AI Magazine October 2017

www.acquisition-intl.com • October 2017

Also in this issue...

Swiss Excellence in Business Aviation Boyas Drafting & Design: Building a Bright Future in the Glazing Industry

Building New Horizons

A New Way for Millennials Tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet reveals his thoughts on winning the Leading Investment Experts 2017 accolade and, provides a fascinating glimpse into the company’s global online services and how they are making a way for millennials to start up in business and be successful.

Excellence in Infrastructure iX Engineers

All Wheels All Ages All Abilities

Making the Difference Vertas Group The Powerful Growth Engine Behind Companies Worldwide Momentum Consulting Group, Inc. Leading the way for Legal Excellence wh partners

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Editor’s Comment

Welcome to this bumper October edition of Acquisition Intl. Magazine, bringing you the latest developments in the world of corporate finance.

Gracing the cover of this month’s issue, is Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet. Taking time out of his busy schedule, Dr. Khawaja provides us with a fascinating glimpse into the company’s global online services, as well as revealing how they are making a way for millennials to start up in business and be successful.

Speaking of success, we profiled multi-award winning legal services business, EmployEasily. The firm offers employment law advice and HR services for businesses across Glasgow, Edinburgh and London. Since their inception in 2008, EmployEasily have worked closely with clients to fully understand their employment law advice and/or HR service needs.

Another business who strive to provide the best possible service to their clients, is the Youcall-it.com platform. The platform supports multiple ways of working, from locally all the way to full global management.

We profiled the firm as we look to explore the secrets behind its success.

In other news, global leader in commerce-enabling technology, first Data announced on the 12th October the results of its 2017 Consumer Cybersecurity Study. The study examined how different generations view cybersecurity threats, and found that baby boomers generally have better cybersecurity habits and are more concerned about protecting their personal information than younger generations. The study is based on survey data from approximately 800 U.S. consumers.

Lastly, we discover more about Fangda, which is one of the few premier law firms in Greater China.

Established in 1993, they were one of the first full service PRC law firms and recently, head of Fangda’s Hong Kong antitrust team, Andrew Skudder took time out of his busy schedule to profile the successful firm.

Here at AI, we hope that you thoroughly enjoy reading this insightful issue and look forward to hearing from you.

Jessie Daykin - Editor - Jessica.Daykin@ai-globalmedia.com

Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.

4 News

How to get in touch AI welcomes news and views from its readers.

10 Q3 Round-up Bureau van Dijk

Correspondence should be sent to; Address: Acquisition International, First Floor Suite F, The Maltsters, 1-2 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1LS. Phone: +44 (0) 1283 712447 Email: reception@acquisition-intl.com Website: www.acquisition-intl.com Find us on...

6 A New Way for Millennials Allied Wallet 8 Excellence in Infrastructure iX Engineers

12 Swiss Excellence in Business Aviation AMAC Aerospace 16 Always Looking to Achieve Astounding Things Terso Solutions, Inc 18 Providing Antitrust and Competition Law Advice Since 2008 Fangda Partners 20 Building a Bright Future in the Glazing Industry Boyas Drafting & Design

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READ THIS MONTH’S CPD ACCREDITED ISSUE TO GAIN 6 CPD POINTS

30 The Powerful Growth Engine Behind Companies Worldwide Momentum Consulting Group, Inc. 32 Training to a Higher Level Clinton Training 33 Excellence With a Global Presence SFM Corporate Services 34 Leading the way for Legal Excellence WH Partners 35 Designing the Future for Self-Builders Tony Holt m.c.i.a.t – Bespoke Property Designer 36 All Wheels, All Ages, All Abilities PARKITECT AG 38 Ethical and Legal El Ajeri Lawyers 39 Employment Law Made Easy EmployEasily Legal Services

24 Making the Difference Vertas Group

40 A Trustworthy Law Firm in Thailand Pisut and Partners

26 Delivering IT Services Around the World Youcall-it.com

41 Employment Law Made Easy Fellows Consulting

28 A Full Service Advice Firm with a Premier White Collar Offering Squire Patton Boggs

42 An Accountancy Firm you can Trust NPUS Accountants 45 Winners’ Directory

Contents

28

20

Squire Patton Boggs

Boyas Drafting & Design, LLC

06

12

Allied Wallet

AMAC Aerospace

26

16

YouCall-it.com

Terso Solutions

36 Parkitect ®

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News: from around the world

Leading Investment Firm Wedbush Securities Achieves 445% ROI with UltiPro

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NEWS / From Around The World

Ultimate Software, a leading provider of human capital management (HCM) solutions in the cloud, announced on the 6th October that Wedbush Securities, achieved an annual return of 445% on its investment in UltiPro, according to an ROI study conducted by third-party analyst firm Nucleus Research. The study also found that Wedbush’s payback period was two months.

On the 6th October, leading provider of human capital management (HCM) solutions in the cloud, Ultimate Software announced that Wedbush Securities, a leading investment firm that provides a range of financial services, achieved an annual return of 445% on its investment in UltiPro, according to an ROI study conducted by third-party analyst firm Nucleus Research. The study also found that Wedbush’s payback period was two months.

Founded in 1955, Wedbush Securities has been a leader in the financial industry providing its clients with a wide range of services, including private client services and institutional sales, correspondent clearing services, equity research, corporate and municipal finance, equity market making, fixed income trading, and wealth management.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, with nearly 100 registered offices, the firm focuses on dedicated service, client financial safety, continuity, and advanced technology. In order to better address compliance issues and gain greater financial visibility, Wedbush selected UltiPro and went live in January 2011.

“The capabilities that enabled us to achieve a significant ROI with UltiPro are also helping us manage the complexities of the financial industry,” said Kevin Lundby, senior vice president of human resources for Wedbush Securities. “We are strictly regulated by the SEC and FINRA, and subject to regular internal and external audits. Prior to UltiPro, we had a manual entry system which was inefficient and ineffective. The multi-tiered manual process involved individual notifications to various departments that ate up a considerable amount of our time, created significant notification delays, and opened the door to human errors in documentation.

Since working with UltiPro, our processes have been automated into a one-step solution, saving countless hours of work. With UltiPro and its workforce analytics, we have visibility into our people with 100% accuracy and can diminish the risk of compliance-related issues.”

“Managers who oversee profit centres pay very close attention to expenses—their employee costs—because their incentives are driven by their own profitability for their areas,” said Lundby.

“These managers need to know on a day-to-day basis what their expense line looks like relative to revenue. Before UltiPro, these managers would need to contact HR for this information, and we would have to undertake a very laborious process to generate lists of employees, their compensation, and employee-related costs. Now, we use the power of UltiPro Business Intelligence to create manager dashboards that analyse pay data.”

UltiPro Business Intelligence is also helping profitcentre managers factor the costs of state regulation into their calculations. Managers need point-intime reporting, not only to compare overtime data from one pay period with the next, but also to track costs associated with California’s new meal-period penalty. According to Lundby, managers are using their BI dashboard to better monitor costs resulting from the penalty, and controlling them in the same way the company manages overtime spending.

“UltiPro enables companies to tackle meaningful compliance challenges and make informed business decisions,” said Greg Swick, global chief sales officer at Ultimate. “At the same time, the report from Nucleus demonstrates that the business improvements driven by UltiPro also help to boost bottom-line results. We are pleased that UltiPro is providing Wedbush managers with the tools they need to be successful, and providing insights that accelerate business growth.”

H.I.G. Capital Acquires Urbanity Corporate Center H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global private equity investment firm with $23 billion of equity capital under management, announced on the 5th October the acquisition of Urbanity Corporate Centre, in São Paulo.

On the 5th October, leading global private equity investment firm with $23 billion of equity capital under management, H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”) announced the acquisition of Urbanity Corporate Centre, in São Paulo.

Urbanity Corporate is a AAA office building with 29,248 square meters of space, located in the South Region of São Paulo. The building is part of a newly developed mixed-use complex.

Fernando Marques Oliveira, Head of H.I.G. Brazil and Latin America said, “We are very excited to complete this off-market transaction. It reflects our belief that the real estate sector in Brazil is set for a meaningful recovery. As such, H.I.G. is looking forward to committing a significant amount of capital to the sector, building on H.I.G.’s extensive local presence and relationships.”

Daniel Nader head of H.I.G. Realty in Brazil added, “We believe this is an excellent time to acquire office buildings in São Paulo, given the expected recovery in the market and the low volume of new supply in the next few years.

The South Marginal Region in particular, where Urbanity is located, is benefiting substantially from the recent improvements in the infrastructure of the city. Urbanity will benefit from the access and public transportation improvements in the Region. The building is the closest office tower to the bridge Edson Bueno Godoy and near the tunnel access.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

UltiPro Onboarding is also helping Wedbush manage compliance. According to Lundby, UltiPro ensures that every new hire receives and completes all the required forms, which though often subject to audits, are now easy to monitor electronically.

And while UltiPro’s improved processes are helping Wedbush employees increase productivity, managers are also able to use the solution to maximize profitability.

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Company: Allied Wallet Web: www.alliedwallet.com

A New Way for Millennials Tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet reveals his thoughts on winning the Leading Investment Experts 2017 accolade and, provides a fascinating glimpse into the company’s global online services and how they are making a way for millennials to start up in business and be successful.

irstly, can you tell us in a nutshell what Allied Wallet does?

Allied Wallet provides global online services with the tools of fraud reduction and cyber security implemented in Allied Wallet’s Global Payment Gateway infrastructure. Not only do we process credit cards domestically and globally, but at the same time, we reduce the fraud ratio and chargeback based on the massive negative database that we have generated over the past 12 years since the dawn of the company.

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Many providers take advantage of the honest merchants in terms of high chargebacks. So, when it comes to Allied Wallet’s system, data comes into that negative database and we identify the good and the bad. So, the transaction is thrown away when the card is related to that negative database.

How does it feel to be selected as Leading Investment Experts 2017?

When we constantly have a gross of 100% into the negative database and when you understand the concept and scale of the e-commerce business, I would say that it is an honour to be selected as the Leading Investment Experts for 2017. I believe that Allied Wallet are pretty much ‘the messiah of e-commerce and finance’, especially on a global level then we must be doing something right and people need to understand that we are constantly growing in 58 countries worldwide. It feels good to wear these shoes and I am always happy to advise and share my knowledge.

Tell me how Allied Wallet invests in people - your staff and your clients?

We work with our clients to teach them what’s good and what isn’t, and advise them not to just sell a product, but to look at what the consumer needs to maximise profit. My team members work hand in hand with every merchant and consumer, indeed we are dedicated to provide outstanding services to them. We want to educate them and what could be potentially bad or good and we look at businesses for which we have processes in place for and we understand how businesses grow. We can therefore give any business advice based on our existing experience.

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What specific expertise does Allied Wallet have when it comes to investments?

The best investment we do, is to give the opportunity for a business to launch. Even if you have a brilliant idea today and start a business from scratch, the biggest problem it to have a financial institution who will allow you to start trading. Many banks expect you to have financial backing behind you, but those who have just graduated from university do now have this behind them.

If you want to provide credit card processing and services, but the bank would want to know how much business the entrepreneur would be doing in six months and what the chargeback could be within that period. The bank therefore expect security from the budding merchant, but with Allied Wallet, we provide these services based on the business study and we don’t take money upfront.

If we like the business, we ask to invest in it if we like it.

What sets your experts apart from others in the e-commerce field?

Firstly, we are the leader in the field and secondly, we are creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurs and we are making a new way for the youth to get out there and start a business and build themselves a company. We want to provide them with clean transactions, so they can stay in business.

Whatever helps the community, I would say that we are the best at that and we want to carry on doing that on a global level.

What impact is Allied Wallet having on the world today, as the results of the investment and efforts you have put into building it up?

Firstly, Allied Wallet is creating jobs and secondly, we are giving the millennials the chance to trade and conduct business without financials. We are opening doors for people who want to selfemployed and independent, and this is having a massive impact because when we allow this to happen, will enable the creation of more jobs which will grow the economy and make the online business areas a safer place.

A New Way for Millennials

Where do you see, Allied Wallet heading in 5 years’ time?

I see the company in 5 years’ time as being 10 times its present size, because the internet is growing along with Allied Wallet’s work. In addition, the confidence and respect that the company is earning, is increasing daily. I believe that our services will be provided in as many as 80 countries then.

What are your hopes and plans for the more immediate future, during 2017 and 2018?

We are still considering the IPO option, which if we take up it will potentially change the course of the company, but it remains on the table.

Is there anything you would like to add?

The skies the limit and don’t give up hope. Keep on trying. If you fail once, try again. If you fail twice, keep on trying.

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Excellence in Infrastructure iX engineers (Pty) Ltd is a consulting engineering company focusing on the private and public infrastructure sector and operates as a private company.

We profile the firm as we look to find out more about its success.

Company: iX Engineers Contact: Florence Mabena Email: florence.m@ ixengineers.co.za Address: Eastwood Office Park, Protea House, 270 Lynwood Service Road, Lynnwood Ridge, Pretoria, 0081 I RSA, South Africa Phone: 0027 12 745 2518 Website: www.ixengineers.co.za

stablished in 2016, iX engineers employ a wide variety of staff, all of which come from diverse backgrounds and possess a wealth of experience. The key staff of iX engineers enjoy more than 35 years’ experience in the infrastructure sector in both the consulting and project delivery markets.

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Following its acquisition of other companies, iX engineers provides professional services for the design, development and through-life-support of private and public infrastructure. Approaching each project from a different point of view, the firm works hard to make sure each client is satisfied with the end goal and the final result.

The projects are delivered through engineering and project management skills, which specialize in civil, structural, electrical and mechanical areas, as well as process engineering and again project and portfolio management. Additionally, there are also skills in cost control, SHERQ, and financial management.

Maintaining its success, employees and staff all work towards reaching the same goals. Embedded in the company’s culture are its values, which are the foundation of its strategy, and they start with integrity, maintaining a high standard of professionalism. The team works very hard to meet and, in some cases, surpass its client’s expectations.

Innovation is at the heart of the company, as staff look to constantly improve its service offering, along with the changing times. The team always ensures its staff are capable of delivering the best service to customers, equipping them with the best materials and knowledge that they can.

Success comes from inventive and excellent leadership, with the top of the firm being committed to doing the best for clients and people.

Empowering its staff is a key factor in iX engineers’ achievements, as staff feel confident to produce the best product. Throughout the company, staff work responsibly, taking responsibility for everyone’s actions and working hard to protect the environment. The solutions provided by the team are mostly environmentally friendly, with the impact carefully considered before release.

Making promises, employees guarantee that they deliver on all possibilities, looking to create wealth for clients and staff. Customer satisfaction is essential in all industries, and delivering on

8 Acquisition International - October 2017

promises, as well providing the best solutions are all done with the firm’s integrity intact.

Having worked within South Africa for over 35 years, the staff have intimate knowledge of the country’s unique challenges, which enables staff to tailor the solutions to deliver maximum value to customers, therefore, they are able apply this knowledge to the broader African and international arena, increasing the firm’s global presence.

Offering a variety of services, the capability of the Buildings and Services division of iX engineers comprises key, experienced staff located in offices nationwide, with Pretoria and Cape Town being the major hubs.

Relating back to its vision of creating environmentally friendly solutions, the company is registered with the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and has a number of Green Building Professionals in its staff.

In addition, its engineers have many years of experience in energy efficiency, and life cycle optimization designs as part of our normal good engineering practice. iX engineers are further versed and experienced in the renewable energy sector.

Marking itself out as the best possible option for clients, staff’s diverse experience and exposure highlights the company’s ongoing success, particularly within the building and construction industry. Versatile, within the industry, the projects and building types include hospitals and clinics, along with office buildings, business parks, conference centres and auditoriums.

Benefitting various communities and customers, iX engineers also has worked on schools and universities, laboratories and industrial/process environments, as well as railway maintenance yards and workshops, to name a few of the company’s projects.

Professional Engineering Services related to buildings are offered by industry specialist engineers in an assortment of technical areas. The company also engages in projects for which clients require a one-stop service comprising of all building related disciplines.

For such projects, in order to provide an excellent holistic service, the team engage with external sub-

Excellence in Infrastructure

consultants, if required, and manage the whole team on behalf of the Client. Staff have standing relationships with architects, quantity surveyors, rational fire design consultants and other specialist services.

Moreover, the Electrical Services Department further provides specialist services in the Electrical distribution and reticulation industry, and iX engineers is an affiliate member of the Association of Municipal Electrical Utilities (AMEU) and International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE). Its diverse experience and exposure is evident of its success in the Electrical distribution and reticulation industry.

Crucially, iX engineers affords priority to safety, health, environmental, risk, quality and restoration.

This has consolidated its extensive experience, knowledge and skills in SHERQ, Environmental and Restoration management processes into three departments.

As touched on when discussing values, the company makes itself capable for every product it makes, and acts responsibly on behalf of its staff. It has the capability to manage key operation issues proactively, in order to achieve complete legal compliance and competitive advantage in line with client and government expectations.

Regarding Infrastructure management, iX engineers’ team of experts understand the public sector landscape, particularly with the current government’s strategic prioritization of maintenance and refurbishing key assets like power stations, electrical reticulation networks both SOE and municipal, dams, waste and water treatment plants, roads and buildings. Therefore, the company is well placed to give advice to others, and implement solutions successfully in the public sector infrastructure environment, which will help it establish itself as leader within the industry, not just in South Africa, but on a global scale. iX engineers’ capabilities cover all aspects of the transportation sector including rail, roads, highways and intermodal transport. The company has built a substantial portfolio of challenging projects that meet both public and private sector needs.

Providing a complete service offering which spans all design phases, the firm is able to attract various clients, all of whom come away feeling satisfied with the service they have been provided with. Its design team comprises specialists in airport development, road and rail geometry, material, pavement and geotechnical design, hydrology, storm water and associated structures.

Pointing out more areas of expertise and experience, iX engineers’ Urban Infrastructure Division has a combined number of years’ experience which is in excess of 700. Over this period, staff have gained intimate knowledge of the country’s unique challenges which enables the, to innovatively tailor their solutions to deliver maximum value to its clients. The team, consisting of a number of professionals, specializes in the design, procurement, project management and construction monitoring of civil engineering projects for municipal and private infrastructure projects.

Lastly, with regard to water, the iX engineers’ water teams encompass committed and empowered professionals, who are at the forefront of managing the total water cycle to meet growing demands from the public and industry and to provide improved environmental protection locally, nationally and internationally.

Ultimately, with expertise in several areas, iX engineers can look forward to a very progressive future, continuously expanding its services and satisfying clients. With its customer satisfaction at such a high level, and staff happily working at the company, constantly training and learning, the future looks bright for iX engineers.

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Q3 Round-up Company: Bureau van Dijk E-Mail: bvd@bvdinfo.com Web: www.bvdinfo.com

Q3 has been fairly quiet in terms of the volume and value of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals announced worldwide, according to Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk. During the three months under review there have been 19,913 deals worth a combined USD 967,534 million announced on a global scale.

n terms of value, Q3’s result represents the lowest for a three-month period since the first quarter of 2016, when deals worth USD 935,126 million were announced. The last time volume plumbed such depths was in Q3 2013 (19,314 deals). Despite the less than record-breaking results, there were still a number of high value deals announced during the period under review. The largest of all was worth USD 30,000 million as United Technologies agreed to acquire US aircraft cabin displays manufacturer Rockwell Collins in early September. This deal alone accounted for three per cent of total value for the quarter. It was followed by the USD 18,800 million purchase of a 60 per cent stake in coal and gas-fuelled energy player Energy Future Holdings

by Sempra Energy, which was announced in August. Third place was taken by a USD 17,132 million buyout of electricity distributor Calpine by Energy Capital Partners, Access Industries and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, among other undisclosed investors. In all, nine deals announced during Q3 were worth in excess of USD 10,000 million and featured targets in the UK, Spain, Singapore, Japan and the US.

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In terms of the year as a whole, 2017 is shaping up reasonably well. Since the beginning of January there have been 67,042 deals worth a combined USD 3,138,064 million. In the whole of 2016 USD 4,463,675 million was injected across 97,231 deals.

2017 looks more promising when we consider that

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by the same date in 2016, USD 3,068,033 million had been injected across 71,883 deals. This means that in terms of value, 2017 is slightly ahead of the result at the same point in 2016. As such, a busy final quarter could result in this year actually surpassing last year’s value result. By the 27th September 2015 dealmaking of USD 3,559,544 million had been announced. This result is not too far ahead of the USD 3,138,064 million signed off during 2017 to date and 2015 ultimately proved to be a very impressive year, with total value of USD 5,071,895 million recorded for the year as a whole.

North American targets attracted more value than any other region in Q3, having been targeted in deals worth a combined USD 331,135 million. This places it ahead of the Far East and Central Asia, which featured in deals worth USD 278,635 million and was followed by Western Europe with USD 243,308 million. North America and the Far East and Central Asia switched places by volume as the latter topped the rankings with 5,984 deals while the former notched up 5,256. Western Europe was third by volume with 5,211 deals. North America’s strong positioning by value is unsurprising given that the four largest deals announced during Q3 all featured targets based in the US. To sum up, although Q3 is down on both Q1 and Q2 2017 in terms of value, the picture for 2017 to date is much brighter than it may first appear. Given that the year has so far surpassed value to the same point in 2016 Q4 will ultimately determine how things stand when January comes around.

Q3 Round-up

Number and Aggregate Value (mil USD) of M&A Deals Globally: 2006-2017 YTD (as at 27 September 2017)

Number of M&A Deals Globally by Target Sector: 2015 - 2017 to date (as at 27 September 2017)

Deal Number half yearly value of deals (Announced date)

Aggregate deal value (mil $)

Major sector (target)

Q2

Q3

Q3 2017

967,534

Other services

8,620

7,457

Machinery, equipment, furniture, recycling

2,435

2,017

19,913

Q2 2017

23,688

1,123,661

Q1 2017

23,441

1,046,868

Q4 2016

23,971

1,350,768

Wholesale & retail trade

1,454

1,296

Q3 2016

23,501

1,175,689

Publishing, printing

1,257

1,059

Chemicals, rubber, plastics, non-metallic products

1,230

1,024

Metals & metal products

1,149

935

Construction

859

743

668

469

Q2 2016

23,978

1,002,093

Q1 2016

25,781

935,126

Q4 2015

25,822

1,451,252

Q3 2015

23,309

1,246,328

Q2 2015

23,620

1,260,878

Q1 2015

20,951

1,113,438

Primary Sector (agriculture, mining, etc.)

Q4 2014

22,048

1,026,639

Food, beverages, tobacco

521

455

Q3 2014

21,576

1,007,447

Banks

539

411

Education, Health

414

399

Transport

430

376

Gas, Water, Electricity

474

334

Q2 2014

20,761

1,143,580

Q1 2014

20,712

763,701

Q4 2013

21,645

765,579

Q3 2013

19,314

862,107

Insurance companies

326

253

Q2 2013

18,786

774,538

Hotels & restaurants

299

232

Q1 2013

17,355

590,663

231

Q4 2012

18,894

881,098

Post and telecommu- 297 nications

16,766

591,550

Textiles, wearing apparel, leather

166

Q3 2012

235

Number and Aggregate Value (Mil USD) of M&A Deals Globally by Deal Type: 2006-2017 to date (as at 27 September 2017) Deal type

Number of deals

Aggregate deal value (mil $)

Acquisition

290,474

22,610,379

Minority stake Capital increase Institutional buy-out Management buy-out

426,918 118,110 18,180 5,200

9,896,343 6,770,684 3,320,038 110,339

Merger

89

42

Telecommunications The third quarter of 2017 has been impressive in terms of the value of deals targeting telecommunications companies.

In all there have been 338 deals worth a combined USD 41,619 million announced over the course of the three months, according to Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk.

Despite Q3’s volume proving to be disappointing, value reached one of the highest levels of any quarter in recent years. The USD 41,619 million injected over the three months represented an improvement on both Q2 2017 (USD 23,855 million) and Q3 2016 (USD 21,034 million), although it was surpassed by Q4 2016’s USD 59,546 million.

A number of large deals contributed to the impressive value result in Q3 as nine deals broke the USD 1,000 million-barrier during the three months. The most valuable was worth USD 9,253 million and took the form of a private placing by Chinese firm China United Network Communications to investors including Suning Commerce Group and Hangzhou Ali Venture Capital, among others. This was followed by a USD 7,100 million buyout of US fibre network services holding company LTS Group Holdings by Crown Castle International, which was announced in July.

Other deals worth in excess of USD 1,000 million in Q3 featured targets based in Brazil, the British Virgin Islands, Colombia, India and South Africa.

To sum up, Q3 has been an impressive quarter in terms of the value of deals with targets in the telecommunications sector and signs are extremely encouraging in the run up to the end of the year as thus far all three quarters have surpassed the corresponding period of 2016 by value.

Number and Aggregate Value (Mil USD) of Telecommunications Deals Globally: 2006-2017 to date (as at 27 September 2017)

Number of M&A Deals by Region: 2015 - 2017 YTD (as at 27 September 2017) World region (target) Far East and Central Asia

Q3 2016

Q4 2016

Q1 2017

Q2 2017

Q3 2017

6,641

6,973

6,303

7,104

5,984

North America Western Europe Eastern Europe Oceania

5,894 6,847 2,002 1,057

5,855 6,950 2,166 974

6,477 6,497 2,171 889

6,178 6,106 2,280 947

5,256 5,211 1,691 819

South and Central America Africa Middle East

499 284 280

569 327 173

500 353 211

561 317 168

472 249 184

Deal Number half yearly value of deals (Announced date)

Aggregate deal value (mil $)

Q3 2017

338

41,619

Q2 2017

419

23,855

Q1 2017

419

29,164

Q4 2016

423

59,546

Q3 2016

375

21,034

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Company: AMAC Aerospace Email: waleed.muhiddin@ amacaerospace.com Address: Henric Petri, Strasse 35, Basel, CH-4051, Switzerland Phone: 0041 583103131 Website: www.amacaerospace.com

Swiss Excellence in Business Aviation AMAC Aerospace was incorporated in 2007, as a result of a group of individuals with a desire to create a world class MRO. AMAC’s Group Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Kadri Muhiddin speaks to us about the firm and some of the service it provides, as well as discussing being named in CEO of the Year 2017 and CEO of the Year – Switzerland. stablished in 2007, AMAC Aerospace have raised the bar with all activities surrounding maintenance, completion and refurbishment. The company’s first completion was for a narrow body VIP client and the project was returned to service on budget and on time, a target which is more often than not hard to come by in today’s market environment.

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With over 100 years accumulated experience in the aviation industry between them, they knew they could do this. The group came from a successful background within this particular sector who understood exactly what is necessary to satisfy the market and the particular clientele. Kadri tells us about the services offered by the firm and what types of clients the firm works with, noting how client satisfaction is important to the company.

“AMAC’s customer base quickly included Governments and institutions, High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI), Royal families and organisations with large fleets for charter including narrow and wide body aircraft. Our clients continue

returning to us, following satisfaction of completed work on their aircraft and new clients approach us after they learn from others about our particular expertise in Business Aviation. We do not classify our clients by region, wealth or size of aircraft as every aircraft is a personal and unique tool, therefore we respect these reasons and complete every project based on when they arrive versus when they are scheduled to leave.

“Highlighting its success, our company is now the largest privately owned MRO & Completion centre in the world that offers the products and services through a hangar network of 7x different hangars spread around the continent. Also, we have surpassed the $2 billion mark in sales in less than ten years of operation and we believe that whatever interesting projects presents itself to AMAC, we are prepared and capable with our engineers and craftspeople to prove ourselves.”

Referring to his past roles, Kadri discusses how he draws on these experiences when making decisions in his current role. Boasting a wealth of expertise and extensive knowledge within the industry, Kadri is able to exert his influence amongst his staff and has overseen the rise of AMAC, alluding to the fact that he sticks to his own mantra, which has overseen his success.

“Regarding my leadership, I have a mantra, which I have taught my three sons and I repeat to my colleagues across the board. ‘To be successful is not only to reach your target but to maintain and always try to improve the standard.’ My whole working life has been in aviation. From becoming a qualified licenced Avionics engineer at the age of 21 years old, working on the shop floor to heading our own MRO in 2007. Opportunity and necessity have taken me from signing aircrafts off to sitting in the board room/directing the way forward. Starting with a small company and transferring that exposure to operating a multibillion dollar organisation, whilst maintaining the target and improving on this with every year.

“Previously, my engineering position within a major airline saw me working with my hands on the aircraft. Also, I led teams to work on these aircraft,

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Swiss Excellence in Business Aviation

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and it does not matter which country you are in, most air authorities have the same rigid form for understanding their directives, which can easily be manifested into a working dynamism that allows for over self-development.

“In 2007, when AMAC was presented at EBACE in Geneva with just a model of the impending hangar, interest was so great that the response showed us the future was bright. Today, the group have nearly a thousand employees in total. We have our main hangars in Basel with facilities and or offices in Zurich, Istanbul, Bodrum in Turkey and a facility in the south of France in Auch. My face and name are synonymous with the companies that have been founded and built. I offer guidance, good understanding in the area of expertise that I am versed in, I offer myself to my entire staff as we adopt a flat management with an open door policy. Also, I move forward with my management to make sure that our business runs smoothly and efficiently, relying on their professional performance and quality in their craftsmanship which is second to none. Lastly, I do not take credit which is not mine or the company’s achievements. Success only comes from the people that I work with, they are the engine behind the scenes and they are the ones who deserve the credit.”

Being a successful leader, it is important the CEO’s vision and mission is translated and ingrained into the company’s staff. Kadri discusses his leadership style in a little more details, explaining how he ensures everyone within his organisation understands his vision and works towards it. Tell me about your leadership style.

“Put simply, my leadership is well known for its simple flat management with an open door policy and no bureaucracy. Since I worked on the shop floor, I considered teamwork key. We are all a link in a chain. Each one is responsible for his part. Also, we have a news circular for the whole company to contribute with their personal news, marriages, births and so on, it gives AMAC an opportunity to share news with everyone, so we all know what is going on. It makes me proud to see what the staff are all up to. A marathon team for example demonstrates to me that the company considers itself as one team and one family.”

Another aspect of AMAC’s ongoing success is how staff approach a new client, when undertaking a project. Making a good first impression is always important, and Kadri comments on the company’s process, which guarantees right from the start that the outcome of the project will meet the needs of everyone involved, and in some cases, surpass client expectations.

“Essentially, my role today is to leave most of it to my management team to start with presentations and discussions whilst I am aware of its progress.

Various departments can be involved at this stage, so that I am often there in person when it comes to particular situations and or concluding the agreement. If a client is interested in a completion service, a project typically moves from a design for the outfitting of the aircraft.

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“Once the designs are ready to be distributed, we give the design package to our multidisciplined engineering departments and they will systematically dissect the details to make sure that the project can be delivered to the expectations of the owner or in our language is a ‘Go’. It is rare for us to see a design package, which might constitute a ‘No-Go’. Once engineering has completed their analysis and work, we then have our Project Management team draw up the necessary milestones for project production. A number of meeting will be necessary to fine tune any details, which the client might want added but once the project has surpassed the design and engineering phase the production will usually start straight away.

“At AMAC Aerospace, our philosophy is to get the aircraft in and out on time and on budget. We are not interested in creating a parking lot outside our hangars, we are only interested that the aircraft remain up in the sky to serve their purpose. With this notion, we look to ensure that we complete the project to the client’s satisfaction. To date, we have nearly 20 completion projects delivered on time covering all sizes from narrow to wide bodies. With maintenance projects, we have surpassed over 3500 modification projects in the 10 years we have existed and those projects range from belly camera installations, SDS, new SATCOM installations through to specific STC developments for one offs.”

Overall, Kadri talks about his future aspirations for AMAC, mentioning some upcoming projects which the firm will undertake. He observes that client expectations are rising, but staff will endeavour to ensure that they continue to match client demands, with the ultimate goal of surpassing their requirements. Kadri signs off by telling us what plans he has regarding his own career, and how he plans to build upon his ongoing success.

“Looking ahead, AMAC started small and expanded in line with market forces and customer demand, and it will continue to do so. We are proud to say we believe we have raised the standard and for that reason customers are happy to return to us.

Moving forward, I hope to continue with being able to provide a service of excellence that also goes above a customer’s expectations, so that it is them who will keep AMAC going from strength to strength.

“Ultimately, my career remains in aviation as part of the companies I lead and support. I have no other plans to expand further than with my current portfolio. My aim is to ensure that those companies continue to grow strong and successful as they are today. At my time of life, I prefer to encourage and develop the next generation coming through the ranks. Their success and enthusiasm will be mine too. When the time is right, we should hand over to our young generation to innovate and lead the industry. Keeping the same old people will not serve the benefit of the company in the long run.”

Swiss Excellence in Business Aviation

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Company: Terso Solutions, Inc Contact: Becky Snyder Email: becky.snyder@ tersosolutions.com Address: 5540 Research Park Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711, USA Phone: 001 608 298 4127

Always Looking to Achieve Astounding Things Terso Solutions, Inc. provides automated inventory management solutions for tracking high-value medical and scientific products in the healthcare and life science fields using RAIN RFID technology. Joe Pleshek, CEO & President, talks to us about the firm’s success and also being named in the 2017 Global Excellence Awards & Best for Laboratory Inventory Management 2017 – Wisconsin. erso Solutions has deployed over 1,800 RFID-enabled enclosures and mobile solutions around the world.

The company continues to believe in developing inventory management solutions that will provide the best possible end result for customers and patients. Joe explains how Terso integrates innovation into every aspect of their work, as well as outlines the firm’s overall mission, and what steps they plan to take to achieve these goals.

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Terso Solutions tracks high-value inventories – reagents, chemicals, tissue, implantable devices, orthopaedic supplies, and medical devices – throughout the supply chain, from point of manufacture to managing the products until final use. Terso’s portfolio is comprised of a breadth of RAIN RFID-enabled solutions, from enclosures and mobile devices to smart stockrooms and kiosks.

These solutions provide temperature-controlled, real-time visibility of all stored inventory. For instance, a hospital or laboratory can effortlessly track the condition of its stock and monitor when a product is taken out of or added to an RFID enclosure or room.

In 2016, Terso Solutions developed an industry vision around implementing a Smart Inventory Management system using real-time healthcare components. This vision puts forth an industry

framework on designing and constructing a smart system that will begin to automate workflows, improve patient experiences and operational efficiencies for healthcare and life science organizations.

“Here at Terso Solutions, our mission is to develop and deploy leading RAIN RFID solutions that enable healthcare and life science organizations to better manage their supply chain. The team are committed to the development of cuttingedge technology and finding the right solutions for solving complex supply chain issues, be it tissue management to field inventory management or laboratory stockroom automation. Every customer is different, and Terso believes in finding a way to solve the most unique problems for every customer, in effort to meet their goals.”

The Technology industry is constantly evolving, with companies coming up with new and creative ideas, meaning firms have to be innovative to stay ahead of any developments, and be prepared for any challenges they may come across. Terso’s biggest competitor is the status quo. Providing fresh and new ideas is what helps Terso to mark itself out as the best possible option for clients, according to Joe. “As technology changes and continues to grow, it is important to remain agile and creative. Technology is becoming increasingly adopted in the healthcare and life science markets, specifically to provide a seamless way to conduct everyday business. The adoption of technology solutions is a big change for many, and it becomes increasingly important to address this when developing new solutions.”

“Working diligently, Terso strives to evolve and innovate in the marketplace, and our dedication to working in an agile manner and remaining dedicated to partners and employees, Terso is poised for continual growth. At the very foundation of Terso’s offerings is innovation and a commitment to excellence.”

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Always Looking to Achieve Astounding Things

Referring to the success of the firm, Joe discusses the amazing team of smart, highly driven individuals.

He talks about the internal culture within the firm, commenting on how the team ensures that all of its staff are well equipped to provide the best possible service to clients.

“Terso Solutions has an amazing team of smart, highly driven individuals. Terso has always stayed true to developing long term relationships with partners and vendors. In doing so, Terso is able to provide uncompromising technical leadership and customer support. To help meet the needs of Terso’s growing company and their partners, Terso believes strongly in their core values of ownership, opportunity, focus, relationship, and energy to strive to achieve the level of expertise and creativity that is seen throughout their products and services.”

“To achieve the success we have seen thus far, we continue to insist on taking an ethical approach with each customer, one that sets up our relationship for long-term growth. We work to find the best way possible to close all gaps, and as a team we work to bring value to our clients each day. An environment that encourages fun, professional growth, and a work-life balance has resulted in stellar growth for Terso Solutions in both the U.S. and EU markets.”

Signing off, Joe predicts what the future holds for the company, outlining the upcoming projects for Terso Solutions. Committed to its investments and supporting its customers, there appears to be a positive outlook for this innovative company.

“Terso continues to evolve as a company. Also, we will continue to evolve with technology and work in an agile way. Our development of new and innovative solutions drive value. Terso is committed to investing in our capabilities to support our customers and partners as they look to implement RAIN RFID-based inventory management solutions on a global basis. Finally, we have many exciting things planned, including technology platform expansion, facilities expansion, and team expansion, in both the US and the EU.”

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Providing Antitrust and Competition Law Advice Since 2008 Company: Fangda Partners Contact: Andrew Skudder Email: andrew.skudder@ fangdalaw.com Address: 26/F One Exchange Square 8 Connaught Place Hong Kong Website: www.fangdalaw.com

Fangda is one of the few premier law firms in Greater China. Founded in 1993, we were one of the first full service PRC law firms. Taking time to profile the firm, is the head of the Fangda’s Hong Kong antitrust team, Andrew Skudder. ounded in 1993, Fangda is one of the few premier law firms in Greater China who were also one of the first full service PRC law firms. Having over 450 lawyers spread across our Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong offices we are well placed to provide a seamless service in key locations where our clients tend to have their main business operations.

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At Fangda, we have been providing antitrust and competition law advice since 2008, when the PRC Anti-Monopoly Law was first enacted. In Hong Kong, we also advise on the Competition Ordinance, since it came into effect in 2015.

In China/ Hong Kong, we are one of only a handful of firms with a dedicated antitrust team, and have one of the largest competition teams in the country.

Our competition practice group contains over 20 full time competition law specialists and is still expanding. Also, our sizeable wider regulatory and litigation teams (with more than 15 partners and 80 lawyers) can also be relied on to provide additional manpower at short notice, as needed. This is critical to successfully handle large-scale antitrust audits or antitrust investigations, which are often highly resource intensive.

Our antitrust team is also unique in that it includes lawyers who have previously worked for antitrust enforcement agencies in both China and Europe. About half of our team also have foreign qualifications, and have accumulated extensive competition law experience in Brussels, London and Washington D.C. before joining us.

We maintain close working relationships with the three Chinese antitrust agencies, MOFCOM, the NDRC, and the SAIC. We have had a long history of dealing with each of these agencies, and are in frequent contact with them to advocate on behalf of our clients.

Our antitrust specialists are regularly invited by the Chinese antitrust agencies to comment on draft legislation and guidelines before they are released for public consultation. Most recently, our antitrust team was invited by the NDRC, the SAIC

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and MOFCOM to comment on a number of draft antitrust guidelines and regulations.

Here at Fangda, we believe that this level of contact and involvement gives us an insight into the mindset, thought processes, and current priorities of the enforcement agencies. This unique perspective allows us to provide our clients with an un-paralleled analysis of the issues in situations where clear guidance is often lacking.

As head of our Hong Kong antitrust team, I have recently published Halsbury’s Laws of Hong Kong: Competition Law, a definitive work for practitioners guiding them through the complexities of the recently promulgated HK Competition Ordinance and the guidelines and likely enforcement priorities of the HK authorities. Staying at the cutting edge of developments by authoring such works, gives an edge to our clients who are sure they are getting the latest and most sophisticated advice on their issues.

During the last two years, on the merger control front, we have advised on 4 out of the 5 remedy cases cleared by MOFCOM. On the antitrust investigation side, we have advised clients on more than 30 cases involving cartels, abuses of dominance and vertical restraints, many of which have been ground-breaking cases. For example, we represented Höegh, a European shipping company in defending a cartel investigation by the NDRC, securing the first acquittal of its kind.

Also, we advised Tetra Pak in the first dominance case concluded by the SAIC. In terms of antitrust litigation, we have also defended a number of multinational companies in some follow-on damages action cases and high-profile abuse of dominance cases.

As a full-service firm, we also have very strong Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Capital Market, Private Equity, Corporate, Inward Investment, Banking, Infrastructure Development and Project Finance, Commercial Property, Telecommunications, Media and Internet, Intellectual Property, Employment and Insolvency and Restructuring departments.

Providing Antitrust and Competition Law Advice Since 2008

Fangda have been very fortunate to be regularly involved in many of the highest profile cases in South East Asia. Also, to have been selected for both the 2017 Global Excellence Awards and the Leading Adviser Awards 2017 is a real honour, as it recognizes the hard work and expertise put in by our team on some very complex mandates under testing conditions. As a leading law firm, we receive a number of awards each year, but when they are from recognized industry leading publications such as AI, with the quality and depth of readership it possesses, such awards are particularly gratifying.

Whilst personal awards are always nice to receive, it is the team awards that are really satisfying as they pay testament to the strength and depth of the individuals that we have spent a lot of time selecting, nurturing and training to be the best they can be.

We couldn’t achieve what we achieve today without such a dedicated, professional and exemplary team, as we have been fortunate enough to build.

With the PRC and Hong Kong becoming increasingly important players on the global scene (in terms of both inbound and outbound investment), and with the increasing sophistication of the enforcement agencies, following the promulgation of international norms in fields such as anti-trust and anti-corruption and bribery, there has never been a more exciting time to be in practice here. Clients are coming to us with ever increasingly complex questions as they seek to continue to thrive in this tighter regulatory environment. Guiding them through the minefield, whilst finding practicable business orientated solutions, is at once challenging, exciting and immensely rewarding.

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Company: Boyas Drafting & Design Email: fboyas@ boyasdraftingdesign.com Website: boyasdraftingdesign.com Address: 1016 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60607

Boyas Drafting & Design: Building a Bright Future in the Glazing Industry Chicago-based Boyas Drafting & Design (D&D) is a full-service drafting and design services provider to subcontractors and general contractors in the glazing (glass and framing structures) industry. oyas Drafting & Design (D&D) specializes in developing shop drawings and fabrication drawings for a variety of building interior and exteriors, that are found in privately-funded commercial and government-contracted structures. These drawings serve as the on-site guides that are used by construction crews to build these structures.

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“Architects paint the picture. But our documents depict the actual (working) drawings without which, construction itself would never happen,” says Filomeno Boyas, the founder and President of Boyas Drafting & Design. “Just like air conditioning, plumbing, and construction of the building itself, shop drawings translate the abstract of architecture into the building itself. We’ve become a trusted creator of quality shop drawings in a few short years. By proactively assisting our clients and partners – often under the pressure of deadlines to complete drawings on time – we help assure timely delivery of accurate documents precisely at the time they are needed.”

Boyas D&D provides a full roster of drafting services which include: full shop drawing packages, design assist details; and product selection and calculations. Established in January 2011 by Filomeno Boyas, the company has since delivered finished construction site drawings to managers and builders of small and large construction projects in and around the Chicago area, throughout Illinois, and across the U.S. Boyas D&D’s responsive boutique of construction drafting & design services consist of: • Aluminium Shop Drawings • Interior shower enclosures • Skylight systems • Interior glass railings • Custom glazing systems • Fabrication drawings

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Boyas Drafting & Design has produced thousands of finished shop drawings for glazing subcontractors and device fabricators all over the country. “Our work primarily guides construction craftsmen who build storefronts and other non-load bearing interior and exterior walls, aluminium windows and door frames; as well as custom design services for the above- type systems,” says founder/President, Boyas. His company also produces shop and fabrication drawings for sunshades, louvers, translucent panel systems, decorative grills, slab edge covers, column covers, trellis systems and other “decorative” building features.

Boyas Drafting & Design uses the latest version of AutoCAD along with earlier AutoCAD- capable versions. Though most clients prefer electronic files, Boyas D&D can deliver full size plotted documents – as many copies as needed – along with half size (11” x 17”) renderings. All work can be electronically transmitted directly to the construction site, the building management client’s offices, or their designated reproduction providers. Boyas D & D project managers have deep experience with the following software: AutoCAD, AutoDesk Revit, Navisworks, MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Quattro Pro, Adobe, PartnerPak Studio, and GDS. Boyas Drafting & Design professionals help solve – and in fact many times prevent – “potential detailing errors,” according to Mr. Boyas. “We have carefully crafted a reputation in our industry for impeccable shop and fabrication drawing excellence,” he adds.

“When many different people – beginning with the architect – work on a drawing, ambiguities can inadvertently creep into them. When they reach us, our job is to eliminate them. Our clients know that when our drawings reach them, they perfectly translate – visually – what the contractors are building.

“Also, we take tremendous pride in delivering to our clients precise, coordinated, effectual shop drawing and engineering packages. They reward us for making their project run smoothly with their repeat business: often many times over.”

Boyas Drafting & Design: Building a Bright Future in the Glazing Industry

Children Hospital of Chicago: Chicago, Illinois Scope of Work: Custom steel curtain wall, BIM modes General Contractor: Mortenson-Power Glazing Contractor: Trainor Glass 2009

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Upgrade in Government-Based Projects for More Complete Boyas Service Offerings Not long ago, Filomeno Boyas decided it was time to segregate his service offerings into two specific divisions: Private, and Public (or government) Sectors.

“One reason surrounds the upcoming rejuvenation of our country’s infrastructure,” says Boyas.

“Both sides of the political aisle are calling for this reinvestment; it seems wise that we prepare for a noticeable uptick in this activity in the coming years.”

He also has learned that during good economic times, activity in private sector construction generates profits; while in down times, government activity keeps many construction companies afloat.

“Fortifying our government division’s capabilities, is a wise hedge against those economic times,” Boyas concludes.

One element that went into this decision, was the nature of the construction contracting and subcontracting business itself.

“Many are small companies, and the processes associated with bidding for government construction contracts can be tedious,” Mr. Boyas says. This can place a great deal of emphasis on redundant documentation requirements in order for a small shop to get the contract, and then complete the work. “By their very nature,” he adds, “government contracts and the accompanying paperwork can require specific information from the architect, general contractor, and often, every subcontractor, that may not necessarily be required in private sector building projects.

“Large general contractors,” Mr. Boyas continues, “can afford multiple in-house divisions to submit complicated – paper-heavy – proposals to government RFP’s.” However, he says that smaller firms don’t have that luxury when developing their government contract bids. Hence why they need a documentation partner. “That’s where we come in. They deserve a level playing field; especially if they might not have all the in-house assets necessary to deliver construction services to state and local governments. And besides, we enjoy working with them.”

Mr. Boyas doesn’t go out of his way to focus on these smaller contractors at the expense of the larger ones though. “We embrace the smaller companies because we’re a small company ourselves; and believe small and medium sized businesses (SMB’s) deserve the same opportunities of larger companies.”

The Opportunity of a Down Economy Created Boyas Drafting & Design Mr. Boyas finds humour in the fact that even though the business term “outsourcing” didn’t exist a generation ago, the construction industry has always relied on the practice. “In a world of increasing specialization, outsourcing is a blessing to many businesses. Those who build must have different specialists at given times during the life of a construction project. The constant is having reliable design and shop drawings that on-site building professionals can rely on to do the job right.”

He points to his specific ‘link in the construction chain’ to underscore his point.

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“When we finish creating these working documents, an engineer has to approve them before he can put his seal on them. They can’t go out to the jobsite until that happens. Every document revision must have engineering approval. Not long ago, we found it more cost efficient to outsource to an engineering firm we knew and trusted; rather than assume the cost of having someone on-staff that was only needed at a few specific points of our service chain.”

Douglas Pyka, a Project Manager with Ventana Design-Build Systems comments of Boyas D&D’s services. “I give them a five-star rating. Filomeno and his team provide phenomenal service for custom design work. They also take the time to understand exactly how an idea needs to be portrayed via drawings. Boyas remains a part of our project team and we will continue to work with Filomeno every time the situation presents itself.”

It was this same dynamic that inspired Mr. Boyas to found his company. Prior to establishing Boyas Drafting & Design, Mr. Boyas worked for several firms, most notably Trainor Glass Company and Harmon Inc., both companies being key players in the glass and aluminium design industry.

Michael Kelly, Tom Rink, and Gary Stachula with C.A.D. Contract Glazing note that their company has worked with Boyas D&D on projects ranging from five figures to millions of dollars, and note their pleasure at “interacting with engineering people like Filo. He and his associates understand the glazing industry and always draw what we ask for.”

In late 2010, as a department head with a large drafting and design corporation with offices in 20 cities across the U.S., the company was going through the dramatic downturn of the construction industry from the 2009 Recession. His employer had laid-off most of the employees. Boyas and his few remaining associates lived in daily fear that the axe could fall on them any day.

Then his turn came. During the days leading up, Boyas was seriously entertaining the idea it was time to establish his own company. As he was hearing the “bad news,” from his employer, he knew it was time for a bold move. Boyas offered to perform the same drafting and design work as an outsourcing provider. Almost immediately, his boss said “yes – perfect. I think this will work out fine.” Thus, began Boyas Drafting & Design. “This happened on a Friday afternoon. The following Monday, my company (of one – but not for long) was doing the very same work.”

Today, Boyas’ instructions and drawings are meticulously created before the approving engineer ever sees them. “Our construction documents don’t get sent back with any problems that we must correct. This means we end up saving the engineer time, and our construction blueprints or electronic renderings are in building contractor’s – and their subcontractors – on-time, as-specified, and fullyapproved; because of the meticulous quality that goes into our drafting and design services.”

Design technology has grown in latitude and scope over the past few years. Ten years ago, we were relegated to creating paper shop drawings that could not be modified in the field, Boyas notes. “Today though, with the advent of mobile workstations and software that utilizes laptops tablets and even iPads, renderings of shop drawings can be viewed multidimensionally. This plays to our reputation of being detail oriented. Our drawings have the polish displayed by larger firms because we ignore no minute detail when creating these specialized documents.”

Delivering Reliable Drafting & Design Services Since 2011, Boyas Drafting & Design is honoured to work with a variety of partners in the building industry; delivering to them best-in-class drawing services which are used for glazing construction of building interiors and exteriors. These partners erect privately funded office, retail and other commercial structures; as well as government buildings. Several representatives of these clients share their thoughts of what it’s like to partner with Boyas Drafting & Design.

And Edward Rowan, another Project Executive with Ventana has worked with Boyas D&D on, “more than 30 projects over the past eight years. The true value Boyas D&D brings. Is the experience to come up with new solutions to the, at times, vague architectural instructions we might get.”

As the Construction Industry moves further into the new millennium, Boyas Drafting & Design continues to create and leverage its valued partnerships with construction development firms. These dynamic affiliations produce attractive, well-designed and profitable real estate developments that stand the test of time.

Boyas Drafting & Design: Building a Bright Future in the Glazing Industry

Chicago Bulls Training Facility: Chicago Scope of Work: Exterior Curtain wall, interior heavy glass partitions & shower enclosures General Contractor: McHugh Construction 2014

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Company: Vertas Group Contact: Ian Surtees Address: Beacon House, Landmark Business Park, Ipswich, IP1 5PB, UK Phone: 01473 263600 Website: www.vertas.co.uk

Making the Difference Vertas Group Limited is the fastest growing facilities management provider in East of England, specialising in a range of building services such as catering, cleaning, grounds design and maintenance, security, passenger transport, energy consultancy, graphic design and print and much more. We spoke to Ian Surtees to discuss being featured in CEO of the Year 2017 & CEO of the Year – the UK.

ertas operates with over £46m turnover and employs c.2,600 staff across over 400 sites in Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. The business works with a variety of clients from all sectors; including settings within education, local government, business and industry and everything in-between. As CEO, Ian talks us through his previous roles, outlining how he came to achieve his position, and explaining how he draws on past experiences in his current role.

When undertaking a new client, it is vital to ensure right from the start that the outcome meets the needs of everyone involved. Solid planning and a correctly assembled team are key aspects of success. With regards to Vertas and the company’s ongoing strategy, Ian tells us what techniques he employs in order to ensure that the strategy results in success. Understanding the business and communication levels are vital to the firm’s success, alongside technology and enhancing the work life balance, making sure staff are happy going to work.

“Throughout mainland Europe and the UK, I have undertaken varied positions within the FM sector. I have gained experiences in Operations, Sales, Marketing, Finance and Health and Safety, and this experience has given me a solid understanding of all aspects of the requirements to lead a multi functioning business effectively. I have always communicated well with colleagues and it is important to create a positive culture that flows throughout the organisation. As a previous Operations Director, you face many daily issues that require agility and focus. These experiences have taught me to be resilient, positive and flexible to overcome challenges and lead our workforce.”

“Essentially, I am very active within the business and communicate at all levels. It is important that everyone understands the business strategy and are updated regularly. My colleagues appreciate the fact that I deliver the message and they have the opportunity to discuss and understand the business direction. In terms of a strategy outline, it is as follows: ‘business growth via long term, sustainable business, whilst supporting and developing our people and services’.

With c.2,600 employees within the business, we have to constantly develop our communication approach and systems to support this exposure.

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“Technology has been sourced and implemented into the business to support our teams. A new time and attendance system, HR, payroll and holiday system, absence management and finance system have all been recently introduced to enable teams to focus on services and clients rather that administration. This has helped improve business efficiency dramatically.

“Vital to the success of the company, we have also introduced an initiative regarding our use of email.

We have banned internal email on a Thursday, unless business critical and introduced a 6-6 rule, no email early morning and late evening. This has dramatically supported work life balance and given back time to focus on our clients and potential opportunities. You have to be brave sometimes to succeed.”

Referring to his leadership style, Ian tells us how he ensures everyone in his organisation understands his vision and works towards it. Again, Ian mentions communication, something he obviously regards as crucial to his and the company’s success.

He explains how his vision is embedded into the culture of the firm.

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Making the Difference

“Here at Vertas, I am very clear in my communication style and hierarchy. We have a reasonably ‘flat’ hierarchy that allows the senior managers to run the day to day business and the Directors to focus on strategic innovation and service growth. This allows the business to respond with agility but importantly, gives the Senior Leadership Team autonomy. My vision is cascaded downward through the levels of management and communicated via varied means, such as leaderships forums, CEO breakfast meetings and social media articles.”

Interestingly, Ian is able to tell us about a wealth of opportunities that have opened up, having rebranded the entire business and moved its Headquarters. Ian believes these changes have benefitted the company, and made it stronger in an ever evolving industry, “Everything has changed since taking over as CEO. I have rebranded the entire business, moved HQ, regionalised the operational boundaries, recruited the right people for the right job, acquired businesses to bolster our current offering, diversified into new markets and services, implemented new management systems, the list is endless. All of these changes have made us stronger as a business and built our resilience in an ever-changing economy.”

Moving forward, Ian’s ultimate goal is to grow the business into a UK market leader, and be a company which is recognised for its first-class customer service and quality. Vertas looks to ensure that the business offers all individuals the opportunity to grow within the business and develop as professionals.

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Company: Youcall-it.com Tel: +44 (0) 845 582 2423 Email: info@youcall-it.com Website: www.youcall-it.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/ YouCall_it Facebook: www.facebook. com/YouCallit.Global/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/ company-beta/977479/

Delivering IT Services Around the World The Youcall-it.com platform supports multiple ways of working, from locally in country all the way to full global management. We profile the firm as we look to explore the secrets behind its success.

stablished in 2010, Youcall-it.com were striving to create a better way of managing and delivering business around the world. Back then, there were frustrations in service delivery, and they still exist today. There was not a mechanic or a system which existed to deliver services with service providers outside of the firm’s clients own systems.

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As a result, requirements when dealing in house were managed brilliantly, but when sent to a partner provider, the management was lost.

With everything being sent by emails, or via an outsource button, the service provider was forced to change its internal processes, just so it could work international businesses.

Therefore, emails or constant phone calls were the only way of chasing clients, partners and customers for an update or obtaining call details. This caused delays, miscommunication and had no accountable delivery mechanic. The firm’s unique platform was designed from the ground up to provide a one-stopshop for service delivery on a Global scale.

Fast forward to 2017, and Youcall-it.com has developed a unified method of working which has become increasingly relevant, and continues to make a positive impact on the global service stage. Aiming to help customers communicate as effectively as possible, the company makes sure that its systems are built using the latest web technologies, covering the widest range of platforms possible. The team are always looking for ways to add value for its users, constantly developing and expanding its product offering, as well as integrating existing cloud based services and innovating bespoke solutions.

Crucially, the team have laid out a vision and overall mission to staff, of providing its suppliers, partners and clients, as well as the service chain with a unified and single way of working together. Youcallit.com currently supports its customers’ activities in a variety of continents, linking and connecting its service partners directly to clients’ service desks and systems.

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Youcall-IT.com connects 100’s of service providers directly to those needing IT support or deployment services in a country whilst keeping the communication and delivery of the work seamless.

Clients work directly with IT Service and solution providers from around the world via its dedicated platform, which works on the basis that, when everybody works on the same level; communication, cost and management are delivered in a much better way, with un-necessary layers removed.

Alongside its excellent customer service, the company excels in many other areas, having built tools which allow a single point of entry for global management of IT Support requests, contracts, deployments, installations, surveys and much more. Staff can find and manage new service providers, extending your own capability, or if you have an existing network of providers you can manager them via the platform.

Additionally, Youcall-it.com have inbuilt live translation tools which helps overcome the language barrier when these challenges arrive.

These challenges often present themselves when engineers are onsite and need to speak to a support desk that works in a different language.

On top of this, the company also include an inventory and asset management system, linked directly to UPS to track shipments across the world. The logistics function can also link directly to our clients shipping partners. Whilst the asset management function allows you to see your supported equipment, spares, locations and users on demand, a great product for managing multiple or global estates. Youcall-it.com’s verified partner network is growing every day, connecting companies around the world via our easy to use systems.

Offering a variety of products, the company’s IT solutions include: Field Services, Helpdesks, Project management, SLA management, Implementation, IMAC/D across a broad spectrum of technologies. Its extended services via partner

Delivering IT Services Around the World

network include, Recruitment, Web development, Data centres, Virtualisation and Software services.

Hardware supported includes Printers, Servers, Networks, EPOS, RFID, AV, monitoring and inhouse retail equipment.

Fundamentally, Youcall-it.com’s wide range of service features, coupled with the unified service mantra have allowed it to introduce its exceptional systems to a range of customers, from main tier downwards. The team design, provide and deliver third party support to clients across the whole of the globe, and going forward is keen to continue to offer this winning combination of a unique solution and high-quality service.

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1710AI19

Company: Squire Patton Boggs Contact: Richard J. Gibbon Email: richard.gibbon@ squirepb.com Address: Dubai International Financial Centre, Buri Daman Office Tower, Level 10, P.O. Box 111713, Dubai, UAE. Phone: 00 971 55 162 1633 Website: www.squirepattonboggs.com

A Full Service Advice Firm with a Premier White Collar Offering Squire Patton Boggs (SPB) is a full-service global law firm, with a multidisciplinary team of over 1,500 lawyers in 46 offices across 20 countries. We profile the firm and Richard J. Gibbon, as he is named in the Leading Adviser Awards 2017 as Leading White Collar Crime Adviser of the Year – UAE. ffering a variety of services, SPB advises a diverse mix of clients, from Fortune 100 and FTSE 100 corporations to emerging companies and from individuals to local and national governments.

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SPB’s Government Investigation and White Collar Practice services are required now more than ever. The financial and legal sectors are becoming increasingly complex, with the global business environment becoming more regulated. Therefore, multinational and global business enterprises, plus financial intermediaries and even government and sovereign entities, must be conscientious about how they balance innovation and investment with compliance and must therefore have exceptional government investigation and white collar counsel at hand who can quickly and deftly address all such issues.

SPB’s Government Investigation and White Collar Practice offers formidable resources around the globe, to effectively represent clients faced with potential investigations and any parallel civil and criminal prosecution. Possessing a wealth of experience and expertise, the team is full of people with diverse backgrounds, notably, former seniorranking litigation and trial lawyers who enhanced their skills inside U.S. attorney offices, as well as the U.S. Departments of Justice, to name just a few agencies.

As a mark of its excellent reputation and depth of experience, the firm has been involved in four of the 10 largest U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act (UKBA) anticorruption investigations, including as Monitor in one of the largest FCPA matters.

Working closely with in-house counsel to address government inquires and investigations, the firm’s Government Investigation and White Collar Practice adds value in three different ways: assessment, response, and defence.

Beginning with assessment, the firm evaluates existing compliance and ethics policies and procedures to determine whether there is some

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deficiency or conduct that could give rise to liability on the part of a client, any of its officers or employees, or even liability on the part of the board of directors.

The firm then examines claims of misconduct or alleged regulatory violations even before they are reported to government officials in order to determine whether an independent investigation is warranted and, if so, whether any corrective action should be taken. SPB coordinates investigations between or among different agencies or governments, including in hearings before legislative bodies, regulatory agencies and grand juries. It responds to subpoenas, civil investigative demands or other requests for information, including taking steps to ensure that all documents and information are secured through an appropriate “litigation hold,” and electronic discovery is managed appropriately and in a cost-effective manner.

Finally, the firm defends administrative enforcement actions or investigations brought by any number of banking or other regulatory agencies, including policies and procedures employed by the client, as well as any derivative class actions seeking damages or injunctive relief, or grand jury proceedings.

An important part of the firm’s global presence, SPB’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai bring all the benefits of more than 50 years’ experience in the region with lawyers on the ground in the UAE for more than 20 years.

Versatility is a strong part of the firm’s service, as it represents government departments, governmentowned entities, private businesses, family offices and individuals across the seven Emirates, as well as international clients with interests in the UAE and the MENA region. A key indicator of its success and ability, SPB was honoured to act as legal advisers to the private office of H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan for more than 20 years.

Richard J. Gibbon is a member of the firm’s Government Investigation and White Collar

A Full Service Advice Firm with a Premier White Collar Offering

Practice, and he sits full time in SPB’s Dubai office. Like SPB as a whole, Richard has a wealth of relevant experience, having represented multinational corporates and other clients across the Middle East, North Africa, India Pacific, Levant, and Europe in connection with anticorruption and economic sanctions regimes.

In the context of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act (UKBA), Richard has conducted internal investigations into alleged misconduct and international investigations into alleged noncompliance by foreign agents and business partners, he has addressed the implications of the laws as part of M&A due diligence, he has analysed and developed business conduct standards and compliance controls, and he has provided training sessions.

Versatile like the firm, he has also advised on the scope of economic sanctions administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and has guided clients when responding to criminal and civil government inquiries.

Currently, Richard is assisting a number of different financial institutions across the Middle East, Levant, and Europe with the investigation of potential violations of U.S. sanctions laws and representation before OFAC, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and other U.S. and home-country enforcement agencies and regulators.

Richard also lectures at the Paris-Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi on the International Business Law Master’s Degree, and has recently supervised two students’ theses on the use of non-prosecution agreements (NPA’s) and deferred prosecution agreements (DPA’s) to resolve government enforcement actions and the implications of Brexit on the UK’s economic sanctions regime.

Overall, knowledge and experience have been— and continue to be—key to SPB’s success. Richard Gibbon will certainly play an important part in the firm’s future, as it works to solidify its position as the dominant, market leading Investigations and White Collar Practice in the Middle East.

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1708AI41

Company: Momentum Consulting Group, Inc. Contact: Kevin France Email: info@momentumconsultinggrp.com Address: 7522 Campbell Road, Suite 113167, Dallas, Texas, 75248, USA Phone: 001 800 764 1875 Website: www.momentumconsultinggrp.com

The Powerful Growth Engine Behind Companies Worldwide Momentum Consulting Group® was founded on the principle that, with the proper foundation and appropriate allocation of resources, an organization can execute their vision and achieve market dominance. We profile the firm as we look to further explore the secrets behind its ongoing success. ull of experience and knowledge, the Momentum team is comprised of highly experienced business professionals from many different business disciplines, making available to clients’ organizations nearly 150 years’ worth of expertise and knowledge in the healthcare, legal, private, commercial, public and federal sales sectors, as well as non-profit entities.

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Alongside its vertical market expertise; Momentum has extensive core competencies in sales optimization, training and development, sustainability, process improvement, operations and supply chain management.

Showcasing its success as a company, the consultants at Momentum have a proven track record of success, and they have worked in a vast array of companies in all sorts of sizes and complexities, all whilst delivering results for corporations of over $7B in sales worldwide.

Maintaining a global presence, the firm has clients in 39 countries on 6 different continents.

Relating back to the success of Momentum, the team has been able to transform businesses to achieve unprecedented revenue growth, and this stems from a keen understanding that implementing an effective sales strategy goes well beyond the sales force. The firm offers a personal touch and it is vital that a business reforms itself from top to bottom, something Momentum helps its clients to do.

As with all successful companies, the entire team and staff must all be pulling in the same direction, working towards achieving the same goals and having similar aspirations. Alignment between vision, goals and strategy, results in effective and deliverable value propositions, as is the belief of Momentum.

Including all aspects of clients’ wishes and demands, the approach of the company helps clients to develop, design and deliver program alignment throughout all functional areas of their organisation

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in an assortment of areas. These areas include marketing, e-commerce, training, distribution and customer service, and this unlocks the clients’ ability to maximise their market opportunity. The firm sees a high rate of return business, which is testament to its ability of providing excellent customer service and satisfying clients.

Momentum collaborate with clients on coming up with the best solution to match the needs and demands of each customer, and strives to become an integrated partner with its clients, serving as an extension of management and professional teams.

Moreover, the team is able to deliver pragmatic and realizable solutions, applying experience to focus quickly on core opportunities, adding the highest return and develop innovative, pragmatic solutions, all of which are implemented and produce sustainable results.

Significantly, the company acts independently, focusing on client advisory services. As an independent advisor, Momentum are unbiased and are solely focused on its clients’ returns. Adding a personal touch to proceedings, the firm is a people business, and its client service philosophy recognises that world-class advisory is delivered by talented and world-class professionals. Along with its clients, its people are its greatest asset.

Placing an emphasis on world-class solutions, as a member of The Momentum Group, the company’s solutions are supported by empirical research of world-class companies and associated best practices.

Essentially, serving leading companies across multiple segments; Momentum’s expertise focuses on the major challenges influencing companies today in achieving significant revenue growth. Its business strategy works with a diverse portfolio of clients on their growth initiatives and improving their total enterprise value. The team work collaboratively, bringing innovative thinking, strong facilitation skills, and proven strategic blueprints.

The Powerful Growth Engine Behind Companies Worldwide

Many corporations neglect the crucial element of aligning their goals, mission statement and value proposition.

Vital to its ongoing success is the firm’s ability to satisfy its clients, both in the short term and the long term. Momentum can help formulate your vision and mission statements, developing your own unique value proposition. This alignment will then be carried throughout all functional areas of an organization, including Marketing, eCommerce, Training, Supply Chain and Customer Service.

All these areas working congruently, to ultimately build a powerful, results-driven organization. Each client has their own unique value-proposition. The key to success, is forming a cohesive, well defined and superbly trained organization, unlocking and maximizing your company’s potential.

A versatile company, Momentum’s well experienced staff has numerous industry expertise’s and core competencies in building powerful sales organizations. The team also has proficiencies in Sustainability, Training and Development, Assessments, Import-Export, Process Improvement and Supply Chain Management. The team has designed programs for a broad spectrum of sectors.

Ultimately, Momentum Consulting builds national programs customized to its business, its strategy and its needs. Whatever clients can imagine, the firm can create a strategy together so your organization may experience a whole new approach to successfully growing its revenue.

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Training to a Higher Level 1710AI26

Company: Clinton Training Contact: Leigh Wright Email: leigh@clintontraining.co.uk Address: Trident House, 31-33 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2HF, UK Phone: 0151 521 3232 Website: www.clintontraining.co.uk

Training to a Higher Level Clinton Training is an established training provider of many years delivering a wide range of qualifications in various subjects and qualification levels. Leigh Wright gives us a breakdown of the services that the company provides, as well as providing an insight into what makes it successful.

orking with a range of clients, Clinton Training work with people from local government, commercial and industrial clients, retail and leisure industry and tourism and attractions and private clients.

Leigh outlines the company’s overall mission, emphasising the focus on customer service and the ambition to be the leader in the industry.

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“Here at Clinton Training, our mission is to lead in our industry and offer excellent customer service and product knowledge. The steps we take is to be proactive in our industry, and integrate innovation by seeing what the gap is in the market, but also offering the service to fill the gap in the market and offer it at value for money. This is achieved by listening to our customers and constant market research we adapt our business to the required demand in the industry.

“This process generates a new business market each time and new customers from this market, enabling our company to grow rapidly and show stability.”

Providing us with a brief overview of the education industry within the region of Liverpool, Leigh explains what challenges the company has faced, and how they have overcome these issues. Staff concentrate on quality training, as there can be a lack of quality within the industry, something Leigh alludes to.

“There is a skill shortage which then reflects upon companies when they recruit for employees. The Education industry can be flooded with training providers who have the government funding they need to fill their government contract, in order to draw down more funding, and this can have a poor impact on the quality of training. Clinton Training has all private paying clients, with our courses concentrating on quality of teaching. This then helps the company win more contracts, plus, lots of word of mouth recommendations which is the best form of advertising.”

Distinguishing itself from other similar firms within the industry, Leigh discusses how the business is always ahead of the industry, being proactive and analysing the market constantly. This ensures that the company is able to offer the best service and support, something the company truly believes in.

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“Clinton Training is proactive not reactive we are always completing market research and needs analysis in our market and provide training courses which cover skills gap for our client’s needs. We offer value for money and ongoing support for all our clients ensuring they receive an excellent service at all times.”

Regarding the internal culture within the firm, Leigh tells us how Clinton Training make sure all staff are well equipped to provide the best service, and how they are always kept up to date with any ongoings within the industry and the company itself.

“All of Clinton Training staff undergo intensive training on our products and services and can help and advise clients on any of our training courses and match to which is best suited to our clients with their requested needs. There is always a staff member at Clinton Training who can assist with any clients queries or questions.

“Importantly, our staff are also updated on any changes in legislation and new and developing training courses to ensure that Clinton Training can advise new and existing clients accordingly.”

Finally, Leigh comments on where she can see the company going in the future, noting how it has already started to expand and this will likely to continue, as the company is seeing an influx of new employees.

“Recently, we have expanded to more training facilities and offices, thanks to the company increasing with rapid growth and showing excellent stability. We have also taken on more Clinton Training employees and we will be recruiting for more employee’s due to our continued growth. We will be looking at expanding across the UK with branches in different areas.

“Ultimately, Clinton Training is going from strength to strength and is making an impact in the Education industry, we have a fantastic team in all departments, who strive for the success for the company, and we owe a big thank you to all our employees for all their hard work, helping the business be a success and a leader in the Education industry. Also, a big appreciation to our Managing Director, Stephen Houghland for giving us his knowledge and experience and guidance to ensure the success of Clinton Training.”

Excellence With a Global Presence 1710AI25

Company: SFM Corporate Services Contact: Alexander Matthew Address: Opal Tower, Burj Khalifa Street, Office 605 PO Box 128846 Business Bay Dubai, UAE Phone: +97 1 4 356 2000 Website: www.sfmcorporate.com

Excellence With a Global Presence SFM Corporate Services is an independent corporate service provider with offices in Dubai, Switzerland, Republic of Seychelles and Hong Kong. We spoke to Alexander Matthew as we discuss the company being featured in 2017 Global Excellence Awards and Most Outstanding for Corporate Services in the UAE, as well as exploring the secrets behind the firm’s continuing success. n industry leader in providing corporate services, SFM has perfected the company formation process. The company is able to assist its clients by incorporating companies in various locations worldwide, whilst also ensuring that the newly combined entity is fully compliant with corporate laws and practices, in each and every jurisdiction. Alexander explains how it feels to feature in these awards, along with telling us what she attributes to the company.

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“Here at SFM, we are very proud to have been awarded the title of Most Outstanding for Corporate Services in the UAE by Acquisition International.

We work hard to deliver services to our clients and take pride in what we do, so it feels great to be rewarded and recognised for our diligent work.

“Specialising in offshore and onshore company formation and setting up corporate bank accounts for these entities, showcases our global presence.

As a Swiss regulated entity, our firm offers a range of corporate services to facilitate the incorporation process in over 20 jurisdictions. This versatility is key to the company’s success.”

Being a client-focused firm, the company works hard to keep its customers updated with various events within the industry. Alexander tells us how this is essential for not only the company, but also for its clients, as the market is ever evolving and up to date solutions are integral.

“Essentially, we strive to provide our clients with the most up to date information on our industry. As we work on a daily basis with over 20 jurisdictions worldwide, the environment in which our clients are forming their companies and setting up their corporate bank accounts is constantly changing. It is therefore critical for us to remain in the know to provide our clients with current information, along with the most appropriate solutions to any issues that may arise during the process of their company’s incorporation or corporate account opening procedure.

“Through our website prospective, clients are just a few clicks away from beginning the setup of their entities and corporate bank accounts. Also, we have worked hard to simplify the process of ordering these services across our range of jurisdictions.

Potential clients are also invited to chat directly with SFM’s experienced members of staff via the chat

functions on our Websites, providing clients with free consultations and invaluable information.”

Vital to the success of the company, SFM has marked itself out as the best possible option for clients within the market. Alexander explains what makes the company stand out, noting three things in particular, its reputation, its understanding of its clients, and its customer response to client questions.

“Ultimately, our business distinguishes itself in the industry through many different ways. Firstly, SFM is a member of several reputable associations, which provides our clients with a guarantee that we are fully compliant with laws and regulations in the different jurisdictions in which we incorporate companies.

“Secondly, we recognise that understanding a client’s profile is critical to making smart decisions for their future and ours. Hence, SFM’s professional team follows a strategic process to determine what is in our client’s best interest in order to identify the best opportunities for each of them.

“Finally, we have streamlined the company formation and corporate bank account ordering process via our websites. Clients can find the information that they require on our websites, and if they have a particular question, they can pose it directly to our team through our live chat. This ensures that the client can make clear decisions that pertain solely to their business.”

Looking ahead, Alexander predicts what the future holds for SFM, mentioning how it intends to grow, and expand the areas it works in. Continuing to work on and developing its banking network, Alexander believes that going forward the company can establish itself as a market leader, ensuring it is providing the best solutions for all its clients’ needs.

“Excitingly, SFM intends to continue to grow in the future, with new offices being planned in more cities around the world. Moreover, we will be looking to work with more jurisdictions in order to meet the growing demands of our clients and expand their opportunities. Also, we will continue to work on and develop our banking network to ensure that we can provide the best solutions for all of our client’s business needs. Moving forward, we have an exciting future ahead of us and look forward to persisting in our efforts to provide the best onshore and offshore corporate services internationally.”

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Leading the way for Legal Excellence 1708AI15

Company: WH Partners Contact: Rehana Sharma Email: Rehana.Sharma@ whpartners.eu Address: Level 5 Quantum House, 75 Abate Rigord Street, Ta’ Xbiex, XBX1120, Malta Phone: 00356 2092 5100 Website: whpartners.eu

Leading the way for Legal Excellence WH Partners was formed in 2012 by Olga Finkel and James Scicluna and built on the successful practice run by Olga Finkel from 2006 called WH Law. We profiled the firm to further explore the secrets behind its success and what makes them Leading Gambling Law Adviser of the Year – Malta and Leading Adviser Awards 2017.

H Partners is a Malta-based leading law firm with expertise in assets and wealth management, citizenship, corporate finance, employment, fund management, gaming and gambling, investment funds, maritime, mergers and acquisitions, property, tax, technology, and securitisation.

The firm and its lawyers are highly ranked by the foremost independent legal directories and have won acclaimed international awards for its service levels in a number of practice areas.

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Standing out in the very competitive legal industry, the firm has now established itself as a leading Malta-based business law firm best known for its strong understanding of the digital economy as well as for advising stake holders in the fields of education, financial services, gaming and gambling, leisure and hospitality, real estate, taxation and wealth management. The firm’s corporate, M&A, tax, IP, employment and regulatory lawyers are very active advising businesses across a raft of these areas.

Regarding the different offerings, it provides to various clients, the firm’s private client practice deals on an ongoing basis with high to very high net worth individuals. Plus, there are also family offices on matters ranging from succession planning and residence to yacht and aircraft registration.

Predominantly operating from its Maltese offices, the company does have consulting rooms in London. WH Partners is passionately committed to supporting CSR work and continue to work tirelessly with a number worthy causes.

Clients do business with the practice because they know that the firm’s lawyers are among the strongest in Malta in their respective practice areas. Taking note of feedback and working to produce the best service, the legal team and staff are well regarded by regulators and clients for their thoroughness, efficiency and knowledge of their clients’ business, as well as their versatility.

Moving on to the firm’s founders and partners; Olga Finkel is a lawyer by profession who is widely regarded and respected for her knowledge of gambling and technology law, as well as corporate governance and AML compliance matters. She is consistently highly ranked by Chambers & Partners as a top-tier global gaming law expert.

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Olga provides advice on strategic, commercial, intellectual property and regulatory matters to businesses in the digital and high-tech industries, including gaming, financial services and Fintech, digital content development. Additionally, Olga holds a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Malta as well as a Master of Science degree in IT and Economics from the Academy of Economics, Kharkov, Ukraine. She is a lecturer in gaming law at the University of Malta.

James Scicluna, is co-managing partner and founder of WH Partners and a Malta Advocate and a Solicitor of the Senior Court of England and Wales. Well-known for his in-depth knowledge of the gaming and gambling industry, he advises some of the World’s major gaming brands on significant transactions.

A member of the advisory team to the Malta Gaming Authority on the overhaul of gaming regulations in Malta, James has also advised the MGA on a variety of other matters. James is a highly-ranked lawyer by the foremost independent legal directories in a number of practice areas, including gaming and gambling by Chambers & Partners Global. He is a sought after speaker at gaming and gambling conferences and has authored several articles in reputable industry publications, as well as chapters on gaming legislation and the legal insight of the industry in Malta. Alongside this, he is a member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors and of the International Masters of Gaming Law, amongst others and is a lecturer in gaming law at the University of Malta.

Ultimately, WH Partners are delighted to be part of these awards, believing it is a fantastic accolade for the company. The team are dedicated and committed in all practice areas. With a business model and philosophy of putting the customer first, the future is bright for WH Partners. Matching and surpassing the needs of the customer in an efficient manner is at the heart of the company’s vision.

Management and the rest of the staff will continue to build on its key practice areas.

Tony Holt: Designing the Future for Self-Builders 1710AI05

TONY HOLT m.c.i.a.t Company: Tony Holt m.c.i.a.t – Bespoke Property Designer Contact: Tony Holt Phone: 01202 208331 Address: Richmond House, Bournemouth, BH1 1DA, UK Email: tony@tonyholt-design.co.uk Website: www.tonyholt-design.co.uk

Tony Holt: Designing the Future for Self-Builders Tony Holt is an award-winning designer of bespoke properties, including new build luxury residence, remodelling existing properties, working alongside self-builders across the UK who are seeking to create a truly unique project. We invited Tony Holt himself to explain how he came to win ‘Best for Bespoke Property Designer – UK’ in our prestigious 2017 Global Excellence Awards.

ony Holt draws on his vast experience during his professional career, previously working for one of the largest Architectural Practices in the UK, and now working independently with Self Builders designing and creating spectacular buildings for his clients to live in. He discusses his work and how he ensures that the outcome of every project is a building that his clients can be proud of.

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“I provide architectural design to self-builders that want something individual, special or unique.

This can be a design for a complete new house, remodelling an existing building including extensions and conversions. I offer either a full or partial design service and can be involved in as much of the project as a client requires.”

“What sets my service offering apart from my competitors and draws my clients to work with me is that I work exclusively with self-builders looking to build a home for them to live in. As such, I am focused entirely on this sector and the design process I adopt takes clients through their own journey to cater for their specific needs and requirements. This specialism also allows me to forge strong links to other consultants and suppliers that focus on the same audience, allowing my clients to benefit from all of these relationships, enhancing the end product and increasing the chances of success greatly.”

“As a registered Chartered Architectural Technologist, I work to high professional standards required by the C.I.A.T (Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists). This accreditation assures my clients that when they work with me I will provide them with a professional service advising them independently. My clients’ interests are at the forefront of any design decisions.”

Offering UK wide services, Tony has a broad overview of the property market in the UK currently, which he is eager to share with us.

“Within the UK housing market currently there is a shortage of good self-build plots with most being offered to mass house builders. Currently, we work on a 50/50 split of clients that have managed to acquire a plot of land and those that has chosen to remodel an existing property.”

Overall, Tony is proud of his current success and keen to achieve even more moving forward, as he was happy to conclude.

“Ultimately, it is a privilege to be asked to design someone’s home and to be recognised in this way is a bonus and an indication that I’m succeeding in creating great design solutions for my clients.”

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1706AI30

Company: PARKITECT AG Address: Reutenenstrasse 22 CH-9042 Speicher Switzerland Website: www.parkitect.ch

All Wheels All Ages All Abilities The winner of the 2017 Business Elite Award is PARKITECT AG, a Swiss company specializing in infrastructure for all kinds of wheeled sports. We caught up with founding partner, Erik Burgon, for an interview to learn more.

ARKITECT AG provides the world with Modular Pumptracks that inspire people of all ages and abilities to have fun getting physically active within their communities so they can live happier and healthier lives. Erik explains how thrilled he and his team are to be counted among the winners of the Business Elite Award.

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“My team and I were thrilled to have been given the opportunity to participate in this competition. All we started with was an idea, a few hundred bucks and a dream. It is awesome to see our humble journey being recognized at this level.”

Modular Pumptracks are structures which provide everyone with the opportunity to have fun getting physically active on wheels. Erik explains exactly what a Modular Pumptrack is and how it works.

“A Modular Pumptrack is a new type of rideable structure for wheeled sports of all kinds. It has a smooth, undulating riding surface and banked corners that allow riders to use their body weight, gravity and momentum to “pump” their way around the track on their bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller blades etc. rather than peddling or pushing traditionally.”

Erik goes on to tell us about why the Modular Pumptrack has become so successful and how it differs from more traditional types of wheeled sports infrastructure like cycle trails and skateparks.

“There is a vast demographic in this world that ride some form of wheeled sports equipment for transportation and/or leisure. The Modular Pumptrack is a solution for urban environments, where riders have limited options within close proximity of their residence to enjoy their sport.

Other structures such as cycle trails and skateparks are more geared towards specific user groups.”

“Generally speaking, skateparks tend to be a bit intimidating and difficult for beginners and children to enjoy. They also do not have a defined riding direction, which can cause tension between users of different types of wheeled sports equipment and between various age groups and skill levels.

A Modular Pumptrack is a unidirectional structure that is easy to learn and yet progressively more

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challenging as your speed increases. That combination means that more users per square meter, from a much wider spectrum of abilities, can enjoy riding simultaneously.”

Innovative and ambitious, Erik then goes into detail about how he came up with the design for a Modular Pumptrack. Furthermore, he describes what types of clients are buying Modular Pumptracks, typically those looking to provide a venue for physical activity within their respective community.

“Essentially, the Modular Pumptrack is designed to pack as much fun-per-square-meter, for as many users as possible, into one structure. The fundamental design principal being to allow anyone, of any age, of any ability, riding any kind of wheeled sports equipment, to enjoy riding around the track, safely and comfortably. The original concept was my own, bourn from many years of professional mountain bike riding and modular system design.

To get from those original prototypes, to what is now winning awards like this one, was a real team effort, with input from professional athletes from many disciplines, material experts, structural engineers, and countless hours of testing.”

“Studies show that our Modular Pumptrack increases the amount of physical activity that is enjoyed by the people within the communities where they are installed. As a result, our clients typically have a vested interest in increasing the number of happy and healthy people within their community or facility. Most installations are in the public sector, including: cities, towns, schools and sport/leisure facilities, where encouraging an active lifestyle has multiple community benefits. In the private sector, we deal mostly with holiday resorts and adventure parks, seeking a fun, physically active, and innovative experience for their guests.”

In his concluding statements, Erik comments on how well the Modular Pumptrack concept has been accepted within various communities around the world. Interesting considering the diversity of the cultures found in the over 40 countries in which they have been installed. Furthermore, he hints at what the future holds for PARKITECT, explaining how innovation will continue to help the firm serve its customers.

All Wheels, All Ages, All Abilities

“Clearly, some cultures do not see eye to eye with regards to values and politics, but every culture I have had the pleasure of experiencing, enjoys coming together as a family or community to do something collectively. The Modular Pumptrack bridges the gaps, allowing families and communities to enjoy their physical activity, all in one place and all at the same time.

“Our products are beloved by all kinds of wheeled sports riders, from toddlers on balance bikes, to preteens on scooters, to pro riders of all disciplines, alike.”

“Going forward, without exception, we will continue to deliver great products with great service, while constantly innovating to exceed the expectations of our clients and the riders.”

Acquisition International - October 2017 37

Ethical and Legal 1710AI13

Ethical and Legal Company: El Ajeri Lawyers Manager Partner: Mohamed Lotfi EL AJERI Email: mlelajeri@eal.tn Address: 4, Mahmoud El MATERI Street, Mutuelle Ville, Tunis, 1002, Tunisia Phone: +216 71 28 82 51 // +216 71 28 77 38 Fax: +216 71 89 25 25 Website: www.elajerilawyers.com

El Ajeri Lawyers (EAL) are a Tunisian law firm of international standing specialized in business law. The team find solutions to the many legal issues a company may face and offer expertise in all fields of business law.

We spoke to Cyrine Guermazi who describes the overall vision of the firm.

AL are highly involved with its clients, and the team assist them throughout life: from the conception and creation of a project, as it develops and as legal issues arise, including through special transactions, whether in Tunisia or abroad. The team do this by providing clients with the most advanced knowledge, competence and technical means available. Cyrine goes into more detail about what the law firm does, and how it works for and with clients.

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Important in the legal industry is ensuring client satisfaction. Verifying the identity of clients is vital to its success, as the team look to learn as much about their client as possible, something Cyrine refers to.

“Experienced in all fields of business law, our attorneys are attentive and listen proactively to understand the real needs of the client, look out for his best interests and provide a custom-fit, personalized service for any sized company or field of operation.

“Essentially, the firm opt for the process of know your client, based on verifying the identity of our clients, collecting necessary details and making a deep investigation by filling the intake sheet, which should contain the following information; the name, address and contact number of the client and any entities related to the client, as well as the date of the intake; and the nature of the representation.

Sometimes, if the client is new, without established terms of compensation, the terms and conditions of the engagement, and also the identity of the person authorizing the engagement.

“Members of several international networks and known by the most famous international business lawyers, our attorneys have built personal and privileged relationships with the greatest lawyers abroad. This advantage allows our clients access to the most effective and specialized solutions at any time, anywhere in the world.

“Additionally, the name, address and contact numbers of all parties involved in the representation, plus the terms/names that should be included in a conflict search. Our staff know our client, and work through this process for companies of all sizes, which helps prevent identity theft, financial fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing.”

“Here at EAL, the team works with many clients, both those in traditional sectors and those in innovative fields. We play an important leading role in consulting, representation and business assistance. Every day, we represent and assist world leaders in their field.”

Cyrine explains what attributes she believes are essential to achieving success in the industry, citing establishing long term cooperative relationships with international law firms and accounting firms across the globe, all of which provide seamless solutions to its clients’ cross-border concerns and projects.

“Highly involved with their clients, EAL lawyers assist them throughout life: from the conception and creation of a project, as it develops and as legal issues arise, including through special transactions, whether in Tunisia or abroad. It is done by providing clients with the most advanced knowledge, competence and technical means available.

“Experienced in all fields of business law, our attorneys are attentive and listen proactively to understand the real needs of the client, looking out for their best interests and provide a custom-fit, personalized service for any sized company or field of operation.”

Regarding the firm’s future aspirations, Cyrine believes there is a positive outlook for the company. Again, stating that long term cooperative relationships are key to EAL’s current and future success, EAL have recently joined the most famous law firm in the world and are now an official partner of DLA Piper.

38 Acquisition International - October 2017

Employment Law Made Easy 1710AI14

Company: EmployEasily Legal Services Contact: Gary Sutherland Address: 50 Wellington Street, Glasgow, G2 6HJ, UK Phone: 0141 611 9785 Website: employeasily.co.uk

Employment Law Made Easy EmployEasily Legal Services offer employment law advice and HR services for business across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and London. We profile the firm to find out more and explore the secrets behind its success. stablished in 2008, EmployEasily has since flourished, and is now a multiaward winning Legal Services business based in Glasgow, specialising in all areas of Employment Law and HR. Whether clients are looking for complete employment law advice, HR services packages, Employment Tribunal representation, fully outsourced hr outsourcing, employment contract law, or HR advice, EmployEasily Legal Services will work closely with them to fully understand their Employment Law Advice and/or HR Services, needs then provide tailor-made HR Services and bespoke Employment Law Advice at a reasonable price.

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One of the most complex areas for any business to get to grips with is Employment Law. Failing to comply with Employment Legislation and HR best practice when dealing with an employment issue can leave businesses vulnerable to costly Employment Tribunal Claims. As such, to support them and ensure that they fully understand their responsibilities, EmployEasily offer an innovative Fixed Fee Annual Employment Law Retainer Service provides employers with a range of employment law and support designed to deliver practical solutions customised to meet their specific needs.

This crucial service is provided by the firm’s specialist team of fully qualified employment law practitioners who understand how to balance compliance with UK employment legislation with the practicalities of successful people management in an operation environment where organisational objectives need to be met.

With a thorough understanding of how businesses operate, EmployEasily have ensured that their Fixed Fee Annual Employment Law and HR Retainer Service helps clients manage their employees across all aspects of their employment; from offer letters and contracts of employment to managing absence, poor performance, disciplinaries, grievances and terminations and will help guide clients through the employment law minefield.

Fixed fees are also offered for clients seeking tribunal representation, which is particularly vital as such cases can often become costly very rapidly. With the firm’s Legal Services’ Fixed Fee Employment Tribunal Representation offering, employers can save time and money, as EmployEasily understand how expensive, stressful, time consuming and distracting defending an Employment Tribunal claim can be, even before the case ever reaches the hearing stage. Their approach helps clients control costs and minimises stress and wasted time and management resources, allowing them to continue operating as usual during this potentially stressful time.

Fundamentally, flexibility is key to the firm’s offering, therefore clients who are still considering undertaking a fixed fee package can take advantage of EmployEasily’s mix of fixed fee and hourly rate support packages based on their specific needs.

This can help them control costs and mitigate the risks and costs associated with defending the threat of an Employment Tribunal claim throughout each step of the process.

Ultimately, clients of EmployEasily Legal Services benefit from a cost-effective solution that can save existing managers extensive amounts of time leaving them free to focus on their core business activities. They can also rest assured that their business is kept up to date and remains compliant with complex UK Employment Laws and that it has in place critical documents (contracts of employment, HR policies and procedures, etc) to limit the risks of industrial tribunal actions being raised. Moving forward, the company will aim to continue to offer the very highest standard of service and remain supportive of its valued clients and their businesses.

Acquisition International - October 2017 39

A Trustworthy Law Firm in Thailand 1708AI09

Company: Pisut and Partners Contact: Pisut Rakwong Email: pisut@ pisutandpartners.com Address: Tossapon Building, 4th Floor, Suite 4D, 200 Ratchadapisek Road, Huaykwang, Bangkok, 10310, Thailand Phone: 0066 2275 3637 Website: pisutandpartners.com

A Trustworthy Law Firm in Thailand Pisut & Partners is a leading international law firm based in Bangkok Thailand, having profound connections with international law firms across the region and other continents. We profile the firm, and Managing Partner, Pisut Rakwong, as we look to explore the secrets behind its success of being featured in Most Outstanding Law Firm 2017.

stablished in 2016, Pisut & Partners are a member of International Law Firms (ILF), an international association of independent smaller and mid-sized law firms serving their clients’ needs in cross-border business legal issues. ILF has approximately 70 firms from 50 countries worldwide. Additionally, the firm are also the exclusive Commercial Litigation Member in Thailand with IR Global, the world’s largest exclusive network of advisory firms and the fastest growing professional service firm network in the world.

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Furthermore, the firm is the exclusive Thai member in respect of Corporate Law, Dispute Resolution, Employment Law and Real Estate of International Advisory Experts, which is a global alliance of wellestablished and experienced legal, financial and consulting firms.

Providing a vast array of services, Pisut & Partners specialize in litigation and arbitration law, corporate M&A, hotels and hospitality, insolvency and restructuring, trade competition, labor and employment, immigration, insurance, transportation, administrative cases, and whitecollar criminal matters including other general commercial legal services. Notwithstanding its expertise, the firm always understands its clients’ needs and budgets.

Boasting a wealth of knowledge, the team of lawyers at Pisut & Partners have experience involving hotels and hospitality, corporate, commercial, labor and employment, property, Thai Court proceedings as well as arbitration under the ICC and the TAI rules.

A sign of the experience and wealth at the firm, Managing Partner, Mr. Pisut Rakwong is an active member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, International Bar Association, the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific, the Thai Bar Association and Lawyers Council of Thailand. He has been practicing in Thailand with over 18 years of legal experiences with an undoubted honest reputation as well as the tradition of uncompromised representation.

Quality legal representation is common ground within the legal industry, but what helps make Pisut & Partners stand out from its competitors is its dedication to its clients. The firm is solemnly devoted to maintaining and expanding its capabilities and expertise across a wide range of practice areas, therefore addressing the ever increasing array of clients’ needs.

It is not just the areas of practice which is diverse throughout the company, as its qualified lawyers have achieved degrees from several prominent legal institutions on a global scale, but are also bilingual in many languages, mostly English and Thai. Plus, the Chinese language is also supported by the firm.

Highly regarded around the world, Pisut & Partners is notable for having a strong dispute resolution practice. The team are constantly looking to go the extra mile for clients, and it is never a mandatory task, but something the legal team are happy and willing to do, looking to provide the best service possible. Available at a moment’s notice, lawyers are open to answering questions, being willing to communicate all aspects of their services to their clients.

Ultimately, the firm’s service and attributes all contribute to the success of Pisut & Partners, which is useful as the young, up and coming firm looks to grow and become a leader within the legal industry, and the wider area.

40 Acquisition International - October 2017

Employment Law Made Easy 1708AI29

Company: Fellows Consulting Contact: Peter Fellows Email: fellows@fellows.co.za Address: 6 Bristol Close, Waterford Estate West, Cnr Waterford Drive & Witkoppen, Johannesburg, South Africa Phone: 082 888 0140 Website: www.fellows.co.za

Building New Horizons Fellows Consulting is an ambitious Consulting Engineering B-BBEE level four Enterprise, based in Fourways. We profile the firm as we look for an insight into the firm’s services and expertise. stablished in 1987, Fellows Consulting have successfully completed the design, documentation and supervision of over 4000 projects over a 28-year period, all of which includes industrial, retail, commercial and residential.

Every successful company has an overall mission in which all staff have the same aspirations. Fellows’ mission is to improve its market share in the consulting engineering business throughout Africa, and producing efficient cost effective designs within the timeline which is given for each project.

Within the design and engineering industries, competition is tough but Fellows are able to distinguish themselves from other similar companies thanks to its extensive experience, particularly with regard to the design of shopping centres. The company is well-renowned for producing incredibly economical design, and has been involved in the design of a variety of famous centres; notably Broadacres, Comaro View, Ferndale, Linksfield, Pineslopes and Nongoma in South America. Adding to its portfolio, Fellows has also been involved in the design of Super Mares in Maputo Mozambique.

It has successfully completed projects throughout South Africa, Mozambique, Cameroon, Seychelles, Angola, Lesotho and Rwanda.

Upholding its sterling reputation, the team ensure that the company values are instilled in all staff’s vision and actions. Fellows takes great pride in its corporate values especially when it always thrives to uphold the core principles that are the foundation of the company’s existence. Focusing on certain values, the firm believes in quality, consistency, transparency, integrity, accountability and team spirit.

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Currently, the firm is working on a pedestrian bridge in Ladysmith. Over the past years, the company has steadily established a portfolio of successful projects to its credit.

Regarding the services offered by Fellows Consulting, there is a vast array, including structural engineering for commercial, industrial and residential projects. The team design all types of structures, including concrete, steel and timber as well as providing work in civil engineering and earthworks.

There are plenty of community initiatives which are introduced by the company, with previously disadvantaged contractors transferring skills management, and supervising in order to ensure their growth, allowing them to reach their full potential.

Evidently, Fellows had always encouraged its staff to receive further training, enabling to constantly develop their skills and continue their professional development wherever necessary. This enables the company to stay up to date with any potential changes and advances within the market.

Ultimately, Fellows Consulting are always striving to look for gifted and talented individuals who will improve the firm. The company commits itself to the responsibility of empowering and creating opportunities for members of communities that it works in. These mutual relationships reward the wider community, and as such the in-house training of staff is of great benefit to the people and the company. Fellows, as a whole, believes it can make a contribution to the transformation of Africa.

Acquisition International - October 2017 41

An Accountancy Firm you can Trust 1708AI39

Company: NPUS Accountants Contact: Udai Singh Email: udai@npus.co.uk Address: 4 Lytton Road, New Barnet, EN5 5BY, UK Phone: 0203 4688788 Website: www.npus-accountants.co.uk

An Accountancy Firm you can Trust NPUS Accountants is a unique accountancy firm, made up of a group of professionals who have joined together to offer a high standard of accountancy services for your business. We profile the company, as we look to explore the secrets behind its success. ased in New Barnet, NPUS cater to a variety of clients and are flexible enough to constantly meet and surpass their requirements. New Barnet is the ideal location for serving businesses in and around the Hertfordshire and London area. NPUS also works with customised applications, along with webbased bookkeeping and accounting software.

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Every member of the NPUS team is fully qualified and experienced, and each as their own area of expertise, ranging from accounts and business consultancy to payroll services, as well as audit.

This is because the firm has clients in all areas of business and is fully able to tailor its services accordingly, therefore enjoying accountancy services in a language which the company understands.

When dealing with the firm, clients can expect politeness and professionalism from NPUS, and the team believe that this high standard of service will ensure that staff return in the future.

NPUS pride themselves on helping clients to keep their business running smoothly and successfully in the background, usually by dealing with all the things that most clients do not have the time or expertise for. Clients of the company include small, medium and large businesses in a wide variety of industries, notably; commercial and real estate, marketing and placement agencies, as well as service businesses.

Additionally, IT contractors, restaurants and stores are all clients of the company, highlighting the diverse range of services.

Furthermore, some clients which need help with their accounting are those involved in the manufacturing sector, wholesalers, companies based in advertising, construction and even retail shops, plus bakers and many more clients.

Meeting clients face to face is very important to the company, as it helps staff really understand what the client needs. Clients are able to request to talk to staff whenever they want, and the team ensure that they give them the right level of service for their needs.

Important to its success, the company has many values embedded into its staff’s beliefs. The firm has based its values on good practice, its skills and expertise and what the team would expect from an accountancy firm itself.

Staff are always striving to provide accurate, timely and cost-effective accounting, bookkeeping and financial services, as well as ensuring confidentially of clients’ information by adhering to strict security measures. Employees use their initiative to plan activities with the ultimate goal of long-term satisfaction, and they never use shortcuts or compromis, as the team believe this can result in poor quality if uses.

Looking ahead, based on its values and expertise, there is a positive outlook for NPUS Accountants.

It is a customer focused firm, and staff ensure all clients are satisfied and revert back to them for their future bookkeeping needs. All of these attributes will see NPUS continue to uphold its already sterling reputation within the wider accountancy market.

42 Acquisition International - October 2017

Kancelaria Adwokacka Kowalik

A family law firm since 1992 Offering legal services in Poland, England and Wales

www.akowalik.com

▓ IP Right Prosecution & Litigation ▓ Corporate Legal & Consulting ▓ IP Value-Added Services Since 1992 ...

Territories: Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau Fields: Mechanics, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Biology, Electronics, Optics, Telecommunications, and Computer Sciences

§ Quality | Reliable | Invaluable § Focus Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Trade Secrets, Unfair Competition Licensing, Counseling, Litigation, Transaction Features Our patent attorneys and patent engineers hold outstanding and advanced academic degrees We are dedicated to provide the best quality service in IPRs Our international clients include InterDigital, Gleason, Grenzebach, Beckhoff, NovaLed, BYD, Baidu, Schott Glas, MPS, Lenovo, Oppo, Cypress, Haribo, Armani, CICC, Sun Pharma, Intercept, Torrent, Lupin, P iramal Philosophy To provide competent legal services that other firms cannot comparably provide Selecting, edifying and nurturing peoples who have the following personalities: learned in expertise, morally earnest and sincerely behaved in mind and strictly disciplined between give and take  Address: 13th Floor, 27, Sec. 3, Chung San N. Road, Taipei, Taiwan  Telephone: 886-2-25856688  Fax: 886-2-25989900/25978989  E-mail: email@deepnfar.com.tw  Web site: http://www.deepnfar.com.tw

Winners’ Directory

2017 Most Outstanding Law Firm of the Year from India Company: Singh & Singh Law Firm LLP Email: email@singhandsingh.com Web Address: www.singhandsingh.com Address: C-139, Defence Colony, NEW DELHI – 110 024, INDIA Telephone: +91 11 - 4987 6099 2017 Ireland’s Business Elite Company: Abbey Group Email: Info@abbey.ie Web Address: www.abbey.ie Address: City Gate, 22 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin, D08 DW30, Ireland Telephone: +353 1 648 6100 Most Outstanding Black Owned Engineering Consultancy Firm Company: iX Engineers Contact: Mr. Ndinde Mashegana Email: info@ixengineers.co.za Address: Eastwood Office Park, Protea House, 270 Lynwood Service Road, Lynnwood Ridge, Pretoria, 0081 I RSA, South Africa Phone: 0027 12 7452000 Website: www.ixengineers.co.za 2017 Global Excellence Awards Recognised Leaders in IT Outsourcing - California Company: Vistem Solutions Inc. Name: Rodney Shook Address: 2102 Business Center Drive, Suite 220, Irvine, California, 92649, USA Phone: +1 949 253 5729 Website: www.vistem.com 2017 Global Excellence Awards Most Innovative Law Firm 2017 - Brisbane Company: Irish Bentley Lawyers Name: Zeke Bentley Email: mail@irishbentley.com.au Address: Top Level, 99 Creek Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia Phone: 0061 7 3229 4060 Website: www.irishbentley.com.au 2017 Global Excellence Awards Best for Curriculum Software 2017 - UK Company: Inclusive Technology Ltd Name: Martin Littler Email: inclusive@inclusive.co.uk Address: Riverside Court, Huddersfield Road, Delph, Oldham, OL3 5FZ, UK Phone: 01457 819790 Website: www.inclusive.co.uk

Acquisition International - October 2017 45

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46 Acquisition International - October 2017