SEPTEMBER 2015 Price £2.30 (€3.75)
European ambition Danske Bank’s chief executive on the future of banking (and football) in Northern Ireland
Employment Law: How to cover the bases Energy: Can climate change obligations and value electricity co-exist?
ISSN 1363-2507
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Contents 6 News
50 Energy
76 Motoring
All the latest business news from Northern Ireland
John Simpson on the twin aims of lower electricity and environmental targets
Pat Burns is on fire with the best of this month’s test drives
14 Cover Story
62 Apprenticeships
84 Photocall
CEO of Danske Bank Gerry Mallon on banking, football and the future
Why your business needs to take on an apprentice
The best of the best over the last month
22 IT & Technology
73 Word from the Wise
90 Events
What you need to work effectively on the move
Michael Blaney gives some advice from his time at the top
Who went where, why did they go there and what did they say?
36 Employment Law
74 Business Breakfast
92 Gadgets
Why contracts of employment are key for your business
Diane Giles from eircom at The National Grande CafĂŠ
Adam Maguire knows a thing or two about the latest tecnology
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EDITOR’S COMMENT
Time to focus
W
elcome to the September edition of Ulster Business. We kick off this magazine with an in-depth interview with the man behind one of Northern Ireland’s biggest banks to get his take on the economy, on his time at the top, and on his new role with the Irish Football Association. Gerry Mallon took over as chief executive of Danske Bank moments before Lehman Brothers collapsed and has nursed the bank back to record profits so has an interesting tale to tell. We also take a look at the importance of accurately defined employment contracts in our employment law feature, at the checklist you need to be able to work effectively on-the-move, and at the multitude of reasons why you should be taking on an apprentice. Meanwhile, John Simpson – not one to shy away from the controversial – asks if lower electricity prices are possible if we are to meet our renewable targets by 2020.
We bring you all this at yet another impasse for the Northern Ireland Executive, a phrase which has been repeated so often it’s beginning to lose its impact. However, the latest bump in the road will have deeper implications for Northern Ireland’s society and economy if differences aren’t resolved sooner, rather than later. The chances of seeing the promised devolution of corporation tax-setting powers amid the current state of flux are becoming more and more unlikely, meaning we have yet again shot ourselves in the economic foot by showing an unwillingness to work together. A coalition government was never going to be easy but for the sake of peace and prosperity, it’s worth a huge effort to make it work.
When it comes to motoring, our resident Stig Pat Burns
David Elliott
Publisher Greer Publications 5b Edgewater Business Park Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast BT3 9JQ www.ulsterbusiness.com Tel: 028 9078 3200
Editor David Elliott
Art Editor Stuart Gray
Manager Sonia Armstrong
Production Manager Stuart Gray
Printer W&G Baird Greystone Press, Caulside Drive, Antrim BT41 2RS www.wgbaird.com
Deputy Manager Sylvie Brando
Cover Photography Kelvin Boyes
Greer Publications © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.
SEPTEMBER 2015
goes from Seat to Suzuki before climbing into the cab of a new Volkswagen Caddy; Adam Maguire checks out the latest technology offering and UB’s own food critic Sonia Armstrong taste-tests Kove restaurant at Killyhelvin.
Sales Executive Susan Simpson
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NEWS
House prices recover 2005 lustre
T
en years on, house prices in Northern Ireland have managed to recover their composure and have brushed off the worst effects of the financial crisis, according to latest government data.
SSE change for one of Belfast’s biggest venues
The average price of a house here stood at £113,245 in the second quarter of the year, up 6% on the first quarter of the year and, more importantly, slightly higher than the level reached in the first quarter of 2005. The data comes from Land & Property Services and uses stamp duty information recorded by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs so tends to provide one of the most accurate means of taking the temperature of the housing market. In total, 4,600 residential properties were sold in the second quarter of the year. While there is little doubt the market has recovered, there remains a patchwork with regional average prices ranging from £93,806 in Derry and Strabane to £135,988 in North Down and Ards. In terms of recent performance, the Derry and Strabane area has performed relatively strongly with prices there up 7% on the year, a similar performance to the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon region and just behind the top performing region over the year Mid Ulster which climbed 10%. Trailing the leaderboard was Fermanagh and Omagh where prices only climbed 1%.
Neil Walker, General Manager of The SSE Arena, Belfast, is pictured with Jillian Saunders, Brand Manager at SSE Airtricity at the refurbished SSE Arena, Belfast. SSE Airtricity has signed a 10-year naming rights deal with the Arena.
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ne of Northern Ireland’s biggest indoor music and sporting event venues has been revamped, rebranded and reopened.
digital screens, have access to highspeed wireless broadband, 9000 new seats and a brand new SSE Reward Lounge for SSE Airtricity customers.
The former Odyssey Arena is about to open its doors under its new name The SSE Arena, Belfast following a major refurbishment which included the replacement of 9,000 seats.
Neil Walker, General Manager of The SSE Arena, Belfast, said the revamp will help to boost customer experience.
The owners of the venue have signed a 10year naming rights deal with SSE Airtricity and said they have 150 live entertainment events scheduled for the year ahead. The arena first opened its doors in 2000 and has welcomed over 8 million visitors across a wide range of events ranging from concerts and comedy to theatre, family shows and a multitude of sports. The SSE Arena, Belfast has joined the UK-wide stable of SSE entertainment venues including The SSE Hydro in Glasgow and The SSE Arena, Wembley. When the doors of the venue re-open this weekend, guests will see more than 180
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“This investment in transforming Northern Ireland’s most iconic venue is all about making sure our customers have a first class experience at The SSE Arena, Belfast. The Arena has been improved to the highest specifications to ensure we deliver world class live entertainment, with digital and Wi-Fi capacity to help enhance our customers’ enjoyment, providing greater access to an expanding range of products and services.” Under the new naming rights partnership SSE Airtricity customers will be able to avail of a range of benefits, including the all-new and exclusive SSE Reward Lounge, special offers on tickets and 48 hour advance tickets to the hottest events.
NEWS
Start-up revolution promised by new program
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program designed to give start-up companies a funding and knowledge boost has just been launched in Northern Ireland.
Start Planet NI was unveiled this week by Australian entrepreneur, venture capital investor, diplomat and author Bill Liao and has been backed by Invest NI to the tune of £2.6m. The money will be used to establish a five-year “seed accelerator” to attract both international and indigenous business with technology-based ideas in the knowledge economy sectors. Companies need to be at start-up stage and be able to demonstrate “high potential” before being able to access early stage support and private equity investment. The three-month long Start Planet NI Accelerator will be based in Revolution BFS, a new purpose-designed accelerator and co-working space currently being developed on Donegall Street, in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. This space will be part of a global network of SOSventures Revolution co-working spaces – from San Francisco and Schenzen, to Cork and New York. As well as benefitting from
Niall Casey from Invest NI and Bill Liao.
access to the global network and a programme of intensive mentoring and support during the first three months, companies will have the option to stay on in the space for a further six months free of charge.
Travel on your terms.
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SEPTEMBER 2015
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NEWS
A Month in Numbers 41,608 The number of new cars registered in Northern Ireland so far this year, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers.
Northern Ireland boasts 14,000 millionaires
1,294,116 The number of new cars registered in England so far this year.
43.56 The number of cars registered so far this year per capita in Northern Ireland.
40.96 The numbers of cars registered so far this year per capita in England.
£21,200 The average household income in Northern Ireland before housing costs, according to data from the Department of Housing and Social Development, the lowest level since 2002/2003.
30% Northern Ireland’s “Gini” coefficient, a measure of the spread of wealth amongst the population. It compares to 34% for the UK as a whole which means there is a more equal spread of wealth here.
6.5% Unemployment rate in Northern Ireland April-June.
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T
he number of millionaires in Northern Ireland has soared by 40% since 2010, according to new research from Barclays. The Barclays UK Prosperity Map shows there are now 14,000 millionaires living on these shores, some of whom have been lifted into the bracket by stronger stock markets and property prices over the last few years, according to Barclays Wealth Regional Director Jonathan Dobbin. “Recovering house prices, albeit from a very low base, in Northern Ireland have created a significant increase in new millionaires, and this number is steadily increasing as we recover from our most recent recession,” he said. “A strong rebound in global stock markets since the nadir in 2008 has also been an important factor, whilst there has also been an increase in the number of M&A transactions, which has, in some cases, created significant personal wealth for shareholders.” While the number of millionaires here is impressive, it is dwarfed by the 191,000
based in London – more than the combined millionaire population of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England. Meanwhile, the report also places Northern Ireland sixth of all 12 UK regions when it comes to affluence and top of the list when it comes to philanthropy with 45% of households giving to charity. The research found average gross pay stood at £21,740 here, GDP per person stood at £16,127, average weekly expenditure stood at £484.70 and that we worked 31.7 hours. The Barclays UK Prosperity Map uses factors including numbers of millionaires, average annual pay, the percentage of households giving to charity, business survival rates and exam scores to generate a unique ‘Prosperity Index Score’ for each UK region. These factors provide a deeper view of regional financial health than single measures of wealth such as assets, investments and the location of luxury services and make it possible to predict the UK’s next most prosperous areas.
NEWS
Would-be pilots cleared for takeoff
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ne of the airline industry’s most sought-after pilot training programmes has just opened for new applications. The Aer Lingus 2016 Cadet Pilot scheme is looking for a dozen would-be fliers to join the 14-month course based at Flight Training Europe in Jerez, Spain. They’ll be trained to fly the airline’s A320s on its short haul routes and will have to complete both classroom study and flight training. Prospective Aer Lingus trainee pilots will need to have technical aptitude and display maturity, commitment, flexibility, motivation and a willingness to accept responsibility. Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem-solving and teamwork skills are essential qualities, combined with a good appreciation of our guests’ expectations.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Pictured inside the Aer Lingus A320 training simulator are co-pilots Claire Cronin (left) and Lisa Cusack who have recently completed flight school in Jerez, Spain as part of the Cadet Pilot training programme.
Once the cadet pilots have qualified from flight school, they will be scheduled for the Airbus A320 type-rating programme, subject to pilot crewing demands.
The first group of cadets, who began their training in 2012, have all qualified and are working as Aer Lingus First Officers on the airline’s fleet of A320.
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NEWS
Quotes of the month “Given our relatively fragile recovery, recent problems in China and global equity market turmoil could stay the MPC’s hand for the next few months, but we still expect UK interest rates to rise gradually from early 2016 onwards if the domestic recovery remains on track” Dr Esmond Birnie, PwC chief economist.
Record number of dairy cows on NI farms
“There is disappointment that the plan to allow NI autonomy over corporation tax that we had hoped to see come into effect in early 2017 is looking less likely to materialise. This is highly unfortunate given the extent to which this could have generated jobs and improved appetite for office accommodation across the region.” CBRE’s Belfast head Brian Lavery.
“While UK data has continued to point to solid growth, UK manufacturing is having to contend with a rollercoaster of risks from the rest of the world. We’ve seen the future of the Eurozone on the line once again, turbulence and uncertainty over China and Greece and, of course, oil and gas are still a concern.” Lee Hopley, EEF chief economist Lee Hopley.
“Without a workable budget and sustainable finances the credibility of the Executive will increasingly be questioned. The Stormont House Agreement provides an additional £2bn of spending power for the Executive. It now needs to manage its resources responsibly, including implementing the welfare reforms which formed part of the Agreement.” Secretary of State, Hon Theresa Villiers
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orthern Ireland’s farmers are rearing a record number of dairy cows, according to latest government statistics. There were 311,500 dairy cows in June, an agricultural census carried out by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has shown, a 6% jump in the same time last year and an all-time high. The news comes as farmers complain that processors are paying unsustainably low prices for milk from the farm, with many blockading supermarkets in protest. The current ex-farm price is around 19p a litre but dairy farmers claim their production costs reach 30p and above.
The increase in the number of dairy cows here over the last year will back the view of agricultural commentators that the removal of the quota system will allow new entrants to the industry and unchecked expansion of incumbent herds. Elsewhere in the world of Northern Ireland agriculture, production is also climbing, as the data below from DARD shows.
Facts • Dairy cows up 6% to 311,500 • Beef cattle up 2% to 260,300 • Cereals up 2% to 35,000 hectares • Sheep up 2% at 930,700 • Pigs (sows) up 5% at 37,900
A drop in demand for milk and milk products from countries such as China combined with the dissolution of the quota system which had previously kept a lid on milk supply are said to be behind a recent drop in the price of milk.
• Poultry: laying birds up 8% and broilers (for meat) up 5% • Potatoes down 7% to 3,900 hectares
NEWS
Shifting gears
Fracking’s impact on nearby businesses By Andrew Galway, Chartered Insurance Broker, Willis Insurance & Risk Management
W
ith last year’s failed attempt in Co. Fermanagh to allow fracking to take place in Northern Ireland, is it just a
matter of time before this becomes a real issue? Fracking’s legality does nothing to detract from its controversy – environmental groups and the UK media continue to scrutinise its impact on the environment. Less examined is the impact on surrounding businesses. What happens when fracking takes place near your workplace?
The environmenTal effecTs Businesses near a fracking site may worry that their properties will suffer adverse effects. For many employers, business interruption and adverse environmental effects stemming from fracking is a huge worry. Neighbouring businesses fear their groundwater could be contaminated or their buildings’ foundations could be compromised. Thankfully, the risk of water contamination is very low provided operations follow industry standards and obey regulations, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
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group of six friends with strong links in the Northern Ireland business community are planning to channel their inner Bradley Wiggins to complete a gruelling three-day cycling challenge around Ulster next month. The group have created the Lough-to-Lough 500, an energy sapping bike ride of more than 500 km which they will take on over the first weekend in October to raise money for charities dear to their hearts, including The Brain Tumour Charity, Alzheimer’s Society and MS Society.
Before any drilling even takes place, the environmental regulator assesses the risks and decides whether groundwater contamination is likely. Based on this assessment, regulators approve or deny activity. Seismic activity is similarly controlled – following the 2011 ban, operators must now assess the location for any relevant faults before planning fracking operations. They must submit this assessment to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for approval.
ProTecT Your Business’ foundaTion Environmental and social risks, such as heightened industrial activity in a previously rural area and potential loss of business due to the fear that your proximity to a fracking site jeopardises your land and water, can be avoided by working closely with fracking crews throughout their procedures. Make sure your insurance policy covers possible fracking damage to your property.
The group will depart from the shores of Belfast Lough, through the hills of Armagh and Monaghan, past Lough Erne to the wild Atlantic coast in Donegal.
Most policies will cover fracking damage, but traditional policies may not define ‘covered property’ as the land or water on your property. This could mean that you are not covered for damage to your underlying water sources or your building’s geological foundation.
They’ll then travel back via Derry and onwards along the world famous Causeway Coast back to Belfast.
Work with the insurance professionals at Willis IRM to protect your business’ foundation and ensure that any future fracking will not harm your business.
Pictured near the start point of their epic cycling challenge are L2L500 team members Neil Parker and Mark McKeown from First Trust Bank, Stephen Wray from ECIT/NISP and Darren Toombs from Carson McDowell Solicitors. To find out more go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/ team/L2L500 follow them on twitter at @L2L500 or check out the website www.L2L500.com.
SEPTEMBER 2015
For more information contact Andrew Galway at Willis IRM on 028 9032 9042 or agalway@willisinsurance.co.uk
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NEWS
Don’t get caught out by new fuel rules
B
usiness in Northern Ireland risk being caught out by new fuel storage regulations which aim to prevent spillages. The new rules came into effect at the start of 2015 and require any business storing fuel to use a bunded – or double skinned – tank. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £20,000 or even imprisonment for non-complicance. The regulations, which were prompted by the high level of oil related pollution incidents in Northern Ireland, will apply to ground oil storage facilities of 200 litres or more on industrial and commercial sites including shops, churches and hairdressers to manufacturing plants and offices. Kingspan Titan, which supplies fuel storage systems which comply with the new regulations, said it believed 70% of business in Northern Ireland are at risk. Pat Freeman, Managing Director of Kingspan Environmental said business owners need to be aware of the consquences. “The cost of oil spillages to both business and the environment can
Pictured at Kingspan Stadium Breakfast Briefing with Ulster Rugby stars Luke Marshall, Franco Van De Merwe and Louis Ludik are Pat Freeman, Managing Director of Kingspan Environmental and Abbey Scott, Regional Sales Manager NI, Kingspan Titan.
be heavy and the government has taken action to bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the United Kingdom,” he said.
Paralympic boost for NI manufacturer of people with disabilities in sport, according to Mark Spottiswoode, Sales Director at Disability Needs. “85% of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland never take part in any form of sport or physical recreation despite the existing opportunities and advancements within disabled sport,” he said. “We have keen interest in the disability sports sector and it’s increasingly important for us to be proactive in creating opportunities for people of all ages, genders and abilities to enjoy sports and physical activities and to remove these barriers that exist in Northern Ireland.”
Stephen Douthart, Halfords Area Sales Manager; David Kerr, Chairman of the Ulster Handcycling Association and Mark Spottiswoode, Disability Needs Sales Director.
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Northern Ireland manufacturer of disability equipment has reported a 25% year-on-year increase in sales of hand cycles since the 2012 Paralympics.
Belfast-based Disability Needs has put the boost to the sales of its active range down to the increased awareness of the sporting opportunities available for both adults and children with disabilities following the games. It is hoping to build on the momentum by hosting the first of its own series of events aimed at promoting the participation
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As a result, it is holding Family Bike Fest which will take place on Saturday 15th August from 10am-2pm at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast with the aim of increasing awareness of cycling as a great way to explore the great outdoors and to keep fit regardless of age or personal challenges. The event will offer support and advice around disability provision in the Northern Ireland cycling scene with experts on hand to demonstrate the ways in which everyone can enjoy cycling. One hour inclusive cycling workshops provided by Sustrans will teach essential skills in a safe and controlled environment while Halfords will host bike maintenance workshops designed to teach children and adults of all abilities the basics of bike maintenance.
We’re great business partners Helping companies work smarter We go the extra mile to help businesses. Our entrepreneurial attitude and range of innovationbased programmes enable us to support start-ups and established companies alike. We build relationships, tease out requirements, analyse opportunities, pose questions and devise solutions. It’s paying off too. As well as forging
strong relationships, we’re in the top 10% of UK universities for spinning out businesses, creating intellectual property, developing entrepreneurs and supporting SMEs*. *Source: HESA Higher Education Business & Community Interaction Survey
Shaping the future ulster.ac.uk/goingplaces
COVER STORY
Back of the net Danske Bank has shaken off the last vestiges of the financial crisis to report record profits and has a plan in place to build market share in the future. Ulster Business caught up with chief executive Gerry Mallon who has recently taken over the chairmanship of the Irish Football Association
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COVER STORY
G
erry Mallon’s description of the banking world since he took on the top post at Danske Bank is typical of the chief executive’s understated manner. “It’s been lively,” he told Ulster Business in his office at the bank’s Belfast headquarters. “Lively” is one way of putting the global economic rollercoaster ride which unfolded shortly after Mr Mallon took up the post in 2008. Only a few weeks after getting his feet under the desk at the Donegall Square West office, Lehman Brothers collapsed and the deepest economic downturn in recent memory began. Danske – or Northern Bank as it was then – wasn’t immune to the contagion which spread through the banking world, but under his leadership the lending institution regathered itself and became the first in Northern Ireland to return to profitability two years ago. Since then it has since gone on to report the most profitable year in its 200-year history by reducing costs and growing its market share. “It has been gratifying to see all the lines moving in the right direction. Income grew because we were growing the lending book. Costs were reduced because we’d taken time to restructure and had put efficiencies in place.” The future, according to Mr Mallon, will involve less cost cutting, given that early and prudent restructuring has already eliminated excess cost from the bank. “There isn’t significant transformational cost reduction left in the business. You can always reduce overheads but there won’t be major changes to the cost base over the next few years.” That includes significant changes to the branch network which have inevitably reduced in number over the last few years as demand for instant, online banking services have grown.
SEPTEMBER 2015
“We’re not closing any branches this year and possibly won’t be closing any for a more sustained period, although we’ll obviously be keeping that under review.” Bank branches, rather than being places of high volume, low value transactions, will be used more and more for high-value banking transactions and will be more aligned to automotive businesses, Mr Mallon said. “When you give people the choice, they stop queuing up at the post office-style bank and start treating the branch more like a car dealership. You go there less frequently, you go for something much more significant and you get expert support and guidance. Meanwhile, the transactional business can be easily carried out online.” A cutting-edge technology offering is something which Danske has developed as part of the armoury it is using to win more market share, with retail, as well as business customers. “We have excellent technology and that is acting as a differentiator for customers,” he said. “Whether you’re a retail customer, are working in a treasury function or as a financial controller, our technology can make your life easier.” While the high-tech offering is obviously a big plus, that’s not the only factor which sets Danske apart when it comes to winning new business. “We’ve had teams on the front foot acquiring customers for a long time, even during the crisis and that’s helped to demonstrate our sincerity and commitment to this market. Such an attitude has an additional benefit, one which is also a unique selling point for the bank. “We have excellent people in the bank,” Mr Mallon said. “If you build the best team then it becomes self-sustaining because they go out and win new customers and those customers receive an exemplary service from some great people.” >
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COVER STORY
That offering has already won a significant chunk of trade for the business arm of the bank and it is hoped inroads can be made in the retail market also. “While we have around 20% of current accounts in Northern Ireland we have just 6% of mortgages,” Mr Mallon said. “That represents a big opportunity for us as we return to a normal housing market.” To that end the bank is now involved in mortgage brokering and is also active in the private wealth space. “There are plenty of people in Northern Ireland who are more well off than average and who don’t necessarily get the guidance they need to protect their wealth and grow it for the future. We have independent financial advisors who work for the bank providing advice for private banking clients, and this service is proving to be very successful.” It’s obvious the bank is confident about the future but it would be remiss not to ask about recent speculation by analysts that the Danish parent company may at some point put its Northern Ireland arm on the market. That speculation stemmed from news of an organisational restructure of Danske Bank UK in the latest financial results, one which sets it apart from the structure of Danske Bank elsewhere in Europe, but one which allows the bank to be run even more effectively in the UK. “It’s a fairly boring internal change,” Mr Mallon said. “We have been lobbying our Danish colleagues to go back to a model which allows us to optimise the business here rather than to try and shoehorn Nordic strategies into what is a very different marketplace.” “We’ve now agreed at Group level that we will revert to our pre-2012 organisational structure.” In addition to his banking role, Gerry Mallon has also taken over the role of Chairman of the Irish Football Association (IFA). For someone who has a deep love of the
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game (particularly Liverpool FC), the role is perfectly suited, particularly because he has a wealth of board experience to bring, not just from the bank but from his time as Chair of the Ulster University Council. He said he plans to oversee the development of the overall governance at the IFA, to maximise the effectiveness of the organisation and to help with the delivery of the strategy set out in its strategic plan. In addition, he said there are specific areas where he feels he can offer guidance, such as with the organisation’s wider communications strategy. “There’s a gap in communication in our relationship with the media and with the fans. We’ve a good relationship with some of the other stakeholders but we need to put some work in on those two areas and it’s something I’ve already been working with Patrick Nelson (the IFA’s chief executive) on.”
And finally, there are a number of additional commercial opportunities which the organisation can take advantage of. “We’ve just hired a Director of Sales and Marketing to help in professionalising the setup in terms of the website, relationships with sponsors, and to optimise the commercial opportunities which come out of the national stadium. “I feel privileged to have taken this role on at this time. We’re potentially on the cusp of the most exciting period in Northern Ireland’s history since 1986 as the European Championship approaches.” There is a lot to look forward to for the Northern Ireland football team and plenty of growth aspirations ahead for Danske Bank. You can’t help but feel that Mr Mallon has the experience and drive to help guide both organisations push further forward.
You could face a
£20K FINE
DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE AN OIL TANK?
if your tanks are not compliant with the New NI Fuel Regulations
If the answer is yes and your tank is NOT bunded, there is the possibility it doesn’t comply with NI Fuel Regulations
SINGLE SKIN PLASTIC OIL TANK
SINGLE SKIN STEEL TANK
OIL BARREL OVER 200 LTR
NI business’s oil & fuel storage tanks need to be bunded by December 2015 or you could be faced with a fine of up to £20K. We know you have enough to do running your business, that’s why at Kingspan Titan, we deliver a complete solution that ensures your business meets these New Regulations.
WE MAKE IT OUR BUSINESS TO KEEP YOU RIGHT To speak with our experts and/or schedule a site assessment, contact our Portadown office on: 0333 456 4455 or email: nifuelregs@kingspan.com
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KINGSPAN Official Main Sponsor of Ulster Rugby
TECHNOLOGY
NI can ‘tech’ itself forward by sharing technology, ideas and innovation
T
he global trend towards sharing technology provides a unique opportunity for Belfast and Northern Ireland entrepreneurs – that was the message last month as hundreds gathered for the city’s biggest homegrown technology event, TechXplore. Now in its third year, TechXplore 2015 heard from fifteen expert speakers on a range of subjects including music tech, health tech, start-ups, social media and news media. Speakers and delegates came from London, Dublin and New York for the event which aims to inspire individuals and organisations to develop digital technology enterprises here in Northern Ireland. TechXplore was created by Belfast communications consultancy MW Advocate and is supported by Belfast City Council and law firm Mills Selig. This year’s event also included a ‘Meet the Venture Capital’ event and the city’s first ever TechCabaret, developed by the team behind Culture Night. TechXplore organiser & MW Advocate Partner Carl Whyte said: “In a world where the largest accommodation provider doesn’t owns a single bedroom and the fastest growing taxi operator doesn’t own a car, businesses like AirBnB and Uber show a pattern emerging
of consumers and vendors more willing to share their resources than ever before. This trend is something that businesses in Belfast can harness to their advantage allowing them to compete globally.” Lord Mayor Arder Carson said: “Belfast City Council is committed to promoting technology and business start-ups as well as encouraging economic growth across a wide range of sectors and industries. TechXplore allows local companies and organisations to learn from and build connections with national and international experts in various technologies and industries. This year’s event is the biggest yet and we look forward to building and supporting new business relationships in our tech and start-up sectors.” Kathryn Walls, Director at Mills Selig added: “The global technological revolution means that companies here in Belfast now have unparalleled access to international markets. If you have a solid business idea, today’s digital technology and investment structures means that you can make it happen. TechXplore brings together local organisations and businesses with national and international experts to share experience and hopefully new ventures will result from today’s event.” TechXplore speakers included Jon Vanhala,
Pictured at the third TechXplore event are (l-r): Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Guy Spence; Kathryn Walls, Mills Selig and Carl Whyte, Partner MW Advocate and organiser of TechXplore.
former Head of Digital at Universal Music; US music expert Bill Campbell; social media guru David Levin; Amanda Hale from US political news site TalkingPointsMemo. com as well as a host of local speakers including Danny Turley, Performa Sports; Tracy Keogh; Godfrey Gaston from Titan IC Systems; Chris Sherrard from Belfast Live, Joe Galvin, Europe News Editor of Storyful; Dr Tom Lynch from Experior Medical and Mark Lee from the Department of Health. The event also included the city’s first TechCabaret and a ‘Meet the VC’ event.
i3 Digital serves up more Breakfast Bytes
F
riday 2nd October sees the return of Breakfast Bytes, the digital technology and marketing initiative managed by i3 Digital and Ulster Business magazine.
The series of morning seminars combines local businesses to discuss, debate, and learn about the range of digital technologies and online marketing strategies within reach of businesses right now. In the past two events, organisations attending include Invest NI, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 3fivetwo Group, Randox Laboratories, Abacus Recruitment, Irwin’s Bread, and many more. The free events are open to all organisations within a specific
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sector spotlight, with the next edition focusing on Food and Drink organisations within Northern Ireland. We’ll discuss the digital and online pitfalls and opportunities available to our food sector, one of Northern Ireland’s global sources of pride and innovation. The seminar will take place at i3 Digital’s Belfast headquarters on Friday 2nd October from 9am-11:30am, with a delicious (local) breakfast and fantastic networking opportunity thrown in for good measure! All Breakfast Byte seminars are small, informal occasions, with joint learning and sharing the main them of each event! All local food and drink organisations can register interest at www.i3digital.com/Event, or by calling 028 9044 7800.
Stay connected
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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Europe needs to get its swagger back We need to stand up taller, push those shoulders out and even get back a bit of swagger, says Rain Newton-Smith, CBI director of economics
W
ith all the coverage of economic crisis in Greece, we’ve forgotten some of the positive stories. That was the conclusion of a group of dynamic Young Global Leaders (YGLs) brought together by the World Economic Forum at their Annual conference in Geneva to discuss the Future of Europe. Europe is an economy that’s growing but you wouldn’t know that from the headlines, inevitably focused on the crisis in Greece. While Eurozone growth in Q2 was a bit disappointing at 0.3% on the quarter, we expect domestic demand to grow at its fastest rate this year since the financial crisis supported by low oil prices and stronger consumption. There’s no doubt there are still plenty of challenges for Europe, not least the challenge for the younger generation who are facing much higher unemployment rates than their parents had to deal with, but there’s also plenty to shout about. Europe has been at the forefront of presenting solutions to the world’s global challenges including climate change, from the adoption of renewables in Germany, to the pace of improved energy efficiency in the UK. And many companies within Europe have embraced the circular economy, with disruptive technology a catalyst to look at how products can be designed from the outset to make more of the content reusable at the end of its cycle.
Rain Newton-Smith
and services across the web in the same way the single market in tourism transformed our holidays. Wouldn’t it be great if you could travel between countries on the same mobile phone package? Or shop in any EU country, confident you are getting the same deal as other EU consumers? For entrepreneurs, a simpler, common set of regulations on labelling to marketing would help them to reach Europe’s 500 million consumers better and more effectively. To facilitate this, we need reliable, high speed internet connections across Europe. Good digital infrastructure boosts growth, creates job and improves the access to learning and other facilities. According to the European Commission, connecting 10% more households to high-speed broadband could generate up to 1.5% GDP growth and create 20 million more jobs by 2020.
Or taken advantage of the digital economy to match those who have needs with those who have unused resources to foster growth in the sharing economy. These new business models have the digital economy at their heart.
But yet we’re not hearing enough of these positive stories. Of how companies in Europe have grasped new business models or how the harmonization of policy is paving the way for these businesses to grow.
So to really capture its growth potential, Europe needs to keep accelerating the move to a digital single market. It’s made tracks on this recently. The digital single market aims to facilitate trade in goods
We’re not hearing enough from the young in Europe who see and create the real opportunities from technology. YGLs vowed to get these voices heard. Let’s make sure we listen.
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Flags, firebombs & flashbacks
IT & Technology
Sponsored by
Nitec Security Sauce. IT & TECHNOLOGY
The recipe for mobile success
U
p until recently, remoteworking was more of a chore than a pleasure.
Stilted fixed and mobile broadband connections, unintegrated IT systems and a scepticism about the practice amongst most managers meant it wasn’t encouraged by many companies and actively discouraged by others. For those trying to work from home, from sites or on-the-move, processes which took minutes at the office desk could end up taking hours in the field and productivity took a nose dive. But time is a great healer, as is the advent of faster, more integrated technology and a steroid boost to mobile broadband connectivity and that’s meant working away from the office is now not just possible but actively encouraged.
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For those facing an increasingly long and gruelling commute or who need to be out on the road visiting clients, that’s good news and will be welcomed wholeheartedly.
“A high performance laptop and broadband connection (either wireless or mobile) are the obvious musthaves.” So what, from a technology point of view, is needed to make sure your transition away from the desk is as seamless as possible? A high performance laptop and broadband connection (either wireless or mobile)
are the obvious must-haves but there are also a plethora of other applications and online tools that can be a huge benefit.
Communications They fall into the broad categories of voice-over-internet-protocal (VoIP), conferencing and instant messaging applications and there are some clear winners, according to a recent survey of 44,000 workers worldwide by Regus. Around 60% of respondents said Skype was the tool they used the most to stay in touch with the office and with clients across the globe. It’s use for both voice and video calls has made it the most popular but it was closely followed by WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger (see Figure 2). The second and third placed apps may come
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34% has been paid for by employers with the remainder having to foot the bill themselves. But those that do are reckoned to have saved themselves over £2,000 a year on running costs compared to a conventional office space.
“Around 60% of respondents said Skype was the tool they used the most.” So it seems that remote working won’t be curtailed by technology in the future and could, in fact, be used as a means of attracting talented staff, according to Regus. as a surprise to some managers, given they are portrayed more as social media tools than business, but reveal a workplace where all and every means of communication are used in the work environment. Others include Viber, WeChat, LINE and QQ, and even teenager-favourite Snapchat gets a mention from 4% of respondents.
“Dropbox is the most popular (tool) with 56% of remote workers surveyed using the application.”
TeamViewer, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Remote Desktop (see Figure 3).
Cloud And it seems remote working is driving up the use of cloud-based applications. When it comes to which regions are using the cloud most, the results may surprise. Brazil tops the list with 94% of respondents there regularly hooking up with the cloud, closely followed by Mexico, China and the Netherlands.
Costs When it comes to the cost of making sure home offices are fitted out properly, only
“Businesses that are attuned with the needs of their workers and savvy to ways of attracting prospective staff, are offering workers more flexible working as a way of reducing commuting and of increasing productivity,” it said. “As more and more workers spend time working out of the office, and with Millenials driving the demand for remote working, a growing number of remote working tools and applications are also taking over on the market. “In fact, thanks to tools such as Skype, WhatsApp, WeChat and Google Hangouts, workers can stay in touch with their colleagues, desktops and servers wherever they choose to work.”
Sharing Accessing shared drives or large files is also a key consideration for remote workers and can be a big hurdle. That’s been answered by a surge in the number of tools which allow access of documents and remote desktops or servers. According to the Regus survey, Dropbox is the most popular with 56% of remote workers surveyed using the application. Google Drive comes in second place with 43% and is followed by the likes of
SEPTEMBER 2015
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IT & TECHNOLOGY
Tech on the go Gareth Tolerton, Chief Technology Officer at TotalMobile on the future of mobile working In the private sector, our relationship with Allianz is enabling engineering inspectors to do all of their work onsite. No need for form filling or data input at a later stage. The customer gets their information immediately and the inspector simply moves straight away onto the next job. There are no doubt potential applications for wearables – such as Apple Watch – in both the public and private sectors. And we currently have a number of such projects underway. But it’s certainly fair to say that wearables aren’t mainstream. Loan workers operating in potentially socially dangerous situations are one niche group where Apple Watch has benefits – from a safety perspective, and enabling them to view their workload on the move. There are also potential applications for workers who need access to data whilst they are using their hands for other things. An example might be a surgeon using something like Google Glass to view information during a procedure, or stock pickers in a warehouse, who would otherwise need a stock list in their hands. One of the less talked about benefits of mobile working is that it provides new data that can drive more intelligent analytics, with insights and better-informed decision-making that can lead to better business decisions and strategies. Harnessing this data will lead to the next level of mobile-initiated performance gains.
T
he exciting news is that, in many respects, the future of mobile working is already here. Some niche areas will certainly benefit from the further development of wearables (more on that later). But, for the most part, the future is going to be about making what’s already available ‘better’ and more widely adopted. And a big part of that is going to be joining up the data. Take the health and social care sectors for instance. TotalMobile’s software is already helping thousands of frontline workers, such as community nurses, to avoid the time, hassle and cost of having to return to the office. By moving their workflows to the TotalMobile app on their mobile device of choice, and integrating with the respective trust’s IT systems, they are being saved hours of admin and travel time, which in turn is saving the trust large sums of money.
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But on the whole, it’s the interoperability of systems that will perhaps make the biggest difference in terms of the further development of mobile working. Behind every mobile device is an array of data that is often on different, incompatible systems. Making it available in an integrated, user-friendly way is the key. This is particularly true in relation to health and social care, where integrated care is the ‘Holy Grail’. Currently, there is a lack of integration across care services. Interoperability between information systems remains problematic, and current approaches do not fit the needs of current policy, or the aspirations of a rapidly evolving market. To this end, TotalMobile has signed techUK’s Health and Social Care Interoperability Charter to address the challenge. This commits to ensuring information systems are a key enabler of integrated care, and aims to enable the free-flow of patient information between products, and across the care spectrum.
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Fastest-growing tech company in NI set to be revealed and marketplace vision to achieve the status of high-growth leaders.” He added: “The awards provide an important platform for local firms to showcase their talents and achieve recognition in the wider marketplace. Instil found that its high ranking went on to boost its presence within Northern Ireland and further afield.” In addition to the overall Fast 50 ranking, the Rising Star category will honour two up-and-coming companies who have been in business for less than four years.
David Crawford
T
he fastest-growing tech company in Northern Ireland will be announced in the coming weeks at the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 awards ceremony on 13 November 2015. Now in its 16th year, the contest is one of the longest standing on the island of Ireland. It not only honours the very best of the indigenous technology sector, but also recognises companies that have demonstrated exceptional growth in turnover during the last four years. Last year’s Fast 50 saw 13 local firms occupying places on the listing, with Belfast-based software development consultancy Instil taking the top place for Northern Ireland at number six. The awards demonstrate the contribution the indigenous technology sector makes to the Northern Ireland economy. Cumulatively, the 2014 Fast 50 winners generated approximately £250m in
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total annual revenues in 2013, with an impressive average growth rate of 276%. The deadline for entries for this year’s awards closed a week ago and applications had been received from companies across the technology spectrum, including software, hardware, communications, media, clean-tech and life sciences. David Crawford, technology partner at Deloitte, said: “The technology sector in Northern Ireland has really come alive in the last twelve months and we are looking forward to this year’s listing with great anticipation. We have seen an acceleration in growth in many of our indigenous companies and this is being driven by innovative ideas that have the potential to reach out to new export markets. “The Deloitte Fast 50 ranking will feature both private and public listed technology companies that have demonstrated creative strategies, sound management practices
This year’s awards also see the introduction of six new categories including the Export award, in association with Intel, the Research & Development award, in association with Groupon and the Employment Creation award, in association with Facebook. Mr Crawford continued: “We have responded to the growth of the sector with the introduction of new awards which we believe will recognise companies that are excelling in the areas that truly demonstrate the value and strength of technology. We are thrilled to have such key players in the multinational sector supporting these new awards. It reflects the collaborative nature of the entire industry here.” He concluded: “In addition, we are now measuring turnover growth for a minimum of four years rather than five. This is a change we have made to cater for the fast-growth nature of the technology sector across the island of Ireland. We look forward to seeing how these changes will impact on this year’s Fast 50 ranking announcement.” For more details on the awards, please visit www.fast50.ie
Which Office 365 benefit will prove most valuable for you?
M
icrosoft’s Office 365 has been
applications we are all accustomed to. By
join or start a meeting with just one click to
pitched as ‘the best-in-class,
choosing Office 365, you can have access to
access HD video, screen sharing and real-
integrated, cloud-based
the best and latest versions of the full Office
time note taking.
productivity tool for small and medium
desktop applications thanks to the on-going
businesses’. It helps SMEs to serve their
automatic but unobtrusive updates. This
The pricing plans can also prove very
customers, protect their business and
includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook,
attractive for SME’s, especially those with
keep ahead of the competition.
OneNote and Publisher.
a close eye on managing the IT budget.
Office 365 provides an extensive list of
Office 365 enables you to work on any
‘pay per user’ monthly pricing will make
benefits for SME’s. So which of these could
device, from desktop, to laptop and tablet
Office 365 even more appealing to you. The
prove most valuable for your business?
to phone including iOS and Android devices.
flexibility of this means you won’t be paying
Files and settings are synced from one
for any more users than you require as your
You never know where and when your next
device to the next providing flexibility and
staffing numbers change.
opportunity is going to present itself. Office
dependability for your team.
If minimising costs is your focus then the
365 ensures you are always prepared to catch
Regardless of which benefit could prove most
every opportunity with the flexibility to work in
Collaboration is facilitated by Office 365
advantageous to your business, they are
or out of the office.
making working together with your team more
all available on an affordable monthly basis.
manageable even if you aren’t in the same
This will allow you to work and collaborate
With the ability to work from virtually
office, or even the same country. You can
anywhere on your favourite device, connect
anywhere, employees can still access all of
securely access and edit documents in real
with your team and access the latest versions
their documents and Office applications with
time across devices so you and your team are
of your documents whenever you need them.
the same consistent experience as if they
always working on the correct version.
were in the office. Skype for business makes it easy for people
For more information contact
Another big appeal of Office 365 is that it
to meet and connect online, from wherever
P2V Systems on 028 9252 8528 or
features the same trusted and familiar Office
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Ofcom: Smartphone ownership surging in NI Elsewhere, Ofcom’s Communications Market Report reveals another rise in tablet ownership in Northern Ireland. Around 54% of households now have one of these, up from just 2% in 2011. Linked to the rise in smartphone and tablet ownership, there has also been a marked increase in the amount of time people in Northern Ireland spend online, up from 13 hours and 48 minutes a week to 21 hours and 36 minutes a week. This is above the UK average and highest of the four UK nations.
Jonathan Rose, Ofcom Northern Ireland Director
S
martphones are in the pockets of nearly two-thirds (63%) of Northern Ireland adults and have now overtaken laptops as the most popular device for getting online, according to Ofcom’s latest Communications Market Report. The report, which is available online, has a wealth of information about the sectors Ofcom regulates, from TV and radio, through to telecoms and post but this year the strongest news angle revolves around the rapid growth in smartphone ownership and how this is changing not just how we go online, but what we do online. People are increasingly relying on their smartphones to get around, check the weather, update social media and capture memorable moments. In the process, they are racking up nearly two hours (1 hour and 54 minutes) on these devices every day. The surge is being driven by the increasing take-up of 4G mobile broadband, providing faster online access.
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Smartphone users with 4G are shopping online more than those without 4G; banking more online; watching more TV and video clips online; making more face-to-face and voice calls over the internet; using services such as Snapchat to send more photos and videos; and instant messaging more with services such as WhatsApp. Jonathan Rose, Ofcom Northern Ireland Director, said: “Northern Ireland is becoming a nation of smartphone users and the continued expansion of 4G services should mean further growth in the year ahead, as consumers take advantage of new features and apps that exploit the increased speed offered by this technology. “But not everyone has access to good broadband and mobile coverage. Ofcom wants to see the widest possible availability of communications services and is considering what further options might be available to improve coverage, both mobile and fixed-line broadband, as part of its Digital Communications Review.”
Looking at the infrastructure used to deliver these services, the report shows that 77% of premises in Northern Ireland have access to superfast broadband services (>30Mbits/s), which is higher than Scotland but lower than Wales and England. However, broadband take-up in Northern Ireland is below the UK average, with 72% of homes having a broadband connection (fixed and mobile) compared to 80% for the UK as a whole. Meanwhile, latest figures show 4G mobile coverage from at least one operator was available to 91.1% of premises in Northern Ireland in May 2015. This was the second highest of the UK nations, behind England. Facebook remains the most popular social networking website with 65% of adults saying they have used the site, followed by Whatsapp (40%) and Twitter (33%). Nearly a quarter of adults (23%) admit to being “hooked” on social media. Despite the rise in online activity, traditional media remains popular. Ofcom’s research shows that TV is still by far the most important source of news in Northern Ireland, followed by radio and newspapers.
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Cyber-attack – think inevitable, then prepare for it Protecting your IT infrastructure from a breach of security is more important than ever, say Ronan Magee and Glen Donaldson from PwC.
N
ew Yorker magazine published a cartoon showing an Alsatian and a cocker spaniel busily typing on a pair of computer keyboards. Underneath, the caption read: “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” The truth is that when an email invoice from a supplier pops up in your inbox, it could equally well have come from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or a Nigerian scammer. Last year alone, UK holidaymakers were scammed out of £2.2m, buying phantom timeshares and renting villas that didn’t exist, while £24m was conned from credit card holders, persuaded to part with card details over the phone. It’s tough for anyone conned, but ask Google for ‘insurance against credit card cyber fraud’ and you’ll get 3.3 million hits in 0.31 seconds. So, while the average citizen may be a sitting target for scammers, fraudsters and cyber touts, they can take out some level of insurance in the hope of mitigating some of their loss. But when it comes to the premier league of cybercrime, businesses are the big targets. The
2015 Information Security Breaches Survey, conducted by PwC for the UK Government found that 74% of all SMEs suffered a cyber-attack in the previous 12 months – up from 60% the year before – with the cost of a major strike ranging from £75,000 to £311,000. The survey also revealed that 90% of large organisations had a security breach in the last 12 months – also up from 81% in the previous year, with these breaches costing on average, £1.46m - £3.14m. With around one-in-ten UK organisations in 2014 being so badly damaged by a cyberattack that they had to change the nature of their business, the insurance industry is starting to focus on mitigating business risk. PwC is already the nominated cyber advisor to a number of leading Insurers and this has led, in turn, to the launch of PwC’s Breach aid, the first fully end-to-end support network for organisations experiencing cyber-attacks. In recent weeks a Northern Ireland company was brought to the brink of collapse after its computer systems were hacked by an international criminal gang that planted so-called, ‘ransomware’ and threatened to destroy the organisation’s records unless a ransom was paid. With the PSNI confirming that local companies are being targeted on a daily basis by criminals trying to steal data, commit fraud and blackmail, the inevitable conclusion from the available evidence is that the average Northern Ireland business, regardless of size, will become a cybercrime victim. The question is not if, but when. PwC’s Breach aid (breachaid@uk.pwc.com) provides 24/7 access to an experienced
team of incident response professionals who work with organisations suspecting or actually experiencing a breach. From initial technical investigation and resolution through to risk and business management, legal advice and regulation, Breach aid is already mitigating financial, data and other losses for organisations across the UK. Yet, despite the virtual inevitability of cyber-attack, a third of the organisations in the UK-wide 2015 Information Security Breaches Survey had not undertaken any form of risk assessment in the previous year. So, despite the increase in frequency, cost and the publicity surrounding the problem, a significant number of organisations remain wholly ambivalent to the threat of a cyber-attack. Nevertheless, cyber insurance has been identified as a growth area for insurers. It is still however largely seen as being niche, with the Lloyds market leading the way. This is in part due to a low uptake of cyber insurance from organisations, and also a lack of real data available to insurers to accurately assess individual risks. But as cybercrime soars, the insurance industry is responding fast. In the recent PwC 2015 Insurance Banana Skins survey, which mirrors the views of the UK Insurance industry, UK insurers identified cyber risk as their top concern. The problem remains however, that insurers find cyber risks difficult to model due to the complexity and variances of client systems, and the potential financial liability that an attack could expose an Insurer to. A single cyber-attack could have a global
Ronan Magee (left) and Glen Donaldson
effect on an international organisation, unlike a natural disaster which tends to be geographically confined, and this exposes insurers to a greater degree than they may be comfortable with, hence some have imposed a cap on indemnity limits and/ or the extent of cover they will provide. Despite the absence of hard and reliable market data, the insurance industry is doing more than just testing the water and there is growing evidence that cyber insurance has been profitable for those insurers who do write it. It’s been estimated that there is a current spend of just 10% on claims against premium income, and with such a profitable return, it is anticipated that more insurers will develop expertise in this area and seek to grow their books. Indeed, in recent months a number of the composite/ general insurers have entered the cyber insurance market, offering cover to SMEs. This comes after a recent report highlighted that businesses were over-estimating the extent to which they were covered under their current insurance policies for cyber risk, potentially magnifying the exposure of organisations to catastrophic cyber-attacks. So, in a bid to encourage greater adoption of cyber insurance cover among SMEs, 13 participating insurers are including the Government’s Cyber Essentials accreditation certificate as part of their risk assessment
for SMEs when taking cyber insurance coverage. The Cyber Essentials scheme (http://bit.ly/1FbYbm6) provides a clear statement of the controls organisations should have in place to mitigate the risk of internet-based threat and the accreditation framework offers a mechanism whereby the organisation can demonstrate to customers, investors, insurers and others that these precautions are in place. PwC is the nominated cyber expert for a number of UK Insurers, responding to notification of a claim to investigate the cause of the breach and quickly identify the measures required to stop an ongoing attack. PwC also assists organisations and Insurers to calculate the cost of a cyberbreach in terms of business interruption, loss of income and the increased costs of working. Typically, the PwC Insurance Claims Services team work with organisations that have suffered significant property damage and business interruption losses that have resulted in large claims being presented to their insurers. In a number of cases, the magnitude of these losses has been such that if not managed properly from the outset, they had the potential to be fatal to the ongoing operations of our clients. This very real threat is compounded by the competing priorities that the organisation faces in what tends to be a unique, and largely unanticipated situation.
We increasingly find that unless the client has obtained early expert claims assistance, they have been required to divert a significant amount of their own resource and time to liaise with their insurers and various insurance experts in order to present their claim, which in large losses can take months and even years. This alone can detract from the critical management of ongoing ‘business as usual’ operations – maintaining service and production/output, whilst retaining their clients and customers, their market position and preserving their reputation. Cybercrime is rife, growing and, for most companies there is a virtual inevitability of becoming a victim and bearing a cost that could prove fatal. As the instances of cyber-attack increase, the necessity of putting cybercrime on the boardroom agenda is not enough. Combining the Cyber Essentials framework, insurance and having professional expertise on standby won’t postpone the almost inevitable, but collectively, they may make a lot of the pain go away.
Glen Donaldson is senior manager with PwC. He can be contacted on +44 (0)28 9034 6824 or email: glen.f.donaldson@uk.pwc.com. Ronan Magee is senior manager - Cyber Security. He can be contacted on +44 (0)28 9041 5684 or email: ronan.magee@uk.pwc.com
IT & TECHNOLOGY
Great design sells, and customer care matters
D
id you know that in an entire day, we’re likely to see around 3,500 marketing messages? That’s a lot of info-clutter, and let’s be honest, most of it we won’t even notice. So how do consumer brands stand out amid this information overload and really grasp our attention? Well, in many cases it comes down to well-designed packaging that not only looks good, but also feels good to the touch. And behind great design, is great Apple Mac technology, supplied, installed and commissioned by local IT support companies such as EOS Systems of Belfast.
“EOS Systems is a local, brick-and-mortar company, staffed by people who genuinely seem to care about their customers.” “We have been working with Northern Ireland’s design sector for over 20 years, and the one thing that has remained constant throughout that time is that when it comes to technology, design studios can’t afford to stand still,” says Paul Mayne, director at EOS Systems. “It’s imperative for them to stay at the very edge of what’s new in order to surpass their clients’ expectations. We saw this in action recently, when we helped packaging specialists MSO upgrade their design studio, Loop Design, as well as their reprographic department. We also specified a new high-end proofing solution to produce certified colour proofs. The feedback we’re getting is that the new Apple technology
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The proof is in the printing. Paul Mayne, director at EOS Systems (left) examines quality print work with MSO commercial manager, Robin Agnew.
and calibrated large format colour proofing system have helped to transform their creative output.” MSO commercial manager, Robin Agnew, concurs with Paul’s assessment. Indeed he believes that now more than ever, packaging design matters. “We run a large design team at Loop Design and we know that with so many products out there, packaging design is more important than ever. It’s not enough for us to simply respond to what our customers think they want. The market is evolving and growing in sophistication, so we have to suggest innovative design layouts and cutting edge print substrates that will endorse their brand values, meet their budget parameters, and scream ‘buy me!’ With our existing Mac suite nearing end of life, EOS Systems provided an Apple-based solution incorporating workstations and servers, along with a bespoke 10-colour proofing system. I have
to say that with their help, our creative output has really moved to the next level.” Interestingly though, it seems that amid all this new, high-end technology, when it comes to choosing your IT support partner, some good old-fashioned values still apply. “One of the reasons we stay with EOS Systems is that they always answer their phone,” says Robin. “Yes, there are larger national providers out there, but EOS Systems is a local, brick-andmortar company, staffed by people who genuinely seem to care about their customers. Their handling of our system installation was seamless and they were even on hand to iron out a number of technical glitches which were not related to their installation. That’s what I call customer care.” To find out how EOS Systems can help your design studio or business with its IT requirements, call Paul Mayne today on 028 9045 9222 or email: paul@eossystems.co.uk
Acorn IT Solutions: as solid as oak Who We are? Established in April 2002, Acorn IT Solutions are recognised by Sage as being one of the largest fully accredited Sage Business Partners. Based in Northern Ireland and deploying Sage Accounting software and CRM solutions to 300 businesses throughout the UK and Ireland. In addition to the core products, we also offer to our customers bespoke development – ensuring that their software meets all their business requirements and training and support on the full range of Sage products. With over 20 years’ experience our dedicated team of consultants and support staff and our dedication to our customers has received recognition with the Sage channel itself, with Acorn IT being awarded the prestigious Sage ‘Circle of Excellence’ on three different occasions. With our wealth of knowledge and experience across the Sage range of software, our customers receive the highest standard of service and communication through all levels of support.
IntroducIng Sage 200 v2015 One product in particular that we at Acorn IT Solutions are very
excited about this year is the launch of Sage 200 v2015. The latest release will offer its customer – both new and existing, a wide range of new and exciting features. Sage 200 v2015 promises to deliver to its users an extraordinary customer experience, as it was built in response to customer feedback. The three key themes that run from this release are: Improved Usability, Modernisation and User Flexibility. Sage 200 software is a business-wide software solution for growing businesses. It helps customers manage their finances, sales and business insights all in one easy solution. It is designed to help you share data easily, work smarter and ensure that your whole business works together efficiently. Sage 200 is a full Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution and helps SMEs get full visibility of information across their entire business. Offering its customers a wide range of choices so you can choose the modules and features that are right for your business and it’s fully customisable, so you can match the solution to the way your business works. For more information contact: 028 7964 4975; info@acornitsolutions.com; www.acornitsolutions.com or Twitter: @Acorn_IT
PROFILE
From left to right: Lesley Eccles, Rob Jones, Nigel Eccles, Tom Griffiths and Chris Stafford.
Eyes on the prize Now on course to become one of Northern Ireland’s most successful businessmen, Tyrone man Nigel Eccles is the CEO of FanDuel – a company that’s seen 300% growth year on year, and raised a colossal $363m to date. Ulster Business caught up with Nigel ahead of his appearance at the ICONS Festival in Titanic Quarter later this month
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espite FanDuel not being a household name in the UK, across the Atlantic it’s an entirely different story. FanDuel is a movement that’s gathering pace and participants at a staggering rate. Featured in Fox Sports, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch and Forbes to list but a few, FanDuel has captivated its American audience, becoming the global leader in online daily fantasy sports. This year the company are scheduled to pay out $2bn in cash prizes, at a colossal $75m a week.
need to be willing to travel a lot and build up an international network,” he says. Nigel runs the business with his wife Lesley, whom he met whilst studying at St Andrews University. Now based in Edinburgh, the husband and wife team work alongside another three co-founders – Tom Griffiths, Rob Jones and Chris Stafford. “We pioneered online daily fantasy sports, an exciting concept that has transformed the fantasy sports industry in North America,” said Nigel.
Setting up his company just six years ago, Nigel Eccles is the definition of an astute businessman. Knowing the perils of business all too well, he is keen to inspire and nurture the talent of his native Northern Ireland. According to Nigel, if he has advice for local entrepreneurs, it’s simply to raise ambitions and to think big early.
“Traditionally fantasy sports were based on a season-long format and there had been little innovation within the market. The launch of FanDuel and daily fantasy sports created a faster-paced game for users, that required less commitment, enabled more opportunities for winning and also offered a mobile experience for users”.
“It really is the same for entrepreneurs anywhere. The biggest challenge is getting started and going all-in. For entrepreneurs in Ireland and Europe more generally, you need to think international early and you
Providing the perfect example of how the internet can create a multi-million turnover company in a short period of time, Nigel and Lesley plunged all their life savings into the endeavour, taking a risk that has paid off
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handsomely. FanDuel has its sights set firmly on scaling the business, with expansions to current offices set to commence later this year. “We’re committed to continuing to deliver an innovative exciting product. We are in the games business so there is always a risk that the game gets old. We need to continue to innovate to keep the game fresh every season,” he said. Nigel Eccles is set to return to the shores of the Emerald Isle this month to speak at the inaugural ICONS Festival, a high-level tech conference partnered with an experiential music and film festival backdrop, being held at Titanic Quarter from September 24-27. Alongside leading figures within the creative industries, Nigel will be on hand to share his knowledge and expertise, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and students from Northern Ireland. To see Nigel speaking at the ICONS Festival alongside world-class speakers, global brands, Ireland’s biggest Careers Carnival and the very best in the startup scene, log on to festivaloficons.com
Employment Law & Dispute Resolution
Employment Law & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Don’t overlook the fine print Employment contracts are one of the most important documents in any organisation and should be updated on a regular basis. What do you, as an employer, need to be aware off when designing yours? The Department of Work and Pensions offers up a few pointers. 36
Employment Law & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
to a contract until it ends (eg by an employer or employee giving notice or an employee being dismissed) or until the terms are changed (usually by agreement between the employee and employer). If a person has an agreement to do some work for someone (like paint their house), this isn’t an employment contract but a ‘contract to provide services’.
Accepting a contract As soon as someone accepts a job offer they have a contract with their employer. An employment contract doesn’t have to be written down.
Contract terms The legal parts of a contract are known as ‘terms’. An employer should make clear which parts of a contract are legally binding. Contract terms could be: • in a written contract, or similar document like a written statement of employment • verbally agreed • in an employee handbook or on a company notice board • in an offer letter from the employer • required by law (e.g. an employer must pay employees at least the National Minimum Wage) • in collective agreements - negotiated agreements between employers and trade unions or staff associations • implied terms - automatically part of a contract even if they’re not written down
Implied terms
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ll employees have an employment contract with their employer. A contract is an agreement that sets out an employee’s: • employment conditions • rights • responsibilities • duties These are called the ‘terms’ of the contract. Employees and employers must stick
SEPTEMBER 2015
If there’s nothing clearly agreed between you and your employer about a particular issue, it may be covered by an implied term - for example: • employees not stealing from their employer • your employer providing a safe and secure working environment • a legal requirement like the right to a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ paid holidays • something necessary to do the job like a driver having a valid licence • something that’s been done regularly in a company over a long time like paying a Christmas bonus
Collective agreements An employer may have an agreement with employees’ representatives (from trade unions or staff associations) that allows negotiations of terms and conditions like pay or working hours. This is called a collective agreement. The terms of the agreement could include: • how negotiations will be organised • who will represent employees • which employees are covered by the agreement • which terms and conditions the agreement will cover
Written statement of employment particulars An employer must give employees a ‘written statement of employment particulars’ if their employment contract lasts at least a month or more. This isn’t an employment contract but will include the main conditions of employment. The employer must provide the written statement within two months of the start of employment. If an employee works abroad for more than a month during their first two months’ employment, the employer must give them the written statement before they leave.
What a written statement must include A written statement can be made up of more than one document (if the employer gives employees different sections of their statement at different times). If this does happen, one of the documents (called the ‘principal statement’) must include at least: • the business’s name • the employee’s name, job title or a description of work and start date • if a previous job counts towards a period of continuous employment, the date the period started • how much and how often an employee will get paid • hours of work (and if employees will have to work Sundays, nights or overtime • holiday entitlement (and if that includes public holidays) • where an employee will be working and whether they might have to relocate >
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Employment Law & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
• if an employee works in different places, where these will be and what the employer’s address is As well as the principal statement, a written statement must also contain information about: • how long a temporary job is expected to last • the end date of a fixed-term contract • notice periods • collective agreements • pensions • who to go to with a grievance • how to complain about how a grievance is handled • how to complain about a disciplinary or dismissal decision
Employers can download a template of a written statement of particulars to fill out.
“An employer must give employees a ‘written statement of employment particulars’ if their employment contract lasts at least a month or more.” Working abroad
What a written statement doesn’t need to include The written statement doesn’t need to cover the following (but it must say where the information can be found): • sick pay and procedures • disciplinary and dismissal procedures • grievance procedures In Northern Ireland, a written statement must explain what the disciplinary rules and procedures are.
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If an employee has to work abroad for more than a month, their employer must state: • how long they’ll be abroad • what currency they’ll be paid in • what additional pay or benefits they’ll get • terms relating to their return to the UK This information can be given to the employee in a separate document. An employer may send an employee to another country in the European Economic Area (EEA). In this situation employees
must get the terms and conditions that are the legal minimum in that country for: • working hours and rest breaks • holiday entitlement • minimum pay (including overtime) • Problems with a written statement If an employee has a problem receiving their written statement, they could: • Try to solve the problem with their employer informally. • If this doesn’t work, take out a grievance against their employer (employers can also get advice about handling grievances). • Take a case to an employment tribunal as a last resort. In Northern Ireland, a case would be taken to an industrial tribunal. • The tribunal will decide what the employment particulars in the statement should have been.
Compensation If an employee wins a case about another issue (eg unfair dismissal), the tribunal may award compensation if there’s been a problem with their written statement as well. Compensation can be two or four week’s pay although there’s a limit on how much a tribunal will award for a week’s pay.
Holiday Pay – no break for Employers There has been another important judgment in the long running saga regarding the calculation of holiday pay. In the recent case of Patterson v Castlereagh Borough Council, the Northern Irish Court of Appeal has ruled there is no reason why voluntary overtime (overtime which the employer is not obliged to offer and the worker is not obliged to fulfil) should not be considered when calculating an employee’s holiday pay. Holiday pay entitlement derives from the EU Working Time Directive and is calculated by reference to an employee’s “normal” pay over a 12-week period. The issue as to which elements of an employee’s salary constitute “normal pay” however, has generated significant debate and case law in recent years. In determining that ‘normal pay’ for pilots should include basic salary as well as allowances for time spent flying and time away from home, the Court of Justice of the European Union stated in the 2012 case of British Airways Plc v Williams that; “workers must receive their normal remuneration for that period of rest” and “that the purpose of the requirement of payment for that leave is to put the worker, during such leave, in a position which is, as regards remuneration, comparable to periods of work.” This case was followed in 2014 by the determination of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Lock v British Gas Trading Ltd which held that an employee whose pay consisted of a basic salary and commission was entitled to have that commission included in their calculation of holiday pay. The scope of what constitutes ‘normal pay’ was further extended in the conjoined cases of Bear Scotland Limited v Fulton and Baxter, Hertel (UK) Limited v Wood and others, and Amec Group Limited v Law and others where the Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed that ‘non-guaranteed overtime’ (overtime which an employer is not obliged to offer but which, if offered, a worker is contractually obliged to accept) can fall within the definition of “normal pay” set out in the EU Working Time Directive and therefore should be included in the calculation of a worker’s holiday pay.
Jan Cunningham Partner jan.cunningham@mmwlegal.com
Kevin Gallagher Solicitor kevin.gallagher@mmwlegal.com
The decision in the case of Patterson v Castlereagh Borough Council reflects the current tide of caselaw in this area. In providing the Court of Appeal’s judgement, Lord Justice Gillen reiterated the principles set out in the Bear Scotland judgement “that a worker should not have any disincentive placed in his path that may lead to him not taking his holidays – if he comes to expect a certain level of pay as normal then he should receive that during his holiday period.” Unhelpfully however the Court of Appeal did not make a ruling as to the correct manner in which to treat voluntary overtime instead stating that it was up to each Tribunal to determine whether it constitutes an employees ‘normal pay’ on the facts before it. The case has been remitted to a fresh Tribunal to be decided upon and hopefully we will be provided with further guidance in this regard relatively shortly.
For more information and advice in relation to calculation of holiday pay please contact Millar McCall Wylie on 028 9020 0050 and ask to speak with a member of our Employment department.
McNally LouiseLouise McNally Solicitor louise.mcnally@mmwlegal.com
mmw Millar McCall Wylie
EMPLOYMENT LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Religious rights versus gay rights – the Ashers case
By Maxine Orr
a cake for the event. He had previously purchased items at this branch of Ashers and had become aware from a leaflet that he could have a cake iced with a graphic of his own design. He placed the order in and around 8th or 9th May 2014. His order was accepted without comment, however on 12 May 2014 he received a phone call from Ashers stating that they should not have taken the order, they apologised and stated that the order could not be fulfilled as they are a Christian business. Mr Lee was unable to find another bakery in time to provide a cake with the required design. The logo on the cake was a coloured picture of “Bert and Ernie”, the logo of QueerSpace and the headline caption “Support Gay Marriage”.
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n the recent case of Gareth Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd, the County Court in Northern Ireland had to consider the issue of competing rights of homosexuals against the rights of Ashers Baking Company Ltd in its refusal to supply a cake with a “Support Gay Marriage” caption/slogan. The directors of Asher’s contended this conflicted with their freedom of conscience or religious belief. Mr Gareth Lee, a gay man, is associated with an organisation called QueerSpace which is a volunteer led organisation for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community in Northern Ireland. He was planning to attend a private event on Friday 17 May 2014 to mark the end of the Northern Ireland anti-homophobia week and to mark the political momentum towards legislation for same-sex marriage. He decided to purchase
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The directors in Ashers contended that they were regular churchgoers, their Christian faith affected their lives on a much broader sense and they believed that the only divinely ordained sexual relationship is that between a man and a woman within the bonds of matrimony. They stated that if they provided the cake in the terms requested they would feel it was a betrayal of their faith.
“Much as I acknowledge fully their religious belief is that gay marriage is sinful, they (Ashers) are in a business supplying services to all, however constituted. The law requires them to do just that.”
The County Court Judge held that “I do not accept the Defendant’s submissions that what the Plaintiff wanted them to do would require them to promote and support gay marriage which is contrary to their deeply held religious beliefs. Much as I acknowledge fully their religious belief is that gay marriage is sinful, they are in a business supplying services to all, however constituted. The law requires them to do just that, subject to the graphic being lawful and not contrary to the terms and conditions of the company”. “The Defendants are not a religious organisation; they are conducting a business for profit and, notwithstanding their genuine religious beliefs, there are no exceptions available under the 2006 Regulations which apply to this case and the Legislature, after appropriate consultation and consideration, has determined what the law should be”. The Judge found that the McArthur’s directly discriminated against Mr Gareth Lee on the ground of religious belief and/ or political opinion as they disagreed with the religious belief and political opinion held by Mr Gareth Lee with regards to changing the law to permit gay marriage. By the refusal to provide the services sought, they treated Mr Gareth Lee less favourably contrary to the law. The judge stated that “...the law must protect all. It must protect the rights of the Defendants to have and to manifest their religious beliefs but it also recognises that the rights of the Plaintiff not to be discriminated because of his sexual orientation must also be protected”. Maxine Orr is a partner in Worthingtons Commercial Solicitors, specialising in employment law
EMPLOYMENT LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Prevention is better than cure! The risk managment solution
By Andrew Stevenson
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revention is better than cure but sometimes no matter what precautions an employer takes accidents do happen in the workplace. As an insurance advisor, our role is not just to ensure that exposure to work related accidents and illnesses for employees are covered with the benefit of compulsory employers’ liability insurance. The old adage “prevention is better than cure” does ring true and our risk management services help to tackle these with our service offering extending well beyond the traditional insurance broking services. In partnership with Insurers and one of the UK’s leading Business Support experts we offer: Health and safety services We ensure that our clients not only remain compliant with health & safety regulations but by identifying and minimising risk we can keep their employees protected. Occupational health services We can provide our clients with a bespoke and cost-effective occupational health service which proactively works towards preventing work-related ill-health wellness solutions.
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Health surveillance (on-site hearing tests, lung function testing, skin checks and air, noise, vibration monitoring) This service allows our client to monitor and protect the health of individual employees, detecting adverse health effects at the early stage, preventing and managing sickness absence. Risk management The impact of risk management failures is evident when a company sees the increase in liability claims, potential legal exposures, impact of increasing insurance premiums and the pressures from insurance companies to reduce future exposures. Risk management services can outweigh the cost of increased premiums caused by an adverse claims history. Equally as important they can reduce the cost of lost working life. The Association of British Insurers’ research suggest that insurers are still being hit by high inflation on large claims and the increasing impact of long tail claims such as industrial deafness. The volume of work related claims increased from 3,000 a month in 2011 to around 10,000 a month in 2013. It is shocking to read statistics such as those in the CIPD’s Absence Management Report,
which note on average 7.6 WORKING DAYS lost per employee per year, costing UK businesses a staggering £29bn. When an employer has taken all the steps to comply, monitor, control and prevent accidents and illness in the workplace, they can still occur. So what else can we offer to provide a solution? Rehabilitation and Absence Management Caulfield Corporate work closely with insurers and our partners in a tripartnership arrangement with the clients to ensure that by rehabilitation, the impact of absence of an employee from work related claims are minimised. At Caulfield Corporate we are continually committed to our clients. We are not solely interested in being your insurance broker but rather part of your team as your risk advisor, protecting your business by offering vital and important risk management services. After all, in a safe and healthy working environment business owners can concentrate on growing a profitable business. Andrew Stevenson is Managing Partner, Caulfield Corporate (Insurance & Risk Advisors)
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EMPLOYMENT LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Training for a better workplace
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ot many employees would deny that today’s workplace is a much better place than it was 40 years ago. It’s easy to forget that in the banking industry in the late 1970s, if a female became engaged she was expected to resign. Pregnancy dismissals passed unchallenged in across the industries and if you were male or female and bullied, you had little option but to put up with it. Equality legislation too, though unwelcomed at first by many, has significantly improved the ability of many types of workers, be they disabled or from an ethnic or religious group, to access and enjoy employment.
strengthens considerably the employers’ defences to tribunal claims. It is also good for revenue generation too. A report by Deloitte in 2012 identified an 80% improvement in business performance when diversity and inclusion levels were high. Since 1998 the multi-award winning company Legal-Island has been known for delivering employment law training through conferences and an update email service. Speaking recently at the launch of their new ‘Equality & Diversity’ in the Workplace e-learning module, Legal-Island Chairman Barry Phillips said E-learning is our next step towards making the lives of the HR professional easier.
Increasingly, organisations in Northern Ireland are recognising the importance of training their employees in the areas of equality and diversity.
This brand-new CPD certified e-learning module delivers consistent, engaging, high quality, interactive training to the whole workforce whether they are on night shift, day shift, home workers or based on sites around the country.
Such training reduces the likelihood of harassment issues at work and
Developed specifically for the Northern Ireland market by a team of equality and diversity
By Kellie Shields, Legal-Island
experts and lawyers based in Northern Ireland, the ‘Equality & Diversity in the Workplace’ module features content taken from real Industrial Tribunal Cases. Course content includes diversity at work, dangers of stereotyping and harassment. Kellie Shields, Legal-Island’s Business Development Executive said: “We are delighted our Equality & Diversity E-learning training is now operating in many organisations in Northern Ireland including Equality Commission NI, Elliott Duffy Garrett, Worthington’s Solicitors, AES UK & Ireland Ltd, Jones Cassidy Brett, Abacus Recruitment, Irwin’s Bakery and Totalmobile. We have worked hard to address the needs of our customers in the area of Equality & Diversity and are delighted to be moving forward with innovative training that organisations are calling out for.” To find out more about Equality and Diversity in the Northern Ireland Workplace e-learning contact 028 9446 3888 or email: Kellie@legal-island.com
Retail market picks up pace
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ughans Real Estate team has completed the summer months with a hat trick of major retail deals worth over £53m. Acting on behalf of the CORBO Group,
the deals included the sale of Lisnagelvin Retail Park, Londonderry, the Showgrounds Retail Park, Omagh and the south-east Belfast scheme occupied by Homebase and the UK Border Agency. Ballymena based CORBO is one of the largest privately owned property companies in the UK. Located just two miles outside Londonderry City Centre, Lisnagelvin Retail Park comprises 62,000 sq ft of retail space and has been sold for £16.7m to M&G Real Estate who are one of the world’s largest property investors. Lisnagelvin was redeveloped by CORBO in 2004 to accommodate Next, Matalan and TK Maxx. As a joint venture Pradera and Tristan Capital Partners, specialist real estate funds and asset managers which operate across the UK and Europe, acquired the Showgrounds Retail Park in Omagh for £26.7m. This scheme, which was constructed in 2002, is adjacent to Omagh town centre and comprises 90,000 sq ft of retail space and includes tenants such as M&S, Next, River Island and Argos.
Phyllis Agnew (left), Head of Real Estate, Tughans and Rebecca Moffett, Director, Real Estate, Tughans mark the firms retail sales treble worth over £53m.
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In the third deal a Northern Ireland based private investor has paid £9.8m for the mixed-use scheme at Upper Galwally currently occupied by Homebase and the UK Border Agency in Drumkeen House.
Legal-Island would like to congratulate the following organisations for reaching our new standard of excellence in Equality and Diversity Training in the Northern Ireland Workplace!
For more information on Legal-Island’s Equality & Diversity in the Northern Ireland Workplace E-Learning Module Email: kellie@legal-island.com or Call: 028 9446 3888
EmploymEnt law & DISpUtE RESolUtIon
ahead of the game By Gareth Walls, Head of Employment Law, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland
The A&L Goodbody NI Employment team [L-R]: Lisa Bryson, Andrew Spratt, Jill Sinclair, Jenny Walker, Gareth Walls and Shirley Blair.
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orthern Ireland enjoys one of the most rigorous and fluid legal environments in Europe, with employment law in particular undergoing significant change, marked most obviously by an increasingly divergent practice from GB law. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years and one would suspect that we will end up with what could be a blend of the best aspects of local, GB and ROI employment practice. In recent months, a number of changes have had significant impact on employers here – with the graduated application of the auto-enrolment staging dates now impacting employers with less than 50 employees, coupled with the continued uncertainty regarding holiday pay on the back of the Bear Scotland v Fulton case.
to NI shows the complex balance to be found between senior recruitment from the local market and the unencumbered transfer of key personnel to and from NI, a balance that requires a thorough understanding of both employment and visa issues. All of these developments should be viewed as opportunity, not threat. The economy is continuing to evolve and become more sophisticated, which can only be a good thing for employers and employees in NI. At A&L Goodbody we are focused on staying ahead of the game and being as proactive as possible at all times. We are continuing to invest in and grow our employment law team to help our clients respond to the many opportunities and challenges that such a fast-changing legal and business environment brings.
Acting for a large portfolio of national and multinational entities, as well as local SMEs On a more positive note, the increased Foreign and OMBs, each of our employment lawyers Direct Investment (FDI) into Northern Ireland is a specialist in their own right and covers off brings new jobs, new opportunities and more the full range of services – be that contentious movement within the various industries, as work such as tribunal and court work, or well as raising the issue of corporate migration. non-contentious such as restructuring advices, Recent experience working with new entrants recruitment advices and succession planning.
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Law Firm oF the Year Our employment practice forms an integral part of a market leading team of around 100 people at A&L Goodbody here in Belfast and we have been consistently ranked the most active legal advisor for deals in Northern Ireland for the past three years. Of perhaps more significance, this year we were recognised as ‘European Law Firm of the Year‘ by international publication The Lawyer, which is the first time a practice in this island has won that accolade. It is our intention to continue adding strength and depth to our offering in the months ahead as the largest specialist employment law practice in Northern Ireland. I am confident that we will maintain and grow our reputation as trusted advisors who deliver technically excellent, pragmatic and commercially focused advice to our clients.
To contact Gareth Walls, Employment Partner, please call 028 9031 4466 or email gwalls@algoodbody.com
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EMPLOYMENT LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The evolution of fraud investigations How EY’s Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services team is making waves in Northern Ireland.
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rriving to interview two of EY’s Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services (FIDS) team I can’t help feeling I’ve done something wrong. I haven’t – honestly – but if I had, the two forensic accountants sitting in front of me, Phil Goodwin and Mark Archibald, wouldn’t take long to find out what misdemeanours I’d been up to. Much of the clue to the FIDS team’s work is in the name, although the breadth of its work goes much further. Phil sums it up nicely. “We have a breadth of forensic and commercial skills which enable us to support our clients with investigations, whether it’s a financial matter or quantifying a loss in a commercial dispute. For example, we recently helped a client, faced with a multi-million pound claim, reduce its exposure to less than 20% of that amount by critically analysing and challenging each component of the opposing party’s claim,” Phil told Ulster Business in EY’s Bedford Street office in Belfast. “We also use these skills to proactively assist clients in avoiding potentially stressful situations, specifically, by leveraging insightful knowledge obtained through conducting fraud investigations, we can assist companies in building fraud risk management frameworks.” The team in Belfast is part of a 40 plus strong, rapidly growing team of forensic accountants and forensic technologists, which works
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across the island of Ireland. Their tasks can be undertaken in many forms but generally falls under one of two broad categories; quantification of loss in commercial disputes and investigations. In each area the team has access to experienced forensic technologists and state of the art forensic tools.
Investigations also often rely upon the use of data analytics techniques to efficiently process the huge volume of data that companies and individuals produce. This analysis helps to provide an insight into an organisation’s operations and highlight the potentially fraudulent activity.
In the area of commercial disputes, which includes expert witness work, EY works closely with legal teams to provide forensic accounting support in matters where financial expertise is required.
As an example, Phil cites a case where he investigated the theft of monies by a purchase ledger clerk. There were already indications that the clerk had diverted a six figure sum of money to one particular bank account. By analysing the large volumes of data in the purchase ledger recorded over a number of years, the team discovered a similar pattern of transactions to those already identified. This ultimately transpired to be the diversion of tens of thousands of pounds of company funds to the bank account of the clerk’s spouse. By identifying this additional tranche of stolen funds using analytical procedures, Phil’s team assisted the client in maximising its insurance recoveries.
“These can sometimes prove intense but are, at the same time, incredibly interesting and varied pieces of work,” Phil said. “One week we could be assessing the loss of profits arising from faults in a reverse osmosis machine whilst, the next, we could be establishing the reasons for an overpayment made by an organisation or estimating the financial impact of breaches in a tendering process.” Phil’s experience also extends to a number of interesting professional negligence cases including one that ultimately became the longest-running case in Canadian legal history. The investigations side of EY’s FIDS offering is equally as fascinating and rapidly evolving. Investigations include the interviewing of relevant parties and the analysis of paper and electronic data trails for the tell-tale signs of fraud, financial irregularities or other misconduct.
Asset tracing is another core area of expertise for EY’s FIDS team. Phil has previously led a team that traced millions of pounds through more than 50 different bank accounts, which involved funds being converted into more than 12 different currencies. In another case he followed money from Canada to Europe and on to a boutique hotel in New York, via the Caribbean. In addition, with access to a large range of global information databases, covering 30,000 sources in total from around the world, and the language skills to interpret
Phil Goodwin, Executive Director and Mark Archibald, Manager.
them, EY’s wider team can also assist clients in managing the risk of dealing with new and unknown agents, suppliers and customers and protect against regulatory and reputational damage. With the benefit of their experience in reactive investigations, the team increasingly finds that clients are seeking help to proactively review their data for fraud red flags, breaches in data privacy, anticompetitive issues as well as identifying other issues such as workplace bullying and other socially inappropriate behaviour. Phil has headed up the Belfast team since moving from another big four accounting
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practice less than a year ago and has 23 years’ experience in the field.
Ambition is all very well but what sets EY’s FIDS offering apart?
Mark joined EY this summer from a local accounting practice and also has a wealth of experience in the forensic accounting field.
That’s easily answered, said Phil: “Clients come to us for our deep level of forensic and Big Four industry expertise, combined with a personal level of service. Whatever industry a client is in, whatever geography they are working in, we can draw on expertise from across the firm locally and internationally. In this way, we combine our forensic and wide reaching industry-based skills to deliver real value to local businesses. That, coupled with high-end forensic technology and proven data analytics processes, makes EY a compelling offering.”
“It felt like the right time to join the team as EY is a people focused firm with ambitious growth plans, particularly in the forensic field” he said. “There’s a huge skill and experience base at EY. Marry that with our expansion plans and the ability to service local clients and those from further afield from the Belfast office and it’s a particularly attractive fusion.”
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Ulster University Business School
Distinguished Alumni Julie Hastings, Marketing Director at Hastings Hotels, is the fifth alumni to be profiled in the Ulster University Business School Distinguished Alumni series.
Julie Hastings, Marketing Director of Hastings Hotels, Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing, Ulster University Business School.
What is your current role? I am currently Marketing Director of Hastings Hotels, having worked with the family business since 1988 alongside my father who is Chairman, as well as my brother and two sisters. My marketing role has changed radically over the last 27 years, from a traditional style role to one which is much more digitally focused. It is a challenging job for six quite unique hotels ranging from the city centre Europa to the island’s most popular resort and golf hotel the Slieve Donard. Our new acquisition in Belfast city centre, the Grand Central, will be my next big project as we prepare for its opening in 2018. How did you choose this career field and what has been your path? I initially graduated with a BA in Social Sciences from Queen’s University Belfast in 1982. This was followed by a MA from the University of Georgia in USA, 1984 and then a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from University of Ulster, Jordanstown in 1987. It was only after completing the course in marketing that I really knew what I wanted to do. It was then my father recommended that I studied for a qualification in it. That
was rich coming from him as he did not attend university until he began teaching and mentoring hotel and catering students as a guest lecturer in the early 1980’s in Professor Rab Larmour’s department! What did you study at the Ulster University Business School? I undertook a one-year Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing in 1987 studying one day and night per week. It included a variety of elements such as marketing planning, budgeting and statistics, talks from external practitioners and a field trip to Belgium. I also achieved my CIOM accreditation by exam the following year. I was awarded a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in 2005 by the international board of trustees having been recognised for my marketing expertise in the role I played over almost 20 years. What were the key lessons you learnt whilst at the Ulster University Business School? The diploma gave me a comprehensive grounding in all aspects of marketing – from the fundamental theory of the discipline to the importance of networking and team work. Since becoming a visiting professor I am still learning because in engaging with the students I’m getting new and fresh perspectives all the time. How important are the networks you made through study to your work life now? Vitally important. I made a lot of good
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friends during my time at Ulster University Business School many of whom I have stayed in contact with both personally and professionally. Over the last 28 years I am sure that I have come across over half of my class. We had a great learning experience together and it still seems like only yesterday! Networks and relationships are all part of marketing. People do business with people so these friendships have been very helpful in my career. Do you have any links with Ulster University Business School now? My current links are largely though my position as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism. I also have links through our sponsorship of awards in the School of Hospitality and in Marketing. We also bring students into Hastings Hotels for placement, mentoring and assist with CVs and interview skills. We have a very rewarding relationship with the School. What, or who, was your most memorable time or person at Ulster University Business School? As part of the Marketing Diploma we had to go on a field trip to Leuven in Belgium. This was an unforgettable experience! My task was to research a new brand of potato crisps which was anonymous at the time. It turned out that the work I was doing was for Walkers who hadn’t come to market yet... I’m told my cheque “is in the post”! No one person stands out as all the friends and staff were memorable.
Flags, firebombs & flashbacks
Energy, Waste & Environment
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ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
Securing lower cost electricity in a sustainable framework By John Simpson
J
onathon Bell, as Minister for the Economy, has an important decision to make and the sooner it is made the better. The dilemma facing the Minister is a choice of how to set the lowest electricity price to electricity customers in a context where constraints of sustainability and minimising harmful emissions are factored into the decision making. The absence of a clear decision is leaving an open door for exploitation of the present arrangements. Potential investors in renewable (wind) energy want to keep the present generous (indeed over generous) current subsidies. The new arrangements will be less highly subsidised and less attractive to
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small scale investments. Any postponement of the change is beneficial to investors as it extends the more favourable treatment to new projects already in planning although it postpones potential lower customer tariffs. The minister must decide, with advice from the regulator, how to protect electricity customers by ensuring that the climate change objectives are delivered as efficiently as is possible. Inevitably, this means that the present incentives for additional renewable supplies must be reassessed and replaced. Currently, Northern Ireland operates a renewables obligation which has successfully incentivised a large number of smallish investments, mainly in on-shore wind plants,
which earn revenue for the owners from the sale of ROCs (renewable obligation certificates) on the basis of ÂŁ per kwh. The Northern Ireland ROCs scheme has, for the present, the additional advantage that the revenue earned is in large part paid by GB electricity customers since the sale of ROCs is postalised across the UK. As the science and engineering for renewable energy has improved, in Great Britain the Department of Energy and Climate/Change (DECC) is ready to introduce on a significant commercial scale a new competitive allocation mechanism based on contracts to buy renewable energy at a premium price but with that premium competitively constrained.
KingspanKingspan ESB Tel: 0330Tel: 0240330 0812024 0812 ESB Unit 1, Carnbane BusinessBusiness Park, Web: www.kingspanesb.com Unit 1, Carnbane Park, Web: www.kingspanesb.com Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6QH. Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6QH. Email: info@kingspanesb.com Email: info@kingspanesb.com
ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
If, on a UK basis, future renewable capacity was competitively determined, there remain the inherited contracts under the current (but ending) scheme of ROCs. Approved existing schemes will have a residual life span of up to 20 years. Arrangements to honour existing contracts, or buy them out with new terms, would be needed.
An unknown, if there is a switch to competitive CFD investments, will be the competitive potential of large scale renewable plant. The merits of schemes for off-shore investment in North Antrim or off the coast at the south-east of Co. Down may be reassessed by potential investors.
The form of the current system of ROCs means that, if it is to be ended, then every month of delay means an expensive transfer of contractual obligation for up to 20 years after an investment is approved. Already, in GB the date for the ending of the current arrangements has been brought forward to apply to new approvals a year earlier than planned: April 2016. Northern Ireland has been committed by the Minister to hold the existing arrangements to April 2017. Whatever the system finally adopted, Northern Ireland electricity consumers, unless DECC agrees a continued form of postalisation, may face bills which are above what might be possible on the GB system.
“In GB the date for the ending of the current arrangements has been brought forward to apply to new approvals a year earlier than planned: April 2016. Northern Ireland has been committed by the Minister to hold the existing arrangements to April 2017.”
A change to a local CFD pricing scheme is expected to be followed by the expansion of renewable sources of electricity in larger units which are less likely to be in Northern Ireland. This leaves Northern Ireland policy makers vulnerable to the charge that Northern Ireland will not continue to increase the proportion of electricity supplied from renewable sources. Does this matter?
Next year in GB commercial bids will be sought for the supply of renewable electricity using prices set with a ‘contract for difference’ mechanism (CFD). The Northern Ireland question is whether we should buy into a UK-wide CFD system or whether we should go it alone. If Northern Ireland wants to go a separate way to buy renewable supplies there are serious legal, administrative and timing hurdles to surmount. The down-side to a UK-wide scheme is that it is possible that few, if any, of the CFD contracts would bring major investment into Northern Ireland. Further investment in local renewable (on-shore wind) capacity on a commercial basis might cease.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Currently, Northern Ireland has a target to get up to 40% of electricity consumption from renewable sources. The debate about commercial CFD contracts means that a separate Northern Ireland target is less useful, if not redundant. The important indicator for energy policy is whether the UK will develop its renewable sources in line with international obligations. Northern Ireland renewable output becomes an interesting performance feature but not a precise target. The criticism of such a change will come from the businesses which currently install (usually) small on-shore wind farms. Criticism may also be expected from the owners of further potential new installations who will face a cut-off in extra ROCs.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) issued a consultative paper on these issues in March. That consultative period has ended but no conclusion has been announced. The DETI paper is written with a bias to emphasise that the possible loss of local investment in renewables is a major concern. The paper pays less attention to the importance of what this all means for customer prices and how renewable sources are financed. Countries such as the UK and Ireland will wish to meet the national and international obligations on climate change, more renewables and reducing carbon emissions. These obligations should not mean that Northern Ireland customers pay any premium because of local policy distortions. For Jonathon Bell, new responsibilities have brought critical decisions which should be made expeditiously. Local energy policies have enough inherited tensions still to tackle. This should not be long-fingered!
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www.kingspanesb.com
ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
Low-cost, greener energy for business Fergus Sharkey, General Manager of Kingspan ESB, discusses the new joint venture and why now is the time for Solar PV.
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ne of the most significant changes within the renewable energy market in Northern Ireland has taken place in the last few months with the potential for businesses to make substantial financial savings and contribute to an improved and more sustainable environment. Kingspan and ESB, globally experienced companies in the fields of building technology and energy provision respectively, have joined forces to provide a new photovoltaic (PV) energy generation offering ‘Funded Solar’ to local businesses, thus enabling a potential £320m saving across Northern Ireland over the next 25 years. Funded Solar, which requires no capital outlay, offers Northern Ireland businesses a simple but extremely effective solution. It partners Kingspan’s experience and track record in the design, development and delivery of advanced building envelopes and renewable solutions with ESB’s ambition and expertise as Ireland’s foremost energy company and
install, own and operate a PV system on the commercial roof and the business owner benefits from discounted electricity from the system throughout its lifespan.
Fergus Sharkey, General Manager of Kingspan ESB.
through it’s retail division Electric Ireland, the largest supplier of electricity in Ireland. Funded Solar is a PV product which enables Northern Ireland businesses to capitalise on renewable savings from their unused roof space, using existing electrical infrastructure with minimal visual impact. In effect, any business with a building can take advantage as there are no upfront or ongoing maintenance costs for fitting the Funded Solar panels. Kingspan ESB
Pictured are: Louise Foody (Kingspan); Jonathan Bell (ETI Minister); Paddy Hayes (ESB), and Ulster Rugby players at the Kingspan ESB launch.
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Business competition is becoming increasingly fierce and with the Northern Ireland Executive’s and new ETI Minister Jonathan Bell’s commitment to invest in and support the renewable energy sector, and in particular Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) which support the ‘Funded Solar’ offering, there has never been a better time for businesses of all sizes to implement this progressive energy solution. Any business person knows that planning for the future now can reap long term rewards by securing a return on investment, increasing efficiencies, reducing outlay and making his or her business more sustainable. These all help to increase the bottom line and support commercial success. Kingspan ESB’s offering ticks all these boxes without the need for a financial investment, capital outlay or indeed ongoing maintenance.
Solar PV system at Kingspan Environmental, Portadown.
KingspanKingspan ESB Tel: 0330Tel: 0240330 0812024 0812 ESB Unit 1, Carnbane BusinessBusiness Park, Web: www.kingspanesb.com Unit 1, Carnbane Park, Web: www.kingspanesb.com Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6QH. Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6QH. Email: info@kingspanesb.com Email: info@kingspanesb.com
ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
The current conditions are ideal for maximising potential savings from a Funded Solar solution. ROC supports exist for new projects installed prior to 2017, with higher savings being possible in 2015 and 2016. The savings with ‘Funded Solar’ are impressive. The average medium-sized business in Northern Ireland (consuming 400MWh of electricity per year) would see a 10% reduction in their electricity bill – the equivalent of £5,800 each year, or £330,000 over the course of the 25 year airspace lease above their roof. For the average Large Energy User (consuming 8000MWh per year), this saving increases to £17,000 per year, and £1,055,000, over 25 years. The Funded Solar solution has opened up renewable energy making it more feasible for businesses to take advantage of unused roof space to produce cheaper, renewable energy providing significant cost savings in the process. The green economy remains top of the agenda for the Northern Ireland Executive with the renewable energy sector marked as an essential growth sector and the opportunity for £320m of savings will improve business competitiveness and provide a real boost to our economy. Tangible progress has been made towards achieving the government’s renewable energy targets with the proportion of Northern Ireland’s electricity usage generated from renewable
sources reaching 20% in 2015. Funded Solar will make a substantial contribution to build on this in the years ahead and support the target of achieving 40% electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Case Study
The potential savings from a Funded Solar solution depend on a number of factors, such as the building size and available ROC support. As an example a manufacturing company in Co. Tyrone which Kingspan ESB are currently working with has the potential to install a 250kW Solar PV system on their roof. 95% of the electricity generated from the PV system will be consumed on-site and is provided at a significant discount from their current electricity costs. Over 25 years this manufacturing company will save almost £500,000 in electricity costs, and will significantly enhance the energy performance of their building. Funded Solar is a win win scenario with Kingspan ESB delivering the solution with no capital or operational costs to the company for the entire lifetime of the project, and no business interruption during construction.There has never been a better time.
Generate sustainable savings Clean, renewable electricity on your roof, with no upfront capital costs www.kingspanesb.com Tel: 0330 024 0812 Email: info@kingspanesb.com
SEPTEMBER 2015
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ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
How green can Northern Ireland afford to be? By Brett Ross, Managing Director of RiverRidge Recycling and Director of Full Circle Power.
The proposed successor to the Renewable Obligation Scheme, known as Electricity Market Reform (EMR), is designed around a more competitive incentive scheme. Developers are encouraged to bid for support under an auction based system and as such only highly efficient projects which maximise all energy outputs – heat and power – are likely to be successful.
Brett Ross
T
he recent recession and its devastating impact on Northern Ireland’s taxpayers have forced government officials to scrutinise and justify every penny that is now levied on taxpayers. The decisions required, to establish and fund sustainability and renewable policies, which underpin Northern Ireland’s and Europe’s mutually accepted green agenda, are no different. Environmental programmes must compete against health, education and social services for the limited resources available under today’s austere budgets. While the argument for increased health and education expenditure is widely recognised, a compelling argument to divert funds towards sustainability and renewable policies has become more difficult to convey to decision makers. Financial resource availability for all levels of government and the public sector are such that expenditure on environmental programmes is becoming less and less of a priority. The Renewable Obligation Scheme, was intended to promote the development
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of renewable energy projects as well as ancillary industries and in my opinion it can surely, only be assessed as a resounding success for Northern Ireland. Not only did Northern Ireland embrace the programme and steadily displace a significant portion of reliance on fossil fuels, but it also secured a preferential arrangement on the cost to Northern Ireland taxpayers for this scheme – with costs being socialised at a discount across all of the United Kingdom’s taxpayers. The imminent closure of the Renewable Obligation Scheme and the apparent apprehension of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to continue with new forms of renewables incentives such as Contracts for Difference (CfD), provides a clear signal that the UK government is no longer willing to take sole responsibility for sustainable business developments. Business sectors need to recognise their collective responsibility in this new era and understand the looming economic impact that will develop unless economy wide acceptance of sustainable business practices are not adopted and adopted soon.
The Department of Energy, Trade and Investment (DETI) has as yet not decided if this new scheme is to be legislated for in Northern Ireland. If it is, Northern Ireland will be treated the same as Scotland, England and Wales, and consequently the cost of each increment along the curve to our renewable energy target will become more expensive. Instead of waiting for our elected officials to make the call, should we, as industry players and Northern Irish citizens, not take a more proactive lead? Other global players have committed to sustainable business practices without government incentives and have remained highly competitive even outperforming the general market in some cases. It is imperative that we adjust our thinking when it comes to these business practices. IKEA’s decision to sell only LED light bulbs in their stores is the sort of business decision which goes beyond business strategy and into the realm of societal leadership. WalMart’s decision to ensure that all new stores are 30% more efficient then their older stores despite possible increased build costs is as inspiring. Realising that our businesses are as susceptible to environmental climate change as we ourselves are in our day-to-day lives means that adopting sound and innovative sustainable business practices is now a business’s most important responsibility.
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ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
Pictured at the announcement that the Movie House Cinemas in Belfast and Coleraine have signed up to Flogas Natural Gas are (l/r), Paul Ruegg, marketing executive, Flogas with Hugh Brown, general manager, Movie House Cinemas and Paul Crosbie, senior sales consultant, Flogas Natural Gas.
Flogas celebrates 1,000th natural gas connection in NI
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logas marked its 1,000th commercial natural gas connection in Northern Ireland with a touch of Hollywood glamour as the Movie House cinema chain signed up two of its branches to Flogas Natural Gas. The Movie House cinemas in Cityside Belfast and Coleraine will now be using Flogas natural gas for heating. Offering discounts of up to 10% cheaper than its nearest rival, the Flogas natural gas offer has been an unqualified success since its launch and is now available to all commercial customers on the natural gas pipeline throughout Northern Ireland. John Rooney, managing director of Flogas,
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said: “We continue to receive an enthusiastic response from customers across Northern Ireland over our arrival into the commercial natural gas market. They are pleased to see real competition and choice being offered in relation to both prices and customer service levels. Achieving 1,000 connections so soon following our launch shows that there is a real demand for a quality natural gas offering that is highly competitive. “ Hugh Brown, general manager, Movie House Cinemas NI, said: “We’re open seven days a week, at least 12 hours a day, and it’s important that our cinemas are just the right temperature so that our customers are comfortable while they relax and enjoy a great trip to the movies. We’re always
looking for ways to control this overhead but it has to be from a reliable provider. Along with the discount package, it was the Flogas track record that helped to seal the deal.” Flogas Natural Gas is a supplier of natural gas to the commercial and residential sectors in Ireland. It already serves thousands of business enterprises located on the natural gas pipeline in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, including McDonalds Restaurants and the Musgrave Group as well as the Radisson and Jury Hotel chains. Since entering the Northern Ireland natural gas market, notable signings have included the Potted Hen restaurant, AM:PM, Rascals Day Nurseries and a range of other businesses across a number of commercial sectors.
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ENERGY, WASTE & ENVIRONMENT
The future of renewables in Northern Ireland By Andrew Ryan, TLT
T
he Conservative government is determined to implement the withdrawal of subsidies that many predict will stop the burgeoning growth of the UK renewables industry in its tracks. At least in GB the industry knows the difficulties that it will face. Developers of wind and smaller scale solar projects now know that they must come onstream by April 2016 rather than April 2017 to benefit from subsidies under the Renewables Obligation (RO). Beyond this, uncertainty still remains over the proposed successor to the RO (known as Contracts for Difference or CfDs) in terms of when the next round of the CfD auction may take place along with what technologies will be able to compete for a CfD. At this point in time the position for renewables in Northern Ireland looks better – at least until April 2017 when the Northern Irish RO (NIRO) will end for new generation. The wind industry has known for some time the expected subsidy rates up to 2017 and although solar PV subsidies under the NIRO will decrease from October of this year and again the year after, they are at least predictable. Or is this about to change? Although the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) set out the NIRO under devolved legislation, the subsidy payments are effectively drawn from a UK-wide pot that combines both the RO and the NIRO. Ultimately the costs of the subsidy come from consumers via their electricity bills albeit the renewables industry would argue that the increased cost is around £3-10 per year on household bills. This begs the question that if Westminster, through DETI’s counterpart, DECC is seeking to reduce costs to the consumer, will it cut the NIRO free from
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Andrew Ryan
payments made by GB energy suppliers for onshore wind or ground mounted solar from April 2016? The fact is that the NIRO cannot stand on its own, particularly given Stormont’s already cash-starved position and the high costs of electricity here compared to GB. It may be the case that DETI has no choice but to follow suit. That said, a rapid change without following a proper consultation process could be subject to legal challenge, so it is difficult to predict how the NIRO might shape up over the next 18 months. What is more certain is that Northern Ireland will fall into a UK wide CfD regime post April 2017. Whether Northern Ireland projects can commercially compete in the auction process and what technologies will be allowed to enter remains a significant unknown. At this point it seems hard to escape a sense that any projects dependent on subsidies will need to be on-line before April 2017. Looking on the brighter side, if NIRO support is to remain as currently set out up to April 2017, there is a significant opportunity for developers to get schemes built and gridconnected for that date. The relatively rapid
development times for larger-scale solar make this a particularly attractive option. Whilst planning delays could be an issue, the recent announcement by NIE that grid connection applications can be made before planning is granted is a significant positive step to reduce lead-in times to grid connection and the all-important NIRO subsidy. Looking south, it appears that the Republic of Ireland is close to announcing incentives for solar. This is a major opportunity for developers that have already gained experience of deploying solar in the UK. The risk for Northern Ireland, however, is that the underlying uncertainty in the NI subsidy position, particularly beyond 2017 could lead to developers focusing their energies on development in ROI. This would be an excellent opportunity for the Northern Ireland solar industry, but not within the Northern Ireland market which could achieve so much more. Andrew Ryan, Partner, Energy & Renewables, TLT Belfast can be contacted on email: andrew.ryan@TLTsolicitors.com
PROFILE
Multi-million pound management buyout for Belfast firm Abbey Bond Lovis directors backed by Global Risk Partners
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ive directors of locally-based Abbey Bond Lovis (ABL) have acquired the successful insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm in a management buyout, supported by London-based Global Risk Partners Limited (GRP) in a multi-million pound deal. Abbey Bond Lovis, which was established in Northern Ireland in 2006, provides private, commercial and corporate insurance to clients across a wide range of clients from the commercial, industrial, professional and charity sectors. The firm represents a significant number of substantial local businesses in addition to having many SME clients from a variety of industry sectors. The MBO will see ABL’s five-strong senior management team, who all have equity in the business, drive the business forward locally. “Through this MBO, with the support from GRP, we plan to develop the business significantly while ensuring we maintain our solid reputation as a client focused organisation,” Maurice Boyd, managing director of ABL, said.“Growth will be sustained organically as we focus on winning business from more of Northern Ireland’s top companies and there is the added potential for strategic acquisitions of brokerages which share our values and ethos of client service being paramount. “We have the largest on-the-ground workforce of any commercial insurance broker in Northern Ireland and we view our employees as our main asset, investing in them by ensuring that we provide bespoke, individual training plans in place for every member.” “Through our regional presence, we offer customers right across Northern Ireland the security and convenience of having their insurance broker closer to home. ABL’s investment in our major Belfast headquarters and our regional hubs, with senior directors and highly skilled team members in situ, demonstrates our commitment to improving client service right across the province, offering a corporate and SME service but with local representation. “ David Margrett, chief executive of GRP, said the deal represented a good platform for further expansion: “Backing the ABL MBO was an ideal opportunity to acquire an established broker with a strong reputation in the market led by an excellent management team. ABL provides us with a scalable platform to expand in Northern Ireland.”
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Pictured from left: Patrick McMillen; Gary Crabbe; Maurice Boyd, Managing Director; Ken Alderdice and Stephen Carlisle.
“With more than £200m annual income, we are growing quickly. Our ‘owner-driver’ approach gives each management team a significant equity stake in their business, creating an attractive opportunity for both retail and wholesale businesses to be a part of our entrepreneurial group.” Maurice Boyd of ABL, added: “The backing of GRP provides us with the ideal environment to grow with the support of an independent, strongly capitalised partner. We believe that we can produce a viable alternative to some of the established multi-national brokers with our blend of a highly qualified team and local autonomy.” “We continue to look at growth across all of our sectors, with specialists within the business in terms of the larger corporate and SME sectors, servicing our wide range of clients. In everything we do, we think of our customers and the investment we are putting in will, ultimately, benefit them. We are committed to delivering a quality service, which our clients demand, boosted by the ability to be fast-moving and autonomous in our decision-making.” The MBO team of Maurice Boyd, Stephen Carlisle, Gary Crabbe, Ken Alderdice and Patrick McMillen will continue to lead ABL.
Training & Apprenticeships
Why should my business take on an apprentice?
Y
ou’re probably very busy running your company on a day-to-day basis and might think you don’t have the time or money to take on your own apprentice. Well think again…
benefits for employers, ACCorDinG to website www.nibusinessinfo.Co.uk
L-R: Rosemary Burgess, Eamon O’Neill and Chris Snoddy.
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• For apprentices under the age of 25 the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) pay the full costs of the ‘off-the-job’ training for the duration of the apprenticeship; it contributes 50 per cent to the ‘off-the-job’ training for the duration of the apprenticeship for those aged 25 years and over where they are following specific priority apprenticeships.
• On completion of the apprenticeship an employer incentive is available ranging from £250 to £1,500 (depending on the complexity and level of the apprenticeship undertaken). • You achieve lower costs for training and recruitment as an apprenticeship is more cost-effective than hiring skilled staff. • You benefit from increased enthusiasm, motivation and loyalty as your apprentice
TRAINING & APPRENTICESHIPS
require for your business and can help you and your business keep abreast of new technology.
What the employers say Rosemary Burgess, Business Operations Manager of Fujitsu “We deliver management services in this company (Fujitsu), which we want delivered in a certain way and in a unique way. So we can bring apprentices in the door and in conjunction with Belfast Met we can shape the people to deliver the service that we want and that is all through Belfast Met because of the way they have developed this programme, which is very difficult to equal and impossible to better“.
has sought out this career path. • The mixture of on and off-the-job training means your apprentice learns the skills that work best for your business. • You can realise increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a competent workforce. • Apprentices can help fill skills gaps by developing the specialist skills that you
Neill Killen, Ridgeway General Manager “We now know that we have skilled people coming through so it has eased the worry that management would have had if somebody retired or gets ill. We have the back-up and we have the right skills in place, and we have the right people training up and coming up into the business.”
What the trainers say Damian Duffy, Director of Business Development at Belfast Met “Our Training Support Officers’s dedicate their
skills and expertise to find the appropriate match that will benefit the employer’s business and ensure that a close collaboration is achieved, allowing the apprentice to gain a full and enriching learning experience.
“We know that we have skilled people coming through so it has eased the worry that management would have had if somebody retired or gets ill. We have the back-up and we have the right skills.” “One bit of advice that I would give to employers is look after apprentices from day one. That pays us dividends in the long run because now our retention rates are so high, it’s about practicing pastoral care and communicating with them regularly. Make sure that they have all of the resources that they need to do their job well too”. >
Neill Killen, General Manager of Ridgeway, and Daryl Letman, Apprentice.
SEPTEMBER 2015
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TRAINING & APPRENTICESHIPS
What the minister says Dr Stephen Farry, Employment and Learning Minister “The benefits of apprenticeships are well documented with apprentices able to earn while they learn, develop and practice their skills in the work environment and enhance their future career prospects. International evidence shows that apprentices make a positive contribution to their employers’ bottom line even before they have completed their apprenticeship training.”
but would like to employ one, it is really like finding any other employee. You can, for example: • Contact your local Jobs & Benefits Office/JobCentre. • Place a vacancy on Employers Online NI. • Place an advertisement in the newspapers. • Contact your local Training Supplier who may be aware of potential employees. • Look to your own staff – your apprentice can be an existing employee.
What you need to do if you Want to hire an apprentice
you have your apprentice, What next?
If you have an apprenticeship vacancy, visit the employersonline website to register and place your vacancy.
Once you have identified your apprentice and they have agreed to take part in apprenticeships, simply contact your local apprenticeships training supplier, who will register them on the programme.
If you don’t have a potential apprentice
“Evidence shows that apprentices make a positive contribution to their employers’ bottom line even before they have completed their apprenticeship.” The training supplier will meet with you and your apprentice to discuss their training needs and will then develop a training programme with them. They will be with your apprentice every step of the way throughout the apprenticeship to support them and ensure they are making progress.
Case Study: James St South
T
he award-winning group of restaurants runs an apprentice scheme for trainee chefs and is taking on 16 people this year, double the number last year.
They will be put through a year-long placement in founder Niall McKenna’s cookery school while gaining professional qualifications through Belfast Metropolitan College at the same time. Three of the apprentices were offered full time employment following last year’s scheme.
“Our apprentices will receive ongoing training and development through weekly workshops in our cookery school, as well as regular activities to ensure a greater appreciation of food, like meeting producers and others in the supply chain,” he said. “This is geared for aspiring chefs who have the determination to succeed, learning from leaders in the industry and cooking with local produce to create the dining experience for which James Street South is famous.”
From left: Niall McKenna, apprentice Charlotte McGrath and Department of Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry.
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TRAINING & APPRENTICESHIPS
Academy of excellence
P
roper training is an essential cog in the wheels of any company, but no more so than for Henderson Group. It employs over 2,700 staff across a number of divisions and, like any large organisation, relies heavily on an effective and efficient training department. That’s where the Henderson Academy comes in, helping train employees from throughout the company structure and beyond. It carries out everything from induction for new staff to customer service, manual handling, merchandising and management development training on a daily basis. Justine McGreevey
Justine McGreevey heads up the five-strong unit and is kept busy. “We’re responsible for delivering learning and development solutions across the group of companies and to 240 customers, some of which are completely external to the Group,” she told Ulster Business. “It’s a broad and very exciting remit.”
Meanwhile, it also runs leadership and management programmes to develop management capability for the group of companies and for retail customers.
Not only are Justine and her team busy, but the people they are training are busy, a factor which has meant coming up with some innovative solutions for delivery.
These include ‘Inspire!’ and Inspire! The Residential’ (due to be rolled out in November 2015 and attended by delegates throughout SPAR UK hosted in Northern Ireland).
For instance, it’s often difficult for parts of the business to release staff to attend training programmes so the Academy has come up with e-learning solutions to help provide a range of retail skills to customers’ employees.
It also carries out driver training including CPC modules and HGV class C and C+E.
“The platform we’re using is very engaging, it provides a consistent message to all learners and there is a built in assessment process so retailers are assured of the standard of knowledge,” Justine said.
“Training is embraced throughout our organisation. I’ve worked here for 17 years and it’s always been at the heart of what we’ve done. As a team we’re flat out all year and we’re highly valued by all parts of the organisation.”
Such an innovative approach has resulted in a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development award for Learning and Development for the business simulation ‘SPAR Wars’, which challenges learners to run a store for a four-month trading period. The second phase of the training ‘SPAR Wars 2 – May the Fork Be with You’, has recently been developed and released. It raises a smile and addresses a vital need of any training programme; to spark interest in the subject. And the Academy is keen to promote on-the-job training. It actively promotes vocational training programmes and currently has about 100 employees who are enrolled on the apprenticeship framework, completing programmes in retail, customer service, food service, financial services and administration.
SEPTEMBER 2015
In all, it’s quite a programme, and one which Justine believes is vital.
And it’s not just within Henderson Group which the Academy operates. It also provides external training to the likes of Clements Coffee and Creative Gardens to help them grow their business. “We operate commercially, we have our own website and have a sales target,” Justine said. “The training we can bring to companies is helping them grow their businesses on a day-to-day basis.” There’s no doubt the Academy, under Justine’s direction, is doing just that, not just for external customers but for Henderson Group’s growing business. Training, it would appear, is key.
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TRAINING & APPRENTICESHIPS
WorldSkills medals on the way from Brazil competition
WorldSkills gold medallist Gary Doyle pictured with Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and Brian Doran, Chief Executive, Southern Regional College.
N
orthern Ireland has triumphed at the global skills competition WorldSkills Sao Paulo 2015, winning four medals and a medallion for excellence as part of Team UK. The success followed four days of intense competition against more than 1,000 of the world’s most skilled young people. A gold medal was awarded to Gary Doyle, a plumbing student at Southern Regional College. Silver medals were awarded to Jonathan Gill in landscape gardening, a former student at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise and Chris Bailie, a refrigeration student at South Eastern Regional College. In addition, a medallion for excellence (presented to competitors who demonstrate the attainment of world-class standards in their chosen skill) was awarded to Adrian Canning in electrical installation, a former student at North West Regional College. Employment and Learning minister Dr Stephen
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Farry congratulated the competitors on their outstanding success. He said: “This is an exceptional achievement for our young people and clearly demonstrates at a global level the talent and expertise we possess. I wish to congratulate each of these young people on their excellent accomplishment. I would like to pay tribute to their parents, employers and tutors who have supported the young people throughout their journey to excel on the world stage.” The minister continued: “It is significant to note that Northern Ireland had the highest representation on the UK Team of all the UK regions and is also placed top UK region on medal success, winning over 40% of the overall UK total. It is a clear indicator of our high standards of training and expertise in our colleges that we perform so competently at a UK and global level.” Overall the 41 strong UK Team, whose members are all aged 18 – 25, won three Gold, four Silver and two Bronze medals and 24 Medallions for Excellence.
Gold medallist Gary Doyle from Southern Regional College, who won in plumbing, commented: “Being selected for Team UK was an amazing achievement in itself, but to win a gold medal and to be named the best plumber in the world is such an incredible feeling. The whole of Team UK worked really hard and the experience of the competition is something we will never forget. We have all learnt so much during the process, knowledge and new skills that we can take with us as we progress in our careers.” Taking place every two years, WorldSkills is the world’s largest skills competition and is held around the globe to celebrate skills and share best practice between industries and countries. Staged from 11-16 August 2015, WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 gave the world’s most talented young people the chance to battle it out to be named the best of the best in skills ranging from web design and aircraft maintenance to hairdressing and visual merchandising.
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Dine FREE at Malmaison with Ulster Business
Malmaison Brasserie on Victoria Street provides a perfect setting for business lunch or dinner. The surroundings are unique and stylish and can offer allocated booths to you and your clients for seclusion to conduct your meeting. Coupled with iconic dishes prepared with a modern twist and served with passion and personality as well as a mouth watering wine list, you will certainly impress your guests. Malmaison use local ingredients carefully selected by the Head Chef. This infusion of bistro classics with locally inspired
cooking, creates a very memorable dining experience. As a business destination, Malmaison Belfast also offers two stylish meeting rooms with wow-factor as standard. Your meeting or private event should be pure theatre with absolutely no dramas. Our team are dedicated to providing amazing hospitality and putting the show back into your business. For more information or to make an enquiry, please call Julie Lynch on 028 9022 0204 or email: jlynch@malmaison.com.
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TRAINING & APPRENTICESHIPS
SMEs driving demand for IT professionals By John Moore, Regional Managing Director at Hays aside investment in the IT space during the recession, are now moving to do so. The Federation of Small Businesses estimates that SMEs account for over 90% of all private sector businesses in Northern Ireland and provide employment for around 347,000 people. It is clear that the benefits to the Northern Ireland economy from SMEs investing in IT are significant.
W
hether you are a banker or a barista, a factory owner or a farmer, information technology has never been more important and we can now do our business transactions everywhere, from the office to the agricultural field, from a tearoom to the trading floor. The overall economic outlook indicates that a sense of cautious optimism is emerging in many sectors of the market. Indeed, it is heartening to see that small and medium firms, which previously set
Whether it’s to make global contacts, improve manufacturing equipment or get better information to run their business, small firms are now releasing money to spend on their IT infrastructure. One huge area of growth is point of sale, or PoS technology. Cloud-based technology means that even the smallest of firms can use tablet computers to scan barcodes, make up bills and issue either paper or electronic receipts in seconds. Data, including sales and inventory can also be stored in a remote server, slashing installation and personnel costs.
Any level of investment in such a dominant market sector is overly valuable and more small firms need to be encouraged to invest. Spending on IT helps support innovation within SMEs and helps improve products and processes – still further promoting growth. On the other side of the coin, there are many IT professionals who crave input into ‘real world’ solutions and the opportunity to grow with an SME. For many individuals this environment is considered more rewarding on a personal level than the more regimented, more controlled world of large corporate business. As the leading recruiting expert, Hays has in-depth knowledge of the technology sector, understands the needs of jobseekers and employers alike, and is presently calling upon its international network of offices to attract candidates back to Northern Ireland. For further information and access to the latest job opportunities contact Hays directly on 028 9044 6900 or visit www.hays.co.uk/northernireland
Apprentices set for old Visteon site
A
pprentices are just some of the opportunities to be created under proposals to redevelop the old Visteon site in west Belfast. Fold Housing Association has re-submitted plans to build social and private housing on the former factory site which it purchased in 2013. As well as housing, it’s also proposing 60,000 square feet of “employment space” which will allow for the creation of up to 600 jobs, depending on the final use. It will also create 300 jobs during the construction phase, a number of which will be apprentices, John McLean, chief executive of Fold Housing Association, said. “This project will provide an immediate boost to the construction industry with
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up to 300 jobs estimated in the initial building phase and we have exciting proposals for apprentice schemes during construction as well as for long-term local employment opportunities maintaining all the facilities on site in the future,” he said.
“We are committed to providing employment space within the overall regeneration project and we would welcome interest from potential employers for the workspace, though demand for space of this type is not strong in west Belfast at the moment.”
The new Omagh Community Fire Station and District Headquarters, the first of a prototype design by HLM Architects, houses a six fire-fighting appliance bay, community fire safety centre, bespoke training tower, transport and engineering workshop, road traffic collision and animal rescue facilities, plus the key operational district hub
ConstruCtion Celebrates exCellenCe The competition to win the highest accolade in the local construction industry took a step forward at the start of September as the Showcase of Shortlisted finalists for the Construction Excellence Awards 2015 took place in Lagan Construction Group headquarters on 3 September 2015. The awards, which are run by Construction Employers Federation (CEF) in partnership with SPECIFY magazine and in association with Ulster Business, celebrate the best construction projects delivered by Northern Irish companies in the past year. John Armstrong, CEF Managing Director, commented, “The awards recognise the very diverse and excellent work carried out by the industry that we represent. Last year Laganwater won the Overall award for their hugely impressive Clay Lake Water treatment plant.” “Many Northern Irish construction companies are now looking outside the province for work. To ensure that we continue to recognise excellence across the sector, 2015 has seen the introduction of 2 new categories, a ‘fit-out’ award and an award for projects undertaken in GB and the Republic of Ireland.” “I warmly congratulate all of those companies who have been shortlisted for an award. Over the summer our distinguished judging panel has been visiting each of the shortlisted projects to identify the 14 category winners and the overall winner. They now have some very difficult decisions to make.” The winners of the Construction Excellence Awards 2015 will be revealed at a gala dinner on 8 October 2015 in the Culloden Hotel. For further information contact Joelene Poole on jpoole@cefni.co.uk.
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TOP 100 EVENT
Top of the Perch for Top 100 celebrations The Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies 2015 edition of Ulster Business was ushered in at a small gathering last month at The Perch bar in Belfast. The rain held off just long enough for a fine evening of Bellinifilled fun. (L-R): David Elliott, Sonia Armstrong, Gladys Greer, James Greer, Sylvie Brando and Susan Simpson
Sylvie Brando and Peter Stafford
Sonia Armstrong, Adrian Doran and David Elliott
David Elliott with Jonathan Dobbin and Glenn Branney
John Simpson, Richard Ramsey and Mukesh Sharma
Matt McCloskey and Kevin McAteer
Gladys Greer, Holly Lyons, John Lyons and Hanna Greer
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TOP 100 EVENT
Alan Bridle, John Hughes and James Greer
Steven Johnston, Paul Redford and Terry Breet
Chris Ross, Claire McGonigle and Ian Stuart
Kirsty McManus and Katie Doran
Gary Irvine, Celia Worthington and Graham Pierce
Stephen Felle and Maureen Fox
Anita Small and Sarah Matthews
Ann Marie Kelly, Kym Horner, Nigel Crawford and Chris Taggart
SEPTEMBER 2015
Janice Crowe, Kim Keightley and Aoife Glenn
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REVIEW
Taking culinary shelter in the Kove
H
aving visited the Killyhevlin a few times over the summer, I was excited to try out the newly-refurbished Kove restaurant and sample the menu, surroundings and décor.
pudding base in a cumin drizzle with curried parsnip puree on the side. The black pudding provided the saltiness to compliment the scallops and overall was thoroughly enjoyed. The portion was big so that, along with
And yes, the décor indeed was a pleasant surprise and very different to its former self – bright, colourful contemporary interior with fantastic panoramic views over the lough and appealing obviously to the more upmarket tastes. And the menu equally reflected this. On offer was an extensive choice of a la carte as well as a set menu and it didn’t disappoint – plenty of variety but also something different to the more ‘pub grub’ style menu in the hotel’s other Boathouse Grill restaurant – with a more creative slant to the dishes and an array of fresh meats and veg all locally sourced. To start, myself and my dining partner opted to order off both menus. My partner chose the Caesar salad – a tasty fresh salad with just the right amount of dressing (a bug bear of mine) with succulent warm blackened cajun chicken breast. I started with the seared Donegal scallops which came with three excellently presented (and perfectly cooked) scallops resting neatly on a Clonakilty black
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Menu
(a la carte) Seared Donegal Scallops – £11.50 Duck Trio – £17.25 Side orders – £2.95 Set menu: 2 or 3 courses incuding tea/coffee £29.50/£34.50 Kids menu also available: Children to dine before 7.30pm
By Sonia Armstrong
the warm miniature bread loafs we were served, had left little room for dinner! That said, we ploughed on. My dining partner decided to try the vegetarian option from the set menu – wild mushroom & savoy cabbage risotto with truffle oil dressing. The dish was creamy, full of flavour and cooked to the perfect risotto al dente bite. A very satisfying dish – even for non vegetarians. Dinner for me was the duck trio – heaven for any duck eaters out there. This dish comprised of a confit of duck leg, duck fillet and my favourite part – the duck and apricot bon bons served with a red wine jus and red cabbage. As any good restaurant does, the chef recommended how the duck fillet was best served, so I opted for his suggestion of ‘pink’ and it was perfectly cooked. The large portions of sides – an array of fresh vegetables and garlic potatoes – eventually got the better of me and whilst I tried my best to finish I had to leave room for dessert! One sticky toffee pudding later, we sat on to enjoy the view over the lough with a glass of chilled Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc (another favourite of mine) and surmised that the surroundings, the staff and of course a lovely meal, made for a truly enjoyable evening. And I look forward to sampling more from the menu on my next visit!
PROFILE
Name: Michael Blaney Position: MD, Autoline Insurance Group
A word from
The Wise How did you start out in business? I started my career as a civil servant of all things, following in the footsteps of my father. However, it didn’t take long to work out that it wasn’t for me. I switched tack, took a business course and was smitten by the entrepreneurial bug, starting a new career in financial services. What did you find the most challenging during your years in business? The truth is that it’s the challenges which make the job so appealing; there’s a real buzz to be had working through apparently intractable issues. Autoline has grown strongly in recent years, doubling in size between 2006 and 2008, and diversifying into new areas such as commercial insurance and financial services. Success can be a distraction, so we’ve worked hard to ensure that even though we’re now a larger firm with almost 200 employees, we’re still nimble and innovative. How would you describe your management style? Innovative, entrepreneurial, but very people focused. I’m really proud of Autoline’s employees and how they’ve driven the business. People buy from people and we’ve invested considerable resources to make Autoline a great place to work, and to create a culture where everyone can help shape the business. What would you change if you could go back and do it all again? Nothing actually because it is past experience that helps share and equip you for future challenges. I saw a
SEPTEMBER 2015
The column with an ear for experience...
quote recently from the Dalai Lama that I really liked... “there are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.” Have you done it all on your own? No far from it – life and work are there to be shared. From family to colleagues I’ve always had great advice, support and loyalty. How would you like your business career to be remembered? I’m not planning on going anywhere soon! I have a passion to grow Autoline and move into new markets and sectors. I’d like to be remembered as someone who gave customers excellent service and great value for money. I’d like Autoline to be an example of a local firm which holds its own against some of the world’s largest corporates but never loses sight of the importance of personal relationships and gaining the trust of our clients. I want Autoline to be a company which shares its success. To celebrate our 40th year in business this year, we set ourselves the year-long target of raising £40,000 to be donated to 40 local charities. We’ve already exceeded this and with more events planned, we hope to offer each of the charities more than the original £1,000 pledge. Road safety is a big issue for Autoline. We work with road safety charity BRAKE, and Autoline was the first broker in Europe to launch an app offering discounting directly linked to driving behaviour.
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REVIEW
Business
Breakfast
By David Elliott
Diane Giles, Head of Service at eircom
B
reakfasting in a pub used to be frowned upon as a habit of those overfamiliar with the bottom of a pint glass. Nowadays, however, starting your day in a place where the cocktails more often than not come in liquid form rather than sausage is so de rigueur that you would guess the writer of this article was trying a little too hard to find a smart opening, rather than concentrate on accurate reporting. No matter, we’re here now - both editorially and literally – and despite the fact The Grande National Café might be first and foremost a bar, it also does a very fine culinary line and proves surprisingly busy at 8.30am when Diane Giles and I meet. Reversing inviter protocol, your reporter arrived slightly after Diane, despite the fact she’s had to travel from Ballymena, but order is quickly restored when yours truly jumps straight to the ordering phase. Hunger was part of the reason for this speedy transition but a gnawing worry that the trend set early in this Business Breakfast venture – one where the invitees had already eaten – would continue was at the crux of the move. Happily eircom’s (small ‘e’, don’t you know) Head of Service read the brief and would indeed be joining me for a bite to eat, making it a record two consecutive actual breakfasts in a row. We’re building up quite a head of steam. I plumbed for the eggs benedict on a
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hipster recommendation and can confirm it was top drawer, with the fresh brioche and silky hollandaise working perfectly together. Diane plumbed for the bacon and eggs, the latter baked in its own stoneware pot and the former coming just the right side of crispy, she reported. But enough about the food, what about the subject? Diane joined Eircom in Belfast eight years ago from BT having started as a junior programmer for Northern Ireland electricity in 1991. From that first post she evolved into a systems analyst, moved into service management, then into client management before taking up the Head of Service role, one which involves looking after the service desk, the network operations centre and the service management of for eircom in Northern Ireland. The business has also come a long way since its arrival north of the border but Diane said she had no worries about joining the new kid on the block of the telecoms world back then. “When we started we effectively had one customer, the government, through Network NI, but that’s expanded now to include the likes of C2K, councils, different agencies and an array of business customers,” Diane said, while Ulster Business scoffed. “We were new and were able to shape the business to suit our customers. That
has been a big draw, not just clients but for staff. One of the big selling points for me was that there was always ambition to grow the business, and to be the provider of choice for business.” “That has worked out. We’ve worked hard to build our reputation and we’ve worked hard to make sure we’re consistently providing good service.” That reputation comes from a very focused hiring process (when Diane started there were just 13 employees; now there are 52). “We took a conscious decision to try and get the right person rather than just filling the role. There have been times when we’ve held off filling a role for maybe six months, sometimes even a year, just to make sure we don’t hire the wrong person.” That makes for a good working environment. “I really enjoy it, the interaction with people, both customers and the team. We’ve built a team which have a real passion for what they do and you see that when things go wroing. “If there’s a customer issue, nobody avoids the problem. People are actually stepping forward to help. Or if we’re working on bids people will put in whatever it takes to get the job done.” That rounds the breakfast off nicely and with meetings calling for both of us, we hot foot it back to our respective offices, well fed once again. Until next time.
Flags, firebombs & flashbacks
Executive Motoring
By Pat Burns
Sponsored by
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EXECUTIVE MOTORING
The benefits of van leasing with Fleet Financial
Two is company
£££££ What are the benefits of leasing vans? There is less risk to your business – leasing vehicles means off balance sheet funding and fixed monthly costs. Leasing also minimises the amount of administrative burdens that running a vans requires. There is also the support and reliability that leasing offers and the ability to use cash for other business investments. Many van operators are unaware of the advantages of leasing but we are here to help! How do we support you? Running a fleet of commercial vehicles is a complex task and becoming even more so, particularly in the light of increasing legislation, duty-of-care obligations and compliance management. For many operators, van fleet management is something that has to be done as a result of using their vans as business tools. We can support your business with the information and systems needed to run an efficient and compliant van fleet. As part of our approach we fully qualify our clients’ fleet needs. As a result of such detailed qualification, we consider the type of use and fleet profile, in order to come up with the most cost-effective solution for your business. We see van leasing growing as a viable alternative to outright or hire purchase as more businesses develop their understanding of the advantages of leasing. If you would like more information on managing company vehicles, give us a call on 02890 849777 or visit fleetfinancial.co.uk. Think Fleet Financial.
T: 028 9084 9777 E: info@fleetfinancial.co.uk W: fleetfinancial.co.uk 76
M
azda’s small hatchback, the 2, has been completely redesigned and the new model looks set to be a strong contender for the best B segment car award.
Combining Mazda’s unique Skyactiv technology with its ‘KODO-Soul of Motion’ design, the all-new Mazda2 brings new levels of technological sophistication, driving pleasure and active safety to the highly competitive ‘supermini’ car market. The new model range sets high standards for infotainment, in-car connectivity and equipment levels in the segment with the 90ps SE-L Nav models featuring a 7-inch colour touch-screen, a rotary Multimedia Commander infotainment control, MZD Connect, DAB radio, and a satellite navigation system as standard, whilst Sport Nav models also benefit from the addition of 16-inch alloy wheels, smart keyless entry and climate control air-conditioning. Amongst the many features of the Mazda2’s cabin are its user-friendly layout and a level of cutting-edge technology unique to the class. Available from SE-L 90ps grade, a 7-inch touch-screen combines with a rotary Multimedia Commander to create an enhanced human-machine interface (HMI) offering extremely safe, intuitive interactivity and infotainment control. DAB radio features for the first time in the Mazda2 and, in SE-L Nav and Sport Nav grades, a new navigation system offers greater accuracy, improved search features and three years of free map updates. Plus, occupants can always be online with MZD Connect which works with compatible iPhone and Android smartphones. The all-new Mazda2 incorporates a comprehensive array of active safety systems including Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Brake Assist (EBA), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS), Emergency Stop Signalling (ESS), Hill Hold Assist (HHA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) are fitted as standard across the model range.
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EXECUTIVE MOTORING
Seat joins the 4WD club
S
panish car maker Seat has launched its first four wheel drive car here, the Leon X-Perience. The new lifestyle estate with permanent four-wheel-drive and off-roader looks starts from £24,385 on-the-road. The Barcelona-based brand recently confirmed that its first compact SUV will arrive in 2016, so the X-Perience marks the start of a new campaign from SEAT on the sports utility and four wheel drive market. With four-wheel-drive and extra ground clearance, the Leon X-Perience is capable in all road situations and poor weather conditions. Inside and out, it retains all of the ST’s style and versatility, including its sizeable 587-litre boot, which rises to 1,470 litres with the rear seats folded at the pull of a single lever. The range-topping estate is immediately recognisable through its all-road looks. Among the accoutrements are protection mouldings on the door sills and wheel arches, to give it a robust look, plus aluminium look touches for the rear bumper and lower front spoiler.
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Other elements singling it out as the ultimate Leon, are integrated fog lamps and twin chrome tailpipes, together with substantial air intakes at the front.
SE features 17-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels, black roof rails and dark tinted rear windows. Rear parking sensors and twin exhaust tailpipes complete the look.
It’s got the substance to match the style too. Featuring all-road suspension with extra ground clearance, the Leon X-perience is as at home on gravel and snow as it is on tarmac.
The premium feel continues on the inside, with dual zone climate control, leather steering wheel with orange stitching and X-Perience logo, and cloth upholstered front sports seats with simil leather bolsters. Rounding off its practical nature is Hill Hold Control and a chrome loading sill for added protection when fourlegged friends scrabble into the boot.
Underneath its upmarket look is the 4Drive all-wheel-drive system with intelligent EDS dynamic control, which accurately distributes torque between all four wheels, increasing traction to improve handling and stability. There’s also an extended electronic differential lock (XDS) for better traction while cornering. The X-Perience comes in two trim levels, SE and SE Technology. Offering a significantly enhanced standard specification over equivalent Leon STs, the range kicks off at £24,385 for the SE 2.0 TDI 150 manual. The same powered SE Technology version comes in at £26,370, while the 2.0 TDI 184 with DSG transmission tops out at £28,870. Both versions are brimming with kit. Immediately distinguishable from other Leons,
Upgrading to SE Technology costs £1,985, but brings a wealth of extras, which would cost £3,500 if bought individually. Befitting the name, many of them are high-end, such as SEAT Media System Plus with 5.8-inch colour touchscreen, DAB and satellite navigation, plus auto headlights, wipers and dimming rear view mirror. On the outside, the flagship gains SEAT’s unique LED headlights and taillights, electrically folding door mirrors and 18-inch machined alloy wheels.
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EXECUTIVE MOTORING
The Suzuki Vitara is still grand...
E
ver since its launch in 1988, the Suzuki Vitara range has earned high acclaim for stylish, city oriented designs, compact and easy to manage dimensions, good onroad performance and genuine off-road capability. The series has evolved through changes in body size and powertrain. Now, more than 25 years after the original model’s debut, the Vitara is more of a sports utility vehicle. The all-new Vitara has smaller dimensions, has dropped the ‘Grand’ from its title and incorporates Suzuki’s Allgrip four wheel drive system as an option. Advanced safety and connectivity equipment is available and the Vitara also enables owners to express themselves through various personalisation options. Highlights for SZ4 spec Vitara includes seven airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, Cruise control with speed limiter, auto air conditioning, front and rear electric windows and projector headlamps. The new Vitara is powered by either a 1.6-litre petrol engine or 1.6-litre DDiS diesel unit. With the petrol option, friction reductions combined with weight savings in the engine and related components help achieve improved fuel economy together with high output and torque.
For the diesel engine, a new EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system and an electronically controlled VGT (Variable Geometry Turbocharger) help achieve powerful, torquey performance together with low emissions and Euro 6 compliance. Both engines produce 120PS of power, though the diesel has much more torque, 320Nm compared to the petrol engine’s 156Nm. The Vitara still offers motorists a grand day out.
Sophisticated Six appeal with BMW
T
hrough three generations, the BMW 6 Series has represented a vehicle that offers the highest standard of handling, comfort and technology all wrapped in an elegant and timeless design. This formula has proved such a winning combination that BMW’s engineers and design team have only had to make subtle revisions to the three models in the range for a greater all round package.
The new 6 Series models benefit from external styling revisions which give them an even more purposeful and powerful stance. At the same time the interiors take on a more sportingly luxurious ambience thanks to new trim materials, centre console surfaces and lighting, and there is a more extensive range of standard and personalisation features. The BMW ConnectedDrive navigation and infotainment package is now fitted to every model. All petrol models now have a sports exhaust system with a switchable valve which adds a more intense timbre to the engine soundtrack, while aerodynamic improvements along with revised engine technologies mean the six-cylinder models – petrol and diesel – are even more fuel-efficient than before. The 3.0-litre 313hp turbodiesel engine in the 640d models and the similar-capacity 320hp petrol engine in 640i versions are now more fuelefficient thanks to the latest EfficientDynamics features and aerodynamic improvements. As a result, CO2 emissions are as low as 139g/km on the 640d SE Coupé. Yet every 6 Series can comfortably achieve the 0-62mph sprint in 5.5 seconds – and in many cases, considerably less. Prices for the new 6 Series range start at £59,430.
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Think
Bespoke FOR CONTRACT HIRE THINK FLEET FINANCIAL
T: 028 9084 9777 W: eetďŹ nancial.co.uk
EXECUTIVE MOTORING
New Transporter T6 and new Caddy 4 launched at Agnew Van Centre
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his September is an exciting time for Isaac Agnew Van Centre, as it sees the launch of the latest generations of both the Volkswagen Transporter and Caddy, in both their commercial and passenger carrying variants. During their launch event, Agnew Van Centre will have a range of stunning new models available to view and to test drive, showcasing the latest designs, engines, trim levels and the very latest Infotainment systems. With demand expected to be exceptionally high, please make contact with the Van Centre in advance to secure a suitable time for one of the team to demonstrate the specific features bespoke to your business, as well as tailor personalised packages to meet and exceed your fleet requirements. Perfected over generations, the new Transporter is the sixth inception of this iconic vehicle. When Volkswagen designed the first Transporter 65 years ago, it succeeded in capturing both the imagination and needs
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of professionals. This latest model continues this trend with a striking new design, supported by clear contours and precise lines. Its interior is packed full of innovations and modern day technology to assist your working day. A new generation of 2.0 TDi and BiTDi diesel engines with both EU5 and EU6 emissions standards available deliver power outputs from 84PS up to 204PS. All engines include BlueMotion Technology as standard, featuring Start/Stop, regenerative braking and low rolling resistance tyres. This delivers an overall reduction of fuel consumption by 15% on average across the range. The all-new touch-screen display includes DAB+ radio and Bluetooth as standard giving you information at your fingertips, and Driver assistance systems include Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), High Beam Assist and Driver Alert.
dependability and a premium image. With plenty of storage solutions, ergonomic seating, improved interior acoustics and a selection of infotainment options, the new Caddy ensures a confident and comfortable drive. It comes with the next generation of TDI diesel engines in both EU5 and the new EU6 emission standards. Similarly to New Transporter T6, EU6 engines include BlueMotion Technology as standard, featuring Start/Stop, regenerative braking and low rolling resistance tyres. Front and curtain airbags and Automatic Post-Collision Braking System now come as standard, and optional extras include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Front Assist and City Emergency Brake System, Park Assist, Fatigue Detection, Light Assist and Reversing Camera making the Caddy even safer.
For more information or to arrange an
The new fouth Generation Caddy benefits from similar design and technological upgrades, and exudes competence,
appointment contact the Van Centre Sales Team on 028 9508 4002 or email: richard.kerr@agnews.co.uk
The new Caddy and new Transporter. Coming soon. Take a look at the sharper, more distinctive lines and you will see how we’ve perfected our vehicles over generations. Improved technology designed to enhance your driving experience, includes infotainment system with a 5-inch touchscreen, DAB radio and Bluetooth.® Added to that BlueMotion technology including start/stop is now available across the range, reducing your CO2 emissions and fuel costs. For more information contact us or pop into our showroom.
er. b m e t p e nS Arriving i Isaac Agnew Van Centre � Mallusk Way, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim. Telephone: ��� ���� ����. Find us on your sat-nav using BT�� �AA. www.agnewvans.com
Images are for illustrative purposes only. Vehicles shown may not be UK specification. Images may show options or features that are not available in the UK.
APPOINTMENTS
Adrian Gallagher has been appointed as New Commercial Vehicle Sales Executive at Isaac Agnew Van Centre. Adrian comes with previous experience selling Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Susie McCullough joins the team at Belfast Waterfront from Tourism Northern Ireland as Director of Sales and Marketing. Peter McCartney is appointed Conference Sales Executive GB and International at Belfast Waterfront. In his new role, Peter will be responsible for selling the new world class conference centre.
Aoife Glenn becomes Conference Sales Executive GB and International at Belfast Waterfront. Aoife will be responsible for selling the new world class conference centre at Belfast Waterfront. As the newly appointed Exhibition and Business Sales Executive at Belfast Waterfront, Kim Keightley is responsible for identifying and developing new opportunities in the corporate market. Lisa Turkington joins the team at Belfast Waterfront as the new Digital Marketing Executive at Belfast Waterfront. She is responsible for overseeing the digital marketing strategy for both venues.
Dr Jonathan Heggarty has been appointed Director of Curriculum of Belfast Met. Jonathan joins the Chief Executive team and is responsible for leading and managing the delivery of the College’s curriculum. Jill Smyth has been appointed Technical Services Manager at Fujitsu. Jill will be responsible for the Unix technical services teams. Geoff Thompson has been appointed Partner at Fetherston Clements Estate Agents. He was previously Senior Valuer at the agency and has been working within the industry for the past 12 years.
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APPOINTMENTS
Ward Solutions has appointed Alan McVey as business development manager, Northern Ireland. In his new role, Alan will be responsible for managing Ward Solutions’ existing relationships in Northern Ireland. Kristin Jameson has been appointed Brand Development Manager at Heavenly Tasty Organics. Kristin will manage the development of the Heavenly brand. Paul Lemon has been promoted to the position of director of sales and business development for Equiniti in Northern Ireland.
Philip Murray has been promoted to the position of director of technology for Equiniti in Northern Ireland. Colin McMahon has been promoted to the position of director of operations for Equiniti in Northern Ireland. Ashleigh Baird has joined Willowbrook Fine Foods as NPD Technologist. She will be responsible for developing innovative products.
David Fry has been appointed Federation Manager at the Construction Employers Federation (CEF). Prior to commencing his new role, David was the Senior Policy Adviser at CBI Northern Ireland. John McKee Solicitors has appointed Chris Ross as its new Managing Partner. Chris acts for a number of large commercial clients in the construction, transport, finance and insurance industries. Angus Creed has been named Chairman of John McKee Solicitors. Angus joined John McKee Solicitors in June 2012 having previously been Managing Partner and Chairman at another large Belfast firm.
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PHOTOCALL 1. CEO of financial software firm First Derivatives, Brian Conlon, has been named as the Northern Ireland Science Park’s ‘Innovation Founder’ for 2015. Brian was joined by Steve Orr of NISP CONNECT and Ian Sheppard and Julie-Ann O’Hare from Bank of Ireland UK. 2. Lisburn-based food distribution specialist Andrew Ingredients, which celebrated its 70th anniversary this year, is running Northern Ireland’s first van from the groundbreaking Mercedes-Benz New Vito range. Pictured is managing director Tim Andrew with the new van.
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3. Sixth-form students from 24 local schools have had the chance to experience life as an engineer as part of a weeklong programme organised by Queen’s University Belfast and Caterpillar Northern Ireland. Pictured are student Angel Reyes with Danny McAllister of Caterpillar NI. 4. Rainbow Communications has signed a new two year, multi-million pound wholesale deal with BT for calls and managed broadband services to enhance its customer offerings. Pictured are Frank McManus, head of wholesale sales and services, BT Ireland, with Eric Carson, director of Rainbow Communications. 5. Des McVeigh, Independent owner of EUROSPAR Warrenpoint that opened in 2000, joins Paddy Doody, Sales and Marketing Director at Henderson Group and Gregory Cochrane, Manager of the first Henderson Retail owned EUROSPAR which also opened in 2000 on Rathgael Road, Bangor to celebrate the success of the brand over 15 years in Northern Ireland.
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PHOTOCALL 6. Belfast fabric retailer The Spinning Wheel has launched an online curtain retailer with a £30,000 investment, 365Curtains.com. It has over 10,000 curtain options available and has already had over 5,000 hits in just under two weeks, with orders coming from as far as Norway, Italy and Australia. Pictured is Rory Curran, director. 7. Country singer Lisa McHugh sings praises of Suzi Colledge, from Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, who is raising much-needed cash for breast cancer research which the charity is funding at Queen’s University Belfast.
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8. The Northern Ireland Science Park has announced details of Create:2015, an entirely youthled event for CultureTECH, which aims to inspire those destined to work in the digital and creative industries. The Create:2015 team is made up of Gareth Reid (17), Matthew Carson (19), Jordan Earle (18), Sarah Semple (17), Niamh McCay (17), and Anona Weir (18). For more information, please visit www.create.to 9. Titanic Quarter Ltd and Titanic Belfast are putting finishing touches to the Titanic Exhibition Centre as it prepares to open its doors for its first event, The Wedding Journal Show, from 18th – 20th September. Pictured are Judith Owens, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations of Titanic Belfast and James Eyre, Commercial Director of Titanic Quarter Limited.
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10. The next generation of local media talent were celebrating at the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast, as they marked the end of the first year of Cool FM and Start360’s “Cool Choices” service. L-R: Geraldine Campbell, Big Lottery Fund Board Member; Mark Mahaffy, Managing Director, Cool FM; Courtnay McLeod, Director of Bauer Academy and Anne-Marie McLure, Chief Executive of Start360.
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PHOTOCALL
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11. Park Avenue Hotel managing director Mandy Patrick and daughter Katrina Martin prepare to open new Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill with staff (l-r) Alana Morrison, Stuart Tomilson, Louise Booth, Neal Caughers, Amy Caughey and Ryan Bickerstaff. 12. Claire Scott, manager of Slim’s Healthy Kitchen joins Victoria Square centre manager Michelle Greeves to celebrate the opening of the brand’s mini kitchen. 13. New start-up estate agency, Bangor-based East Cottage Estates has introduced the latest Web Edge technology from Propertynews.com. The cloud-based office management software company was set up in April by MD Chris Escott (pictured left). Also pictured is Andrew Armstrong (right) from Propertynews.com. 14. Bangor estate agency Pinkertons has announced Northern Ireland Chest, Heart & Stroke as their charity of the year. Helping to launch the partnership were, from left, Victoria Pinkerton, Managing Director of Pinkertons, Sinead Magill Fundraising officer from Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke and Peter Morrison, Valuer from Pinkertons. 15. Phoenix Natural Gas has appointed Ardmore Advertising as its lead marketing and communications partner. Pictured at Ardmore House are (right) Ardmore Media Director Mark Irwin and Phoenix Chief Executive Alistair Pollock.
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PHOTOCALL 16. NI Water has awarded a contract valued at £58m to Cookstown company GO Power. Pictured with Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy are Ronan Larkin (left-right), Director of Finance and Regulation at NI Water, Michael Loughran, Managing Director of GO Power and Laura Loughran of GO Power.
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17. Solmatix has been named National Champion for Northern Ireland in The European Business Awards sponsored by RSM. Richard Bell, managing director of Solmatix and his wife, Norah-Anne Bell, finance director of Solmatix, (standing) are joined by Clare Galloway and Richard Gardiner of RSM McClure Watters.
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18. (L-R) Aimee Beimers, MD of Keen Nutrition is pictured with William McCulla, Director of Corporate Finance, Invest NI; Barry Connolly, Finance Director of UCIT and Michael Carlin, NI Small Business Loan Fund Manager. 19. Mercury Security financial director Eoin O’Brien presents Mark Ireland, a 16-year-old student from Strangford Integrated College in County Down, with a new laptop after he was short-listed as a finalist in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style competition run by the Northern Ireland Science Park. 20. Ken Robson (left), branch manager of Murdock’s Builders’ Merchants and Denis Wright, project manager for the National Trust are pictured in the Central Hall at Mount Stewart which has been transformed thanks to an £8m restoration programme. All the building supplies and joinery material for the project were supplied by Murdocks, Newtownards.
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PHOTOCALL 21. Londonderry based telemarketing company, 1 Stop Data is being assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to target new business outside the UK. George McKinney, Invest NI, (centre) is pictured with (L-R) Catherine Isbell and Pauline Murphy, 1 Stop Data. 22. GL Care has recently opened a second Senior Activity Centre, Bardan Cottage Kingsway, in Dunmurry following a significant loan from Danske Bank. Pictured are GL Care’s Managing Director Liam Lavery; Peter Graham, Partner in GL Care; Mark Watson, Head of Portadown Finance Centre, Danske Bank and Carol McCready, Business Bank Manager at Danske Bank. 23. McCool’s SuperValu store in Ballymoney, which is supported by Musgrave, has been awarded the Investors In People (IIP) Gold standard. John Mulholland Investor in People advisor, Peter McCool owner SuperValu Ballymoney, Elaine Sinclair, Retail Training & Development Manager Musgrave NI, Ian Elliott, Manager SuperValu Ballymoney. 24. The Royal Television Society (RTS) has launched the first regional RTS Programme Awards for Northern Ireland which will take place on 5th November. Pictured from left are): Sarah McCaffrey; Julie Gardner and Kieran Doherty. 25. Dr Gráinne McKeever, Director of Ulster University’s Law Clinic, right, joins Jane Townsend, Partner and Head of Allen & Overy’s Legal Services Centre in Belfast, at the launch of a new scholarship which will improve access to justice in Northern Ireland.
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PHOTOCALL 26. Travel agency Clubworld Travel celebrated its 25th anniversary in style recently on board the opulent Celebrity Silhouette Cruiseship. Pictured with owner Delia Aston is Denise Quinn, manager of Banbridge Travel in Banbridge, Andrew Bolton and Lorraine Quinn from Celebrity Silhouette.
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28. Fold Housing Association has been awarded a contract worth over £1m for the supply and installation of PV solar panels. (L-R) Ann Manning, a tenant in Copeland Fold in Donaghadee, is pictured with Rachel Sankannawar, Business Development and Tenders Manager at Action Renewables, Eileen Patterson, Director of Housing at Fold, and Neville Bell, Sales Manager at Solmatix Renewables.
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29. Local baby food producer Heavenly Tasty Organics has achieved BRC certification for Agents and Brokers. Shauna McCarney-Blair, Managing Director at Heavenly Tasty Organics and operations director James Blair are pictured.
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27. Lenadoon Community Forum and Ballybeen Women’s Centre are each celebrating a £35,000 award as part of a £220,000 Ulster Bank Skills & Opportunities Fund for 2015. Pictured are, from left, Colin Jess, Mark McKelvey, Sharon McCullough and Tanya Hughes.
30. Teresa Sloan, Director of Fundraising & Communications for Aware, (left) is pictured with Jason Marty, Baker & McKenzie Executive Director for Global Services Belfast, and Subscriber Relationship Management Representative, Edelle McGinn launching Aware’s two year fundraising partnership with this premier global law firm.
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EVENTS
Canapés and cocktails The cream of the last month’s business events Sausage Sizzler produced by local firm Finnebrogue - have taken home the ultimate sausage prize at the meat industry’s equivalent of the Oscars – The Supermeat & Fish Awards. The annual prize ceremony recognised meat and fish products from retailers and producers across the UK and singled out Asda’s Extra Special Chipolata as ‘Best Sausage Product.’ Comedian Stephen Mangan presents the prize for Best Sausage Product to Category Planning Manager, Mandy Shepherd and Sausage Buyer, Guy Dobson from Asda.
EirGrid CEO Fintan Slye (centre) is joined by Dr Andrew McCormick, DETI (L) and Linda Brown, IOD to launch EirGrid Group’s 10th Annual Customer Conference which returns to Belfast for a second time later this year. The conference is on Tuesday 20th October 2015 in Titanic Belfast and registration details can be found on the customer section of EirGrid.com Photo by Aaron McCracken/Harrisons.
Bond Market Cunningham Coates has announced a charity screening of the new James Bond movie, Spectre, at the Odeon Cinema, Belfast, in aid of Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI. Tickets for the event on 27th October, which is sponsored by Belvedere Vodka and supported by Aston Martin, have gone on release at http://leukaemiaandlymphomani. org/events. Wayne Nickells of Cunningham Coates and Morgane Mell, a researcher with Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, are all set for the Bond-themed gala night. Photo: Brian Morrison.
Everything’s Fine... with Friends: Kathryn Callaghan and Atelier-Design teamed up to showcase some of Northern Ireland’s finest homegrown products and designers. The event highlighted pioneers from the worlds of fashion, art, design, music, food and drink, all of whom are based here. Included were Gráinne Maher, French Vintage Vie, abigail*ryan, Ruth Corry, Ruby Blue and Posh Nosh.
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EVENTS
Hole in one
Cognac connoisseurs
The Mount Charles Group has raised more than £7,000 in aid of Cancer Fund for Children with their annual charity golf day. The company has now raised more than £70,000 for Cancer Fund for Children over the last six years. Pictured (l-r) is: Cathal Geoghegan, Managing Director of the Mount Charles Group, comedian John Linehan, better known as May McFetridge, Gillian Creevy, Chief Executive of Cancer Fund for Children and Trevor Annon, Chairman on the Mount Charles Group.
It was the battle of the bartenders in Belfast this week as 11 finalists representing bars from across Northern Ireland competed in the Hennessy Connoisseurs Challenge, each vying for the chance to win a prestigious training scholarship with the world’s most iconic cognac brand. Designed to uncover the movers and shakers in Northern Ireland’s cocktail scene, the Hennessy Connoisseurs Challenge was created by drinks company, Dillon Bass owners of the Hennessy brand in Northern Ireland - to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the cognac brand. The international judging panel, included Vincent BorjonPrive from Hennessy; Swanand Korgaonkar, head bartender at The Berkeley Hotel, London; Northern Ireland food critic, Joris Minne and Joel Neill, operations director, Hospitality Ulster.
Pictured: Vincent Borjon-Prive, Hennessy (left) and Joanne O’Hagan, marketing manager, Dillon Bass (right) with the newly named Hennessy Connoisseurs: Rosin McErlean, The Albany; Frankie Cosgrove, sixty6; Nathaniel McAuley, Muriel’s Café Bar, Belfast.
Belfast; Classic Serve; Cocktail; Dillon & Bass; Elaine Hill Photography; Hennessey; Joris Minn; Jorris Minn; Judges; Northern Ireland; Robinson & Cleaver
Belfast; Classic Serve; Cocktail; Dillon & Bass; Elaine Hill Photography; Hennessey; Hennessey Serve; Joris Minn; Jorris Minn; Judges; Northern Ireland; Robinson & Cleaver
Belfast; Classic Serve; Cocktail; Dillon & Bass; Elaine Hill Photography; Hennessey; Hennessey Serve; Joris Minn; Jorris Minn; Judges; Northern Ireland; Robinson & Cleaver
SEPTEMBER 2015
Belfast; Classic Serve; Cocktail; Dillon & Bass; Elaine Hill Photography; Hennessey; Hennessey Serve; Joris Minn; Jorris Minn; Judges; Northern Ireland; Robinson & Cleaver
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TECHNOLOGY
Tech or tat? Adam Maguire checks out the latest gadgets, gismos and gifts from the world of tech.
Reviews SamSung gear S2 ClaSSiC While the smartwatch market is still some way from maturation, Samsung is returning to first principles in order to attract in users. As the last word in its name suggests, the Samsung Gear S2 Classic hides its modern capabilities with some very traditional watch design cues. Its leather strap, metallic frame and ridged watch-face bezel would not look out of place on the shelf of your average jewellers, while the default clock layout leans heavily on mechanical chronograph metaphors. Of course the Gear S2 is anything but classical in terms of what’s under the hood and this packs the kind of features people have now come to expect from a smartwatch - including activity tracking and NFC connectivity for wireless payments.
What may be a drawback for it, however, is the fact that it runs on Samsung’s own Tizen operating system rather than Google’s Android, which may impact the availability of apps. Users of Apple devices should also be warned – the Gear S2 is not currently compatible with the iPhone. The Samsung Gear S2 Classic is yet to get a British release date.
Sony Xperia Z5 CompaCt The smallest in a trio of new phones from Sony, the Xperia Z5 Compact still offers plenty of screen real estate for the average user. With a 4.6” screen, many would find it hard to categorise this particular device has compact. But compared to the 5.5” and 5.2” on offer from the regular Z5 and Z5 Premium, you can kind of see where Sony are coming from. But smaller screen size aside the company has done well to pack plenty into this device – including a HD screen, 2GB of RAM, a powerful processor and a whopping 23 megapixel camera on the back. It also carries the premium finish that runs through the Xperia range – along with a few nice flourishes like a fingerprint scanner. All of that power and functionality is being used to bring Android’s Lollipop to users, though it is covered in a fairly stylish Sony skin and adorned with a few unique features – such as Playstation connectivity. All in all, the Z5 Compact makes for a solid-but-not-bloated device. The Sony Z5 Compact is due to launch in early October.
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TECHNOLOGY
Previews GooGle onHub The home router is a good example of a necessary evil – but Google hopes to take some of the sting out of that with its new OnHub. Google has made a habit of trying to inject some sex appeal into boring products – its Nest thermostat, which controls your heating in a smart way, is a good example. Now through the OnHub, Google hopes to turn that irritating box in the corner of your room into something more accessible – by adding a userfriendly sheen to an internet router. The core idea of OnHub is to make it easy for people to control their home network – revolving around an app that guides you through the set-up process.
From there users can monitor activity on their network – such as seeing how many people are connected – and even do speed tests to see how good (or otherwise)
their connection is. How very exciting. The Google OnHub is currently only available in the US.
Apple oSX & ioS 9 Evolutionary and not revolutionary – that is the message coming from Apple with its latest operating software upgrades. Following on from some fairly dramatic changes to the way Apple’s computers, tablets and smartphones look in recent years, the Californian company is taking a more measured approach this time around. But while little is changing on the surface, Apple has put a focus on improving the way its software operates. Specifically, they seem keen to cut away some of the bloat that has inevitably developed on the software following years of tweaks and changes. This should mean that the software takes up less space on the device, while the additional apps have a smaller footprint too. A more streamlined payload should also mean faster performance – and even better battery life – which should all add up to a new lease of life for older iPhones, iPads and Macs.
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for business
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BUSINESS TRAVELLER
Darren Eastwood, CDEnviro Export Development Manager What’s your favourite App for passing the time? Football Manager 2015. It passes far too much time. I would advise any highly productive professional not to get it. Have you ever unexpectedly run into someone you know from home in a far flung destination? My travel destinations aren’t frequented by the locals that live nearby, never mind anyone from home so the likelihood of that sort of a chance meeting is very slim. What do you enjoy most about working internationally? You get to meet people who are fascinated with the quirks of our way of life and vice versa. We even differ so much from our European neighbours. They have an obsession with the long lunch, where a lot of business is completed. When my wife is asked where I am she tells people I’ve gone to Switzerland for lunch.
How often do you travel and why? I am away from our Cookstown headquarters around 50% of the working year. I travel for a variety of reasons – to support our existing customers, to take part in trade missions to new markets and to negotiate direct sales. Other than your phone, what are the three things you couldn’t do without when travelling for work? I find that an iPad or a book are best for downtime. Since there’s not much that can’t be achieved with a laptop or a phone, I tend to travel as light as possible. Have you found a good way to work while you are on the move? I once had a colleague drive our hire car alongside an airport shuttle bus that offered free Wifi. I managed to log on to the network and send some important information to a client. I’m not sure this qualifies as a “good” way to work but it certainly was interesting. What would be your top tips for anyone embarking on a job that involves a lot of travel? Make sure your family life is sustainable without you there. You can’t solve problems at home when you’re in Australia. Try to look at the positives of the next journey. If it is a difficult trip, then perhaps you’re preparing to go to lengths that a competitor wouldn’t. Try to remember what the same trip would cost for you to take as a tourist.
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What’s your favourite city/country in the world and where has disappointed you? My favourite city is La Paz, Bolivia. The entire country is amazing. India is also unforgettable and I’d highly recommend it. My only disappointments have been my own inability to adapt to what the individual country has to offer, never in the country itself. What do you look for in a good hotel? A fast internet connection is important to me. I spend so little time in the hotels that they don’t matter too much to me. What’s the best airline you’ve flown with and the best hotel you’ve stayed in? Again, airlines tend to be broadly similar in my opinion. I once stayed at a beach resort which belonged to my customer in Goa – good food, beautiful surroundings, whilst overlooking the sun setting over the Arabian Sea. Have you worked out a way to avoid jetlag? When on board sleep when you want to, and when you land go straight to work. Most importantly though don’t ever mention those two words. Jet lag is like a financial recession – the more people talk about it the more you believe it is happening!
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TRAVEL
Ambassadors lead the way at Belfast City Airport
BA offering mentoring at 30,000 feet
Chief Executive Brian Ambrose (centre) with two of Belfast City Airport’s Ambassadors.
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eorge Best Belfast City Airport has launched an Ambassador Scheme aimed at further enhancing the experience of the 2.5 million passengers that travel through the airport each year.
A number of Airport Ambassadors will be placed throughout the terminal to provide passengers with assistance and help additional to that already available at the airport. The volunteers, who can be easily spotted thanks to their distinctive Belfast City Airport Ambassador uniform, have been trained to identify, approach and assist those who could use an extra pair of hands. To date this has included helping a mother carry her young child and cabin baggage to check in; reuniting passengers with personal items left on board the plane; accompanying nervous or first time flyers as they check in and move through security. Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport, said: “Whilst we have privately invested more than £15m into our facilities and infrastructure within the last number of years and launched social media channels to update and facilitate passenger queries, we identified an opportunity to further improve the physical assistance available to our passengers within the terminal. “The Airport Ambassador Scheme allows us to lend passengers an extra pair of hands and it has so far made a huge difference to our passengers, whether it be a young mother travelling alone with children, or a nervous passenger who requires some reassurance and company. Many of our volunteering Ambassadors have previous experience in working with the public and customer care with several being fluent in sign language which is has been invaluable to passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our Ambassadors are fully mobile which allows them to move right through the terminal with a passenger.” After an initial call for volunteers on social media, the airport received a huge response from local residents of all ages keen to volunteer throughout the week. Following the relevant checks and training, there are now more than ten Airport Ambassadors on site at peak times to help both arriving and departing passengers. For more information about becoming an Airport Ambassador please contact the airport via www.belfastcityairport.com
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ritish Airways is offering three Northern Ireland business owners the chance to take part in 10-hour mentoring sessions at 30,000 feet. They’ll fly to Austin, Texas – as part of the airline’s relaunch of its On Business loyalty programme – and will be mentored during the flight by two US entrepreneurs, Josh Baer and Steve Welch from Austin-based Capital Factory, known as the centre for start-ups in the US. Business owners keen to make the flight need to submit a pitch to ba.com/flywithleaders, stating why working with Capital Factory would help transform their company. Andrew Crawley, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, welcomed the launch of the competition. “Based in one of the fastest growing cities in the US, with an unrivalled reputation for helping businesses start up and grow, there’s no better placed organisation to mentor SMEs than the Capital Factory.” Joshua Baer, the founder and executive director of Capital Factory, said: “I’m really looking forward to meeting the winners of British Airways’ competition on the flight. Mentoring at 35,000ft will be a new experience for me, but all that dedicated quiet time on the flight will definitely deliver results. “There has never been a better time to connect the number one start-up city in the US with the number one start-up city in Europe and since British Airways established a direct flight between Austin and London we are seeing more Austin companies doing business across the pond and vice-versa.”
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SPORT
6 #sportsmarketing trends to watch for With Geoff Wilson
fan experience and fan engagement is and will continue to be vital for sports properties. 2. More connected stadia and ‘smart arenas’ Wi-Fi is now part of our daily lives. We expect Internet access everywhere and it’s no different at entertainment events or venues. 3. Big data will get bigger As technology develops, particularly in the
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ports marketing is an exciting discipline and one that is undergoing significant, disruptive change. Here are six trends you need to be aware of as we hurtle towards 2016. 1. Increased emphasis on the fan experience and engagement Many sports are experiencing a more competitive ticketing market so improving the
wearables sector, so does the amount of data we can collect from fans and athletes. It will not be long before it is mainstream in sport, whether it be consumption and preference data collected from fans or data collected from athletes for performance monitoring, training and recruitment purposes. 4. Mobile, mobile, mobile All the research points to the continued growth of fans consuming content on their mobile phone rather than their desktop (like it or not, mobile is everywhere – according to KCPB, 73% of the world’s population are mobile phone users!).
5. Fan generated content is becoming king There has been a rise in the consumption of behind the scenes content, player content and breaking news, transforming sports clubs into media outlets. However, fans love to generate and share their own content to express their affinity for the club or sport they love. 6. Emergence of a new generation of commercial partners Watch out for more digital media and marketing partnerships, particularly as social media and messaging platforms try to tie-up content agreements with sports properties. Watch out in particular for more activity from the wearables and daily fantasy sports sectors. Geoff runs his own Sports Consultancy, working with clients such as FIFA across the world. He is also on the board of SportNI. You can follow Geoff on twitter @geoffwnjwilson or connect on Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/in/geoffwnjwilson
The business of sport
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lster University and business advisory firm, BDO, have brought together leading figures from the business and sporting worlds to highlight opportunities in the global sports sector. Over 100 attendees from a wide range of businesses across Northern Ireland attended the networking event to hear how sport has a major role to play in Northern Ireland’s economic development from tourism and hospitality to retail and manufacturing. At the event, keynote speaker and head coach of Ireland’s cricket team, John Bracewell, discussed his plans to take Ireland into the top 10 cricket countries in
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Pictured (l-r) BDO Partner, Brian Murphy; Lisa Bradley, Ulster University and Cricket Ireland coach, John Bracewell.
the world and the business opportunities this presents. An expert panel, including Lisa Bradley, Head of International Business at Ulster University, outlined how Northern Ireland is punching above its weight in the international market for sport.
The networking event, in association with BDO, was hosted as part of the Sports ConneX initiative, a partnership between Ulster University and sport-focused businesses designed to enhance collaboration and innovation in the global business of sport.
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Business Diary
October 2015
DATE
EVENT
VENUE
CONTACT
1 October 09:30-12:00
Health & Wellbeing Learning Network Organiser: Business in the Community
TBC Cost: Free to Workplace/Platinum £300 for other members
For more information visit www.bitcni.org.uk/event
2 October 09:00-11:30
Breakfast Bytes seminar – Food & Drink focus Organiser: i3 Digital er: i3
i3 Digital, Dargan Road, Belfast Harbour Estate Cost: Free (plus complimentary breakfast)
Mark Lyness on Tel: 028 9044 7800 or register on www.i3digital.com/Event
13 October 09:00-12:30
IoD NI New Director Boot Camp Organiser: IoD
Equality House, 7-9 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast Cost: Free
For more information or to book visit www.iod.com/connecting/events
13 October 09:30-12:30
Achieving your full potential Organiser: Women In Business
Malone Lodge, Belfast Cost: Members: £15 +VAT Non-Members: £35 +VAT
For more information or to book visit www.womeninbusinessni.com/events
14 October 09.00-11.30
Employment Law and Health and Safety seminar Organiser: Peninsula Business Services
Wellington Park Hotel, 21 Malone Road, Belfast Cost: Complimentary, quote 37062
For more information contact Peninsula on Tel: 028 9031 4222 or email: events@peninsula-ni.com
20 October 08.00-11:30
Three Keys to Family Business Success (in partnership with Harbinson Mulholland) Organiser: Ulster University Business School
W5, SSE Arena (Odyssey) Cost: Free
Further information or to book visit www.getinvited.to/ulsterbizschool/threekeys-to-family-business-success
22 October 10.00-13.00
SME Finance Clinic (in partnership with Key Finance) Organiser: Ulster University Business School
Da Vinci’s Hotel, L’derry Cost: Free
For further information or to book Tel: 028 9036 6259 or email: cs.brennan@ulster.ac.uk or
If you would like to promote an event or conference please contact Sonia Armstrong (soniaarmstrong@greerpublications.com)
MY DAY
Uncovering the 9-5
our aims. This year we have spent a lot more time talking to people in different time zones using video conferencing.
11.00am - 3.00pm I meet and video conference with a wide selection of Digital DNA’s partners, sponsors, ambassadors and others who we are working and collaborating with. On a global level these are organisations like Google, TotalMobile and Allstate and at a local level companies such as Chain Reaction Cycles, TotalHockey and Meteor Electrical. I sometimes broker meetings between other parties – bringing people together who would benefit from collaborating with each other.
3.00 - 4.00pm I spend about 30 minutes around 3-3.30pm responding to emails and voicemails, as well as touching base with the team back at Digital DNA, HQ.
4.00 - 6.00pm The American West Coast is now awake and I spend a lot of time talking to our partners and influencers there. At the moment we are working with Stanford University to firm up details of a visit to their D-School in early 2016 as part of our Digital Futures Programme.
Name: Gareth Quinn Position: Managing Director, Digital DNA
6.00pm 6.30am
9.00am
My wife Lisa and I are woken by our children – they have no snooze button! I start the morning having a look at my diary to remind myself what Digital DNA has planned for the day.
I either take the five minute trip to the office or head straight into meetings (usually held in a coffee shop with good coffee). Either way I touch base with the Digital DNA team at HQ first thing to go over our status and goals for the day. We have a fantastic team at Digital DNA and it has never been hard to motivate them, as they have been empowered to do their jobs.
7.30am I review my daily ‘to do list’, which is critical to my productivity and then send emails, and set up meetings in relation to the connections I made the day before.
8.30am The kids remind me that they have to go to school and we set off on the short walk.
I have dinner at home with my family, which is a welcome reality check that makes me appreciate what it’s all about. In the evenings I try to get the odd run or play 5-a-side football. I also try to dedicate some time to practising mindfulness which has had quite a positive impact on personal and professional life over the past six months. After the children have gone to bed I will usually spend another hour or two progressing whatever has developed during the day and working on whatever is needed for the following day.
10.00am At Digital DNA we try to live what we preach so we work as collaboratively as possible embracing online tools that are effective in helping us pool together and deliver on
Digital DNA takes place 15-27 October 2015. For tickets and more information visit www.DigitalDNA.org.uk
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