Ambition November/December 2019

Magazine of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 ISSUE 37 £2.95

ENERGISING ENGAGEMENT NIE NETWORKS ON BUILDING INTERNAL CONNECTIONS AND RAISING VITAL LIFE-SAVING FUNDS.

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November/December 2019 Issue 37

Contents NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

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Food for Thought Garvan Rice, Director of The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn talks to Emma Deighan.

Managing Editor: Christopher Morrow Features: Emma Deighan Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Managers: Lorraine Gill & Gerry Waddell Editorial Assistant: Kellie Burch & Joanne Harkness Email addresses: Christopher.Morrow@northernirelandchamber.com/ lorraine.gill@ulsterjournals.com / gerry.waddell@ulstertatler.com Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com / www.ulstertatler.com Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim. Cover by: Andrew Vaughan

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

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At a Glance News: 06 Ready For ‘Action’ Ahead of NI Chamber President’s Banquet 08 Smiley Monroe Announce New US Expansion 10 JComms Named NI’s Outstanding PR Consultancy 12 Bringing 5G to Belfast Harbour

68 76 80

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Columnists: 16 David Clements 20 Laura Jackson 22 Andy Borthwick 24 Conor Coyle 26 Robert McCullough 100 Brendan Drain

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Chamber Chief: 35 CEO Update 36 Chamber News 37 Annual Golf Day 38 Social Round Up 40 Annual Networking Conference 42 NI Chamber Office Opening 44 Quarterly Economic Survey 46 Firms Scoop NI Chamber Awards

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Features: 14 Stairway to Seven 18 The Techy 10 28 My Ambition 54 Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme 56 The Drive to Thrive 60 Getting the Job Done 64 Education That Makes Perfect Business Sense

Powering The Future Cracking the Talent Shortage Business Education – Why Engage?

Appointments: 86 Stand Out From The Crowd

Lifestyle: 91 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 102 Fashion: The 70’s Revival Joanne Harkness 103 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees and Andrea Mola

50 Cover Story

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80

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editorial

President’s Perspective

Safeguarding the local economy

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s EU leaders agree to extend Brexit until 31 January 2020, our members are telling us that they are relieved and frustrated in equal measure. As frustrating as it will be for many, avoiding a messy departure is critical. A short extension, which unlocks complexities and allows for a smooth transition is infinitely preferable to a no-deal exit.

As attention now shifts towards the upcoming General Election on 12 December, this provides an opportunity to end the political instability and enable a renewed focus on domestic priorities that have sat in the sidelines post EU-referendum. It also represents an important opportunity for us, as voters and business representatives, to examine the policies of the local parties. We have a duty to challenge the political parties on those policies and to encourage our politicians as they propose new means of regenerating our economy.

The underperformance of the Northern Ireland economy in particular has been highlighted over the past number of weeks as a wave of new data has been released from economists, official sources and through surveys such as our own Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) held in partnership with BDO. The QES, which is Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business survey, alarmingly showed signs that the local economy is starting to ‘slip’ into recession. Business confidence is declining, and many key economic indicators fell to an eight-year low.

The survey brings to light serious concerns around economic and particularly political instability in Northern Ireland and the UK, with almost 4 in 5 local business leaders believing that a recession in Northern Ireland is likely in the next 6 to 12 months. Significantly, around half of members also scaled back or put on hold investment and growth plans on the back of the UK’s vote to leave the EU. Similar to the QES, the latest PMI published by Ulster Bank, indicated that the Northern Ireland private sector moved deeper into contraction.

Output, new orders and employment all fell at sharper rates, while business sentiment dropped to a new record low.

It is important to stress that this is not scaremongering – it is a stark reality check for business leaders, employers, politicians and anyone with a vested interest in the Northern Ireland economy. Behind each and every one of these statistics sit thousands of real, local businesses who are feeling the harsh impacts of this uncertainty and the political vacuum at Stormont.

Therefore, as our politicians head towards the December election, they must come with proposals that will safeguard people’s livelihoods, the prosperity of our communities and the fortunes of our businesses.

An election of any kind is an opportunity to test new ideas, to interrogate

policy positions and, indeed, to encourage policy makers to explore new initiatives and proposals. If we want the parties to keep the economy at the heart of the political agenda we need to let them know that – loud and clear.

John Healy President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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KEVIN HOLLAND APPOINTED CEO OF INVEST NI Invest Northern Ireland has appointed Kevin Holland as Chief Executive to replace Alastair Hamilton who is stepping down from the role after ten years in the post. Kevin officially joined Invest NI on 21 October 2019 for a period of transition through November, after which he will take full responsibility as CEO.

BOMBARDIER NI OPERATIONS SOLD TO US-BASED SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS Bombardier’s Northern Ireland operations have been sold to US firm Spirit AeroSystems. Kansasbased Spirit is a major supplier to Airbus and Boeing. It is also buying a Bombardier factory is Morocco and a repair facility in the US.

ULSTER UNIVERSITY SIGNS UP WITH BARCLAYS Barclays has been appointed as the new banking partner of Ulster University. As preparations continue at pace for its new Cathedral Quarter campus in Belfast, alongside significant investments on the Coleraine and Magee campuses, the University has stated that Barclays has been selected as the partner to support its future innovation and vision for cashless campuses.

READY FOR ‘ACTION’ AHEAD OF NI CHAMBER PRESIDENT’S BANQUET

Final preparations are underway for the arrival of documentary filmmaker, Louis Theroux, who is set to entertain guests at the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Annual President’s Banquet.

The sold-out gala event will Mark Owens (Civica); Paul Murnaghan (BT); John take place in ICC Belfast on Healy (NI Chamber); Naomh McElhatton (Grafton Thursday 21 November and is Recruitment) and Patrick Brown (Tughans). set to be attended by over 900 business people, making it NI Chamber’s biggest Banquet to date.

Guests will hear the multi award winning television star share his extraordinary insights and experiences during a live stage interview with host, Mark Simpson.

The President’s Banquet is sponsored by NI Chamber’s Communications Partner BT, along with supporting sponsors Tughans, Civica, Tourism NI and Grafton Recruitment.

EMBRACE A GIANT SPIRIT Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland have launched a new destination brand – ‘Embrace A Giant Spirit’ – that will be used to promote Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland and internationally, with the aim of increasing visitor numbers and ensuring economic impact across all regions.

The launch marks the start of a ten year journey to support the tourism industry and local economy by developing new authentic experiences that can be promoted to the travel trade and to consumers throughout the world.

Tourism in Northern Ireland has grown over the past decade into a £1 billion industry.

Tourism NI is projecting a doubling of tourism Tourism NI’s Chief Executive John McGrillen, Tourism revenue by 2030.

Ireland’s Head of GB Julie Wakley and artist Colin Davidson.

KINGSBRIDGE OPENS THE DOORS TO NEW 1M WARD

The first phase of expansion plans has been completed by Kingsbridge Healthcare Group with the opening of a new million pound 6-bed ward at Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast.

Over the next 18 months, the Group will be increasing patient capacity by 30% and taking on 30 new staff to service a range of innovative facilities and services.

These include an onsite pharmacy and luxury rooms with flat screen TV, ensuite facilities and bespoke reclining chairs for patients and settee bed should visitors require. Local artist Kathryn Callaghan was commissioned to create a vibrant Mark Regan, CEO is pictured with artwork of the Mournes for each General Manager Sarah Marks. room.

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RE-GEN WASTE INVESTS £5M IN FOSSIL FUEL ALTERNATIVE

Re-Gen Waste has invested £5m in the development of its existing processing facility, to produce a high specification replacement for traditional fossil fuels, for use in cement kilns and power stations. Located at Newry’s Carnbane Industrial Estate, the expansion has generated 20 construction jobs in the build phase with a further 30 permanent positions when up to full production upon completion in November.

MALLAGHAN ENGINEERING WINS MULTI-MILLION POUND RYANAIR CONTRACT

Mallaghan Engineering has announced a multimillion-pound contract to build a fleet of airport buses for Ryanair. It follows the launch of the “Mallaghan 50W” which is the largest capacity airport bus in the world, carrying up to 125 passengers. 60 jobs will be created in Dungannon as a result.

FORTRESS DIAGNOSTICS ANNOUNCES £8M INVESTMENT Fortress Diagnostics has announced an £8million investment in new UK headquarters to enable more patients to receive better healthcare globally.

Located in Antrim Technology Park, the brand new custom-built 30,000 square-foot facility will be a centre for research & development and manufacturing and will support the delivery of over 1,000 diagnostic testing products to more than 100 international markets. It is due to open in early 2020.

BARRHEAD TRAVEL REINVESTMENT REACHES £500,000 Barrhead Travel has revealed a reinvestment of over £500,000 into their retail network, technology and training as they prepare for further growth during 2020. During 2019, the Glasgow-headquartered agency added an Edinburgh-based branch to their portfolio and invested a six-figure sum in upgrading existing stores through refurbishments and store expansions.

SMILEY MONROE ANNOUNCE NEW US EXPANSION

Leading conveyor belt producers, Smiley Monroe, has announced the opening of a manufacturing facility in Franklin, Kentucky.

In a move driven by customer demand and strong industry forecasts, the $2m investment, assisted

by Danske Bank and the Ryan Wright, Chris Monroe and Jayne Peters from Commonwealth of Kentucky, Smiley Monroe. will create 30 new full-time jobs in the local area, as well as safeguarding jobs at the company’s headquarters in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

The firm currently exports to over 60 countries and supports leading customers such as Powerscreen, Terex, Wirtgen, McCloskey, Astec Industries, Sandvik and CDE. It currently employs 170 people between Lisburn and India.

CINEWORLD AND HOLLYWOOD BOWL CONFIRMED AS PART OF ODYSSEY REDEVELOPMENT The UK’s largest cinema operator, Cineworld, and the UK’s largest bowl operator, Hollywood Bowl, are the first anchor tenants to confirm their position in The Odyssey, Belfast, as work gets started on a £17m redevelopment to transform it into the number one leisure destination for families in Northern Ireland.

Construction work, carried out by Matagorda 2, working alongside The Odyssey Trust Company, is scheduled to last for 17 months with an anticipated completion date in late Spring 2021. More than 80 construction jobs will be created during the project, Eric Porter, Chair of The Odyssey Trust Company, and which is managed by real Guy Hollis, consultant for Matagorda 2.E Network. estate consultants Hollis.

CO. ANTRIM MANUFACTURER GOES FOR GROWTH WITH MICHELIN DEVELOPMENT Antrim-based Macpac Refuse Bodies, is expanding following a £40,000 cash injection from Michelin Development. Michelin Development offers subsidised, unsecured loans of up to £50,000 for projects that have the potential to create high-quality, sustainable jobs in the County Antrim area.

Macpac builds and fits specialist Macpac’s Drew Stewart and Noel units to waste and recycling vehicles Mulholland of Michelin Development. operated by local authorities and private companies across the UK. Growing demand for the bespoke units has seen the creation of eight jobs at the company since 2018 with the business developing a new, 15,000 sq ft manufacturing centre at its base in Springfarm Industrial Estate.

Macpac applied to Michelin Development to help fund the new workshop area, including the installation of an overhead crane to boost productivity.

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FINTRU LAUNCHES LATEST ACADEMY INTAKE FinTrU, in conjunction with the Department for the Economy, is offering 20 more high quality training places to graduates in its latest Assured Skills Academy in Belfast. The Academy will provide successful applicants with six weeks of industryrelevant pre-employment training at Belfast Met and Ulster University, with a guaranteed interview for those who complete the course.

CHARLES HURST BRANCHES OUT WITH ‘BOLT’ CAFÉ Charles Hurst Group, is opening a new 80-seat café and restaurant at its Boucher Road site in Belfast following a £300,000 investment. The new ‘BOLT’ eatery has also awarded Hospitality Belfast, a joint venture between Mount Charles and Yellow Door, the contract to run the new facility, creating up to 30 jobs.

ULSTER BANK BOOST FOR BALMORAL Ulster Bank has announced a new deal to continue its sponsorship of Northern Ireland’s largest agricultural event, The Balmoral Show. The announcement will see the partnership extended until 2022, with the Show continuing to be referred to as The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank. The 2020 event takes place from 13th -16th May.

CENTRA EXPANSION CONTINUES WITH £920K INVESTMENT Centra is bringing enhanced convenience to customers across Northern Ireland with new stores opening at Bradbury Place and York Road in Belfast and the Millennium Forum in Derry~Londonderry.

The three stores represent an investment of £920,000 by the leading NI retailer, creating an employment boost of 40 jobs.

JCOMMS NAMED NI’S OUTSTANDING PR CONSULTANCY

JComms has been named Northern Ireland’s Outstanding PR Consultancy at the 2019 Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide Awards.

The Belfastheadquartered company took the Gold prize in The JComms team celebrates winning Outstanding the category, which is PR Consultancy at the CIPR PRide Awards. considered the most prestigious in the scheme and is presented as the final award on the night. Jago picked up awards across a total of nine different categories, including being recognised with the Outstanding PR Consultancy sliver award for the second year running. In addition, Jago Communications Manager, Fiona Hanna, was presented with the Outstanding Young Communicator sliver award at the event.

ALLSTATE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF BUSINESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Allstate Northern Ireland, one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers, is marking its 20th anniversary in business.

Now with three offices across the country, Allstate Northern Ireland was Allstate’s Mark Lilburn, Pauline Lilburn, Jayne Workman founded in 1999 in support and Paddy Warnock with Vice President and Managing of its parent company, The Director of Allstate John Healy (centre).

Allstate Corporation – one of the largest publicly owned property and casualty insurance companies in the United States. In the years since, the technology company has been recognised for multiple awards for its high-quality software development and business solutions services.

The company now has over 2,400 employees based in offices in Belfast, the North West and Strabane.

POWER NI COMMUNITY PROGRAMME RIDING HIGH WITH 20TH AWARD BMX club Belfast City is the 20th recipient of Power NI’s popular Brighter Communities Funding programme. Brighter Communities was launched back in April 2018 and each month it awards a £1000 grant to a community group or club who are aiming to roll out a creative and impactful project to help improve the community they live in.

Belfast City BMX was formed to both ride and develop BMX facilities in Belfast and it also caters for cruisers and children’s stryder racing. The club which has 58 members aged between 5 and 50 plans to use their £1000 Brighter Communities funding to provide additional training sessions and purchase helmets for children Pictured are BMX club members with Peter Caldwell, participating in the sport.

Grants Funding Officer (left) and Chairman, Jonathan Reid.

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NEWS

BRINGING 5G to belfast harbour

Belfast Harbour and BT have showcased the tangible benefits that 5G can deliver to business and industry at an event in Belfast.

The first demonstration showed a member of Belfast Harbour’s operations team wearing an augmented reality headset connected to a 5G device. They were able to inspect one of the Harbour’s cranes and receive step-by-step maintenance guidance and remote support through video collaboration with a remote expert. The potential industry and business benefits of 5G-enabled applications like this are vast, from improved operational efficiency and

productivity, to fast and reliable knowledge transfer and higher employee satisfaction and engagement.

The second demonstration showed a 5G immersive experience, illustrating how 5G can make virtual reality “boundaryless” by allowing geographically dispersed participants to draw virtual reality content down from the cloud.

Immersive experiences enable companies like Belfast Harbour, with large fixed infrastructures, to take the Harbour to the customer, letting them experience the environment and services in a much more

captivating and immediate way. Immersive 360-degree experience makes the brain feel like the user has experienced a situation, creating a memory that leads to higher levels of engagement and retention.

Gerry McQuade, CEO of BT’s Enterprise unit, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Belfast Harbour, to explore the benefits that 5G can bring to the Port and to the City of Belfast.

“Over the next 15 years, 5G technologies are expected to contribute 2.2 trillion dollars to the global economy. It will deliver far more than enhanced mobile broadband services and will have a far bigger impact in the enterprise space, by transforming entire industries.

“The demonstrations we’ve shown today are a powerful illustration of what 5G can do for business. They’ve shown that 5G will be the catalyst for a revolution in how technology supports people, enables workplaces and simplifies operations.”

Joe O’Neill, Chief Executive of Belfast Harbour added: “Working with BT on this initiative has opened our eyes to a whole new world of 5G possibilities. We have a strong ambition and motivation to become the world’s best regional port and create an iconic waterfront district for Belfast, making it an attractive place to live, work, visit and invest in. Using the very latest technologies and collaborating with expert partners is a key part of how we will deliver that vision for Belfast.”

BT SIGNS WITH IRISH FA AS NEW LEAD PARTNER BT has signed a deal to become the lead partner of Northern Ireland men’s international football teams until 2024. The partnership will see the BT logo appear on all training kit worn by all Men’s, Boys’ and Disability Teams from November.

The partnership with Northern Ireland football will aim to connect the nation at every level of the game, and especially at grassroots level. More details about the broader ambitions of the partnership will be revealed in the coming months and is part of a wider new BT brand and sponsorship strategy, to champion the UK. Marc Allera, chief executive of BT’s consumer division, said: “To be the lead partner for Northern Ireland is a proud moment for BT and is part of our ambition to be a national champion across the UK. Our partnership will reach all areas of football, including grassroots football and communities.”

Irish FA Chief Executive Patrick Nelson said: “We are delighted to welcome BT as the title sponsor of our men’s, boys’ and disability teams. The deal with BT will also allow us to develop the game further at all levels in Northern Ireland and we are confident it will be a positive partnership for both ourselves and BT. We are confident BT’s support will be of immense benefit to the association as we strive to promote, foster and develop football for all in Northern Ireland.”

The partnership is part of a wider move by BT to partner with all the Home Nations for the next five years. The partnership with all the nations will start in November when the men’s teams will be aiming to qualify for next summer’s Euro 2020 tournament.

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FEATURE

Stairway to Seven My seven steps for business success.

Denny Elliott is Head of Self Help Africa in Northern Ireland. Formerly War On Want NI, the charity is dedicated to ending hunger and poverty in rural Africa while providing a community for its volunteers in its retail shops across Northern Ireland.

Denny’s vision for the charity into the next decade includes promoting the work of Self Help Africa with the women who, in Sub Saharan Africa, tend the farms to change the lives of them and their families for future generations.

1. A LISTENING EAR

I began my career in Mechanical Engineering and, after completing a programme in Boston College on the ‘Sustainability of Non-Profits’, I changed career to work in the voluntary sector. I can truly say that I find my work so rewarding when I visit projects where I can see the difference we are making. It is so important when working with staff and volunteers whether it be in Northern Ireland or Africa that their opinion and knowledge are listened to, especially if they are on the ground as they know what will work in their own region etc.

I believe that, as a manager, having a listening ear helps staff and volunteers achieve and brings out the best in what we can collectively do together to change lives.

Africa or at home and consider that they could be facing personal challenges which require consideration. And I like to remind others when we are working together as a team of the Maya Angelou quote that ‘people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’.

2. STRATEGIC APPROACH

4. EMPOWERMENT

Before beginning any campaign, task etc I believe we should all take a step back and consider the why, what, how and purpose. I always point the team towards the mission, as in our case it is ‘Supporting sustainable livelihoods for Africa’s smallholder farmers’.

This is the reason we get up in the morning and the purpose behind all decisions we make and actions we take.

3. EMPATHY

I learned at a very young age that we should be empathetic. This applies not only in business but to life in general. I am mindful to be empathetic to our stakeholders whether in

Denny Elliott, Head of Self Help Africa.

Given our drive to empower women farmers in rural Africa, I ensure that all stakeholders working for Self Help Africa feel empowered and that the decisions they make can and will have a powerful impact on those communities for which we provide resources and a voice.

I like to think that I work with the team to encourage and bring them along with me.

5. CELEBRATE OTHERS

Throughout my career I have always been mature enough to realise my limitations and I have been lucky enough to have a number of great people around me. Some of the best advice I have been given is to employ people

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for their expertise. We should never feel threatened by someone bringing a different skill to the organisation. In fact we should embrace it.

6. MENTORING AND NETWORKING

Another of my seven steps to success is regarding mentoring. Find a mentor who can help give direction, advice and support and be a sounding board for what you intend to do in life. This is a two way street. Never be afraid to be mentored or to offer your knowledge as a mentor and give back to others. I’ve also found that networking is so important, especially in Northern Ireland where everyone is connected in some way.

7. BE YOURSELF

I dabble at writing poetry and plays and I find that by losing yourself in another world temporarily, leaving problems and issues to the side, creates a renewed energy which helps to drive me towards the goals in life that I have set and want to achieve. It also increases my productivity when I return to the task at hand.

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COLUMnIST

David Clements, Client Director, Fujitsu

Protecting the precious commodity that is trust David Clements, Client Director at Fujitsu NI examines what public sector organisations can do to align its digital credentials with consumer expectations.

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very industry is facing digital disruption and one thing is certain, there is no sign of it slowing down.

Throughout this year’s digital sector events – from Digital DNA to Big Data Belfast – a number of key questions have continually been raised by organisations; how to harness and use data effectively, and how to do this while meeting customer demands. These demands include expectations around product and services as well as security and most importantly, trust.

Our latest research to explore what’s holding organisations back from true digital transformation surveyed over 800 business leaders and 3,000 consumers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland and shows that these issues are of particular concern in the public sector. The “Driving a Trusted Future” report finds that leaders of public sector organisations are amongst those most likely to describe the changes of recent years as ‘radical’ (57%) with a quarter seeing that change as ‘negative’ (26%). As far as technology is concerned, public sector leaders are the least likely to have felt the impact of technological advances, with a quarter reporting no benefit at all (26%), yet an overwhelming 79% of leaders in government said that technology is vital to the future success.

The opportunity for the public sector to embrace technology is immense, with citizen demand driving pace and expectations for a

chance to mirror their consumer experiences.

Members of the public want to access health records and order driving licences as easy as they do online banking; however, only 19% of citizens interviewed feel that the UK public was prepared for change and 54% feel that the gathering of personal data should be more closely regulated. Public sector nervousness to implement digital change centres around a number of critical areas – keeping up with regulation, skills and knowledge to cope with change, and employee and citizen apprehensiveness. On the one hand, consumers and citizens benefit from technology but on the other, there are obvious concerns. There needs to be a clear understanding that business and public sector leaders will implement technology with trust and responsibility in mind. To achieve that, making the business case for change and planning how to implement that change is key.

Working with the Northern Ireland Civil Service to restructure its entire HR ecosystem and Northern Ireland Water to integrate its operational work management and financial systems, we know first-hand how transformative and innovative Northern Ireland’s public sector can be. Both these organisations took a holistic approach to transformation and leaders should endeavour to find balance between respect for customers’ feelings towards technology and accelerating technology adoption. In our experience, we believe choosing a co-creation approach – working together with your ICT expert to start with the business problem not the technology – will propel organisations forward into an arena of trust and lead to successful adoption of emerging technologies. That’s why we as a business provide highly interactive and immersive workshop experience through our DTCs aimed to empower organisations to think about the future and develop plans to accelerate digital transformation.

Our analysis shows that government

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has only scratched the surface of digital transformation, with positive impact being felt in the delivery of workplace solutions to enable more flexible working, as well as in front-end delivery of services. However, true transformation is yet to be achieved, and in order to do so, the public sector needs to tackle the thorny issue around legacy before it can achieve deep transformation.

Legacy infrastructure and technology systems can seem overwhelming to even the most forward-thinking business. They have typically been the lynchpin of the organisation since technology was introduced, and the key system employees and consumers have been raised on. Blending ‘old’ and ‘new’ is possible though, and organisations should approach this as a change of culture and technology.

Last month, together with the Head of Digital and Causeway at Department Justice NI, we presented at the first ever UK Data4Good conference in Birmingham, designed to inspire and build confidence in the possibilities of data.

Here we discussed how adopting a holistic approach to this change – moving to the cloud can join up applications, process and systems and working with a partner who understands critical systems – helps the public sector accelerate its plans.

Crucial to achieving this process is addressing the gulf between the public and leaders’ feelings towards change. Citizens are excited about the potential to do things differently, but nervous at what this means for their privacy, security and day-to-day lives.

Leaders are at least aware of this issue and are keen to contribute to society outside of their organisations, with over half (53%) stating that they are seeking to consciously drive positive change through CSR activity, demonstrating trust and purpose to consumers and citizens.

The ability for the public sector to ‘bring people with them’ and achieve buy-in from employees, partner organisations as well as citizens is a step change process and one organisations should embrace.

GREENCORE’S GARY KENNEDY SUPPORTS DIVERSITY MARK NI Diversity Mark NI is Northern Ireland’s only independent not-for-profit Charter Mark for diversity and inclusion. At their second Business of Diversity Lunch they were thrilled to welcome special guest Gary Kennedy, Chair of Greencore. He is also co-chair of Balance for Better Business, a business group launched by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to improve gender balance in senior leadership in Ireland. The lunch, sponsored by Danske Bank and First Derivatives plc, welcomed over 100 of the country’s CEOs and senior business leaders to the Canal Court Hotel in Newry and they gathered in support of working together to achieve a better diversity in business.

Gary Kennedy, who is also Chairman of Connect Group plc and Green REIT plc, was interviewed by journalist and broadcaster, Wendy Austin, and spoke passionately about the impact of gender disparities in the workplace across Ireland and the importance of implementing diversity and inclusion programmes to drive business growth.

Head of Business at Diversity Mark NI, Christine White said, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Gary Kennedy to our event to learn about Balance for Better Business, where government and businesses are working together to achieve cultural change in business leadership that will ultimately position them as market leaders in corporate decision-making.

“I’m delighted to see the Diversity Charter Mark continue to grow with sixty progressive organisation now signed up for the Mark of Progress. The businesses that address their culture and understand the power of diversity will have the competitive edge moving into the coming years. At our event we presented the Diversity Charter Mark to First Derivatives, The Consumer Council, Denroy, A&L Goodbody, Outsource Solutions and our first school; St. Ronan’s Primary School Newry. These organisations are leading the way with some very important diversity initiatives and we congratulate them on this achievement.”

Guest Speaker Gary Kennedy, Wendy Austin and Christine White.

For more information visit: www.diversity-mark-ni.co.uk or contact christine@diversity-mark-ni.co.uk

Organisations recently awarded the Diversity Charter Mark included Outsource Solutions, St. Ronan’s Primary School Newry, First Derivatives, Denroy, A&L Goodbody and The Consumer Council.

Do you have the Mark of Progress?

www.diversity-mark-ni.co.uk

Founding Partners

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FEATURE

The Techy 10...

Rich Dale, CEO and Co-Founder, Flowlens.

1. What phone do you have?

An iPhone XS. 2. What piece of technology could you not live without and why?

I’m slightly biased here, but I couldn’t live without the Flowlens CRM Task feature. Every opportunity we are working on moves at different speeds, but getting reminders when follow-ups are due make sure things don’t slip through the cracks. I catch up on my tasks every morning and can prioritise from there.

3. What is your favourite app for business?

I love Google’s G Suite both because it’s a great tool for sharing and collaborating without fuss, but it also inspires how we think about the Flowlens product. Between it, Gmail and other cloud products, we’ve never needed the cost or hassle of physical server and backup infrastructure in our business. This has allowed us to grow and adapt our offering around the needs of customers much faster.

4. And for personal use?

My Kindle, although this crosses over business and personal. I always have a few books on the go, fiction and non-fiction. I read every night, but it’s great to dip into the Kindle app when you’ve 20 mins waiting for a train.

5. How much of your work life involves the use of technology?

This is a really thought provoking question.

Given that Flowlens builds and sells a cloud CRM and MRP system, technology runs through everything. However the soft skills in understanding customer’s needs, establishing trust and building success can often be better without technology. Similarly, the creative side of our business, whether it’s problem-solving features like inventory forecasting or planning, or refining our marketing, starts with nothing more technical than a whiteboard and marker.

6. If you could recommend one item of technology for any business what would it be?

Most of customers save about a day per week per person by removing manual processes and paperwork. Despite this, I’ve heard many MDs claim that CRM systems are overkill for their business…. Whilst in the background the people who run the processes shake their head.

Not every business is a good fit for Flowlens CRM. But there’s software out there that fits most business processes. Used properly these products create a focal point, and a fall back, for teams to serve customers better, faster, cheaper.

7. If you could make one piece of technology disappear what would it be?

Email. It’s such a flexible communications tool, but it has a huge cost. We’re constantly refreshing our inboxes waiting for a reply, depleting our finite mental resources. It doesn’t switch off, so we don’t.

From a business perspective, we all run processes in our email, but if we got hit by a bus, all that information is stuck in there unavailable to anyone else. Using systems to reduce email traffic is a simple way for any business to save time, and make the working day less stressful!

8. How do you keep your technology skills current?

I read a lot and talk to a lot of customers and people across industry which is great for understanding trends. Today with time poverty being the greatest challenge, the choices you make about which skills you need, and which you outsource is vital.

9. Are you able to detox and switch off from technology completely? If so, how?

It’s harder and harder these days. Even watching TV has now become ‘Netflix and chill’ with so much choice you don’t know where to start. The best way I’ve found to switch off is plan time to do so, and physically switch the phone off. We need time away from work (and tech) to recharge the batteries. Keep the notifications bleeping and you’ll come home from holiday wearier than when you left.

10. What piece of technology are you most looking forward to seeing in the future?

My brother runs Daleway, a highly successful driving school based in Portadown. He’d kill me for saying this, but for me, safe and ubiquitous self-driving vehicles could transform the way we live and spend our time. Combined with electrification, better AI optimisation of journeys and passenger load, this tech could save millions of lives both in terms of road safety and the effects of pollution.

“...there’s software out there that fits most business processes. Used properly these products create a focal point, and a fall back, for teams to serve customers better, faster, cheaper. ”

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COLUMnIST

Laura Jackson, Partner, BDO Northern Ireland

Don’t Believe the Hype

BDO Northern Ireland’s Laura Jackson discusses how organisations can avoid falling victim to ‘hype cycles’ when it comes to risks.

I

n a world of increasing noise and information volumes, professionals involved with risk identification and mitigation need a high level of intensity and focus to distinguish the difference between true risk and the hype.

A recent BDO report on the Global Risk Landscape 2019 found that 76% of respondents believed their organisation’s risk register was being influenced by ‘hype cycles’ and that their risk register is at least partly based on media stories rather than clear-sighted analytical data. Of course, human tendency means that it is easy to become influenced by social media and the 24-hour news cycle and this has a consequential impact upon decision making.

So, faced with a diverse range of nontraditional risks that are now more fluid concepts, such as damage to reputation and brand value, how can organisations prevent themselves falling victim to ‘hype cycles’?

• It is a cultural thing – each organisation should ask, is risk engrained in its culture? Or, is it simply a task orientated job that raises its head every now and again? All employees must understand not only what the potential risks are, but what to do if they spot them, thus making risk a way of life. The appetite for risk and the risk management statement should be communicated organisation-wide and not limited to the risk officer; empower all staff for risk identification.

• Diversity – if decision-making rests with a concentrated grouping of like-minded individuals who are all exposed to the same media, it will be more difficult to spot the hypes.

The greater the level of board diversity, the greater the ability of the board to cut through and challenge the fast moving information.

• Knowledge is power – where you can, ensure that directors who are appointed to the board have a degree of literacy in risk as well as finance. Directors need to ensure they are risk ready and risk management is at the forefront of corporate thinking.

• Do not replace old risks with new risks – new emerging risks are not replacing old risks of fire and flood. Unfortunately, risks are growing in number and this may require a detailed look at upskilling the risk function.

• Do not let familiarity breed contempt – complacency around risks means that risks will stay on the risk register for too long. Risks need to be assessed proactively and regularly and not in response to an external event. Make the risk review process a continual one and

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ownership of the review process being bottom up, from the front-line employees to the entrepreneurs, future-proofing the business.

As always, the dichotomy that exists with risk is opportunity. It’s not all doom and gloom all of the time, and one way to switch the narrative from the negative to the positive is seeing every risk as also an opportunity.

This is a good way of catching the attention of the entrepreneurial leader and ensuring the qualitative aspects of risks as well as the quantitative are captured. Just make sure, as the organisation assesses the impact of risk, neither the novelty or the familiarity of the risk dictates the response.

At BDO Northern Ireland our governance, risk and compliance teams can help you to identify, manage and mitigate the risks your organisation is likely to face. If you have any questions or want to talk with someone about the risks facing your business and how you can prepare for them, call the BDO team on 028 9043 9009.

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COLUMnIST

Andy Borthwick, Solution Architect, Enterprise Services at Neueda

The Low Down on ‘Low Code’

Neueda’s Andy Brothwick explains low-code and its tools for IT development.

S

taying ahead of the newest trends in tech is vital in today’s digital world. For organisations with in-house software development capability, and a need to deliver faster and better digital outcomes, one of the biggest emerging developments is ‘low code,’ an approach that is disrupting the area of digital transformation worldwide.

With the sheer pace of change, technology, apps and data, organisations are faced with an increasing amount of challenges and choices.

To describe what low code is, you can picture traditional software development as the process through which applications are ‘hand coded’ or developed ‘from scratch’.

At the other end of the scale is ‘no code’ – where end users act as ‘citizen developers’ and develop their own applications through a ‘dragand-drop’ builder. Essentially, this provides ready-made and reusable components as required.

Low code is a midway point between ‘no code’ and traditional software development approach. Through low code, manual processes are automated, making it up to six times faster to develop an application, but still allows developers to be flexible. Crucially, developers still use all their analysis and design skills, and collaborate to make enterprisegrade applications, which can be supported

and extended to add value much faster than before.

Gartner predicts that by 2024, threequarters of enterprises will be using at least four low-code development tools for IT application development and citizen development initiatives.

But what does low code mean for an organisation seeking to transform itself digitally?

Whilst using low code requires a specific set of skills and expertise, it also allows organisations and software developers to be more productive and deliver results more efficiently. “Rapid development” and “speed to deploy” are becoming the new buzz phrases.

There is also a much lower barrier to entry provided by a low code platform that allows developers with some coding background to be productive within a week and non-coders can begin usually within around a month’s training.

It is a way of designing and developing software applications with minimal handcoding, meaning value is delivered more rapidly and reliably. This is a great attraction to many enterprise organisations facing the growing challenge of accessing scarce skillsets.

Ultimately, low code allows Enterprise Development teams to be more agile in the future, which is an approach that Neueda is offering more regularly to our customers, particularly those who are faced with rapidly changing and uncertain circumstances.

Some reasons your tech team or tech partner may wish to consider using low code may include the following: • A need to simplify Low code is useful for an organisation that is wishing to simplify and automate inefficient, manual, complex or paper-based processes digitally. Such examples may be an insurance company that processes a large amount of claims forms or a Government department that deals with planning permission applications in high volume.

• A need to improve When an organisation is seeking to improve the digital experience for customers or employees,

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low code offers an effective solution to achieve this quickly – creating web and mobile applications from the same source.

• A need to transform If you need to extend or integrate new systems with existing ‘legacy’ systems, low code allows developers to connect and integrate with these easily.

Neueda has partnered with OutSystems, a globally recognised low-code platform provider, to more rapidly deliver software solutions for its customers. To find out more about low code and how it can help transform your business digitally, contact the team at lowcode@neueda.com

“Ultimately, low code allows Enterprise Development teams to be more agile in the future, which is an approach that Neueda is offering more regularly to our customers, particularly those who are faced with rapidly changing and uncertain circumstances.”

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COLUMnIST

Conor Coyle – SEO Specialist, Loudmouth Media

The Rise of Zero-Click Searches

Loudmouth’s Conor Coyle explores the growing trend of zero-click searches and what it means for SEOs.

G

oogle has been working hard over the past three years to present the best possible answer to a query without the user having to click further and visit another site. However, this has meant a significant decrease in clicks with more than 50% of all searches not ending in a click, despite there being over 60,000 search requests per second. The reason for this lies in the increasing incidence of zero-click searches as Google continues to improve and own the user experience. The phenomenon of zeroclick searches is growing rapidly, but what exactly does this mean?

A zero-click search is one where the answer is displayed at the top of a Google search result page (SERP), meaning that the user’s search intent is satisfied without having to click any links.

Traditionally, Google Search worked by using an algorithm to return relevant links that were most relevant to a query. Now there are all sorts of other results available when a query is submitted, including ads, local business information, featured snippets, job listings and media elements that answer questions directly on the SERP. For example, a search for ‘how old is Madonna?’ will display an answer that doesn’t require another click.

With all sorts of extra information available directly on the SERP that could impact your

business, what’s an SEO to do to safeguard organic visibility?

Clickthrough rates for organic search have been falling steadily since 2016, particularly on mobile as Google packs its results pages with extra information. While this is great for the user as they now have a higher likelihood of getting what they need with fewer clicks, some have been quick to diagnose zero-click search as a critical blow to SEO. However, we see it as a chance to ensure that you have a strong presence on Google as competition for SERP real estate increases.

There are a variety of tactics that you can implement to not only compete with these new zero-click results, but also to become a part of them. For example, providing useful, informative content on your site and maintaining a Google My Business profile are

now critical to any digital strategy. Adding structured data to your web pages will also allow Google to understand your site content better, and increase your chances of appearing as part of these new types of search results.

Whether it is fair for Google to shift its search engine experience in this way has been a matter of contentious debate – the Silicon Valley giant was recently summoned to a US congressional committee to answer questions on it and related topics. Despite this, the likelihood is that zero-click results will continue to become more prominent in the years to come.

Keeping on top of this trend should now be a key part of any digital marketing strategy, both in terms of your paid search ads and optimising your site pages for the keywords that matter to your business.

“Clickthrough rates for organic search have been falling steadily since 2016, particularly on mobile as Google packs its results pages with extra information.”

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COLUMnIST

Robert McCullough, Head of Belfast Business Centre, Danske Bank

Turning to Innovation for Export Growth

Danske Bank’s Robert McCullough discusses how innovation and export growth go hand-in-hand.

BLK BOX told us that a bank that could be flexible in its lending and match the ambition of their fast-growing company was a necessity.

Managing Director Greg Bradley and his team are creating unique pieces of equipment for an impressive clientele such as Montpellier Rugby, Arsenal FC and most recently the New South Wales Institute of Sport in Sydney. The global fitness industry is predicted to be worth $99.9bn in 2019 and opportunities abound if companies are brave enough to dream big.

are produced, firms need to be open to the idea of change. Companies who embrace change instead of sticking to what they’ve always known, are reaping the rewards. Sometimes customers need a little encouragement and that is why we like to get a true understanding of their business and how we can help them break into new markets. Our platforms and expertise offer small businesses all the right tools to help them achieve their goals.

BLK BOX Fitness continues to go from

Gregory Bradley, BLK BOX Fitness and Julie Skelly, Danske Bank.

W

hile it is hard to ignore the fact that some high profile local manufacturing businesses have had a rough ride lately, this should not mean that the region places any less importance on exporting as a means of growing the economy.

Even amidst current economic and political headwinds we know there are many SMEs who have invested in innovation to create new products and services that will enhance overseas sales.

Growing exports is acknowledged as one of the key drivers for sustainable economic growth and even in times of uncertainty we are finding that are still plenty of good examples of businesses who have identified opportunities in the new and exciting markets.

Most recently, we part funded an investment in Belfast-based BLK BOX Fitness. Operating from a 60,000 sq ft unit in the Titanic Quarter, the business specialises in the design, manufacture and delivery of strength and conditioning equipment to customers around the world.

Since switching their banking to us in December 2016, the company’s strategic focus has been on growing and expanding the business at a steady rate.

It’s no fluke that BLK BOX Fitness’ growth over the past 18 months has been on a steep incline. Over £1m has been invested in new machinery and processes to reduce production time and increase efficiencies. That means the company can take larger, more complex orders and complete them in a shorter timeframe. At the heart of the business is innovation and an ability to adapt and change with the times. That is a lesson many companies who want to export could take note of, whatever sector they are in.

The more customers we speak to, the more apparent the need is to be creative and innovative in the way we do business.

From sales to marketing to how goods

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strength to strength and is just one example of the many small businesses who are flourishing in today’s export market. Whether it is baby products, savoury snacks or gym equipment, our SME’s continue to punch well above their weight. As a local provider, we continue to work with many of these companies as they commit to investing in their abilities to export beyond our shores.

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FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

LEANNE MCCRYSTAL, ASSISTANT WEALTH MANAGER AT DAVY.

T

he middle of five children, I credit my parents for instilling a strong work ethic in me from a young age. Having always worked part-time jobs, whilst studying at Queens University, I was fortunate to spend a summer working in a partner practice of one of the largest wealth management firms in the UK. This experience was pivotal in my desire to become a Financial Adviser.

After completing my degree in Finance & Economics, I was determined to gain some international experience. In 2015, I travelled to Boston to work for JP Morgan as a hedge fund accountant. This was a great experience and after a year, I returned to Northern Ireland to begin my career with Davy, a long-established wealth management company.

Upon joining Davy as a Portfolio Analyst, I was quickly exposed to the vastness of the industry. Having recently acquired PFC, Davy was in the midst of a period of significant growth, which I had the opportunity to experience first-hand.

My first role involved working with advisers to support them in maintaining existing client relationships, rebalancing client portfolios and ensuring client satisfaction. After a year and a half, I was promoted to the Paraplanning team where I developed my technical knowledge by compiling suitability reports and engaging with product and platform providers.

Davy is a firm that prides itself on its people and offers the ability to develop personally and professionally. As a firm they have offered me both financial and study leave support towards my Chartered Wealth Management exams.

Having recently been promoted to Assistant Wealth Manager, one aspect of my job which I most enjoy, is the opportunity to get to know clients and their families personally. Each client that comes to Davy has a different goal that they want to achieve, whether they’re looking to get the most from the assets they’ve spent a lifetime building or they’re

seeking to take their business to the next level of growth. It’s our philosophy to get personal and recognise client’s individual circumstances. Ultimately, our aim is to deliver world-class outcomes, so it’s important from the outset to listen and take the time to understand what really matters to our clients, whether that be growing investments, addressing inheritance tax issues, establishing pension provisions or putting protection in place for clients and their families.

At Davy, our vision is to be the financial

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services partner most trusted by our clients and most admired for our people. My ambition is to be an excellent financial adviser with a reputation for sound financial advice and a high level of integrity. I hope to be trusted as the first point of contact for my clients, giving them peace of mind that their financial needs are taken care of. Working in a predominantly male sector, I also hope to be an advocate for females in this industry. I know my career will continue to grow and evolve in Davy and I hope to become a senior professional within the firm.

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NEWS

PROPERTYPAL LAUNCHES UNIQUE ECONOMIC AND HOUSING FORECAST MODEL Jordan further commented on the impact Brexit might have on the market’s outlook: ‘Until a Brexit deal is secured, economic and political uncertainty will restrain buyer sentiment. The UK wide housing market will remain price sensitive and beyond that, depending on what deal is agreed, will have an impact on the path of interest rates, wage growth and house prices. PropertyPal’s ‘Housing and Economic Outlook’ and ‘Residential Property Review’ Series are available online now at PropertyPal.com/insights – and are the first in a regular series of detailed economic forecasts and property market reviews. Further publications are scheduled throughout the year.

• Forecast models show economy will grow by 1.2% this year, 1.3% next year and between 1.5%-2.0% until 2023.

• Median house prices grew 3.6% last year, and assuming a soft Brexit arrangement, are forecast to grow by 2.9% this year, 3.6% next year and between 3.0%-4.0% until 2023.

Jordan Buchanan, Chief Economist at PropertyPal.

PropertyPal, Northern Ireland’s largest local property portal, has recently released a series of new reports, including its ‘Housing and Economic Outlook’ alongside Northern Ireland’s first comprehensive ‘Residential Housing Review’ and accompanying 11 council area reports, offering granular detail about the local property market.

The property portal’s ‘Housing and Economic Outlook’ report forecasts critical economic indicators including GDP, wages, jobs and house prices. In the Residential Housing Review, PropertyPal subdivides Northern Ireland’s 11 council areas into almost 500 ‘micro-areas’, showing neverbefore seen data on local market, including the most popular locations to buy a home as well as including detailed property price information by different property styles.

Jordan Buchanan, Chief Economist at PropertyPal commented on the reports’ findings: “The Northern Ireland economy has been performing particularly well in recent years despite an increasingly challenging backdrop. Firms have been hiring at record rates, economic inactivity is falling, unemployment is exceptionally low by historical standards and amongst the lowest of any advanced nation in the world.

However, the outlook remains cautious with many forward leading indicators suggesting the local economy is close to a recession.”

Despite recent events in Northern

Ireland, generally speaking, employment rates are also improving: “Since 2012 there has been an impressive 95,000 jobs created, equivalent to over 37 new jobs per day and to date, there are more people in work than there were at peak levels in 2008. The latest employment rate is at record highs of 71.7% alongside a low unemployment rate of 3.1% which is feeding through to above-inflation levels of wage growth. This in turn is supporting household finances and helping aspiring homeowners save towards their deposits.”

Focussing on the housing market, Northern Ireland remains amongst the most affordable places in the UK to buy a home as Jordan continues: “Today the median house price in Northern Ireland stands at £134,200, 29% below the highs of 2007 and over 40% lower than the UK average (though a more sensible comparison is 34% lower that Great Britain excluding London). In terms of affordability, this represents house prices about 5x full time salaries and significantly more affordable than a decade ago when prices were more than 10x salaries. For context, across the UK as a whole, the ratio is currently 8x salaries and reaches as high as 13x in London. Affordable housing should not be overlooked as a key selling feature of the region and should appeal to retain and attract a talented workforce wishing to get on the housing ladder.”

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• 21,500 net new jobs forecast to be created in Northern Ireland by 2023, with approximately 2 in every 3 roles requiring full time workers.

• The median house price in Northern Ireland stands at £134,200 – 29% below the highs of 2007 and over 40% lower than the UK average.

• New ‘micro-area’ analysis shows the top 5 most popular locations to buy a home last year were in Carrowreagh (just outside Dundonald – with almost 180 homes sold), Windsor (171), Bloomfield (137), Connswater (126) and Central Craigavon (125).

• Cultra and Malone are the most expensive areas to buy a home across the country with median property prices in the areas costing over £400,000.

• There are over 80 locations in Northern Ireland where median property prices are under £100,000 reflecting widespread affordability across the country.

• Figures were released as part of new research series which includes 13 publications: Housing And Economic Outlook, Residential Housing Review and 11 individual council reports.

epic 80’s new year’s eve party night “Another one bites the dust”- say goodbye to 2019 and join us for our 80’s themed end/ start of year party at the Park Inn by Radisson, Belfast. In true A-ha style, Take on 2020, with a classic mix of 80’s tunes provided by QRadio D.J. Ibe Sesay and “Dance All Night Long.”

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BELFAST

COLUMNIST

GETTING ON THE PROPERTY LADDER

BY TERRY ROBB, HEAD OF PERSONAL BANKING, ULSTER BANK. The ‘dismal science’ (economics) and people’s dreams of buying a home may not seem like happy bedfellows, but the reality is that understanding figures is an important part of getting a foot on the property ladder.

From knowing the going rates for houses in your chosen area to having a handle on savings rates and mortgage rates, there are plenty of numbers to get your head around. (The £6,000 bonus that first-time buyers could secure from a Help to Buy ISA is one number that you should be aware of and which we’ll come back to later.)

Supply and demand – one of the most fundamental rules of economics – even comes into play. When demand in the housing market is high and supply is low, prices will rise.

Conversely, when demand is low and supply is plentiful, prices will probably fall.

Those in the know in the local residential property sector will tell you that in recent years the market has had something of a supply problem and no real shortage of demand. There have been lots of potential buyers but not enough houses available for sale to satisfy the interest. This helps explain why house prices have been rising here.

Part of the solution to this supply challenge involves building more houses. The other aspect is vendors having the confidence to put their homes on the market. In recent months, it seems that uncertainty in the economy has led some to take a wait and see approach.

But whilst increasing supply is essential, supporting the demand is also something that needs to be done in an effective way. Ulster Bank of course has an important role to play in

this; helping all kinds of homebuyers to make the purchase that meets their needs.

First-time buyers have been one of the most important segments of the housing market in recent years and we continue to see strong demand from first-time buyers for mortgages.

According to the latest figures from UK Finance, Northern Ireland registered a 4.1 percent annual increase in mortgages for first-time buyers to the end of June. And this was already from a pretty high base.

The challenge for first-time buyers is that as house prices rise at a faster rate than wages, it becomes more difficult to get onto the property ladder. In particular, saving for a deposit is something that many struggle with. That’s why the Help to Buy ISA is something that potential homebuyers should be aware; particularly now as the deadline for availing of it is fast approaching.

The Help to Buy ISA offers first-time buyers the chance to save tax-free for a deposit on their first home and to gain a further 25 percent from the government, up to a maximum of £3,000 on savings of £12,000. Fully availing of the scheme provides a potential boost to many first-time buyers as well as potentially to the Northern Ireland housing market as a whole.

The Help to Buy ISA deadline is on 30 November 2019, which means there’s limited time if you want to use it to invest money towards buying your first house.

In summary (back to understanding numbers), you can use to a Help to Buy ISA to buy any home worth up to £250,000 (or up to £450,000 in London). You can use it with any mortgage; you’re not restricted to a Help to Buy mortgage.

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You need to be a first-time buyer. And you must be aged 16 or over. The minimum amount you need to save to qualify for a government bonus is £1,600 (which gives you a £400 bonus).

You can start off your ISA with an initial deposit of up to £1,000 which also qualifies for the 25 percent boost from the government.

And importantly for some, Help to Buy ISAs are available to each first-time buyer, not each home.

So, if you’re buying a property with your partner, for example, you’ll be able to get up to £6,000 towards your deposit. Definitely not a dismal return.

UPDATE Chamber Chief’s

From networking events to meetings with government ministers and in-camera dinners with leaders in business, the hectic round of activity spearheaded by NI Chamber for the benefit of members never stops. NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor gives a taste of what’s coming up and what’s taken place recently with a picture gallery over the following pages.

S

eptember and October have been incredibly busy months for NI Chamber, as we continue to deliver a wide range of events, programmes and business support initiatives. We have also launched some new events including our CEO Spotlight Series supported by KPMG and partnered with Deloitte on a series of events specifically for the agri-sector.

NI Chamber’s new International Division has hosted the first in a number of scheduled events that form part of this exciting new support service. ‘Growing International Business in a Challenging Marketplace’ and ‘Doing Business in China’ provided a platform for greater collaboration and peer learning between NI Chamber members, and the initiative is already benefitting from the expertise of our International Champions, A&L Goodbody, Grant Thornton and Queen’s University Belfast who are on-hand to assist firms who are focussing on international growth.

Pictured at the recent In Camera event are Noel Lavery (Department for the Economy), Ann McGregor (NI Chamber), Denis McMahon (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs), Sue Gray (Department of Finance), David Sterling (NI Civil Service), Ian Henry (NI Chamber & Henry Group) and Katrina Godfrey (Department for Infrastructure).

Away from events and programmes, despite it now being over 1,000 days since Northern Ireland last had an Executive in place, NI Chamber continues to engage regularly with political parties and highlight the profound impact that the impasse is having on the local economy. Most recently we hosted a roundtable lunch for members with the DUP’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and met with Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, Conor Murphy and team to highlight our concerns. Over 50 NI Chamber members also met with the Head of the Civil Service David Sterling at an NI Chamber dinner

at Belfast’s Europa Hotel. David was joined by the Permanent Secretaries from Infrastructure and Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs,

NI Chamber in partnership with Deloitte launched a series of events specifically for businesses operating within the agri-food sector. Pictured are Robert Irwin (Farm Week); Martin Agnew (Henderson Group); Jason Starbuck (Deloitte); Neal Kelly (Henderson Group) and Louise Turley (NI Chamber).

as well as Economy and Finance. The message from NI Chamber remains unchanged – firms need certainty so they can plan and invest for the future. The Northern Ireland economy cannot flourish without the support of an Executive to create an environment which is conducive to this. Our latest Quarterly Economic Survey provided evidence that the ongoing Brexit uncertainty is being felt more harshly in Northern Ireland than anywhere else. It is also alarming that almost 4 in 5 of our members believe a recession in Northern Ireland is likely in the next 6 to 12 months, something NI Chamber President John Healy addresses earlier in this magazine.

On a positive note, NI Chamber was delighted to reveal the winners of the 2019 Chamber Business Awards in early October.

Congratulations to Fathom; Nitec Solutions; Musgrave Northern Ireland; FinTrU; Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK); Henry Brothers; Farrans Construction and Christies Direct who all go forward to the national finals in London in November.

I am also delighted that our annual President’s Banquet is now sold out, with over 900 people from business and government scheduled to join NI Chamber and documentary film maker Louis Theroux at the ICC Belfast on 21 November. I look forward to seeing many of you on the evening and at other events over the coming months.

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NEW ESSENTIAL MEMBERS 54 North Appian Fasteners Ltd Bell Architects Ltd Bitwise Limited Blazin Digital CATAX Core Impact Ltd Diamond Chauffeurs EcoHog Envisage Cloud Fourum Gewardz Glow Metrics Grenke Agency Jark Healthcare Mac Animal Health MSM Contracts Ltd Quadra Consulting Scaffold Digital Telestack Ten Minutes More Thomas Ferguson & Co Visual Edge Wagestream Workpal NEW GROWTH MEMBERS Anaeko Limited Beneden Health Elmfield Fleet4U Timber Builds Travel Ireland Coaches NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS Kilwaughter Lidl Lowe PropertyPal Ulster Rugby MEMBERSHIP UPGRADES ABL (Growth to Corporate) OCO (Essential to Growth) Safeguard AEO (Essential to Growth) *To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www. northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on: 02890 244113.

NEWS

NI Chamber puts CEOs under the spotlight NI Chamber has launched its ‘CEO Spotlight series’ – a new series of events aimed to inspire business growth in local companies through sharing the leadership stories of successful entrepreneurs and senior managers.

Supported by KPMG, the inaugural event took place in October with Dr Dennise Broderick, Managing Director of global pharmaceutical company Galen Ltd. Targeted at senior business people and high potential young leaders, the three-part series is an opportunity for those at the forefront of local business to exchange views and learn from their peers in an intimate setting.

The next event takes place with Adrian Curry, Managing Director of Encirc on Wednesday 4 December 2019 from 08:30 to 10:30 at KPMG in Belfast.

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber), Dr. Dennise Broderick (Galen Ltd) and John Poole (KPMG).

Welcoming SONI’s next generation power plans Firms from across Northern Ireland were given an insight into SONI’s new five-year strategy to transform the region’s power system at the latest NI Chamber & SONI Energy Forum.

In direct response to climate crisis, the £500m strategy for decarbonising the NI power system will see structures upgraded Christina Bates (Allstate NI); Chris McAlinden (Dale Farm); Peter Baillie (Energia Renewables); Jo Aston to handle world-leading levels of renewable (SONI); Christopher Morrow (NI Chamber) and Richard Rodgers (Department for the Economy) energy, supplied through a combination of wind and solar power.

Hosted in Allstate NI, the forum gave over 100 businesses, representing both energy users and suppliers, the opportunity to engage directly with the System Operator for Northern Ireland on the plans and how they will impact industry.

Christopher Morrow, Head of Communications and Policy at NI Chamber commented: “NI Chamber welcomes SONI’s commitment to decarbonising the NI electricity system. It will ensure that Northern Ireland’s businesses have access to secure, quality, green electricity. However, an ambitious strategy such as SONI’s must also be met with investment in the Northern Ireland grid and the urgent approval of the North South Interconnector. The North South Interconnector is a vital piece of infrastructure that will ensure the effective operation of an efficient all-island electricity market, exert downward pressure on electricity prices for business and domestic consumers throughout Northern Ireland, and utilise renewable energy resources.”

Other speakers at the event included Chris McAlinden, Group Operations Director at Dale Farm; Richard Rodgers, Head of Energy Group at the Department for the Economy and Peter Baillie, Managing Director of Energia Renewables.

Glasgow trade visit Sixteen Northern Ireland businesses recently attended a trade mission to Glasgow designed to help them identify and exploit new business opportunities in Scotland. The trip was organised by NI Chamber in partnership with Ulster Bank.

Representing a wide range of sectors including construction, engineering, management consulting, software and travel, delegates visited Procurex Scotland - an event which was attended by 1,500 decision makers working in Scottish public procurement.

Part of NI Chamber's Learn Grow Excel Programme, the intensive two day visit also provided an opportunity for companies to meet representatives from Construction Scotland, the body responsible for leading the Scottish Construction Industry Strategy and exchange best-practice with members of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber); Nigel Walsh (Ulster Bank) and Stephen Wilkinson (ASSA ABLOY), one of sixteen local companies who participated in the visit.

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Annual Golf Day

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Suzie Mooney (Forde May Consulting), Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber); Gerry May (Managing Director at Forde May Consulting), Valerie Reid (Founding Director at Forde May Consulting) and Brendan Catney (Principal Consultant at Forde May Consulting).

Kenny McAleenon (Fabrite Engineering), Graham Thompson (Agnew Leasing), Dave McEwan (Agnew Leasing) and Alan Neill (SHS Group).

Mark Fagan (BT), Mark Owens (Civica), Paul Murnaghan (BT) and Mike Cormican (BT).

Sam Corbett (A&L Goodbody), Seamus McGuckan (First Trust Bank), James Neill (HNH Group) and Chris McCann (Bank of Ireland) pictured with Valerie Reid and Gerry May of Forde May Consulting.

Event partner, Forde May Consulting.

Phil Murray (NI Chamber), Andrew Neill (JJ Loughran) and Clifton Bower (Rossi Gearmotors).

James Neill (HNH Group) winner of the Forde May Perpetual Golf Challenge Trophy with Valerie Reid (Founding Director at Forde May Consulting).

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Danske Bank Export First Forum with Randox

Growing International Business in a Challenging Marketplace

Randox hosted the latest NI Chamber & Danske Bank Export First Exporter Forum in Antrim. Pictured are Col. Mark Campbell (Randox), Jonathan Elder (Danske Bank) and Tanya Anderson (NI Chamber).

NI Chamber’s new International Division hosted its first event for members who are focusing on international growth. Pictured are Peter Legge (Grant Thornton); Nola Hewitt-Dundas (Queen’s University); Mark Thompson (A&L Goodbody); Tanya Anderson (NI Chamber) and guest speaker Richard Hill from the Deluxe Group.

Regional Networking Series with NIE Networks

Business spotlight: Johnston Bell of ARCEN.

Guest speaker David Henderson, Managing Director of Tobermore.

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Almost 100 businesses joined NI Chamber & NIE Networks for the latest ‘Regional Networking Series’ event which took place at the Burnavon Theatre in Cookstown. Pictured are Cllr Martin Kearney (Chair of Mid Ulster District Council); David Henderson (Tobermore); David McDonald (NIE Networks) and Valerie McConville (NI Chamber).

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NI Chamber & SSE In Camera with NILGA

Grow Agri Event with Deloitte

John Healy (NI Chamber); Karen Smyth (NILGA) and John Young (SSE Airtricity) at the recent NI Chamber In Camera with NILGA Head of Policy Karen Smyth and the Chief Executives of local Councils.

NI Chamber in partnership with Deloitte held a business growth event specifically for businesses operating within the agri-food sector. Pictured are Louise Turley (NI Chamber); Neal Kelly (Henderson Group); Donna Hemphill (Deloitte) and John Brolly (Farm Week).

Growing Something Brilliant with Cricket Ireland’s Gary1. Ann Keegan McGregor (Chief Executive, NI Chamber); Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Niall Gibbons (President, Dublin Chamber) and Mary Rose Burke (Chief Executive, Dublin Chamber).

2. Niall Gibbons; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Siobhan O’Shea (Cpl);

Richard Kennedy (Devenish Nutrition) and Dr Dennise Broderick (Galen).

3. Jo Aston (SONI); Mary Rose Burke (Dublin Chamber); Brendan Foster (Grant Thornton) and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Gary Keegan, Chair of High Performance Advisory Group at Cricket Ireland (left), is pictured with Dermot McArdle (Electric Ireland) and Louise Turley (NI Chamber) at the leadership themed event.

Gary discussed how to build structures within a business to ensure repeat success.

Almost 150 members attended the event which was held in partnership with Electric Ireland.

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Annual Networking Conference 2019

Guest speaker Cathy Thompson (Hostelworld), Vincent Harrison (Dublin Airport) and Ann McGregor (NI Chamber).

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Ann McGregor (Chief Executive, NI Chamber); Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Niall Gibbons (President, Dublin Chamber) and Mary Rose Burke (Chief Executive, Dublin Chamber).

Niall Gibbons; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Siobhan O’Shea (Cpl); Richard Kennedy (Devenish Nutrition) and Dr Dennise Broderick (Galen).

Jo Aston (SONI); Mary Rose Burke (Dublin Chamber); Brendan Foster (Grant Thornton) and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

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1. Keynote speaker Naomh McElhatton, Group Sales & Marketing Director, Grafton Recruitment.

2. Cathy Thomson, Global Head of Customer Experience Management at Hostelworld Group.

3. Event Partner Dermot McArdle, Head of Business Markets at Electric Ireland with NI Chamber’s Louise Turley.

4. NI Chamber’s Petrina McAuley (l) and Catherine Crilly (r) with Paul McGarrity, Trainer for Google Digital Garage.

5. Gareth Irvine (Copeland Distillery), Orlaith Blaney (Ervia), Mairead Mackle (Tarasis Enterprises), Catherine Crilly (NI Chamber), Becky Mercer (Zymplify), Sarah Travers and Gavin Annon (Mount Charles).

6. Anne Phillipson (Grant Thornton); Martin Tierney (Seating Matters); Patrick

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Leggett (Xperience Group); Michael Bower (The Open University) and Michelle Connolly (ProfileTree) on the Electric Ireland Future of Work Stage, with host Camilla Long.

7. Mark Lilley, Co-Founder and Director, Groundswell.

8. Dr Nicola Millard, Head of Customer Insight and Futurology at BT. 9. Karen Fitzsimmons and Gareth Macklin from Obbi Solutions.

10. Panellists Rich Dale (Flowlens); Dermot McArdle (Electric Ireland) and Stephen Donnelly (Bazaarvoice) with host Camilla Long from Career Encode.

11. The Dublin Airport Team - headline sponsors of the event.

12. Over 100 members exhibited at the event.

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Niall Gibbons; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Siobhan O’Shea (Cpl); Richard Kennedy (Devenish Nutrition) and Dr Dennise Broderick (Galen).

Jo Aston (SONI); Mary Rose Burke (Dublin Chamber); Brendan Foster (Grant Thornton) and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

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Ann McGregor (NI Chamber) and John Healy (NI Chamber) with Arlene Foster MLA (DUP).

Roger Henderson (NIE Networks) and Ian Henry (Henry Brothers).

Rose Mary Stalker (Invest NI) and David Watson (Ryobi Aluminium Casting).

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber), Councillor John Finucane (Lord Mayor of Belfast), Máirtín Ó Muilleoir MLA (Sinn Fein) and John Healy (NI Chamber).

Kevin Conmy (Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Ann McGregor (NI Chamber).

Mark Sweeney (Past President, NI Chamber) and Vicky Davies (Danske Bank).

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Adrian Poucher (Hollis), Arlene Foster (DUP), John Healy (NI Chamber) and Eamonn Cregan (Hollis).

8. Tanya Anderson (NI Chamber), Jo Aston (SONI) and Gillian Morris (HSBC).

9. Ellvena Graham (ESB Group) and Jonathan Ireland (Lanyon Group).

10. NI Chamber President John Healy welcomes guests to the new premises on Linenhall Street.

11. Adrienne Brock (Elliott Duffy Garrett), Andrew Greer (SSE Airtricity), Phil Murray (NI Chamber) and Stuart Hollinger (NI Chamber).

12. Ann McGregor (NI Chamber) and Chris Ingle-Finch (1080).

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Key Economic Indicators Fall to an Eight-Year Low The latest Quarterly Economic Survey published by NI Chamber and business advisors BDO suggests the Northern Ireland economy shows signs of ‘slipping’ into recession.

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber); Michael Jennings (BDO); Chris Morrow (NI Chamber) and Maureen O’Reilly (Economist for the QES).

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey published by NI Chamber and business advisors BDO suggests that Northern Ireland’s economy is in decline, as businesses felt the harsh effects of the Brexit impasse and the fall out and frustration from the protracted absence of a functioning Executive at Stormont.

The survey brings to light serious concerns around economic and particularly political instability in Northern Ireland and the UK, with almost 4 in 5 local business leaders believing that a recession in Northern Ireland is likely in the next 6 to 12 months.

Significantly, around half of members also scaled back or put on hold investment and growth plans on the back of the UK’s vote to leave the EU. The latest QES provides evidence that much of the Northern Ireland economy’s post recovery gain has been eroded following the Brexit vote. Order books in both the manufacturing and services sectors are very weak for both domestic (UK) sales and exports, with more firms in both sectors reporting a fall in orders over the next three months compared to those reporting a rise. Cash flow has been a persistent problem for both manufacturing and services and the cash flow position of both also deteriorated this quarter.

However, employment indicators remain positive with more services businesses taking on people than those who are not. There are still some signs of confidence in the sector with more businesses believing that turnover will grow than contract in the next 12 months.

Commenting on the results, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “These figures are tangible warning signs about current economic conditions in Northern Ireland, with this quarter’s performance being arguably the weakest in almost a decade. When compared to other regions across the UK who undertook the same survey, Northern Ireland ranked bottom for 8 of the 14 key manufacturing balances and 10 of the 14 key services balances.

This is clear evidence that the ongoing Brexit uncertainty at that time was felt more harshly in Northern Ireland than anywhere else. The lack of a functioning Executive visibly adds to this uncertainty and combined with Brexit, creates an environment where key strategic business decisions are being abandoned or delayed. The Northern Ireland economy cannot flourish without investment by our local businesses and they need the support of government to create an environment which is conducive to this.”

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ANALYSIS

BY MICHAEL JENNINGS, PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND We have seen the confidence of our businesses seriously challenged over the last three months, with talk of uncertainty around a range of key issues continuing to test the resolve of our manufacturing and services sectors. Results from our latest Quarterly Economic Survey make for difficult reading with our regional performance against many of the key indicators not favourable.

For many businesses, particularly within manufacturing, investment plans have been on hold since the EU referendum in 2016, with the hope that clarity around issues such as tariffs, the border and

customs would be provided. This approach has meant many businesses have been limited in their capacity for growth, which would have in turn had a positive impact on our local economy, employment and product offering.

Although it feels like we have been calling for ‘certainty’ for a considerable amount of time, these latest results demonstrate exactly what type of impact the lack of clarity had on our economy and this cannot continue if we are to improve our regional performance.

With a significantly weaker trade performance in both domestic and export markets, Northern Ireland has lost ground compared to other parts of the UK. A significant concern lies in the issues around cash flow.

In order to proactively plan for a post Brexit market, many businesses had been investing in larger stock quantities than they normally would. Although it is important for businesses to plan, this has left many companies in a delicate position – managing their cash flow versus a need for stock reserves.

Encouragingly, there has however been a

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consistent commitment within both sectors to recruit, with around 2 in 3 businesses still trying to do so. There needs to be a priority to not only build the capacity of our own talent pool to fit these positions, but to ensure NI is an attractive proposition for talent outside of NI. Our local businesses are not lacking in ambition or indeed entrepreneurship. They are willing to invest to grow their specific sector, but they need decisions to be made on key issues to allow them to progress their plans.

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Firms Scoop NI Chamber Awards

The winners of the 2019 Chamber Business Awards.

Eight companies from across Northern Ireland have been announced as the winners of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual Chamber Business Awards.

Financial Services Company FinTrU received two awards – High Growth Business of the Year and Employer of the Year whilst Henry Brothers scooped Family Business of the Year – a new award added for 2019.

Following an independent judging process, carried out by a panel of business editors and senior business figures, NI Chamber has revealed the following category winners:

Highly Commended awards were also claimed by: • Environmental Street Furniture (Export Business of the Year) • Hagan Homes (Small Business of the Year)

• Small Business of the Year - Fathom • Best use of Technology - Nitec Solutions Ltd • Customer Commitment Award - Musgrave Northern Ireland • Employer of the Year - FinTrU • High Growth Business of the Year - FinTrU • Export Business of the Year - Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) • Family Business of the Year - Henry Brothers Ltd • Workplace Wellbeing - Farrans Construction • E-Commerce Business of the Year - Christies Direct

• Henderson Group (Workplace Wellbeing Award)

They will all now compete against other regional winners in the national finals in a bid to take home the top UK business accolade in each category.

• Woodside Logistics Group (Family Business of the Year).

• IceMos Technology (Best use of Technology) • KME Steelworks (High Growth Business of the Year)

National winners are set to be announced at a ceremony at the Chamber Awards Gala Dinner on 28 November 2019 at the Tobacco Dock in London.

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1. Ann McGregor (Chief Executive, NI Chamber); Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Niall Gibbons (President, Dublin Chamber) and Mary

Rose Burke (Chief Executive, Dublin Chamber).

2. Niall Gibbons; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar; Siobhan O’Shea (Cpl);

Richard Kennedy (Devenish Nutrition) and Dr Dennise Broderick (Galen).

3. Jo Aston (SONI); Mary Rose Burke (Dublin Chamber); Brendan Foster (Grant Thornton) and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

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1. Daniel Christie and Kathryn Williamson from Christies Direct receive the award for E-Commerce Business of the Year from NI Chamber President John Healy.

2. Conor Donnelly and Darragh McCarthy from FinTrU receive the High Growth Business of the Year and Employer of the Year award.

3. Andy Robinson and Gareth Dunlop from Fathom receive the Small Business of the Year award.

4. Joanne Lennox and Lisa Haycock from Farrans Construction receive the Workplace Wellbeing award.

5. Kathy Simpson and Nigel Maxwell from Musgrave Northern Ireland receive the Customer Commitment award.

6. Ian Henry, Julie McKeown, Mrs Henry and Jim Henry from Henry Brothers receive the Family Business of the Year award.

7. Stephen English, David Watson and Rachel Latham from Ryobi Aluminum Castings (UK) receive the Export Business of the Year award.

8. Michael Hutchinson and Laura Ard from Nitec Solutions Ltd receive the award for Best Use of Technology.

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NI Chamber Awards

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NI Chamber Awards

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Beyond Ideals and Dreams

FEATURE

NIE Networks Paula Leathem and Jim Copeland with Air Ambulance NI paramedic, Emma Boylan.

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Engaged for the future Although there is a natural affiliation between the work of NIE Networks and Air Ambulance NI, Paula Leathem, Senior HR Business Partner at the electricity distributor, tells Emma Deighan pairing up with the charity this year is about much more than just fundraising.

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his year NIE Networks has chosen Air Ambulance NI as its official Charity of the Year. It’s a partnership that will see the organisation’s 1,200 employees aim to raise a target of £25,000 in just 12 months, for the trauma response service.

It’s also a move that not only supports a vital emergency service that can give the NI public quicker response times in hours of need, but it’s a decision that has boosted team building, morale and staff engagement at NIE Networks Paula tells Ambition.

“Our Employee Engagement Board meets bi-monthly and every one of our 13 sites and depots are represented at that meeting. We got a lot of feedback that staff wanted to see more company wide charity activity, so we formed a small sub group and the outcome was the reintroduction of an annual charity voted for by our employees.

“As an organisation the nature of our business means we have employees working remotely or in rural locations in all weather conditions and undertaking high risk work on a daily basis. The medics in the Air Ambulance NI crew similarly overcome serious geographical, environmental and weather challenges on a daily basis to help those in their hour of need.

Safety is at the core of our work and while we hope we never need to use the service, it’s hugely reassuring for us as an organisation to know that if any of our teams were ever in trouble, Air Ambulance NI would be there to support us.

“No one can fail to be inspired by the tremendous work that they do in saving hundreds of lives across Northern Ireland every year and this is reflected in our vote to nominate them as our charity partner.”

The organisation kicked off the year of fundraising with a three-day cycle event across Northern Ireland. The ‘Tour de Network’ as it was dubbed, saw over 25 employees clock up over 6,000 miles in just three days. To support the cycle team every one of NIE Networks’ sites and depots organised spin-

a-thons, coffee mornings and raffles, with the heart of those activities reinforcing engagement and team building within the organisation.

“We have a very diverse workforce and this gives everyone, at every site, the chance to get involved,” adds Paula. “Our MD and executive team are actively taking part, we have a charity champion in every location and the company is giving employees time to fundraise, so it all sends out a positive message that this is as much about building relationships internally, as well as with Air Ambulance.”

“As an organisation we place huge importance on investing in our employees at all levels, professionally and personally and that reflects in the accolades we have picked up including accreditation as an Investors in People Gold Company, the CIPD Employee Engagement Award and most recently the CIPD Best Change Management Initiative 2019.”

The company has also just scooped the coveted title of Best Apprenticeship Scheme for 2019 at the national CIPD People Management Awards UK. Staving off competition from some of the UK’s leading business providers including, Openreach and Lloyds Banking Group, the judges hailed NIE Networks for the integrated approach towards its Apprenticeship Programme and highlighted the clear success rate it has demonstrated with regards to staff development and progression.

It’s evident from Paula’s delight talking about the award that the recognition means a great deal to the organisation.

“Our Apprenticeship Programme has been well established in Northern Ireland for some time, but to receive UK-wide recognition by CIPD is on another level. We invest in the region of £1 million annually in the programme which provides the highest level of development to our apprentices, the majority of whom stay with the business long-term and add significant value.”

The company is reaching out to future employees not just through the Apprenticeship Programme, but through a broad

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FEATURE range of educational initiatives. It’s a drive that safeguards its workforce of the future and promotes the roles available within the utilities arena.

“The talent pool in Northern Ireland is shrinking,” Paula begins on the subject of recruitment. “In addition to our annual apprenticeship programme which focuses on industrial employees for overhead lines, plant maintenance and electrician roles, we also have a graduate programme. It’s our own NIE Scholarship delivered through Queen’s University and we developed that because we are finding it difficult to get talent, so we are trying to encourage more people to get into STEM and that will help get that pipeline through.”

She adds: “The problem is, with the nature of utilities the sector wasn’t recruiting as actively but that’s changed and now we have a gap. Electrical engineering is such a dynamic career choice and the opportunities are incredibly diverse, including working in operational field based roles, design and investment.”

Paula says the focus towards a zero carbon emissions society by 2050 will see many new exciting roles in this sector.

“Roles for the future are going to be very different. It will be a whole new landscape around renewable energy and decarbonisation, so it’s a fantastic time for young people to consider a career in this industry.”

Young people aren’t the only focus for the firm, however. Paula and her team are keen to boost the female workforce at NIE Networks.

Since 2015 over one third of the company’s apprenticeship and graduate intake has been female.

“The number of women coming in is growing. Strong partnerships with Women In Business and the IoD have been invaluable to helping us on that journey, alongside a focussed outreach programme engaging with 18,000 young people annually. We also have recently registered with the Diversity Charter Mark, with a view to achieving the initial bronze level for gender. But we have a way to go yet.”

For the last number of years NIE Networks has been the headline sponsor of Skills NI. The free two-day interactive event sets out to inspire 14-19 year olds and their teachers, parents and influencers to help them pursue “the career of their dreams”. It’s attended by employers, training providers, colleges, universities and career sector companies.

“We use both male and female apprentices at our stand and that helps engage better with students. There has been a shift in the interest and movement in women taking on roles here. We do have females working on overhead lines, but this shift has been very gradual, so Skills NI allows us to showcase what’s on offer.”

The outreach activity all feeds into the company’s strong engagement theme both internally and externally and it’s one that is set to continue says Paula.

“It’s all about engagement for us. Listening to our staff and actually doing something about their feedback, as well as creating opportunities for them to engage with each other, whether that’s through attending events or helping to fundraise.” she says.

“We’ve an exciting year ahead with our new charity partner but importantly for us we’ve an exciting year ahead for connecting and engaging our employees.”

Team building - Paula Leathem and employees from NIE Networks taking part in fundraising activities that have been raising funds as well as supporting engagement.

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“Roles for the future are going to be very different. It will be a whole new landscape around renewable energy and decarbonisation, so it’s a fantastic time for young people to consider a career in this industry.”

Our experienced and ambitious team has over twenty years’ experience in delivering events in Northern Ireland’s only purpose-built international convention centre.

“On the day it was brilliant. It was the best event outside London that we’ve done. The way everyone bought into it wholeheartedly, it was off the scale to what we’ve done in any region before.”

KELLIE WHILE, HEAD OF

CREATIVE

FEATURE

Ten out of ten for Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme

By John Ferris, Entrepreneur Development Manager, Ulster Bank.

Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Accelerator has come along way since we first opened our doors to entrepreneurs back in 2016. Back then, our focus was attracting early stage entrepreneurs and we were part of an international movement to encourage and support start-up businesses, while helping Belfast as a city become more hospitable to entrepreneurship.

Three years later, and while we are still very much driven by creating an eco-system for entrepreneurs, as we welcome our 10th cohort of

business owners on to our Accelerator programme, there have been significant changes to the landscape.

Last year we took the decision to bring the Belfast Hub, which is one of 12 Entrepreneur Accelerator Hubs located across the UK, in to our Ulster Bank headquarters which has enabled us to better align the work of the Accelerator programme more closely with the rest of the bank, while ramping up Ulster Bank’s support for entrepreneurs across every division.

2018 was also the year we introduced our new entrepreneurship team. If we are to be the leading drivers of entrepreneurship, then we need to have the right people with the right skills to facilitate this. Every day in our Belfast Hub we have a team of four providing coaching and mentorship to 80 entrepreneurs while also working hard to improve the overall landscape for these businesses to grow and succeed.

But to what impact? Pleasingly, the figures speak for themselves and we are proud of the significant impact the Belfast Hub has made to our local economy. In 2018, we helped create £3.4m in investment, £2.7m in turnover and supported more than 110 businesses. As we approach the last quarter of 2019, all indicators are positive and we expect last year’s figures to be outperformed.

Of course there is still much work to be done and our team remains committed to ensuring we

can continue to make advancements. Supporting female-led businesses is at the top of our priority list and we are working hard to level the playing field. 53% of our entrepreneurs in 2018 were female and we hope to continue to grow this figure.

In September we organised Northern Ireland’s first Female Investment Day; an opportunity for female business owners to come together and learn from other entrepreneurs who have been successful while establishing that all important network of contacts. Supported by QUB; Invest NI; Belfast City Council; DELL Technology and InterTrade Ireland, the event brought together more than 100 entrepreneurs, business leaders and funders who pledged to work together to confront the Gender Investment Gap. As we begin to start the process again with our 10th intake of participants to the Accelerator programme, pausing for reflection has been a useful exercise. Belfast has transformed itself into a vibrant city for entrepreneurs and slowly but surely, we are narrowing the gap between ourselves and other UK cities when it comes to measuring entrepreneurship. Life in the Belfast Hub is as busy as ever but it’s still incredibly rewarding to see an entrepreneur who has given their all get a huge deal over the line and appreciate that we played a small part in helping him or her unlock this potential.

• For more information about the Belfast Hub or to speak to a member of Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneurship team, contact: www.ulsterbank.com/accelerator

Belonging to a network which is built on peer support One entrepreneur who participated at the female investment conference was Professor Adele Marshall, founder of Advanced Analytics Labs and Professor of Statistics at Queen’s University Belfast.

Advanced Analytics Labs exists to empower businesses through data so for owner Adele Marshall, it’s important to attend learning and networking events, such as the Female Investment Conference, to empower herself. Here, she explains why she decided to start her own business, on top of a busy career in education and how crucial

being connected to a network of likeminded entrepreneurs has been to the success of Advanced Analytics Labs.

“As a Professor of statistics, it’s fair to say I know a thing or two about data. It’s my passion and I’ve spent a lot of my working career encouraging others to view their existing data as valuable asset to their business. Eventually, I decided to take the plunge and set up Advanced Analytics Labs, turning my long-held passion into a business.

The mission at Advanced Analytics Labs is a simple one; we want to empower our customers by

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making their data do the hard work for them so they can access real value from this. Based in Belfast, we very much consider ourselves to be an ‘innovationdriven’ enterprise and use our own expertise to engage with customers and implement solutions we know will work for them. The end goal for us is always to help business owners make betterinformed decisions and we put bespoke packages in place so they can make educated predictions and remove some of the guesswork from decision making.

Starting any business can be a daunting

FEATURE

John Ferris, Entrepreneur Development Manager, Ulster Bank, Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive, Belfast City Council, Claudine Owens, Portfolio Manager, Clarendon Fund Managers and Shane O’Hanlon, InterTrade Ireland.e Ireland. experience but it’s absolutely been worth the risk.

Of course there were times when the challenges seemed insurmountable, not least because of trying to juggle managing a new start-up with my day job, but the long hours and sleepless nights have definitely paid off.

At the beginning of this year, not long into my journey as an entrepreneur, a friend recommend I join the Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Development Accelerator. I applied for the programme and was delighted to receive the news that I had been accepted to join in April 2019.

Advances Analytics Labs was very much a micro SME at this stage. We were too small to justify acquiring our own office but knew we needed to be in the right environment if we were going to make this business work. Being accepted onto the programme gave me access to state of the art office space in Belfast city centre with room and facilities to hold meetings, carry out research and even find a quiet space to think when things were becoming too much.

On top of the great facilities, my business benefited from being surrounded by so many other entrepreneurs and their drive and motivation

certainly rubbed off on me. You often hear that people find starting a business to be a lonely experience, especially if they are working from home, but my own journey could not be more different. When I needed help with website design or marketing, there was always someone in the hub who had the skills and expertise I was looking for and perhaps more importantly, the time and patience to share those skills with someone like me who was eager to learn.

Having access to one on one mentoring from a business development expert has been also been a huge benefit and the one thing I would definitely encourage other entrepreneurs to take advantage of. Undergoing regular coaching has transformed the way I approach certain tasks or situations and I feel like talking through my ideas or growth plans with a trusted advisor helps to hold me to account.

I have a better understanding of my role as CEO and what other people expect from me thanks to these sessions and knowing there’s someone I can always approach for support or advice gives me great piece of mind.

The conference was very focused on addressing the problems associated with the Female

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Investment Gap and of course this is something I am aware of, both in the business world and also across many other sectors. Throughout my 20year career at Queen’s, I have been involved in many studies examining gender imbalance so the findings of the Rose Review come as little surprise to me.

The important thing is though that the scales are shifting – albeit slowly. I speak to investors regularly about ways they support female CEOs and if this isn’t something that’s on their radar or that they feel strongly about then perhaps they aren’t the right people to invest in my company.

My advice to anyone who is feeling disadvantaged by the imbalance or perhaps feels like their voice isn’t being heard as a female entrepreneur is to look closely at the network you surround yourself with. This is something I’ve always believed in but it’s become even more apparent since joining the Ulster Bank Accelerator Programme. I cannot overstate how much I have gained from belonging to a network which is built on peer support and I’m at the stage now where I want to pass the skills I have learned onto those entrepreneurs who are coming behind me.”

FEATURE

The Drive to Thrive 56

One of Northern IrelandĂ­ s top 100 companies, Sensata Technologies, is going through something of a change. Here Eric Sorret, General Manager, Global Chassis Business, talks to Ambition about the firmĂ­ s drive forward.

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FEATURE

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ntil 2014 Sensata was known in industrial circles here as Schrader Electronics. It was taken over by global firm Sensata, which has since invested heavily in R&D to up its game here. With its NI Operation capacity Sensata is a pioneer in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) from Northern Ireland.

It creates a vehicle safety feature that is standard in all cars. In layman’s speak, the work that Sensata Technologies does here “helps drivers avoid serious accidents, reduce environmental impact and save money at the pump”.

It can count the majority of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers among its customer base.

It’s a global leader in the design and manufacture of valve, mechanical and electronic system components as well as sensing technologies and these world-leading credentials have been consistent since the firm’s beginnings here in 1988 when it operated as Schrader.

Globally Sensata Technologies employs 20,300 staff. Here, between its two sites, it employs over 1,100 staff.

Since the acquisition of Schrader, Sensata has strengthened its position as a leader in its field, making it a leader in technology for many sectors including aerospace, agriculture, energy and more. It’s a position that allows it to have a greater hold on what is a $2bn market.

And with that leading position comes a duty to keep growing and developing and here, in Northern Ireland, Eric Sorret is leading the way for such things.

“We continue to grow the business and more importantly expand our capabilities in tyre and battery systems,” he begins.

“We are smart and connected and we will pursue new business within the engineering sector,” he adds.

Sensata continues to invest in research and development, not only in the development of RTPMS and associated technologies, but also in MEMS and other low-pressure applications.

In fact only last year it invested around £26 m in R&D which it hopes will lead to new products to address engineering requirements in the motoring sector.

Eric adds: “We are working on new systems and creating opportunities to generate additional features.”

Eric talks of bluetooth technology and other revolutionary ways of moving the brand forward during the interview and says bigger and better is on the horizon. “We do have major plans,” he says, “but we are not able to disclose them.”

What he does reveal is more recruitment is in the pipeline.

“We want to continue to develop the NI tech centre and that will mean more highly-skilled

engineering jobs. What we do will continue gaining traction in production capability.”

Indeed its relatively new STEM program and technical apprenticeships will pave the way to safeguard that future workforce for the firm.

It also has strong links with Queen’s

develop here is that we find good talent in electronics and software engineering and we see some benefit of growing and developing our technical centre here, not only because it’s cost effective but because it’s strong on skills,” Eric says.

“We are smart and connected and we will pursue new business within the engineering sector. Sensata continues to invest in research and development, not only in the development of RTPMS and associated technologies, but also in MEMS and other low-pressure applications. ” University and Ulster University to further protect its skill set of the future.

“We are developing intense collaboration with more than 30 internships from universities and a high percentage of those apprenticeships are employed by the company,” Eric reveals.

“We engage in schools too and invite them to come and visit so we can have that interaction and allow them to understand what it’s all about.”

To ramp up its community presence and exposure of its operations here, Sensata has stretched beyond educational confines and into the community. With diversity one of its core principles, the company headlined sponsored the Belfast Mela this year.

The move between the technology firm and the cultural event was dubbed as “the perfect partnership” and one that allowed it to showcase a STEM Zone aligned to the work of the Sensata Foundation to help “empower the next generation of engineers”.

Staff took part in the celebrations. And because Northern Ireland is responsible for £400m of Sensata’s annual sales it makes sense that future employment protection is high up the agenda at the company’s NI operations.

“One of the reasons we do continue to

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FEATURE

Getting the

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Tina McKenzie is a firm believer that if “people are doing well, the economy will do well too”. As the CEO of one of Ireland’s leading recruitment agencies, Grafton, she knows a thing or two about how to nurture a workforce, writes Emma Deighan.

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ina argues that from education to healthcare, there is a lot of work to be done to build the kind of society that can truly thrive. Central to making that vision a reality is narrowing the skills gap, creating employment opportunities and securing inward investment: “The economy is only the icing on the cake, society is the foundation and it is vital to get that right first”.

At present the employment figures for Northern Ireland are among the lowest in the UK. ‘The Economic Inactivity in Northern Ireland topic paper’ released recently indicates that there were 318,000 economically inactive people of working age here in 2018, which accounted for over a quarter of the working age population.

Northern Ireland’s economically inactive rate

sits at 27.2% – the highest in the UK, which has been the case for over 30 years. The average rate in the UK as a whole sits at 21.7%.

“This figure has dropped slightly which is always welcome. However, it only dropped by around half a percent. There’s still much more work to do,” says Tina.

“That number includes couples, the elderly and students, as well as people who often for legitimate reasons are in receipt of benefits.

Among this group are many who desperately want to get into work, but they just need the right kind of support.

“Historic levels of inter-generational unemployment in Northern Ireland, much of which is a legacy of the past, can lead to a real sense of hopelessness. Addressing that perpetual cycle of despair will take a concerted effort from everyone right across society, including political leaders. Through

“Teachers in this part of the world work extremely hard. They need unstinting support from the Education Authority, and crucially educators need a curriculum that is fit for purpose in 2019.”

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the PeoplePlus part of our business we try to tackle this issue through the implementation of our Steps2Success programme which helps people into work.”

Tina says that education is intrinsic to creating a pathway into the world of work for the unemployed, including those seeking a route back into employment after a period of absence. In her capacity as Honorary Consul to Finland she has seen first-hand the benefits of the Nordic model of education: “In many of the Nordic countries, children start school around the age of seven, there is less of an emphasis on homework and testing doesn’t take place until much later. There is no taboo around pursuing a trade rather than third-level education.

“Teachers in this part of the world work extremely hard. They need unstinting support from the Education Authority, and crucially educators need a curriculum that is fit for purpose in 2019 and beyond. Such a curriculum will prepare students for a radically different and ever evolving world of work.”

So if we begin to see improved trends in education and investment, is the recruitment sector equipped to deal with those opportunities?

Tina, who is the CEO of Grafton Recruitment Ireland, says they stand ready. Through the business Tina and her team help to get 2,000 people into permanent work every year and 8,000-10,000 workers out every day on a temporary basis. With 10 branches across Ireland, Grafton has ambitious plans for expansion over the next six months with new office spaces opening in Cork, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick and Sligo, creating jobs and providing a gateway to work for those living nearby. Tina is overseeing this radical growth strategy at one of the most uncertain times for politics and business, but is undeterred.

Championing and guiding new start-ups is also something that Tina is passionately committed to, through her role as Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses NI. Northern Ireland has the lowest business birth rate of any region in the UK. There were 6,855 business births in Northern Ireland in 2017, an increase of 16 per cent on the previous year according to NISRA statistics. There were 4,940 business deaths in Northern Ireland in 2017.

“Small businesses are the life-blood of our local economy and we need to ensure that they are adequately supported, particularly postBrexit.”

Looking to the future of Northern Ireland’s economy, Tina believes in addressing the skills gap through good quality and imaginative education, and coming up with inventive ways of attracting investors as essential. Tina also adds: “We desperately need political stability and progress. Anytime there is political uncertainty it plants a seed of doubt in an investor’s mind. Our economy is small but that means we can control it and begin to grow it with targeted steps and interventions. We need to concentrate on building the future society and prosperity we want. In 2025, what do we want to be excelling at and how can we pitch that offering to the wider global economy? That is a question for which we all must have an answer.”

SpoNSored FeATure

directors at M.B. McGrady & Co Chartered Accountants, Seamus Mclernon, Mal McGrady and Conaill McGrady.

CouNTING oN ClAIMING A ChrISTMAS pArTY AS A BuSINeSS expeNSe?

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t’s fast approaching that time of year again; the seasonal pre-Christmas Luncheon, office festive feast or maybe you’re planning to hold off celebrations until the New Year.

Whenever the party’s planned, there’s a question that business owners often raise: ‘Can office parties be claimed as a business expense?’

In short, yes! You can thank your staff for their efforts all year with a Christmas party, and plan the event in a tax-savvy way. You get to play Santa, without relying on the elves for their overtime. However, like most things there are a few conditions.

• Christmas party expenses are an exemption, not an allowance.

• The cost of the party is £150 or less per head (incl. VAT). All expenses must be covered by the per head cost including catering, venue hire, entertainment, decorations, as well as taxis home for staff. The cost per head is the total cost divided by the number of attendees (including non-employees) who attend.

• It is an annual function i.e. Christmas/New Year/Summer staff party • It is open to all company employees an exclusive director-only event does not qualify.

The £150 per head that you can claim for an annual function is not an allowance. So, if the cost of an annual function, whether it is held at Christmas or not, goes over £150 per head you will need to report this, and the expense will subject to tax and NI.

So you could give your employees a hamper at Christmas, flowers for their birthday or a voucher for their favourite shop! Like the party exemption if the cost of the benefit is over £50 it will be subject to tax and NI in full.

What if I have more than one annual party per year?

If your company holds more than one annual function per year it can still claim expenses for events costing up to £150 per head (this is the overall cost for all events, not per event) as long as none of the functions exceed £150 per head in total.

So, in this time of festive good cheer, why not treat your staff to a tax efficient, proper thank you – as long as you don’t treat them to more than £150!

With offices in Belfast, Downpatrick and Newtownards, M. B. McGrady & Co Chartered Accountants are delivering an exceptional level of accountancy services throughout Northern Ireland. In addition to the traditional audit, accountancy and specialist taxation services, the company also offers management consultancy, systems analysis, forensic accounting and litigation.

Is there tax relief on gifts?

It is worth noting that whilst many companies choose to pay a ‘Christmas bonus,’ all cash payments or bonuses included on payslips are liable to tax.

However there are exemptions for “trivial” benefits given to an employee. A trivial benefit is one that: • Costs £50 or less to provide (including VAT) • If it is a voucher it cannot be converted to cash • Isn’t a reward for service or in the employees contract

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www.mbmcgrady.co.uk info@mbmcgrady.co.uk T: 028 9031 6950

FEATURE

Education that makes perfect business sense Further education is about much more than equipping the future workforce with the skills to succeed, it’s about supporting local industry to innovate, compete and grow Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement at Southern Regional College, tells Emma Deighan.

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when supporting industry – talent acquisition; upskilling and workforce development; innovation and knowledge transfer. We have provision for all types of businesses from sole traders to SMEs as well as multinationals.

“The centre has a dedicated team of business development executives as well as a delivery team of innovation and technology specialists who work exclusively with businesses to design and deliver bespoke training solutions, provide support for new product/ service/process development as well as preemployment and recruitment support. This offering spans all industry sectors and most of the support is either partially or fully funded,” she explains. “Depending on the sector and size of the company, the College’s Business Support and Innovation centre is able to offer these interventions on a progressive basis as the company develops and grows,” Tracy advises.

In fact one particular programme offers 75% off the cost of training for staff upskilling and workforce development. Funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE), “Skills Focus” is a programme that supports SMEs to develop their teams according to the business needs and to accredit their staff from Level 2 upwards in a range of training programmes across most sectors. The training on offer

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outhern Regional College (SRC), a six-campus academic institution covering counties Armagh and South Down, has been connecting with businesses based in its locality for many years through its Business Support and Innovation Unit.

The college, which has sites in Armagh, Newry, Portadown, Banbridge, Lurgan and Kilkeel, has, over the years moulded its student offering to meet the needs of industry residing in and around its campuses, Tracy says. “We are building a new estate in Armagh and Banbridge in 2020 and looking to the future for developments at Craigavon. It’s exciting times and it will be an attraction to the local student population.”

The £35m Armagh complex and the £15m Banbridge site are on track to become stateof-the-art facilities that will continue to transform not just the lives of those enrolling in SRC’s courses but the businesses around it.

“Everything we do is directed by industry and local economic needs. We’re here to respond to what local businesses need and we have a key role to play in developing that,” she continues. “We have three key areas of focus

also have food innovation specialists who help SMEs to develop food products from recipe development to scale up as well as nutritional calculations and labelling – supporting food products from concept right through to “retail ready”. We also have specialists in IT and digital technologies, app development and cyber security and we have a tourism specialist who works with our vibrant tourism industry to help take their businesses to the next level,” she adds.

The six FE Colleges in Northern Ireland have each been awarded hub status for a particular curricular area for which they demonstrate key strengths including strong links with industry. “With a specialism in life sciences, SRC is “naturally led” by the corporate power houses in its areas including Almac, Norbrook and Randox,” Tracy adds. “In partnership with our clients, SRC has developed and delivers the Higher Level Apprenticeship in Applied Industrial Science to the “big 3” pharmaceutical companies, with new cohorts of higher apprentices starting employment with these companies each year. The higher apprenticeship model is the perfect tool for employers to “grow their own” talent and for apprentices to “earn while they learn”.

And to illustrate just how expansive the

“The higher apprenticeship model is the perfect tool for employers to “grow their own” talent and for apprentices to “earn while they learn”. includes technical programmes aligned to most industry sectors but there is also a generic offering including customer service, digital and social media and management.

“Leadership and management training is a very important part of what we do. I’ve heard it said that we are a nation of accidental managers where people are moved into more senior roles with no training or experience. The Skills Focus programme enables companies to address this issue and tailor management programmes to suit their specific needs at an affordable price.”

The centre also specialises in innovation support, encouraging SMEs to embrace innovation thereby securing their future growth. Support is offered in construction to food innovation, engineering and product development, creative industry, tourism, digital and emerging technologies as well as other areas. “We have specialists in design engineering who can help businesses with their concept designs, 2D and 3D modelling, materials specs, prototyping and testing. We

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Higher Apprenticeship support offering is, this academic year alone the college has 180 Higher Level Apprentices enrolled for Accountancy, Mechatronics, Computing and Applied Industrial Science and this number is growing Tracy informs. “We have two new areas starting in January 2020; Digital Construction and Digital Marketing, Advertising and Communications,” she adds, which creates an opportunity for businesses in those sectors to get involved and benefit from new talent in their organisations and access to new educational resources.

The Business Support centre typically supports 500 businesses each year with a further 600 businesses engaged with the College through TFS, Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships. The Business Support centre acts as a gateway to the full suite of services at the College and Tracy encourages all businesses to get in touch with their local college to access the myriad of support on offer.

For further information on how SRC can support your business contact 028 3025 9664 or email betterbusiness@src.ac.uk

Leading the way in cold storage Interfrigo Ltd is the largest independent cold store operator in Northern Ireland and is one of only two cold stores in the UK and Ireland to be awarded USDA approval.

The company provides third party cold storage for a number of local and international food producers. Interfrigo Ltd specialises in chilling and freezing food for manufacturing and retail customers in the food sector, working in partnership with them to optimise inventories and ensure goods are available precisely when required.

Interfrigo Ltd provide their customers with one of the most flexible cold storage facilities in the UK and Ireland, allowing them to accommodate stock from the modest to the largest of producers. Their 136,000 sq ft state-of-the-art cold store has storage capacity for 20,000 pallets.

Advanced IT systems drive the operations and they use e-business

Interfrigo Ltd, Steeple Industrial Estate, County Antrim BT41 1AB Tel: 028 9446 4599 Fax: 028 9446 4597 Email: info@interfrigo.co.uk

www.interfrigo.com

technologies to improve efficiency and service. Their temperature-controlled warehouses offer a range of storage options and are managed using a stateof-the-art WMS system which manages all stock control and movement in the store. This enables customers to remotely access highly accurate, real time inventory information.

interfrigo

SPONSORED FEATURE

PATENTLY CLEAR TAX BENEFITS? The Patent Box tax regime offers the potential for substantial Corporation Tax savings, but a low volume of claims are being submitted to HM Revenue and Customs.

Introduced on 1 April 2013, the Patent Box allows companies to pay a lower rate of Corporation Tax on relevant Intellectual Property (IP) profits.

Despite a slow start, with benefits introduced incrementally over a four year period, the full savings have been available from 1 April 2017 to deliver the headline 10% Corporation Tax rate on qualifying profits. Compared to the current standard Corporation Tax rate of 19%, a saving of 9p for every £1 of profit is very attractive. For example, based on £2m of relevant IP profits, the Corporation Tax saving would be £180,000.

qualifying patent and this patent must have been granted by the UK IPO, the European Patent Office (EPO) or certain countries in the European Economic Area (EEA). The company, or group of companies of which it is a member, must also have carried out the qualifying development (R&D) on the patent. Additionally, the company must meet an active ownership test in the case of a group company claimant, by being able to demonstrate that it has performed a significant amount of management activity in relation to the IP rights held.

Low uptake The latest statistics released by HM Revenue and Customs show 1,160 claims were made throughout the UK in 2015/16 and 1,025 in 2016/17, although figures for this latter year are expected to be revised upwards once further statistics are released in Autumn 2019. Of these claims, Northern Ireland companies accounted for just 35 and 30 in each respective year. Compare this to the number of patents granted by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) – 5,602 in 2016 and 6,311 in 2017.

Relevant IP Income Income earned from exploiting patented inventions can be derived from: • sales of patented products – it is important to note that the full sale value of a larger product into which a patented item is intended to be physically incorporated over its full operating life will qualify.

For example, even if only the braking system of a car is patented then the full sale value of the car would be within the regime; • licencing out patent rights; • selling patented rights; • infringement income; and • damages, insurance or other compensation related to patent rights.

Reasons for an apparent low uptake likely include: • It is a Corporation Tax regime only, so individuals and partnerships cannot make claims; • The costs and timescale for registering patents, although the Corporation Tax savings will usually outweigh the legal and admin costs and it is possible to make claims in relation to relevant IP profits for the period between patent application and grant (the ‘patent pending’ period); • The complexity of calculations and reduced benefits during phase-in, but a number of simplifications and elections are available to reduce this complexity and the phase-in period is now over; • For companies which initially make relevant IP losses, it will be better not to elect into the regime; and • A lack of awareness about the regime and how it works.

How to qualify UK companies liable to Corporation Tax are potentially eligible to make a claim. The company must either hold or exclusively licence-in a

ASM

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Calculating relevant IP profits and the ‘New Regime’ At a basic level, the approach to calculating relevant IP profits is as follows: 1. Allocate taxable profits to either a patent box income stream or a non-patent box income stream; 2. Deduct a ‘routine return’ to account for an element of normal profit; and 3. Deduct a ‘marketing asset return’ for an element of profits relating to brand (this can often be nil for business to business sales driven by technical requirements).

Despite its relative infancy, the Patent Box rules were modified from 1 July 2016, following recommendations from the OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices. The ‘New Regime’ requires R&D expenditure to be tracked and traced on a cumulative basis at a qualifying IP right, product or product family level and a

4th Floor Glendinning House 6 Murray Street, Belfast BT1 6DN www.asmaccountants.com richard.blakeman@asmbelfast.com

Richard Blakeman.

‘modified nexus’ fraction potentially restricts the patent box deduction where there is significant R&D subcontracted to connected companies or significant expenditure on the acquisition of qualifying IP. ‘Grandfathering’ provisions allow companies elected into the ‘Old Regime’ to continue to use the old rules until 30 June 2021.

Election It is important to note that a company must actively elect into the regime. The deadline for doing this is two years from the end of the accounting period for which a claim is to be made.

Submitting a first claim on the Corporation Tax return counts as making an election.

An increased risk that the election deadline will be missed arises in relation to the ‘patent pending’ period, for which a claim can only be made on the Corporation Tax return for the accounting period in which the patent is granted. It is not uncommon for a patent to take 3, 4 or 5 years to be granted, but the election must be made within two years of the end of the accounting period in which the ‘patent pending’ profits arose or the tax benefits will be lost for that period.

Find out more ASM Chartered Accountants recently ran a breakfast seminar at The Merchant Hotel, ‘To Patent or Not To Patent’, covering the tax and legal aspects of patents in conjunction with HM Revenue and Customs, Invest NI, FR Kelly and Pinsent Masons. Due to high demand for places, the event will be repeated soon at a location and on a date TBC. If you would like to register your interest in attending, or for further information, please contact our Tax Senior Manager, Richard Blakeman, on 028 90 249222 or richard. blakeman@asmbelfast.com, or visit our website at www.asmaccountants.com The content of this article is for information purposes only and advice particular to your circumstances should be sought from a professional adviser.

Powering The Future FEATURE

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SONI’S JO ASTON ON TRANSFORMING THE POWER SYSTEM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

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FEATURE

SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) has launched its ambitious new strategy to ‘Transform the Power System for Future Generations’. The plan, which is a direct response to climate breakdown, will see the most radical change to our electricity grid since rural electrification. Ambition Magazine speaks to SONI Managing Director Jo Aston about leading the debate and taking action at a critical time.

Jo, your strategy is not lacking in ambition, you’re committing to transforming the NI power system – why?

Our strategy is reflective of our new purpose, which is to transform the power system for future generations. It is all about the significant role that the NI power system has to play in delivering the UK government’s role of netzero carbon by 2050. Yes, the government’s commitment is a driver for us; but let’s be clear, decarbonising Northern Ireland is also the right thing to do.

The global conversation on energy is a fast moving one. However, one constant is the impact of climate change on the environment.

Since joining SONI in May 2019, I have been determined to establish the transition to a low carbon power system in Northern Ireland as the company’s priority.

I feel that when we look at the world around us and think of future generations, we should all be motivated to play our part in protecting the environment, while also growing our economy and creating jobs.

At SONI we have the skills, the data and the knowledge to play a key role in making a real difference and we are very much up for the challenge.

Can you explain what the new SONI strategy seeks to deliver?

We don’t use the word ‘transform’ lightly; this is a seminal moment for the energy industry in Northern Ireland. We need to design and create a green energy system which is ready for increasing levels of renewable energy sources; a system which is able to meet growing demand as heat and transport policies turn to electricity as a clean source of fuel. All of this is to ensure that we play our part in addressing climate change.

Our strategy will enable the Northern Ireland grid to handle 95% renewable energy at any one time, maximising the value for consumers.

It is a pioneering ambition, which will see a significant increase from the current figure of 65%.

We are very pleased to have met our 2020, 40% renewable energy target and await the next target. The Department for the Economy is progressing its updated Strategic Energy Framework. This will advise us of the next challenge to deliver the UK Government’s requirement of net-zero carbon by 2050.

We estimate that up to £500 million investment may be required to upgrade

the grid, because the amount of renewable energy connected will need to double by 2030.

Currently, 1600 MW of renewable energy is connected to the NI power system.

The Department for the Economy has welcomed your strategy saying it will ensure that SONI “continues to strive for best value for money for the Northern Ireland consumer,

“The focus of our strategy is the consumer; today’s and tomorrow’s.

Our strategy is dedicated to our children and our grandchildren.”

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whilst helping to tackle climate change”. Just how will consumers benefit?

The focus of our strategy is the consumer; today’s and tomorrow’s. Our strategy is dedicated to our children and our grandchildren.

Within our strategy we have clearly stated that our primary goal is to lead the electricity sector on sustainability and decarbonisation. I believe that having more renewables on the grid will ultimately drive down the cost of electricity; however, we have to get from where we are today, to that end goal.

The absence of investing in the grid is costing the consumer money. The absence of the North South Interconnector for example, is costing consumers £20million per annum. This figure is with 40% renewables on the system; as we push for an increase in renewables, this cost will increase unless we remove the constraints on the system. To remove those constraints we must invest in the grid.

Let’s ask ourselves, what is the cost to consumers if we don’t do this? What happens

if we don’t move to renewables? We will remain reliant on imported fossil fuels, which, in the future will most likely be subject to heavy carbon taxes and which will drive up the price of electricity for consumers.

You mention the importance of the North South Interconnector in delivering decarbonisation. Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been calling for the urgent delivery of the project. Where are we in terms of making progress?

The North South Interconnector is absolutely vital; its absence creates a significant constraint on the all-island electricity system. This means that energy from wind is being curtailed more often and the cost of ensuring security of supply is higher. As I have mentioned, the North South Interconnector will reduce costs by around £20 million per annum.

We know delivery of this project is an important issue for NI Chamber members, and it remains a key priority for SONI. We were very

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pleased to achieve planning approval for the project from the Department for Infrastructure in January 2018, however that decision was subsequently quashed due to the fact it was taken by the Permanent Secretary and not a Minister. Since then, new legislation has been introduced to allow the Permanent Secretary to take such decisions.

During this summer, we submitted updated environmental information to the DFI. This covered topics including ecology, the local landscape, the local community, transport and socioeconomic impacts. Our report concludes that there is no change to the environmental information that we had previously submitted for the project. DFI has concluded its public consultation process in relation to this updated information.

The North South Interconnector has a huge part to play in a cleaner, greener Northern Ireland and we are hopeful for a planning decision by the end of the year.

Find out more about SONI’s Strategy 202025 here: www. soni.ltd.uk

FEATURE

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Homing in on its unique history and charm The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn is offering business event hosts a backdrop like no other Garvan Rice, Director of the venue tells Ambition, and word is spreading.

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FEATURE

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ith a history that spans four centuries, the Old Inn is so much more than a setting in which to host dinner, wedding or business guests.

It’s an experience. And today the once stopping point for Royal Mail between Belfast and Donaghadee is proving to be quite the secret destination for the more discerning host who wants to impress the most demanding of clients.

“The hotel was built over 400 years ago in 1614 and has remained as an inn ever since,” Garvan begins.

“It was set on an ancient highway, established around 570AD, that was the main route for scholars and monks around the time of St Comgall. More recently, around the turn of the 19th Century, it was a significant stopping point for the mail packets and later the Royal Mail between Belfast and Donaghadee where ships would travel to Portpatrick in Scotland and be distributed throughout Britain.”

With literary impressions also embedded in its history, with author and scholar CS Lewis widely known to frequent the venue, the Old Inn is quite the destination.

Today its offering has evolved from times long ago and its 71 staff members, many of whom live within a five mile radius of the site, are no stranger to hosting more than literary heroes.

“You can’t go too far in Northern Ireland without someone saying they’ve been at a wedding here,” says Garvan. “It’s a compliment for sure, but that popularity isn’t accidental, we take great pride in delivering outstanding food and customer service.

“Our staff are trained not to be a food server or housekeeper, they are taught to interact genuinely with every guest. The same happens with corporate business. We don’t just provide a room and some name badges, we go a lot further,” he continues.

“We are quite a small, intimate venue and pitch ourselves at the meetings and incentives sectors of the MICE business. We generally appeal to the board level meetings who want a well-appointed meeting room, good food, and top class accommodation,” he adds.

Garvan explains that the venue marries its olde worlde interiors with technology in a way that doesn’t disrupt the ambiance of the Old Inn: “We take great pride in keeping the building looking fabulous, so all of our tech is hidden behind the wood panelling and vaulted ceilings.”

There are six rooms at the Old Inn that can cater for parties from 10 persons up to 300 (theatre style seating) or 130 for gala events.

“We have hidden screens and projectors in two rooms, that magically reveal themselves with connected Apple TV for casting media

with a flick of the wrist,” reveals Garvan.

“Built in PA systems hidden all over the hotel provide projection where it is needed, but that’s also the beauty of being small. We try to stay just under the ‘need a microphone’ size, which is not accidental either; it makes the connection so much more intimate. Our ethos is all about connecting people. We also try to add some personal touches, like walking meetings down into Crawfordsburn Country Park which is beautiful any time of year, particularly the Waterfall and the Charles Lanyon designed viaduct, a hidden gem.”

And the new chef onboard, David Lodge, is creating quite the culinary stir says Garvan: “He is bringing great new food ideas to suit any budget. With some creativity you can have wow on the table, instead of on your bill!

don’t need to. This catches a lot of our guests out as they ask for the gluten free menu, when they are already looking at it! We are very interested in developing our gut friendly, vegan and paleo menus also. With such a creative team of 12 chefs led by David, there really is no limit.”

For those who want to avail of more than just the function suites, 33 bedrooms, nine with four-poster beds can turn your visit into a stay and the 160-seat restaurant will provide extra sustenance out of business hours.

Testament to the success of its offering, on a leisure and business level, is the growing portfolio of nationalities that have visited the venue in recent times. From Spain to China, Canada and Germany, word is getting out that The Old Inn is quite the host.

“You can’t go too far in Northern Ireland without someone saying they’ve been at a wedding here. It’s a compliment for sure, but that popularity isn’t accidental, we take great pride in delivering outstanding food and customer service.”

“Our catering at the hotel is the same standard throughout. We have held two AA Rosettes for 19 years, which focus on seasonality and using locally sourced products.

So whether you eat in the restaurant, bar or in your private function room, the food is identical.

It’s the most commented on thing from our business visitors who say their break time lunch was like eating in a high-end restaurant.

And we are constantly evolving to stay up to date with food trends, and also, a lot of our food is already naturally gluten free as we don’t use thickening agents or add gluten when we

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And its award wins are the icing on the cake for the business. This year it has won a Customer Service Excellence Award and it was named AA Hotel of the Year for 2018. “The trophy cabinet is full,” says Garvan, who has more plans for the venue.

“We have an exciting treetop vista approved through planning which will give amazing views over the Country Park and Belfast Lough, and some glimpses of the waterfall in autumn.”

Couple the latter with the Old Inn’s heritage and Garvan says: “There are very few places that can compete.”

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FEATURE

Cracking the talent shortage Fresh from a multi-million-pound investment in new state-of-art furnaces, robotics and more, glass manufacturer Encirc in Derrylin is sending out a message that it means business and testament to this is its next big investment in its team of the future, Angela Chidley, Head of Talent and Organisational Development talks to Emma Deighan.

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is felt beyond the factory with our work supporting the revolutionary Gas to the West scheme. Encirc has been a key player in this initiative, which is allowing our furnaces to be powered by natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel.”

Encirc’s parent company has spent €100m in rebuilding the furnaces to suit gas and secure container glass-making at Elton and Derrylin until 2030 and beyond. The result is that more defects will be prevented when the furnaces are up and running, significantly improving operational efficiency. Energy efficiency will also be improved meaning the new furnaces will be far more sustainable and will have a less harmful impact on the environment too.

Next up in the area of development at the firm is a campaign to promote the career opportunities at the company through numerous affiliations and drives.

coming in all the time and as that happens, we need a different level of skills,” adds Angela.

“We want to work with schools and colleges and with STEM students to fill current and future roles. We’ve set up a relationship with South West College in Enniskillen, which is a fabulous college with great tech skills in engineering. We also want to work with Ulster University and Queen’s on sponsorship programmes and we are putting a strategy in place for future talent,” she explains.

“We have high ambitions and it’s important for us to look at all skills from the young staff to the MBAs,” she continues.

With an ageing workforce, investment in apprenticeship schemes is also part of the company’s recruitment plans and it has appointed a new member to the team to solely focus on driving that recruitment.

“He will come in and devote all of his time

“We’ve invested millions in new furnaces as well as a number of new projects designed to future-proof our workforce.”

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perating for more than 20 years, Encirc is now one of Northern Ireland’s best-known manufacturers, but before 2015 its future was in question and the company sought a buyer. However, after Spanish firm Vidrala came in and took over the plant, job security at the business couldn’t be any safer. Now the company is embarking on a multi-faceted campaign to inspire and grow both its current and future workforce.

Encirc has three plants; its Fermanagh plant, one in Cheshire and another in Italy. They all operate under the Vidrala umbrella but as separate Encirc business units, Angela says.

“The good thing about having the three plants is that it allows us to share best practice, skills and knowledge,” she begins.

At those plants the company makes everything from glass beer and wine bottles to curry and jam jars for some of the world’s most recognised household names.

And since the takeover in 2015 the company has “grown and grown” Angela says.

“We’ve invested millions in new furnaces as well as a number of new projects designed to future-proof our workforce.

“We are also making sure Encirc’s presence

And with 1,500 staff members across the three plants, 450 of which are based in Fermanagh, that’s no mean feat for the company.

“We have very specific skill sets in glass making that you just can’t get off the street, so we do everything we can to keep our current staff among which are some very long serving members,” says Angela.

Encirc engages with that team to ensure it offers a work culture that keeps retention high.

But beyond sustaining the workforce already in place at the firm lies a bigger job – to attract the staff of the future.

“We are looking at our terms and conditions and what our proposition is and what else is going on out there. We’ve done a piece of research about employers in the area and their packages because we are all competing for the same people. For us our USP is we have a longer -term offer. We have major investment and growth plans and we can offer a career over a long period of time. We’ve even built an on-site gym which our staff can use 24/7.”

Among the skill set needed in Derrylin is everything from technical to engineering professionals. “We have new equipment

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to the schemes and talent opportunities. We will also be working with schools with outreach work to inform the next generation about what’s out there and what opportunities there are available to them,” says Angela.

And as well as looking at what talent is readily available at home Encirc is reaching out to expats living and working in Canada and Australia.

“We want to attract them back with a good offer. Our current site director had gone to work in Coca Cola abroad and came back, which is quite a nice story,” she reveals.

But it’s not just the package that Encirc offers that is hopefully going to attract expats back to NI, it’s the brand and its reputation, Angela believes.

“We’re a great company, with great people, and we’re becoming a great place to work.

We’ve done really well and in the grand scheme, we are world class on every angle but we always strive to be better and be an employer of choice. We’ve got some of the world’s best glass making equipment, we are state-of-the art in that area and because of that we are attracting people from other parts of the glass industry,” she adds.

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SPONSORED FEATURE

LONG SERVICE AWARDS AT THE WILSON GROUP

Chester Nursing Home; Desmond Wilson MD, Christine Sheldon, Gail Booth and Assistant Nurse Manager, George.

We have over 30 years’ experience in the private nursing home sector and each of our homes have a reputation for delivering high quality nursing care. This would not be possible without the support and commitment of our dedicated staff. Providing the best care means employing the best staff. It’s not just about recruiting them, it is also about retaining them. We are very proud to have so many healthcare staff who have stayed with us for so long, some for more than 30 years. We regularly recognise and celebrate staff loyalty as our ethos of ‘caring together’ is at the heart of everything that we do. Our staff show how much they care every single day and having their collective experience makes us the better for it. We celebrate staff service with long service awards covering 5, 10, 15, 25 and 30 years’ service.

For further information on our healthcare services, please see www.wilsongroupni.co.uk or contact our head office on 028 9075 1212

Desmond Wilson MD with Christine Sheldon who received her 30-year service award.

Desmond Wilson MD with Gail Booth who received her 10-year service award.

Desmond Wilson MD with Anna Hunter from Larne Care Centre who received her 5-year service award.

www.wilsongroupni.co.uk

FEATURE

Professor Gillian Armstrong (centre), Director of Business Engagement, along with Business Development Managers Nick Read and Maureen Fox.

Business Education ñ Why Engage?

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Ulster University Business Schoolí s Professor Gillian Armstrong, explains how a collaborative approach to education can help your business secure, develop and retain talent.

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he knowledge economy report (2018) commissioned by Catalyst Inc concluded that in order for Northern Ireland to achieve its growth potential we must ensure that the right skills are available to meet the needs of the new economy; and that we must be able to react to the rapid and disruptive change impacting the way we work.

A stark warning was issued that businesses needed to put in place plans now to reskill their current workforce. Without this pro≠ active approach, further growth prospects will be limited and the ability to attract talent will become severely curtailed.

Recognising this challenge, Ulster University Business School (UUBS) has closely collaborated with business, professional bodies and international partners to help shape future growth and learning through innovative educational models. Striking features of this dynamic approach are the flexibility, agility and creativity in the Business Schoolí s response and the multi≠ disciplinary programme offerings, coupled with the utilisation of an advanced virtual learning environment that supports highly personalised learning experiences.

So how are we delivering these skills solutions?

A snapshot of the last academic year shows – 1. Higher Level Apprenticeships (Degree and Master’s Level) Higher Level Apprenticeships combine workplace training and development with an academic degree qualification. UUBS developed the first degree apprenticeship in NI in 2015 with Deloitte, Belfast, now expanded to GB. In 2018, a new degree apprenticeship in Financial Technology (Degree) and Global Capital Markets (Masters) were developed to support the growing Financial Services Sector. Over 250 apprenticeships enrolled last year in subjects such as Business Technology, Accounting and Customer Contact Management.

2. Customised Programmes and Short Courses A specialism of UUBS, customised programmes and short courses are extremely useful to support in-house employee training and development. Management Development is particularly popular and can be adapted to suit different contexts and skill requirements.

Enhanced learning technology allows for agile learning both on client sites and the University Campuses.

Demand for customisation is increasing year on year with six such programmes delivered in 2019.

7. Access to Business Education Events & Thought Leadership UUBS continues to organise and provide a range of business-related events to support the business community across the campuses.

These events are free to access and provide a unique opportunity to connect and network with academic staff, students and the wider business community. In the last year, we held over 20 events with speakers on a variety of subject areas such as leadership and managing millennials.

8. Access to International Students UUBS welcomes an increasing number of international students each year. Organisations have an opportunity to engage with our international students through projects, internships and placements to develop aspects of their business. For example, students have worked on projects to help organisations expand sales or supply chain internationally.

9. Innovation, Research and Fusion Projects KTP, Innovation Vouchers and Fusion are government funded schemes which help businesses to access skills and resources

3. Graduate Skills Academies The demand for specific graduate skills through upskilling continues with over 125 graduates trained last year. We work closely with the FE sector, particularly to support the Financial Services Academies.

We also facilitate use of the Financial Innovation Laboratory and Bloomberg Certification for Academy Graduates and for in-house onboarding programmes.

4. Professional Placements and Internships Last year, UUBS placed over 400 students in NI and internationally in a combination of one year undergraduate placements and graduate/MSc short-term internships. These opportunities provide invaluable practical professional experience and can also be a useful resource to tackle a work-based problem or business improvement project.

5. Connection To Graduates With almost 1000 students graduating each year, UUBS provides an exceptional talent base and flexible resource for the business community. We can act almost like a skills ‘hub’ connecting students to businesses.

We also utilise a large network of Visiting Professors from business, UUBS Alumni and key business partners/advisory forums in curriculum development, guest lectures and master classes.

6. Business Mentoring The aim of this programme is to enrich the learning and experience of UUBS postgraduate students and provide a greater linkage between the UUBS and local business leaders. The mentoring relationship aims to benefit both parties.

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by linking companies with universities to use high quality graduates and academic expertise.

Amongst other benefits this partnership can help improve processes, find new markets, develop new products and improve product design.

10. PhD Research Projects PhD research projects are often based on industry problems and almost always yield results and implications for business.

Increasingly, we are seeing more sponsored PhD studentships, which can provide an opportunity for the supporting organisation to work closely with UUBS to define and develop a research theme which will impact their business.

Through strong business collaboration and the engagement of work and study simultaneously, the Business School is ensuring innovative and contextualised learning within the region that will ensure that students at all stages of their career not only survive but can thrive amid the challenges to come.

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Director, Naomi Carey & the team at Hutchinson Homes receiving the Legal Island Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark Award.

NI’S LEADING ORGANISATIONS ARE GOING THE FULL NINE GROUNDS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

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his year Investors in People Platinum winning Legal Island launched a breakthrough Charter Mark of its own. The Legal Island Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark focuses on all nine grounds of discrimination currently prohibited in employment law.

To qualify for the Charter Mark, employers must provide the expert assessment panel with evidence of: - An up-to-date diversity and inclusion statement/policy - The application of the statement/policy with the organisation - Recent all staff training on diversity and inclusion issues The three-step procedure was devised by equality lawyers here mindful that these components are considered a minimum requirement by Industrial Tribunals when considering liability for equality and harassment complaints.

Speaking at the launch of the Charter Mark, Legal Island chairman Barry Phillips, said: “This Charter Mark allows employers in Northern Ireland to publicly declare their commitment to diversity and inclusion across each and every one of the nine grounds. It also encourages employers to make sure that key elements of their equality work is robust and up-to-date.

“We’re delighted that both large and small employers have applied for this Charter Mark. It has been devised with every type of employer in mind across all sectors.

One of the early beneficiaries of the Award is Hutchinson Homes. The business has several care homes across NI with a rich and diverse group of staff coming from countries such as India, the Philippines, Portugal and Romania.

Managing Director, Naomi Carey spoke about the company’s work to achieve the award and the positive impact it has had, “the application process was a very positive experience for us. Legal Island’s panel of

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experts analysed all areas of our business concerning the nine grounds and made really helpful recommendations. Not only did we receive the Award but we were also given very helpful advice and suggestions in terms of how to do diversity even better.

The proof of our efforts is shown in how long staff stay - we have staff from various cultural backgrounds who stay with us for many years.”

With Northern Ireland’s population becoming increasingly diverse, this charter mark remains the best way for employers here to publicly commit to greater equality and diversity in the workplace across each and every one of the nine grounds currently protected by employment law.

Legal Island is offering a discount to readers on the Diversity and Inclusion Charter Mark. Please visit www.legal-island.com/ambition

From a fleet of one to a fleet of many, we’re here for you.

Whatever your company requirements, be it one car or many vehicles, at Fleet Financial we pride ourselves on having the right solution for your business.

Call us on 028 9084 9777 or visit fleetfinancial.co.uk

COLUMNIST

THINKING OF RE-MORTGAGING?

BY WILLIAM THOMPSON – HEAD OF CONSUMER BANKING NORTHERN IRELAND. Statistics for the first quarter of 2019 show the remortgage market is up 25% on the same time in 2018 and we have refreshed our proposition to help people through the process so that no matter what your mortgage needs, Bank of Ireland UK has a proposition to give the home owner the control.

As with purchasing your home, re-mortgaging is a significant decision, one which can be daunting and costly. We know and understand how many who have been through the mortgage process have found it complicated.

There are a number of reasons why someone might choose to re-mortgage their home, and it never hurts to shop around every couple of years to see if you could be getting a better deal.

Perhaps you’re fed up with the terms offered by your current lender, or you want to take advantage of some of the equity you’ve built up to carry out some home improvements?

Whatever the reason, it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you get started, and be aware that while you can potentially save yourself a lot of money by switching, you’ll need to do your research first.

This brief guide to re-mortgaging may help you decide if it could be right for you.

1. The numbers: Ask yourself why you’re thinking about re-mortgaging? If you’ve reached the end of a fixed-term on your original mortgage and you want to shop around for a new, better deal, make sure you do the sums first.

Take a look at the rates and any additional charges on the new mortgage and offset that against any early repayment charges or fees your current lender might charge.

2. The research / homework: As with any large financial commitment, you’ll want to talk to someone who knows the market and can help guide you towards the best option for your personal situation.

3. The negotiations: Talk to your current lender before you make any moves – there’s a chance they’ll want to keep your business and may offer you a better rate to stop you from moving.

4. The paperwork: If you are switching, you’ll need to complete an application with your new lender. Be prepared to supply your last three payslips, P60 and mortgage statement, as well as proof of ID. 5. The application: This is about getting all the completed forms and necessary documentation to your new lender. This can be done by post, in person or you can easily submit your application by phone or online.

Once received, the lender will run a credit check and carry out a valuation on the property – this is usually an inspection of the exterior of the property – before making an official offer.

6. The legal bit: Next you’ll need a solicitor to handle the legal aspects of the re-mortgage. You can bring in your own, which you will probably have to pay for

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yourself (make sure to factor this into your initial cost calculations!) or some lenders will have their own panel of solicitors you can use without having to pay a fee.

7. The transfer: Once everything is done and dusted, your new lender will pay the balance of your mortgage to the old lender and your property is successfully re-mortgaged!

Our team of experts at Bank of Ireland UK will be able to talk you through our refreshed offerings and help you decide whether a re-mortgage is right for you. Call into one of our local branches, or visit us online at www. bankofirelanduk.com/mortgages to find the contact details of your nearest mortgage advisor.

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Chair of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Pinsent Masons

Senior Architect at ARCEN

Corporate Banking Relationship Director at Barclays Northern Ireland

DAWN HESKETH

JONATHAN IRWIN

KATRINA QUINN

PAUL HARVEY

Client Director at MCE Public Relations

Professional Services Executive Manager at ESRI Ireland

Data Security Specialist at AMI

Sales Manager at Jaguar Land Rover Dungannon

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STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD With competition for jobs getting greater and companies receiving more and more CVs and applications, how can you make sure you stand out from the crowd in your job hunt?

1. Tailor your CV It can be very easy to fire out the same CV to a wide number of job openings but this will prove to be less successful than providing a CV/ application that is tailored to the vacancy. To do this, read the job advert in detail, looking for specific skills and requirements that are needed for the job. With this knowledge you can adjust your CV accordingly, making sure these desired skills are prominent, laying out your skill set at the top of the page.

2. Preparation Matters Doing research about the company before applying or before going to an interview shows the employer that you are committed and genuinely interested. Check the company’s website and understand their background, service offering and importantly, the company’s ethos.

3. Be Specific Facts and figures look great on your CV to back up statements. If you say you are good at working with clients, you could say how many clients you typically work with on a weekly basis, what your average turnover and margin is per client etc. In an interview this is particularly important as most questions will be ambiguous to encourage you to provide specific and personal examples.

Andrew Jenkins, Director of mobility data and analytics company Arity (founded by The Allstate Corporation), has been appointed as the Government’s new Fintech Envoy for Northern Ireland.

Mr Jenkins will become the lead ambassador for Northern Ireland’s thriving Fintech sector, promoting it as a place for firms to develop and grow their business.

4. Make your First Impression Count Hold yourself in a professional manner throughout the application process. This begins right from dealing with the HR respresentative or recruiter, right through to being welcomed by employers on the day of your interview. Top tips for making a good impression include; making eye contact, giving a firm handshake and stating your first and last name clearly. Interviews can fill you with nerves but if you get these fundamentals right then you will be off to a good start.

At PRL Recruitment, we deal with many of the top companies across the island of Ireland across every sector, which provides us with a unique knowledge of what companies are looking for in a candidate.

If you would like to find our more, please email Glenn McCormick; glenn.mccormick@prl.uk.com

ANDREW JENKINS NAMED AS THE UK GOVERNMENT’S NEW FINTECH ENVOY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND www.prlrecruitment.com

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Ductile-The Wall Slab Evolution Every September, the ceramic tile world descends on Bologna in Italy for the annual Cersaie Tile Fair and once in a while there is a product that turns the show on its head and has everybody talking about it. It has happened in the past with the Legni Hi Tech wood look porcelain from Ariostea, the 1200x1200 large format porcelain from Gigacer and large slabs from Florim group.

We have all experienced the problems associated with the large slabs but have always offset this with the stunning finished product. This year at Cersaie, Livingceramics launched their Ductile slab product. This is the same aesthetic look

as a porcelain slab but is manufactured from glazed material to a special formula.

It is easier to transport because it is less brittle, easier to cut and can be fitted using a simple single part adhesive.

The Ductile® collection by Livingceramics stands out for its versatility and simple tile-laying process. A new ceramic material with special characteristics, Ductile® can be used to dress up indoor walls in much swifter, more effortless style. Thanks to the tiles’ new chemical formula, they can easily be precision cut or drilled. Standard drill bits and cutting discs and less complex tile adhesives can be used with Ductile®, cutting tile-laying costs and saving on time.

These new 6mm-thick tiles combine all the beauty of Livingceramics’ collections with new properties guaranteed to simplify the tile-laying process in both new-build and refurbishment projects.

Lighter: Thanks to their slimline 6mm thickness and new formula.

Swifter: Their new formula offsets surface stress, making any cutting work much swifter and cleaner.

Eco-friendlier: Due to the big reduction in emissions from the manufacturing and transport processes.

The products are available to specify now with samples arriving before Christmas.

David Scott Tiles 11-19 Blythe St, Belfast BT12 5HU

Easier: The tiles ductile properties make them easy to lay, avoiding the need for expensive tile adhesives.

T: 028 9023 2136 E: info@davidscotttiles.com W: www.davidscotttiles.com

DIcharterAdvertLegalIsland.qxp_Layout DIcharterAdvertLegalIsland.qxp_Layout 1 01/11/2019 110:31 01/11/2019 Page 210:31 Page 2

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Business Business Class Class Motoring Motoring JamesStinson Stinson ByByJames

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 18 Boucher Way, 6RE W: agnewleasing.com Belfast, BT12 6RE

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LIFESTYLE

James Stinson

Take a Seat!

Seat looks to cash in on our love of SUVs, writes James Stinson There was a time when Seat was making pert little motors like the Ibiza, Leon and others while the sporty Cupra versions were among the hottest of hot hatches… Seat still make cheap and cheerful little run-arounds and their pocket rocket offshoots but the money is elsewhere these days.

SUVs are where it’s at, both in terms of volume and margin, with sales of these already popular high riding, off road lookie-likies expected to increase by another 25% by 2025.

In the Arona and Ateca, Seat already has the lower and mid-sized ends of the market covered, with the new Tarraco a further step up in size and price.

It goes head-to-head with the likes of Peugeot’s 5008, as well as other Volkswagen group models – the VW Tiguan Allspace and Skoda Kodiaq. As such, you’ll find a lot of similarities with the latter two especially. Sharing VW Group platforms and parts is no bad thing.

Indeed, the Tarraco is even built in the same German factory in Wolfsburg as the Tiguan.

So, why would you buy this Seat over one of those. Well, there’s still a significant price premium associated with any VW – model for model, the Seat is cheaper. Seat has also sought to make the Tarraco more sporting than its rivals, offering a stiffer set-up for a more car-like driving experience.

Further, Seats generally appeal to a younger buyer than those who go for a VW. Hence, the styling is a little more aggressive. While built in Germany, the Tarraco has been styled in Barcelona. Put together, it’s easy to see where the Tarraco fits in and why it’ll do the business for Seat.

From behind the driver’s seat, looking out over the front of the car, its size is subtle and the design team has worked hard to make the Tarraco appear smaller and less intimidating, with intelligent use of shapes and lines in the bonnet.

Inside, there’s plenty of headroom while the middle row of seats slide forward and back which provides acres of space for rear seat passengers too. It’s a seven-seater as well, though the third row of seats, which fold flat into the floor when not in use, are really for kids only. And behind that, there’s a large, easy to access boot.

There’s a familiar stable of VW Group engines to choose from. The entry-level 148bhp 1.5 litre petrol could be a little underpowered for serious drivers, which will probably push buyers towards the 2.0 litre diesel. It’ll likely provide the best balance between economy and performance. A higher-powered diesel – the 190 – and a 2.0 litre petrol are also offered.

A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, along with front-wheel drive while a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic ’box and four-wheel drive are also available.

One of the things we like most about the new Tarraco is that despite its obvious size and practicality, it doesn’t feel that bulky. It’s easy to thread through the traffic while the precise and nicely weighted steering always feels responsive and reassuring. In addition, there’s decent all-round visibility while all Tarracos have rear parking sensors to help with manoeuvring.

Entry-level SE models are reasonably equipped, with 17in alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, automatic wipers and powerfolding door mirrors. However, it’s worth paying extra for the SE Technology trim which adds sat-nav and other goodies such as 18in wheels and tinted rear windows.

Prices start from £27,965 with the cheapest diesels costing from just under 30k. Fourwheel drive versions will add another couple of thousand. Keep an eye out for sporty FR as well as plug-in hybrid versions which are due next year.

Agnew Fleet Manager TECHNOLOGY KEEPS US AHEAD

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18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewleasing.com T: 028 9038 6600

LIFESTYLE

QASHQAI GETS BETTER AND BETTER

W

hen the history of cars is written, there’ll be a special place in it for the Nissan Qashqai. It virtually created the family-sized crossover segment – a bigger, taller and more butch rival to the traditional five-door family saloon.

They’re now common, much more common than the cars they looked to challenge when the Qashqai was first launched back in 2007.

The first generation Qashqai was so successful it was nicknamed the Nissan “cash cow” by quick-witted journalists. Of course, the market is much more crowded these days with everyone looking to jump on the bandwagon but there’s still much to admire in the latest Qashqai – nice styling, good engineering and reliability, clever and sensible technology as well as lots of practicality.

Indeed, it seems the competition from the likes of the Seat Ateca and others is driving Nissan on to greater heights. It’s now more refined than ever with higher standards of luxury and finish.

There’s been big strides beneath the bonnet too with new petrol and diesel engines being introduced over the last year.

These are in the form of new pint-sized 1.3 petrol and 1.5 diesel engines. With around 115bhp on tap, the new diesel is a little more powerful than its predecessor.

Torque remains the same at 260 Nm, though the engine now features an all-new

over boost function. This delivers an extra 5 bhp and 25 Nm of torque for up to 15 seconds of driving.

But the petrol motor is even better. As well as offering reduced fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions, the new engine – which is available in 140 bhp and 160 bhp outputs – provides a smoother response at low RPM, more vigorous acceleration and quicker, safer overtaking manoeuvres.

All-wheel drive versions are available but at a significantly higher price, with most buyers opting for the front-wheel drive versions.

Despite the higher stance, the Qashqai isn’t far off a Focus or a Golf when it comes to handling and is a lot more practical. The

boot is some 430 litres, compared to 375 for the Focus. With the rear seats folded, this rises to a mammoth 1585 litres.

There are five trim levels to choose from, with the entry-level Visia trim providing a decent level of equipment, including all-around electric windows, cruise control, heated door mirrors, LED day-running lights and rear lights, chassis control and 16in steel wheels. Inside there is a 5.0in infotainment system complete with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and four speakers, as well as manual air conditioning.

Prices for the new petrol engine start from a competitive £20,195 for a Visia 1.3 DIG-T 140 while the range-topping Tekna 1.3 DIG-T 160 is available from £28,245.

RETURN OF A CLASSIC

B

eloved of farmers and off-road types, there was a lot of sadness when Land Rover stopped making the Defender back in 2016 even though it promised to return with a new and better version sometime in the future.

Well here it is – the completely new Defender. It’s a lot less agricultural looking than its predecessor but still manages to appear purposeful up against luxury soft-roaders like the Q7 and X5.

And Land Rover is most keen to stress that this is a proper offroader. It will climb mountains, ford rivers, plough through ditches and pull trailers or horseboxes with ease and then some.

Initially released in long-wheelbase “110” trim, with five doors and the choice of five, six or seven seats. A short wheelbase, three-door “90” variant will follow.

Prices for the new Defender range will start at £45,240 for a 110 with the D200 diesel – rising to a hefty £78,800 for a P400 X 110. Land Rover has yet to confirm full pricing for the smaller 90, although this is likely to be around £40,000.

Agnew Fleet Manager TECHNOLOGY KEEPS US AHEAD

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18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewleasing.com T: 028 9038 6600

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28 Jan Manager as a Coach

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29 Apr Manager as a Coach

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MAY 20

14 Nov Customer Service

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05 May Meetings Masterclass

03 Feb PRINCE2 Accredited

14 Nov Sage Cloud Accounting

06 May MS Excel Advanced

04 Feb Finance for Non-Financial Mgrs

18 Nov Credit Management

07 May Finance for Non-Financial Mgrs

05 Feb Minute Taking

18 Nov Meetings Masterclass

13 May Time Management

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19 Nov Effective Communication

14 May Proofreading

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28 May Adobe Acrobat

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25 Nov Introduction to Project Mgt

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20 Feb Adobe InDesign

27 Nov MS Excel Intermediate

24 Feb Facilitation Skills

28 Nov Presentation Skills

25 Feb Managing Change

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27 Feb Interview Skills for the Interviewer

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10 Jun GDPR Marketing

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JANUARY 20

11 Mar Professional Selling Skills

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18 Mar Xero Cloud Accounting

24 Jun Storytelling

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THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES...

Leading local cancer charity, Action Cancer says thank you to the local businesses and companies who took part in October’s #storechallenge event.

BT, Huhtamaki, SERC, Golf Nation Outlet, Leaf computers & clouds, Essentra, Choice Housing, Kestrel Foods (Forest Feast), PKFFPM, Clarity Telecom, Andersonstown News, Hair Lounge, Winder Wimen Theatre Company, Team Action Cancer and the students from SERC took part in events over the past two months and store takeover day on Friday 25th October.

The teams involved gave their time to volunteer during the challenge and raise vital funds and stock donations for Action Cancer’s network of shops.

The challenge was a test of the entrepreneurial skills that staff possess as they competed against stiff competition from the wide variety of companies and organisations who got involved. Over the past six year’s companies taking part in the challenge have helped raise over £400,000 for children and family counselling sessions, breast screenings and health promotion services delivered at schools and workplaces. Teams will celebrate their achievements at a black tie awards evening to be held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel Shaw’s Bridge on 25th November, where the fundraising total and award winners will be announced.

For more information visit www.actioncancer.org

HOW WILL YOU SAVE FOR A COMFORTABLE RETIREMENT? The number of people saving enough for a comfortable retirement has hit its highest ever level, with almost three in five (59%) now saving at least 12% of their income, for the future. This is a significant improvement from the 55% recorded 12 months ago, suggesting this year’s auto-enrolment step-up had an immediate positive impact on saving habits.

However, recent research shows that the proportion of people not saving at all for later life remains static at 17%. Meanwhile, more than a fifth of UK adults (22%) – equating to almost eight million people – expect they’ll never be able to afford to retire.

If you are decades away from retirement, you may not think it necessary to start saving yet, as your money can be better spent elsewhere. But how much should you try to save to have a comfortable retirement? Just how much is enough?

There is a lot to think about when planning for retirement and your circumstances will change over time, which is why it is important to obtain professional financial advice.

Find the right pension strategy for you - contact #TeamNewbridge www.newbridgefinancialplanning.co.uk

WILSON GROUP SPONSORED CHARITIES Over the past 3 years the Wilson Group has raised over £30,000 for various charities. They would never have achieved such an inspirational sum if their staff were not prepared to go beyond their everyday duties to support in every way they can. They are so very proud of them because a successful business is founded on good people and they would like to thank every one of them for their great work, loyalty and dedication. This year Wilson Group has sponsored two very worthwhile charities, the Air Ambulance NI which they have sponsored for the second year running, and also the Northern Ireland Hospice.

For further information on their healthcare services, please see: www.wilsongroupni.co.uk/healthcare/ or contact their head office on 028 9075 1212

Abingdon staff taking part in the stairway to heaven walk in aid of NI Hospice.

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4C EXECUTIVE LEADING THE SEARCH FOR TODD ARCHITECTS’ Leading executive search firm 4c Executive has been appointed by TODD Architects, Northern Ireland’s largest architectural consultancy, to appoint the new Principal at its Dublin studio.

With offices in London, Dublin and Belfast, TODD Architects has built a skilled international team offering multisector expertise and specialisms in sectors including healthcare, aviation, education, commercial, arts, leisure and residential for both public and private clients.

Paul Crowe, Managing Director at TODD Architects, said: “This job announcement is based on the continuous growth of the business throughout London, Dublin and Belfast over the past five years.

“Having grown significantly throughout the last 12-months, we see London and Dublin as great Pictured [L-R] is Gordon Carson, Managing growth prospects for the future, and we believe that the appointment of a new Principal in Dublin Director at 4c Executive and TODD will help us establish a stronger presence in the Republic of Ireland market.”

Architects’ Managing Director Paul Crowe.

4c Executive’s Managing Director Gordon Carson added: “The successful role holder will assist the Board at TODD Architects in spearheading the continued growth of the firm in Dublin and beyond.

“This is an exciting opportunity for a strong candidate to help future proof the ongoing success and carve out a long-term future at one of most wellestablished architectural practices in the UK and Ireland.”

For more information contact 4c directly on 028 9043 4343 or visit www.4cexecutive.com

WHY THIS TIME OF YEAR IS THE BEST TIME TO JOB HUNT Lots of people say that you should wait to get your end of year bonus, polish your CV over the Christmas holidays and launch your job search in January. Conor O’Hagan, Manager of Brightwater’s Northern Ireland office disagrees!

“The last two months of the year are the perfect time to job hunt” he says, “organisations are already making plans for the following year and ideally want people on the ground at the start of the year. They’re also conscious of hiring budgets being affected if they don’t use them. If you start looking in November, then you will have more opportunity and less competition.”

Brightwater NI has a broad variety of roles at all levels across the following disciplines: • Accountancy & Finance • Taxation • Engineering (Manufacturing & Construction) • Supply Chain & Logistics • Business Support • Legal • Human Resources Brightwater’s team of dedicated recruitment consultants offer advice on job opportunities, market trends, CV preparation and salary levels.

For more information, contact Conor O’Hagan on c.ohagan@brightwaterNI.com or on 028 90 325325.or visit www.brightwaterNI.com

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS AWARDS NI 2020

Business in the Community Northern Ireland is calling on responsible businesses of all sizes and from all sectors to enter the 2020 Responsible Business Awards in Northern Ireland. The Awards seek to recognise and celebrate firms in Northern Ireland that are making a difference by taking practical action to address pressing social and environmental issues. This is the fifteenth year of the awards, run by Business in the Community, and taking place in partnership with JP Corry and SPAR, and in association with Ulster Business and U105.

Kevin Kingston, CEO, Danske Bank (centre) is presented with the Award for 2019 NI Responsible Company of the Year by Noel Mullan (right), Commercial Director for 2018 winner Heron Bros, and Kieran Harding, Managing Director, Business in the Community

There are eleven categories up for grabs in 2020: • NI Responsible Company of the Year, sponsored by Danske Bank • Age at Work Champion, in partnership with Age NI • Diversity and Inclusion Award, sponsored by Belfast Harbour • Education Partner Award, sponsored by Allen & Overy • Employability and Jobs Award, sponsored by George Best Belfast City Airport • Environmental Leadership Award, sponsored by Heron Bros • Investing in Your Community Award, sponsored by Arthur Cox • Responsible Digital Innovation Award, in partnership with Digital DNA • One-to-Watch Award, sponsored by Ciena • Responsible Product / Service Award, sponsored by Translink • Wellbeing at Work Award, sponsored by Larne Port Applications can be made for free online at www.bitcni.org.uk/awards until Friday 28 February 2020, and the winners will be revealed at a glittering gala dinner at the ICC Belfast on Thursday 28 May 2020.

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ALL CHANGE FOR ENERGIA GROUP IN LOCAL ENERGY SECTOR

BY MARK LIGGETT, COMMERCIAL MANAGER, POWER NI. Power NI is now the largest electricity supplier to business customers in Northern Ireland, following a corporate restructuring of Energia Group, previously known as Viridian Group.

This is another step in our evolution as a modern European utility.

We’ve consolidated the knowledge and experience of Power NI and Energia, our two brands in the local non-domestic energy sector, to help us grow market share and offer customers a wider range of products and services.

Energia was formed around 20 years ago to operate in the newly deregulated electricity market, when competition first entered the local electricity sector. Power NI continued to focus on the SMEs and smaller users in the regulated market. The Viridian Group’s two supply businesses evolved to become leaders in their respective environments, developing products, services and expertise to meet their respective customers’ energy needs. Over the years, regulation was extended to include more customers and in April 2017 the market became fully deregulated.

Following full deregulation of the market in 2017 Power NI and Energia were competing for the same customers in the same market place.

We therefore made the strategic decision to consolidate the two supply businesses to provide a unified offering to NI’s business customers.

As part of the restructuring, Energia’s 7,500 business customers in Northern Ireland transferred to Power NI on 1 October 2019.

We notified all affected customers in advance and were delighted with how smoothly the transfer went. There was no change to any customers’ contracts and apart from a new logo on the bills, few will have noticed any difference.

This change means that Power NI now has the largest market share, both in terms of customer numbers and sales. Importantly it brings together Power NI’s specialism in serving smaller farms and businesses with Energia’s 20 years of experience in the larger industrial and corporate sector.

Over the last 80 years, Power NI has become embedded in the local business marketplace. Now with the recent consolidation, Power NI can build on Energia’s strengths and offer larger users tailor-made packages that are even more competitive than before.

With an ever-increasing focus on renewable technology, innovation is critically important to us. As a Group, we have invested over EUR1 billion in the energy market across Ireland. Energy markets are changing

Mark Liggett, commercial manager at Power NI.

and Power NI is actively building solutions in lighting, electric vehicles and digitisation to ensure our customers are able to optimise their energy use, as well as leading the fight against climate change. These advancements have reinforced our position as a key player within the energy industry and as one of Ireland’s Top 50 businesses.

TRAVELLING IN STYLE

Dublin Airport opened a new premier lounge for passengers travelling to eastern destinations on the 16th of September 2019.

The East Lounge, located beyond the passenger security screening area between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, caters for Business and First-Class passengers travelling with Emirates and Etihad Airways.

“We are very excited to open this dedicated lounge for Business and First-Class passengers travelling eastwards,” said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. “East Lounge is an oasis of calm offering customers the space to relax, to dine, or to work before boarding their flight. The concept and design of the lounge has a uniquely Irish feel which is warm and welcoming with fantastic views of the airfield and the Dublin mountains.”

Irish landscape and craftsmanship are featured in The East Lounge interior design, which is divided into work, relaxation, bar and dining areas and can accommodate up to 86 guests. As well as the very best of contemporary Irish food, drink and hospitality, The East Lounge offers a concierge service, luxury shower rooms, a quiet prayer room, an entertainment area, charging outlets for multiple devices and high-speed unlimited WiFi. For more information visit www.dublinairport.com

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THE MERCHANT WINTER SALE

WOMEN IN BUSINESS CELEBRATE 3,000 MEMBERS

Why not choose a five star venue for all of your meetings and events with The Merchant Hotel Winter Sale offering? Their exclusive offers run from 2nd January to 31st March 2020.

DAY DELEGATE RATE On offer is an excellent selection of elegant and superbly equipped rooms to provide the perfect space for your meeting or event. This winter The Merchant are offering a Day Delegate Rate of £35.00 per person.

PRIVATE DINING There is an exclusive rate for private dining events of £42.50 per person for a 4 course meal with option to add a glass of Prosecco for £5.00 per guest.

ROOFTOP ALPINE LODGE Let the cosiness of fur throws, the soft glow from candle lights and warming mulled wines transport you this winter with their stunning Alpine Lodge themed Rooftop Garden! They can offer private events from £27.00 per person to include a drinks reception, delectable finger food and private hire.

For further information on all The Merchant Corporate offerings please visit www.themerchanthotel.com or call the Events Team on 028 9026 2717. Terms and conditions apply.

Women in Business, Northern Ireland’s largest and fastest growing female network, marks a milestone this month as it celebrates its 3,000th member.

Founded in 2002, Women in Business has evolved over the past 17 years from an organisation of 80 members to a leading business network, delivering for and giving a voice to businesswomen across Northern Ireland. Women in Business offers all businesswomen in Northern Ireland the opportunity to avail of a wide range of training programmes, events and networking opportunities. To cater for their very diverse membership, they now offer several membership types such as Individual, Corporate and their new Young Businesswomen and Ambassador (senior businesswomen) memberships.

Earlier this year, Women in Business launched a three-year female enterprise business start-up and growth programme, ‘Yes You Can’, in collaboration with the 11 local Councils and Invest NI. More recently, Women in Business also opened a new Centre of Learning and have developed several empowering programmes designed specifically to provide women with the opportunity to advance their skills through leadership, communication and negotiation skills leading to personal and professional development.

For more information visit www.womeninbusinessni.com

AGNEW LEASING, NORTHERN IRELAND’S LEADING FLEET MANAGEMENT COMPANY Agnew Leasing would like to ask businesses these key questions; Are you happy with your current fleet provider?

Also, are you getting the level of service you deserve?

How would you like a fully managed solution from a fleet partner offering an open and transparent relationship, including these key areas; • Ensuring you benefit from the best possible manufacturer discounts & end user terms.

• Providing you with free whole life cost analysis giving you accurate funding models to help make the right decisions about your fleet.

• Appointing you an experienced and dedicated Key Account Manager.

• Giving you access to free market leading interactive fleet software called Agnew Fleet Manager and help you make the most of its functions.

• Providing you with free accident management 24/7.

• Making Agnew Leasing’s Affinity Car Scheme available to all your staff, which means they can access great value deals for their personal cars.

Why not contact Agnew Leasing, part of the Sytner Group, the largest motor retailer in the UK for all your answers?

They’d be delighted to tender for your business, please contact Dave McEwen, Head of Business Development on 028 9038 6600 or email david.mcewen@agnews.co.uk

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COLUMNIST

Sync NI’s Brendan Drain

Techie Talk Time Northern Ireland’s tech start-up scene is inventing real solutions to modern problems. Here Sync NI’s Brendan Drain discusses three recent NI inventions to keep your eye on.

#1: Signal Optimiser by TORANN – Improving signal quality in music

Music is a global industry covering a wide range of target audiences, from professional recording artists to amateurs learning an instrument for the first time.

Everyone who plays an electronic instrument such as an electric guitar wants it to sound consistently good, but the signal quality between the instrument and the amplifier can vary heavily depending on factors such as volume.

Newtownards-based Electronics and Engineering student Lewis Loane is solving this challenge with a new piece of kit that sits between the instrument and amplifier. Named Signal Optimiser, the device pre-processes the signal from the instrument to maintain signal quality at different volume levels and conditions. The invention recently won the 2019 Catalyst Invent Awards, where it was recognised for its broad global commercial potential.

Lewis also believes his tech could be used for other applications in which signal quality are important, such as improving the efficiency of wireless charging stations for mobile phones. He’s currently developing a suite of prototypes for the consumer market, and like any tech there may be potential to license it out for integration in other products in the music and mobile markets.

#2: CropSafe – Using satellite imagery to fight crop disease The AgriTech sector is always looking for new ways to increase crop yields, improve safety on farms, reduce agricultural waste, and automate expensive or time-consuming tasks. Agricultural management platform CropSafe hits on most of those objectives by making satellite imagery accessible to farmers. It will replace expensive manual crop surveying with cheaper satellite scans, the cost of which are steadily dropping over time.

Among the problems the platform seeks to solve is the spread of crop disease and ground contamination, which is estimated to cost farmers up to £5 billion each year globally. Entire fields full of produce often have to be scrapped by the time someone notices a problem, but CropSafe aims to spot these problems earlier and alert farmers through a simple app.

The platform is now employing machine learning techniques to automate interpretation of satellite images and provide data on crop status across large areas of land without manual inspection. It’s being trained to spot the telltale signs of common problems such as blight, drought, and nitrogen waste, and then alert the farmer to check out the problem fields early when intervention is still effective.

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#3: AirBrio – Using Machine Learning to revolutionise Asthma treatment

Over 5 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma, and over a thousand of those affected die from asthma attacks in the UK annually. Derry-based start-up AirBrio has developed a new sensor technology and software platform that has the potential to revolutionise the monitoring and treatment of asthma and other respiratory disorders. A device attached to the patient’s inhaler informs the user whether they are inhaling correctly with each use, and sensors on the device record data on when and how the inhaler is used.

Research indicates that most people aren’t using inhalers correctly, so providing immediate feedback could help improve the quality of treatment and keep levels of medication waste down. The real opportunity for the technology, though, is in collecting inhaler use data over the long term to track severity of symptoms and compliance with prescriptions. The company is even combining data from the sensors that track inhaler use with data on air quality and temperature, which is then being used to train a machine learning model.

This model could eventually help predict where and when asthma attacks will be likely to strike patients, giving it the potential to save lives. An accurate model could give users alerts when environmental conditions are likely to trigger an attack so that they can be sure to have medication on-hand, and the data could potentially be combined with geographic data to highlight asthma hotspots and help design safer public spaces.

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LIFESTYLE

Joanne Harkness

CHECK IT OUT BURTON

SD KELLS

In this edition we ‘check out’ one of the top trends for autumn/winter.

Check shirt, Marks & Spencer.

Check scarf, Accessorize.

Dorothy Perkins.

Hammond & Co flatcap, £25, Debenhams.

Houndstooth check heels, £85, Dune.

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LIFESTYLE

Chris Rees, Head Chef at the River Room Restaurant at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, serves Co. Antrim partridge with parsley root, apple and peppercorn sauce.

Dine & Wine Partridge, parsley root, apple and peppercorn sauce Serves 4 (as a starter or double this for main course).

With autumn now upon us, it’s time once again to introduce some of the fine local game to the menu.

In this instance, it’s locally supplied partridge from Bann Valley game. The small artisan company is only 10 miles from the restaurant and we use them for game birds as well as venison and quail when game is out of season.

This dish comprises of a roast breast of partridge with honey, crispy parsley root and purée, a peppercorn sauce to contrast the honey and strength of the meat, and some sliced apple and sprout leaves for freshness. The legs of the bird are slow roasted and made into a fritter to accompany the breast.

Ingredients • 2 large partridge crowns • 4 partridge legs • Green peppercorns • Chicken stock • Splash of brandy • 1tsp Dijon mustard • 100g butter • 3 large parsley roots (or parsnips will work) • Splash of cream • 1 apple • Few sprout leaves For the fritters: • 75ml water • 50g butter • 50g flour • 1 egg • Quail leg meat (cooked and picked) For the parsley root purée and crisps: Peel and cut the parsley root into small pieces, reserving the skins.

Place the pieces into a sauce pan and cover with water, season slightly and cook until almost all of the water has evaporated and the pan is almost dry, add a splash of cream and pour in to a

blender. Blend until it creates a smooth purée and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm and set aside.

Using a pan, fry the skins in hot oil until they are crisp, allow to cool and with a knife, chop until a coarse crumb is achieved.

For the pepper sauce: In a warm sauce pan, toast the green peppercorns then add the brandy, allow to reduce then add the mustard and chicken stock.

Reduce by half and add a splash of cream, season with salt to taste and if necessary, add more cream to reduce the strength of the sauce. Keep warm and leave aside.

For the fritters: Bring the water to the boil in a pot then add the butter. When melted, add the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until it comes away from the sides of the pot and forms a dough. Add the egg at this point and continue to cook until the mix becomes firm.

Season and add the cooked leg meat and allow to cool. Once cool roll into 8 balls and set aside.

To cook the crown and assemble the dish: In a heavy pan, season and fry the crowns in oil until slightly golden then add butter. When the butter foams baste the crowns continually with a spoon, being sure to fill the cavity with butter.

When a golden colour is achieved, transfer the crowns to a small tray, cover with the butter and place in an oven a 170c for about 6 minutes.

Allow the meat to rest somewhere warm where it will continue to cook slightly. This will produce slightly pink meat; if well done meat is preferred then cook for around 10 minutes.

Using the same pan as the crowns, add the fritters to hot oil and cook until crisp.

Heat up the parsley root purée and the pepper sauce and place a spoonful of purée on a plate, pour the sauce to the side.

At this point, remove the partridge breasts from the crown and brush with a little honey, cover with the crushed parsley root skins and set on the plate. Add the fritters, some sliced apple and a few dressed sprout leaves and serve.

Need the perfect pairing?

Drinking good wine with good food is one of life’s great pleasures. The River Room Restaurant’s resident wine expert, Andrea Mola, recommends the perfect wine to accompany Head Chef Chris Rees’ delicious main course.

Wine Pairing: 2014 Batasiolo Barolo DOCG, 13.5% Piedmont, Italy

Considered the king of Italian wines, Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo grape in the Piedmont region in northwest of Italy. Full bodied, high in tannic, acidity, and alcohol, their aromas suggest tar, violets, roses, strawberries, even truffles. Barolos need to be aged for at least three years in the winery (five years if it is a Reserva). The colour of this amazing Barolo is a deep garnet red. The bouquet has all the typical aromas of the Nebbiolo grape which after refining is flowery and toasty with hints of sweet spices, nuts and typically delicate herbaceous aromas. In the mouth, the perfect balance of tannins, crispness and alcohol content offer bold yet absolutely elegant and pleasing sensations. Good intensity and persistence confirm this wine as one of the best expressions of the Langa. Barolo is simply wonderful with this partridge dish thanks to the tannin that plays a crucial part in this pairing, plus the fruity and earthy flavours will enhance the green peppercorn flavour.

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COLUMnIST

Jim Fitzpatrick, Journalist and Broadcaster

Jim Fitzpatrick discusses the continuing uncertainty of Brexit and what it might hold for Northern Ireland.

The “known unknowns” and the “unknown unknowns”

T

here’s a new certainty in business planning – uncertainty. Or to put it in Donald Rumsfeld terms – everyone needs to know about the “known unknowns” and the “unknown unknowns”.

Brexit, of course, has been the endless focus of politics in recent years. Now there’s a new deal that could be passed, but only more uncertainty about what it will ultimately mean.

It has allayed fears about a hard border in Ireland but increased concern about possible extra friction and cost in trade between GB and NI. The problem is, this new uncertainty cannot be resolved quickly.

First, there’s the small matter of a general election to see which government emerges and what Brexit path it will take: pass the deal; negotiate a new one then hold a referendum; or even revoke Article 50 and just remain.

But even if the deal is passed, the detail of how arrangements between NI and GB will be administered will need to be agreed and implemented.

This is where NI business has an opportunity and some leverage. No doubt the finest minds in the field are currently examining the Withdrawal Agreement provisions to see how they can not only mitigate any harm, but also widen any opportunities.

Remember the old campaign to secure a lower rate of corporation tax for NI? The plan had political backing and even had Treasury support (of a kind) but ultimately floundered due to a range of other factors.

It may not have been the silver bullet for the economy that some hoped. But the process showed how a NI specific economic solution that appeared complex could, in fact, be worked out.

Arrangements flowing from the Withdrawal

Agreement have the potential to be devilishly complex and expensive, or remarkably light touch and even beneficial. It will all depend on how the final arrangements are agreed.

To influence this process the canny business groups in Northern Ireland will need to plug themselves into four centres of power and influence at a bureaucratic and political level: Westminster, Brussels, Dublin and Stormont.

They will need to guide arrangements into that sweet spot of a landing zone that provides just enough economic benefit to Northern Ireland to help offset some of the political pain,

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and is a bending of the rules and particularly their implementation – UK/EU/International – that doesn’t cause too much political pain for others.

There is a strong political and economic argument for favourable treatment – the NI economy remains overly reliant on public intervention and anything that can be done to encourage private sector growth should be done. An economic rebalancing would have positive political benefits for all.

So, uncertainty beckons. But perhaps a bit of opportunity too.

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