foundations for vast bridge in Sunderland

Lisburn engineering company has completed its part in constructing one of the most complex construction contracts in the UK, a 336m bridge. KME Steelworks manufactured tailor-made moulds for the construction of foundations for the £120m Wear Crossing in Sunderland, the highest bridge to be built in Britain in recent years. KME Steelworks director Seamus Murchan said the project was complex and demanding.

One of the foundations made by KME Steelworks

“The Wear Crossing is a prestigious project which promises to be a game changer for the economic development of the north east of England,” says Mr Murchan. “To be part of such an important component of infrastructure development is a

Exceptional in every event

tribute to the quality of KME’s output.” The unique design foundations will carry a 103m high A-frame structure carrying a twospan, cable-splayed bridge. The new bridge will have two lanes of traffic in each direction, plus dedicated cycle ways and footpaths along its 336m length. KME was also tasked with supplying more than 20 steel moulds for all the bridge deck precast concrete units. Installation of the formwork on the river bed and the subsequent pouring of concrete was made possible by the construction of a cofferdam in the river. The main A frame structure which was built in Belgium and transported on a special barge to the river Wear is expected to be erected early next month.

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NEWS

Quotes of the month “I want to strengthen the links between the public and private sector, between the Executive and our business community. We are determined to deliver and to move forward with people and businesses who want to make a positive contribution to create a better future for all. I thank all companies for their continued support and wish them all every success for the future.” Martin McGuiness speaking at the Ulster Business Top 100 Gala Dinner in September.

“During his time as Deputy First Minister, and throughout his political career, Martin was a friend of business and worked tirelessly in support of our efforts to attract international investment and help our local companies to grow their exports. His warmth and openness helped to persuade many new investors to locate in Northern Ireland and create jobs and investment.” Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton on Martin McGuinness’s impact on the business world here.

“If a hard Brexit happens it would be pretty devastating and it would be the biggest sort of shot in the foot that the British people have ever done to themselves, so (I) hope that sense will prevail. When all the facts are known and are on the table, I would hope that a second referendum can take place based on real facts and not on the facts that people were given.” Richard Branson offers up his view on Brexit on CNBC.

From left are Alex Speers, Brian Lavery, Jileen Loo, and Paul Collins

CBRE: 3,750 hotel rooms in the pipeline as Asian investors circle

he phenomenal revival in Northern Ireland’s hotel sector has drawn the attention of Asian investors, according to agents CBRE. It said interest has emerged from China for some of the most prized hotel assets on these shores amid a frenzy of building activity and steady growth in the number of tourists. “CBRE have had enquiries from Asian investors looking at Northern Ireland, some of whom may consider hotel development projects,” the agents said in a new report which tracks hotel development here. It counted 27 hotel schemes currently being built or in the planning stages which in total account for 3,750 rooms in total. Alex Speers, Senior Surveyor, CBRE Northern Ireland said the boom in supply will help satiate strong demand. “With a strong demand for hotel rooms and an ever-growing tourism industry, it is encouraging to see developers addressing this requirement in Belfast,” she said. “The hotel sector has strengthened over the last number of years and made significant strides in 2016 with the Bullitt Hotel and phase one of the Ten Square extension in the City Centre open.

“Interestingly, on top of new hotels, a number of prominent hotels in the city are proposing extensions and refurbishments to create a stronger offering; these include the Fitzwilliam Hotel, Holiday Inn Express and Jurys Hotel.” Meanwhile, Jileen Loo, Head of Asia Desk, International Capital Markets for CBRE Hotels, said the potential for investment from Asia and for tourism is strong. “In 2016 we saw close to £2billion of hotels sold to Asian investors in the UK and Europe. This is a rise of nearly 5 times as much as what Asian investors purchased at the peak of the last cycle, and though not the dominant region of capital source, it is the fastest growing. In addition to Asian hotel brands expanding overseas to grow in international markets, we are increasingly seeing investment from private wealth looking to tap into the burgeoning outbound Chinese tourism market.” “From beautiful castles in fairy tale settings to a capital city rich in history, Northern Ireland has much to offer first time visitors. However, understanding the Chinese tourists’ characteristics, needs and preference is important to hotel owners and operators if they want to future proof themselves and respond to trends which will impact their P&L.”

NEWS

Kingspan founder sells £26m stake

ugene Murtagh, the founder and chairman of Cavan-based insulation maker Kingspan, has sold €30m (£26m) worth of shares in the group.

Shares in Kingspan have surged about 24% in the past six months and were changing hands last month at about €30.50 (£26.30). During the depths of the country's financial crisis, they were trading at around €2 (£1.70).

The huge sale leaves Mr Murtagh with a substantial holding in the company, however.

A statement to the stock exchange noted that the Kingspan chairman sold one million shares at €30 £25.90) each. The last time he sold a major tranche of shares was in 2012, when he offloaded €41m (£35m) worth of stock. At that time, he sold 5.12 million shares at €8 £7) each.

According to its latest annual report published earlier this month, he retains just over 29m shares, or nearly 16.3% of the company following the share sale, making him the single biggest shareholder in the group. That remaining stake is worth about €882m (£762m). Kingspan has a market capitalisation of €5.4bn (£4.7bn). The chairman has also made more than €60m (£52m) in dividends from the company over the years. Kingspan declined to comment.

Mr Murtagh (74) co-founded Kingspan in Kingscourt in 1965 with his brother Brendan. He grew the company into a major international player and was chief executive until 2005. Kingspan, now headed up by Mr Murtagh's

Eugene Murtagh, the founder and chairman of Kingspan

son, Gene, has notched up strong growth in recent years. Last year, its profits soared 33% to €341m (£295m). Revenue at the group climbed 12% to €3.1bn £2.7bn).

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NEWS

IBS rebrands as Xerox

BS has announced it has moved to the Xerox and will immediately operate under the brand.

It said the move is a significant milestone due to the company’s ambitious plans to grow its document outsourcing business and expand its reach in the small medium business segment. Xerox now employs over 760 people across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. “Our appearance will change, but customers can expect to receive the same excellent level of service and responsiveness they have come to expect from us”, said Alan Brown, managing director, Xerox, Ireland. “We look forward to leveraging Xerox’s global brand and combining this with our local expertise enabling us to be first to market with innovations for our customers. “As digital technology advances, the way businesses and organisations communicate, connect and work is changing. By connecting the paper and digital worlds, Xerox helps to bring organisations on their digital journey,” said Brown. “Working with the team I look forward to making 2017 a defining year for Xerox, our employees, customers and channel partners.” Xerox has been operating in Ireland for over 40 years and has offices in Belfast, Dublin & Cork. It has three core businesses here, the first is the sales and marketing operation of Xerox in Ireland of which Alan Brown is the MD. Xerox Europe also resides here, it is a shared services and governance business that comprises business process functions, technical support, finance and HR that support Xerox’s European Operations. The North East Coast is the home of Xerox Technology, a manufacturing site based in Dundalk that is producing high end printing machines, electronic components and toner for the European market.

Pictured (L – R) are, Mick Boyle, Jaramas Investments NI Ltd., Alastair Hamilton, Invest NI, and Mark Donohoe, Project Manager

£10m plan to turn derelict Killeavy Castle into top hotel By Margaret Canning

Northern Ireland man who emigrated to Australia as a child has embarked on a £10m project to convert a historic castle in the area into a luxury hotel and spa. Mick Boyle, who moved Down Under at the age of four, has received almost £1m in backing from economic development agency Invest NI to transform Killeavy Castle. It was built in the middle of the 19th century and has been derelict for around 10 years. It was formerly a private home. Mr Boyle made regular visits to family and friends in Co Armagh, and decided to buy the castle when it became available for auction in 2013. He and his wife paid £1.2m for the property and its grounds. As well as a boutique hotel and spa, it will also feature a wellness centre promoting a healthy lifestyle. Mr Boyle's company Jaramas Investments NI Ltd will receive £983,000 from Invest NI to help towards the costs of conversion. Mr Boyle, who has a construction company in Australia, said: "We want to create a distinct visitor attraction that maximises the heritage and beauty of the Killeavy Castle Estate and makes a positive contribution to the local community.

"Support from Invest NI and Newry, Mourne and Down District will make a vital contribution in enabling us to undertake the extensive building and restoration works. Progress on the project is well under way and the hotel, spa and wellness centre is on track to be operational by late 2018." The project will involve restoring the Grade A-listed castle and converting it into a guest house and meeting venue. Mr Boyle will also develop outbuildings and build a permanent marquee. Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton said: "This is an exciting investment in south Armagh which will provide a valuable boost to the tourism infrastructure in the region. “Invest NI's support is enabling Jaramas Investments to build and restore listed buildings into an attractive destination for visitors worldwide." He said the project would create more than 80 jobs in the area, and also generate employment during construction. Mr Hamilton added: "The economic benefits of this project also extend to the local supply chain, which stands to benefit from the purchasing of consumables once the hotel and spa is operational in 2018." Mr Boyle will use the castle's proximity to Slieve Gullion Forest Park to plan nature treks and walks for guests.

NEWS

Young innovators takes St Georges by storm

round 200 teenagers from schools across Northern Ireland gathered at St. George’s Market last month to discover the opportunities that exist for them to become world class innovators. Through interactive sessions, a buzzing innovation marketplace and messages from local innovators around the world, the young people were encouraged to aim higher, succeed faster and push what’s possible here in Northern Ireland. Deloitte were the headline sponsors of the Catalyst Inc event while Aepona and Liberty IT, together with Ulster University and Enterprise SU, QUB and the Department of the Communities were also backers. Pictured are Adeleine Salondaguit, St Joseph¹s College,East Belfast, Tom Minnis, Shimna Integrated College Newcastle, Malachy McKenna, analyst for Deloiite and Grace Ginley, Shimna Integrated College, Newcastle

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ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH

Whodunnit? Ask the book seller... David Torrans, owner of Belfast’s only independent crime-ﬁction bookstore No Alibis, has created a cultural hub for book lovers and creatives to come together. He is just one local talent working with Bushmills Irish Whiskey as part of #AnswerTheCall. Tell us a little about your business? No Alibis is an independent Bookstore based on Botanic avenue in Belfast. We have been in business since 1997…we celebrate 20 years in business this June Whilst we specialize in crime and mystery fiction we also stock a very wide range of titles relating to Irish literature and history/politics. Given our proximity to Queens University we also have a broad representation of academic titles. Children’s literature is also a subject very close to our hearts. Is your current venture something you always knew you would do and why? I was, unsurprisingly, always a keen reader. Growing up in Belfast in the 1960’s and 70’s provided ample reasons for a bit of literary escapism. Fortunately, we had a fine local library, a Carnegie Library, close by on the Shankill Road. I started my career as a bookseller in 1990. Prior to this I had worked in numerous jobs from a mushroom picker to civil servant as well as attending University. The bookselling job was my first full time job after completing my degree. I thought, ‘let’s give it six months and see how it goes’. Running a bookshop was never something I had consciously thought of doing, yet, after only a few months working in this environment I realised it was something I

could do and, more importantly, wanted to do for the rest of my life. What does your day to day look like? It is impossible to give a general picture. Each day is made up of many different tasks. At the moment, I am working with Bushmills Irish Whiskey to create an event as part of the Answer The Call series but bookselling to individuals makes up the main part of the day to day business. Engaging with our customers is the most crucial part of what we do. They provide a benchmark from which to learn about and develop our business. Planning what we are going to do throughout the upcoming months probably takes up the greatest part of my working day. This can take the form of searching out new and unique publishers/stock or arranging book events with authors, poets and musicians. Looking at our “physical” space/ environment ant trying to find ways to adapt it to incorporate new opportunities is probably the most exciting thing we do. Being static is not part our makeup. You have gone against the grain and done something a bit different to the norm. Tell us how you've made No Alibis a success? I think we have survived in this form by trying to completely rule out a sense of complacency. It

is not that we are constantly changing what we do; we simply cannot let the idea that because something has been working for a period of time it is always going to work. Thinking about things like this take up a large part of the day. What have your previous jobs included before you took this path? Too many to mention. On a chronological basis; Butchers assistant, shop assistant, barman, security guard (giggles uncontrollably), mushroom picker, civil servant, student and finally, Bookseller, starting in 1990. What is the most difficult part of your job? Dealing with the bureaucracy of paperwork relating to government regulations. I realise the importance in maintaining current and up to date information to facilitate a modern Tax system, but, it could be made a lot simpler. Where would you like to be in 10-years’ time? On a business level - in a position with my highly competent and motivated staff telling me to go home they have everything under control. On a personal level - walking along a mountain path in the sunshine, heading towards a campsite or refuge with a book in my rucksack waiting to be read. ■

COVER STORY

The family business advisor PwC’s Martin Cowie and Janette Jones explain how their years of experience working with family businesses is helping those companies drive the Northern Ireland economy and prepare for Brexit

ou don’t need to be an economist to know family-owned and owner-managed businesses play a significant role in the Northern Ireland economy. Currently, three-quarters of all companies here are family-owned or owner-managed, but their size often belies their significance.

According to the Ulster University report, The Contribution of Small Businesses to Northern Ireland, these small and mediumsized companies and self-employed people, collectively provide; 75% of employment, 75% of turnover and 81% of GVA in NI’s private

sector. Indeed, small and family business actually employ more people than NI’s large companies and the public sector combined. For PwC, this data holds no surprises, given that even a casual glance down the list of the biggest companies on these shores reveals a host of well-known names still operating under family ownership and management, many of which have been around for decades. PwC’s position in the region is unique. The firm is a trusted advisor to more family-owned and owner-managed businesses than any other professional advisor in the Province. They also advise more than three-quarters of NI’s top-100

companies, as well as being home to some of PwC’s global centres of excellence - PwC’s office at Waterfront Plaza houses one of only three Google labs in the world. Leading PwC’s family business team in NI, Martin Cowie and Janette Jones understand how this mix of global reach and local expertise actually makes the firm very adept at dealing with the peculiar challenges, and indeed opportunities, which are part and parcel of running a family business. Martin Cowie, a Scot who has worked with PwC’s private business clients across the the UK and in Australia has certainly been impressed

COVER STORY

Kenneth Webb, Managing Director at Ulster Weavers, and Martin Cowie, Private Business Leader at PwC

with what he’s seen in the past year working in Northern Ireland.

private businesses which Martin describes as “the elephant in the boardroom.”

“Northern Ireland has some absolutely fantastic family businesses which are more than capable of competing on a world stage,” Martin told Ulster Business.

As he suggests, one of the biggest issues in this situation is a lack of communication.

“They’re not without their challenges but, with the right support from us, we can help them to the next level.” Those challenges are not unique to Northern Ireland, but ones which are found in family businesses across the UK and beyond. Take succession planning, a particular aspect of

APRIL 2017

“In many cases the founding or older generation expect the younger generation to come in and take the business over,” he said. “At the same time the younger generation, on the whole , want to do exactly that but neither party actually starts a discussion about how that’s going to happen.” That’s where PwC comes in, helping to start those discussions and make sure the plans which

are put in place are right for everyone. “Our regular PwC Family Business Surveys consistently tell us that protecting the long term future of the family business is the key objective and ensuring the business stays in the family is a real priority for UK family firms. “Succession is a medium-term play, not something which happens immediately but which takes time. We use the skills and experience we see across a plethora of different businesses to help shape the handover and smooth the process. “The companies we deal with know their

COVER STORY

business inside out, but we are able to share the knowledge and experience we have gained from working with other families to help our clients make the right decision for their family and their business.” That might mean handing a business straight to the next generation but could equally mean bringing in an outsider to run the business in the meantime. PwC can help clients manage this transition. “We’re regularly asked to help recruit more professional management, but that also means helping the family to shift from being managers to becoming shareholders - a shift that families can find confusing,” said Cowie. And one of the biggest parts of succession planning is tax, an area where Janette, Head of PwC NI’s tax practice is a leader in the field. “We find out what liabilities are likely to arise both personally for the family in the form of inheritance tax or capital gains tax and for the company if restructuring is needed. Our locallybased tax specialists look at both personal and company tax as one to make sure clients reduce their exposure during the process.” “For family businesses, every pound the business has to pay comes out of the owners pockets, that’s why we pay so much attention to both. PwC is unique in the Province for having local experts in all aspects of tax including Inheritance Tax and Trust planning. We can also call on our international colleagues where there are offshore family interests; collectively, we can advise families on the best way to manage tax when passing a business to the next generation.” While in many instances succession planning is focused on handing the business to the next generation, sometimes an exit from the business may be the best option, something which the experts at PwC are able to assess, both in terms of suitability for the family and in terms of tax mitigation. “You might not have a younger generation coming through or may have one which is not interested in the business,” Janette said. “Then, a trade sale can be the best option. “We have a dedicated deals team that sell businesses, making sure owners get an exit and the best price for their business while all the while working with the tax team to make sure it’s tax efficient.”

Kenneth Webb, Managing Director at Ulster Weavers, Janette Jones, NI Tax Leader at PwC, and Martin Cowie, Private Business Leader at PwC

PwC is also helping local companies explore export opportunities and embrace new technology. Martin explains that. “One of the biggest opportunities for family companies in Northern Ireland is export,” he said. “At present most sell in their own back yard but there are huge untapped markets in Europe, Asia and the US. Our latest Family Business Survey suggests that over a third of family firms are looking to diversify into new, overseas markets. “PwC as an organisation has all the help, network and capability which a new exporter could need and we’ve been at the forefront of breaking into new markets for years.” Family businesses are often reluctant to adopt new digital technology simply because they are unsure how it works or what benefit it brings. There is huge potential tech-reticent family firms to adopt a more digital approach to all aspects of their business to increase sales and reduce costs. “Technology is changing how business acts with consumers and every business needs to be on top of that. The more traditional businesses are using technology to keep themselves relevant and to grow their businesses. “That’s a big shift even in the last two years as they can see that technology can give an edge over the competition without losing their

traditional values. It’s also an area where the younger generation of family members are most confident. But this comes with a health warning. Just over half of UK family firms are alert to the dangers of cyber attack and only around the same number actually discuss digital disruption at board level.” Aware of this threat, PwC’s private business practice works in conjunction with both the PwC’s technology consulting team and its national cyber security team, to provide advice to local clients In the same vein, Martin Cowie says PwC is also at the forefront of helping family firms prepare for one of the other main threats facing their business: Brexit. “The uncertainty around Brexit has been difficult but the tenacious nature of family businesses means they’re getting on with things.” That tenacity combined with an ability to flex quickly, a naturally innovative approach and an in-depth knowledge of their industry means Northern Ireland’s family businesses are an indelible part of the economy. With the help of PwC’s specialist advice, the sector’s potential future growth is huge. ■ Contact: janette.jones@pwc.com or martin.a.cowie@pwc.com

To read PwC’s UK Family Business Survey 2017 go to www.pwc.co.uk

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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

NOW that’s what I call a social enterprise David Elliott talked to Maeve Monaghan, the chief executive of NOW Group, to hear how the organisation is answering both its social and its enterprise remit

he need to help improve society can sometimes get in the way of building a sustainable business model and, in turn, the need to make a profit can sometimes take the focus away from the business of doing good. Not so for the NOW Group, a social enterprise which manages both targets in tandem and with equal success. Its primary aim is to support people with learning difficulties and autism into jobs and at the same time to help companies be come more inclusive. And not just any old jobs but, as the organisation’s tagline very deliberately states, in to jobs “with a future”. That is quite a task, but it’s one which chief executive Maeve Monaghan and her team seem to manage with ease. “We focus on training participants, helping them get accredited qualifications and then moving them into jobs,” she said. “But as a social enterprise we have to make sure we have diverse income streams so we can secure the future of the organisation.” Those funding streams come from its own social enterprises, from government, local council and the Big Lottery NI. The former includes the Loaf Café and Bakery situated across from the Royal Victoria Hospital on Belfast’s Grosvenor Road, the Bobbin Café in Belfast City Hall (due to reopen after renovations on April 24) and a thriving outside catering business.

As if that weren’t enough, it also has a consulting arm, Gauge NI, which helps business understand, measure and communicate their social impact. With that income, it’s able to drive its social objectives and focus on improving the lives of those with learning difficulties and autism. It does that primarily by supporting participants into paid employment by providing accredited training to build up skills and confidence as well as work experience and voluntary work placements in a range of job roles. NOW Group also supports young school leavers with learning difficulties or autism and their parents or carers to explore future options and gain independence through training, mentoring and sampling work placements. In addition, it runs MoneyPlus and other courses to help people with a range of disabilities manage their money and be more independent. Companies throughout Northern Ireland also rely heavily on the NOW Group as it helps support people with learning difficulties or autism already in work by providing services such as awareness training and workplace support for employees, employers and coworkers. “Lots of employers already have people with learning disabilities and autism working for them and need assistance,” Maeve said. “That’s where the most excitement happens.” “When we meet with employers there’s a range of things we can work through with

them which generally end up in a win-win for both the employee and the employer.” She said the NOW Group has worked with employees in private and public sector organisations across Northern Ireland to help put structures in place to make their work more rewarding and also with the colleagues and managers of those with learning difficulties or autism to train them on what to expect and the best way to work productively with them. “It helps individuals get and keep these roles and stops the process getting to the stage where they’re not able to do their job. Whether it’s a new job or those already in

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

JAM card users Francis Fitzsimons and Caoimhe McEvoy

The JAM Card The JAM Card, which stands for Just a Minute, was the idea of service users from the Now Group who said they often felt under pressure when they were out and about in everyday life and would like a discreet way of letting people know that they needed a little extra time. Maeve Monaghan

position, we’ve found there’s huge potential for us to make a difference.” The organisation also helps both employees and employers when it comes to job hunting and hiring. “If an employer has a job in the paper, one of our participants might ask us for help to make adjustments at interview. We can provide help with interviews for both sides.” It’s clear The NOW Group truly fulfils the remit of a social enterprise and, with new innovative ideas such as its JAM Card and many others emerging all the time, the organisation is certainly not standing still. ■

APRIL 2017

It is available as a credit card-sized card that can fit in your wallet and has recently been made available as an app for smart phones. The JAM Card says ‘Just a Minute’ on one side and ‘Please be patient, I have a learning difficulty’ on the other and was originally created in 2012 However, recent funding from Nominet Trust and Big Lottery Fund totally £100,000 has seen the project enter a new phase of development. The funding has allowed a prototype of the app to be developed and made available to download for free for Apple and Android phones. Since the

app was launched in January it has had over 500 downloads and there are now thousands of the plastic cards in circulation across Northern Ireland, with enquiries coming in from throughout the UK and Europe. As the app develops additional features will be added including the ability for users to rate the experience they had when using it, which will allow businesses and services the opportunity improve the customer service they provide to people with disabilities. Over 500 businesses in Belfast already recognise the JAM Card and NOW Group is hoping to engage more organisations with an online JAM Card training platform for staff which will be available in April. The online training will be a short course that customer service facing staff can do remotely to educate themselves on the additional needs a JAM Card user may have. ■

ANALYSIS

Brexit poses serious threat to UK-Irish food trade Ian Wright, director general of the UK's Food and Drink Federation, examines what Brexit means for the flow of food and drink across the border

he UK’s food and drink sector, for whom I work, employs four million people - 13.5% of the UK workforce. We are clear on our priorities as we enter two years of negotiations. Top of this list is the crucial question of what will happen to trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland once the UK has left the EU. This is a question rooted in our shared - and often contentious - history, in deep bonds of friendship, and in the physical and economic realities of both nations. The Irish Border is - currently - the UK’s only land border with the EU. The food and drink industries of both countries are deeply interlinked. The Republic buys more from the UK than the United States, China, Russia, Brazil, Canada and Japan combined. Nearly a fifth of the UK’s total food and drink exports cross the Irish Sea. Similarly, more than a third of Ireland’s own exports head to the UK and more than half of Irish beef and cheese is bought in the UK. From a processing perspective, Northern Ireland and Great Britain combine to supply 90% of the flour used in the Republic. A quarter of all Northern Irish milk is processed south of the Border and the milk from one cow in Northern Ireland may move across the Border multiple times before it goes into a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream.

The two-way trade traffic and seamless single market which exists between the Republic and the UK is a vital asset for both nations. It is essential that the UK government ensures existing tariff-free trading arrangements are maintained. Food is at the heart of national security. If you can’t feed a country, you don’t have a country. Last month, signatories from 35 representative trade bodies from across the UK food and drink supply chain signed an open letter to the UK government. It called for an early agreement on future trade with the Republic of Ireland once the UK has left the EU. This letter further enforces the constructive dialogue we have had with various UK government departments. To this end, we are working closely with colleagues from across the food and drink sector, including Food Drink Ireland, the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation (Ibec) and the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association. Going over the World Trade Organisation (WTO) cliff to provoke a sudden transformation of Britain’s trading arrangements would be hugely damaging for our industry and for the wider economy on both sides of the Border. In the event that new customs requirements cannot be avoided, continuity and predictability for business must be a

priority. The UK government must put in place robust plans to deliver transitional arrangements that minimise disruption and provide sufficient time to allow companies to adapt to a new business environment. New disruptive customs barriers, port health controls and other costly bureaucratic requirements that impede the movement of goods and workers must be avoided. They would disrupt established supply chain networks that operate across Ireland and Britain. They would also cause significant economic damage while adding to existing food price inflation faced by consumers. The Republic of Ireland is by far the UK food and drink industry’s longest-standing and most important trading partner. The relationship between the two nations is based on an integrated supply chain. With these considerations in mind, we believe the UK government should make a clear and early statement of principle that it is committed to maintaining the current conditions of trade between the UK and Ireland and that it will make it a priority in the negotiations to come. It is no more than our industry and - more importantly - our shoppers and customers deserve and demand. In the spirit of Samuel Beckett, we say to the UK government: “Find a form that accommodates this mess, that is your task now.” ■

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RESEARCH

Progress through research Dr Sinclair Mayne, CEO at AFBI, lays out the case for sound research

he agri-food sector in Northern Ireland holds great potential for the region. Agriculture is our largest industry employing 47,000 people in primary production and 27,000 in food and drink processing. This industry is poised for growth. The ‘Going for Growth Strategy’ published by the AgriFood Strategy Board is projecting that by 2020, we could see 15,000 new jobs; sales grow by 60% to £7 billion; and total GVA of products and services increase by 60%. It’s an ambitious plan - but how do we realise it? The key lies in scientific research, innovation and knowledge and technology transfer. The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) is Northern Ireland’s largest science and technology organisation. We offer scientific services, research and advice to the industry and inform government policy across the agri-food and rural sectors. The work we do enables the industry to meet their responsibilities and also increase revenues: • through genome sequencing, AFBI scientists are helping tackle bovine tuberculosis (TB) - a disease costing NI taxpayers up to £30 million a year. • our research evidence convinced the EU to revise Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) regulations thereby enabling an extra £10 million worth of grass production annually. • applying this same research can boost profitability of intensively managed grassland by more than £50 million a year. • our PiGIS online management tool helps

farmers to benchmark and improve pig carcase quality. • our scientific research helped NI’s negotiating team increase the Nephrops (Dublin Bay Prawns) quota for 2017 - worth an additional £1.43 million to the NI fisheries fleet. • our dairy cow research has developed new feed rationing systems which have been adopted across the UK. • and our research has helped pig producers grow their businesses and expand numbers in a sustainable way. Not only are we focused on supporting the commercial potential of our sector but our science discovery is also helping to address global issues. As food demand increases, production and supply are among the biggest challenges facing the international community in the coming decades. It has been estimated that world food supply will need to increase by 75-90% to feed a world population that is expected to exceed 7·5 billion by 2020 and 9 billion by 2050. The work we do in areas such as animal health and disease prevention, environmental protection, precision agriculture and sustainable intensification (to name but a few) has enabled AFBI to develop international partnerships and collaborations with leading global organisations such as the Roslin Research Institute in Edinburgh, Wageningen University Research in the Netherlands, Massey University in New Zealand and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Dr Sinclair Mayne

Other global challenges include water shortages, reliance on use of fossil fuels in the synthesis of nitrogen fertilisers and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems. The key to exploiting local opportunities and meeting global challenges is through increased investment in scientific research, innovation and knowledge and technology transfer in the agri-food sector. In March we brought together more than 250 industry experts, academics, farmers and business leaders to debate the future of livestock farming up to 2030. We know that the coming decade promises to be an exciting time and potentially a period of strong growth for our agri-sector. But in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, innovation and technological advances based on excellent science will be fundamental for success. ■

UB 200 Ulster Business lists the 200 companies which fall just outside the Top 100 when ranked by turnover. These medium-sized firms are the backbone of the local economy and include some of our most well known names.

Sponsored by

Helping Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses go further www.tltsolicitors.com/news-and-insights

UB 200

1-34

Rank

Company Name

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

1 2

Thompson Aero Seating Limited

31/03/2016

64,865,197

51,867,986

13,689,956

32,030,229

Ulster Carpet Mills (Holdings) Limited

31/03/2016

64,153,030

60,299,430

6,593,171

42,934,612

Savage & Whitten Wholesale Ltd

31/12/2015

62,975,706

63,569,060

568,633

4,763,591

William Keys & Sons Ltd

31/12/2015

62,643,457

50,483,873

-2,315,413

13,114,053

EM News Distribution (Ni) Limited

31/12/2015

61,902,000

64,261,619

2,142,000

4,680,000

Sawyers Transport Limited

31/12/2015

61,727,528

69,363,386

-1,159,608

12,421,079

Skea Egg Farms Limited

31/12/2015

61,678,010

61,029,466

3,915,499

13,697,776

Donnelly & Taggart Limited

31/10/2015

59,674,419

61,429,104

114,931

3,384,375

M.J.M. Marine Limited

31/12/2015

58,893,596

38,650,457

4,948,025

11,759,194

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd

31/12/2015

58,715,878

61,616,781

4,617,001

44,472,853

Nie Networks Services Limited

31/12/2015

57,997,000

63,438,000

1,099,000

9,398,000

Heron Bros. Limited

28/02/2016

57,423,109

52,020,634

2,603,307

56,933,759

Drinks Inc. Ltd

31/03/2016

57,160,723

51,166,021

-115,303

9,354,263

Woodside Haulage (Holdings) Limited

31/03/2016

56,776,409

54,611,834

2,675,548

17,935,938

Northway Mushrooms Limited

31/12/2015

55,879,422

39,539,410

-60,547

732,357

Roadside Motors Limited

30/09/2015

55,078,057

52,558,010

193,800

6,068,458

Galen Limited

30/09/2015

54,263,458

55,390,882

2,616,243

33,632,132

T.W. Scott & Sons (Fuels) Limited

31/12/2015

53,308,837

74,868,757

171,617

2,220,188

Tennent's NI Limited

28/02/2015

53,055,000

51,349,000

6,913,000

17,964,000

Hilton Meats (Cookstown) Limited

31/12/2014

52,777,152

50,583,736

-107,397

2,084,865

Avondale Foods (Craigavon) Limited

31/03/2016

51,110,439

48,924,405

5,315,673

20,353,794

Premier Electrics Limited

31/03/2016

50,951,547

44,982,915

2,520,053

10,296,264

Grafton Recruitment Limited

31/03/2016

50,840,037

-246,002

1,400,972

Mallaghan Engineering Limited

31/12/2015

50,430,235

26,801,606

3,551,618

13,714,221

Murdock Builders Merchants Limited

31/12/2015

49,993,162

42,893,235

1,241,401

626,028

Strathroy Dairy Limited

31/07/2015

49,664,191

56,604,312

322,603

4,590,358

Heatons (N.I.) Limited

30/04/2015

49,642,578

47,542,605

4,367,777

14,408,908

Morgan Fuel & Lubes Limited

31/03/2016

49,633,876

50,156,329

120,804

39,668

Phoenix Natural Gas Limited

31/12/2015

49,131,000

48,197,000

-4,989,000

249,305,000

Unilin Distribution Limited

31/12/2015

48,009,114

46,100,782

557,367

9,619,146

Decora Blind Systems Limited

31/12/2015

46,756,109

39,159,905

3,385,964

15,066,794

Kainos Software Limited

31/03/2016

46,597,000

60,778,000

11,339,000

7,739,000

CDE Global Limited

31/12/2015

46,343,932

32,320,536

2,838,346

11,079,294

Property Management Services (N.I.) Limited

31/12/2015

45,430,783

45,110,842

219,410

8,274,464

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 24

Helping Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses go further www.tltsolicitors.com/news-and-insights

35-68 Rank

Company Name

35 36

UB 200

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

Evron Foods Limited

31/08/2015

45,411,040

40,067,606

883,712

7,464,485

Motis Ireland Limited

30/06/2016

45,119,613

42,336,484

1,830,519

1,268,875

Bemis Healthcare Packaging Limited

31/12/2015

45,119,447

44,300,284

6,543,164

12,030,987

Walter Watson Limited

31/12/2015

45,000,742

40,004,822

4,050,635

12,282,274

Noonan Services Group (NI) Limited

31/12/2015

44,943,578

22,494,669

456,289

3,507,691

Lynn'S Country Foods Limited

31/08/2015

44,909,942

18,144,517

3,966,470

10,138,047

McAvoy Group Limited - The

31/10/2015

44,808,625

33,637,762

1,105,770

4,416,462

Veterinary Surgeons Supply Company Limited

31/08/2016

44,434,816

41,933,799

503,412

4,916,238

Dennison Commercials Limited

31/12/2015

43,786,423

39,418,660

1,589,919

8,599,433

Medwyn Holding Limited

31/03/2016

43,126,733

47,571,394

2,957,742

18,321,275

Bettercare Keys Limited

31/03/2016

42,778,438

38,244,750

2,117,503

8,704,245

Keystone Holding Ltd

31/12/2015

42,592,483

40,407,437

2,356,940

15,948,108

Bam Contractors (NI) Ltd

31/12/2015

42,047,340

47,627,236

264,044

1,766,238

Huhtamaki Foodservice Delta Limited

30/06/2015

41,956,709

39,889,445

4,761,619

20,234,995

Felix O'Hare & Company Limited

31/03/2016

41,896,702

36,453,182

500,236

5,403,886

James Tolland & Company Limited

31/05/2016

41,846,633

505,542

2,983,981

Harry Corry Limited

29/02/2016

41,300,808

38,642,986

1,094,022

5,055,170

Portview Fit-Out Limited

30/11/2015

41,114,106

34,652,501

2,235,806

3,939,154

United Feeds Limited

31/03/2016

40,401,000

45,004,000

1,452,000

2,815,000

J.K.C.Specialist Cars Limited

31/12/2015

40,285,983

37,027,250

695,416

4,517,949

United Wine Merchants Limited

31/12/2015

40,211,791

35,566,061

829,116

9,225,277

Lough Erne Investments Limited (Ready Egg Products)

25/12/2015

40,189,994

34,655,841

3,187,368

16,124,317

Henry Group (Ni) Limited

31/03/2016

40,110,000

36,308,000

1,002,000

18,036,000

Williams Industrial Services Limited

31/05/2016

39,916,764

26,001,155

1,507,423

3,557,590

Western Building Systems Ltd

30/04/2016

39,873,998

30,443,301

3,815,502

14,027,388

Doherty & Gray Limited

31/03/2016

39,588,644

37,690,486

811,846

3,115,570

Desmond Motors Limited

31/12/2015

39,518,796

44,329,503

774,199

3,208,874

N.I.I.B. Group Limited

31/12/2015

39,495,429

43,400,365

38,687,148

19,497,319

A.J. Power Limited

30/06/2016

39,144,545

2,437,094

7,680,149

S.E.R.E. Holdings Ltd

31/12/2015

39,060,158

30,904,461

846,661

3,157,203

Camden Group Limited

31/03/2016

38,662,437

36,114,357

-1,217,937

8,838,144

Regency Carpet Manufacturing Limited

30/06/2015

38,622,357

47,716,052

1,538,221

9,192,106

Cobell International Limited

31/03/2016

38,315,498

39,822,443

649,696

3,212,666

T B F Thompson (Garvagh) Limited

31/12/2015

38,161,000

35,406,000

-385,000

1,513,000

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 APRIL 2017

Helping Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses go further www.tltsolicitors.com/news-and-insights

UB 200

69-101

Rank

Company Name

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

69 70

Gaffer (NI) Limited

31/12/2015

37,682,988

30,464,076

1,896,595

10,265,362

Brakes Foodservice Ni Limited

31/12/2015

37,317,000

35,052,000

813,000

595,000

McMullen Facades Limited

31/01/2016

37,292,542

25,943,841

968,981

1,033,368

Copeland Limited

30/09/2015

37,259,034

39,626,397

2,334,662

17,798,184

Mac-Interiors Limited

31/12/2015

36,591,361

21,890,950

1,810,803

3,825,067

O&S Holdings Ltd

31/12/2015

36,584,662

32,064,512

6,045,299

26,911,756

Liberty Information Technology Limited

31/12/2015

36,481,816

33,481,945

6,628,645

12,467,187

Shelbourne Motors Limited

31/12/2015

36,108,747

31,558,616

957,113

5,462,832

John Hogg & Co Limited

30/04/2016

35,977,000

34,955,000

1,688,000

28,155,000

Greiner Packaging Limited

31/12/2015

35,855,513

34,471,864

2,478,462

11,686,029

Ballyrobert Service Station Limited

31/12/2015

35,658,414

33,009,290

465,113

1,937,401

Acheson Holdings Limited

31/03/2016

35,522,591

34,589,147

1,082,032

7,769,651

Bedeck Limited

30/09/2015

35,522,463

31,898,551

1,282,717

6,498,579

Eurostock Foods Ni Ltd

31/01/2016

35,438,017

32,598,791

670,673

3,306,141

Hastings Hotels Group Limited

31/10/2015

35,306,647

32,515,239

4,233,819

35,042,199

C & J Meats Limited

30/11/2015

35,207,874

36,398,952

179,268

788,770

Diesel Card International Limited

31/03/2016

34,803,000

43,304,000

6,873,000

21,795,000

Moyle Interconnector (Financing) PLC

31/03/2016

34,622,000

24,652,000

38,608,000

12,955,000

UTV Limited

31/12/2015

34,501,000

34,728,000

6,605,000

20,297,000

Seagoe Rose Limited

31/12/2015

34,441,976

N/A

-2,579,504

-5,483,167

Harvey Group Plc

31/08/2015

34,258,199

20,407,736

766,039

5,215,016

Budget Energy Limited

30/06/2015

33,996,796

30,037,263

3,649,029

2,307,484

World Travel Centre Limited

31/10/2016

33,981,968

109,856

2,158,390

Errigal Contracts Limited

31/12/2015

33,823,736

19,329,367

2,744,149

4,512,717

Smyths Toys Ni Limited

30/12/2015

33,632,000

31,969,000

600,000

1,595,000

Prestige Insurance Holdings Limited

31/03/2016

33,586,000

32,366,000

4,313,000

17,144,000

CFG Holdings Limited

31/03/2016

33,530,667

31,511,568

366,667

5,645,180

Dillon Bass Limited

30/06/2015

33,252,895

32,474,888

19,789

297,927

Union Street (Lurgan) Limited

30/04/2016

32,921,338

27,292,977

1,842,789

8,574,290

Edwin May Limited

30/09/2015

32,756,093

30,159,659

37,676

1,518,908

John Woods (Lisglyn) Limited

31/07/2015

32,733,090

36,301,888

1,547,469

10,144,622

100

Island Roads Services Limited

31/12/2015

32,469,680

35,626,339

829,485

-8,265,861

101

Charles Tennant And Company (N.I.) Limited

31/12/2015

32,448,007

38,956,184

2,282,751

15,274,655

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 26

Helping Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses go further www.tltsolicitors.com/news-and-insights

102-134 Rank

Company Name

102 103

UB 200

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

Elmgrove Foods Limited

31/03/2015

32,416,733

23,568,987

515,401

1,577,711

Tobermore Concrete Products Limited

30/04/2016

32,364,275

28,896,084

4,111,250

55,948,466

104

Liquorland Limited

30/09/2015

32,106,251

27,666,417

203,164

6,290,285

105

Powerteam Electrical Services (Uk) Limited

31/12/2015

31,833,000

56,744,000

2,308,000

8,391,000

106

John McWuillan (Contracts) Limited

31/03/2016

31,805,707

32,350,310

453,606

9,932,807

107

Uni-Trunk Holdings Limited

31/12/2015

31,527,938

27,954,196

2,859,856

23,467,892

108

O'Neills Irish International Sports Company Limited

31/12/2015

31,489,894

946,455

7,929,084

109

Romatech (N.I) Ltd

31/03/2016

31,473,977

35,812,584

753,658

465,641

110

Woodvale Construction Company Limited

30/06/2016

31,350,860

N/A

360,103

3,605,081

111

352 Medical Group Limited

31/03/2016

31,234,461

32,698,513

-857,392

3,663,968

112

Belfast International Airport Limited

31/12/2015

31,096,000

29,351,000

-1,603,000

72,907,000

113

North Down (Belfast) Limited

31/12/2015

31,073,765

21,802,754

645,898

2,384,941

114

M-B Truck And Van (NI) Limited

31/12/2015

30,965,783

36,096,277

529,672

3,841,300

115

Advanced Resource Managers Engineering Limited

28/02/2016

30,889,000

33,418,000

27,000

4,290,000

116

Extraspace Solutions (UK) Limited

31/12/2015

30,538,630

23,258,006

615,106

2,050,274

117

John Mulholland Motors Limited

31/12/2015

30,452,292

29,412,537

841,938

7,083,729

118

Beverage Plastics Limited

31/12/2015

30,344,174

34,772,414

833,667

15,015,289

119

Ballinaskeagh Grains Limited

30/04/2016

30,082,952

33,288,105

240,803

3,671,791

120

Dowds Electrical (Holdings) Limited

31/03/2016

29,981,249

18,072,162

1,875,752

4,470,064

121

W.D. Irwin & Sons Limited

03/04/2016

29,847,780

29,662,523

114,485

404,381

122

T & A Kernoghan (Holdings) Limited

31/03/2015

29,842,216

25,516,609

18,032

4,385,725

123

H&A Group Limited

31/05/2015

29,823,534

3,926,032

22,182,276

124

J.F. & H. Dowds Limited

31/03/2016

29,753,398

18,060,447

1,912,472

4,479,877

125

Calor Gas Northern Ireland Limited

31/12/2015

29,696,000

33,862,000

6,450,000

5,860,000

126

JMW Farms Ltd

30/09/2015

29,618,599

27,357,351

1,047,437

9,099,573

127

BA Kitchen Components Ltd

31/03/2016

29,527,557

24,619,468

3,442,645

12,348,385

128

Huhtamaki (Lurgan) Limited

31/12/2015

29,370,000

28,982,258

4,087,000

12,700,000

129

Lagan Technologies Limited

31/01/2016

28,912,166

29,406,791

3,136,549

25,888,925

130

Goldenfry Limited

31/12/2015

28,663,542

24,684,753

2,045,794

11,790,624

131

Belfast City Airport Limited

31/12/2015

20,799,000

19,801,000

1,350,000

23,997,000

132

Frylite Limited

27/03/2016

28,591,753

27,478,350

1,013,719

10,102,909

133

The Baird Group Limited

31/12/2015

28,518,051

22,463,911

527,287

9,544,914

134

Component Distributors Group Limited

31/12/2015

28,429,673

26,758,817

-223,248

2,369,005

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 APRIL 2017

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UB 200

135-167

Rank

Company Name

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

135 136

Wilsons Of Rathkenny Limited

31/12/2015

28,386,699

29,587,972

393,342

7,625,738

Praxis Care

31/03/2016

28,237,385

27,366,081

590,902

9,057,489

137

Communicorp UK Limited

31/12/2015

28,227,000

19,676,000

2,580,000

2,602,000

138

Micro Focus Limited

30/04/2016

28,115,000

28,338,000

1,887,000

30,136,000

139

Corporate Catering Management Limited

24/09/2015

28,056,601

25,511,622

1,183,629

3,098,869

140

Geda Construction LLP

31/12/2015

27,937,116

23,418,870

2,905,003

4,200,670

141

Direct Medics Ltd

31/01/2016

27,906,161

20,562,309

2,052,348

5,604,284

142

O'Reilly'S Wholesale Limited

28/02/2016

27,844,338

32,065,126

7,531

1,525,098

143

Kilwaughter Holdings Ltd

30/04/2016

27,748,201

7,466,147

31,482,516

144

T.G. Eakin Limited

31/03/2016

27,746,451

27,870,134

16,471,076

27,801,758

145

Terumo Bct Ltd.

31/03/2016

27,385,402

24,479,397

1,054,147

7,575,784

146

A.& F.A. Dundee Limited

31/08/2015

27,149,427

26,154,026

2,877,454

15,286,590

147

Germinal Holdings Limited

30/06/2015

26,959,408

31,906,731

1,818,712

25,391,654

148

Patmond Energy Limited

30/06/2015

26,880,724

27,278,657

1,314,552

7,157,928

149

LW Surphlis & Son Ltd

30/06/2016

26,848,937

26,906,104

2,825

2,262,993

150

Sisk Healthcare (UK) Limited

30/12/2015

26,837,000

24,484,000

3,773,000

11,800,000

151

Premier Transmission Financing PLC

31/03/2016

26,390,000

25,676,000

3,251,000

13,569,000

152

K. Hughes & Co. Limited

31/12/2015

26,375,254

28,751,321

764,436

4,446,709

153

Imed (NI) Limited

31/03/2016

26,326,496

18,415,530

900,779

3,823,821

154

Ulster Independent Clinic Limited

30/04/2016

26,293,061

24,122,788

1,652,945

35,297,764

155

Westbank Business Park Limited

31/08/2015

26,270,657

25,047,317

3,178,305

10,374,264

156

Cooneen Defence Limited

27/11/2015

25,918,692

19,887,660

500,598

4,653,254

157

Elite Electronic Systems Holdings Limited

31/03/2016

25,883,283

32,049,952

5,689,638

16,166,328

158

Springvale Eps Limited

30/06/2015

25,788,898

23,730,855

4,596,711

7,905,813

159

Concentrix Europe Limited

30/11/2015

25,504,000

27,684,000

296,000

9,141,000

160

Ach No.1 Limited

31/03/2016

25,332,191

N/A

541,482

893,800

161

E.H. Allingham (Construction) Limited

31/03/2016

25,329,409

12,203,358

373,030

3,014,422

162

Kane Group Building Services Ltd

31/03/2016

25,051,387

27,769,599

875,665

2,202,664

163

Surefreight Limited

30/06/2015

19,509,407

19,573,577

1,064,457

4,536,239

164

Institute Of Chartered Accountants In Ireland

31/12/2015

24,808,000

24,258,000

2,203,000

16,227,000

165

James F McCue Limited

30/11/2015

24,777,187

27,191,124

662,682

5,482,163

166

Camlin Limited

31/12/2015

24,639,736

12,897,849

1,088,778

8,261,073

167

Johnson Brothers (Belfast) Limited

31/12/2015

24,515,657

25,882,856

869,345

9,015,685

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 28

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168-200 Rank

Company Name

168 169

UB 200

Account date

Turnover this year

Turnover last year

Pre-tax profit

Net worth

John Mackle (Moy) Limited

31/12/2015

24,383,747

23,267,012

920,613

4,953,846

Herbel Restaurants Limited

31/03/2015

24,288,376

23,534,944

5,590,094

20,557,096

170

Richmond Marketing (Ni) Limited

30/09/2015

24,120,185

25,450,867

685,206

2,681,084

171

Almac Sciences Limited

30/09/2015

23,911,498

20,091,744

-432,380

18,691,126

172

Kilrea Service Station Ltd

31/03/2016

23,893,674

24,888,687

892,988

9,141,969

173

Conexpo (NI) Limited

31/12/2015

23,723,306

19,983,476

4,956,993

11,539,404

174

Bryson Charitable Group

31/03/2016

23,446,096

34,130,225

-1,369,130

10,052,924

175

Glasgiven Contracts Limited

30/04/2016

23,415,603

10,937,148

409,953

1,821,469

176

P.A. Mckeever Limited

31/07/2015

23,309,227

19,248,034

556,303

1,744,948

177

Road Trucks Limited

31/12/2015

23,058,701

13,130,458

679,337

7,157,043

178

MDF Engineering Ltd

01/04/2016

23,042,763

19,644,550

2,628,404

7,753,360

179

Camfil Limited

31/12/2015

22,976,000

22,028,000

3,631,000

7,057,000

180

Dixons Contractors Ltd

31/03/2016

22,912,290

12,365,841

362,441

1,438,122

181

Springfarm Architectural Mouldings Limited

29/02/2016

22,842,126

19,355,434

307,874

3,853,154

182

Rahon Enterprises Limited

31/12/2015

22,822,328

21,828,583

1,222,172

2,812,435

183

H.M.T. Shipping Limited

31/03/2016

22,689,013

21,874,328

834,476

3,019,391

184

Forestwood Agencies Limited

31/03/2016

22,677,250

19,194,560

906,342

3,244,946

185

Edina Power Limited

31/12/2015

22,667,164

18,678,884

707,757

95,334

186

Fiveways Shop & Service Station Ltd

30/04/2016

22,636,816

23,013,605

1,839,279

12,270,902

187

Jenkins Shipping Group Limited

30/04/2016

22,577,170

21,687,978

2,226,133

4,661,259

188

Magowan Tyres (N.I.) Limited

30/09/2015

22,496,009

23,490,457

1,210,541

7,880,488

189

Multi Packaging Solutions Belfast Limited

30/06/2015

22,473,436

11,807,407

4,837,235

55,189,370

190

Stanley Motor Works (1932) Limited

31/12/2015

22,430,000

22,776,000

119,000

1,922,000

191

Radius Plastics Limited

31/12/2015

22,369,000

23,697,000

-38,000

5,984,000

192

North West Bookmakers Limited

31/12/2015

22,356,774

23,143,107

6,749,479

3,484,824

193

Willowbrook Foods Limited

31/01/2016

22,134,194

21,190,717

-371,969

5,064,131

194

Newell Stores Limited

31/01/2016

21,926,341

21,866,058

1,345,013

5,371,509

195

Video Content Library Limited

31/12/2015

21,747,382

7,071,730

884,681

1,425,425

196

Industrial Temps Limited

30/04/2016

21,665,544

20,631,559

843,927

8,189,191

197

Ballygarvey Eggs Limited

30/09/2015

21,433,979

19,308,741

2,976,192

12,408,703

198

Argento Contemporary Jewellery Limited

30/06/2015

21,631,360

24,291,439

1,643,335

3,833,964

199

Robert Capper Holdings Limited

30/06/2015

21,511,922

24,816,284

775,927

8,524,565

200

TAL Limited

31/03/2016

21,431,230

20,113,844

11,145

670,164

Figures researched and complied by D&B T: 0845 601 2677 APRIL 2017

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UB 200 ANALYSIS

UB 200 show their metal Jonathan Cushley from D&B compiled the UB 200 list for Ulster Business. He gives us his assessment of this year’s crop of bubbling under companies

his year sees the fourth publication of a complimentary listing to the Ulster Business Top 100.

This list focused on those companies with the potential to be recognised in the near future as Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland businesses. For over 25 years D&B and Ulster Business have been providing statistics on Northern Ireland businesses ranked by turnover (sales). This listing has been prepared to demonstrate the wealth of business expertise and talent within Northern Ireland which sits below the top 100 business sales threshold which in 2016 sat at £64.7m. This listing has been compiled using the same data sources as its big brother – D&B’s Global Reference Solution - allowing the reviewer of the data to benchmark businesses with confidence. In 2017 we have taken every precaution to exclude companies affiliated to current Top 100 companies. For the purpose of the UB 200 we have, in effect, started with the business which would appear at 101 if we extended the Top 100 listing, the cut off for filings included in the list has been set at 10/03/17. Companies eligible within the listing would be any Northern Ireland-registered firm, excluding Financial Services businesses. Companies would expect to have 2015 or 2016 accounts filed at the Companies Registry Office. UPWARDLY MOBILE As mentioned, this listing is compiled to provide the reader with insight into “potentially upwardly mobile” Northern Ireland businesses. When comparing the 2016

& 2017 listing a number of companies would appear to have made the progression to the Top 100. Cooneen By Design Ltd has shown significant sales growth for the year-ending 27/11/15 with turnover growing to £75.9m from £58.2m; Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) Ltd has seen turnover grow to £75.2m from £64m (31/12/15) and Severfield (NI) Ltd has increased sales to £69.7m from £52.7m (31/03/16). Each should anticipate being in the next edition of the Ulster Business Top 100, with both Mutual Energy Ltd and Harland & Wolff Group PLC also on the current cusp of inclusion. TURNOVER Sales within the 2017 listing showed significant turnover increase of 9.1% when compared to the company’s year-on-year performance. Total turnover reached £7,037m against a prior year number of £6,450m. The removal of some of the larger subsidiary companies whose parent companies are listed in the Top 100 has resulted in a slight drop in turnover when compared to the 2016 listing, but provides a more accurate listing. PROFIT Whilst the listing is identified by a company’s sales figure, it remains necessary to view other

financial indicators as an indicator of success. The companies within the 2017 listing have posted pre-tax profits of £366.9m against a prior year of £296.3m an increase of 23.8%. This figure corresponds to a profit margin of 5.2% (4.6%). On the other side of the coin, 19 of the 200 companies posted pre-tax losses. TANGIBLE NET WORTH The final measure of a business’s overall financial success utilised when compiling the listing is that of tangible net worth. Net worth is the company’s value to its shareholders and in its simplest form is the shareholders’ funds (issued capital) + retained profits – intangibles. The value of the UB 200 companies to their shareholders is currently £2,264m compared to prior year of £1,674m. This represents net worth growth of 35.2%. Only two companies show a negative net worth figure. EMPLOYEES The 200 companies employed a total of 27,584 people. GEOGRAPHY Belfast continues to host the majority of companies, the table below shows the geographic split of the listed businesses across the counties of Northern Ireland – Belfast being provided with its own classification.

County/Region

Volume of “UB 200 Companies”

Antrim

Armagh

Belfast

Down

Fermanagh

Derry-Londonderry

Tyrone

Total

200

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UB 200 ANALYSIS

READER NOTES Financial Information has been gathered using D&B’s Global Reference Solution & Public Filings. Cut off for Account Filings was set at 10/03/17 Both D&B and Ulster Business are aware that due to various group structures some companies may have been included in the current listing whilst also having parent operations within the Top 100. Every effort

APRIL 2017

has been made to exclude these cases. ABOUT D&B D&B provides the information, tools & expertise to help Customers to Decide with Confidence. D&B enables customers to have instant access to objective, domestic & global information whenever and wherever they need it. Customers use D&B Risk Management Solutions to manage credit exposure, D&B Sales & Marketing Solutions to find profitable

customers and business partners and also utilise D&B Supplier Management Solutions to assist in managing supplier relationships both efficiently and profitably. More than 90% of the Global 1000 rely on D&B as a trusted partner to enable confident business decisions. ■ For more information please visit www.dnb. com/uk or e-mail cushleyj@dnb.com

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SPONSOR FOREWORD

UB 200 poised to pounce when opportunity knocks By Katharine Kimber, Partner and Head of TLT NI

he latest Ulster Business 200 survey is a reminder of how much there is to be reassured about. Businesses in Northern Ireland are holding steady and remain profitable despite the headwinds currently facing our economy. The survey data from D&B clearly shows this underlying strength. Turnover amongst the biggest firms has risen, broadly, by 9.1% to £7.037m and profitability by an even more impressive 23.8% to £366.9m. This growth reflects what we see on the ground. With consumer confidence high, the hotel and tourism industries are flourishing, as are the agribusiness, manufacturing and technology sectors. Overall net worth growth on the 2016 survey stands at 35.2% - an indication that the economy is more than holding its own. But, to remain solid economically, we as a business community can't ignore the challenges we undoubtedly face. Slower

economic growth is anticipated as we move through this year and into 2018, with a likely reduction in consumer confidence triggered by increasing inflation. An interest rate rise, if it comes, will also impact. In the wake of the Brexit vote, we are seeing the impact of deferred capital expenditure decisions. We also hear concerns from our clients about the risks to growth of any future restrictions on access to crucial labour markets. Similarly, the uncertainty that will flow, at least for a time, on the loss of EU funding in sectors like agriculture and what form any replacement funding might take. Reassuringly, Northern Ireland continues to push its open for business message. This has helped maintain a strong flow of inward investment in sectors like professional services and technology, in many cases attracted by our world-class graduate talent pool. We undoubtedly need clear leadership and

stability at Stormont to represent the interests of Northern Ireland through the Brexit negotiations. Securing border arrangements with the Republic of Ireland will be critical, but so too will that continued promotion on a global stage to support inward investment and an appetite for our exports – this is an area where we have been pretty successful to date. The future is uncertain. But, there are opportunities for Northern Ireland. Our geographical position puts us in a prime position to straddle the EU and the rest of the UK, drawing on the advantages of near shoring in securing enterprise and trade. The certainty of a 12.5% corporation tax rate next year will also help us to remain a competitive choice for investment. With change comes opportunity, and Northern Ireland looks well placed to take advantage in the uncertain times ahead. TLT Belfast would like to congratulate all those businesses listed in the UB 200 and wish them every continued success in Northern Ireland and beyond. ■

Helping Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses go further We help our clients deliver their products and services effectively, minimise risk and grasp opportunities for growth in Northern Ireland and beyond. With 1,000 legal experts based in Belfast and across five other major UK cities, we are well positioned to help you and your business succeed.

TLT is an ambitious UK law firm working with some of Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading businesses across financial services, real estate, planning and energy & renewables. Keep up to date with the latest legal developments at:

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UB 200 PROFILE

1 – Thompson Aero Seating

hat Thompson Aero Seating sits at the top of the UB 200 list may come as a surprise to some, not because it doesn’t deserve to be up there but because it has just, only just, been kept out of the Top 100. The Portadown business has been one of Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing firms over the last few years by specialising in, as the name suggests, manufacturing aircraft seating. To put its journey into context, turnover has jumped by 600% since 2011, a phenomenal rise which can be put down to an innovative, export-focused drive. Anyone who has flown transatlantic with Aer Lingus or on the Airbus A330 with Quantas in business class will most likely have enjoyed its Vantage fully-flat seats, as have many other It also offers the enchantingly-named CozySuite seats which are aimed at the premium economy and economy markets and are laid out in a staggered format. It has a second, side-on headrest as well as individual arm-rests and is designed for economy and premium economy cabins. The design of those two key brands have been at the heart of the company’s success, addressing as they do the twin needs of airline operators for the optimization of every inch of the aircraft cabin space while at the same time offering the passenger a high level of comfort. The firm was founded by James Thompson from Newry - although he later sold all his shares – and by 2009 had licensed its Vantage concept for production for several airlines including Swiss and Delta. Thompson Aero Seating then turned its own hand to manufacturing in 2011 after securing its first production facilities at Seagoe Industrial Park in 2011.

Then Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster pictured in 2014 with Gary Montgomery, CEO of Thompson Aero Seating, when the Portadown company announced a £10m investment

Within a year it had designed and manufactured its first shipment of seats for bmi, Brussels Airlins and Austrian Airlines while also picking up another customer in the form of JetBlue. The development of a larger seat, the Vantage XL, saw more orders picked up with airlines from across the world, including the first deal with Qantas and by 2014 the manufacturing facilities had expanded to over 10,000m2 and further clients added in the shape of American Airlines and Air Canada. Since then, more and more airlines have taken delivery of Thompson Aero Seating while the Vantage products were added as an option from the Airbus catalogue for the A330, A320, A350 and A380. In addition, a deal with Delta saw the Vantage XL seats installed in its new A350 fleet complete with a sliding door for every customer. The new Chinese owner of aircraft seats manufacturer Thompson Aero in

Portadown has been urged to guarantee the job security of its 300-strong workforce in the town. Such progression didn’t go unnoticed. Chinese aviation giant AVIC (The Aviation Industry Corporation of China) pounced on the Portadown business at the end of 2016 for an undisclosed sum. AVIC doesn’t currently manufacture aircraft seats but does make whole aircraft exteriors and helicopters, as well as acting as a subcontractor in the manufacture of parts and components for firms like Boeing and Bombardier. Thomson Aero Seating said it welcomes the backing of AVIC and becoming part of a broader offering of cabin interior products. Thompson said that “being underpinned by a strong industrial backer in AVIC will serve to consolidate our continued growth in Northern Ireland”. ■

UB 200 PROFILE

25 – Murdock Builders Merchants Two new projects are being developed over the coming months. "We have plans for growth," Ann said. "We will be opening a small new civils business in Belfast in May. "That's a new type of venture for us. It will be a small business selling specialist civil engineering materials to civils contractors. That's a niche market."

Gerry Conway (Chief Financial Officer, Murdock Builders Merchants) and Ann Morgan (Chief Executive, Murdock Builders Merchants) with Kevin McCarthy of Kingspan at the launch of the recent Solar Panel Installations across six Murdock branches

By Amanda Ferguson

he owners of Murdock Builders Merchants are looking to the future with confidence and plans to grow the business. Chief executive Ann Morgan says the team at the Newry headquartered firm in the Greenbank Industrial Estate is pleased to see the high demand for its products and services and while there is a way to go for the construction industry in Northern Ireland it is now clearly making steady progress after years of difficulty. The firm was established by the Murdock family back in 1982 so the staff there are celebrating 35 years this year of providing goods and services to the public and trade. It is one of the go to businesses when people are considering their options for the likes of building materials, floors and doors, hardware, trusses and space joists, roof windows, rainwater and drainage, landscaping and outdoor living.

APRIL 2017

Murdock supplies a complete range of heavyside building products and timber to the trade, to the large number of building contractors operating and also to the burgeoning DIY selfbuild market. "The person who is in the process of building their own stand alone one off house and the DIY community," Ann added. With headquarters in Newry, where the firm began all those years ago, it has grown to 12 branches. Ten of the branches are spread across Northern Ireland in locations such as Banbridge, Dungannon and Newtownards, plus there is two in the Dublin area. The firm has grown organically and also by acquisition over the last three decades. The business started off with just a handful of staff and now has just over 340 staff who are involved in roles such as counter duties, on site and field sales reps, , forklift work, driver, administration and others.

And it doesn't stop there. Another builders’ merchant branch will be opening in the Dublin area in August, creating more new jobs. The construction industry has experienced much turbulence over the last number of year but for the future is looking good for the business. "We are confident, generally speaking the market is becoming gradually more buoyant," Ann said. "Dublin is obviously ahead of the north of the market in terms of construction activity. It is very busy." Murdock prides itself on being quite a big business but still retaining its family culture and values. Staff tend to stick around once they have come on board and many have made the most of the opportunities for career progressions on offer. "Over the years the things that has been very consistent and successful for us has been we have a very low turnover of staff. The vast majority of our new positions as the company has grown over the years have been internally filled on a promotion basis,” Ann said. "Generally speaking we will always seek to promote from within and then back fill that vacancy." ■

UB 200 PROFILES

58 – Williams Industrial Services By Amanda Ferguson

ounty Antrim engineering firm WIS Group (Williams Industrial Services) has enjoyed significant growth over the last three years. The Mallusk based firm is one of the island’s largest providers of process control, automation, instrumentation and environmental engineering solutions. It has been trading since 1983 and now employs over 150 engineers, technicians and support staff. According to the company its sales had reached £39.5m in its latest accounts, an increase of 53% on the year before, and pre-tax profits in the year to May 2016 reached £1.5m - more than double the previous year. It’s thought growth in projects in Britain could bring turnover for the present year well beyond £50m. The firm carries out process control, automation and environmental engineering work and its renewables work has had a significant impact on overall turnover. WIS Group is mindful that clients’ needs can change and evolve so it is focused on assisting companies to “develop their capability and keeping them at the forefront of technical and industrial innovation”. From energy efficient technology to large scale anaerobic digestion (AD) plants, it provides agricultural, industrial and municipal organisations with strategic renewable energy solutions. Over more than 30 years WIS Group have delivered a wide range of projects to a diverse client base and on environmental engineering projects ranging in value from £5K to £50m. The order book for this year was worth

WIS chief executive and chairman John Toner

£53m, and it is anticipated another £130m of business is on the cards for the next two years. The company’s core business in Northern Ireland is sewage infrastructure work for NIWater, and industrial automation for the Aerospace industry, but in Britain the firm has a large number of projects working in renewable energy. The firm is now building around six anaerobic digestion plants in the UK with a total value of £34m. It is also building an anaerobic digestion plant worth £19.6 million in Ballybofey, Co Donegal. The firm said its work in Britain and the Republic had been a “great springboard into international markets”. Chief executive and chairman John Toner said: “We believe our in-depth knowledge of process engineering and control, state-ofthe-art tailor-made design and build plants, combined with our local Northern Ireland based engineers makes WIS anaerobic

digestion systems (AD) superior to the other mainland European systems on offer.” WIS Group expanded into the bioenergy market seven years ago, after the company built up expertise in the water and wastewater treatment and aerospace sectors. The company has been able to reduce its dependence on its large Northern Ireland clients by breaking into utilities markets in Britain and the Republic. The future is looking bright as the firm has received enquiries to its aerospace department from the US and Middle East and they are confident the projects will bring about opportunities. For the past two years it has received Best Managed Company status in the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards Programme, the team has recently been expanded with the recruitment of 12 engineers and is also offering graduate programmes at each of its five divisions. ■

UB 200 PROFILE

147 – Germinal holdings By Amanda Ferguson

erminal Holdings Limited is a seed marketing, production and distribution business supplying the agricultural and amenity industries in the UK and Ireland.

Subsidiaries Germinal GB, Germinal Ireland and Germinal NI supply customers from bases in Lincolnshire, Tipperary and Banbridge respectively. Group managing director of the award-winning company, William Gilbert, is the seventh generation of his family to be involved in the business. “We mainly produce seed on contract with farmers in GB, which we then clean, mix and pack on site before dispatch to the end user, e.g. farmers, turf growers, landscapers, green keepers , groundsmen etc,” he said. “We have another subsidiary based in New Zealand called Cates Grain and Seed, which is a major player in the New Zealand seed production industry.

William Gilbert

“We are proud to be a family business with a strong history, I am the seventh generation of our family to be involved in the business.”

“We brought all our wholesale operations under the Germinal brand in 2014 and completely refreshed and relaunched the Germinal brand in early 2016,” Mr Gilbert said.

The firm’s history can be traced back to 1825, when Mr Gilbert’s great, great, great, great grandfather formed the founding company in the Germinal Group, Samuel McCausland Limited in Belfast.

“Our knowledge and people are our greatest assets and we are positioning ourselves as experts, leading in agriculture and amenity through our award-winning varieties.

McCausland’s operated up until 2014, when they brought all the wholesale operations under the Germinal brand across the UK and Ireland.

“Sharing our knowledge with our end users is also at the heart of our vision for the future. In 2017, we are planning the launch of an innovative education platform that will help us connect directly with our customers and engage at ground level more effectively.”

It started as a general merchant, selling everything from tea, tobacco, foodstuffs but by the mid 1850s seed had become a major part of the business, and they are now specialists in agricultural and amenity seed. Mr Gilbert spent six years at the site near Bristol, before moving to Lincolnshire in 2006 to take over as Managing Director of Germinal GB and then he moved back to head office in Northern Ireland in 2013. The company employs around 115 staff and has experienced large growth since the 1980s. It expanded into New Zealand in 2002, becoming a more recognised brand overseas, and is now beginning to expand research and development work in the Southern Hemisphere.

APRIL 2017

The firm launched a new e-commerce site in 2016 providing grass seed and fertiliser for domestic and professional amenity users – www. thegrasspeople.com. Its vision for the future is to share knowledge, engage with customers and innovate through ground breaking products to “lead our industry and make a real difference to our world”. “I believe our company culture plays a big part in our success,” Mr Gilbert added. “We have a strong culture which leads to a happy and supportive team, providing top quality products and service to our customers.” ■

RECRUITMENT

Hard facts on pay and reward

he Abacus team has surveyed 500 professional employees within the Belfast marketplace to create its most comprehensive localised guide on pay and reward. We have created a detailed report with the results available for download and viewing on HD video via abacus.jobs/ salarysurveys The guide outlines current average basic salaries, applicable benefits and information upon past and expected pay increases for professionals working in Software Development, Analytics, Legal, Finance, Compliance, Accountancy, Sales, Human Resources and Insurance. Below is a snapshot of survey findings: • 263 of 500 professionals surveyed obtained a basic salary increase in 2016. • The average percentage pay increase in 2016 for these 263 professions was 5.38%.

• 54% of Accountants working in professional practice expect a basic pay increase of between 3 to 5% in 2017. • Software Developers with five years plus experience have an average basic salary of £37,675 p.a. • 31% of Para-Legal support staff in 2016 received a basic salary increase, this year 69% are expecting an increase. • 28% of Human Resources professionals received a bonus in 2016. • 74% of Compliance professionals can gain a performance bonus in their current employment. • 20% of Business Development Professionals expect a basic salary increase this year, this is the lowest expectation from any group surveyed. • Newly to three years qualified Solicitors enjoyed continued year on year growth in basic salary, current average is £27,267 p.a.

BASIC SALARY PERCENTAGE INCREASES 2016

Justin Rush

• Only 8% of professional staff working in the Insurance sector can avail of flexible working arrangements. This is the lowest percentage of the industry sectors surveyed. • 68% of Data Analysts surveyed received a basic pay increase in 2016. • The average basic salary for a Management Accountant in Belfast is £33,954 p.a.

How can you use this information for your benefit? This information should certainly help you benchmark your pay and reward offering whether you are reviewing current staff or budgeting for future appointments.

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In closing, it is important to consider the messages of the Spring UK budget. Revised economic growth forecasts for 2017 are 2% with expected inflation continuing at 2.4% for the foreseeable future. It is therefore logical to conclude that employees will feel conditions are right for a positive increase in salary terms in the year ahead. ■ Justin Rush is a career recruiter and Director at Abacus Professional Recruitment. He can be contacted on justin@abacus.jobs

SME & Family Business

Sponsored by

Supporting Business Growth in Northern Ireland SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

Feedback, how I loathe theeâ&#x20AC;¦ David Meade wants your feedback. Well, actually, he wants you to seek out and embrace feedback, both positive and negative

Supporting Business Growth in Northern Ireland SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

amily businesses are on the agenda in Ulster Business this month; known for their penchant for conflict, discord, and division, many crumble under the weight of the complexity in making relationships work as well around the board table as they do around the breakfast table. Few skills circumvent the risks better than effective feedback. Family business or not, giving useful feedback, according to the CIPD not only increases staff motivation but productivity too. And, nearly 60% of people who were recently surveyed by PwC, said they wanted more regular feedback. And by more regularly they meant on a weekly, and in some cases a daily basis. And if the respondents were under 30, the percentage of people who wanted feedback rose to 72%. There is a myriad of reasons why feedback isn’t given. The most common being a fear of confrontation, people saying they are 'too busy’, or in some cases it’s just not deemed important enough to take precedent over other business priorities. Unfortunately, while these excuses may be true and feel reasonable to the leader in question at the time, they don’t cut the mustard in businesses that genuinely care about business improvement. Why? Because feedback is useful, desired, and an incredibly impactful way of developing your team and performance levels when delivered properly. Employees will fear it less, and appreciate it more if it is delivered constructively and regularly. And by regularly, I really do mean as frequently as daily. Growing bodies of research tell us that employees want more feedback, and that feedback is important, so let’s look at ways in which you and your company, can turn giving feedback into a business boosting habit. CREATE A CULTURE OF FEEDBACK Companies with a ‘Growth Mindset’ thrive on feedback, seeing challenges, setbacks and failure as an opportunity to grow and learn personally and professionally. A person or an organisation with a fixed mindset sees feedback as combative, personal, and a slight

APRIL 2017

on them as human beings. Companies who embrace a growth mindset culture, create a culture of feedback across all levels. And I do mean all levels. According to research conducted by Carol Dweck people feel more comfortable making mistakes in growth mindset companies. Feedback is used as a tool to help people grow and learn. What that means though is that everyone in the company needs to understand the best way to give and receive it, and that takes training, patience, and an attitudinal shift in the way we see feedback.

“

Companies with a ‘Growth Mindset’ thrive on feedback, seeing challenges, setbacks and failure as an opportunity to grow.

IT'S ALL IN THE DELIVERY

”

All feedback, if delivered appropriately, is effective at improving performance. Being aware of the type of language that you are using, as well as the tone in which you deliver it, is essential if you want the message to be received in a positive way, and the receiver’s integrity to remain intact.

a penchant for this type of feedback. And companies such as Deloitte, Accenture, and IBM, are listening to them. They are leading the way in employee feedback favouring a timely and targeted approach. What does that mean? It differs from company to company, but essentially its regular feedback, given in real time during and after projects, or when appropriate. No longer do employees want to wait until their annual performance review. This model is all about ongoing, and regular feedback. Bersin for Deloitte estimates that about 70% of multinational companies are moving towards this model because timely feedback has the greatest impact on performance and motivation. USE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Emotionally intelligent employees are empathetic, and can see things from the perspective of others. They are also selfaware, and have excellent social skills. These skills are essential if you want to give productive feedback. The good news here is that anyone can develop emotional intelligence with time, effort, and a will to learn and engage. FOCUS ON OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOURS NOT OPINIONS

So instead of saying, “That last project was a disaster,” consider, “Let’s take a look at why the project didn’t meet it’s objectives, and think about ways in which we can prevent this from happening in the future.” Being careful about how you phrase what you are saying, will not only change people's perception of the feedback in question, but will take away some of the negative feelings associated with getting it.

Focusing on how a team member can change their clearly observable behaviours is essential, especially when you are giving developmental feedback. Using a model like S.B.I. (Situation, Behaviour, Impact) to frame what you are going to say, will make the task less onerous. The technique focusses on concrete observable behaviours, and not on subjective feelings and emotions. For instance, instead of saying, “You seem to be uninterested in this project,” why not say, “Yesterday in the team meeting, you were talking during my presentation. It was distracting to me and it seemed as if you were uninterested in what I had to say.”

MAKE THE FEEDBACK TIMELY

BE CAREFUL USING EMAIL

Feedback that is given in a timely manner is more impactful. Millennials, or Generation Y, (those born between 1980 – 2000), have

Though it feels like the easy way out, using email to deliver feedback can be a very risky > strategy.

Supporting Business Growth in Northern Ireland SME & FAMILY BUSINESS

It's always best to do it face to face, in video chat, or worse case scenario over the phone. If you must deliver feedback via email, make sure you consider the tone of your email, or get someone else to have a look before you send it, because once it's sent there's no going back. BACK AT THE OFFICE Here are some things that you can do today: 1. Make a commitment to give feedback to someone once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve finished reading this article. Start off with affirmative feedback using the S.B.I. model, and then progress to developmental feedback over the next couple of weeks. If you make a commitment to do it regularly, it will soon become a habit. 2. Get staff to give you anonymous feedback in your next team meeting. If they can see you can take it, it may then make it easier for them to take it from you. 3. Show your staff how to deliver feedback using the S.B.I. model. You can then practice delivering feedback to each other using the model. Start with affirmative feedback, and once this has been mastered, move on to using it to deliver developmental feedback too. â&#x2013;

Supporting Business Growth in Northern Ireland Cleaver Fulton Rankin is a full service commercial law firm with an integrated approach to providing legal services to businesses and entrepreneurs. Our lawyers have significant experience in providing pragmatic and commercial advice and regularly advise businesses of all types from sole traders to listed companies. We look forward to supporting continued business growth in Northern Ireland. To find out more about how we can help your business please contact our corporate team: Hilary Griffith Director h.griffith@cfrlaw.co.uk Scott Kennedy Director S.kennedy@cfrlaw.co.uk T +44 (0)28 9024 3141

Supporting Business Growth in Northern Ireland PITCHING

Pitch for the stars Catherine Moonan, author of 'The Pitch Coach', helps hone your pitching skills

ife's a pitch - but are you pitch ready? Regardless of whether you're a startup, staff member or ceo, you need to be able to pitch your idea, yourself or your company any time, any place, anywhere. You may not even realise the many opportunities you get in a day to pitch. It doesn't have to be a formal networking event or even a pitch competition; it's often just a conversation with the right person at the right time. Pitching can be a daunting experience, especially if you're not comfortable speaking in public. Aside from nerves, many of the entrepreneurs I meet tend to over-complicate and over-intellectualise their pitch. In order for me to have a clear understanding of their business, I find I often have to sit down with them and ask the questions: "Where, why, how, when did you start? Where are you now with the business? What's the plan for the future?" I've coached more than 500 'Dragons' Den' contestants on their pitch and helped them secure in excess of €5m in investment. I try to encourage them to think of their pitch like a story - their unique story. However, that story needs to be simple and compelling in order for it to be memorable. You can't expect people to be interested just because you're speaking - you really have to work at engaging your audience. In fact, the starting point of any pitch is the audience. You need to research and tailor your pitch to your target audience. Who is in your audience? What's in it for them? Why should they care? Next month I will be in my 'Perfect Pitch' workshop as part of Local Enterprise Week 2017 for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County

Council, taking participants through the steps of crafting and delivering a 60-second pitch. There will be dozens of different stories in the room, yet if they follow the simple steps, everyone should be able to deliver their unique pitch by the end of the workshop. Some will be able to deliver it to the whole group. I use my own creative brainstorming technique to get people to think from the heart as well as the head, and to tap into the right side of the brain. This involves mindful breathing, music and colour. Then I provide an outline for people to structure their pitch in a story format. So what characterises this story? You need to start your pitch with a wow opening that will capture the attention of the audience. This is followed by between three and five main umbrella headings, with a logical flow and a smooth transition from one point to another. Your pitch should end with a strong closing that overlaps back to the opening. For

example, if you open with a question, quote or reference, mention it again in your closing. This brings the story full circle. It's like 'The End' at the end of a movie. Think of your pitch like the trailer of the movie. You're just giving the golden nuggets of information - enough to make them want to watch the whole movie! Finally, it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Your voice is like a musical instrument. You need to vary it through pitch, pace, pause and emphasis to avoid monotony. You also need to have a confident posture in order to instil confidence in your audience. Shoulders back. Feet fixed to the floor. Eye contact and gesture that reinforces your message. Manage nerves using mindful breathing, visualisation or positive affirmations. You need to get comfortable pitching. Everyone's doing it. Your pitch is your new business card! ■

Tip the balance & beat the odds. Helping you to beat the averages in the new international economy is our motivation. Like all top performers, you’ll know that to raise the level of the game, you’ll need all the rigour and experience of an expert partner.

Be tomorrow ready. www.SureSkills.com

Partner

CLEARPATH AD MARCH 2017.indd 1

APRIL 2017

STRATEGIC PARTNER

PREMIER

06/03/2017 09:16

FAMILY BUSINESS

What does Diamond Systems do? Steve: Diamond Systems is a specialist provider of intelligent electronic fire and security solutions. Our core product range includes fire detection and alarm, intruder alarm, CCTV, and electronic access control systems. We are a second generation family business based in Belfast Harbour Estate, and this year we are celebrating our 30th year in business. How has the business evolved over the years? Tom: I started Diamond Alarm Systems in 1987 having identified, through my time as Regional Manager for one of the national companies, a gap in the market for a local business which had the technical knowledge and management experience to compete for the larger contracts. Initially the business focussed on security alarms, but as time went on I established Diamond Electronic Systems, to also deliver fire detection solutions. When the two companies eventually merged, we became one of a handful of specialists within Northern Ireland to offer a complete fire and security package. The company found favour with many local contractors as I was very much “on the ground” alongside them, reacting to their needs as construction projects progressed. Being able to make decisions without the bureaucracy which exists in large organisations, whilst delivering a high quality, complex installation, proved to be a winning formula, and helped me secure business on major projects around the turn of the millennium, including The Odyssey Complex, Belfast and the SAGE Building, in Gateshead. Steve: As the industry has evolved over the years, so too has the company. In the last five to 10 years I have seen a huge leap forward in terms of the detection and alarm technology being developed and we have been at the forefront of this change through carefully selected partnerships with the world’s leading manufacturers, including Siemens, Axis, UTC and Honeywell. Positioning ourselves alongside the leaders in research and development within our industry, has enabled us to stay ahead of our competition and promote the very latest in intelligent technology, which

The evolution Ulster Business talks to the team behind family business security solutions. Director and Founder Tom Snoddon, meets all applicable standards and codes of practice. Alongside our core services of installation, commissioning and maintenance, we also deliver free CPD accredited training to Designers and Specifiers on fire and security standards and codes of practice, which has proved very successful in building partnerships and enhancing our brand. Evolving to meet the demands of a changing industry has been crucial to our success, but it is something we have had to invest in; it doesn’t just happen. How do you manage expansion? Angela: I keep a very tight rein on the purse strings! Managing cashflow and assessing profitability on every project is very important.

We invested in a bespoke service management system over 10 years ago to improve efficiency within our operational team, and facilitate accurate KPI monitoring within the company. Although we are a relatively small business in terms of our staff numbers of approximately 20, we have the systems and the professionalism of a large corporation, and this reflects quality in everything we do. We have a great team behind us, and they have grown along with the company. Investment in staff training and development is crucial for us and ensures that we have the capability to continue to expand and evolve. What makes you stand out from the crowd in the market place?

Diamond Systems Financial Director Angela Bennett, Managing Director Steve Snoddon and Director and Founder Tom Snoddon

of Diamond Systems Diamond Systems, one of the most progressive providers of electronic fire and Managing Director Steve Snoddon and Financial Director Angela Bennett tell all... Tom: Our unique selling point has always been that we are large enough to perform, small enough to be personal. The company was formed with this in mind, and we have always stayed true to the principals of quality, integrity and innovation. I am confident that any of our customers would recommend our systems and our service. Many of them have been with us for over 20 years! For any company looking for the cheapest system on the market, we are probably not for you. But, if you are looking for a future-proof, reliable solution which meets all applicable European Union and BS regulations, and is cost effective over its life cycle, then we are the company that you need to talk to.

APRIL 2017

Steve: Another USP for us is that we are currently the first and only company in Northern Ireland to offer a financially backed guarantee of No False Alarms, with our fire detection and alarm product range from Siemens. This demonstrates the confidence we have in this system. Angela: I believe that our team sets us apart also. With an average industry experience of 18 years and an average length of service within Diamond of 10 years, there is so much knowledge and understanding of the technology and the standards which govern our industry, and I firmly believe this is unrivalled within the local marketplace.

Does a family business like yours face particular challenges and opportunities? Tom: In terms of challenges, family businesses shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t avoid dealing with succession planning when it comes to bringing in other generations, and it needs to be dealt with frankly. There needs to be a clear plan to make sure that everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices are heard and needs are met. Having the ability to pass your business down to the next generation within your family is a great opportunity for anyone. Steve and Angela have a very clear strategy for the future of the business and I am fully supportive of their ideas, although I do like to ask the questions which they need to make sure they have asked themselves! â&#x2013;

M&A

Russell Smyth and Neil O’Hare, who are both Directors of Deal Advisory at KPMG

KPMG shaping the future of M&A in Northern Ireland

he world of M&A deals and corporate finance in Northern Ireland is going through a transformative period.

dealmakers and those looking for additional finance with more options than ever, a situation which means astute advice has never been more important.

“The key thing is the need to fully understand the options available and to best align them with the needs of the business. That’s where we come in.”

That’s the view of KPMG’s Neil O’Hare and Russell Smyth, two stalwarts of the sector who have been responsible for some of the largest and highest-profile M&A deals on these shores over recent years.

“There’s a wall of capital looking for a home,” said Russell Smyth, the Director of Deal Advisory at KPMG in Northern Ireland based in Belfast.

“Northern Ireland hasn’t historically embraced private equity,” said Smyth.

They told Ulster Business that new sources of alternative funding, including private equity and institutional debt funds, have presented

“Liquidity is very strong in the market at present and there are a large number of sources of capital which are looking to be placed.

“That’s partly a result of the fact that the GB private equity community didn’t actively target the Northern Ireland market and partly because businesses here tended to rely on bank debt, viewing equity solutions with a degree of scepticism.

M&A

“That is changing. Clients are now more tuned in to the benefits of private equity and we now have a stronger private equity market than ever before.” The team at KPMG should know, having raised around £300m of equity for mergers and acquisition for trading companies and other projects in the last two years. According to Neil O’Hare, Director of Deal Advisory at KPMG in Northern Ireland, “this has helped to oil the wheels in the local deal market during that time, despite the bump in the road that turned out to be Brexit.” “There was an initial period of inertia in some investment decisions in the build-up and immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum but we are finding our clients are very resilient and are well able to deal with the sort of headwinds that uncertainty brings. In fact, the strongest companies will find opportunities in it.” That is evidenced by the fact the postreferendum era has witnessed an increase in deal activity in some sectors - rather than the expected slowdown – a factor attributed to companies from the Republic looking for a foothold in the UK and those from the UK looking for a continuing presence in the EU. It has helped maintain momentum for the KPMG Deal Advisory team which has been quietly building one of the most impressive deal books in Northern Ireland. “Our team has been doing that by helping companies buy, sell or refinance businesses and helping clients finance deals,” said O’Hare. “We have a range of skillsets on the team from financial modelling to commercial assessment of deals and value. “We are highly skilled in the planning and execution of deals, how to run them efficiently, keeping them on track and always ensure we lock in value for the benefit of our clients,” he added. It says a lot about KPMG’s reputation that over the last few years they have been trusted

APRIL 2017

“

Liquidity is very strong in the market at present and there are a large number of sources of capital which are looking to be placed. Russell Smyth

”

with many of the highest profile and most complex deals in Northern Ireland, both large and small.

“We have been heavily involved in a number of major international transactions advising on foreign direct investments in local companies, as well as helping indigenous companies with acquisitions in GB and overseas,” said O’Hare. “We are working with global companies on world-class deals at home and abroad and we are very much about bringing that international experience to local deals.” It has raised funds for Evermore’s bioenergy plant in the north west, for Bombardier’s energy-from-waste plant in Belfast (the largest equity fundraising ever completed in Northern Ireland) and for the Glenmore anaerobic digestion plant in Donegal. Locally, a busy sector has been waste management, with KPMG acting across a range of transactions including as lead advisor for RiverRidge Recycling on the sale of an equity stake to the Business Growth Fund. That transaction recently won the firm the ‘Venture Capital Deal of the Year’ title at the Deal Makers’ Awards. Russell Smyth picked up the title of Young Dealmaker of the Year at the same event. Meanwhile, healthcare and technology are other sectors where KPMG has been active, advising business owners on a wide range of sales and investments, as well as the consolidation of the domiciliary care sector in Northern Ireland.

As well as trading companies, the team has also developed a strong focus in the energy and renewables space. The continued and growing success of the KPMG Deal Advisory team comes down to its collective expertise and professionalism in every deal it carries out. “Last year we closed more deals than any other firm in the market as reported in Experian’s 2016 M&A Review,” Smyth said. “This reinforces our position in the market and because of that we have a deep understanding of the transaction climate.” “We are investing in our team and bringing on new talent to make sure we have people with experience across the full gamut of capital sources and deal advisory services,” he added. That includes Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), an area in which Northern Ireland has not traditionally been strong, but which Neil believes will emerge over time as more pioneering local companies seek stock market listings. “It is notable that the Republic has been much more active in terms of IPOs than Northern Ireland. Indeed our own capital markets team in KPMG has advised on 10 IPOs involving the London and Dublin stock markets over the past five years, including the recent IPO of ConvaTec Group plc, which was the largest IPO in London in 2016.” “We are now seeing more encouraging signs from local companies with sufficient scale, drive and ambition to take advantage of the greater access to capital, increased liquidity and raised profile a stock market listing can bring.” Having warmed to the changing face of corporate financing, Northern Ireland’s mergers and acquisitions world promises an exciting future. It therefore stands to reason that Neil, Russell and the rest of the KPMG Deal Advisory team will be at the heart of that future.■

Peter Gillan, Managing Director of PG Contracts, with Scott Ritchie, Managing Director of Connect Telecom, at the Illford Park development in Belfast

PG Contracts reaps business benefits with Connect Telecom

rom commercial and retail projects throughout the south of England, to constructing homes across Northern Ireland, PG Contracts (NI) Ltd has an impressive and vast client portfolio - and it’s growing. Based near Ballymena, the company was established over a decade ago and has grown substantially in the last number of years. More recently, it has found incredible success after adopting Vodafone One Net Business with Connect Telecom. Due to the swift expansion into the construction and fit-out market, its multiple telecoms systems were beginning to become difficult to manage and, for their clients, difficult to connect with. After engaging with the team at Connect Telecom, PG Contracts decided the best route for its business was Vodafone One Net Business, which incorporated its mobiles, fixed lines and broadband into one easy account. Peter Gillan, Managing Director of PG Contracts, said: “Being a UK-wide construction company, we find that our office can be a building site in Ballynahinch one week and a commercial fit out in Salford the next, it’s just the nature of our business. “At times, it makes connecting with customers difficult and the communication around the progression of projects can be made more

time consuming than it needs to be. After consultation with Northern Ireland’s leading Vodafone provider, Connect Telecom, the decision to switch to Vodafone for our telecoms was a no-brainer. “Calls to our office can be transferred directly to the team on site, so we don’t miss important calls. “The switch was seamless. With Connect installing the systems directly, no calls were missed. Immediately, we noticed a significant increase in the productivity of our team and the instant service they were able to provide.” Scott Ritchie, Managing Director of Connect Telecom, said: “The Vodafone One Net solution allows businesses to sync their telecoms systems into one manageable account, allowing them to create a more productive and flexible communications infrastructure, which can be entirely tailored to their business needs and objectives. “As the only Vodafone One Net Business Implementation Partner in Northern Ireland, we can manage the entire process directly, providing us with full control over the customer account to ensure everything is working how it should be, without relying on third parties. “At Connect, we have a successful history in the construction industry and are already trusted by more than 5,000 businesses across the UK and Ireland to deliver fixed line, mobile,

broadband, email, cloud and IT storage solutions. “Our focus on our customers is integral to everything we do. We always look for ways to make our customers’ lives easier and provide solutions which support the growth of their own business.” Peter Gillan, Managing Director of PG Contracts, added:“With One Net, our geographically dispersed team has peace of mind that they are always connected. As a growing company, being able to stay up-todate with customers and employees is priceless to us. “Previously we had three separate telecoms bills, which fluctuated in price on a monthly basis. “With Vodafone One Net Business, we have one monthly bill and certainty in costs with a fixed monthly rate. Our telecoms costs are now easier to manage and have reduced by a massive 25%. “The process with Connect Telecom was so straightforward and the results have been fantastic. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership knowing we have the support of the most effective telecoms systems.”■

To find out more about Connect Telecom, please visit www.connect-tele.co.uk

# Imaginethat

TITLE

How VR, AR and MR are the new reality for your organisation

Zak Grant, Solution Architect at PwC UK, delves into virtual and augmented reality to see how it can be applied to the real world

Zak Grant

magine, as an engineering company, you were able to let your potential customers on the other side of the world operate your heavy equipment without leaving their office. Imagine, as an engineering company, you were able to let your potential customers on the other side of the world operate your heavy equipment without leaving their office. Imagine, as a charity, you were able to put your stakeholders in the shoes of the people you’re trying to help. Imagine, as a construction company, you were able to allow your clients to walk through the finished building before you cut the first sod. Believe it or not, the reality might not be so farfetched. More accurately, the virtual reality and the augmented reality might not be so farfetched. Both are terms which you have probably heard bandied about in tech circles, but have you ever considered how effective they could be in boosting revenue, cutting costs and even improving safety? If not, it might help to look into both a little further.

Belfast street so that you feel you are in a completely different world. You’ll have seen it used in the world of entertainment, but it is also finding increasing uses in industry.

technical piece of work, or even a global company that wants to train operatives how to handle new equipment without having to physically fly a trainer around the world.

For instance, in virtual laboratories technicians can practise handling dangerous chemicals without putting themselves in danger. Or charities can use it to allow stakeholders to experience what it’s like to walk in the shoes of the people they’re trying to help.

It means we’re moving from a culture of “I need to learn everything off by heart” to “I need to know how to apply my knowledge when it is given to me”. That’s a big shift, but one that will allow us to concentrate on carrying out the job in front of us to the best of our ability.

This latter point proves virtual reality is one of the most empathetic tools available today. Augmented reality, or AR, does what it says on the tin; it augments the reality you see in front of you by adding more information, graphics, or indeed, more reality. Users again wear a device which is tailored to the context and space in which they work and the information appears as a visual, or indeed audio supplement, which helps guide them to do a specific task. It can add graphics, sounds and, in more advanced cases, smell to the picture you see in front of you. At its most base level, think about a visitor walking around an attraction, able to be fed information on the sights they are seeing or a worker in a warehouse receiving information on their headsets on stock levels. Mixed reality (MR) takes that a step further, adding digital objects to physical ones and anchoring them to points in the real world.

Virtual reality first.

That means users can perceive physical and digital objects in the same space, an ability which means you could have a meeting with colleagues based around the world who appear to be in your boardroom but who, in reality, are in their own offices.

VR – as it’s sometimes better known – sees users enter and interact with an immersive digital world. It’s about jumping in to an entirely virtual world, viewed through a screen on a wearable headset. It could transport you to a tropical beach, a rainforest or - if you were so inclined - a wet

Or it could allow a soldier in a battle field with minimal medical training and faced with an injured colleague to be guided through a headset on how to carry out medical operations by a skilled surgeon thousands of miles away. The same would apply for a remote worker on an oil field faced with a particularly

These are just some of the uses which VR, AR and MR have been put to outside the world of entertainment, although given that particular area is becoming such a big industry its importance can’t be overlooked. The uses for industry which the specialist team at PwC Belfast office is finding on a daily basis are wide ranging and can be hugely enhancing to the bottom line of the organisations we work with. While it might seem as if VR, AR and MR are far removed from your day-to-day business, it’s worth exploring with us how their clever use can save you time and improve your profits. It’s time to wake up to the new reality. zak.grant@pwc.com ■

Firms positive about recruitment ambitions for 2017: Hays By John Moore, Regional Managing Director of Hays Northern Ireland

s we move into a new financial year, we can say that, in spite of any macro considerations relating to Brexit, business sentiment in Northern Ireland remains high with SMEs and corporates seeking to invest in headcount and expand. The positive findings in reports such as the Deloitte Crane Survey are being reflected in our activity levels as a recruiter. Anecdotally, Hays is seeing strong recruitment activity across most sectors, from accountancy to construction, from HR to legal, and from procurement to technology. In construction and property, activity is continuing to pick up and is led by the resurgence of the residential construction sector.

In IT, Belfast continues to be a destination of choice for many software development and cyber security businesses. Plans like the Belfast Agenda are instilling even more confidence that this job creation will continue, which will fuel our clients’ recruitment activity even further. In accountancy and finance, there is increased confidence from senior finance professionals to move to either contract or permanent roles, whilst notably in accounts support the finance shared service centres continue to create opportunities and the speed-to-hire is almost breath-taking. This growth in activity is reflected across our operations in Belfast, Derry and Portadown. Indeed, Hays’ half-year results in Northern Ireland for the period ending December 2016 saw a 16% like-for-like growth in net fees - our sixth successive year of growth here.

John Moore

Aside from results, it’s pleasing to say that we’re adding to confidence through the expansion of our own business. Plans are already underway to increase headcount by 10 people in order to manage demand across our specialist markets. Overall, 2016 was a good year for Northern Ireland businesses and our clients remain very positive about their recruitment ambitions for 2017. ■ To find out more about Hays Northern Ireland log on to hays.co.uk/ni or follow us on Twitter @ HaysN_Ireland

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Business Start-ups

BUSINESS START-UPS

Taking the leap The biggest businesses in the world had to start somewhere. Rachel McAdam talks to entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland to get the best advice on how to take the leap and start up your own company... 54

BUSINESS START-UPS

The increase can partly be attributed to the low cost of office space and the wealth of talent available, as demonstrated by the 32.5% of the population of working age which have an education at Level 4 NVQ or above. But what has been the key to enterprise success? What advice would accomplished entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland give to people ready take the plunge and start their own business?

Neal Lucas

RECRUITMENT LEAP A prime example of a success story is Neal Lucas, Managing Director of Neal Lucas Recruitment located in Hillsborough. After working in business for years, Neal decided to start his own recruitment company, with the determination that he could do things differently and push himself. “I felt opportunities were limited. Business ownership was very important to me and I thought I could do things differently and better.”

aking the leap to start your own business can be extremely daunting.

with startups om England climbing by only 2%, Wales by 4% and Scotland down 6% from the previous year.

The potential monetary loss alone is enough to put many off the idea but the benefits - if it goes to plan - are enough to tempt even the most risk averse.

And despite it being a somewhat precarious pursuit, local start-ups but have experienced significant success.

For proof you only have to look at the data. Northern Ireland has witnessed a surge of business start-ups in recent years, with 124,000 enterprises recorded in 2016 – a 6% increase on 2015 and the highest in the UK,

In 2015, Northern Ireland had the lowest business death rate in the UK at just 7% and an average of 10% of new businesses between 2011 and 2014 reached £1m turnover in three years – the highest in the UK.

APRIL 2017

Neal described the initial transition from employee to entrepreneur as a big shock. “Running your own business is very different to being good at your job.” In order to handle the change, Neal worked took a lot of advice, but emphasised the importance of being able to take a risk and believing in yourself. “At the start advice helped to validate my ideas, but you really just have to get up and do > it. It’s up to you to make it happen.”

BUSINESS START-UPS

PUBLIC RELATIONS LEAP Managing Director of Lighthouse Communications, Stephen Smith established his public relations agency in 2009 and has since built a strong client base and reputation. Like Neal, Stephen felt he had the capacity to establish his own company after working successfully in the PR industry for eight years. “I became disillusioned with working for someone else when I felt I could make a go of it myself.” Stephen stressed the necessity of taking calculated risks and listening to your gut. However, he also noted it is essential to do your homework before making the leap. “Research your market thoroughly. In terms of financing, do your due diligence and make sure you are getting the best deal. Look around, bring experts in and don’t just take the first financial offer that comes along.” Reflecting on the early years of his business, Neal said that he should have reached out for help sooner, but he resisted support because he was so determined to succeed by himself. Similarly, Stephen highlights the importance of listening to more established business owners. “For the first couple of years I tended not to take advice, if I had, the business would have grown faster. Listen to the advice of others, I’m still learning in this job today.”

Although she also set up her own website and distributed flyers, she said that Facebook ads, shares and boost posts “were key to bringing people in.” In a technology-driven world, it is vital that new enterprises understand the value of social media and how to use it effectively. Although Tara’s business is on a smaller scale than Neal and Stephen, she believes the same work ethic applies in order to be successful. “Regardless of how small or big your venture may be, it takes dedication and hard work.”

Stephen Smith

everything I would like if I was the customer walking into my reflexology room. I wasn’t going to open it up until it was perfect.” Tara’s personality, passion and belief in her business are the secrets to her success. This enables her customers to trust her and be totally at ease. ‘When they come into the room and meet me, any apprehensions disappear.’ One of the surprises Tara came across while establishing The Reflexology Room was how lucrative Facebook was in generating business.

There is a range of support available in Northern Ireland for people looking to start a business, with advice provided through Invest NI, Enterprise NI and most recently the Entrepreneurial Spark Hub, powered by Ulster Bank. The Hub offers free working space, mentoring and facilities for start-up enterprises. This has resulted in the creation of 230 jobs and £5.3million of investment in just one year through the support provided to businesses by the Hub. Lynsey Cunningham, Entrepreneur Development Manager at Ulster Bank outlined the ways in which the Hub provides support and advice to start-ups and the common problems they encounter.

Both Stephen and Neal emphasise the importance of hard work, persistence and most importantly, “just getting up and going for it”, which is exactly what Tara O’Dornan, owner of The Reflexology Room NI, did.

“The Hub acts as a people accelerator. We build the people and ensure they have the right team on board to build their business. There are a wide range of businesses that operate from the Hub, bringing different levels of experience and enthusiasm.”

REFLEXOLOGY LEAP Tara said the key to her success lies in her timing.

One of the most important elements to starting a business is to have confidence and belief in what you are setting out to do, she said. The Hub allows newcomers to work alongside examples of success stories which started in the exact same place as them.

“If I didn’t set up immediately, there’s that chance I wouldn’t fulfil it. The minute I qualified I put my rent down for the room in Holywood. As soon as you have a passion, go for it.” However, Tara also talks about the importance of quality to ensure longevity when establishing your business. “I didn’t cut any corners – I wanted it to be

Tara O’Dornan

Lynsey said one of the most common stumbling blocks start-ups encounter is the ‘fear of failure’. The Hub seeks to eradicate this by providing support and mentoring in the form of workshops with companies such as KPMG and Dell and ensuring that start-ups are aware of all the opportunities and grants available to them. ■

Mayor Garath Keating launches the ‘Go For It’ Business Start Programme with Nicola Wilson (Head of Economic Development, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council), Gordon Gough (Enterprise NI) and Eileen Stewart (Armagh Business Centre)

Got a business idea? Go for it! The ‘Go For It’ Business Start Programme is encouraging budding entrepreneurs to contact their local enterprise centre for help developing an idea or starting a business. If you're thinking of setting up a business in Northern Ireland, you’ve probably got a million questions in your head. How do I do market research? How do I write a robust business plan? What do I need to be aware of when employing people? How do I deal with tax? Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, working in partnership with Enterprise Northern Ireland, is delivering the ‘Go for It’ Business Start Programme in the borough to help answer those important questions.

With support from three of the Local Enterprise Centres – Armagh Business Centre, Banbridge Enterprise Centre and CIDO Innovation Centre – the ‘Go For It’ programme will help with the following elements of starting a business: • • • • •

clarify your business idea; spot potential problems; set out your goals; measure your progress; access finance to start and grow your business.

Through the ‘Go For It’ Business Start Programme, you will develop a robust business plan and gain the confidence to start your business on a solid footing. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s number one priority is growing the local economy. It is a vibrant and globally focused Borough committed to unlocking the potential of its businesses by supporting startups and SME’s to innovate, develop and grow.

There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the area which the Council is supporting through the Go For It Programme and Business Engagement Programme. Other innovative partnerships are being developed to support enterprise and entrepreneurship including social entrepreneurs. If you have a business idea you’d like to develop or if you are thinking about starting a business, contact your local enterprise centre and they will support you through the process. For more information contact • Ciaran Cunningham Banbridge Enterprise Centre t: 028 4066 2260 e: ciaran@bdelonline.com • Eileen Stewart Armagh Business Centre t: 028 3752 5050 e: info@abcarmagh.com • Cara Dallat CIDO Innovation Centre t: 028 3833 3393 e: cara.dallat@cido.co.uk

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Transforming entrepreneurial spirit into jobs and growth By Laura Jackson, Partner at BDO

estructuring and rebalancing our economy to improve competitiveness on the global stage has rightly been a long-term priority for the Northern Ireland Executive. While big names in foreign direct investment has often dominated the headlines, legions of high performing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been quietly driving innovation and sustainable growth across a number of sectors. At BDO Northern Ireland, more than 1,000 local companies – the majority SMEs – have engaged us to provide a wide range of professional services to accelerate ambitious plans aimed at accessing lucrative markets and creating new jobs. In uncertain current times, fleet footed SMEs are making the most of rapidly emerging opportunities and that is good news for the Northern Ireland economy. Our 118,000 small and medium-sized companies make up 70% of our private sector workforce. Ulster University estimates they contribute over 80% of non-financial gross value added (GVA) and nearly half of the Northern Ireland’s total GVA. These impressive numbers underscore the need to reinforce our existing strengths and build for the future. However, crucially, we also need to rediscover, develop and foster the type of entrepreneurial spirit and ‘can do’ attitude that helped to propel almost a decade of vibrant expansion in the GB and Republic of Ireland’s indigenous sectors. BDO Northern Ireland is actively playing its part. We have tailored our offering towards the unique experiences, aspirations and qualities that set our local SMEs apart. Ours is a quality customer service that recognises the strong growth opportunities that exist and builds the confidence to compete with larger global competitors. Critically, Northern Ireland faces a challenge in

how we inspire the next generation of business talent and encourage them towards their own start-ups. Advances in technology have made it easier to create your own enterprise yet, worryingly, business registrations in Northern Ireland have dropped significantly since 2005 when we claimed the highest start-up rate in the UK. It is time to reverse that trend and the first step should be removing barriers that stymie ambitious talent. We know that accounting, finance, Payroll and HR can be daunting to start-ups and small operations, but it doesn’t have to be. We have developed a suite of tools and services that simplify core operations so SMEs and entrepreneurs can get on with growing their companies. BDO Link, for example, our bespoke streamline business performance tool, delivers nononsense insight backed by one-to-one personal advice from our professional team. It’s a combination that assists entrepreneurs to navigate complicated tax issues – like claims, compliance and foreign VAT – and keep up to

date with developments that can improve their bottom line. Our approach is one of collaboration and open communication, working with our clients to develop an in depth understanding of their business and the issues that they face. Our payroll team and HR Advisory teams in particular provide accessible and comprehensive management services to a broad range of companies. Given the global uncertainties that we are facing into, it is likely that we are going to be more dependent on internally generated business activity. BDO Northern Ireland is giving SMEs, start-ups and family owned businesses the advice and confidence to grow. ■

If you are an SME or start-up, BDO can help you grow through our BDO Link service; a uniquely tailored business expertise we offer to small growing businesses to support or recreate their accounting, finance and compliance needs. Contact judith.stewart@bdo.co.uk for more information.

LEGAL START UP

Starting your own business – the legal angle By Linus Murray, head of the Commercial team at O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors

n our line of work, we often encounter people who have a great business idea but don’t know how to get that business off the ground.

WHERE WILL THE BUSINESS TRADE FROM?

The following are several key areas any start up needs to consider from a legal perspective

Are you going to have to acquire business premises? How will you do this? Do you have the finances to purchase suitable premises or will you lease? Finding suitable business premises and the ability to finance it should be a fundamental part of any business plan.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT STRUCTURE

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Are you going to be a sole trader, a partnership, a private limited company or a limited liability partnership (LLP)? There are pros and cons to each type of business and the best type for you will very much depend on your individual circumstances e.g. number of persons involved, ability to raise finance, business complexity etc.

Do you have intellectual property that needs to be protected? This could be a name of design, a product or invention. Have you checked whether your business is going to infringe anyone else’s intellectual property rights before you start? EMPLOYMENT

HAVE IN PLACE BINDING LEGAL AGREEMENTS Whatever type of business you form, it is advisable to enter into a binding legal agreement with your business partner(s) such as a Partnership Agreement, Shareholders Agreement or LLP Agreement. These agreements clearly set out how the business is to be run, define each person’s role, how people can be added to or exit the business and how disputes should be dealt with. In the event of these events happening, the agreement can be easily referred to and avoids room for confusion.

APRIL 2017

Will you be hiring staff for your new business? If so then it is advisable that you put in place contracts of employment which clearly set out the terms and conditions on which they are employed. ■

For further information on business start-up advice, contact the Commercial Department at O’Reilly Stewart.

info@cookstownenterprise.com

NEWTOWNARDS 028 9181 9787 info@ardsbusiness.com www.ardsbusiness.com

COOKSTOWN 028 8676 3660 info@cookstownenterprise.co.uk www.cookstownenterprise.com

NEWRY 028 3026 7011 info@nmea.net www.nmea.net

ARMAGH 028 3752 5050 fiona@abcarmagh.com www.abcarmagh.com

DOWNPATRICK 028 4461 6416 business@downbc.co.uk www.downbc.co.uk

BELFAST 028 9074 7470 info@north-city.co.uk www.north-city.co.uk

CARRICKFERGUS 028 9336 9528 info@ceal.co.uk www.ceal.co.uk

BELFAST 028 9094 2010 info@eastbelfast.org www.eastbelfast.org

BANGOR 028 9127 1525 mail@nddo.co.uk www.nddo.co.uk

COLERAINE, BALLYMONEY & MOYLE 028 7035 6318 info@causeway-enterprise.co.uk www.causeway-enterprise.co.uk

BELFAST 028 9055 7557 enquiries@inspirebusinesscentre.co.uk www.inspirebusinesscentre.co.uk

OMAGH 028 8224 9494 info@omaghenterprise.co.uk www.omaghenterprise.co.uk

Providing support for business starts, established businesses and the social economy

BELFAST 028 9033 9906 info@ormeaubusinesspark.com www.ormeaubusinesspark.com Gordon Gough, Chief Executive of Enterprise Northern Ireland

A state-of-the-art digital platform promoting enterprise and entrepreneurship across Northern Ireland BELFAST 028 9031 1002 hq@ortus.org www.ortus.org

he new www.enterpriseNI.com website has just been launched which has the potential to highlight more than one million annual bits of digital content within the Local Enterprise Agencies. The new website is a live channel that shows all the entrepreneurial activity across Northern Ireland which could make the site one of the largest in Northern Ireland by the end of the year.

LIMAVADY 028 7776 5655/2323 info@roevalleyenterprises.co.uk www.roevalleyenterprises.com

An innovative use of #enterpriseNI coupled with a local council hashtag means that all stories will appear live on www.enterpriseNI. com. One of the stories trending at the moment is Start Up Loans for small businesses. Our members across Northern Ireland report that access to finance remains a key issue.

BELFAST 028 9061 0826 info@workwest.co.uk www.workwest.co.uk

That`s where Enterprise Northern Ireland members can help with our Start Up Loans. Start Up Loans provides mentoring and financial support to start-up businesses that cannot access traditional business finance. Since the scheme commenced, Enterprise Northern Ireland has dealt with over 3000 enquiries resulting in 500 loans being

dispersed at a value of over £3m. Enterprise Northern Ireland Start Up loans are unsecured personal loans for the purposes of starting a business. Loans of up to £25,000 are repayable between one to five years at a current fixed interest rate of 6%. In addition, loan recipients receive up to fifteen hours mentoring support from their local enterprise agency. Start Up loans also provides access to a range of exclusive offers from various corporate partners. To request an application pack or for further details call the Enterprise Northern Ireland office on 028 7776 3555 or visit www. eniloans.com. Follow EnterpriseNI on Facebook and Twitter: EnterpriseNI FB page: https://www.facebook. com/enterpriseni EnterpriseNI twitter https:// twitter.com/enterpriseni Enterprise Northern Ireland is the membership organisation for Local Enterprise Agencies. There are 28 Local Enterprise Agencies across Northern Ireland providing a range of business support services. Here are just some of them…

ADMINISTRATION

Care Circle administration may indicate a positive turn in the economy The decade since the economic crisis has seen insolvency used to quickly dispose of distressed assets but, Catherine Doran from Deloitte tells Ulster Business, as Northern Ireland exits recession, the administration process can be used to protect trading businesses, save jobs and have a positive impact on the wider economy. We have seen a lot of insolvency over the last decade and it has a highly negative connotation for businesses. However, you believe it can actually be a positive process. How? For many people and businesses, insolvency means receivership or liquidation, resulting in the loss of a key asset or a trading business. This has been necessary to move on much of the distressed property in Northern Ireland in order to regenerate the market and allow liquidity back into the economy. However, the principles underpinning our insolvency regime are to protect the business, the stakeholders and the wider economy and we are increasingly seeing the process of administration being used to do just that. A good example is the Care Circle administration which saw the trading and successful sale of a group of care homes. What was different about the Care Circle process? The core business traded profitably, but was encumbered by a significant amount of property debt. In order to properly restructure the balance sheet, the companies were placed into administration, to provide them with the breathing space to trade whilst a sales process was completed. The companies and bank took advice early, which was key to the success of the process. The core business was viable and the administration process provided protection for the business, residents and staff to ensure we could trade it properly without job losses whilst interested parties reviewed the businesses and competed to acquire it. Funding to trade was secured on the back of this plan. The care home sector is a tough environment. Is this a sign of things to

APRIL 2017

come in the future? While margins are tight in the sector, the demand for good quality care homes continues to increase. We may see increased consolidation in the industry, but it is clear from our experience across the sector that well run homes can generate strong profits. There was considerable interest in the Care Circle business and we were able to run a three stage sales process to find the successful party from the 11 credible bidders, many of them backed by local banks. The Care Circle homes performed well, had loyal and dedicated staff and actively involved the residents and their families. We had the full support of the regulator (RQIA) and the Trusts throughout the process. The administration protection allowed all these parties to come together to keep trading stable and allow a swift sale, protecting jobs and securing the future of residents. We could not have delivered such a successful outcome without the support of all these stakeholders. Is it an isolated case or are other businesses exploring similar options? I don’t think Care Circle is an isolated case at all. In fact, 2016 was probably our busiest year for restructuring complex trading businesses, either inside or outside of administration. That’s encouraging because the administration process was set up to give companies facing financial challenges time to restructure and stabilise. Many business owners are now realising that there might be alternatives to shutting down and breaking up a company when they are up against it. The key determinant of success is taking advice early; this widens the options available, starts the communication with stakeholders and will always result in a more positive result – if it’s the right advice!

In Deloitte, we have spent considerable time building a specialism in this area. Whilst complex, it is one of the most interesting and relevant areas of our business, to be able to provide stability and a plan in times of distress. What do you think the Care Circle administration says about the wider economy? The success of the Care Circle administration may not have been achieved a few years ago. When we traded and sold the Mivan business in administration in 2014, there was much less funding available and so interested parties were thinner on the ground, despite the core business being very strong. As the economy is slowly recovering, we are seeing more robust growth across the majority of sectors. This attracts both local and overseas capital. Our banks are now clearer on their strategies and, in particular, where they can provide support for local trading businesses. In addition, there is visible growth in the availability of funding from alternative lenders, mezzanine funders and private equity. Many businesses are still carrying the baggage of distressed property or a balance sheet that had to refinance in difficult times. However, increasing liquidity in the economy means that when a company with a good core business encounters difficulty, a range of solutions can be found to restructure the business efficiently and swiftly. As the economy continues to grow, we are likely to see an increase in these restructures, not because there is more distress, but because there are more opportunities to create value.

Catherine Doran is a Senior Manager with Deloitte in Belfast and leads the Restructuring and Insolvency team.

INTERVIEW

Business

Breakfast

By David Elliott

The column that doesn’t have time for lunch... BREAKFASTEER: MICHAEL JOHNSTON, MANAGING PARTNER AT CARSON MCDOWELL BREAKFASTING VENUE: THE PERMIT ROOM

orking on the assumption this column should offer you, the reader (surely you’re still with us at this early stage in the story?), a taste of a relatively new establishment, your scribe jumped at the suggestion that this month’s chow down should take place at the Permit Room. “At last,” you’re probably shouting to the roof tops, “he’s broken out of his comfort zone and is breaking new ground.” Yes and no. Yes in so far as yours truly seems to be the only person this side of the Lagan who hadn’t already heard of or visited the Permit Room, and no in so far as it turns out we have history. No, not like that, but in so far as it is located in the premises on Belfast’s Fountain Street previously occupied by La Boca, an old haunt, and is headed up by the team behind Howard Street on, eh, Howard Street. This latter “gag” had previously been used in a review of Howard Street so feel free to stop reading now on the grounds of repeated copy, but you’ll be missing the difficult new material which promises to be much more interesting. Niall Davis and Marty Murphy, the pair behind Howard Street, opened The Permit Room in June and, after tasting the breakfast, this column is once again rueing why it hasn’t been here earlier.

From a sausage brioche buttie to the Shakshouka baked eggs, signature flatbreads to the best-named breakfast product ever, the Divorced Huevos, the menu served up a choice of breakfast which would be hard to beat. Michael Johnston and this scribbler both plumbed for the sourdough and poached eggs which came with every hipster’s delight, smashed avocado and an add-on of bacon. It hit the spot, but before we get too carried away by the food, what about the interviewee? Michael is managing partner of one of the most established law practises in Northern Ireland, Carson McDowell, and knows a thing or two about the changing face of law over the years. He’s able to reminisce about the wood-panelled offices of yesteryear and in the next breath wax lyrical about the application of technology like blockchain and the challenges for millenials in today’s legal environment. By trade he’s a corporate finance guru, an area he has specialised in virtually from day one at the firm back in 1983 when he joined straight from Queen’s University. Qualifying as a solicitor in 1984, he quickly rose through the ranks to become partner in 1993 and head of the Corporate Finance team, a role he undertook for 24 years before taking up the managing partner role. Michael said the growth of Carson McDowell in the last few years has been the result of a deliberate focus. “Our strategy has been to be the best law firm in Belfast and that has meant developing into new areas such as defamation, licensing, procurement, competition etc., anything a client

needs,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we’ve been joined by really good people and are able to provide the best service in all areas.” “That’s our unique selling point; we cover the breadth of the services our clients needs from a law firm.” He said the downturn which followed 2007 proved a challenge for the firm - as it did for nearly every business in Northern Ireland but it made it through without making any redundancies and has emerged stronger, as it did after previous recessions. Since then business has grown strongly but Michael insists the firm is not resting on its laurels and has remains inherently ambitious. “We always try to see what else we can be doing for our clients, be it another field of law or helping them in other regions. That’s meant we’ve been working outside Northern Ireland as far afield as the US; wherever our clients need us.” On the issue of technology, Michael is well aware of its growing importance in the legal world, hence his chairmanship of the firm’s IT committee and his knowledge of artificial intelligence and other innovations. We could talk for a lot longer but law firms don’t run themselves and blank pages don’t get filled with words themselves so we head on our separate ways, satiated by a good breakfast and some legal insight. ■

Branding & Marketing

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20/03/2017 11:32

BRANDING & MARKETING

NORTH RN IRELAE ND

Developing a national brand; something better than Saints and Scholars? John Simpson asks what Northern Ireland’s global brand says about us as a nation and as an economy. Do we need to identify our own unique selling point? 66

orthern Ireland is an open economy, available to trade with many other countries and hoping to attract support and interest for what it has on offer. That means that the perception of Northern Ireland around the world should be strongly positive and favourable. Does our brand image have a helpful marketing impact?

The easy first argument, directed mainly for internal usage, is that the past history of the ‘troubles’ and the instability of the political institutions must become irrelevant to the current news reports and associated explanations. Critically, there is only negative value in a reputation for recurring politically motivated violence and any demonstration that ‘troubles’ have not gone away. Have they gone

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20/03/2017 11:32

BRANDING & MARKETING

any violence and instability in the political institutions should be banished permanently. Temporary periods of progress are no long term solution. The optimism of political progress that proves illusory may be more damaging than quiet periods of apparent calm. Collectively, Northern Ireland must now aim higher and more convincingly than has been evidenced in the years since the Good Friday Agreement. With that ambition, Northern Ireland needs an acceptable national and international image summed up in an honest marketing message. What has Northern Ireland to offer to itself and, just as important, to other people who are aware, or become aware, of our talents? This question lends itself to a range of answers. Are we really a land of ‘Saints and Scholars’ and if so what is the evidence? The Saints and Scholars brand is useful and well recognised. Literature, language, drama and theology do have international credibility. The brand is willingly shared across this island and offers solace both to scholars and lay people. Espousing the presence of saints is a worthy ambition but less easily justified. For greater impact to meet the economic and welfare needs of Northern Ireland, the brand image must search for audience appeal which will support growing the economy, raising our productivity and selling successfully in world markets. Where do these objectives find unique selling points which can be advertised and marketed?

away, convincingly and in hearts and minds? As this comment flows from ‘the pen’, the (temporary?) absence of an assurance of consensual decision making in a devolved government makes the merits of sensible commercial arguments for trade and investment much less credible to a news hungry world.

APRIL 2017

How often, watching TV news, particularly from around Europe or the USA, have we watched and listened to NI news against the backdrop of Stormont, superimposed with pictures from the political images of the (socalled) peace walls. The primary need for Northern Ireland going forward is that the backwardness of

There are, understandably, international comparisons, both objective and subjective, that offer examples of strong branding. These comparisons usually have some objective basis but it must be acknowledged they may be built on imprecise aspirations based on unproven perceptions. Even if a region is only perceived to display attractive qualities that itself is a useful platform on which to build. How does Northern Ireland’s brand compare with what we know about Scotland, France, Germany, Finland or Sweden? These countries all demonstrate strong brand images not all > orientated to economic achievement.

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20/03/2017 11:32

BRANDING & MARKETING

Unintentionally, using those countries as comparators, they are ranked (this author’s choice) in ascending order of achievement on marketing merit. The brand image for Scotland relies heavily on (former) heavy engineering, scotch, and rural aesthetics as well as an evolving and uncertain degree of fiscal reliance on the UK Treasury. Does the brand Scotland convey an ability to ‘pay our way’ as an independent country? Scotland offers brand image questions that are not dissimilar to those in Northern Ireland. The search for a more appropriate Scottish brand is well worth watching. At present that search is made more obscure by debate about a second independence referendum. The Scandinavian countries are frequently perceived as progressive societies. A colder

climate, progressive social attitudes and modern social security systems, high achievements in educational results, all combined with a strong image of work effort and attractive personal earnings, generates a message of success. The Scandinavian brand reflects self-assurance and dependability coming even from smaller countries. Almost inevitably the search for exemplary branding must examine the performance Germany. Even the word Teutonic conveys an image that is much admired and linguistically is readily linked to Germany. The last seventy years have seen the German economy overtake its neighbours to become the main driving force of western European economies. Their brand image combines enviable work ethic, high productivity, high average earnings and a range of social achievements, including good performances in international sport.

What are the lessons for brand Ulster? Excellence in achievements must be fostered and recognised. Good scenery in historic settings, former world leading shipyards, and an acknowledged Good Friday political agreement are all well worth a mention. Regrettably, they are just a start. Ulster must develop its special USPs (unique selling points). Pride in building a united society, demonstrating advanced IT skills and cyber security expertise, achieving excellence in quality and security in modern food processing, and investing in 21st century human and physical infrastructure: that would be a start. The brand must build further from being saints and scholars! ‘High flyers going places’ would fit better in the 21st century! ■

David Clarke (left), Senior ICT Officer, and Paul Campbell, Data Centre Manager, of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust

The Positive Business Impact of IT Service Management Dave Clarke, Senior ICT Officer, and Paul Campbell, Data Centre Manager with Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) were recently accredited as ITIL Experts, a prestigious, highly sought-after certification for technology professionals. ITIL, sometimes known as IT Infrastructure Library, is a set of best practices that technology professionals use to design, implement and manage IT service projects. “Health and Social Care organisations all aspire to implement, or have implemented, processes around their IT so our inspiration was to get first-hand knowledge of the materials from the ITIL courses to better understand the benefits and implement procedures locally for our organisation,” Paul explains. “People think of IT as the PCs but there’s a lot of processes and service management to make sure the lights stay on! There’s a lot of planning and careful attention to detail.” NHSCT employs 15,000 people, delivering services to 450,000 residents in the nearby area. As the organisation had come to rely on IT to deliver services to patients and clients, and

those systems had grown in complexity over the years, NHSCT saw the need for IT service management processes that would ensure high availability of those systems.

North coast, and because they were able to fit the delivery around our work schedules,” says Paul. “We also had a good rapport with the trainer who delivered the ITIL courses.”

Obtaining the certification was a mammoth task that took two and a half years to complete, starting with a foundation exam, five intermediate exams and the final expert exam. Not all participants stayed the course but Paul says he and Dave were motivated to complete the full set and earn the qualification.

He adds: “The end goal is to minimise unplanned downtime, and to have a more rigorous assessment process that any system changes are put through. In all organisations in healthcare, there is an increased reliance on technology, and we’re tightening the governance around operations and management of IT services so that our end users have a more reliable IT service.”

Helping them on their journey, SureSkills’ training division had set up ITIL training for Health and Social Care organisations throughout Northern Ireland. The courses typically lasted between three and four days, in addition to 30 hours’ reading time in advance of the exam.

Quality-driven service management is a cornerstone of business success. SureSkills is the leading provider of IT Service Management training and the longest directly accredited company in Northern Ireland & Ireland.

SureSkills delivered the courses through a combination of on-site training at HSC offices, at SureSkills’ own facilities in Belfast, or through ‘virtual’ sessions delivered over a videoconferencing link.

Discover how we can deliver immediate value to your organisation through bespoke learning programs tailored specifically to your business needs and shaped around your schedule. ■

“The flexibility in how the course was delivered was really useful, because we’re based on the

Contact info@sureskills.com or phone 028 9093 5555 for more details.

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PROFILE

The internet of things (IoT) Ulster Business spoke to Philip Dowds, Managing director at OKTO Technologies, to find out how the company is preparing to deliver technology in the cognitive buildings of the future, starting today. Cognitive buildings; buildings which can think? Not only think, they take action themselves based on the thinking. A cognitive building evolving from the smart and intelligent building era has the ability to learn, to reason with purpose, to interact with speech and text, but most importantly has the ability to make changes within agreed boundaries automatically and without any human interaction. Cognitive buildings integrate all of the internet of things, devices and systems together, gather information from the devices into a data lake of information, from where it learns user and machine behavior which then allows it to optimize the performance and efficiency of the systems within the building. Gathers information into a data lake; can you expand on that? Yes, previously and historically throughout the smart building era information was gathered, but the systems were basically silos and then the information was held in these silos preventing any meaningful analytics. Today we are essentially creating one all encompassing system which allows for fully integrated transfer of data and information all stored in the data lake. This all sounds very clever, but what does it mean in a practical sense? Through automatic optimization of operations we can dramatically reduce costs in a commercial building, we do this using artificial intelligence and cognitive learning. This can deliver a new level of efficiency, allowing new business models to be created. The approach provides intuitive technology systems which think ahead and act on expectation, providing things based on habit and anticipating user requirements. The building can not only anticipate what the

Philip Dowds

user might require in terms of say heating or lighting, but also can predict where failures in the system or its equipment might occur before it happens. In a residential environment, things will happen just the way you like them when you want them, automatically even before you ask. There will be lots of competition in this new industry, what makes you so sure OKTO technologies can win? Two reasons: Firstly, we will marry all of this new thinking and ground breaking ideas with a concept we are calling The Return to Analogue. All of the technology will be in the background and the touch point for the customer will be analogue, like a standard light switch for example, the customer will not feel as though they are operating or interacting with a computer. Technology is getting more complex every day, but people are becoming tired of the complexity and there is an increased and

growing demand for simplicity - this is actually not a new concept. It was Leonardo da Vinci who said â&#x20AC;&#x153;simplicity is the ultimate sophisticationâ&#x20AC;? Secondly, this return to analogue engineering approach is complemented and has a lot of synergy with our old fashioned values and deeply held beliefs. We work hard to develop our craft and invest heavily traveling around the world training with the very best teachers and thought leaders to ensure we have the best trained and educated engineers who are able to develop the best ideas. But that's not our number one priority, we are most proud of the fact that our customers get an absolute commitment to quality and programme delivery from OKTO technologies. If we feel a system will not work first time every time, we will not provide it. If we promise to complete for a given date, we will deliver. These commitments are set in stone, we will move heaven and earth to fulfil our promises to our clients.

PROFILE

Good old fashioned customer service, with a “whatever it takes attitude”, a world beating work ethic and insanely high level of internal expectation of delivery is how we intend to beat our competition. Can you tell us a bit more about what OKTO Technologies does? We provide technology systems in buildings, both residential and commercial, helping our clients to communicate better, hold better, more effective meetings and create the perfect atmosphere for their customers in a retail or

hospitality environment. In the residential market we help our client’s home look its very best with dramatic lighting control, stay safe with integrated security and IT systems, and entertain family and friends with invisible audio systems which deliver real emotion and can play at club-level volumes along with fullyimmersive home theatres and gaming rooms. Our clients range from blue chip corporates, to luxury private members’ clubs in Mayfair to large residential properties in London and Europe. One project we have just been

appointed on and are very excited about is the most expensive single private residence in central London at almost £1/4bn. What are your plans for the future? We have set out to build a world-class company. Our goal is for OKTO Technologies to be the leading brand for cognitive building systems. To support that growth in our business and our future ambitions we are looking to recruit talented and smart people to join our team. ■

Okto’s recruitment drive Philip Dowds on the ideal Okto candidate “There are opportunities across all areas of the business, from programming, and junior programming, project management, sales and estimating. “We want hands-on IT traffic engineers with a specialism but with the ability and interest to build their knowledge across all elements of

APRIL 2017

integration. Ideal candidates will be intelligent, self-motivated, have high internal standards, a strong work ethic, be team players and above all, be excited by the challenge and our aspirations to be truly world class. “As a business, we have a brilliant team culture, where people collaborate, help each other out and learn and grow. It’s something that is really important to us, particularly in

an environment where we are pioneering and meeting the challenges of the day job can be difficult. “We have a work hard, play hard culture and the company hosts regular social events from dining in London to competitive car racing. Our employees also benefit from training in the Okto Academy, our new in-house training facility.” ■

AWARDS

Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards break fresh ground as new categories are introduced

EAR eleven of the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards will break fresh new ground with the introduction of TWO new categories. And other elements of the initiative have been revised and revitalised as the political and economic landscape enters a fascinating period of change. The Awards were launched at Titanic Belfast at a reception attended by a range of business organisations as well as representatives of our main business partners. This year's business partners are Mount Charles, Henderson Group, Ulster University, Queen's University, Phoenix Natural Gas, Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Carson McDowell and Titanic Belfast. Irish News editor Noel Doran praised the pivotal role they play in the initiative, adding: "Some have been associated with the awards for many years, while this year in particular we have a number of partners who are joining us for the first time." He said that "I’m pleased to confirm that despite the changing and challenging economic and business climate we are expanding our Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards through introducing two new categories and announcing our biggest ever range of business partners. “The new sections will recognise the employer for the future, which reflects how businesses and organisations are reinventing themselves to cope with the astonishing pace of changes out there, and also the team of the year, which emphasises the vital importance of working together creatively." They are: EMPLOYER FOR THE FUTURE - it will focus on, and reflect, how businesses and organisations are 'future-proofing' themselves to cope with the astonishing pace of change in the world right now. TEAM OF THE YEAR - this category focusses on the vital importance of working together

Launching The Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards from left, Cathal Geoghegan, Mount Charles, Ryan Feeney, Queen’s University Belfast, Damian McGivern, Ulster University, Gerri Wright, Phoenix Natural Gas, Noel Doran, Editor The Irish News, Karen Patterson, BBC Radio Ulster, Orlagh O’Neill, Carson McDowell, Laura Cowan, Titanic Belfast, Sam Davidson, Henderson Group and Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Paul Greenfield, Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Council

creatively, which is fundamental for businesses/ organisations to succeed and thrive. Guest speaker at the launch was Claire Colvin, talent & organisational development director with CDE Global in Cookstown, a significant player in the wet processing industry, making equipment which helps quarrying, recycling and mining businesses extract material out of the ground. The company won the Managing Talent category of our awards three years in a row and in 2016 clinched both Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovative Employer gongs. Customers of CDE - which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary - include producers of the specialist sand used in the bunkers at the 2014 US Open, and also one of the world's largest wine bottle makers, based in Australia. Claire said: "CDE has fantastic growth plans, with our 2020 vision including doubling revenue and recruiting at least 100 people. We operate in a highly competitive environment, and if we can't deliver talent into our business, it can't grow. So winning these Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards has been fantastic for us. "We attach tremendous importance to these awards, and the publicity which goes with it has been noticed by our customers in 15 countries. We're extremely proud and thrilled at that - and we'll be back again this year, trying to add to our impressive collection and having a go at those two new categories."

Irish News business editor Gary McDonald, who also spoke at the launch, said: "Technology may have infiltrated every aspect of our business and is front-and-centre in today's corporate world, the human element remains by far our most important and valuable business resource. "Every part of our business boils down to people. We need to value and reskill our people and think strategically about how to deploy all that talent. It's exactly what these unique awards have been all about since 2007, where entries have increased year on year. "And in the current climate the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards - with the straplines of STRIVE, GROW, SUCCEED - have never been more relevant. There really is a compelling argument to enter." Members of a number of business organisations attended the launch, including the CIPR, Young Enterprise, Food NI, NIIRTA, the NI Chamber, CBI, Hospitality Ulster and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. The launch was hosted by BBC presenter Karen Patterson, who will again be compere at the awards in Titanic Belfast on Thursday June 8. Entries for the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards close on May 4. ■ For your 2017 entry pack and awards information visit www.irishnews.com/ wea or follow the build-up on Twitter at @ IrishNewsWEA.

2016 A Year In Corporate Finance 14

Deals Completed

ReямБnance

Acquisitions

Growth Capital

Company Sales

MBO

NI Dealmaker Corporate Finance Advisory Team Of The Year

AWARDS 2017

AWARDS 2016

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AWARDS 2015

AWARDS 2012

LeADING CORpORATe FINANCe ADvISORS IN NORTheRN IReLAND Telephone 028 9027 8100 | www.hnhgroup.co.uk

Motoring By Pat Burns

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MOTORING

Car of the Year award for Peugeot 3008

By Pat Burns

he all-new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been named the 2017 ‘Car of the Year’ at the Geneva Motor Show.

The car impressed the judging panel with its combination of style, interior design and performance. This prestigious trophy joins the 20 other prizes the 3008 SUV has already won since its launch at the start of 2017. The vehicle is the fifth Peugeot to win the Car of the Year prize and the first SUV to be honoured with the accolade in its history. Peugeot’s success in the awards dates all the way back to 1969, when the 504 saloon scooped the award. The all-new 3008 SUV majors on technology with its state of the art i-Cockpit interior layout, offering a more intuitive and engaging driving experience, with a compact multifunction steering wheel, 12.3” head-up digital instrument display and 8.0” capacitive touchscreen which is accompanied by stylish satin chrome piano key toggles.

The 3008 SUV is a well-equipped, sophisticated and stylish vehicle that combines efficiency, high-specification, high-level of safety and technological equipment and unique features. The range starts with a ‘level 2’ specification vehicle – so that every model will feature the latest i-Cockpit; compact steering wheel, the very latest configurable 12.3" head-up digital instrument panel and an 8.0" capacitive touch-screen. The range starts from £21,795 with a wellspecified ‘Active’ model that has many standard features, key among which is a host of safety equipment ordinarily only available on top-of-the-range models. These include; AEBS – Automatic Emergency Braking System, adaptive driver and front passenger airbags (includes passenger airbag deactivation function), driver and front passenger side, front and rear curtain airbags, CDS - Dynamic Stability Control and ASR - Electronic Anti-skid System, driver attention alert system, Isofix child seat fittings (x3) in the front passenger and outer rear seats, programmable cruise control and speed limiter, and speed limit recognition and recommendation.

As a consequence of these and other safety features, substantially reduced repair costs and a 5-star EuroNCAP safety rating, the all-new 3008 SUV has insurance ratings from just 11E (20A on the previous model). There is a choice of four trim levels – ‘Active’, ‘Allure’ (expected best-selling version), ‘GT Line’ and the top-of-the-range ‘GT’ and a wide choice of engines is available, with CO2 emissions from just 103g/km. Petrol engine versions are 130hp and 165hp, with CO2 emissions of 117 to 129g/km, with the 1.2-litre PureTech 3-cylinder turbo engine, voted Engine of the Year in its category for the second-year running and the 1.6L THP. The PureTech 130 is available in 6-speed manual or EAT6 automatic transmission while the 165hp is mated to the 6-speed EAT6 automatic. Four diesel engines are available, model dependent, with advanced BlueHDi technology that makes it possible to keep the CO2 emissions low, between 103 and 124g/km, with power ranging between 100, 120,150 and 180hp. ■

MOTORING

Superfast, supercar

t might not have the most exotic of names, but it does what it says on the tin. The new 6.5 litre V12 Ferrari 812 Superfast, launched at last month’s Geneva Motor Show, produces a massive 800bhp, giving the new car a top speed of 212mph and a 0-60mph time of 2.9 seconds. The first and most difficult challenge Ferrari always faces when it decides to develop a new model is to push the boundaries of its own achievements yet again. This challenge is made all the tougher when the task at hand involves designing a new 12-cylinder engine, the power unit that hailed the start of the glorious Prancing Horse story 70 years ago in 1947. The 812 Superfast is the most powerful and fastest road-going Ferrari ever built (with the exception of special limited-series models). The 812 Superfast thus ushers in a new era in Ferrari 12-cylinder history, in doing so, building on the legacies of the F12berlinetta and F12tdf.

innovative design and aero package, as well as its unparalleled handling. It is also the first Ferrari to sport EPS (Electric Power Steering). Like all cars with Prancing Horse DNA, this new berlinetta delivers exhilarating feedback both on road and track, but equally promises exceptionally fluid handling and ride comfort that drivers will appreciate on longer journeys. The 812 Superfast, in fact, is aimed at clients that demand the most powerful and exclusive Ferrari in the range. They want a blisteringly high-performance car, but refuse to compromise on the kind of versatility that will allow them to thoroughly appreciate driving it everyday.

To make full use of that huge power and to guarantee perfect weight distribution, the car uses a highly evolved transaxle that couples a frontmounted engine with a rear-mounted transmission.

The 812 Superfast is fitted with Ferrari’s F1 dual-clutch transmission which has been further evolved to meet the car’s track driving performance targets and cope with the boost in maximum revs to 8,900 rpm. The gear ratios on all of the gears have been shortened by an average of 6% to exploit the extra performance and higher revs to the fullest as well as to improve the car’s acceleration without compromising pick-up in higher gears.

The 812 Superfast is equipped with leading-edge vehicle dynamics control systems and components. It is striking for both its highly

Simply put, the 812 Superfast is the new benchmark for mid-frontengined sports cars. ■

MOTORING

Forester wood do nicely By Pat Burns

he Subaru Forester has been upgraded to ensure the model maintains its status as one of the most capable and versatile SUVs in its class. The upgrades to the Forester – the Japanese manufacturer’s bestselling model here – result in improved safety, convenience, comfort and refinement. Pricing remains unchanged for all trim levels in the updated Forester line-up, with the range starting from £25,495 (on-the-road) for the 2.0i XE model and £26,995 for best-selling 2.0D XC models. Every Forester is equipped with two core Subaru technologies: Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive, affording surefootedness in all conditions; and the latest-generation four-cylinder ‘Boxer’ engines, contributing to the low centre of gravity beneficial to balance, road holding and handling. The revised Forester has had an exterior and interior refresh. At the front of the car, the Forester’s distinctive hexagonal grille has been updated with a new ‘wing’ motif grille mesh, while the front bumper has been reshaped and now features new L-shaped chrome trim adding

APRIL 2017

greater visual volume to the lower part of the Forester’s ‘face’.

surfaces, while the adoption of a new steering gearbox quickens the steering ratio.

The wraparound headlamps – retaining Subaru’s signature ‘hawk-eye’ shape – feature a new black base paint finish for a sharper appearance.

The range of engines remains unchanged; buyers can choose from three 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engines – a 150 PS naturally-aspirated 2.0i petrol engine and a 147 PS 2.0D turbo-diesel unit from Subaru’s FB family of engines, and a 241 PS direct injection turbocharged (DIT) petrol unit, engineered for high power, responsiveness and efficiency.

Inside the cabin, new materials and technologies have been introduced to further modernise the interior and introduce a higher-quality look and feel. The interior is finished with a higher proportion of soft-touch materials, new piano black and metallic trim, higher-resolution TFT displays and new cloth and leather upholstery options. A series of modifications, such as thicker glass, have been made beneath the surface of the Forester to greatly improve cabin refinement.

A six-speed manual transmission is fitted as standard to 2.0i and 2.0D models, with an optional Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission. Lineartronic is standard on XT models, equipped with the 241 PS DIT petrol engine.

Already an exceptionally safe vehicle, the Forester adopts new headlamp technologies which include LED lights with Adaptive Front Lighting System. The new Adaptive Front Lighting System allows the headlamps to rotate left or right into corners as the driver turns the wheel.

In uneven or slippery road conditions, the allterrain capability of the standard Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive is enhanced further with the X-Mode on Lineartronic CVT models, a control system which includes Hill Descent Control and makes traction even better than the outgoing model’s.

Updated suspension settings at the front and rear ensure the car remains comfortable and refined, particularly over broken or choppy

The upgraded Subaru Forester comes with the brand’s comprehensive five year, 100,000 mile warranty. ■

MOTORING

Range Rover’s new mid-size SUV

he fourth member of the Range Rover family has arrived. A new addition to the Range Rover family, the Velar fills the space between the Evoque and the Sport. The mid-size luxury SUV claims to deliver new levels of refinement, elegance and technology and will go on sale this summer priced from £44,830 (OTR). The luxury SUV was created in 1970 when Land Rover launched the original Range Rover. Almost half a century later that spirit of innovation continues with the introduction of the fourth member of the Range Rover family. Advanced technology is pivotal to the contemporary design: the full-LED headlights are the most slender ever to appear on a production Land Rover vehicle. The flush door handles emphasise Velar’s style and contribute to the low drag coefficient from only 0.32 – this is the most aerodynamically-efficient Land Rover ever produced. Look inside Velar’s interior and you will see elegant simplicity, sophistication and refinement with switches being kept to an

absolute minimum to help create a calm sanctuary. Design-enabling technology has been engaged fully to create the new Touch Pro Duo infotainment system which is the centrepiece of Velar’s interior. Touch Pro Duo features two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens integrated seamlessly behind secret-until-lit surfaces. Combined with a comprehensive restraints system that includes six airbags, and a range of advanced driver assistance systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist (standard on HSE) and an Adaptive Speed Limiter, Velar integrates the latest safety technology. The Velar features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, four-corner air suspension, (available on 300PS Diesel and 380PS Petrol engines) class-leading ground clearance of up to 251mm (213mm with coil springs), class-leading wading depth of up to 650mm (600mm with coil springs) and Land Rover’s range of traction technologies including Terrain Response 2 (optional) and All Terrain Progress Control (optional).

Exceptional performance and efficiency come from the range of six petrol and diesel powertrains, all matched to smooth-shifting ZF eight-speed automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics. Clean, refined four-cylinder Ingenium diesels are offered in 180PS and 240PS variants, noted for their low 142g/km CO2 emissions and high 500Nm torque output respectively. These engines are joined by the new, highlyadvanced four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine which delivers 250PS and enables acceleration from 0-100km/h in just 6.7 seconds (0-60mph in 6.4 seconds). An even more powerful, 300PS version of this engine will join the Velar range later in the year. The V6 diesel combines an extraordinary 700Nm of torque for effortless acceleration and off-road capability with CO2 emissions of only 167g/km. The 380PS supercharged V6 petrol engine combines exhilarating performance with a unique soundtrack and enables the Velar to reach 0-60mph in only 5.3 seconds before reaching an electronicallylimited top speed of 155mph. ■

PROFILE

Name: Harry McDaid Position: CEO of UCIT Ltd

A word from

The Wise How did you start out in business? I left school aged 16 and clearly Bank of Ireland saw some potential. They gave me a job and a long and happy career followed thereafter. I retired 43 years later as Director of Credit for the Bank’s UK division with responsibility for €20bn of lending. The bank gave me and others the opportunity to develop skills, to learn the vocabulary of business, to take calculated career decisions, to build business and personal relationships and of course to provide for my family. What did you find the most challenging during your years in business? I probably had seven distinct “careers” during my time with the bank each of which presented a new learning experience but equally each took maybe six months to come to terms with. One can never be fully prepared for promotion, there has to be some degree of “frisson”, some element of excitement mixed with anxiety. After all, people are watching you and rating your performance. The only challenges I experienced in my career were during these transitions. How would you describe your management style? Very easy to live with and very easy to work with – ask my wife and colleagues at UCIT. Wherever I have been, my management style has been anchored to the creation of a learning organisation. It’s only when one’s staff are allowed differentiate themselves and fulfil their potential that the business itself can be optimally differentiated. Money has a short shelf life as a motivator and I have invariably found that giving people the opportunity to learn and develop new skills and competencies is a much more effective means of performance management. I suppose this also means that I have tended to be intolerant of underperformers What would you change if you could go back and do it all again? I really wouldn’t change a thing in my business or personal life bearing in mind my background

APRIL 2017

The column with an ear for experience...

and the years through which I worked. However, if I were starting out today, well that’s another thing. The opportunities open to young people today are strangely not near as exciting as was the case back in the seventies. It was much easier then to differentiate oneself and thus carve out a successful career. A university degree or professional qualification then was a virtual passport to career opportunity – not any more. Things were much more simple then. I guess if I were to start out again, in this time, I would identify a specific skill in which I could excel, one for which an economic demand existed at a price representative of profit, I would invest heavily in attracting a diversified client base, create a sustainable earnings stream and then sell the business and start again – easy! Have you done it all on your own? I hate to say this, but more or less yes though many will say they have contributed and who am I to argue. How would you like your business career to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as someone who fulfilled his potential, positively influenced the career of others and contributed to the success of a business over the long-term. As CEO of one of the UK’s leading social lenders I’m proud that we have committed £65m to over 600 organisations – small businesses, social enterprises, community and voluntary groups. This has fuelled an expanding part of the economy which delivers jobs, economic growth and ultimately positive community impacts. What piece of advice would you give a 20year old you? As a 20-year-old I didn’t easily take advice and I already knew at that stage that the only way to succeed was to work very hard and sacrifice as necessary. So, part of me would simply say “sort it out for yourself”, enjoy every working day and don’t let the odd set-back get in the way of your ultimate ambition. ■

APPOINTMENTS

Paul Murnaghan has been appointed as Regional Director of BT Business in Northern Ireland. He will lead an integrated organisation serving mobile and fixed IT and telecommunications. Moy Park has appointed Darrell May as Head of Sales. With almost 20 years’ experience in the FMCG industry, Darrell joins from Premier Foods where he was Head of the Convenience Channel. Matthew Nelson has joined natural gas company firmus energy as a graduate rngineer following the completion of his Batchelor’s degree in Mechanical engineering.

Claire Nicholas has joined HNH Advisory team as a restructuring executive. Claire graduated in 2014 with an honours degree in accounting and finance from Northumbria University. Fionntán Gamble has been appointed as a specialist legal and business services recruitment consultant with HNH Human Capital. A qualified solicitor, he began his career in recruitment in 2015. Gavin Early has joined HNH Corporate Finance team as an Associate Director from KPMG’s Deal Advisory team in Belfast where he spent over three years advising on M&A transactions.

Tina Gates has been appointed office manager at HNH Group in Belfast. Tina has over 20 years’ experience in administrative and personal assistant roles having previously worked in the private jet charter industry. Paul Currid has been appointed to the Corporate Trading Team at Danske Bank. He joins from Keenan CF with 15 years’ experience, advising companies on a range of Corporate Finance projects. Lewis Beck has been appointed as Outbound Sales Acquisition at Barclay Communications. Lewis brings years of mobile sales experience to the role.

APPOINTMENTS

Dean Justin has been appointed as Outbound Sales Acquisition at Barclay Communications. He will contact new and existing customers, providing reviews and mobile solutions. Amy O’Donnell has been appointed as Marketing Manager at Barclay Communications. Amy brings with her previous experience in the PR and Communications industry. Dr Scott King has been appointed Strategic Partnership Manager at Newtownards advanced engineering firm CCP Gransden. He has over 15 years’ experience in the advanced engineering sector.

MCL Insurance Services, operator of B Connected Media and online insurance brands its4women.ie and BoxyMo.ie, has appointed Laura Scott as the company’s new Marketing Executive. Morelli’s Ice Cream has appointed retail analyst Clive Black as its new NonExecutive Chairman. Clive has held senior research and advisory positions throughout Europe. Neil McGranaghan has been appointed as an Associate at O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors. He has a strong profile in civil litigation with extensive experience representing clients in complex cases.

Judy Rose has been appointed to the position of Associate at O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors in Belfast. In her new role, Ms. Rose is responsible for advising clients in the areas of Conveyancing, Wills, Trust and Probate. Dr Leeona Galligan has been appointed Vice President of UK Operations at Almac Diagnostics. Leeona has overall responsibility for all UK operations. Claire Cole has been appointed Research Analyst for Ireland at Lambert Smith Hampton. Claire has 13 years of research experience gained in academia and the private sector.

APRIL 2017

PHOTOCALL

1. Pictured at the AIB Start-up Academy Summit in Life Church, Belfast, is Bill Wolsey, founder of the Beannchor Group, Diane Roberts, Managing Director of Xcell Partners, Des Moore, Head of First Trust Bank who hosted the event and local broadcaster Mark Simpson, MC for the evening.

2. Pictured at the announcement of a research collaboration between RCSI and Almac Discovery to target therapyresistant cancer tumours are (l-r) Dr Graham Cotton, Senior R&D Group Leader, Almac Discovery; Professor Tracy Robson, Head of Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, RCSI; and Professor Tim Harrison, Vice President Discovery Chemistry, Almac Discovery.

3. Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of Personal Banking & Small Business at Danske Bank, Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of Retail NI, and Nigel Maxwell Chairperson of Retail NI at the organisation’s re-brand launch at Titanic Belfast today. Retail NI is the new name for the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA).

4. Lidl Northern Ireland has announced it will donate £250,000 worth of clothing and textiles to those in need across the province through FareShare and St Vincent de Paul. Pictured at Lidl’s Regional Distribution Centre at Nutts Corner are (L-R) Declan McKillop, FareShare, Pauline Brown St Vincent de Paul and Dermot McGirr Logistics Executive at Lidl Northern Ireland.

5. Winners of the 2017 Digital Futures competition Year 11 Grosvenor Grammar girls with their teacher Samuel Taggart as they finalise their travel plans to San Francisco along with Andrea Hunter, Business Development Manager of Aer Lingus and Gareth Quinn, Managing Director of Digital DNA.

PHOTOCALL

6. From left Sorcha MacLaimhin, Corporate Fundraiser with Cancer Fund for Children, Q Radioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ibe Sesay and Lucy McCormack from the Henderson Group officially launch the EUROSPAR Community Coffee mornings. Sponsored by Barista Bar, the fundraising events will be hosted across 52 EUROSPAR supermarkets on March 25th and hope to raise much needed funds for Cancer Fund for Children.

7. Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber); Ciara Donlon, (CEO & Founder of THEYA Healthcare) and Professor Mark Durkin (Executive Dean, Ulster University Business School) pictured at a Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) event, in partnership with Ulster University Business School.

8 8. Gary Kane for Action Mental Health, Amy Kieran, BITC and Lauren McAreavey from Firstsource Solutions launch the new Mental Health Toolkit, which will be rolled out to 5,000 employees at eight Firstsource sites across the UK.

10 7 9. Pictured at an event marking the completion of Sunnylands Avenue, a new ÂŁ1 million scheme in Carrickfergus, are (L-R) Ian Snowden, Director at the Department for Communities and Hazel Bell Chair of Choice.

9 APRIL 2017

10. Estate agency Pinkertons has announced the opening of a third branch in Donaghadee. Pictured are, from left Paula Finlay, Branch Manager and Victoria Pinkerton, Managing Director.

PHOTOCALL

11. Jacqueline Wright and Leigh Watson, Directors of the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel are joined by Tanya Cathcart of Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism as they celebrate the launch of the hotel’s new lodges. The 14 new lodges are due to open on March 31, 2017.

12. Mount Charles has won a significant contract with one of the country’s largest outdoor sporting events, the Vauxhall International North West 200. From left are Fergus Mackay, Events Operation Manager at the Vauxhall International North West 200, Trevor Annon, Chairman of Mount Charles, Mervyn Whyte, Event Director at the Vauxhall International North West 200 and John Weir, General Manager of the Beverage Services Division at Mount Charles.

13. Ulster University has cemented its reputation as a global leader in data analytics research with the launch the data analytics institute. Pictured (l-r) are Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paddy Nixon; Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan, Ulster University; Professor Liam Maguire, Ulster University, John Healy, Allstate; Peter Devine, Ulster University and Greg McDaid, Fujitsu. 14. InterTradeIreland’s 2017 Venture Capital Conference held this year in Dublin, concentrated on the theme of ‘Succeed in Raising Finance’. Pictured at the event were from left Margaret Hearty, Director of programmes and business services, InterTradeIreland; Ken Nelson, Chairman, InterTradeIreland; Thomas Hunter McGowan, CEO, InterTradeIreland and key note speaker Sean Mitchell, Movidius.

15. Orlagh O’Neill from Carson McDowell has been given a prestigious award by the Prime Minister for her work to support people living with sarcoma in Northern Ireland. Leona Rankin, who founded The Boom Foundation, has been named a Point of Light by Theresa May. Pictured from left are Orlagh O’Neill and Leona Rankin.

11 12

PHOTOCALL

16. Pictured at EYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Budget Breakfast Briefing are: Michael Hall, Managing Partner, EY Northern Ireland, Ruth Logan, Assurance Executive Director, EY Northern Ireland, Neville Crowe, Director, Business Tax Advisory, Oonagh McKay, Tax Director, EY Northern Ireland, and Economic Advisor to EY, Professor Neil Gibson.

17. Fane Valley Group has named Action Mental Health as their new designated charity partner. Pictured are: Trevor Lockhart, Fane Valley - Chief Executive & David Babington, Action Mental Health - Chief Executive.

18. Lauren Stewart (l) and Megan McPhillips (r) from Ashfield Girls High School join Andrea McIlroy-Rose, Real Estate Partner & Chair of the Female Futures Network at Pinsent Masons.

17 18

19 APRIL 2017

19. Local beer and whiskey lovers are in for a treat, as The Dirty Onion launches Volume Two of its popular Boilermaker Menu. Pictured are Tim Herron, General Manager of The Dirty Onion, and Joe Magowan, Irish Whiskey Ambassador for Dillon Bass.

20. Alan Lowry, managing director ESF, welcoming news the family-run company has been shortlisted for Family Business of the Year Award 2017 for the North of England and Northern Ireland.

PHOTOCALL

21. Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and Bank of Ireland UK will host a major cross-border networking event in Belfast later this month. Launching the event are Regina Walsh (Bank of Ireland); Gavin Kennedy (Bank of Ireland UK); Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber) and John Hurley (Dublin Airport).

22. Front: Lucy Evangelista with daughter, Leila and back: husband, Matt McCullough with son Luke pictured at the launch of Centra Run Together. Following the success of the inaugural Centra Run Together initiative in 2016 the series will now include SIX 5k events between April and October 2017.

23. The team behind Titanic Belfast, Chief Executive Tim Husbands MBE, Director of Operations, Judith Owens and Director of Finance Michele Scott at the official opening of the new British Music Experience, Liverpool.

24. George McMillan and Ulster Bank’s Conor McNeill at McMillan Porsche’s new premises in Antrim. Mr McMillan, who owns McMillan Porsche, has acquired new 55,000 sq ft premises at Kilbegs Industrial Estate in Antrim, comprising a large workshop, training area, customer facilities, and a forecourt.

25. Wilsons Auctions has been awarded a multi-million pound contract by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (TITAN) as the sole provider for the sale of all of its assets, including real estate. Pictured is Aidan Larkin, Wilsons Auctions’ Group Asset Recovery Manager, welcoming the contract.

PHOTOCALL

26. Ciaran O’Neill, operator of Bishop’s Gate and President of Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, marks the hotel’s first birthday with his wife Anne Marie and staff.

27. We Slim Together founder Sonya McAllister from Randalstown and new consultant Catherine Kidd who will open the franchises fifteenth group in in Skegoneill Nazerene Church in Belfast later this month.

28 28. Invest NI is setting up a presence in Chile to support Northern Ireland businesses to grow exports across South America. Alastair Hamilton, Invest NI CEO is photographed with Mal Green, Deputy Head of Mission & Consul, British Embassy, Chile at Palacio de la Moneda, the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile, Santiago.

30 APRIL 2017

29. Former Ireland captain and rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll joined Davy Northern Ireland as keynote speaker for its second annual conference at Belfast Waterfront last month. Pictured with Brian O’Driscoll are Stephen Felle, Chief Executive (UK) of Davy and Stephen Warke, Director of Davy Private Clients and former managing director of PFC.

30. Andrea Hayes (second right), General Manager, Flybe and Michael McQuillan (centre), Director of the Business Institute at Ulster University Business School, present the bursaries to (from left), Michelle Teggart, Sureskills Ltd; Karen Graham, Carrickfergus YMCA; Philip Menary, Boomer Industries Ltd; Kevin Young, Saints Food Ltd; and Conor Mulholland and Ashleigh McCrellis, Garage Door Systems.

CHAIRMAN

The Chairman The eventing man gets around the best business events both near and far. Were you spotted last month?

month of late nights at black tie dinners throughout the land meant The Chairman has recently been faced with what can only be described as political instability back at the homestead. Armed with an instinct to run for cover from Mrs Chairman under such circumstances, an invite to the CBI’s lunchtime Economic Summit at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast provided the perfect respite. The 100 top business bods in attendance were treated to a deep insight into the economic situation we face here in Northern Ireland, across the border and across the water, as they say. CBI Director of Economics Rain Newton-Smith wasted no time in drilling down on the big topics of the day from a UK perspective, Dr Loretta O’Sullivan, Group chief Group chief economist for the Bank of Ireland gave us the view from Dublin and Brussels while the CBI’s

own Regional Director Angela McGowan put her economist hat on for a local perspective.

mindset and attitude are the key ingredients to successful management in the modern world.

Although he sadly didn’t offer up his own Haka, it was great to see MC for the day and Bank of Ireland’s own All Black Dale Guest who handled proceedings with aplomb, while his colleagues Ian Sheppard and Gavin Kennedy watched on.

And of course there was another momentous performance from guerrilla economist Professor Neil Gibson who challenged the economic norm with his own special brand of presentation which has won him fans from Cullybackey to Kathmandu.

The CBI’s new vice chair Trevor Lockhart showed he knows his economic onions at lunch, while it was a pleasure to bump into the organisation’s engine room in the form of Iain Hoy, Louise Hubbard, Anthea Savage and Lauren Kelly.

This magazine’s own stalwarts Sonia Armstrong, Sylvie Brando, Sarah-Ann Gamble and friend-to-the-stars Stuart McKinley were all taking notes at an event which was once again magnificently organised by Bill Manson, Philippa Spiller and Kevin Kelly. Another triumph for MLN.

Chat amongst the other economists in attendance, Conor Lambe from Danske Bank and Richard Ramsey from both Ulster Bank and the Retired Pole Vaulters Association of Northern Ireland (RPVANI), centred on Chancellor Philip Hammond’s U-turn on National Insurance for the self employed. Amongst the media types in attendance the topics of conversation mainlined on the menu and the wine, although Symon Ross and Rachel Martin were much more studious, preferring high brow conversation instead. Another top class event which also provided a couple of hours cover for yours truly and helped to prevent a Chexit.

Ask the top leaders in the land go for their lessons in leadership and they’ll tell you it’s the annual Management and Leadership Summit. This year it was held in Titanic Belfast and the speakers lived up to the name with a plethora of the best managers from all walks of life. Old friend Michael O’Neill, who did the Northern Ireland Football Team so proud in France last summer, passed on all the tricks of the trade to the assembled guests who were held in rapt attention. Hannah O’Reilly and Elaine Lavery, who founded the best named company of the year so far, Improper Butter, took us through their journey from a jar of milk to the shelves of Tesco and Waitrose across the UK and Middle East in less than four years. Meanwhile, while Psychologist Jamil Qureshi explained how

When the invitation arrives for lunch in Roy Adair’s office, The Chairman is quick to reply. The Chief Executive of Belfast Harbour Commissioners - once described as shy and retiring - is a marvellous host and knows how to make anyone, even a Michelin-starred chef, feel at home. The event, held in the Harbour Commissioners office, was to showcase the cooking of none other than Jean-Christophe Novelli who is opening his first Belfast restaurant next year. It is part of the Marriot Hotel in the City Quays development currently under construction. Jean-Christophe, backed by the ever-brilliant on-loan team from Niall McKenna’s James Street South restaurant, produced a feast of some note to the assembled scoffers, ensuring there will be a queue at the door when it opens next year. The Chairman had the good fortune to chat to Katy Best from Belfast City Airport, who is continuing her tireless work keeping Northern Ireland connected, and the top bod from one of the airport’s airlines Andrea Hayes who, as always, was in fine form. Amongst the plethora of other guests were Lisa Keys from the Institute of Directors, Ulster Grocer and Hospitality Review magazine’s Emma Deighan, superstar DJ Pete “it’s in the can” Snodden, superstar food tour organiser Caroline Wilson and superstar financial director Maurice Bullick. What a lunch, what a chef. ■

CHAIRMAN

Kim McCauley, Quality Engineer at Denroy Plastics Ltd receives the 5-Star Recognition Award at the Ireland Excellence Awards from guest speaker and Europe Excellence Award Winner 2016 Kevin Dodd of Wakefield District Housing

Professor Neil Gibson from the Northern Ireland Economic Policy Centre, Sonia Armstrong from Ulster Business, and speaker and psychologist Jamil Qureshi at the MLN Summit in Titanic Belfast

Joanne Liddle (right) of IPC Mouldings and Patricia Clements, managing director of Balfor, with George Wilson of the Centre for Competitiveness, which organises the EFQM Ireland Excellence Awards

Hannah O’Reilly and Elaine Lavery , Co-Founders of Improper Butter, Michael O’Neill, Northern Ireland Football Manager, and Sonia Armstrong, Ulster Business, at the MLN Summit in Titanic Belfast

Claire Ferris of Work West receives the Social Innovation Award from award sponsor Nigel McKinneyof the Building Change Trust at this year’s C03 Leadership Awards sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance.

A senior developer at Deloitte Digital in Belfast has been recognised for her role in changing the face of technology in the UK at the 2017 FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards. Maxine Glennerster, senior developer at Deloitte Digital Deloitte Partner Glenn Roberts is joined at the Deloitte Best Managed companies awards 2017 by Steven Creighton from Neueda Consulting and Ian Wilson, Managing Director of Seopa. Sixteen companies from across the island of Ireland achieved Best Managed status for the first time, including Neueda and Seopa from Northern Ireland.

APRIL 2017

Two of A&L Goodbody’s leading lawyers, Gareth Walls, Head of Employment in Northern Ireland and Dr. Vincent Power, Head of EU & Competition, have been awarded accolades in their respective fields by international publication Client Choice at a gala awards dinner held in London recently. Gareth Walls, Head of Employment, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland.

TECHNOLOGY

Smart phone or canny buyer? Adrian Weckler takes some of the latest smart phones out for a test drive, alongside an old favourite that’s making a welcome return

SAMSUNG GALAXY A5 PRICE: £369 RATING: 4 STARS

It’s a common conundrum. You want a solid new smartphone with a good amount of bells and whistles but are a little shy of the £700 it takes to reach for the top-tier handsets. If this sounds like you, Samsung’s updated Galaxy A5 phone will absolutely be one of the three or four options around the £350 mark you’ll want to look at. By Samsung’s standards, this 5.2-inch phone is middle-of-the-road fare. But these days, that still means a really decent 16-megapixel camera (front and back), good enough storage (32GB) and being waterproof to 1.5 metres. It zips along reasonably well and has a fingerprint scanner for security and payment systems such as Android Pay. The A5’s screen is nice and bright and is up to scratch for use indoors and outdoors. However, at 424 pixels per inch, it doesn’t quite have the resolution to work with Samsung’s Gear VR headset so if you’re looking to virtual reality, you’ll need another brand of headset.

Its 3,000mAh battery is also quite good compared to entry-level iPhones, but doesn’t compare to other rivals such as the OnePlus 3T. Like most new Android phones, the A5 uses USB-C to charge and connect to things. On the plus side, this means it’s faster to charge. On the downside, it means that all your old MicroUSB cables won’t work with it. From a design perspective, this phone is largely a vanilla affair with a few nice touches.

As usual, there are a few annoying bits of bloatware here, including the never-to-beused Samsung apps, but the f1.9 lens on the phone’s cameras mean that you can get pretty good quality from casual snaps.

It looks quite a lot like the old Samsung S6: a plastic finish on front and rear is bonded

Samsung has some proper competition in this space. The fiercest comes from the OnePlus 3T, which has an extra 32GB of storage, more power and a slimmer, more attractive design. But overall, the new A5 is a very good, if slightly unexciting, large smartphone that will do what you need it to.

with nice metal around the edges to give a decent, heavy feel. It comes in a few different colour options (mine was gold) and is pretty satisfactory for a mid-range handset.

Expect to see this as the default mid-budget option offered to office workers all around Ireland and the UK. ■

TECHNOLOGY

Two to try NOKIA 3310 (£42) Those who fancy a digital detox will like Nokia’s updated 3310, just announced at Mobile World Congress. It’s cheap, fun and comes in bright colours. Technically, its basic colour screen is little more than two inches across while its camera is an ultra-basic two megapixels. It has an elementary mobile web browser that won’t let you get sucked into social media moan-fests. ■

BLACKBERRY KEYONE (£499) If you never really got over the demise of BlackBerry, it has a new model out. The KeyOne has a 4.5-inch Android touchscreen phone with a full Qwerty physical keyboard tucked in underneath. All of its 52 physical keyboard buttons can be programmed as shortcuts to launch applications such as Facebook or Twitter. It has a 12-megapixel main camera and a largerthan-average battery (3,505mAh). ■

APRIL 2017

London Calling! London Calling! Choose from up to 80 flights a week Choose from up to 80 flights a week

TRAVEL

Houston Calling: Why you should visit America’s most diverse city 2017’s Super Bowl city has transforWmed into a cultural and culinary hub, says Emily Westbrooks

SET THE MOOD Houston is in the spotlight as host city to the NFL’s Super Bowl this Sunday, but there’s a lot more to it than football... and NASA. Approach from any direction and the skyline sparkles, day and night, either with towering skyscrapers or daytime heat reflecting off the mirrored windows.

It’s also an underdog of a city, best known as Beyoncé’s hometown, the home of Johnson Space Center, and the hub of an increasingly wealthy oil and gas industry, rather than for diverse cuisine and culture. But make no mistake - foodie d

hungry. Really hungry. Texas’s biggest city surpassed New York last year as the most diverse in America - with fully one quarter of its residents having been born outside of the United States. We all get to benefit from that cultural melting pot, crossing culinary continents between breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sometimes even in the same meal.

With over four million people, this is one of the fastest growing cities (and the

GUILTY PLEASURE There’s one rule when visiting Houston: come

Fusion takes on new combinations with Vietnamese beef fajitas at Kim Son (kimson.

most diverse) in America; a glittery centre surrounded by sprawling suburbs.

FlyFly from Belfast CityCity Airport to to from Belfast Airport London City and London Heathrow London City and London Heathrow

TRAVEL

(camh.org) is also free, as is the Museum of Fine Arts (mfah.org) during Thursday happy hours. A different food truck is parked outside each week, with beer and wine available too. It’s a great way to get a fix of the city’s art in a lovely, inexpensive afternoon. TOP TIP Don’t leave the city without trying a frozen margarita. My previous experiences were disappointing at best - gritty slurpees with lemon-lime chemical flavours sucked out in two sips. Houston margaritas? Creamy, strong, and typically made with freshlysqueezed lime juice. And definitely worth the Uber home! INSIDER INTEL While you’re wandering Houston’s Museum Quarter, you might spot Hotel Zaza’s (hotelzaza.com) courtesy cars cruising by blacked-out SUVs with a stag horn mounted to the front. Inside, the boutique hotel is less overtly Texan, and the rooftop pool offers a stylish escape from the heat and humidity. An ‘Eat, Sleep, Spa’ package has rooms with $150/€140 spa and $50/€46 food/drink credit from $379/€353. GLITCHES Sitting in traffic jams is unfortunately par for the course in Houston. Downtown streets typically move fairly smoothly, but keep in mind that at any time of day you can find stopped traffic on one of the city’s freeways.

com; above), for example, or chickenfried lobster tail at Max’s Wine Dive (maxswinedive.com).

GET ME THERE Easily accessible by major airlines into George HW Bush International, or William P Hobby Airport, Houston is a hub for United Airlines (united.com), which often connects with Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) transatlantic flights.

CHEAP KICKS On Thursdays, the Museum District provides big cultural bang for your buck. My favourite museum, the Menil Collection (menil.org), is always free and has a great restaurant, the Menil Bistro, on site.

If you’re staying downtown, you can likely manage without renting a car. Make sure to download the Uber app for your phone, as it’s the easiest way to hitch a ride around the city.

The Museum of Contemporary Arts Houston

See visithoustontexas.com for more info. ■

APRIL 2017

Top tips for finding great holiday deals from The Holiday Ninja 1. Be as flexible as possible It can be hard to be flexible with dates, especially if kids, school and work restrictions are in play, but even having the ability to travel a week before / after can make a huge difference in costs – so try not to work off an exact date range. 2. Shop around There are so many travel companies around, especially on the high street – so shop around and ensure you get the best possible price. These Travel Agencies are desperate for your business! 3. Use comparison websites Websites like travelsupermarket, tripadvisor and cheapflights are great tools in searching for the best possible prices for flights and hotels. 4. Utilise hotel “cancellation” polices Many online hotel websites can offer “free cancellation” as an option on your hotel booking. This gives you the opportunity to book something but then continue to search over the coming weeks / months and if you see a better deal then you will be able to cancel the original hotel booking at no cost! 5. Follow The Holiday NInja! TheholidayNInja.com

MY DAY Uncovering the 9-5 Name: Mark Cunningham Position: Regional Business Development Manager, Bank of Ireland UK

6:30am Like family homes everywhere, early mornings are extremely busy getting us all ready for the day ahead. I often do the school run and take the opportunity to catch the national and local headlines as I travel. 8:30am I’m in the office and checking emails. I manage a very active Business Development team which is located across Northern Ireland and we work with local businesses of all sizes and in all sectors of industry to support their growth plans. 2016 saw Bank of Ireland UK’s lending approvals to businesses in Northern Ireland increase to £1bn and we want to continue to build on this. With emails done for now, I take time to chat through the teams activities and priorities for the day ahead and in particular an on-site customer meeting exploring new business opportunities at their premises. 9:00am We work closely with business groups and others to support the development of enterprise and cross-border trade. In a couple of weeks’ time through our partnership with the NI Chamber of Commerce we’re holding an event to launch Connecting for Growth, a major crossborder programme networking event designed to increase business between companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I attend a meeting to help plan and agree the best approach to engage with businesses attending. For me it’s about maintaining and developing business relationships keeping close to them and the market. 10:00am I’m in the car on the way to a new business meeting and take the opportunity to call a couple of my team in Omagh and Newry to catch up on deals that they are working on. We’re supporting a number of companies expanding into new international markets and we agree plans to meet together with our local Global Markets experts in advance of the next customer meeting. 10:30am I am off to a joint meeting with a potential new customer introduced by William Thompson, our Head of Consumer Banking. I love meeting new customers, deepening my understanding their business, its vision and their ambition and then looking at innovative ways we can support them, from long term funding to cash-flow solutions including our stock-line product. 12 noon I call in with a local firm of commercial property consultants to talk about a new residential development scheme that one of their clients is seeking to undertake.

12:45pm Time to get out for a run – I’m training for the London Marathon which takes place on 23rd April and training is going well at the moment – my key objective is to get around in one piece and to raise as much as I can for the National Deaf Children’s Society. 2:00pm I’m back in the car, travelling with my colleague Judith Scott to meet Trucorp, a new customer who design, manufactures and distribute medical training mannequins around the world. Our funding of the award winning MBO deal was an exciting one to be involved in. It was recognised recently as the Deal of the Year (below £10m). We are meeting to update on the next exciting step for the business as they seek to grow and expand their business. 4:30pm I arrive home – help kids with some homework and get spruced up for a business event later that evening. 6:00pm I do a lot of networking with businesses, industry and trade organisations and tonight I’m at the annual dinner organised by the Northern Ireland Meat Exports Association which Bank of Ireland UK is sponsoring. It is an insightful evening with interesting speakers and particularly the lively Q&A debate around Brexit. 11:00pm I hit the road to travel home and after a long day will sleep well.

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