Ulster Business - November 2018 by Ulster Business

NOVEMBER 2018 Price £2.30 (€2.60)

Making more possible Danske Bank on taking another huge leap forward with new top ﬁntech hub EXPORTS

How does our business acumen shape up?

IN FOCUS

Foyle Port chief on a Brexit silver-lining

building interiors building relationships

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Contents 06 News

37 Corporate Law

86 Photocall

The latest news and exclusives from right across the world of Northern Ireland business

John Mulgrew speaks to the experts about the impact cyber-attacks can have on business

Taking a look at everything from a host of new jobs to awards and events

14 Cover Story

51 HR

92 The Chairman

We hear from Danske Bank about its new ﬁntech hub alongside Catalyst Inc

We take a look at the impact any EU worker restrictions could have on NI

He’s met the Leader of the House and gone to the top of the Grand Central Hotel

20 In Focus

63 Christmas Planner

94 Travel

Foyle Port chief Brian McGrath about sharing UK and Irish waters with Brexit looming

Have you thought about Christmas? It’s just a few weeks away...

John Mulgrew takes a trip to east London’s hip and culture-ﬁlled Shoreditch

23 Exports and International Business

77 Motoring

96 Technology

From a luxury French motor to HR-V therapy from Japan – Pat Burns is behind the wheel

Ireland’s data chief weighs debut investigation into Facebook breach

We look at those making it work abroad

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EDITOR’S COMMENTS

Deal or no deal? One option is not acceptable for business

aking the perspective of the optimists among you, we could all be home and dry with a reasonable deal on Brexit by the time you read this.

One big business leader told me in the last few days, while concerned about a ‘no deal’, he expected an agreement would be reached in the days that followed. At the time of writing, that’s not the case. Not only wasn’t it the case, but the atmosphere from Europe was decidedly negative, dry and frosty. We also heard tell of a ‘backstop the backstop’. This really is where political satire has now overtaken, in lexical terms at least, political reality. On that note, welcome to November’s edition of Ulster Business. There’s a fair spattering of Brexit themes permeating throughout, but much of it is about what’s happening throughout the world of business, regardless of the constitutional crisis which has happening outside our shores. We’ve had some good news in the last week or so, including almost 300 jobs being created by Camlin in Lisburn, as part of a £28m investment here.

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

There have also been some success stories in the world of retail, and news of a £1bn City Deal for Belfast and five of the neighbouring councils. And there’s a confidence that the finance, part-funded by Westminster, an Executive (when, or if it returns) and the councils themselves, will be given the green light. However, we’ve also had a small rise in unemployment levels here, along with a blow to Belfast’s retail sector, with a slump of around a third in footfall following the fire which gutted the Bank Buildings – home to Primark. But business is pushing on, regardless of the challenges faced by some sectors in particular. Jobs are being created, companies are exporting and firms of all shapes and sizes are getting on with it, albeit with March 29 around the corner. So, enjoy this packed issue of Ulster Business and we’ll pick up again this time next month, or in our weekly newsletter. ■ John Mulgrew

Editor John Mulgrew

Production manager Irene Fitzsimmons

Manager Sonia Armstrong

Graphic design INM Design Studio

Deputy manager Sylvie Brando

Cover photo Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

Sales executive Sarah-Ann Gamble

Contact: 028 90 264260 www.ulsterbusiness.com

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NOVEMBER 2018

Ulster Business Magazine

NEWS

A month in numbers 4.3% The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland between June and August this year. It marks a 0.9% rise based on the previous quarter but fell by 0.4% over the year, from a higher figure of 4.7%.

Donegall House goes on sale for £11.25m By John Mulgrew

A reveal.

includes Crescent Link Retail Park in Derry, on sale for £40.5m, Antrim Business Park for £12.5m and The Boat building in Belfast city centre – on the market for £8.5m.

Donegall House, which sits across from City Hall on Donegall Square, is now being marketed by Osborne King and CBRE.

According to CBRE, there were 17 major commercial lettings in the third quarter of the year, across 105,000 sq ft of space.

Built in 1968, the building was refurbished in 2013. It current plays host to tenants including Nationside, Barclays, Davy and Hays Recruitment.

That included Firstsource, which is taking almost 29,000 sq ft of space at 23-29 Fountain Street, which had been home to Concentrix.

prominent Belfast building has gone on the market for offers over £11.25m, Ulster Business can

650 The number of days, or likely more by the time you are reading this, that Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government. While attentions have drifted towards discussion over getting a deal on Brexit, restoration of an Executive remains a priority for businesses across Northern Ireland.

There is also a suggestion that a further 55,000 sq ft could be added over the building’s seven storeys, subject to planning permission. Some of the other business tenants include a small Kaffe O coffee kiosk, and Space NK.

0 The number of ministers in place at Stormont. It’s not a new figure, unfortunately, but certainly a very important to put down in black and white so we don’t forget Northern Ireland has been left politically rudderless for almost two years.

Gavin Clarke, director of investment at Osborne King, said while a few UK-based investment funds have looked at the building, it could go to someone closer to home. “It’s a landmark building – it’s the first time it’s been on the market in 50 years. “I think (a buyer) could be local. We have had a few UK-based funds look at it to date. It’s still early days.” Meanwhile, a number of other major commercial property deals were completed in the third quarter of the year, according to a new report from CBRE.

2.4% The rate of inflation across the UK. The rate fell from a six-month high in August. It came as a surprise to economists who were expecting inflation to fall to 2.6%.

That includes Laharna Retail Park in Larne, which sold for £3.45m. And a number of other large business parks and buildings are also now on sale. That

Meanwhile, construction workloads edged upwards in the third quarter of the year, despite a “marked decline in infrastructure and public sector work”. That’s according to the latest survey from RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Tughans. Jim Sammon, RICS Northern Ireland construction spokesman, said: “While it is encouraging that we are seeing rises in the private housing, private commercial sector and public housing subsectors, the picture across other areas, particularly infrastructure, continues to cause concern. “The fact that infrastructure and public non housing workloads are in decline gives an indication of the impact the lack of decisionmaking in government is having on the ground. And Michael McCord, head of construction, Tughans, said: “In some respects it appears that there is a two-tier construction market at present, with some private sector activity forging ahead, while surveyors report declines in infrastructure and other publicly-funded activity”.

NEWS By John Mulgrew

round 20 new jobs are being creating as a Belfast-burger restaurant expands into the city centre, Ulster Business can reveal.

Tribal Burger opened its ﬁrst location at Botanic Avenue at the end of last year. It’s run by husband and wife team, Paul and Elaine Catterson. They are now set to open up at the former Bubbacue restaurant site on Callender Street, as part of a £180,000 investment.

Burger business opening city centre spot

“We are delighted to expand our popular Tribal Burger brand to Belfast’s city centre by opening a second Tribal Burger location on Callender Street, Belfast,” Paul Catterson, chef and owner, said.

opening of the restaurant scheduled for in mid-November 2018”.

Elaine Catterson said the “opening of our second restaurant will see an additional 15 to 20 full and part-time jobs introduced to Belfast’s hospitality sector with the anticipated

Paul’s background is in restaurants, and he was formerly the head chef at Shu on the Lisburn Road. That then moved to their Burger Republic business in Dublin.

NOVEMBER 2018

Tribal Burger serves a range of top-end beef burgers, along with sides, craft beer, and milkshakes. It also serves up vegan options including smoked beetroot, chickpea and houmous.

NEWS

Quotes of the month “Responsible as we are, we must prepare the EU for a no-deal scenario, which is more likely than ever before.” Donald Tusk, European Council president speaking shortly before the time of print as negotiations over a Brexit agreement became increasingly stagnant.

Pictured at the launch of the Deloitte report is Sir Malcolm McKibbin, former head of NI Civil Service, Jackie Henry, senior partner at Deloitte NI and Richard Moore, senior manager in consulting at Deloitte NI

Executive ‘will have to behave differently’ to face finance challenges By John Mulgrew

“A deal which leads to Northern Ireland slavishly following EU rules whilst all the time diverging away from the rest of the United Kingdom undermines the constitution and the single market of the United Kingdom - our main market.” DUP leader Arlene Foster speaking while talks were ongoing on Brexit. Businesses here remain concerned that without some form of agreement on a backstop, Northern Ireland could find cross-border trade and the flow of workers a difficult situation.

“Both Primark and Belfast City Council have shown leadership and concern with support for traders and the area, but now we need the Chancellor in his forthcoming budget to make a tangible difference not only to Belfast but to the whole retail industry in this current time of structural change.” Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium following stark figures which showed a more than 30% slump in footfall in Belfast in September, after a fire gutted Primark.

new Executive will have to behave and act differently as it faces making tough and unpopular decisions over Northern Ireland’s public spend, the former head of the Civil Service has said.

Sir Malcolm McKibbin was speaking at the launch of Deloitte’s State of the State report. It examines key problems with the public sector and looks at how similar cases are being dealt with, elsewhere in the world. As well as reconfiguring the health service and schools estate, the options listed by Deloitte include introducing tolls to fund road repairs, charging non-vulnerable people for water and charging for missed GP appointments in certain circumstances. “I know ministers got frustrated with the narrow range of options, as they perceived it,” Sir Malcolm told Ulster Business. “Deloitte’s global reach – 55 different countries across the world, and used case studies in those places to show how the challenges we are facing, that are incredibly similar, can be successfully solved.” The report says “the absence of a functioning government, an unsustainable pattern of spend and a difficult political and economic context have created a challenging environment within which the public sector is currently operating”.

“Without cohesive political leadership and strategic direction the situation will continue to deteriorate.” “I hope it gives them (politicians) food for thought when they do get back in to power,” Sir Malcolm said. And he said the next Executive would have to behave and act differently. “There was a high degree of support for the Programme for Government from the political parties – it was outcome based, and this ties in with that. It’s about – how we achieve a better outcomes from the resources we have available.” Asked about Brexit, Sir Malcolm said: “I don’t think anybody is sure what the outcome of Brexit is going to be. “It won’t change many of the challenges in the report, it might make some have a larger scale, or may remove some, depending on what sort of deal is done.” Jackie Henry, office senior partner at Deloitte Northern Ireland, said: “Despite serious budgetary pressures public services here have remained surprisingly resilient. However, there has been a deterioration in a number of areas, and speculation about when the ‘cliff edge’ will come for some key services. The current pattern of spend is deemed to be unsustainable but we believe there is a way through this.”

NEWS

CastleCourt refurb ‘to begin at start of 2019’ By John Mulgrew

elfast shopping centre CastleCourt could undergo a major refurbishment early next year as it’s in talks with new food and fashion retailers following a series of recent openings, Ulster Business can reveal.

Following a string of new tenants, including Matalan, Vila, DV8 and Starbucks undergoing a refit, Costa Coffee is also set to refurbish and reinvest in its existing cafe.

Primark – in August.

According to Paul Wilson, retail director at Savills, other deals – including fashion, footwear and beverage – could also be signed in the coming weeks.

“You have to keep revitalising and refreshing the retail offer,” Mr Wilson told Ulster Business. “We want to provide the best mixture possible for the consumer. The demands are changing and we are moving to meet the needs and wants.

He said “complete refurbishment” plans are under way for the centre – now owned by Co Down firm Wirefox – including the mall layout and “elevation treatments”, with work kicking off at the start of next year.

“We are very excited about what’s happening around CastleCourt, with the university opening in the next year or two and bringing city living, student and private, into the city centre.

The centre is pushing back against a city centre slump in footfall of more than 30%, after a fire gutted the Bank Buildings – home to

“We see the regeneration of that location enhancing the footfall and spending in the city centre.”

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HOTELS

Hotel sector growing fast but facing ‘stutter’

he development of the hotel sector in Northern Ireland is growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in the UK but there are calls for a major marketing push if demand is to keep up with supply. According to a new Hotel Expansion in Northern Ireland report, in Belfast alone 1,170 rooms were added over the past year, thanks to new construction of six new venues, including the Hampton by Hilton and the Grand Central, and extensions to two existing hotels.

accelerated with a number of interventions including increased promotion, a bigger marketing budget and a proposition of scale for Northern Ireland along the lines of the Wild Atlantic Way.

“The challenges, aside from growing the market, are still centred on issues around skills and staffing, as well as Brexit, which has resulted in considerable uncertainty in the market,” Janice Gault said.

1,170

New hotel

“Measures like this will bedrooms added allow the market to adapt to “Added to this are the issues in last year and absorb new supply. There around tax, in particular VAT, has been a seismic change in access constraints and capacity the market and a response at key attractions. You can see why of equal measure is required to the market is experiencing a shudder as we create new business.” come to the end of an era of exceptional trading. The report says the hotel The number of However, analysis by the landscape in Northern Ireland “The opportunities of a well invested larger hotels in NI Northern Ireland Hotels has “altered immeasurably since hotel sector are many, from improving the Federation (NIHF) has shown the turn of the century”. attractiveness of a destination, to enhancing occupancy rates fell by about 3% That’s been fuelled by the ability to attract bigger events and between this summer and last year. “several periods of exceptional larger conferences. The local hotel The federation said the market was going growth”. sector has strong prospects. There through a “stutter” with occupancy and room is a good mix of international rates going down. “The last of these, between brands plus a number of unique Average overnight 2005-2009 saw three Northern Ireland products. stay in Belfast Janice Gault, chief executive of the significant changes There’s a room to suit any budget hotel NIHF, said that “market snapshots the introduction of a and the customer now has more indicate a stormy 2019 with considerable number of choice than ever before. volatility in the market”. budget branded hotels, the arrival of international brands and “Attracting more visitors is paramount. We “Overall analysis shows a the upgrading and reclassification of need to increase the size of the tourism cake reduction in occupancy levels existing properties.” to ensure that each hotel gets a good slice of and a decline in rate. business. With three and a half million rooms Demand is growing The federation predicted a to sell in 2019, a step change in activity is but this needs to be significant fall in demand next required. Having spent in the region of £500m, year and 2020, with demand the hotel sector is keen to see a return on this Janice Gault, chief unlikely to catch up with investment and a realisation of the industry’s executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation supply until 2022. potential.”

141

£80

NEWS

Unemployment rises to 4.3% as employers ‘face recruitment difﬁculties’

orthern Ireland unemployment levels have suffered their biggest slump in six years but still remain low “by historic standards” as employers report “difﬁculty ﬁlling vacancies”.

“Northern Ireland’s Labour Force Survey has been a source of record breaking highs and lows of the positive variety over the last two years,” he said.

The latest Northern Ireland Labour Force Survey shows that overall unemployment rose to 4.3% between June and August. That’s a jump from 3.5% in the previous quarter, and means 38,000 people here are now classed as ‘unemployed’.

“More recently, quarter one 2018 witnessed an alltime low unemployment rate of 3.1% with a record number of people in work in the three months to May. However, the subsequent data has seen rising unemployment coupled with a falling number of people in work.”

Meanwhile, employment “appears to be turning a corner”, according to Ulster Bank chief economist Richard Ramsey. The employment rate fell to a seven-month low of 69.2% in the three-months to August.

But Tina McKenzie, policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says “while unemployment has slightly increased this quarter to 4.3%, it is still low by historic standards and employers are reporting difﬁculty ﬁlling vacancies”.

Richard Ramsey

“The FSB joined with other business organisations calling on the Government to ensure future migration policy is ﬂexible and that business owners can hire the EU workers they need to grow their business.”

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Key Challenges ECONOMY

NI Economic Growth (GVA*)

Economic inactivity in Northern Ireland remains relatively high Productivity growth has stalled and real wages are lower than a decade ago

Signiﬁcant global risks are pointing to a more challenging outlook

NI Unemployment rate

+0.6%

+0.4%

+0.2%

2018

2019

2020

NI house prices will rise

3.9% in 2018

4.2%

3.7% in 2019

4.6%

3.9% in 2020

4.9%

in 2018 in 2019 in 2020

Private sector growth to slow but house prices to rise

rowth in Northern Ireland’s economy is predicted to slow to an almost flat level by 2020 amid a “mixed picture” here, according to a new survey.

the recovery. However, despite a robust jobs market, ongoing challenges including low productivity growth, high levels of economic inactivity and heightened global risks are likely to hold back economic growth going forward.”

However, the latest Ulster University Economic Policy Centre: Autumn 2018 Outlook, says job creation remains strong here and “business sentiment generally positive”.

The service sector remains the biggest driver in the Northern Ireland economy, with 50,000 net new jobs since 2012.

It’s predicting Northern Ireland’s private sector will grow by 0.6% this year. But it predicts that GVA (gross value added) growth will fall to 0.4% in 2019, and then to 0.2% in 2020. However, it’s predicting house prices will rise in value over the same period, rising between 4.2% and 4.9%. Jordan Buchanan, economist and forecaster at the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, says it’s a mixed-picture. “The labour market continues to perform strongly and jobs are now above their pre-crash highs in 2008,” he said. “It is also positive to see employment growth across a wide range of sectors across Northern Ireland, suggesting economic resilience in

But there’s a move towards fewer full-time roles, with around 40% of private sector jobs created now part-time positions. Manufacturing has been the leader in job creation here, with almost 12,000 of the roles over the past five years – the majority of which are full-time posts. Food production, fabricated metals and machinery and equipment have accounted for more than half of the employment growth. The report says construction experienced a “reasonably strong 2017” in employment terms, adding 3,000 jobs – partially offset by a decline in self-employment. Overall, the sector remains at around 30% of peak employment, pre-crash. It says the sector saw a weak start to 2018,

with new construction work (two-thirds of total construction output) down 6.7%. The survey says overall real wages, after inflation, remain lower than they were 10 years ago, at the peak of the boom, yet “the economic recovery has been fuelled by consumer spending”. Looking at the economic forecast for Northern Ireland, Jordan Buchanan said: “As we move closer to leaving the EU and with the increased risk of a ‘no deal’ alongside continued poor performance in productivity growth, we have modestly revised downwards our economic outlook for Northern Ireland. “Labour market growth may slow considerably in the short term but the economy should narrowly avoid a technical recession. “Job creation and economic growth is then forecast to pick up in the medium term as greater clarity emerges. “In total, over the next decade our ‘baseline’ forecasts almost 21,000 net new jobs, but reflecting greater uncertainty that forecast ranges from an increase of 58,500 jobs in an optimistic scenario, to a potential decrease of 10,800 in our more pessimistic scenario.” ■

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COVER STORY

Danske Bank: leading the tech and digital charge Danske Bank has taken another leap forward in its support for nurturing and helping to get businesses off the ground. Ulster Business chats to Danske Bank’s Vicky Davies and Richard Caldwell about the bank’s new Catalyst Belfast Fintech Hub and ‘Making more possible’ for Northern Ireland businesses

hen you are already leading the technology and digital race in Northern Ireland banking, where do you go from there?

“We know we need to change at pace, or face being left behind.” “We needed a partner in this venture, and we were looking for someone with reach and expertise,” she said.

spacious ground-ﬂoor hub, as the other way around. So, what does this mean for Danske Bank in terms of business banking and as an institution further bolstering its credentials in the digital space.

For Danske Bank, its sights were set on something hugely ambitious, and something philanthropic which it believes can help cultivate, boost and grow the next generation of technology and ﬁntech business start-ups in Northern Ireland.

Following an initial meeting last year with senior management at Catalyst Inc, Vicky says there was an immediate mutual connection, and they went from there.

Catalyst Belfast Fintech Hub, run in partnership with Catalyst Inc, is a stunning, modern incubator and hub which will see dozens of entrepreneurs and start-up businesses shape and craft their ideas in the heart of Danske Bank’s own Belfast city centre headquarters.

“They have the expertise in running a space like this, and we have access to banking and business expertise – with both of us having great experience in helping businesses to grow. So, every dimension we looked at – it was a really good ﬁt.”

The partnership with Catalyst Inc makes a lot of sense, as it already plays host to dozens of knowledge-based businesses across 24 acres in the Titanic Quarter, and the Innovation Centre in Londonderry.

The hub is an impressive space, awash with splashes of colour, connectivity, co-working spaces and meeting rooms – including a nod to Princess Leia with an image on a wall – and it is able to play host to around 60-70 entrepreneurs and business start-up professionals, with top end cable and ﬁbre internet connections.

“Ultimately, real success for us would be seeing products brought to market, and helping businesses grow from an embryonic idea, through to start-up, growth and expansion. With the business maybe ending up as one of our loyal corporate customers in the future.”

It’s further evidence of Danske Bank ensuring it’s well ahead of the pack and out in front. It’s about bringing a business from an embryonic start-up, to a thriving company, helping lead the way in its sector.

Richard says research showed that many of Danske Bank’s existing bigger business customers wanted the bank to provide “something more tangible” for start-ups, to grow companies for the future.

But for Danske, this isn’t all about the bottom line. It’s about creating a thriving hub for the future stars of Northern Ireland’s burgeoning tech sector. And it’s a two-way street – with the bank aiming to learn as much from the start-up businesses nestled in the top-end

Although tenants in the new ﬁntech space don’t necessarily have to bank with Danske, the Bank does offer banking support, including everything from a current account, to receiving

Vicky Davies is managing director of strategy and corporate development at Danske Bank. “We have a clear ambition to be the best bank in Northern Ireland, and we plan to do that by making more possible for our customers, employees, stakeholders and society”, she says. It’s that message, ‘Making more possible’, that adorns the wall of one of the main meeting rooms in the Catalyst Belfast Fintech Hub. “Banking is changing so fast. It’s relentless in terms of new entrants, innovation and the level of new ﬁntech money coming into the industry.”

NOVEMBER 2018

Richard Caldwell is managing director of personal banking and small business. “We want to be part of the local ﬁntech journey. We want to help inﬂuence and develop ideas,” he says. “There are more than 70,000 businesses in Northern Ireland, and we want to continue to support start-ups in general – by putting expertise and support into this partnership, we will help this particular set of small businesses to grow in what is a burgeoning sector.”

assistance from a growth adviser to support them with their banking needs. >

TITLE

WHO IS IN THE HUB? Fintech firm Finmondo, run by Conor Logue and Conor Houston, is the first member of the new start-up hub. It was founded in January this year, and hopes to change how business customers access banking services, allowing them to choose from different products and growing with the company as it moves from small start-up to burgeoning business. “Just to be part of this space, it’s a great help,” Conor said. “I was at a kitchen table before, and it definitely makes a difference across everything. Having somewhere like this to work from, in terms of your motivation and your output – and the 24/7 access is great.”

“This is a major investment for us,” Richard says. “This is one of the most expensive ground-ﬂoor retail premises in Belfast, and we have devoted it to this hub. This is front and centre in the heart of Belfast.” The location of the new hub couldn’t be better – with the new Glider bus linking the hub to Catalyst Inc headquarters in Titanic Quarter. And, as modern tech businesses evolve and reach out to new markets and time zones across the globe, there is also 24 hour access to the Fintech Hub. The hub has a team of four, two from Danske Bank and two newly recruited by Catalyst Inc. Together Danske Bank and Catalyst Inc have also launched a new online platform to help the wider growing number of start-up businesses across Northern Ireland to connect with investors, peers and potential new recruits across Europe - thehub.io helps connect startups to relevant resources, such as talent, networks, ﬁnancing, tools and advice from experts which will help them overcome some

of the challenges of scaling up. It is clear that strategically this is a big push by both organisations to play a key supporting role through the provision of both physical and online resources. Digitalisation Richard is keen to point out support for the hubs is just part of a bank-wide digital transformation agenda at Danske.

This is transforming the credit journey for both our customers and our business relationship managers. For example, one customer recently applied for an overdraft through the digital credit solution and got approval and the funds in their account in 26 minutes.” Danske Bank was the ﬁrst of the local Northern Ireland banks to bring in app banking, and solutions such as Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay. And this new Fintech Hub is very much another stride forward.

“For example, we want to change the nature of traditional relationship management at the Bank. In addition to managing traditional banking needs as we have always done so well, we are now moving into the added value space. As well as the human touch, customers increasingly want top notch digital solutions to make their lives easier, to give them ease of access and quicker credit decisions.”

The bank is also leading the pack when it comes to customer satisfaction, right across businesses of all shapes and sizes.

The digitally-savvy way of thinking is giving Danske Bank competitive advantage, and that is from an already well-established position in the market. Last year they appointed a chief digital ofﬁcer, who is a member of the Bank’s executive committee.

Both Vicky and Richard are keen to see what they predict will be short and long-term benefits from the Catalyst Belfast Fintech Hub. There’s an organic osmosis, allowing ideas to flow freely between the Danske Bank people visiting from upstairs and those entrepreneurs which it hosts on the ground floor.

“Our people are still our best asset and will remain so,” Richard said. “We have great people. And customers still highly value that human touch and expert advice. But what the journey looks like for transactions, well we have digital solutions for everything. For your payments, wages, drawing direct debits or paying suppliers. “Right now we are piloting and rolling out digital credit decisions for business customers.

“For some time now we have been the market leader in business banking. Research continues to show that our customer satisfaction scores are ﬁrst for large business, and ﬁrst for small business,” Richard said.

“The entrepreneurs in the hub bring a fresh mindset, one we can learn from as we continue our own digital journey throughout the bank,” Vicky says. Richard added: “The ﬁntech sector is seen in many quarters as a challenger to traditional banks, but we are embracing it and feel we can grow with it, to the beneﬁt of our customers.” ■

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15th November NOVEMBER 2018

Merchant Hotel, Belfast - 8am-10am

TOP 100

John Mulgrew, editor, Ulster Business, Sarah Little, publishing director, IMM NI, The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Michael Neill, head of Belfast office and Julian Yarr, managing partner A&L Goodbody

Leader of the House addresses Top 100 Companies gala event

he EU should “come to the table and start taking our Chequers proposals very seriously” the Leader of the House of Commons has told a top business event in Belfast.

The Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies dinner, with sponsor A&L Goodbody, saw dozens of those making the list attend a grand gala dinner at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

change when we leave the EU.” The event also heard from Ulster Business editor John Mulgrew, who said companies across Northern Ireland were exhausted due to the deadlock at Stormont, and remain concerned over what damage a ‘no deal’ Brexit scenario could have on their bottom line. Michael Neill, head of Belfast office at A&L Goodbody, said that since the Top 100 two

years ago, little had progressed in how Brexit would be dealt with. “We would all have hoped that by now we would have some sense of what the future business environment might look like. But, sadly, that is not the case. The Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies magazine is the leading list of the region’s top businesses, ranked by turnover.

They heard from guest speaker Andrea Leadsom MP, who restated the Government’s commitment to no hardening of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and its determination to not have any customs border between NI and the rest of the UK. “I am fully aware of your concerns as business leaders in relation to Brexit, particularly in relation to the border,” she told her audience at the Ulster Museum. “I know the success of many of your businesses, and your day-to-day lives, relies on frictionless trade and travel across the border. Let me assure you that we don’t want this arrangement to

Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom addresses guests at the Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies formal banquet hosted by A&L Goodbody

Pics Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

TOP 100

Jonathan Ireland, Sonia Armstrong, John Mulgrew, Sylvie Brando, Glenda McStravick, Michelle Donnelly and Mark Shields

Editor John Mulgrew addresses guests at the event

Gloria Taylor and Barbara Creed pictured at the Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies formal banquet hosted by A&L Goodbody

Martin O’Kane, Sylvie Brando and Damian Heron pictured at the Top 100 event

Peter Stafford, John Mulgrew, Len O’Hagan, Julian Yarr and Michael Neill

Claudine Heron and Louise Bailey pictured at the Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies formal banquet hosted by A&L Goodbody

Len O’Hagan, Norma Donaldson and Julian Yarr

NOVEMBER 2018

Terence Donnelly and Dave Sheeran at the Top 100 dinner

IN FOCUS

‘We were swept up in a national Brexit debate… it wasn’t relevant for NI’ 20

IN FOCUS

John Mulgrew speaks to Foyle Port chief executive Brian McGrath about sharing UK and Irish waters, the burden of increased bureaucracy but looking at a potential Brexit silver-lining coming down the line

here’s a surprising air of optimism surrounding Brian McGrath when it comes to the UK’s exit from the EU.

While the Foyle Port chief believes the £9m business – which handles around £1.5bn in commodities each year – could feel the bureaucratic hand of a post-Brexit environment, such as delays, paperwork and a potential “logjam”, that it’s in a unique position, sharing both UK and Irish waters. But he believes the Irish border was a mere “second thought” when Brexit campaigning was at its height – instead, focused around an emotional argument around immigration. A national debate which “we have been swept up in”, he says. While he says there remain serious issues which leave his business, and the rest of Northern Ireland, in the dark, far from seeing the port’s proximity with the border – in fact much of the mass of water is in the Republic – as a negative, Brian believes it could positively position it following Brexit. “We are unique as we are both a UK and

NOVEMBER 2018

European port, which is a fantastic opportunity with Brexit coming up. “We are talking to the City Deal people, the UK and Irish governments along with Donegal. “I think we, along with others, particularly, have an opportunity… there are difficulties we could face, especially with a no deal. We are pleased we can articulate our concerns and still hopefully have practical solutions. “Even in a ‘no deal’ scenario, where we are located, there will need to be good relations. Around 30% (of workers) commute from Donegal. They will still need to do that. “In a paradox, it does bring some benefits. We have benefits with this Atlantic gateway – it is under-used, and can be utilised in a way to straddle the border. We are speaking about how we can join the dots.” Brian says the port has been working with Donegal County Council, over plans for its new cruise ship terminal at Greencastle. “We have the ability to import materials into

the Irish side in the case of a hard Brexit. It wouldn’t take a huge amount of investment to make that happen. “There’s another dimension (with our) infrastructure capacity. We have a lot of things in place which is strong. “We have deep water available, and have access to probably the biggest land bank in the British Isles. “Project Kelvin – the high-speed transAtlantic fibre-optic cable connection – runs right past our offices. We have over 400MW of power right beside us. In terms of the building blocks for basic industrial development, they are all in place. “In effect, a ‘no deal’ hard Brexit would be the ultimate impact… it means additional bureaucracy, would cost our port customers time and money, and might make them look at alternative ports to bring material in. “We are not insulated form the operational side of things. Materials coming in from the rest of the world. What could be an extreme

IN FOCUS

in this, ultimately, it might mean, bringing in two million tonnes a year, 40% from Europe – that 40% could be subject to tariffs, or a lot of bureaucracy.” Laying it all out, the key concern is if huge bulk cargo – such as grain or animal feed – has to be ‘unitised’ into separate lorry loads, which require single certification each time. “It could create a fairly substantial bureaucracy around the logistics. That’s the very worst situation.” But business is good. Brian says the port employs 100 staff directly, but around 1,000 indirectly. “The numbers we put out in turnover are really strong, but they are modest in a sense that they don’t reflect the impact of what we do,” he says. “Percentage-wise, it’s mostly about the job creation that comes into the regional economy. “We have reinvested £30m in the last few years, have a £40m asset base and handle about £1.5bn in commodities a year.” In the other corner, Brian’s closely involved in Derry’s bid for a City Deal, similar to that submitted by six councils, including Belfast, last month. “We are working really closely with the

infrastructure around the City Deal. There are two strands – there is the innovation, which is being led by Ulster University, and there is the infrastructure, which we will be playing a fairly central role in.” So, back to Brexit. What will Brian and his team be doing on the morning of March 29? “As much as you can do, we will continue as normal,” he said. “We have a number of preparedness scenarios. We are as prepared as I think we can be. “We could be prepared, but log jams (outside of the business) are beyond our control. “I don’t hear anyone talking up, or looking for a no deal outcome. I think Northern Ireland businesses have articulated it (concerns) very well, and we are punching above our weight.” The biggest issue is whereby a customer could look to moving elsewhere, thus moving trade away from the north west, Brian says. Looking back almost two and half years ago, and examining the current landscape today – whereby the UK is set to leave both the customs union and single market – Brian says: “I would have stayed in the customs union and single market. Our strategy has been to defend and grow – why would anyone want to turn away from the biggest customer base? “I am not critical of people who wanted to leave the EU – but the way it has been done

has not exactly been helpful. “What we see, in my own personal interpretation, when we talk to politicians, particularly from the UK, that the decision to leave the EU was made on (the basis) of immigration. “That is what took us on the path. There’s then the second thought of the Irish question. If you can solve the issue for Derry, you can solve it for Dover. I don’t think that was considered when the case for leaving on immigration. “We have been swept up in an alternative, national debate – not something relevant for us.” And what’s next for the port? Brian says it’s been through three successful strategies, so far, in terms of expanding the growth. “It’s about leveraging in the core (business) and selling out the additional capacity to other capacities. “For example, in our marine, we invested in vessels – dredgers. When not used for our work, we go around the UK and Ireland, and offering expertise to other ports. “The key things we are doing is the strategic aims, to defend and grow – maintaining our core business, with core customers, and then looking to developing the industrial land bank and tourist product.” π

Exports & international business

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EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Planes, pills and generators: NI’s global enterprises With exports and international business worth around £24bn a year, fuelled by a growing manufacturing sector, John Mulgrew looks at those making it work abroad and the Northern Ireland’s businesses which rely on selling outside these shores as their bread and butter

hen you’re on your way out the door of the world’s largest trading bloc, it’s perhaps time to take a look at the signiﬁcance and success of Northern Ireland’s exports. For some, it’s an emerging market which makes up just a small proportion of overall sales – to others, it’s their bread and butter.

“Exports and external sales are an important source of income for a small open economy like ours,” Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing NI says. “Bringing more money in from external markets puts more money into the economy whereas other parts of business consume the cash already in circulation so the economy grows rather than incrementally decline.” Manufactured goods account for almost 82% of Northern Ireland’s overall export sales, and 78% of external sales of goods. Total exports in 2016 were worth around £22bn to the economy. And as this is being written, Northern Ireland

and the UK as a whole stands on a precipice of whether or not a back-stop arrangement, deal, or ‘softer’ Brexit will be negotiated. The key strand of this, is allowing trade with the Republic of Ireland to continue uninterrupted – or as undisturbed as possible given the ramiﬁcations of the largest constitutional upheaval to take place in a generation. The latest estimates from NISRA and the Department for the Economy indicate Northern Ireland registered companies made cross-border export deliveries to the Republic in 2016. That’s estimated to be worth some £3.4bn to the Northern Ireland economy. Of course, some of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers and leading companies rely almost entirely on exporting their goods and services. Bombardier, which is now in a tie-up with French ﬁrm Airbus on its C Series passenger planes and wing production, sells most of its products outside Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and Ireland.

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

There are also home-grown Northern Ireland businesses, for which their base here is about putting back into the economy – through taxes and creating employment – but their market is almost in its entirety, outside the island. Craigavon-based AJ Power produces generators, and counts Europe – and in particular Scandinavia – as its main customer base. Some of the other large-scale manufacturing exporters include heavy equipment company Terex, which employs 1,000 people in Tyrone. For Northern Ireland, the Republic remains the largest market outside of the rest of the UK, with many companies – especially those across processing and agri-food – operating their businesses on an all-island model. That’s one of the primary concerns of the largest firms here, without a clear post-Brexit agreement in place, to ensure the flow of goods and services. As it stands, any ‘no deal’ scenario could mean everything from stopping the sale of dairy and meat, outside Northern Ireland and the EU, to impacting on the key free-flow of migrant workers – something many large employers here rely on. Speaking to business boosting organisations, groups and councils, the message among the small and medium-sized companies that they represent – is that they wish to export, and export more. >

NOVEMBER 2018

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Of course, it’s not just our manufacturing and engineering sectors which are thriving outside of these shores. FinTrU – one of the fastest-growing firms here in the last few years – relies entirely on exporting its services. The financing outsourcing business – which this summer announced the creation of 600 new jobs and a second city hub, this time in Derry – works with global tier one investment banks. It’s a company which has grown into a multimillion pound service business in the space of four years – reliant entirely on exporting. “We’re getting better at exporting. While the number of firms exporting has declined, the value of our exports continues to significantly grow. In 2016, exports of goods totalled £8.3bn, up almost 5%,” according to Stephen Kelly. He says that’s been driven by almost “exclusively export focused firms in engineering, aerospace and pharma”. “Firms like CDE Global, Thompson Aero Seating, Edge Innovate, Almac, Norbrook and many others focus on markets overseas because that’s where their customers are. They are proven to be competitive, but more importantly innovative beating competition from larger firms, closer to the market.” And it’s also the same for the foreign direct investors Northern Ireland has here – many of which have been assisted by Invest NI. Some of those include technology and cyber-security firms, such as a Black Duck and WhiteHat Security. And while Northern Ireland also has a thriving indigenous legal sector, several large-scale law firms have set up major operations here, but their work remains outside of our shores. That includes Allen & Overy, Axiom and BakerMcKenzie. The latter, which originally planned to have 250 staff in the city, has announced it will lease out extra space in City Quays 2 close to its existing offices to cope with the increase in staff.

Stephen Kelly

It provides 30 legal and business services from the Belfast office, including finance, corporate support, marketing and IT. Of course, while many still thrive, some of the large-scale stalwarts of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector have been hit with huge job cuts, or, pulled the plug on operations in the last few years. Michelin’s announcement in 2015 that it was to close its plant was the second setback for the town’s economy after plans to close the JTI Gallaher cigarette factory, where 800 people were employed, were revealed the previous year. And while Bombardier appears to be in a more buoyant position now, following its successful win over Boeing in the US following the rival’s complaint the Canadian-owned company was ‘dumping’ aircraft – selling below cost – and receiving unfair subsidies, the company has seen job cuts in the four figures. That started with more than 1,000 roles being slashed in 2016, and with smaller job cuts

announced in the two years since. And there’s a reliance on the those big manufacturers, in helping to also drive the economy here. Around 1% of our manufacturers employ almost half of all those who work in manufacturing, and 49% of turnover. Food makes up another chunk of Northern Ireland’s exports. That’s everything from leading brands such as Bushmills whiskey, to our high-end meat – such as Peter Hannan’s salt-aged beef, which goes as far aﬁeld as topend restaurants in Hong Kong. “As we Brexit, the challenge is how we ensure these ﬁrms can remain competitive,” Stephen says. “How can we avoid lumbering them with cost and complexity in their supply chain and in servicing their markets. Attracting and developing the best talent and ensuring they have market access when the UK leaves without (at least in the short term) no international trade agreements.” π

NOVEMBER 2018

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Indian delegates take in the sights of Armagh Cider Company’s orchard along with proprietor Helen Troughton and Nicola Wilson, head of ABC Council’s economic development department during the ‘Go East’ inward visit

ABC Council boosting business credentials

business community and we are committed to supporting and growing this unique selling point to realise our full economic potential.”

With a population of 210,300 and covering an area of 554 square miles, the borough of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon is the second largest council area in Northern Ireland (NI).

Nicola Wilson is the head of economic development at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. She’s behind a team of eight, helping to expand the area’s economic strengths, and increase awareness that the borough is very much open for business.

Accounting for 10% of Northern Ireland’s total Gross Value Added (GVA), which represents an economy of £3.6bn, it is fair to say the region is an increasingly important contributor to the NI economy.

As for what makes the area a place to do business she says it’s a combination of some key factors.

here’s no doubting the economic and business credentials of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Its 123,000 strong workforce serves over 8,000 businesses, some of whom are NI’s largest and most successful companies including Moy Park, Almac, Thompson Aero Seating, Interface, Irwin’s Bakery, Whites, Hyster-Yale and Tayto to name a few.

“Number one is the talent, and access to that talent. Rated as the best place to live and work in NI it’s easy to understand why we attract and keep the best people. There is also our strategic location on the Belfast-Dublin corridor and excellent transport links.

“Growing the economy is council’s number one priority. This includes supporting businesses to export to new and emerging markets as well as attracting new inward investment. As the largest council outside of Belfast we are a destination of choice for many businesses,” says Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, councillor Julie Flaherty.

“We have many companies, the jewel in the crown would be Almac, which has its headquarters in Craigavon and not the US. It employs more than 4,400 across the company and recently rose to ninth in the Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies list, with a turnover of £531m. They bring their staff here to train them and to show them how things are done. That’s testament in itself.”

“Regarded as a hub for the life sciences, advanced manufacturing and agri-food sectors, our borough has a diverse, vibrant and thriving

Some of the other investments in the area include a new £7m Marks and Spencer store in Craigavon.

The area is continuing to reach out across the globe, into burgeoning markets such as the US and India – bringing some of the region’s best businesses to the international economic marketplace, and making connections. “We are listening to many of our small and medium-sized ﬁrms on how they want to grow and the message is clear – they want to expand their exports. To make this happen we have committed to deliver an ambitious global dimension strategy, which includes a range of ambitious trade missions,” Nicola says. “This has included taking more than a dozen companies from the area to India, and helping examine what is needed to grow a business into that emerging market.” It’s also a two-way street. In September, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council hosted 11 business people from Chennai, India. Positioning the borough as an attractive location for potential foreign direct investors. The council’s next export mission is to Mumbai in November. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is also expanding further into the digitech sector. It’s appointed entrepreneur Aaron Taylor as its digital ambassador, to help boost and grow the dozens of small businesses, which already call the area their home. ■

vibrant and globally focussed, this borough is open for business

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Roger Wilson, Chief Executive, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council

Please contact the Economic Development Department at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council +44 (0) 300 0300 900 info@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk Find us on Facebook and Twitter

INSPIRE//INNOVATE//INVEST NOVEMBER 2018

EXPORTS & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Growth options not out of reach for SMEs John Ferris, entrepreneur development manager at Ulster Bank, says there are many different options for businesses of all shapes and sizes when it comes to growth

e know from the Ulster Bank Boost Index, which provides an insight into the thoughts of senior leaders in Northern Ireland’s SMEs, that businesses of this size are still exporting in low numbers – 67% of survey respondents do not sell outside of Northern Ireland and just 8% are engaging with markets beyond the UK and Ireland.

While initial reflections of these figures may give the impression that a large chunk of SMEs are standing still, digest them a little further and you will see that the opposite is true and there are many, viable options when it comes to business growth. The Index went on to reveal that 90% of SMEs think that boosting productivity is important to the growth of their business. This is great news. However, almost a third are doing nothing about it. And over a third think that having a more skilled workforce is the key to doing so. So it’s my belief that some firms think that boosting productivity is unattainable – maybe because they believe it’s too hard to do. But in my role as an entrepreneur development manager, I’ve seen that for lots of highgrowth companies, that isn’t true at all. There are a couple of straightforward solutions that needn’t cost the earth. A good start is by rewarding the people who work for you with benefits that improve their skills and motivation. Not every SME is going to turn into a millennial paradise with

NOVEMBER 2018

pool tables and coffee bars in the office, but small changes to the working environment (such as free tea, coffee and soft drinks) and providing people with choices can make them really engaged – for example, asking them to choose between a package of benefits around food, their environment, flexible working, pension saving or annual leave. You might not agree with all that’s suggested, but it can help to breed a healthy company culture of openness and discussion, rather than an ‘us and them’ divide between teams.

A good start is by “ rewarding the people who work for you with benefits that improve their skills and motivation

”

Helping your employees set long-term career goals can also be a means to improve retention. It’s pretty intuitive – we all work best when we’re clear on what we’re doing, have the capability to do it, and are motivated to achieve – so setting career goals and personal development can really make an impact on the people that are on your team by providing them with a structure to measure their own improvement, and for you to be able to give informed feedback on performance. Setting these goals can also feed into another productivity boosting tip – improving your

workplace culture. SMEs can be pretty challenging environments, especially when it comes to meeting cashflow requirements or sales orders for new clients. But having a strong culture that is supportive of new entrants is something that allows you to scale much more quickly, hire people that are a good fit for your brand, and create camaraderie that allows your business to overachieve. This can be done informally, with social occasions through work, or more formally through mentoring schemes – and don’t just limit this to more senior members of staff mentoring newer starts. Young and diverse new hires can provide important, productivity boosting perspective for those who have been in a business for a long-time. It’s worth investing in the equipment that your business needs to work properly. Many SMEs and small businesses don’t invest in equipment because of the upfront capital cost, but they probably aren’t counting the opportunity cost of a printer that jams and needs 20 minutes to be fixed, or a laptop that freezes just before a client pitch. Identifying and prioritising equipment that needs replaced on a rolling basis prevents little problems from becoming bigger problems that need more time and energy to fix. Improving productivity can be an important step in kickstarting the growth plans for your business and unlocking the potential that already exists within your own market. ■ For more insight & events on boosting your productivity, search Ulster Bank Boost

Questions for businesses on EU throw up tough answers “One of the most impactful things I do with businesses is ask them about their supply chain and whether Brexit poses a challenge to them”

hat’s the question PwC’s senior Brexit adviser Michael Moore puts to business bosses when they ask his advice - and the answer can prompt some worrying revelations. “They often start out thinking that they’re a local company only dealing with local suppliers. But when people actually ask some pertinent questions of others in the organisation, or their suppliers directly, we can quickly discover that materials are actually coming from or through the European Union. Then the hypothetical risk becomes a real problem.”

For the past few months, Michael has been supporting business leaders across Northern Ireland as they prepare for ‘beyond Brexit’. Like the rest of us, he was hoping the October gathering of leaders would confirm an extra summit in November when the terms of an agreement would be finalised. But, as we now know, that has not materialised and negotiations continue. For some this uncertainty is a reason not to make decisions, but for others, it’s a wake-up call that there’s no point waiting any longer.

“There’s now much more activity to prepare for a no deal or ‘hard Brexit’ that moves us abruptly onto World Trade Organisation rules,” Michael says. “Ultimately we still hope and believe a deal will be done, but we are advising clients to prepare for both.” “Some still believe this will not happen... but I can’t be clearer in saying that - one way or another - the UK is going to leave the EU” A variety of issues have encouraged a laissezfaire attitude for some organisations: a sense of business as usual, a belief there was still plenty of time and, perhaps most importantly, there seem to be too many equally plausible outcomes. This includes people who, according to Michael, simply don’t accept Brexit will become a reality. “Unsurprisingly, given the proximity to the land frontier with the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland businesses are much more focused, and the level of engagement is more significant, than in other parts of the UK. However I am concerned that some believe Brexit will not happen and therefore that investing time or resources is wasteful. I can’t be clearer in saying that the probability of the UK staying in the EU is lower than would normally be an acceptable basis for business planning.” The realistic outcomes are now either a failure to secure a deal or success based on one of two options: these are either the Government’s ‘Chequers model’ which seeks to keep the UK in a single market for goods

and agrifoods or the EU’s ‘Canada’ model, a more restrictive free trade agreement, placing the country outside both the single market and the customs union. For both a ‘deal’ or ‘no deal’ outcome, the critical issue is how trade flows freely across the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. “Je ne regrette rien...” To ensure businesses have no post-Brexit regrets and can make the most of the remaining time, there is assistance available from a variety of quarters. Activity from public agencies and others here is increasing, mirroring their counterparts in other areas in the UK. “It is important that this type of support is there,” Michael says. “This is unchartered territory for people, with really only one chance to get it right to avoid short-term disruptions or at least prevent them from having long-term consequences.” There has been some talk of an extended transition period, but that is far from certain. For those who haven’t started planning, a longer transition period would be beneficial, but it’s not something that can be banked upon, Michael warns. “Aside from the direct supply chain, there are some key areas to tackle such as knowing how many non-UK EU nationals work in the business and understanding critical support services like logistics. Talking to your logistics providers, for instance, to test their planning, is important. Equally important is being clear how they will handle the goods you send to your customers.

Michael Moore

“It’s not uncommon for international logistics organisations to go from Northern Ireland to a distribution hub in the Republic and from there to, say, the Midlands and then the continent. In that instance you’ve crossed three international borders. The issue to think through is how you minimise any potential difficulties – can you transport directly to your European customers?”

Time to act Pulling together these and other issues in a clear plan is essential. The first step to

In-house there are plenty of issues to consider, too.“For manufacturers, the most practical thing is to consider whether to follow pharma’s lead by stocking up. But it’s important to understand the operational challenges of

developing an actionable plan is getting the senior management team and the Board around a table. “I tell clients to lock themselves away from their day-to-day activities for a short period, and figure out where they might be exposed - and also

NOVEMBER 2018

doing that: your capacity to produce the goods, where you store them, the impact of this on your short-term working capital requirements. This is the area I am seeing the greatest increase in momentum.”

identify potential for growth. The plan has to be agile, and focused. I’d recommend identifying one person as head of Brexit who has accountability for planning and preparation. It goes without saying that those who prepare for this change will be in a far better position once it comes. “Brexit is on the horizon and will happen in what is the next budget period for most businesses. The next few months are critical in regards to understanding any impact to your business operations - your future success could be down to how you manage those factors.” ■

INTERVIEW

Flybe boss: Brexit and boosting NI traffic

John Mulgrew speaks to Flybe chief executive Christine OurmieresWidener about 35 years in Northern Ireland and how Brexit could hit business

s an airline primarily concerned with the domestic marketplace, Flybe boss Christine OurmieresWidener isn’t immediately worried about the impact Brexit could have on the business.

told Ulster Business. “From the flying rights perspective (it will have) less of an impact. “Hopefully there will still be flying, following Brexit, but there is still a question mark for some people.

The airline has had a number of meetings with the Government, parties and relevant departments, in a bid to air its own concerns over what impact the UK’s exit from the EU could have on the sector.

But amid growing fears of a worst case ‘no deal’ scenario leading to planes effectively not being able to land in the EU, there remains ongoing uncertainty of what impact Brexit could have in the industry across the board.

“You have all the border controls, the transfer of goods – it’s not just about being able to fly. There is organising infrastructure and different regulations. Aviation is a global industry, and has been global for a while.”

“What is at stake is important. It think they understand what the impact would be, but it’s still a complex negotiation.

“Brexit could have an impact, depending on the situation,” Christine Ourmieres-Widener

She said having to apply with European rules, while creating new legislation in the

UK, would “add complexity”.

“As an airline we are being asked to negotiate with the EU… but we don’t have much time (and must) move from concept to actions.”

INTERVIEW

passenger numbers using the Northern Ireland services, in the last year. In its latest full financial results across the business, Flybe managed to limit its losses with higher sales and customer numbers during a “challenging” period for the airline operator.

This year, Flybe marked 35 years in Northern Ireland. The domestic airline runs 15 routes from Belfast City Airport, with around 300 flights a week. “Belfast is one of the four main businesses in the UK, along with Manchester, Birmingham and Southampton,” Christine said.

It reported a pre-tax loss of £9.4m for the year ended March 31, 2018. That was an improvement on its £48.5m loss the year before. Group revenue was up 6.4%, rising from £707.4m to £752.6m. Passenger numbers increased from 8.8 million to 9.5 million, a rise of 7.7%. “We added new services, so we are up year-on-year (in Belfast). We started to fly to Doncaster. Belfast is a very important market, and we have a strong connection to London City Airport.”

“Belfast is a very strong base for us, and performance is meeting our expectations. (We are) working with the airport in looking at evolution. It’s a top priority for us.”

That route is one which has seen significant improvement for Flybe, and gives passengers a much quicker link with the city centre.

She says the airline has seen an uplift in

“We have had businesses asking about the

NOVEMBER 2018

product – they love the connection to London City Airport. We are strong in Belfast and want to be stronger.” Meanwhile, a director at London City Airport has said it hopes to certify the passenger plane A220-300, the wings of which are made in east Belfast by Bombardier, for flights using the airport. The east London airport already uses the smaller A220-100, originally developed by Bombardier as the C Series, for Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) flights to Zurich and Geneva. Liam McKay, the airport’s corporate affairs director, said it hoped to certify the larger A220-300 for use. He said the-then CS100 had been crucial to its campaign for its £344m City Airport development programme, which went on to win planning permission in 2016. While developed and launched by Bombardier, the C Series is now part of Airbus after it bought a majority stake in the programme, renaming its two products the A220-100 and A220-300. π

Free wi-ﬁ on the go a no-no?

ost of us will have used free public wi-fi, whether sitting in the airport lounge or grabbing a coffee in between meetings, but how aware are you of the significant risks facing your business every time a member of staff logs onto a free wi-fi network?

These risks are significant enough for in excess of 65% of chief information officers in the US to have introduced HR policies instructing staff not to use free wi-fi, for any business related matters. It is not clear why UK businesses appear to be more relaxed about these risks, but one view is that UK businesses have not been provided with the information to appreciate the magnitude of their exposure or vulnerability to free wi-fi network use. So for the avoidance of any doubt, if your staff use free public wi-fi or any unsecured wifi then not only is their personal information at risk (log in details, on line banking info, emails etc.) but so too is your company information at risk (harvesting of corporate data, intellectual property, business emails).

A hacker can within “seconds” launch a basic ‘man-in-the-middle’ attack, which will monitor all of the data used by your employee, as it travels from the users device to his target location. It is also important to consider that if one of your staff’s devices are breached in this way and the hacker secures access to his device, in one simple step the hacker could have access to every device on your company network. If still not convinced spend a few minutes ‘reading’ the terms and conditions you agree to before you log on to a free wi-ﬁ service, (as we all normally do), where it can be openly declared that by accessing the network you are agreeing that your data will be exposed to access by unauthorized third parties. Interestingly on reviewing some terms and conditions, you may also ﬁnd that you may also be agreeing to the network owner itself harvesting some of your personal data.

So what is the solution? There are two primary approaches to mitigate these wi-fi risks and to stop eavesdropping exposure: - introduce a staff policy instructing staff to stop using free wi-fi - instruct staff to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which encrypts the data going or coming from the device making it useless to hackers Terry Moore, chief executive of Outsource Solutions, said: “Outsource use certified wi-fi engineers to design, install and manage wi-fi solutions so we understand deeply the real benefits and reliance businesses have on wi-fi. “I believe businesses need to ensure their own internal wi-fi is as robust and secure as possible but also critically they need to take pro-active actions to immediately remove the risks associated with free unsecured wi-fi services” ■ Outsource Solutions is an award-winning IT and telecoms managed service provider, including the provision of enterprise wi-fi services.

Corporate law 37

CORPORATE LAW

Cyber attacks: a rising problem in NI business With more than 300 cyber-crimes in Northern Ireland last year, John Mulgrew speaks to the legal and tech experts in the field about the damage which can be done to your business

ust a short time ago the very idea of a business spending money on protecting itself against the threat of cyber-attacks, including being held at ransom by hackers, would have seemed both redundant and unnecessary.

That’s all changed now, and cyber-crime is on the rise in Northern Ireland, with experts warning that businesses of all sizes need to be aware of the risks.

breaches and ransomware attacks, have obviously led to a rise in the need for cybersecurity. And Northern Ireland’s law firms are both dealing with the rise in incidents among their clients, helping them deal the complexities and training surrounding the growing problem, as well as being major targets for hackers with malicious intent themselves.

The latest annual report from the Organised Crime Task Force here shows that 331 cyberdependent crimes were reported in Northern last year resulting in a total loss of £591,000. But that’s likely only a fraction of those taking place.

“The rapid evolution of cyber-security and the threats from cyber-crime or cyber-enabled crime have the potential to both cause headaches for lawyers and their clients, and also to create new opportunities,” Clare Bates, director of legal operations and compliance at law firm Carson McDowell told Ulster Business.

The rise of so-called ‘dark web’ incidents,

“The legal sector itself is, of course, a major

CORPORATE LAW

target for hackers with malicious intent. The cyber threat applies to law firms of all sizes and more are recognising that improving cybersecurity across the sector is critical for the future. Cyber-security is an essential part of the service lawyers provide to their clients.” In the last year alone, around 60% of law firms reported an information security incident – up from about 40% only a few years ago. Across the sectors, some businesses have historically been inclined to deal with the problems themselves, rather than risk their data being destroyed, or have concerns over what impact a hack or data breach could have on their company’s reputation. “Some of the most common threats we see with clients include highly sophisticated phishing attacks, compromised business email addresses, vishing – the telephone equivalent of phishing – and ‘whale phishing’,” Andrew Jennings, partner at TLT says. “This is where cyber criminals target the executives of businesses and other high profile individuals, typically through a hacked supplier or trusted company. “In a recent case, email addresses that were

NOVEMBER 2018

strikingly similar to those of very senior members of a company sent emails to members of the accounts team requesting certain payments be made urgently to named bank accounts. The cyber criminals had been able to glean information about who would be able to authorise and make such payments and the level that could be made without immediate detection due to bank thresholds in place for that company. “Just as no-one would leave their business premises unlocked, businesses cannot afford to leave data and payments exposed to potential attack. The first steps are to consider internal policies, train staff to recognise risks such as inconsistencies in emails, subtle differences in sender details and requests to perform actions such as clicking links and viewing attachments, and ensure data security is up to date with cybe-security trends.”

are laundering money, and how do we work with law enforcement to bring about positive change,” he told Ulster Business. He said ransomware, whereby a company or individual is essentially held to ransom, for money, over data or sensitive information, first arrived on the scene in 1989, but came to prominence among the modern web in 2013. “Five years later, and there are 100 families of ransomware out there. This premeditated… they are looking at important data, who are the admins, and when they strike, they have you for an awful lot more money.” That means it’s likely to tens of thousands of pounds, rather than just a few hundred. “Paying ransom is more often than not the quickest way of getting business back up,” he said.

Chester Wisniewski is principal research scientist at security software and hardware company Sophos.

“But you also don’t know if they have left booby-traps behind. The other question is to ask, how did they break in?”

His role sees him keeping track of the ever-

He says the majority of attacks are taking place in the US and the UK. “It’s opportunistic and targeted at the same time. After they find it, if they can get in, then they find out what they can extort you for.” >

evolving, and increasingly clever, threats out there. “We look at the latest trends, how criminals

Clare Bates

CORPORATE LAW

Speaking about the impact on the legal sector in particular, Carson McDowell’s Clare Bates, said: “Solicitors firms handle huge amounts of highly confidential and sensitive information on a daily basis. “We also handle a substantial amount of funds for others and are often a key link in the chain for significant business transactions. Cyber criminals are known to have observed the process of a transaction and pounced as money is about to be transferred. “All of those factors make us an attractive target for cyber attacks and the evidence also suggests the cyber threat to the UK legal sector is significant. “The primary threat to the UK legal sector stems from criminals with a financial motive.” She said in 2016/17, more than £11m of client money was stolen due to cyber-crime. “That might not seem like a big number to some industries, but the trend is worrying to a profession that trades on trust, privacy and discretion,” she said. “Tackling the human aspect of cybersecurity Andrew Jennings

is also key. Training is essential and must be a priority.

strategy and this can only been achieved if we generate a culture of awareness.

“Law firms must ensure rigorous safeguarding of intellectual property, client data and other legal information as a crucial part of business

Ciaran O’Shiel, associate, litigation and dispute resolution at A&L Goodbody in Belfast, said: “Businesses can minimise risk by having the right technological and security measures in place. “Carrying out an audit is a good starting point to identify the most vulnerable areas of the business. The correct policies and procedures can then be put into practice, and training provided for effective implementation. Cyber insurance should also be considered as a way to reduce exposure to risk.” The growing issue among businesses across the island has led to an increased demand for experts in the field. Last month, hundreds descended on the RDS for the Dublin Information Sec 2018 – Ireland’s largest annual cyber-security event. Some of the lead speakers included cybersecurity and privacy expert, Mikko Hypponen and Michael Gubbins, head of Garda cyber crime unit. π

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Investment into Lowe Refrigeration and Ashdale Care

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Solicitors since 1896

‘Try before you buy’ drives speed and agility for Pacesetters By Richard Masters, partner and head of corporate, Belfast, Pinsent Masons

raditionally, businesses seeking to accelerate beyond organic growth have looked towards M&A, and activity in Northern Ireland would fit largely within that bracket. At a local level deals have been reasonably strong over the last six months, with our own team in Belfast advising Vinci Airports on the purchase of Belfast International Airport, Luxco’s investment into Niche Drinks in the North West, Textile Recycling International’s acquisition of Cookstown Textile Recycling, and Foresight Group’s acquisition of Simple Power with its onshore wind portfolio. However businesses here will be influenced by trends and dynamics elsewhere and the options for collaboration and alliance are much wider today. Looking at this issue across Europe, new research from Pinsent Masons (conducted by MergerMarket) has shown how Europe’s fastest growing companies are more likely to engage in alliances or joint ventures than to acquire or merge with other companies. A survey of 400 of western Europe’s fastest growing businesses in the advanced manufacturing and technology, financial services, energy and infrastructure sectors found that 40% of the companies had identified alliances and joint ventures in their top three most important drivers of growth over the last three years. The findings are featured in our new report entitled ‘Pacesetters: How Europe’s fastest-

growing companies stay ahead of the pack’. According to the study, 38% of the companies attributed their growth over the last three years to mergers and acquisitions (M&A), compared with 62% of the businesses that said their growth had come organically and from nonM&A activities. This trend towards collaboration through alliances and joint ventures reflects an increasing focus on partnership rather than control. The varied deal structures being adopted reflect the need to move quickly to gain market advantage while taking a commercial approach to risk. Our research identifies three characteristics that are shared by many of the businesses: collaboration and alliances with other companies, innovation, and a sense of purpose. According to the report, 82% of “pacesetter” companies have acquired a minority stake in another business in the last three years, while 65% have entered into licensing or franchising arrangements, and 60% have embarked on an equity joint venture. Looking forward to the next three years, the research showed 43% of Europe’s fast-growth companies expect to be involved in an M&A deal. More than half the survey respondents said that they believe that investing in and using technology effectively will be among the top three most important growth factors over the next three years.

An unprecedented number of fast-growth companies are engaging in minority investments and alliances, allowing them to gain exposure to a market without taking the full risk that would be incurred through a traditional acquisition. By engaging in partnerships and alliances, companies are able to access new technologies, new platforms and customers, and in some cases entrepreneurial management teams. They often provide a means to experiment with innovation and transformation without making irrevocable decisions. This is all about seizing the best opportunities in a very broad landscape – and doing so with scale and speed. This could be termed a ‘try before you buy’ approach to M&A that enables companies to be agile and move quickly to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. The business landscape is changing quickly, and this dictates that players within the market have to move faster if they want to be successful. To access the report visit https://pacesetters.pinsentmasons.com and contact richard.masters@pinsentmasons.com or telephone 028 9089 0600

NOVEMBER 2018

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The Cleaver Fulton Rankin team in their 125th year

Cleaver Fulton Rankin celebrates 125th birthday milestone

ne of Belfast’s top law firms – Cleaver Fulton Rankin – has marked 125 years in business with a major celebration event.

The firm celebrated its 125 th birthday at the Titanic Hotel – hosted by comedian and actress Nuala McKeever. The event, which was attended by staff and guests, guided those gathered through the story of Cleaver Fulton Rankin’s legal excellence in Northern Ireland – ‘Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow’ – starting out in 1893, and taking the journey to the present day, as well as the firm’s continuing plans for the future. The long-standing firm emphasised its focus on client objectives, strong commercial awareness and development of specialist legal professionals, that will continue to support the growth of the firm for the next 125 years. Cleaver Fulton Rankin – which is currently The Legal 500 Law Firm of the Year in Northern Ireland – now looks to the future from a position of strength, as it continues to grow, evolve and remain a leading commercial law firm.

Maria McNally, Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Susan Hutchinson and Deborah Stevenson, Power NI and Anna McClimonds, Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Jonathan Forrester, managing director, Cleaver Fulton Rankin and Nuala McKeever

Deborah Archer, Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Sean Cavanagh, Cavanagh Kelly and Oonagh Murtagh, Danske Bank

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Dinner and a welcome to the Cleaver Fulton Rankin guests

Jonathan Forrester

Deborah Archer, Michael Graham, Jonathan Forrester and Stephen Cross, directors, Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Ann McGregor, NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Amanda Sistern, Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Michael Jackson, managing partner Matheson, with Karen Blair, chairman Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Guests enjoying the event drinks reception

Jonathan Forrester, Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Lauren Dougherty and Andrew Goodwin, HSBC Bank

Jeanette Donohoe, Cleaver Fulton Rankin and Tom Dickson, Caterpillar NI

Judith Owens TBL International, Karen Blair, Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Conal Harvey, Titanic Quarter Limited

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Michael Black, Peter Moorhead and Kerri Bradley, Cleaver Fulton Rankin

From the North West to a multi million pound Mayfair home

he jewel that has been crafted by contractor EHA Group in London’s Mayfair bears little resemblance on the interior to its recent past.

were in strict accordance with the City of Westminster conservation office, preserving the heritage of the 18th Century building and its place amongst its Georgian neighbours.

The £5m refurbishment of several storeys of tired offices by EHA has brought the Georgian building back to its glory, and original purpose, as a central London home.

Commencing with major structural alterations, a new floor in the basement area was created

With a big budget and a prestigious client, exacting requirements and high-end finishes dictated the 500 sq m refurbishment. As a grade II listed townhouse, however, very little has changed on the facade. All works carried out by Derry/Londonderry-based EHA

to accommodate serving staff and a working kitchen. Extensive manual excavation by hand was necessary to create this basement area, as well as underpinning to minimise reverberation from the London underground, running underneath. Within the upper floors of the seven-storey property, three bespoke high-end kitchens were installed, all of which were designed and manufactured in house by EHA’s specialist joinery division in Derry. More than 40 handmade, hand painted, fire-rated paneled doors lead you throughout

handmade from moulded copies of the originals. The latest smart home technology was also incorporated discreetly within the home, including a seven-storey passenger lift. Numerous items of custom furniture, vanity mirrors and fitted wardrobes produced by EHA’s joinery division complete the eight luxurious bedrooms in the Mayfair address.

the house with each door handle, tap and light switch plated in antique gold or polished nickel. Through extreme attention to detail with the highest craftmanship, skirting boards and architraves up to 400mm deep and intricate ceiling cornices were repaired,

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Joinery fittings were also created by EHA for 9 plush shower rooms, ensuites, master bathrooms and powder rooms, showcasing floating marble and porcelain clad vanity units and sinks. Handpicked marble slabs were transported from Italy, cut to shape and matched to every individual bathroom. The exceptionally high quality finish in each

room showcases the opulence at this new London residence. EHA Group undertake a significant level of private residential construction and refurbishment including high-end housing, commercial properties, hotels and student accommodation as well as specialist joinery manufacture. In addition, the Group is well established in the social housing sector in Northern Ireland. EHA’s head office and manufacturing base is located at Campsie Business Park, with additional offices in Belfast and London and a team of over 80 staff. ■ Find out more about EHA Group at: www.ehagroup.co.uk

David Kerr, group managing director, strategic communications, Daniel McLaughlin, director, strategic communications, Richard Bowman, group managing director, planning and Ed Barrett, director, planning in Dublin

Gravis Planning looks towards continued growth north and south

ne of Northern Ireland’s leading planning consultancy firms, Gravis Planning, has announced its entry into the Irish market, with the opening of a full-time office in Dublin. The Holywood-based company, previously known as Strategic Planning, announced the expansion off the back of continued growth in demand for its services north and south of the border.

In the past 15 years, it has advised on many of Northern Ireland’s most high-profile development projects and has developed a reputation for its strong commercial and results driven focus. Richard Bowman, Gravis Planning’s group managing director of planning consultancy says he is excited about the firm’s Dublin opening, and feels the Northern Ireland market is performing well. “Opening a Dublin office has been on our strategic objective list for some time. It’s

clearly a very buoyant market, with high levels of investment across many sectors. We’ve taken our time to recruit the right people and we were delighted to appoint Ed Barrett as director of planning in August of this year, meaning our Republic of Ireland-based clients will receive senior-level advice from someone who has a wealth of experience across the UK and Ireland. “While our Irish expansion is exciting, we’re also focused on the continued growth of our offering in Northern Ireland. Our clients continue to show great ambition and are identifying new opportunities every day. We are currently advising on a range of projects across all sectors with a gross development value in excess of £2bn, including housing, energy, infrastructure, retail, commercial, industrial, mining and advertising.” David Kerr, group managing director of strategic communications, oversees all aspects of stakeholder engagement and communications on development projects.

This involves community consultation, political engagement and media relations – something that is now essential for major projects given how the planning and development landscape has changed in recent years. “We’ve had an integrated approach for over 15 years now – combining planning consultancy alongside very strategic and effective stakeholder engagement,” he says. “Public interest in how land is used has never been greater, and planning officials and politicians want to see applicants taking a constructive approach to community consultation. From a developer’s point of view, it has to be done right to achieve a timely planning approval. In any case, we have always believed that if it’s done right, it leads to better planning and much higher standards of built development. “Daniel McLaughlin, our director of strategic communications is working closely with Ed

A CGI of the proposed Belfast Power Station, to be developed at the Belfast Harbour Estate

Barrett to bring this service to the Republic of Ireland market to help our clients get better and quicker decisions. It’s an approach that isn’t widely available in the south and we’ve had a very positive reaction so far.” On the current political challenges in Northern Ireland, David Kerr feels it is important to keep things in perspective. “Clearly the current political situation isn’t ideal – but too many people talk down the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a place to invest and do business. We need to get the best possible Brexit deal for Northern Ireland and we need Stormont back up and running as soon as possible. If we get the commercials around Brexit right, with a restored Executive and a lowering of corporation tax, our economy will take off.” While Northern Ireland councils continue to process and make decisions on the vast majority of planning applications, a specific impact of the political impasse on planning is the fact that there is currently no Infrastructure Minister to sign off on regionally significant applications. A recent court ruling outlined that these decisions cannot be taken by senior civil servants and subsequent legislation introduced by the Secretary of State has sought to resolve this. David Kerr points to strategically important projects such as SONI’s North South Interconnector, Translink’s Belfast Transport

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Hub and Evermore Energy’s Belfast Power Station, as applications that must be progressed without delay. “The absence of the Stormont Executive is hampering progress on a number of major capital projects at present and we are working with Government and the parties to resolve this. These projects will not only generate significant investment and job creation, they are fundamentally required to improve our electricity and transport infrastructure. When delivered, they will benefit the entire population and will underpin broader economic growth in Northern Ireland. Despite the procedural difficulties, all our clients remain positive and quietly bullish. Encouragingly, we are seeing substantial levels of private sector investment in projects at present”, he said. Looking ahead to 2019, Richard Bowman sees plenty of opportunities for investors and developers both north and south. “Northern Ireland’s residential market has enjoyed steady growth over the last few years and we’re expecting continued need for new, high quality housing. We’re starting to see the emergence of build-to-rent accommodation in Belfast city centre, which is an exciting addition to the market here and an area that is attracting strong investment. “Councils are taking forward their Local Development Plans, setting out how land in

each area will be used over the next 15 years. If approached in the right way, this presents significant opportunities for landowners and developers, and we are already guiding clients through this process across Northern Ireland. “In the Republic of Ireland, delivering affordable housing supply, particularly within a commutable distance to Dublin, will remain the key challenge. This is something we’re working on with a number of clients at the minute and we expect further opportunities to arise throughout 2019. The delivery of strategic infrastructure will also be important. Investment in renewable energy projects is likely to grow next year with the introduction of the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS). Regional cities like Galway, Limerick and Cork will provide an attractive alternative to Dublin and will continue to represent good value for investors.” With a strong and experienced consultancy team in place in Northern Ireland and in Dublin, Gravis Planning’s ambition to cement its place as the leading independent planning consultancy on the island of Ireland looks to be on course. “Providing strategic and commercially focused planning advice is what we are about. We have a reputation for straight talking and delivering results for our clients. That’s why our business has grown and why I believe it will continue to do so.” ■

CYBER SECURITY

Firms ‘must expect to be victim of hacking’

By John Mulgrew

usinesses of all shapes and sizes must expect to be the victim of a cyber attack but be ready to detect a hack when it happens, according to one of the world’s leading experts.

in new ways. The latest of which was Ticketmaster. Around 40,000 UK customers were affected by the breach, which according to Mikko was down to JavaScript in a thirdparty ‘chat bot’.

Mikko Hypponen was speaking to Ulster Business, following a keynote speech at Dublin Information Sec 2018 at the RDS.

“The landscape has changed. They (companies) have to assume a breach.”

The Finnish security expert, who has been working in the field for 27 years, is chief research officer at cyber-security firm F-Secure. “My main message was that it is no longer good enough for companies to try and keep out of networks, all the time – you will fail,” he said. “What you have to do today, in addition to having firewalls and filters, is you must have sensors inside you network to detect and then respond to a breach. No one wants to get breached… everyone hopes they will keep the attackers out.” He said many companies are getting breached

He said almost all of the world’s largest companies will have experienced some form of breach, regardless of how minor, due to their sheer size and the number of workstations they have across the globe. “The reaction (for some ﬁrms) is, a phonecall saying ‘we have been hacked, come right away’. Then, when you start looking at the network you discover it was hacked last year.” As for Irish businesses, with many of the biggest Silicon Valley companies having operations in Dublin, the city could be a target for hacking. But it’s a much changed environment, now. Moving away from what Mikko says were young people “doing it for the fun and the

challenge” in the 1990s, right through to organised criminal gangs, intelligence agencies and governments. “I have been doing this work for 27 years and everything has changed in that time,” he said. “Obviously, the technology has changed. The biggest is the change in who we are ﬁghting… we didn’t have extremists, intelligence services or governments. We have organised crime gangs, Trojans and foreign intelligence. I would claim we now have entered the stage where (you) are more likely to become a victim of crime in the online world. That’s changed.” And he says smaller companies should look at outsourcing their security, with some of the largest cloud providers employing some of the best talent in the world. The third annual Dublin Information Sec 2018, Ireland’s cyber security conference, also heard from speakers such as Michael Gubbins, head of the Garda National Cyber Crime Unit, and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan. ■

HR NOVEMBER 2018

Justin Rush

Has the damage already been done? John Mulgrew speaks to recruitment experts and examines the impact any uncertainty or EU worker restrictions could have on Northern Ireland companies and their ability to hire the right staff for the job 52

here’s a serious issue which is both looming around the corner, yet has already led to whispered concerns across Northern Ireland business.

an unattractive “cul-de-sac” for employment, while it’s becoming increasingly different to get staff for roles across the sectors here.

It’s one of the main talking points and key strands of the UK’s exit from the EU.

It comes as a CBI report warns that a 50% reduction in EU worker migration could cause a 5.3% fall in Northern Ireland’s GDP, by 2041.

Employment, and more specifically, the growing problem of a lack of workers coming in from outside the UK. But has the damage already been done, with recruitment experts warning that Northern Ireland is being put in

Speaking to those across the recruitment sector, it’s clear the issue doesn’t just apply to Northern Ireland’s huge agri-food and foodprocessing sector – which include many roles traditionally viewed as lower-skilled professions

Tina McKenzie

which remain key to the strength of the economy and private sector as it grows. For Justin Rush, director of Abacus Recruitment, it’s not just the obvious areas of employment which could feel a direct impact as a result of a reduction in an EU-based workforce. While agri-food and manufacturing sectors, in particular, have raised concerns about any restriction on the flow of a workers having an impact on their businesses, it’s also sectors such as IT and professional services which are already seeing demand from those outside the UK and Ireland wishing to come here, dropping. “We would have a constant supply of IT and creative people. From Eastern Europe, there workers like programmers, for example,” Justin said.

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“What we are seeing now is a dramatic fall off, from people from mainland Europe – technology, experienced staff, support positions with accountancy or legal experience. “There is a range of work done by migrant workers – it’s not just agri-food and hospitality. “Some large food firms are certainly struggling. For us, someone looking after IT and law, there is a marked decline from mainland Europe, from our clients based in Northern Ireland. “Why be uncertain in Northern Ireland, when you can be certain in the Republic?” Justin says there remain hundreds of jobs unfiled in some sectors, unable to find the appropriate staff required. “We are in our recent Programme for

Government – a knowledge-driven economy. “How can we be if we are losing our graduates and students, and it’s not attractive for migrant workers? You are putting yourself in a cul-desac.” He says, speaking to businesses and clients, people are not waiting around to “find out what happens” with whatever arrangements will be firmed up for the flow of workers from the EU, into the UK, once it leaves next year. “Because there is uncertainty, it takes Northern Ireland off the shortlist. The fact there is uncertainty in next few months, the border and freedom of movement – it is massively off-putting.” Tina McKenzie, chief executive of Grafton Recruitment Ireland and chairman of the FSB in Northern Ireland, says sectors have failed to

Angela McGowan

look at the wider picture and the huge knockon effect that a narrowing or reduction of the flow of EU 26 workers could have on their business. “I think each sector isn’t thinking about the knock-on effect. For example, the farmers are only thinking about the farmers and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Have they thought about the producers and manufacuters? “If they can’t get the volumes of people in to do the production, what impact does that have on the producer? Where is the farmer sending his chickens or cows to? “In a town, if there isn’t a producer or a manufacturer – then those higher-level jobs, such as marketing, finance and facilities, everything else – what happens to that?

in Northern Ireland, than in the Republic. She says that’s increased substantially since the outcome of the EU referendum, fuelled by higher pay, greater security and a stronger currency, south of the border. “If one of my customers asked me, ‘should I put 2,000 people in Northern Ireland or the Republic?’– if you are talking mid to lowskilled, it is easier to get people in the Republic. It used to not be like that. It has changed, and it has gotten worse.

demographic changes and Brexit, NI’s current skills gaps – both high skilled and low skilled in areas like education, healthcare, hospitality, agri-food and digital industries look set to be exacerbated causing long term damage to the economy.”

“For them, it’s somewhere they know they will keep their rights, and they aren’t worried about raising their children there.”

“UK worker employment had effectively been replaced by employment from EU workers. By 2016, employment had risen by nearly 40,000 above the pre-crisis levels... again, this boost in employment was driven by people both in the EU 26, now living in Northern Ireland.”

She said the arrangements over the future of movement for EU workers must be on the premise of an “open UK”. She said people feel “like the doors or closed” and it will “get worse unless we send out a positive message”.

“Then, what about the spending power? There’s retail, houses being rented. You are left, potentially, with some towns in Northern Ireland that are reliant on two big businesses having the majority of the work, with empty town syndrome”.

“Northern Ireland faces a number of specific challenges when it comes to access

Tina says that it is “much harder” to find staff

to skills. With the workforce set to shrink further in years to comes, both as a result of

Speaking at the launch of the report, CBI NI director, Angela McGowan, said:

The latest CBI report says that over the last decade, the growth of employment in Northern Ireland has “become increasingly reliant on migrant labour”.

The report from the CBI cites certain areas as potentially feeling the hit worse than others. That includes Causeway Coast and Glens, and Derry City and Strabane – both of which, the report says, “will experience a fall in population over the 25-year period”. “Any further restrictions on migration are anticipated to further suppress these more rural areas,” it says. π

Here comes Generation Z…

‘M

illenial’ is one of my least favourite words, in truth it is just behind Brexit in my top 10. I am not sad in the slightest to learn of its demise, it has been thoroughly overused in recent years.

Justin Rush

Millenials are apparently responsible for everything from the decline of the High Street, to the wholesale reduction in staff retention levels. Who will replace this group? What do they stand for? How can your business harness their power? All great questions - get ready to welcome the new kids into the world of work, Generation Z or ‘Gen Z’ as they like to be known. Gen Z were born between 1995 to 1999, so they are currently between 18-23 years old. Some traits of this group include: Employers not employees A survey from Upfront Analytics in the US said that 72% of Gen Z wanted to start a business one day, with 61% stating that they would like to be an entrepreneur after graduating university. These aspirations are higher than predecessors. Harder to reach than Millennials Gen Z are incredibly tech savvy and have always lived in a world of interconnectivity. Most of Gen Z are connected for more than 10 hours a day. No wonder they are often referred to as the ‘always on’ generation. Unfortunately, gaining and keeping their attention is extremely challenging. Gen Z much prefer Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Creators, not just consumers Gen Z want to contribute, create and be part of something, they are opinionated and feel strongly that their voice should be heard. For this group, YouTube, Vine and Vimeo are twoway communication and research tools.

Similar but stronger opinions than Millennials A survey from Deloitte which questioned 1,844 Gen Z attitudes to employers, showed very interesting trends. This demographic is, on average, 33% more motivated than Millennials to see employers, present a reputation for ethical behaviour; allow opportunities to volunteer, and; to be seen promoting diversity and inclusion. Attention spans are getting shorter Several commentators have stated that this group have an average attention span of eight seconds or less, even when interested in the subject matter! Given that all employers are seeking to attract

and retain the next generation of talent, what are the key actions business leaders must take? My advice, follow the AIDA model. Generate awareness of your employment offering in the right places, use on-line research tools to aid your decision making. Work hard on creating an edgy, relevant and if possible, entertaining message that clearly answers the question ‘What’s in it for me?’ Finally, make it easy, I mean really easy, for the individual to find out more. ■

Justin Rush is director at Belfast-based Abacus Group. He specialises in advising businesses on research, advice and strategy on talent. He can be contacted at justin@abacus.jobs

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HR By Kiera Lee, head of employment at Mills Selig

econdment is becoming increasingly popular and is most often seen in the commercial sector where companies are keen to maximise the various skills and interests of their staff. The opportunity to go on secondment is the differentiating and decisive factor in a prospective recruit joining one company over a competitor. There are potential benefits to secondment for both employers and employees. For an employee (the secondee), it’s the opportunity to work in a different office or environment, a different company, a different city or even a different country.

This may afford them the chance to develop their existing skills, acquire new skills or experience and advance their careers. For employers (the seconder), it can be a favour to an existing client or a means of attracting a prospective client, it could be part of the employer’s added value to service its clients or a mutual benefit to both the employer and the organisation to which the employee is to be seconded (the host). However, there are several practical issues (both commercial and employment-related) that all parties the seconder, secondee and host - need to consider before entering any secondment arrangement. Selection It may be that the secondment opportunity arises out of a decision to second a particular individual. However, if the seconder or the host have simply reached an agreement that an employee (rather than a specific employee) will be seconded, a proper recruitment process should be carried out to reduce the risk of discrimination claims and/or a disgruntled workforce. Employment contract and documenting secondment The employer should consider whether the employee’s existing employment contract contains a contractual right to second? If there is no contractual right, the employer will need to get the employee’s consent to vary their contract in order for them to be seconded. Even where there is a contractual right, it would make sense to get the employee’s consent regardless.

Kiera Lee

Secondment – another employee retention tool? The parties should document the terms of the secondment, not only between the seconder and secondee, but also the host. Who is the employer? The central basis of any secondment is that the seconder remains the secondee’s employer; the employee does not become employed by the host. It is imperative however that the commercial reality reflects the terms of the agreement. In order to demonstrate that the seconder remains the secondee’s employer, it is key that the legal relationship is, and remains, between the seconder and secondee, rather than the host and secondee. Therefore, the seconder should: π remain in charge of the secondee and be responsible, as much as possible, for the

provision of the secondee’s day-to-day work and duties; π remain in charge of any appraisals, as well as any disciplinary or grievance investigations; π minimise the duties the secondee and host owe to each other; and π require that the host clearly marks the secondee as a secondee, so they do not become integrated into the host’s organisation as one of its employees. There is a real and potentially costly risk (to the seconder) that a secondee could otherwise become an employee of the host. ■

Managing performance effectively is key to success

mong the biggest challenge to employers is measuring and improving staff performance but with the right processes organisations can maximise productivity according to HR Team performance management specialist Martina McAuley.

Martina McAuley

Your people are your organisation so it’s crucial to the success of your business that they have the skills, resources, motivation and support to deliver optimal performance on an ongoing basis. A vital ingredient to good staff performance to ensure each individual is accountable for their performance. Managing the performance of staff is not all about KPIs, numbers and statistics. These are, of course, important factors in setting the goals and objectives for employees but without being regularly and clearly communicated to – and understood by – all team members, they can easily become meaningless. Employers are best advised to note that without regular, old-fashioned communication – preferably face-to-face – the best laid plans to improve staff performance can fall flat. In organisations where line managers cannot be in the same room as staff, thankfully there is now any amount of technology which allows for face to face briefings and appraisals on a daily basis. And it’s worthwhile ensuring that there are conversations with staff at regular intervals in order to review, assess performance while providing any update on goals and objectives. In order to effectively measure and evaluate performance, we at HR Team has devised our BET System. This set of guiding principles can be applied by managers across a diverse range of sectors to achieve efficiency and performance in their workforces. The acronym stands for basic standards, expectations and targets as is explained very briefly as follows: Basic standards An organisation’s basic standards are non-negotiable and must be clearly outlined from day-one. These may include matters such as time keeping, code of conduct, mobile phone policy, social media policy, sickness protocols, grooming and appearance etc. Basic standards will all be explained clearly in an employee’s company handbook and communicated to each team member during induction. Expectations Job descriptions outline clear roles and responsibilities for employees. These must be communicated clearly to ensure that every employee understands what is expected and required of them in the organisation.

NOVEMBER 2018

Clearly defined job descriptions, which are well communicated and understood, will boost team spirit, morale and overall performance. When expectations are not clear for staff, organisations can suffer. The result can be situations which are akin to children in a football match with everyone running after the ball and no one knowing what role, if any, they have in the overall effort. Targets A lack of clearly defined goals, or key performance indicators (KPIs), can severely hinder your organisation. Targets can include deadlines, financial targets, productivity targets, wastage targets, and sales targets. These targets may shift but it is imperative that employees are fully aware of what they are at all times. This means that they need to be revised, adapted or reinforced regularly through clear communication with teams and individuals. ■

Reset your mindset on mental health By John Moore, managing director, Hays Northern Ireland

eeping your team happy and healthy is essential if you want your business to excel. An aspect that is often overlooked is mental health, and it can have a bigger impact in the workplace than you realise. Action Mental Health, a Northern Ireland based charity, reported that almost 50% of long term absences from work are due to mental illness; so there are both moral and monetary reasons for investing in your workforce’s mental health. As a foundation, it is important for employers to create an environment where staff feel able to talk openly about stress and mental health at work. Mental health charity Mind reported that men are twice as likely to have mental health problems due to their job, compared to problems outside of work. However, many men find themselves unable to speak to their boss about the impact that work

is having on their wellbeing and often don’t ask to take time off sick when they need it. Regular one-to-one meetings could give your team the chance to talk about problems that they’re having without having to take the first step of reaching out, and gives you the opportunity to offer solutions. Exercise is an efficient and cost effective way to help improve the mental health in your workplace. When staff eat their lunch at their desk it means that they don’t take a break from their stress – implementing a weekly walk could be a brilliant way to get your team together for a chat and reason to get out of the office. To cultivate an accepting and safe office culture for people to be open about their mental health, it is important to break the stigmas that surround it. For example, if a colleague takes time off sick as a result of mental health problems then behave just as you would if it was a physical illness.

John Moore

Strong mental health policies are proven to help reduce absenteeism, improve staff retention and actually help with recruitment, so taking time to reflect on the way you handle mental health will definitely pay off. ■

Camlin creating 300 new jobs amid £28m expansion

Co Antrim engineering business is creating almost 300 jobs as part of a £28m expansion.

Co Tyrone industrialist John Cunningham’s Camlin Group, which makes products for the electricity and rail industries, employs 400 people across Europe, including 251 in Lisburn. It’s now creating 298 jobs, 100 of which are already in place. The company is receiving £5m from Invest NI, towards the growth and says the posts will generate salaries worth £9.5m each year. “This major investment is part of an ambitious and strategic growth plan designed to help us increase our global sales and market presence,” John Cunningham said. “Innovation through new product development and training for our workforce has been a major focus for us as we work

to position ourselves competitively to successfully enter new high value markets. “Our ethos is based around delivering high tech solutions and our new staff are involved in leading edge technologies across R&D and manufacturing disciplines. This new building is giving us the scope to accommodate an increased workforce and fully implement our growth plans. “We are delighted with the support we have received from Invest NI which has enabled us to recruit new staff quickly and develop new products with global sales potential.” The founder of the engineering business said he first set up the company in a bid to keep his two sons from emigrating. Invest NI chief executive, Alastair Hamilton, said Camlin is a “high-tech manufacturer and this significant expansion marks an exciting chapter in the strategic growth of the

John Cunningham, chief executive of Camlin, Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI with Peter Cunningham, sales director

business”. “We have been working closely with Camlin to help the company realise its global potential. “Our offer of £5m will support the company’s multi million pound investment in R&D, skills, property and job creation. “These commitments will see Camlin’s future research, engineering, design and manufacturing activities centred in Northern Ireland, which is positive news for our local engineering sector.” Camlin’s business operation spans more than 21 countries across the globe. ■

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Spotify man addresses data event

lster Business speaks to Ben Dressler of Spotify, one of the speakers at this year’s Big Data event in Belfast

Could you explain your role with Spotify? I manage a research team in the growth organisation. We with our partners in design, product and engineering roles on making informed decisions in the product development process. As part of that we ensure that our current and future customers are represented as a voice at the table. What size and scale has the company grown in to? What’s the rough breakdown of users, between those paying and those

using the free platform? As of June 2018 we count 180 million monthly active users, including 83 million paid subscribers and have roughly 4,000 employees globally. What is Spotify doing to improve the product, and is there anything new on the cards? We’re constantly working on improving our product and a considerable amount of our resources go into that work. An example for a major improvement

is the new free product we rolled out in April this year. Based on what we’ve been learning about today’s music lovers and their needs all over the world we redesigned the mobile app both visually and functionally. What’s the message for the Big Data conference? The message I want to deliver to this forum is that in order to successfully drive largescale product change it is absolutely key to build out a strong and mature culture around research, data and insights.

Barclay Communications ‘top public sector supplier’ orthern Ireland ﬁrm Barclay Communications has once again secured its place as a trusted public sector supplier.

currently and how it’s imperative for them to have access to the right technology and digital capability to ensure that there are innovative digital services available to all.

Established in 2012, the Government’s Digital Marketplace is designed to provide public sector bodies with a single marketplace where they can source approved digital products and services.

“The Digital Marketplace enables us to engage directly with organisations across the whole of the UK and offer unique solutions that drive efﬁciencies and enable these organisation’s transformational programmes.

Barclay Communications has more than 20 years’ experience in providing communication solutions to the UK and Ireland, and now serves 65,000 connections.

“Combining all these services through one trusted partner and giving our customers the highest level of customer service is always at the centre of everything we do at Barclay Communications.

Britt Megahey, managing director of Barclay Communications, said: “Local government and wider public sector organisations are at the front-line of public service delivery. “We have developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing these organisations

“It’s a huge achievement that Barclay Communications and WorkPal have been awarded supplier status on this new Government Framework, helping to cut down procurement time with this faster and easier to use service.”

Britt Megahey, managing director of Barclay Communications

Christmas planner

NOVEMBER 2018

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

Thought about Christmas? It’s just a few weeks away... A time for giving, the festive party is an event that puts the spotlight firmly on employer gratitude. Here Emma Deighan scours some of the top NI venues to see how they are catering to the corporate Christmas

rguably the most anticipated social event in the work diary, the Christmas ‘do’ has evolved over the years.

And many of Northern Ireland’s top hosts agree and have widened their offering in response.

two fronts – it offers time-poor workers the relief of a shorter day but doesn’t infringe on family obligations. Owner of Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry and former president of the Northern Ireland Hotel’s Federation, Ciaran O’Neill agrees.

hospitality jewel attracting the AA Hotel of the Year (Northern Ireland) 2018-19 accolade, among many other awards, pairs an historic setting with parties for Christmas. The Bullitt Hotel in Belfast is setting the scene for the experience-savvy hipster workforce – and this Christmas Bullitt’s ‘experiences’ reflect the discernment of its guests.

Event managers and venue owners say everything from the format of the Christmas party to its timing have changed to accommodate the demands of employees today.

“Christmas has changed over the last number of years for our industry with more businesses looking for lunches, as opposed to the traditional party nights of old,” he said. “We do still have ‘big nights’, but these tend to occur on Fridays and Saturdays.”

How, when and where we celebrate are top priorities.

Ciaran says he has also noted an increase in smaller party sizes over the years.

Take the evening do, for example. For many, that age-old three-course setup doesn’t cut the convenience factor, prompting my employers end the work day early to take advantage of lunch dates. It’s a favourable move that delivers on

“We are seeing less private large events and more small groups dining with us. Employees are arranging ‘get togethers’ with colleagues or teams that they work directly with.”

“We have had a number of enquiries for informal gatherings in our Good Room event space, with a festive lunch to follow. The Good Room is the perfect space to blur the lines between work and play for intimate company get togethers ahead of a more traditional Christmas do,” he said.

Bishop’s Gate, which has become Derry’s

“We’ve also had enquiries for private gin and

General manager at Bullitt, Michael Sullivan has seen a spike in ‘experience’ events, upgrading the turkey feast to a cooler, more casual event.

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

whiskey tastings and can also organise a number of unique events and team-building activities for groups, from candle-making to chunky knitting workshops for a truly memorable Christmas party.”

If you want to push the boat out with your corporate squad, Titanic Belfast is ready for boarding. Its play on Belfast’s shipbuilding heritage and the fateful Titanic is always a crowd pleaser.

This December Bullitt has a range of packages to suit private and shared functions – from sit-down meals in its restaurant Taylor and Clay to VIP packages in its Baltic Bar or secluded enclaves above in Babel – its rooftop bar.

Laura Cowan, head of sales at Titanic Belfast said: “We host bespoke private Christmas party nights, which are tailored to our clients’ needs across all of the Titanic venues – Titanic Belfast (including our newest event space Hickson’s Point), SS Nomadic and the Titanic Exhibition Centre.

And its ‘Tipsy Tea’ is geared towards the day-time revellers. Prices range from £23.50 to £44.50 a head. “Bullitt has brought something new and exciting to the traditional Christmas party market, with a range of novel spaces set within cool, contemporary surroundings. We like to think that we’re helping to shake up the scene somewhat by offering something a little different,” Michael said.

NOVEMBER 2018

“These can range from private dining, iconic tailored experiences, drinks receptions and gala dinners. We also host our traditional Christmas party nights – featuring a Christmas cocktail reception on arrival followed by a delicious four course banquet and live entertainment.” For sheer luxury, the more refined office workers take to the Cathedral Quarter in

Belfast to sample the Merchant’s opulent offering. And Clare Mullin, meetings and events manager there, said the hotel’s renowned afternoon teas are bucking the turkey dinner trend but are every bit as fanciful. “Over the years we have seen an increased demand for Christmas parties and festive events that offer something a little different, memorable or exciting. People increasingly seem to be looking for something out of the ordinary. “We have seen a trend for corporate bookings where companies are looking for alternatives to a traditional evening dinner. For example, our Festive Afternoon Tea is very popular – especially the Champagne variety. Festive drinks in our famous Cocktail Bar continue to be a popular option for the corporate market too, with bespoke offerings such as our Redbreast whiskey flight extremely popular. >

CHRISTMAS PLANNER

Client lunches in The Cloth Ear and Berts Jazz Bar are also growing in popularity.” Casual begins in its neighbouring Cloth Ear from £28.50 a person, retro at Berts Jazz Bar will cost you £32.50 for lunch or £35 for dinner. For private functions The Roof Garden Alpine Lodge at the Merchant can cater to 70 and for the more luxurious threecourses will be served in the Rita Duffy Suite for £59 a person. The newly revamped and extended Ten Square is another setup that combines afternoon tea with tradition. Swapping caffeine for mulled wine and pastries for mince pies, Ten Square’s Loft, located on its top ﬂoor and ﬂaunting some pretty impressive city centre views, plays the backdrop to this year’s festive afternoon teas at £29 a head, from 2pm to 4pm.

“

People increasingly seem to be looking for something out of the ordinary

”

It also offers more familiar packages in its Linen Hall suite where tradition mingles with 80s DJs to live bands. And for those who really want to go that extra mile, Belfast’s newest Hastings sibling is ready and waiting. The Grand Central Hotel on Bedford Street boasts unrivalled views from sky-high Observatory, where afternoon tea takes on a Christmas theme or tradition can be celebrated at its Seahorse Restaurant and ground ﬂoor Grand Cafe. Allyson McKimm, events director of Hastings Hotels said expectations for hospitality environments to up their game get higher every year.

She said Hastings Hotels had “reached new heights this year to keep the format fresh and exciting with new entertainment and new twists on the menus and lots of exciting extras including the traditional and limited edition Christmas ducks.” Allyson said a growing trend for lunch events inspired Europa’s ‘Christmas Caberet Lunches’ with Motown entertainment. The live tribute act theme travels across its entire portfolio. “Once again, our guests have asked us if they could continue the celebrations after Christmas once the party season is over, and to meet this demand, we have launched a whole range of tribute shows between Christmas and the New Year at all venues including ever popular All American Buffet with Elvis at the Europa, Jersey Guys, ABBA and our favourite George Michael and Robbie Williams Tribute Show at the Ballygally, Stormont and Everglades Hotels.” π

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Rita Lynch, Judith Owens, John McGrillen and Kerrie Sweeney

Titanic Belfast welcomes five millionth visitor

itanic Belfast has welcomed its five millionth visitor to the top tourist attraction following a fruitful summer.

Christmas 2018

The world-leading attraction continues to exceed visitor number expectations since it opened in 2012. It has reached this milestone following its busiest quarter one and quarter two to date, with an 8% year-on year increase in visitor numbers, specifically from international markets, including North America, mainland Europe and China. Titanic Belfast chief executive, Judith Owens, said: “In six years, Titanic Belfast has welcomed over five million visitors from over 145 countries, including Her Majesty The Queen, US Presidential candidate of Hillary Clinton and the discoverer of Titanic, Dr Robert Ballard, hosted 2,000 events, and won the prestigious World’s Leading Tourist Attraction title bringing the title to Ireland for the first time ever. “Thanks to our staff and trade support, we continue to go from strength to strength and our appeal grows nationally and internationally. “We are proud to see how popular Belfast and Northern Ireland is becoming as a tourist destination, as well as the enduring worldwide appeal of the Titanic story. We will not be resting on our laurels and will continue to put Belfast on the map as home of the RMS Titanic.” In the first five years, the tourist attraction generated £160m in additional tourism spend for the Northern Ireland economy. For more information on the Titanic Belfast visit www.titanicbelfast.com.

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NOVEMBER 2018

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Christine White, Diversity Mark head of business, vice chair, Bryan Keating and chair Nichola Robinson, present the award to SHS Group chief executive Elaine Birchall and Chris Lillie, SHS Group HR director

Another NI firm celebrates with Diversity Mark award

Charter Mark to recognise their commitment to gender diversity. Many more organisations have since signed up for diversity membership from a variety of sectors.

Diversity Mark NI was founded last year by Women in Business NI with the help of Allstate, Queen’s University, David Gavaghan, Gilbert Ash and the Northern Ireland Civil Service to enable organisations to apply for a

Elaine Birchall, chief executive of SHS Group was delighted to receive the gender diversity award after their application was assessed by the independent assessment panel, which included former deputy chief constable, Judith Gillespie, Deborah Lange, board member at Invest NI and the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, Kieran Harding, managing director of Business in the Community and

elfast-based SHS Group, distributors of many well-known consumer brands such as Shloer and WKD, is the latest company to be presented with a gender diversity award at an intimate diversity breakfast attended by a selection of guests from the Northern Ireland business community.

Diversity Mark NI independent assessor Deborah Lange shares her insights with the diversity group. Also pictured is Chris Lillie, SHS Group along with Stephen Malcolm, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, John Irwin, Denroy Plastics

Dianne Foster, IT director at Baker McKenzie. Diversity Mark NI’s head of business Christine White said she was delighted to see such a diverse range of organisations signing up from a variety of sectors. “The Diversity Charter Mark will set businesses and organisations apart and seek to create environments where people have an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential. “Focus on diversity is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. Many studies

Diane Hill, Now Group with Nick Harkness, Antrim & Newtownabbey Council

Christine White, Diversity Mark NI discusses the beneﬁts of Diversity with the group

The Diversity group engage in discussions

Rebecca Moffett, Tughans with Sara Venning, NI Water

from McKinsey and Credit Suisse have shown that companies with a more diverse workforce have improved performance and better bottom line results.

awards to organisations across a wide range of sectors and sizes. Our smallest member to date currently has 45 employees right up to our largest organisation – the Northern Ireland Civil Service, with over 23,000 employees.

“Companies with diversity clearly on their agenda, who hold our Charter Mark, are much more attractive to future talent as people are more in tune with gender issues than ever before, especially millennials and ‘Generation Z’, the latest demographic beginning to enter the world of work.

“We are delighted too that organisations from typically male dominated sectors, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, and construction ﬁrm Gilbert Ash, have not only engaged but been awarded the Bronze Charter Mark.

“Diversity Mark NI is proud to have presented

“We also have members with mainly female

workforces looking at initiatives to attract more males into their businesses to bring about a gender balance. Target setting is unique to each business depending on their own individual circumstances, there are no barriers to starting your diversity journey with us.” ■ For more information visit www.diversitymark-ni.co.uk or contact Christine White, head of business at Diversity Mark NI at christine@ diversity-mark-ni.co.uk.

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NOVEMBER 2018

INTERVIEW

Breakfast BUSINESS

INTERVIEW

By John Mulgrew

The column that doesn’t have time for lunch...

BREAKFASTEER: ANGELA MCGOWAN, CBI DIRECTOR IN NORTHERN IRELAND BREAKFASTING VENUE: TEN SQUARE HOTEL, BELFAST

e didn’t start talking about Brexit, I can say that. I can’t say we didn’t get on to it very quickly, however.

Angela McGowan is marking her two-year anniversary at the helm of the CBI in Northern Ireland, following her time as chief economist at Danske Bank. “This is a two-year anniversary. Amazingly, 24 months later and Brexit is still dominating the agenda in terms of what we do. We are busy feeding the NI perspective into our headquarters, because that is where all the action is. “What we are trying to make people understand the impact on the Northern Ireland economy, because, and it’s welldocumented, that the impact will be bigger here than elsewhere.” The CBI here has also produced a report which warns that a 50% reduction in EU worker migration could cause a 5.3% fall in Northern Ireland’s GDP, by 2041. “We have to remain focused,” Angela says. The CBI is continuing to push on a range of areas which help drive the economy here, from infrastructure to education and skills. “At the moment, we are expanding what we are doing on that as it is going to be so crucial to the Northern Ireland economy. “Innovation is also huge for us. We have set up a policy forum, so we are trying to push that.”

NOVEMBER 2018

She’s still ﬁrm, as other groups are, that a ‘no deal’ is not going to be acceptable for Northern Ireland business, and that allowances have to be made for our unique position here on the island. I meet Angela McGowan in the Linen Bar at Ten Square Hotel in Belfast city centre for our chat. Strictly speaking, we’re bending the rules here when it comes to the title of this feature. I could pretend this was an early morning catch-up at a city centre hotel cafe, but our chat actually took place – I hate to say – into the afternoon. Cards on the table, here. As it was a post-lunch meeting, the order was sparse – yet another coffee for this editor and a sparkling water for my interviewee.

“Even if we were to get a deal and have transition, you are pushing it out to 2020, and giving companies some time to adapt,” Angela says. “Even at that, in terms of some of the technological solutions needed to make things work, they are still not there. “Companies just want to look after their business, and protect the jobs of the people they employ, and there is only one answer to that, and that is frictionless trade with the EU. That solves a lot of questions. “We have always maintained that you are only going to get prosperity if you have peace. So, once you start introducing borders anywhere in Northern Ireland, that is not good for the peace process.” ■

THE BILL: Back to Brexit and what’s around the corner, Angela says: “If you don’t base your policies on evidence, you will pay the price for it at a later date. “I get the impression that the Prime Minister and the EU ofﬁcials want a deal, and are close to getting a deal. It could happen, but whatever happens to that deal when she gets it home, that’s where the real questions lie.

Ten Square

Hotel, Belfa

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“The chances of facing a constitutional crisis looks really high for quarter four this year.” At the time of writing, while a deal was still in the works, it was looking less rosy and less likely that an agreement could be reached. We also ﬁrst heard the emergence of the phrase ‘backstop to the backstop’.

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Donnelly Group’s top value on vans

o matter what the budget, requirements or location, Donnelly Group says it has a van to suit any business needs.

introducing new models to the already varied Donnelly Group portfolio, including the awardwinning third generation Citroen Berlingo.” Dave said.

The Donnelly Group is the largest familyowned supplier of vans and commercial vehicles in Northern Ireland, with 18 dealerships across nine locations, including the newly opened Bangor showroom, offering affordability, quality and value as standard.

Critics have hailed the Citroen Berlingo van as a signiﬁcant upgrade, in terms of style, equipment and modular ability.

The company offers a range of ﬁnance options, with choices to suit all budgets including more than 200 used vans starting from only £3,995, plus VAT and a variety of new models from leading manufacturers. The Donnelly Group also offers van rental, available on a diverse collection of vans, with daily or long-term solutions both for ﬂeet accounts and small businesses. Dave Sheeran, managing director of the Donnelly Group, said:

“An ever popular model amongst our customer base is the Vauxhall Vivaro, which customers love for its versatility and low running costs. “This practical and efﬁcient van is often described as ‘an ofﬁce on wheels’ and has been acclaimed for its easy access as well as its robust nature. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Crafter, currently available with unlimited mileage warranty from the Donnelly Group, has been named the back to back winner of Parkers Best Van of the Year Award due to its supreme blend of utility, versatility and comfort.

“These vans, along with a range of other options, are available to test drive at your local showroom,” Dave said. “We can ﬁnd the van ideal for your business needs, no matter the size or budget.” SERVICE “We are passionate about putting our customers at the heart of everything we do and have close relationships with our manufacturers to ensure quality, ongoing reliability and a hassle-free experience for the buyer. “Our specialist aftersales team ensures that your van is maintained to the highest quality possible and we can provide 24/7 assistance, allowing you to focus on the needs of your business.” The Donnelly Group is committed to providing excellent value for money to business motorists, along with customer service that is second to none.

“We have the country’s biggest selection of vans to suit all types and sizes of businesses, so whether you’re buying the ﬁrst of your vehicles or the ﬁftieth, you can expect a great deal and unbeatable service.”

The Donnelly Group works with other manufacturers including Fiat Professional, Mitsubishi and Toyota to name a few.

To ﬁnd out more about the selection of new and used vans available, call into your showroom today. π

The Fiat Ducato, Europe’s best-selling van, is available exclusively from the Donnelly Group

CHOICE TO SUIT ALL REQUIREMENTS “We have had the recent pleasure of

as the sole Fiat Professional dealer in Northern Ireland.

For more information on the Donnelly Group please visit www.donnellygroup.co.uk. Test drives can be arranged by calling into your nearest showroom or calling 028 8772 288

With 17 van dealerships across 9 locations New & used vans with finance options available

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The Largest Family Owned Motor Retailer in N.Ireland www.donnellygroup.co.uk

MOTORING

A new

French fancy

oyota has Lexus. Nissan has Infiniti. Now, PSA Peugeot Citroen has DS, a standalone upmarket brand that offers the finest automobiles France can offer.

increasingly demanding DS has taken steps to outclass the DS 7’s rivals in terms of the size and design of its seats, as well as the support and comfort they provide, irrespective of journey length.

The DS 7 Crossback is a completely new model, developed from the ground up by DS. For the brand, in addition to injecting a fresh dynamic, it places the emphasis particularly high in terms of styling, comfort and technology.

They pack all the technologies that are currently available and stand out as benchmarks in the industry. Not only do the front seats offer a massage while you drive, it even offers it in a variety of styles.

DS Automobiles is the latest ambassador for the world of French luxury, a claim backed by the refinement and creativity of its products, as well as the prestige materials it employs and the ultra-technology it packs.

DS also sought to outperform its rivals with regard to soundproofing performance and the elimination of vibrations. From the entry level up, all versions of the DS 7 come with a comprehensive package that is unmatched in its class, with high-end insulation laid between the engine compartment and the cabin, in the wheel wells, beneath the bonnet, in the door panels, in the roof lining and underneath the carpeting. Another feature that is unique in DS 7 Crossback’s class is the availability of laminated side windows.

Meticulous attention was paid to ensuring that the DS 7 Crossback’s cabin provided peerless travelling comfort. The engineers in charge of the project approached the design of its interior as they might that of a lounge in a home, with the accent on space, occupant friendliness, soundproofing and connectivity, all areas in which motorists are becoming

The DS 7 Crossback has many unique features

that include: DS Active LED vision headlights (that rotate on unlocking), hypnotic 3D rear lights and two 12 inch instrumentation screens with innovative interface. There is a choice of DS Inspiration interiors with the elegance of premium materials, guided by an obsession for detail and magnified interior roominess. With high levels of driving comfort, a new eightspeed automatic transmission, DS Connected Pilot for level two. Autonomous driving, DS night vision and active scan suspension which reads the road ahead for a more comfortable ride experience. On the road, the feel of the DS7 is one of style and elegance with more than enough performance. Both rewarding and relaxing to drive, it is sure to appeal to anyone wishing to stand out from the crowd. The DS7 Crossback petrol PureTech 225 prices start at £34,990. CO2 at just 135g/km means a First Year VED of £205. π

The Largest Family Owned Motor Retailer in N.Ireland www.donnellygroup.co.uk

MOTORING

Say Aloha to the Kona T

he new Kona marks an important milestone in Hyundai Motor’s masterplan to become the leading Asian automotive brand in Europe by 2021.

The all-new B-SUV is the fourth member of the brand’s SUV family in Europe consisting of the Grand Santa Fe, Santa Fe and Tucson. It features a progressive style that reflects the lifestyle of modern customers. The name Kona continues Hyundai Motor’s SUV naming strategy and is derived from the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is based on the i30 family and offers a high level of standard safety equipment, with driver attention alert, lane keeping assist, hill start assist control and downhill brake control featuring on all models, Premium SE adds blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alert with Premium GT specification adding autonomous emergency braking. High levels of standard technology and

NOVEMBER 2018

connectivity equipment also feature with all models of Kona benefitting from DAB and Bluetooth regardless of trim level. Prices start from £16,195 for the Kona S 1.0 T-GDi 120PS six-speed manual, with external features including 16 inch alloy wheels, body coloured bumpers, door handles and door mirrors, as well as a rear spoiler with integrated LED brake light. Interior equipment includes cloth seats with driver’s seat height adjustment and 60/40 split folding rear seat. The S trim level also features air conditioning with rear air vents in the centre console, automatic headlamps with LED positioning lamps and LED daytime running lamps. Convenience features on S trim includes standard cruise control with speed limiter, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and electric front and rear windows. DAB and Bluetooth connectivity features as standard throughout the Kona range, with the S

featuring a five inch LCD centre console display, six speakers, USB and aux connections and steering wheel controls for audio, telephone and cruise control operation. Diesel versions of the new range are also now available. The newly developed 1.6 CRDi U3 engine is the latest Euro 6d compliant unit, with an exhaust gas purification system using AdBlue to deliver CO2 as low as 111g/ km. Customers are offered a choice of two drivetrains on all specifications of Kona diesel, the 115PS six-speed manual 2WD or 136PS seven-speed dual clutch transmission twowheel drive. Prices start from £19,750 for the Kona SE 1.6 CRDi 115PS six-speed manual, with external features including 17” alloy wheels, air con and all the spec you would expect. Whether Hyundai takes over as the top Asian automotive brand in Europe remains to be seen, though the new Kona will certainly help. π

The Largest Family Owned Motor Retailer in N.Ireland www.donnellygroup.co.uk

MOTORING

Time for some HR-V therapy

onda’s new HR-V will be its most sophisticated sub-compact SUV to date. The new model features enhanced exterior styling, updates to the interior and a range of advanced technologies.

As well as front and rear styling upgrades, some models will feature a new 17-inch alloy design, and the exhaust tailpipe has a unique chrome finisher. The headlights and rear lights are upgraded to full LED units, and the rear casings are enhanced with dark ‘smoked’ effect. The HR-V remains as versatile as ever, including the carry-over of Honda’s Magic Seat system. Redesigned seats for the driver and front passenger incorporate changes to the seat cushion and back rest, providing enhanced overall support – especially for the shoulder area. The standard fabric upholstery now uses a higher-quality material, while top

grade models feature a full leather interior as standard. The first 2019 specification HR-V models will be available with the highly-efficient 1.5-litre i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol engine, which offers a high output of 130 PS and maximum torque of 155 Nm at 4,600 rpm. Acceleration from 0-62 mph takes 10.2 seconds when equipped with the six-speed manual, and 10.9 seconds with the optional CVT. The petrol engine offers an impressive blend of power and efficiency, with average fuel economy from 53.2 mpg and official average CO2 emissions of 121 g/km for the CVT model. The i-VTEC engine has been enhanced by ‘advanced plateau honing’, that lowers the friction level between the pistons and the cylinder bores by creating an ultra-smooth surface. Its timing chain guides also feature a new friction-reducing coating, which further helps to reduce long-term wear and boost

engine efficiency. Honda has improved the interior quietness and refinement of the HR-V by adding greater levels of insulating material around the car, including around the front bulkhead and wheel arches, the boot structure, and both front and rear door panels. Depending on model grade, the 2019 HR-V will also be equipped with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for the first time. The ANC is designed to reduce low-frequency noise in the interior by monitoring for such noises using two in-cabin microphones, and then cancelling them out with precisely-timed ‘reverse phase’ audio signals through the speakers. Deliveries of 2019 HR-V 1.5L i-VTEC variants started this month. A sportier, 1.5L VTEC TURBO engine will follow with availability from spring 2019, alongside a 1.6L i-DTEC diesel engine. π

A word from

The Wise The column with an ear for experience... Name: Les McCracken Position: Managing director, McCue Crafted Fit How did you get to the position you are in today? I’m a big believer in work ethic. When I was young, 15 or so, I had a summer job on a farm. I would have milked 150 cows, morning and night, in addition to general duties around the farm. I was probably working 70 hours a week at that time, plus cycling five miles back and forth. It has stood me in good stead throughout my life. If you apply yourself, you can do anything. What have you found the most challenging during your years of business, so far? In short, people. They are the greatest assets to a company but they can also be the biggest challenge. I’ve been fortunate enough to build a fantastic team around me at McCue but that has taken time. I’ve been here over 30 years and we’ve organically grown over that period from 16 employees and a turnover of £600,000 to 120 employees and £35m. It is also worth noting that in our sector there is a lack of skilled people, when you train them up some leave, which is disappointing but you have to train them and hope they stay. More must be done to engender the younger generation in to these skilled jobs. Too many are still going aimlessly in to third level education not knowing what they want to do, whereas they can earn as you learn in a trade, and that is much needed across the manufacturing sector. How would you describe your management style? I like to think I have a good management style, most of the time I’m very easy going and I

NOVEMBER 2018

do believe in autonomy. I expect those with responsibility to be capable and willing to do their job to the highest of their ability. I also have an open door policy allowing anyone to come and discuss problems but please bring with you a solution too. This allows my team to complete projects around the world from Vienna to Milan to Stockholm. We’ve been very fortunate to work with great brands, both in retail and hospitality, and on some fantastic projects from Ten Trinity Square in London to Danske Bank in Belfast and around Northern Ireland. What would you change if you could go back and do it all again? Of course, who wouldn’t say things could be done differently, and better? Nobody is perfect, there’s always room for improvement. If I was to work until I was 100 years old, I would still learn something new every day. Have you done it all on your own? No, of course not. Who does? After 30 years I’ve a fantastic team who are very competent and trustworthy. But it has taken hard work and graft to get here. Today is very different to 30 years ago and for me I chose the right path.

Today, you can enter this sector via a trade, an apprenticeship or a university background; it’s about the right fit and enjoying what you do. How would you like your business to be remembered? McCue Crafted Fit is bigger than I. It’s been going for 65 years and providing unquestionable quality work. Like Jimmy McCue, who set this company up, when I choose to go, I hope to be remembered as a good leader who left the company in the best possible shape. Thirty years is a long time to be managing director and I have seen many changes in skill base, technology from hand drawn floor plans to full colour 3D fully explosive plans. It certainly has been an interesting three decades or so. I’d also like to note that McCue weathered the recession very well. I took some strategic decisions in 2008 and 2009, which ensured we not only held our own, but grew as a company. What piece of advice would you give to a 20-year-old you? Be patient. Time will come. Don’t think you know everything, as each day you’ll learn something new. ■

APPOINTMENTS

Sinead Barnes is now general manager of Whiterock Leisure Centre. She joined Better Belfast in December 2015 starting as duty manager before progressing to service manager in Girdwood Community Hub in 2016. Esri Ireland has appointed Rachel Steenson as market engagement manager for Northern Ireland. In the new role she will be responsible for overall market development in Northern Ireland and as part of her new role she will also manage a growing portfolio of customer accounts. Julie Bolton is the new general manager at Grove Wellbeing Centre. She started working for Belfast City Council and transferred to GLL in 2015. She has delivered some challenging projects during her time including the demobilisation of the old Olympia Centre before it was re-developed. Jolene Kelly has been appointed as communications and social media consultant at RNN Communications. Ms Kelly will be managing an all-Ireland portfolio of RNN Social clients in a variety of sectors, providing counsel on social strategy and implementing campaigns. Jo Davidson is now the general manager of the Falls Leisure Centre. Ms Davidson joined GLL in 2016 as health and fitness service manager for Olympia Leisure Centre, and started in the industry as a group exercise instructor with a private gym. Dearbhla Sloan has been appointed as communications and evaluation specialist with RNN Communications. Her role will include creating and implementing successful campaigns and content that make an impact, and securing new business for the agency.

Caitriona Allis has been appointed as the new head of ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) in Ireland. She is now responsible for the strategic development of the professional body in Ireland, including building ACCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand presence. Laura Stefan has been appointed Ireland operations and development manager at Mount Charles. She will be responsible for managing contracts across the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catering, cleaning and general facilities management portfolio in the Republic of Ireland. Mairead Regan joins Clarendon Executive as associate consultant. Previously group HR director at UTV Media plc, she has more than 25 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in HR at a senior level.

APPOINTMENTS

Jill McLernon has been appointed as events consultant at PR agency RNN Communications. In her role, she will be managing an all-Ireland portfolio of clients, working on integrated campaigns, as well as creating and delivering events. Darren McDowell has been appointed senior partner in Harbinson Mulholland. He has been with the firm for 19 years and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Angela Craigan has been appointed a partner with Harbinson Mulholland after 17 years with the firm. She is a Fellow Member of Chartered Accountants Ireland and sits on the Training and Education Committee of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Clarendon Executive has appointed Hugh McPoland as associate consultant. Previously director of HR at BSO, Mr McPoland has a considerable track record in organisational change along with considerable knowledge and experience in assessing the leadership credentials of directors across the public sector. Adeline Lindberg has been appointed as assistant manager at Exchange Accountants. As assistant manager Ms Lindberg will be responsible for corporate accounts work, managing a portfolio of sole traders and clients. David Clements has been appointed as client managing director in NI at Fujitsu. In the role he will be responsible for developing Fujitsuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public and private sector business in Northern Ireland.

ASG & Partners has named Emma Murray as its deputy chief executive. Ms Murray, who leads the recruitment marketing division, has been with the company for eight years and was appointed to the advertising and communications agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board in 2016. Matthew Howse has joined the Belfast office of Eversheds Sutherland as partner. He brings 13 years of legal experience with him and specialises in litigation and dispute resolution. Jacqui Pope is the new head of service at GLL. She has responsibility for overseeing operations at all 14 leisure centres across Belfast. In a previous role, she was regional manager for a large gym chain in the private sector.

NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTOCALL

1. Belfast Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey is pictured with chief executive of Visit Belfast, Gerry Lennon, Susie Brown, interim director of corporate development at Tourism NI and Catherine Toolan, managing director of ICC Belfast after the city took home two awards at the Conference and Incentive Travel magazine awards (C&IT). 2. Pictured launching the new Kingsbridge Private Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Diamond Card are Mark Regan, chief executive at Kingsbridge Private Hospital and Stephen Meldrum, general manager at The Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. 3. Mairead Meyer, managing director of the newly named Openreach Northern Ireland team with engineer Philip Lorimer. BTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northern Ireland Networks engineering division has been renamed Openreach Northern Ireland.

4. Law firm, Arthur Cox has appointed five new trainee solicitors to its Belfast office. managing partner, Catriona Gibson (third from left) welcomes the new trainees, James Mulligan, Sarah Swann, Maeve Williams, Lucy McKee, and Christopher Dickison. 5. Trade Credit Brokers has rebranded to Willis Towers Watson Trade Credit and Surety, making it the largest trade credit insurance and surety specialist in Ireland. Pictured at the launch of the rebrand is Nigel Birney, head of trade credit and political risk Northern Ireland at Willis Towers Watson with Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI.

PHOTOCALL 6. Roisin Laverty of Randox, Emma Bonner, Ulster University Students’ Union sports president with Simon Brockbank, Randox research and development team leader, Claire Galbraith, AWARE corporate fundraising officer and Joel Woods, Randox launching a fundraising event for mental health charities AWARE NI and Ulster University’s Mind Your Mood. 7. Davy McAlinden, Axiom and Alana Cooke, Clinton Leadership Investments QUB at the Haven business breakfast in Belfast, which raised more than £23,500 for the Irish-based charity, to help boost to its work in Haiti.

8. Sugar Rush creative founder Ali MacFarlane pictured after the firm landed a deal to develop an app for a Los Angeles based tech start up. The firm operates with a team of designers and developers based in Belfast and London.

9. Causeway Coast and Glens mayor Brenda Chivers with David Porter of the Department for Infrastructure, and Derry City and Strabane deputy mayor Derek Hussey as they help cut the first sod on construction of the A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe. 10. Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO Northern Ireland has appointed 11 new graduates to join their team as full-time trainees across various departments within the business. The new trainees are pictured with senior partner, Nigel Harra and audit partner, Laura Jackson.

NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTOCALL

11. The Royal Society of Ulster Architects alongside JP Corry has launched a new design competition to generate ideas for interventions which react to the fire at Primarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bank Buildings in Belfast. Pictured is James Grieve, Ciaran Fox, director, Royal Society of Ulster Architects and Ciaran McConnell, JP Corry. 12. Cara Taylor and Lisa McCaul, Business Growth Enablers at Ulster Bank, help launch a new report which says more than 90% of small businesses in Northern Ireland see boosting productivity levels as important for their business but almost a third of companies are currently doing nothing about it. 13. Tiarnan Casement is congratulated on his graduation from the National Construction Skills Academy by Brendan Crealey, managing director of Industry Training Services (ITS) which established the academy to address a major skills gap in the construction industry.

14. Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food and drink industry is well-placed to tap into the growing consumer demand for quality, provenance and taste, a Deloitte dinner at Hillsborough Castle has heard. Pictured are Caspar Berry, with Deloitte partner Glenn Roberts and Clive Black. 15. Bank of Ireland UK has partnered with the Centre for Competitiveness, to deliver seminars to help companies with advice on how they can improve performance and enhance competitiveness. Picture is Alan Bridle, Bank of Ireland UK alongside, Gavin Kennedy, head of business banking NI, and Bob Barbour, Centre for Competitiveness.

PHOTOCALL

16. Grant Thornton has announced it is creating a further 48 new jobs in a £4m investment. Pictured is Des Gartland, executive director of regional business, Invest NI and Richard Gillan, managing partner of Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland. 17. Revealing the news than 100 jobs are being created with a new McDonald’s restaurant at the Junction in Antrim are McDonald’s franchisee Paddy Cusack and Leona Barr, centre manager, The Junction Retail and Leisure Park. 18. Property developer Jamesy Hagan has launched a new house-building firm called Seventh Developments. It has started work on a £2.5m development in Dromore, Fort Manor, that will create 35 jobs and 21 new homes.

19. West Belfast company ConceptApps plans to expand into the US market with its TeamFeePay web based application that supports sports clubs with the collection of subscriptions. Innovation Factory’s Majella Barkley is pictured with Darren McArdle, operations director for TeamFeePay. 20. The launch of Belfast’s Mipim 2019 visit took place at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. Pictured are Suzanne Wylie, chief executive, Belfast City Council, Donal Lyons, chairman of Belfast City Council’s city growth and regeneration committee, and Jackie Henry, senior partner at Deloitte and chairman of the Belfast at Mipim Taskforce.

NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTOCALL

21. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Deirdre Hargey, joins Majella Barkley, innovation director at the Innovation Factory, to launch Global Entrepreneurship Week, which takes place between November 12 - 18. 22. Ian Moore, business manager at Danske Bank and Barry Fitzpatrick, operations manager at Prep House. The sauce company has invested £800,000 in a new factory that will help it fulfil its new contracts, alongside support from the bank. 23. David Acheson, Ulster Carpets with Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Julie Flaherty and Colleen Casey, business advisor, Bank of Ireland help launch Enterprise Week. The event will run from November 12 to 16 and businesses are being encouraged to get involved.

24. Transport business Airporter is investing £1m in a new hub as it expands. It runs 30 journeys a day to Belfast’s two airports. Pictured are directors Niall and Jennifer McKeever. 25. Northern Ireland’s businesses that both buy and sell online are being encouraged by the Consumer Council and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to avail of a new website www.deliverylaw.uk. Pictured is Brendan Kearney, FSB, alongside Kellin McCloskey, the Consumer Council.

PHOTOCALL 26. Joeleen Harper and Laura Moorehead from the product recovery team at Ikea Belfast are pictured with Usel boss Bill Atkinson to announce the partnership between the two companies, which will see furniture being refurbished or recycled. 27. Chef Fraser Cunningham from the AA five star Fitzwilliam Hotel has won the People’s Choice award at this year’s Master Chef competition which aims to unearth and showcase the talent of young people choosing a career in hospitality. 28. Pictured at an information evening about Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM)’s education support programme are Paul Taylor CICIM NI chairman with Tracey Geddis and Darren Bowman of Baker Tilly Mooney Moore.

29. Mark Stewart, chairman, Hospitality Ulster with Joris Minne, head judge, and chief executive Colin Neill at the launch of the Top 100 Hospitality Businesses. The search is now on for the best bars, restaurants and hotels right across Northern Ireland, ahead of the event in February. 30. Pictured at the launch of the oranisation’s new guide for ethics in the charity and notfor-profit sector is Shauna Greely, Chartered Accountants Ireland alongside Feargal McCormack, Chartered Accountants Ireland and Francess McCandless, The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

NOVEMBER 2018

THE CHAIRMAN

promote the ‘Better Belfast’ scheme. Some of the those making the breakfast included Rachel McGuickin, director, Visit Belfast, Alistair Reid – who heads up the new super-department in charge of place and economy – Gareth Maguire, chief executive, Sport Changes Life and Darragh McCarthy, founder of FinTrU.

Now, it’s no surprise that the new Grand Central Hotel on Bedford Street has become something of a hotspot for businesses to gather the great and the good for their various events.

The Chairman A few early mornings and a handful of evening soirees ensured there was a healthy mixture of both business and pleasure...

Kingsbridge Private Hospital unveiled its new Diamond Club card, which it says will proactively engage with employers and employees to encourage physical, as well as mental health and well-being in the workplace.

Following that, it was the turn of the heavyweights of Northern Ireland property and investment to grace the 23rd floor of the Grand Central. It was the formal launch of Belfast City Council’s bid to visit the Mipim 2019 commercial property event in Cannes. Not a bad trip, I’d imagine.

Helping to launch it was Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of Belfast City Council and Jackie Henry, senior partner Deloitte NI and chairman of the Mipim Taskforce.

And the Ulster Business Top 100 celebrations continued into October, with a lavish dinner at the Ulster Museum welcoming some of the top companies that made the list to hear from Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, among others.

Some of those joining them included Damian Mitchell, property director at Causeway Asset Management, Cathy Reynolds, estates manager, Belfast City Council and David Gavaghan,

t’s been a combination of both early mornings and late evenings for the Chairman in the last few weeks.

She was joined by John Mulgrew, editor, Ulster Business, Julian Yarr, managing partner A&L Goodbody, Sarah Little, publishing director of INM NI and Michael Neill, head of office, A&L Goodbody Belfast.

Elsewhere, Justin Rush of Abacus Professional Recruitment hosted a food and discussion morning at James Street, to launch and

If you’ve £30,000 to spare, then you can take them up on the offer as headline sponsor for the event. Unfortunately, the Chairman’s finances are going through a bit of a rough patch at present – it might be time to pass on this occasion.

Also in the realm of development and planning, the newly branded Gravis Planning

unveiled its new name at the Ivory in Belfast. Those gathered heard from David Kerr. Some of the other guests included Chris Milligan and Mark Jameson, Arthur Cox, Ciaran Devine, Evermore Group, and Daniel McLaughlin and Richard Bowman of Gravis Planning.

Elsewhere, at Business in the Community’s breakfast, which launched the organisation’s Responsible Business Summit, guests heard from Sky’s chief executive, Jeremy Darroch along with CBI NI director, Angela McGowan, Ulster Bank’s boss in Northern Ireland, Richard Donnan, broadcaster Dr Wendy Austin, RBS’s Kirsty Britz. While scoffing everything from a bacon bap to jam-doused scone, business chiefs also heard from Owen Brennan – executive chairman of Devenish Nutrition. He told us all about the reduction in soil levels across the world, and the stark impact that could have on everything we do. It’s the first time the Chairman has heard about it, but I’m reliably informed it’s something extremely important. Almost 300 business people from across Northern Ireland gathered at ICC Belfast for the event, which followed the breakfast.

Elsewhere, Riddel Hall at Queen’s University played host to ‘local leaders’ event, held by FinTru. BBC broadcaster Wendy Austin hosted the event of four panellists including Naomh McElhatton, Smart Global, Gavan Wall, The Wall Group, Darren Cave, Ulster and Irish rugby star and founder of Guilt Trip, with Darragh McCarthy, FinTrU founder.

Over to Catalyst Inc’s Invent Awards to draw a busy few weeks to an end, and the company of Joanne Stuart, director of development, Belfast Telegraph business editor, Margaret Canning, David Elliott, a man who once called Ulster Business his home, and PR supremo, Grainne McGarvey. ■

THE CHAIRMAN

Darren Cave, Gavin Wall, Naomh McElhatton, Wendy Austin and Darragh McCarthy

John Mulgrew, editor, Ulster Business, Julian Yarr, managing partner A&L Goodbody, The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Sarah Little, publishing director at INM NI, Michael Neill, head of office, A&L Goodbody Belfast pictured at the Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies banquet

John Hansen, partner in charge at KPMG, Ashleen Feeney, director, KPMG and Suzanne Wylie, Belfast City Council chief executive at the Mipim event

Clare McCarty, Clanmill Housing Assoication, Ciaran Fox, director RSUA, Damien Toner, director of estates at Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University and Susan Mason, regional services manager, RICS Jackie Henry, senior partner Deloitte NI and chairman of the Mipim Taskforce, with Cathy Reynolds, estates manager, Belfast City Council

David Kerr of Gravis Planning at the launch in the Ivory

Ashleen Feeney, KPMG with James Eyre, commercial director, Titanic Quarter and Simon Moon from the Karl Group Chris Milligan, Arthur Cox, Mark Jameson, Arthur Cox, Daniel McLaughlin, Gravis Planning

Justin Rush at the Better Belfast event

Ciaran Devine, Evermore Group, with Richard Bowman of Gravis Planning

Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch with Kirsty Britz of RBS at the Business in the Community breakfast

NOVEMBER 2018

Guests at the Business in the Community breakfast at the newly rebranded ICC Belfast

TRAVEL

Alternative London: The place to be seen in the city From London’s thriving bohemian hub and street art capital to a food, drink and nightlife must-visit... John Mulgrew explores Shoreditch and beyond

nce just the purview of the artistic and trendsetting, Shoreditch has fast become a location worthy of a trip in itself when visiting London.

miss Boxpark. Sitting close to the tube station, it’s an array of black-clad shipping containers, with a host of retailers and places to eat. A bite at posh chip shop Poptata helps fuel the day.

Nestled in the East End of the city, Shoreditch offers up a buzzing cultural environment, lots of independent places to eat and drink, and boasts one of the city’s best markets.

Journalists often prefer the freedom to explore a city at their own pace – picking up things along the way, without being ferried from place-to-place. But a food-focused tour from Alternative London brought out areas that might have otherwise been missed.

Now, those in the north west always feel a little hard done by when it comes to connectivity outside Northern Ireland. In this case though, Flybmi now connects City of Derry Airport regularly with London Stansted. From there, it’s a regular train into Liverpool Street station, and then onwards using the tube or bus across the city.

Shoreditch is famous for the sheer volume of grafﬁti and art strewn around the area, but getting an insider’s view on the changes taking place in the area – including paid-for advertising now adorning some of the spaces reserved for artists from the area, or a Banksy – really helps take in as much as possible.

And if you’re visiting Shoreditch, it’s hard to

Christiaan Nagel’s mushrooms, which can be

found in several roof-top locations, led us to teashop T2, taking in a salt-beef bagel at Beigel Bake on Brick Lane, followed by the modern, family-run self-styled home-style Indian restaurant, Gunpowder. The aloo chaat is a signature, with punch, depth and zing, while an almost unavoidable venison and vermicelli ‘doughnut’ is worth the visit alone. A brief half in the grade II listed Ten Bells, which has links to Jack the Ripper, was followed by a familiar trip to Old Spitalﬁelds Market. It has a dense, tight offering of top-end food stalls, from Asian steamed buns at Yum Bun, to Portuguese custard tarts and fruit tea at Yi Fang. An unmissable food destination sits across from the market. St John Bread and Wine is one

TRAVEL

But if you’re after a decent night’s sleep, there’s very little sound making its way to the bedrooms from the ground-floor buzz. Leaving the hip surroundings of Shoreditch, and heading to the rather more touristy affair of Leicester Square, the Hotel Indigo is offers a grand view of the London skyline. The new rooftop bar is a superb vantage point to overlook the square, and pick out the city’s most famous structures. Then there’s the National Portrait Gallery – which sits just a short distance away from the Hotel Indigo.

of Fergus Henderson’s London outlets. It’s a casual, laid back and sparse affair, which allows you to same some of the best British cooking available. You can stop by for a very reasonably priced, and one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, such as Welsh Rarebit, devilled kidneys on toast or, my choice on this visit, blood cake and egg. Think richer, chunkier black pudding, crispened in a pan with a rich-orange hued yolk. There are plenty of spots to socialise in and around Shoreditch, with some of London’s better beer bars included. The Craft Beer Co has a location on Old Street, while there’s a Brewdog and the Draft House, hidden in the Bower development. Arriving back to the hotel in the evening, don’t expect dull or lifeless environment at the Hoxton. The downstairs is thriving during the day, with the usual spectrum of aluminiumclad Apple Macs, but at night, especially at the weekend, it’s very much a nightspot in the area.

NOVEMBER 2018

During the trip there was a Michael Jackson ‘On the Wall’ exhibition – one for Jackson fans, certainly – but the gallery itself, which is free, is worth a visit for everyone else. It also hosts a ‘Friday Lates’ event – opening into the night, and with a small pop-up bar for visitors. Not far away, the Japan Centre offers up a myriad of everything the country has to offer in regards to food and drink in particular – from freshly made miso, to a varied and wideselection of sake, it’s a stop worth making for anyone keen on trying to replicate the flavours they’ve had while visiting the country. Meanwhile, Shoryu Ramen – located very close to base camp at the Hoxton – offers some of the best casual noodles in the city. Starting off with cleanly flavoured salmon sashimi, followed by the garlic kick of the Dracula Tonkotsu – a heady allium-rich version of their 12-hour pork broth. For those in and around what is one of the city’s most tourist-heavy locations, Granaio is a reasonably recent addition. It’s a fairly familiar format – Italian classics and a wide-ranging menu, which will keep the majority of visitors content, at a reasonable

HOW TO GET THERE AND WHERE TO STAY Flybmi runs up to twice daily flights from City of Derry Airport to London Stansted, with fares starting at £99 return – including 23kg of hold luggage along with in-flight drinks and snacks. Visit www.flybmi.com for more information. The Hoxton hotel in Shoreditch offers up a modern spot to rest your head, but also boasts a thriving environment, both to work during the day, and play at night. Rooms start at £99 a night, which includes a light daily breakfast bag. You can visit www.thehoxton.com for more information.

price, considering the location. A beef tartare was solid, and a ribeye cooked correctly on the inside, despite a lack of charring on the outside. The theatre obviously plays a large part in the attraction to London, but the Immersive Gatsy experience turns a chunk of a Long Lane building into an interactive re-telling of F Scott Fitzgerald’s the Great Gatsby. It’s different, but impressively choreographed, and something alternative to spending a huge wad of cash on a West End show. A crisp sunny day before heading back on the train to Stansted offered a chance to try Hawksmoor. The steak restaurant now has nine locations in the UK, and focuses on dry-aged beef and all that comes with it. A Sunday lunch of rich, pink rump of beef comes with a Yorkshire pudding, stunningly crunchy roasties and a roasted bulb of garlic, and shallot – leaving them soft and packed full of umami. ■

TECHNOLOGY

Data chief weighs debut investigation into Facebook breach With ﬁve million Irish and European users hit by an attack which could have put 50 million accounts at risk, the social media giant faces a massive ﬁne under new EU rules, writes Adrian Weckler

he Irish Data Protection Commission is initiating a formal investigation into how Facebook fell victim to a massive data breach affecting up to ﬁve million Irish and European users. The regulatory body is at the centre of worldwide attention after Facebook revealed that 50 million accounts were at risk from hackers.

Under the EU’s new GDPR rules, Facebook faces a ﬁne of almost €1.5bn (£1.3bn) in a worst-case scenario. “Before we would launch any investigation there are steps that would have to be taken in relation to information gathering and preparing the scope of an inquiry,” a spokesman for the data protection commissioner said. “Furthermore, we would need to establish

under which provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 we would conduct it. We are currently engaged in those steps.” However, the watchdog is under public pressure to investigate the social media giant from a range of authorities, including EU commissioners. Irish DPC executives are understood to be disappointed with the sparse level of information disclosed by Facebook to data protection authorities about the breach, with the organisation earlier tweeting that it had “urgently” sought more data on the issue. The Facebook data breach represents the ﬁrst major test of data privacy enforcement since the EU-wide GDPR law came into effect in May of this year. The EU’s justice commissioner, Vera Jourova, told American media that she was in “close

TECHNOLOGY contact” with Commissioner Helen Dixon’s ofﬁce and said that the Irish DPC is “intensively working on this case”. “For these cases, I think Europe is equipped with GDPR because we have very strict rules and we have very strong instruments to discipline the companies which deal and which handle the private data of people, which is obviously the case with Facebook,” she told the US broadcaster CNBC. “We are waiting for further information over the next days.” However, some security experts have questioned the rapid speed at which Facebook and other big companies are now expected to communicate details about their data breaches. “[One] interesting impact of the GDPR 72-hour deadline [is] companies announcing breaches before investigations are complete,” said former Facebook and Yahoo security chief Alex Stamos. Mr Stamos claimed that the haste required in informing regulators results in “lots of rumours” and means that “everybody is

NOVEMBER 2018

confused on the actual impact”. “You can do incident response quickly or correctly, but not both,” he said. “The other interesting impact is the foreclosing of any possible coordination with law enforcement. “I once ran response for a breach of a ﬁnancial institution, which wasn’t disclosed for months as the company was working with the USSS [United States Secret Service] to lure the attackers into a trap. It worked.” Facebook’s vice-president of product management, Guy Rosen, said that the company does not know who is responsible for the data breach. “Since we’ve only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed. We also don’t know who’s behind these attacks or where they’re based,” he said. “This attack exploited the complex interaction of multiple issues in our code. It stemmed from a change we made to our video uploading feature in July 2017, which impacted ‘View As’. The attackers not only

needed to find this vulnerability and use it to get an access token, they then had to pivot from that account to others to steal more tokens.” Facebook faces other potential roadbumps across Europe in the coming months. Earlier this week, the head of Germany’s antitrust watchdog said that he was “very optimistic” that his office would take action against Facebook this year after finding it had abused its market dominance to gather data on people without their consent. “We are currently evaluating Facebook’s opinion on our preliminary assessment and I’m very optimistic that we are going to take further steps, even this year, whatever this would mean,” Federal Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt told a conference on competition law in Berlin. Facebook has had a difficult year, having endured a barrage of criticism for the ease at which its data could be manipulated for political ends. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was forced to appear before the US Senate and House of Representatives following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. π

MY DAY TITLE

Uncovering the 9-5

Name: Angela Craigan Position: Partner, Harbinson Mulholland (HM) 6am The alarm goes off and I jump in the shower trying to get a head start before I get my two kids up. That’s when things turn from relative calm to a bit more hectic. This will be a familiar drill for any parent reading this. Breakfast, uniforms, packed lunches etc are all assembled and organised before leaving the house. I despair of the days when I have to add World Book Day costumes or crazy hair day madness into the mix, but thankfully that doesn’t happen too often. If time allows I do often sneak a quick look at my emails to see if anything urgent needs my attention. 8am Unless I’m doing the school run I’m at my desk by 8am. I like to get in before the phone starts ringing to plan the day ahead. It’s my chance to grab some caffeine, manage the inbox and ensure any queries from my team are dealt with so they can progress client matters. 9am When possible, I prefer to use the morning for file reviews and/or audit planning. Also finalisation of ongoing tenders would often fit in this slot of the day. I will also deal with several client calls and emails throughout the day. The practice and culture of Harbinson Mulholland is that our senior people are accessible to clients. It’s an aspect of our service that we pride ourselves in and one which I thoroughly enjoy. I like the interactions and it’s satisfying when you can help someone there and then with an issue. 12pm This part of the day is often used for internal meetings be it with staff to perform quarterly reviews, or business advisory team meetings to discuss any departmental issues or partners meetings to review strategy and deal with any practice matters. 1pm Lunch can be spent running an errand into town – I would love to say it is for a browse of the latest trends but more often than not I am rushing in to pick something up for one of my childrens’ many activities. Otherwise I grab some lunch with a colleague or catch up on the news. As a committed accountancy nerd I have to confess I do often use this time to catch up on the latest accountancy trends. 1.30pm The afternoon often contains client meetings. These can be long and require preparation beforehand. Once over I like to get my file notes and actions recorded straight away when things are fresh in my mind. Having prepped the team in the morning, in the afternoon I can focus on more specialist tasks. Harbinson Mulholland is an accountancy

practice at heart but over the years our business advisory role has become ever more integral, so often I advise on share purchase agreements or oversee the financials of clients with more complex corporate structures. 6pm The time I leave for home depends on whether I collect the kids. If this is the case I’m on the road before 6pm. It’s not uncommon, especially in September, to stay later so I can attend an AGM for one of my charity clients. This is an area I am grateful to have developed a real expertise for over the years. I look forward to the AGMs because they let me see beyond the numbers and get a real understanding of the inspirational work these organisations do. Attending enables me not only to meet the board members, I often get a chance to meet the beneficiaries of the charity as well. 7pm On the family side of things 7.30/8.00pm is usually when my ‘mummy taxi service’ winds up for the day with drops offs/pick ups from drama and swimming, completed. A highlight of my day is walking our crazy cockapoo, Ozzie this gives me a bit of head space and he is the one person in our household who doesn’t answer back. With kids off to bed and relative calm restored I like to relax with my husband. However, as a board member for Action Mental Health and New Life Counselling depending on where we are in the month the evening could be spent reading papers to prepare for board meetings. 10.30pm Time for bed – sooner if I can manage. My week days are pretty fullon, but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

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