Business Comment 33

International Trade

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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Edinburgh success set to continue on international stage

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Taming the dragon: How Scottish firms can do business in China

A global driver of capital’s international appeal

International Trade In this issue, we will learn more of what it takes to succeed in building a successful export business from city-based biscuit maker Nairn’s, which now sees them operating successfully in a number of international markets around the world. The company’s MD, Martyn Gray, tells us that the company now supply to 40 countries, accounting for 8% of their business – and they are still growing.

We also hear from one of the city’s economic drivers, the University of Edinburgh, on its position as a global top 20 University and the benefits and challenges that brings not only to that august institution, but also to the wider city and regional economy. The hard work that underpins the University’s continued growth that sees students from 140 different companies attend University in the Capital.

our members internationally. This will be a strategic priority in 2015 as we aim to develop a world class support programme for our members. We work with many businesses on a daily basis to help them move into overseas markets through support in providing documentation, through networking, and through helping forge international links through the Chamber movement, as well as working in strong partnership with other organisations including Consuls, Government, the City council, and our Universities and private sector partners.

I hope the Festive Season was a happy time for you and your business, and that you are now energised for a prosperous and successful 2015.

The City of Edinburgh Council plays a key role in promoting the capital as a place that international businesses will want to locate, and with very considerable success, and we hear how our educated and skilled workforce, allied with excellent connectivity and a high quality of life, continue to create international demand to be in business in Edinburgh.

As your Capital City of Commerce of Commerce, we already support extensively

David Birrell

Chief Executive, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce david.birrell@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Introduction / contents

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Taming the dragon

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Chamber Business Awards

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The World is your Oyster!

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Scotland in a global market place

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Chamber Benefits

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Working internationally

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International Reputation

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Edinburgh Airport break 10m barrier 24 Inspiring Leader/ International Trade 32|37 Partners in enterprise

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Getting started

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New members

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Ask The Expert

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Going international

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Get with IT/ Be the best

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In the spotlight

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60 seconds

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Chamber Training

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Inspiring Connections

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Movers & shakers

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Join Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Our membership base is truly multi-sector, multi-scale and multi- national. As we develop our geographic reach, we continue to welcome new members who can enjoy exclusive benefits of being part of Scotland’s capital city Chamber of Commerce. We would be delighted to share with you the benefits of joining.

Contact our dedicated membership team on 0131 221 2999 or e-mail membershipadmin@ edinburghchamber.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Taming the dragon: How Scottish firms can do business in China By most measures, China’s economic growth has been one of the biggest success stories of the last 20 years. The International Monetary Fund reports that China’s overall economy has replaced the US for the number one spot globally.

Despite recent slowdowns, China’s economy is now worth $10 trillion dollars and is still growing at 7% annually. No wonder foreign investors are flocking to this new economic power.

For entrepreneurs in Scotland, setting up business in China could seem an overwhelming prospect – the language barrier notwithstanding, there are well-documented cultural differences to consider. However, Chinese appetite for top quality plays very well into Scotland’s long heritage of highend manufacturing and world-class services, which provides an excellent starting point for businesses with aspirations in the Far East.

Scottish exports like malt whisky and certain food products already fare well, particularly those at the premium end of the market

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where margins are most attractive. It also helps to get around the hitherto-tricky issue of reconciling Scotland’s production capacity with the enormous volume of the Chinese mass market.

wishing to trade with China needs to have a full-time employee in the country. This helps demonstrate commitment to investing in China and is an essential element of any export strategy.

The quality of professional and business services is also well-suited to the Chinese market, with lots of new and growing businesses seeking the input of experienced and knowledgeable advisers.

Other practical considerations include the extent to which regional authorities are open to business with the West. This can vary significantly, so it’s wise to have a solid grasp of where your efforts are likely to be most fruitful before committing any resource.

Historically though, Scotland has shown stronger ties dealing with Europe rather than Asia. However, in recent years the Scottish Government’s China Plan has established a positive relationship between the countries to encourage more reciprocal business.

Organisations like the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) and Scottish Development International (SDI) are excellent places to start.

One of the fundamental elements of making your first foray into China is to establish a link with a local contact or agent on the ground, who must be the conduit through which you grow your presence in the country.

There are several organisations, HBJ Gateley included, with the relationships and understanding of the Chinese market to facilitate the necessary links. This is a critical step in the process; any Scottish company

China presents a huge opportunity for Scottish companies to trade with one of the largest economies in the world. At the moment, we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible, with much greater opportunities for both countries than is currently being achieved.

The good news is that we have the organisations and the links already in place to grow Scotland’s relationship with China.

Whether you are a seasoned exporter with an eye on Chinese growth, or a small start-up with a specific opportunity in the country, the support exists to make your venture a success.

by Linda Fu, International Client Relations Director, HBJ Gateley

CHAMBER NEWS

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Firmly recognised as the Awards for the Edinburgh business community, the Annual Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards are open for submissions.

Now in their forth year, the ECC Business Awards allow members to gain recognition and celebrate success. Whether you are a sole trader, SME or large corporate, these Awards cater to all Chamber members. Deadline for submissions is Friday 9th of February so don’t delay and get your entry in. Members are welcome to enter multiple categories and entry is free to all member companies. The winners will be announced at our glittering Awards ceremony which will take place at the spectacular Sheraton Grand Hotel on March 2nd 2015. If you book a table of 10 then you receive 20% discount (Table of 10 is £800 rather than £1000).

To download application forms and/or book places visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/awards

Categories Best Performing Business (1-10) This award will go to a small business which has demonstrated a clearly defined strategy for developing and growing the business.

Best Performing Business (11-50) This award will go to a small business of between 11-50 employees who have a clear focus on growth, success and sustainability.

Best Performing Business (51+) This award will go to a business which as successfully grown and now operates with 51 employees or over.

Sustainable Development sponsored by Skanska This award will go to a business of any size or sector which has made active improvements to their efficiency and sustainable practises.

Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Vision Events Awarded by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce to a member who we feel has made, over his or her lifetime made a significant difference and contribution to business within the Capital.

Creative Marketing sponsored by The City of Edinburgh Council This award will be presented to a business for an innovative marketing campaign. The campaign will have been clearly expressed and articulated and will have effectively improved business performance.

Award for International Trade Presented to a business of any size which has successfully expanded their business into international markets. The expansion will have had a clearly defined strategy for growing and developing the business.

Young Businessperson of the Year Awarded to a Chamber member under the age of 35 who has demonstrated excellent career progression, leadership and management skills.

Innovation in Business This award will go to a business which has shown a high degree of creativity and dynamism in successfully developing innovative products.

Director of the Year A new award for 2015 to honour a company Director who has excelled in their business over the past 12 months. This person will be pioneering in their field, demonstrate excellent leadership skills and be inspirational to their colleagues. Open to CEO’s and Directors.

A Five-Star Partnership A chance meeting at an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce event has led to a thriving partnership between one of Scotland’s leading hotels and one of the country’s best-loved small charities.

Mairi O’Keefe is the Chief Executive at Leuchie House, a unique facility near North Berwick which offers high quality respite breaks with 24-hour expert nursing care for people and their families living with longterm conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s, Motor Neurone Disease and cerebral palsy.

She first met Franck Arnold, the General Manager at The Balmoral, at a Chamber event and as soon as the Balmoral staff began to grasp the unique nature of the care on offer at Leuchie House – with trips, activities and treatments available for guests in a stunning country house environment – they started offering help and advice.

This has ranged from donating items of furniture to naming Leuchie House as the hotel’s Charity of the Year and volunteering staff’s professional advice as well as staging various fundraising events for the charity.

Mairi said: “It has been a tremendous boost for Leuchie staff to have the support of such a prestigious hotel. The Balmoral staff have been incredibly generous in letting us pick their brains so that we can continue to offer top quality care to the guests who come to Leuchie for much-needed respite.”

Franck Arnold, General Manager at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel, said: “When I first met Mairi at the Chamber event and heard about the incredible work taking place at Leuchie House, it was clear that there was a strong synergy between Leuchie and The Balmoral.

We are both in the business of taking care of people by offering attentive and personalised service.” www.leuchiehouse.org.uk

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BUSINESS NEWS

The World is your Oyster!

Are you like many confused by references to internationalisation and globalisation? Is there any difference and if so what does it mean for business?

At the simplest level internationalisation refers to the growth of international trade between nations based on the economic activity of businesses. Globalisation is the trend towards globally integrated markets and the increasing interdependence of markets around the world.

So is this of any importance to business? The answer is a resounding yes! Globalisation means that there are opportunities for business of all sizes in globally integrated markets as barriers like transport and communications and restrictions in trade between countries grow smaller.

Opportunities are increasingly available to small businesses as well as to large.

This, in turn, is leading to the increasing internationalisation of small and medium enterprises which increasingly sell their products and services in the emerging global markets. Indeed there is a new stream of

research in business schools concerned with the phenomenon of ‘born global businesses’ – those which operate in global markets from the day of their inception. Edinburgh Napier University is playing a leading role in this area.

In 2011 the EU found that of 21 million SMEs located in the European Union nearly 30% were engaged in international business activities whether selling their products or services or sourcing their resources. This amounts to almost 7 million SMEs and given that the survey is 4 years old it is likely to understate today’s figure! Without doubt the biggest factor in the internationalisation of SMEs has been the internet, whether as a tool for marketing their products and services and connecting to potential consumers or as a means of sourcing suppliers. Equally falling transport costs and restrictions on trade are accelerating the trend towards internationalisation. The main targets for their activities were Russia, China and India as well as within the EU itself.

So what advice can we give to budding international SMEs?

on. There are an amazing number of sources of information available on the internet or from government and EU sources Next, assess the market – what is its potential? What is the competition?

International SMEs also have to understand the full risks and costs of doing business – not just the stated costs. There’s transport costs and the costs and dangers of working between different currencies. And there’s also a risk around political and social stability.

Edinburgh Napier University itself has a global perspective and reach and our activities spread from the Americas to Asia Pacific.

This means that we have direct experience of the complexities of any business operating globally and have worked with many other leading global companies. We are a resource upon which you can draw.

Finally, don’t be put off. In the main it’s a great opportunity for growth on a scale way beyond that possible within a single city or country.

Professor George Stonehouse Dean, Edinburgh Napier Business School

First, do your homework – understand the markets and just as importantly understand the culture, the legal system, politics and so

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BUSINESS NEWS

Scotland in a global market place ‘Always be furthie and weelhertit’. This old Scots phrase was quoted by Lena Wilson, the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, in her speech at the Commonwealth Games Business Conference in July of last year.

For those unfamiliar with the expression, furthie means forward-looking, bold and energetic and weel-hertit means optimistic.

This, to me, is a very fitting description of the attitude which businesses in Scotland are showing in their ability to compete at an international level. The global market place is increasingly large, but also increasingly accessible, thanks to the support available from agencies such as Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International.

Scotland’s ability to do business with other nations has a long and well chronicled history. More than 500 years ago the Scots were swapping local fish for French brandy (a fair exchange in my view).

For most of its 190-year history Standard Life has had an international outlook. Around the time Alexander Graham Bell was inventing the telephone Standard Life was opening its first branch in Bombay. By the end of the 19th Century the company had an agency or office in almost every part of the world.

This heritage forms the basis of the strong international business we have today. While the UK continues to be a major component of our group strategy, our future is dependent on profitable and sustainable growth in new as well as existing markets.

Part of my remit as Chief Operations Officer is to develop our joint venture in China, as well as being accountable for Standard Life’s operations in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Our Chinese joint venture, Heng An Standard Life, was launched in 2003 and currently employs more than 900 staff and serves around 200,000 customers.

China represents a high potential opportunity partly because of the sheer size of the market, but also because of other factors such as increasing affluence, demographic trends (China currently has 200m people aged

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over 60 and this is forecast to grow to 400m by 2030) and a rising interest in long-term saving (a lot of saving in China is currently short to medium term).

It was for these reasons Standard Life recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC) to work together to identify opportunities for the benefit of both businesses in China, Hong Kong and the UK. We also have two joint ventures in India – HDFC Life and HDFC Asset Management – and the opportunities here are particularly exciting. In the 15 years since it was launched HDFC Life has grown rapidly to the point where it now serves 11 million customers through a network of 450 branches.

The anticipated change to foreign investment limits in India (from 26% to 49%) should create even more opportunities for UK-based companies to enter one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies.

International growth has been a key factor in the success of Standard Life Investments (SLI). Following the acquisition in July 2014 of Ignis Asset Management in Glasgow, SLI now manages over £240bn of assets and has increased its operational and client servicing footprint.

SLI currently operates out of 17 countries worldwide, with its main investment and operational hubs in Edinburgh, Hong Kong, London and Boston. An additional ten new international offices have opened or will shortly open in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Munich, Tokyo, Zurich, Stockholm, Brussels, Milan and Madrid.

This expansion will have direct benefits for Edinburgh where SLI has just signed a lease to occupy a new £75m office development in St Andrew Square. This will provide space for over 1,000 people in addition to SLI’s existing headquarters building at 1 George Street.

Identifying and developing the growth opportunities which exist in new and unfamiliar markets is not without its challenges and risks, but this has never been a reason for ignoring the opportunities which exist beyond the immediate horizon. While this may require firms to venture outside of their comfort zones, the potential returns for those prepared to be furthie and weel-hertit are immense.

Sandy Begbie Chief Operations Officer Standard Life

CHAMBER BENEFITS

Benefits of membership “Membership of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has played an important part in helping to build the profile of the hotel within the events industry alongside networking opportunities within the local business community.”

Dale MacPhee, General Manager at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian

Referral benefit

E f f i c i E n t. . . fA s t. . . r E l i A b l E . . . s A f E

Refer a new member to the Edinburgh Chamber and when they join you get to enjoy two complementary places at two of our networking events.

Chamber Health Plan Available exclusively to members, the Chamber Primary Health Plan is an affordable way to make staff feel valued by helping them access and pay for their essential healthcare.

The health plan is available from just 33p per employee, per day Employees receive 100% reimbursement on cash benefits towards: n n n n

Optical and dental costs Therapy treatments Consultation fees Chiropody

In addition, employees have access to MRI, CT & PET Scanning Facilities, a 24 hour GP Telephone Consultation Service and a confidential 24 hour Counselling and Advice Line, with up to 6 face to face counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy sessions.

To take advantage of these fantastic benefits call the membership team on 0131 221 2999 (option 1) or visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/membership/about/

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CHAMBER NEWS

Working internationally as a service agency Although Primate is a relatively small web agency based in Edinburgh, we’re fortunate to be able to work with a fair amount of clients outside of the UK, an aspect that has not only been advantageous in the growth of our business but also something that I personally find very enjoyable.

Oddly enough, when we started Primate in 2011 we had no particular intention of finding work overseas and, instead, found that it happened organically as a result of the promotion of our work online. Simply through our blogging efforts and social media activities, combined with a few articles written for well-known online magazines, we were both surprised and delighted to see emails from potential international customers starting to trickle in. Now, whilst the UK is still our main market, we see a steady stream of international projects come through our doors.

For service agencies, like ourselves, working internationally presents fewer obstacles than ever before, not just in a technical sense but also in people’s mindsets. Although it certainly helps that we work in the web industry, a sector deemed ubiquitous and international by its sheer definition, I believe that more and more companies now,

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especially the younger and more technically minded ones, are less fixated on the need to work with business only in their local area or indeed - ones that are convenient to travel to. Instead, we find that more businesses (or at least the clients we work with) are prizing creativity, quality, and return on investment more heavily than location than ever before.

Communication is the main barrier to working internationally and how we handle it is by far the most common question we get asked when approached by clients outside of the UK. Ironically, communication is often easier with clients overseas, we respond, simply by the fact the distance between us promotes and encourages the use of video conferencing, often a far faster and more convenient way of conversing. Although there is no substitute for real in-person, faceto-face bonding, being able to fire up Skype or Google Hangouts and jump straight into

a meeting with multiple people in different locations is hugely beneficial, avoiding the empty - and sometimes huge amount of - time taken up by everyone travelling to different offices.

Now that we’ve established a foothold in countries such as Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada it has, of course, become easier to accrue more work by leveraging our existing relationships with clients and we have high hopes for our expansion overseas in the future. Whilst it can seem like a daunting prospect for a small business to start working with clients outside of the UK, it’s certainly something we would encourage as never before as the world been so connected or companies so open to the idea of doing business together internationally.

By Gordon McLachlan, Director, Primate

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Outlining the opportunities for manufacturers to make a real step change in 2015 If you’re a manufacturer you will know that to be successful you need to be as competitive as possible. But how does the business all come together to help make this happen?

Are you optimistic about manufacturing in Scotland?

Yes I definitely am. There’s certainly been recognition from all quarters about how important a vibrant manufacturing sector is to the economy. Scottish manufactured goods make up over 60% of Scottish exports and we know that this export performance is a bellweather for the health of the overall economy. In Scotland there is a focus on premium, quality and provenance and we have strong sectors such as aerospace, automotive, chemicals and food and drink to name but a few. Manufacturing has a huge role to play.

Generally, Scotland’s Manufacturing is not as productive as our European and Global neighbours. To be competitive in the global economy we need to be as productive as possible and have a relentless focus on continuous improvement and excellence.

What are the biggest opportunities for change?

All sectors have their own opportunities for growth and specific challenges. But there is one main

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generic theme for me, and it’s all to do with people. Since I joined the SMAS team 8 years ago I’ve seen a real shift in the focus of our work, from solely operational efficiency to combining operational improvements with organisational and culture change.

Companies used to talk about tactical problem solving projects using Lean or six sigma tools and techniques to address specific issues they had. While these play an important role,that’s actually the easy bit! The real challenge is addressing the underlying culture in the organisation and its impact on performance.

If this bit is ignored, operational improvements will not be optimised or sustained.

We know that 70% of continuous improvement programmes will fail if companies don’t take its most valuable asset – its people - on the journey. Although embarking on cultural and behavioural change within your business may be daunting, the potential rewards are high.

So how do companies practically do this?

Continuous improvement must be seen as a long term journey.

Excellence needs to be instilled right across a manufacturing business, from the shop floor, offices and wider supply chain. This provides a framework for everyone in the business to constantly look for opportunities to improve.

Improvement techniques such as Lean and Six Sigma provide a structured approach. However, more importantly, they also provide a vehicle for people engagement and change behaviours to support improvement.

This approach releases the full potential of employees and can allow a business to transform. We see companies in Scotland doing this everyday…Optos in Dunfermline seek ‘Excellence Everyday in Everything’ and Peak Scientific in Inchinnan ‘Constantly Seek Perfection’.

Developing and leading people through involvement in continuous improvement releases their ambition and drive to do more, and leads to everyone contributing towards a company’s goals.

How can SMAS help?

Every manufacturer faces a range of challenges ...but there are huge similarities too. Changes in one area of a business can have unintended consequences on another, so we always take a holistic view of the business.

SMAS Practitioners have the skills to support the implementation of a structured longer term improvement programme, but can still help fix immediate business critical issues.

We always focus on transferring skills to the business and sharing best practice. Our support is tailored to the individual needs of each business, and this is one of the reasons SMAS’s reputation is so strong within the manufacturing sector.

And coming full circle our customers tell us that the number one benefit of working with SMAS is the improvements to staff morale and engagement! When our clients have an empowered and engaged workforce, we know we have successfully embedded sustainable change that will underpin the company’s growth. That can only be a good thing for all of us in Scotland.

Get In Touch The SMAS team live and work all over Scotland. For more information on how we can support your business in 2015 please get in touch via the website www.scottishmas.co.uk or calling the team on 0845 607 8787

Jerome Finlayson

Head of the East Team at the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service

Our support is tailored to the individual needs of each business, and this is one of the reasons SMAS’s reputation is so strong within the manufacturing sector.

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The Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service is focused on developing a culture of excellence in all manufacturing businesses Scotland.

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CHAMBER NEWS

International Reputation With most companies now having an online presence, international communication is not as far away as some firms think.

At Grayling, we know that building a reputation internationally isn’t easy but it is possible, especially for B2B specialist products or high end consumer goods where exports are key. While it won’t win the business alone, a positive media and digital presence can easily prompt that first email or phone call. It can be a real differentiator for that first internet search and shortlist so it needs careful consideration.

For B2B firms there is generally a plethora of international media, helpfully, much of it in the English language. The difficulty is

being set up to deal with any requests that come in at a local level where an affinity with languages is much more important.

This is why many large B2B companies set up regional offices around a central hub. It ensures consistency of standards and quality.

The same should be true of communications.

For any brand the consistency of message is vital to brand and reputational integrity which is why Grayling used a similar model with The 2014 Ryder Cup. That isn’t to say local markets shouldn’t have their say, ensuring that a message or product works across boundaries can avoid a lot of embarrassment, for example, VolksWagen’s ‘Passat’ means ‘go to the WC’ in Russian!

A good tactic is to ‘piggyback’ on an existing, more generic theme, for example Scotland’s reputation for food, drink and clothing. This is something which can be exploited very well

by smaller firms looking to expand without wanting to put local infrastructure in place.

During The Ryder Cup, several Scottish clothing and fabric manufacturers reported that demand from areas like the Middle East for their shirts and jumpers, was far in excess of the domestic market. This tactic can certainly open doors with the minimum of investment. It needs to be done carefully and done well; perhaps with a partner agency like Scottish Enterprise but it is very possible.

Content is king though. Online presence, regular blogs, comments in the media, will show up. It will single you out as a company or individual who knows what they are talking about. Remember, anything you say or do is stored and searchable online so if you do plan to ‘go native’ make sure you have everything doubled checked first!

Martin Allen, Account Director, Grayling

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ADVERTORIAL

New Discovery Sport, Now within your reach The new Land Rover Discovery Sport is at the very forefront of modern safety technology, and has recently been awarded the maximum rating of five stars from Euro NCAP. Among its cutting edge safety features, the Discovery Sport boasts a pedestrian airbag and the Autonomous Emergency Braking System, which uses a digital stereo camera to detect objects that could pose a collision threat.

All varieties of the Discovery Sport have been designed in such a way that there is a high standard of protection for all passengers at any one time and there are visual and audio sensors warnings readily available if the car is deemed to be in danger or too close to a hazard.

“All of our products are tested to stringent in-house safety standards that go significantly beyond the legal and consumer testing standards. As a family vehicle, safety was really a key motivator when designing this car. We are proud to have made no compromises on this.”

The Discovery Sport’s safety features are as important to the brand as its fuel efficiency and, at launch, will be equipped with a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. Both the all-alloy Si4 2.0-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel feature stop-start technology, high-pressure direct injection, low-friction internal components and smart regenerative charging for outstanding performance and economy.

Later in 2015, a highly efficient ED4 turbodiesel engine will join the range with CO2 emissions of just 119g/km*. Both

9-speed automatic and 6-speed manual transmissions are available, along with a choice of two- or four-wheel-drive.

“Not only does Discovery Sport mark the introduction of the first new member of our expanding Discovery family, it also brings the versatility of 5+2 seating to the compact premium SUV market,” said Phil Popham, Jaguar Land Rover Group Marketing Director. “Discovery Sport’s versatility is a key differentiator. It is quite simply the most accomplished vehicle in its segment.”

Discovery Sport will be produced at Land Rover’s award-winning manufacturing facility at Halewood, Liverpool. It will be in showrooms from January 22 2015, alongside the existing seven-seat Land Rover Discovery in over 170 markets worldwide.

Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes, said: “The vehicle safety team worked tirelessly to ensure that the Discovery Sport delivered levels of safety never before seen in the small SUV segment. We have introduced some cutting edge safety technologies such as the all-new pedestrian airbag and an innovative Autonomous Emergency Braking system, in addition to our tried-and-tested Land Rover safety systems.

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NEW DISCOVERY SPORT NOW WITHIN YOUR REACH

Meet the New Discovery Sport. Now you can own one, with manageable monthly payments. So start planning where to take it. On road. Off road. Up mountains. With its innovative design, you’ll look good going there.

The interior has flexible 5+2 seating. And there’s enough loadspace for a day out or a week away. Opt for the SE Tech model and you’ll get lots of extras like the Power Tailgate.

All this, combined with our finance package, makes family adventures even more accessible. From only £299 a month plus deposit and final payment – please see details to the right.

Call us today to find out more.

New Discovery Sport SE Tech Representative example*

On the Road Price Customer Deposit Total Amount of Credit Purchase Fee (included in final payment) 36 Monthly Payments Optional Final Payment Total Amount Payable Duration of Agreement Representative APR Interest Rate (Fixed) %

£32,395.00 £9,950.00 £22,445.00 £10.00 £299.00 £15,656.00 £36,370.00 37 Months 6.9% APR 6.72%

The model pictured is a New Discovery Sport SE Tech with optional extra of metallic paint (£600) at an On the Road Price of £34,495.

Pentland Land Rover Newbridge, Edinburgh EH28 8TH

Tel: 0131 603 4641 pentlandlandrover.co.uk Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the New Discovery Sport range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 38.2 (7.4) – 40.4 (7.0), Extra Urban 49.6 (5.7) – 50.4 (5.6), Combined 44.8 (6.3) – 46.3 (6.1). CO2 emissions 166 – 162 g/km.

The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. A vehicle’s actual fuel consumption may differ from that achieved in such tests and these figures are for comparative purposes only. Representative 6.9% APR available on New Land Rover Discovery Sport models registered between 1st January and 31st March 2015 at participating dealers only. *We may receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to Land Rover Financial Services. With Land Rover Freedom Personal Contract Purchase you have the option at the end of the agreement to: (1) Subject to the vehicle being in good condition, return the vehicle and not pay the Final Payment. If the vehicle is in good condition and has not exceeded the allowed mileage you will have nothing further to pay. If the vehicle has exceeded the allowed mileage a charge for excess mileage will apply - in this example 14p per mile for any excess mileage up to 4,999 miles and 28p per mile for any excess mileage exceeding 4,999 miles (2) pay the Final Payment to own the vehicle or (3) part exchange the vehicle subject to settlement of your existing finance agreement; new finance agreements are subject to status. Representative example is based upon an annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Finance is subject to status and only available to applicants aged 18 and over resident in Mainland UK and N.Ireland. This finance offer is available from Black Horse Limited trading as Land Rover Financial Services, St William House, Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff CF10 5BH.

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Providing Skills for Scotland’s Workforce

SQA is ambitious for Scotland’s businesses, and a smart, well-trained and qualified workforce is essential to developing a successful economy.

We offer a range of services, delivering business benefits and measurable achievement. Our qualifications are developed in partnership with industry experts to enhance your workforce.

SQA offers something for everyone, from new-starts to senior management.

We quality-assure every qualification and make sure they keep pace with industry advances and changing regulations.

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Expert advice on hand

Relevant qualifications for your sector

Every company working with SQA benefits from their own dedicated Regional Manager, an expert advisor they can trust. It’s a simple idea, but one that works perfectly – provide one main point of contact who takes time to get to know our customers and their business.

The more customers know about what SQA will bring to their business, the more they will benefit.

SQA qualifications are developed in partnership with industry experts across hundreds of sectors. We have a wide portfolio of qualifications covering a range of levels offering something for everyone from new starts to senior management.

Your local Regional Manager

Our qualifications are Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit rated, so they are easy to understand and universally transferrable. More information can be found at www.sqa.org.uk/mysector

Theresa McGowan is your local Regional Manager covering the Edinburgh area and she can advise on SQA’s very broad range of high quality, inclusive awards, and also the extensive customer services including accrediting and endorsing inhouse training.

Backed by a support team, and with access to sector specialists, Theresa is on hand to listen and advise, help identify goals and zero-in on the qualifications that bring the biggest business benefits.

MYSECTOR

Find out more Successful relationships are formed by listening to your requirements and developing an understanding of your business. To find out more, please go to www.sqa.org.uk/businessdevelopment

Finding the right qualifications The importance of staff qualifications has never been clearer. It’s proven that trained and qualified people are more motivated and more productive, making the businesses they work for more competitive and more profitable, whatever the size, whatever the sector.

It’s critical, however, to ensure that the qualifications are relevant to your business and right for your future.

There’s no simple answer to what kind of qualification will benefit you. Every industry and every business is different.

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/employers

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FEATURE: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

A triple-accredited business school that’s around the corner... and around the world

As Scotland’s number one business school we understand the importance of global thinking. Education pioneers since 1966 with our MBA, we continue to introduce innovative business programmes to suit the demands of an evolving business world and we’ve extended our academic reach with centres in Europe, Asia and the Gulf.

Our MBA and Masters programmes are consistently ranked among the best: with a decade of triple accreditation and our research excellence (1st in Scotland, top 10 UK), perhaps that’s no great surprise.

Make Strathclyde your destination.

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FEATURE: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Facilities for Conferences and Events QMU has a variety of spaces available for hire.

We have lecture theatres, breakout rooms, boardrooms, dance studios, computer labs, physio labs, a sports centre, and a students union which has a fully licensed bar and catering facility.

We also have extensive grounds that can be used for outdoor activities.

Campus Location and Transport links

The campus is ideal for a wide selection of events including single and multiple day conferences, workshops, dinners, exhibitions and performances.

- 20 minutes by car/taxi from central Edinburgh

We can offer daily delegate packages, or if you would prefer, we can tailor an estimate to suit your requirements. Catering at QMU is delivered by our service partner Baxterstorey, who provide a very high standard of hospitality to our clients.

We can also offer overnight campus accommodation, dependant upon availability, or alternatively we have corporate rates with Edinburgh city centre hotels in close proximity to Waverley train station, and also with East Lothian hotels.

QMU is situated on the East side of Edinburgh, by Musselburgh and has excellent transport links with Musselburgh rail station located at the University entrance and a bus terminus on site.

- 6 minutes by train from central Edinburgh (1 train stop from Waverley) - Served by Lothian buses 30/45 and First Bus Service 108 - 30 minutes by car/taxi from Edinburgh Airport

- Situated off the A1, close to the Edinburgh City Bypass making it very accessible from central Edinburgh, the Lothians & Borders, and those travelling from other parts of Scotland and England.

We offer free parking for conference delegates unable to travel via public transport.

Environmental Sustainability The campus is designed to exceed current environmental standards and not only sets a new benchmark in sustainable design, but is regarded as one of Scotland’s most sustainable building projects. The building design maximises energy efficiency and the landscape design encourages biodiversity.

The campus design is focussed on a simple low carbon, low energy passive design approach. It has achieved the very highest sustainability awards and recognition.

To discuss your requirements in full detail or to arrange a site visit, please email events@qmu.ac.uk or call us on 0131 474 0000 and ask for Events. For more information about conferences and events at QMU, please see our website: www.qmu.ac.uk Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh is a registered charity: Scottish Charity Number SC002750

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CHAMBER NEWS

Soilutions Strong performance sees Edinburgh Airport break 10m barrier for 2014 Edinburgh Airport has topped off another recordbreaking year with over 10 million passengers travelling through its terminal in 2014.

Last year Edinburgh saw more passengers than any other Scottish airport, marking a 4% increase on 2013’s passenger figures.

A total of 10,174,684 people flew in and out of Scotland’s busiest airport over the last 12 months making last year the second consecutive record-breaking year for the capital’s transport hub. The airport passed the historic 10m mark on the 23rd December.

Last year’s growth stemmed from significant increases in long-haul traffic, up 89.6% on 2013 thanks to the introduction of Qatar Airways new service to Doha, new US routes to Chicago with United Airlines and Philadelphia with US Airways and an increase in frequency from Air Canada Rouge. Total domestic traffic was also up 3% on 2013 with a number of new and increased services to London airports, with new flights to Stansted with Ryanair and London City with FlyBE which starting in October.

December’s passenger numbers rose by 7.2% with a total of 691,922 people travelling. Just over 380,000 domestic passengers travelled through Edinburgh Airport in December, an increase of 9.3% on the previous year.

International passenger numbers also rose by 4.7% to 308,729 people travelling to popular

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European destinations like Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon.

The increase in last month’s passenger numbers is thanks to a 13% rise in London traffic, bringing the total increase in domestic traffic to 9.3%.

Speaking about the milestone, Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “To exceed our 10 million passenger mark is a fantastic achievement. We couldn’t have done this without the hard work and dedication of all our teams and partners in the airport and across the city. It’s truly been a team effort and is a collective celebration for Team Edinburgh and the wider Team Scotland.

“Last year we achieved what we set out to do – to offer our passengers choice, a great experience and to cement Edinburgh Airport as the place where Scotland meets the world.

“We welcomed new airlines and retail partners and opened our brand new terminal extension and security hall, all with the passenger firmly at the centre of our operations.

“2014 has been an unprecedented year for Scotland as a whole and we’re proud to have played our part in its success.

“2015 will present its own exciting challenges and projects. It’s a time to focus on what new opportunities we can grasp. We want to harness the successes of the last year and use this to drive our performance over the next 12 months. For us, that means more routes, more investment in our services and welcoming more passengers.”

Soilutions Ltd, based in Granton Edinburgh, started out in 2003 and now undertake polluted soil and water remediation along with invasive weed eradication projects across the whole of the UK. They also operate a soil treatment centre, based near West Calder, for which they were awarded the ViBES Circular Economy Award in November 2014.

Through support from Scottish Development International (SDI) they developed an overseas business strategy that principally highlighted India as a growth market for their services.

With this embryonic market estimated to be worth billions of pounds, Soilutions’ identified route to market is to export their extensive knowledge of contaminated soil and water remediation through a consultancy advice and project management approach. As the team are already providing remediation design and consultancy support to many leading global environmental consultancies, this route to market is relatively straight forward and benefits from having less financial risk.

Soilutions took part in a trade mission to Mumbai and Delhi last November, after winning a competition organised by the British Chambers of Commerce. John Curran met with prospective partners and distributors in Mumbai, and with other British delegations gathered at the Britain in India Convention in Delhi, Connect ’14, organised by British Business Groups in India, in association with UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)

CHAMBER NEWS

Manage the challenges of hyperconnectivity by controlling your work/life boundaries We now live in an information age where work is being rethought beyond the traditional bounds of space and time.

The development of mobile infrastructure technology, new devices and applications has had a strong impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of mobile work. Employees are able to choose to work anywhere with a Wi-Fi or 4G connection coupled with a laptop, smartphone, or tablet and online communication and collaboration tools.

‘Hyperconnectivity’ is a condition that most of us experience, which requires management of multiple means of communication, such as email, instant messaging, telephone, face-to-face contact and Web 2.0 information. As mobile technologies have become so pervasive in human life, there has been a proliferation of claims supporting the idea that individuals need to construct boundaries between their work and private domains to protect themselves from the dangers of constant connectivity.

In some cases, particularly in junior roles we can be exploited by a dysfunctional culture or an uncaring manager, and at those times we need to protect ourselves to avoid burnout. But as we advance professionally we’re less subject to those external forces, and we need to protect ourselves primarily from our own internal drive. The concept of work/life balance can be misleading because it implies a similar weighting of work and private activities. In reality, the two aren’t even measurable because we lead increasingly integrated lives, facilitated through mobile technology and social media. The answer is to substitute “boundaries” for “balance”: while balance requires an unsteady equilibrium among the various demands on our time and energy, boundaries offer a sustainable means of keeping things in their proper place.

Individuals experiencing stress and frustration due to failing work/life boundaries should as a first port of call

consider their level of identification with their work. There needs to be consistency between boundary management and identity in order to avoid internal conflicts of interest. Workaholics or people with high levels of identification with work that construct many work/life boundaries are sending a mixed message to others.

Due to advances in technology, work has become a highly social activity and provides an opportunity to communicate to others our own values and interests.

This behaviour is beneficial to our work because we come across as more sociable individuals but most importantly it helps others share our understanding of our own identity. It is by building shared understanding of identity that individuals come to respect our boundaries.

Constructing cognitive boundaries (e.g. making a persistent, dedicated effort to change impulsive behaviour) is recognized by individuals to be beneficial but few apply the concept in practice.

Individuals need to make a mental effort to resist impulses to use technology in situations where it is not needed.

Sometimes boundaries do fail and too often we blame others around us. We think that work has forced an integration but actually it is quite often the individual that subconsciously integrates facets of their lives because they are aiming to increase their mobility, flexibility or productivity. We can’t have it both ways.

We should be more reflective before making integrations that require us to install boundaries in the future.

James Kanter is a mobile technology consultant at 4G Scotland. He has an MSc in information systems management from Warwick Business School and specialises in enterprise mobility management solutions.

A free service to help Businesses Grow Do you feel that you need a bit of support when growing your business? Would your business benefit from the input of an experienced mentor who is there to support and challenge you? If so, this fully funded mentoring service might be for you.

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is a delivery partner for Business Mentoring Scotland and we match over 150 senior managers from growing businesses annually with experienced mentors. Our mentors volunteer their time and are all professional business leaders in their own right and are committed to sharing their knowledge, experience and skills with growing businesses.

Whether you are a relatively new business, or have ambitious plans to grow your existing business, working with a mentor can kick-start or re-invigorate your plans, giving you immediate access to impartial advice, relevant experience, and a great network of contacts. Business Mentoring Scotland is available to leaders with businesses that have been trading for over a year, have over £100,000 turnover and have a strategy to grow further over the coming three years.

With a rich talent pool of over 200 mentors in Edinburgh and in excess of 850 throughout Scotland we’re confident that we can match you with an expert mentor from any sector to help you and your business grow.

A past mentee found this service of great value to their business:Karina Baldorf, owner of Kakao by K

How did mentoring affect your business’ turnover?

“Before going into mentoring my target was to increase annual sales revenue by 5%, but after mentoring had finished my annual revenue had actually increased by 18%.

My mentor was very focused on sales and marketing and that’s what has helped me improve my sales figures.”

Would you recommend Business Mentoring Scotland to other businesses?

“I would say to other businesses you have nothing to lose, mentoring doesn’t cost anything – you can only gain. Having your own business is a very personal thing and it’s good to take a step back and have someone else come in to look at it. It’s always good to learn and develop from others’ expertise.”

For more information contact Jimmy O’Connell on 0131 221 2999 Option 3 or email training@edinburghchamber.co.uk

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Does automatic enrolment affect you?

What is automatic enrolment?

Automatic enrolment is the government’s new workplace pension reform that was introduced in October 2012. The legislation is being introduced in stages and the majority of SMEs will enter the scheme between 1st April 2014 and 1st April 2015.

Why is this coming into effect?

People are living for longer, yet are not saving as much, if at all, for what could be a long retirement. The automatic enrolment scheme means that rather than having to choose to be put onto a pension scheme, employees are automatically put onto one by their employer.

Does every business have to join this scheme?

Are you an employer with staff working for you in the UK? If so, then yes, automatic enrolment does affect you. Larger employers have already joined and smaller companies will follow over the next 6 years.

Who will have to be enrolled?

Any employee who falls under the following criteria must automatically be put in: • • •

Aged 22 or above Earns above £9,440 a year Work in the UK

Others who may not meet the minimum criteria are able to opt into the scheme you are using, you will have to enrol them if they ask.

Our payroll bureau can assist you in setting this up as well as processing and reporting your payroll ensuring that you are compliant at all times.

20/22 Torphichen Street Edinburgh EH3 8JB

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Edinburgh - Aberdeen - Tillicoultry - Peterhead

EARN YOUR STRIPES WITH A CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP

By becoming a corporate member of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), your company will be aligning itself with one of Scotland’s most exciting conservation charities and providing your employees with exclusive benefits at both Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park.

n Entry tickets for staff or customers n Special volunteering opportunities n Discounts on fun events

Contact our fundraising team today!

Tel: 0131 314 0380 Email: corporatemembership@rzss.org.uk February/March 2015

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ADVERTORIAL

Open for business The Open Championship makes its five-yearly pilgrimage to the Home of Golf this July and sales of tickets and increasingly accessible hospitality packages are at record levels.

The golfing world is looking out for Rory McIlroy to win The Open back-to-back following his triumph last year at Royal Liverpool. Winning in consecutive years has been achieved six times in the post-war period and twice in the last decade with Tiger Woods crowned The Champion Golfer of the Year in 2005 and 2006 and Padraig Harrington matching the feat in 2007 and 2008.

Having a European player as world No. 1 always heightens interest and the business community in Edinburgh and the Lothians has certainly been alive to the opportunity of using one of the world’s greatest sporting events as a platform to engage with important customers and prospects and to reward high performing staff. Major championship golf is a whole day of top class

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sport to enjoy and also a relaxed atmosphere where talking business sits comfortably.

Newcomers to The Open will encounter a bandwagon of would-be corporate hospitality hosts but The Open Official Hospitality Programme is the only ticket and on course hospitality provider approved by The R&A. No other company can offer facilities within the historic boundaries of the Old Course or guarantee tickets. The official programme also pledges a proportion of profits go to local golf development projects providing an immediate legacy of the Championship for young people entering the sport.

The Open Official Hospitality Programme offers a wide range of hospitality options from on-course Private Chalets through fine-dining course perimeter hotel suites and bistro style catering in the increasingly popular Champions Club. Located next to the 16th fairway on the Old Course, The Champions Club is making its first appearance in St Andrews. Introduced at Hoylake it combines admission ticket, Spectator Village location, exclusive entertainment and all-day hospitality.

Dining is informal so patrons are free to come and go as they please and buying a fixed number of places to fit a rigid seating plan

is a thing of the past. Club facilities include a private garden complete with live TV on a giant screen, constantly updating leaderboard displays and a competition putt challenge. It is breaking the mould for on-course hospitality in Major golf and its accessibility is attracting ordinary fans in increasing numbers to enhance their Open experience.

Unique to St Andrews is a range of hospitality options in hotels that sit on the fairway edge, the Old Course Hotel that runs along the side of the 17th, and the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel next to the 18th. Hospitality packages range from £345 a head in the Champions Club to £899 in the Road Hole restaurant on the 4th floor of the Old Course Hotel with its links-wide view and open-air deck.

Over 6,000 people will enjoy hospitality at The Open in St Andrews and there is a package designed to meet the needs of every enterprise. However, some restaurants have already sold out on certain days and other facilities look set to follow suit in record time.

Full details on Open Championship ticketing and Official Hospitality Packages can be found at TheOpen.com or by calling +44 (0) 844 381 0565

60 SECONDS

Name: Kirsty Bathgate Company Name: Gearing for Growth Website: www.gearingforgrowth.com Q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Support profitable, less stressful growth.

Q How long have you been a Chamber member?

Q Are there any additional services or information you’d be particularly interested in?

A Not at this stage.

Q If you were telling another business

A 1 year.

Q Why did you join?

A To network and develop the business.

Q What services do you use?

A A range of events, from the Inspiring

person about the Chamber, what’s the first thing you would say?

A I would say that they run a range of quality networking and educational events.

Q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

Women in Business and Premier Series Dinners to the curry evenings and other more social events.

A In the office with a morning coffee.

Q What’s the best business/benefit you have won through the Chamber?

A Meeting good new contacts and building awareness of the business.

Nominations open for fair trade awards Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, has launched the Fair Trade Awards 2015.

Now in their ninth year, the awards recognise the difference that residents, businesses and schools make in promoting fair trade in Edinburgh. Closing date for applications is 13 February 2015.

The nominations are in four categories: n Achievement Award n Newcomer Award

The awards will be presented during Edinburgh’s Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from 23 February to 8 March 2015.

Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, said: “I am very proud of Edinburgh’s longstanding commitment to fair trade and these awards provide us with an excellent opportunity to praise the generous contribution individuals and businesses are making to fair trade throughout the city.

In 2014, the capital saw its fair trade status renewed for the tenth year in a row. Visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/ fairtrade for further information

n Faith Community Award n Fair Trade Schools Award

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ADVERTORIAL

An artist’s impression of the dedicated Fashion and Style gallery which will feature the work of leading designers such as Jean Muir, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood.

An artist’s impression of the Enquire gallery which will include the story of Scottish Nobel Laureate Sir James Black, famous for discovering ‘beta blockers’ and the first drug to treat stomach ulcers.

The Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland

Transforming the National Museum of Scotland The National Museum of Scotland has been transformed in recent years. An ambitious £80 million Masterplan at this Edinburgh landmark has restored the magnificent Victorian building to its former glory and created 16 new galleries, a dedicated gallery for international touring exhibitions and new facilities for visitors and corporate hire clients.

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The site which is run by National Museums Scotland is now recognised as a museum of international importance and it is the most-visited UK attraction outside London generating £67.8 million in gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy.

Confirmation of support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Government marked the official start of this £14 million project in early summer 2014 with work underway on site to create the dynamic new galleries.

Ten further galleries are now being developed which will showcase the museum’s internationally significant collections in decorative art, design, fashion, and science and technology.

A further grant of £1.3 million from the Wellcome Trust has been awarded to develop the six science galleries as a major hub for public science engagement in the UK and beyond. This support will particularly focus on biomedical science.

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Opening in 2016, the innovative new galleries will explore the excitement and impact of scientific discovery and invention and the creativity of applied arts, fashion and design. They will champion excellence and innovation - an inspiration for the scientists, engineers, artists and designers of today and tomorrow. Showcasing over 3,500 objects, display space for these exhibits will increase by over 40%, with three-quarters of them not having previously been on permanent display for generations.

Two further galleries are in development which will open in 2018 presenting the museum’s major ancient Egyptian and East Asian collections. Both of these collections are internationally important and amongst the finest in the UK. Find out more about the project on www.nms.ac.uk/masterplan.

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INSPIRING LEADERS

Nairn’s on an exciting international journey When it comes to appreciating the value of international business, Nairn’s Managing Director Martyn Gray is a man well worth listening to...

The man who heads the biscuit empire familiar to millions of Britons is building his niche brand overseas, and he’s picking up a lot more than crumbs in the process.

The Edinburgh based firm which is best known for its line of oatcakes is now selling in more than 40 countries around the globe, with exports accounting for around 8% of the company’s business.

While the English speaking world remains his biggest overseas market, with the USA number one followed by others including Canada and New Zealand), the popularity of his products is now growing in places as far flung as Africa and the Middle East.

That’s not down to chance – but to a lot of hard work, research, travel, and no insignificant amount of trial and error.

Martyn said: “Clearly, it is easier to sell niche products such as ours in markets where they are better understood, so for us that is the English-speaking world, and in particular those countries where there is a significant ex-pat population.

“But it’s by no means all about ex-pats. It’s also about understanding your own products and how they might be perceived and fit in to the local culture, looking at how people enjoy their food in that country. For example, we understand that oatcakes are a ‘carrier’ – people like to use them to put something on. Is this something that local people in the country targeted do?

It’s best, in my experience, to look at working with people who specialise in your product area. It’s not always something you get right the first time, but it is definitely something that you should persevere with.

“For example, we are a niche product. We need to work with people who understand that, and have an excellent grasp of our products and how they would work locally.”

Finding the right new markets can also be difficult, but Martyn recommends those looking at going into new markets to speak in depth to a number of local agents, to attend trade shows and to speak to others to get as much information as possible.

He said: “There are perhaps some obvious target markets, but once you are in those countries further expansion can be slightly difficult to plot. But it’s about doing your research, going to the trade shows, building relationships, and understanding that it can take time.”

Martyn added: “We don’t generally change the recipe for our products to sell into foreign markets, but we do have to adjust our marketing and our packaging. That can be due to local language – as in using the term crackers in the USA – or it can be due to regulation.

“For example, the regulations on what can be described as ‘gluten-free’ are different in the UK and USA from Australia and New Zealand, which means we can’t describe products as gluten-free in these markets that we can in the UK. “There are small, but important, differences in the rules – and these are the kind of things you need to know.”

“It’s also about understanding local terminology and packaging. For example, we call our biscuits oatcakes – but in many parts of the world a cake is a sweet cake, so we call our product oat crackers in the USA.” Much of that understanding of local markets comes from working with the right agents.

Martyn said: “You need to find the right partner – be that an importer or an agent.

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Nairn's products are distributed around the world.

INSPIRING LEADERS

“We call our biscuits oatcakes – but in many parts of the world a cake is a sweet cake, so we call our product oat crackers in the USA.” February/March 2015

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Edinburgh success set to continue on international stage

By Greg Ward, Director of Economic Development, City of Edinburgh Council Edinburgh is a major international success story - with a myriad of reasons underpinning our ability to attract new businesses from around the world to Scotland’s Capital year after year.

Some 20 international companies have came to Edinburgh in the past year alone, creating 1000 jobs in the process, and in the recent issue of our ‘Invest in Edinburgh’ we featured ten years of ongoing success in bringing major international investment to our city.

There are as many reasons that companies come to Edinburgh as there are inward investors themselves – but one factor does remain constant: the talent pool of educated, skilled people is a huge factor in our city’s success.

Edinburgh is home to one of the UK’s most productive and qualified workforces and is internationally renowned for the quality of its talent base. The city’s workforce is one of the most highly qualified in the UK with 45.3% of the working population holding a degree level or professional qualification. This compares to a UK average of 28.5%.

Add to that the stellar reputation of our universities in terms of their research output, and the excellent spin off companies that have developed from those centres of excellence, and you understand the vital importance that knowledge plays in our continued economic development and growth. More than half of total Scottish research activity is undertaken in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Key research and development specialisms include stem cell research and regenerative

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medicine, biotechnology, engineering, microelectronics, informatics, genomics, optoelectronics and renewable energy.

There are some major ongoing projects that promise significant growth to come, including: n Edinburgh St James, this is a colossal £850 million creation of a new mixed commercial development by TIAA Henderson Real Estate at the site of the St James Centre, due to start work this year, which should deliver an estimated 2300 new jobs . It will boast 42,500 sq metres of shopping, an hotel, a theatre, and almost 140 new flats. Outside of the oil sector, this is one of the biggest investments made in Scotland n More development will come out of the ground at the Haymarket, a key site in the west of the city which continues to prove attractive to investors, particularly since the trams have started running and with its proximity to our successful and wellconnected Edinburgh International Airport I believe we will continue to see significant investment into some of our key sectors, such as financial services, technology, and energy. We are regularly seeing international companies from these sectors establishing in Edinburgh.

Our job as a local authority is to work hard with our partners in promoting the opportunities that exist in a growing and successful city like Edinburgh, and also to be prepared to work with potential investors in our city.

We work with a number of partners. For example, Edinburgh International Airport is a major factor. Every time the airport secures a new route, we see interest from businesses from that destination in establishing in Edinburgh. China would be an excellent example, as our city has become more connected we have seen greater Chinese interest in our city – first through students

coming to Edinburgh to our universities, then through greater commercial links and so it develops.

The Universities are also key partners through their own international efforts, through their pioneering research which is globally recognised, through the innovative businesses which are developed and through the talented people from around the world who come to our universities to be educated, and then often decide to stay.

There are many reasons for Edinburgh’s success – our talent pool, our connectivity,

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

“There are many reasons for Edinburgh’s success – our talent pool, our connectivity, our resilient local economy with low unemployment, and our access to Europen markets.”

our resilient local economy with low unemployment, and our access to Europen markets. But one other major attraction remains – the City itself.

Time and again Edinburgh wins international accolades as a place to visit and as a place to live and work. It is a cultural centre, with an unrivalled reputation for its quality of life. That continues to be a major draw for companies looking to establish high value companies employing transient, highly mobile and talented people.

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

A global driver of capital’s international appeal The enormous value of international reach is superbly illustrated through the achievements of one of Edinburgh’s most successful and highly-regarded institutions.

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The University of Edinburgh is a global Top 20 University – an accolade gained through the excellence and dedication of its teaching and research staff and the talent and achievement of its students.

But while the laurel has been well-earned, it’s not something the University is resting upon!

Indeed, the University sees its worldwide status as something that should be used to ensure the institution’s success in the decades to come.

To that end, the university wants to continue on its successful path of attracting more students from around the world – while continuing to take as many Scottish students as the Government is able to fund; to continue as one of the leading UK and European research institutions; and to continue attracting the highest calibre of academic staff.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Charlie Jeffery Senior Vice Principal

And if you want to gauge success to date consider the following: Edinburgh University now has students from 140 different countries on campus in the Capital – some 40% of its student base is from out with the UK. Senior Vice Principal, Professor Charlie Jeffery, said: “That represents a real and fundamental change. For about 100 years the figure was probably less than 20%. It’s only in the past 10-15 years that we have seen steep growth, and in particular we have seen that growth in East Asia – notably in China, but also in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia.

“In the meantime we have maintained our position as the highest UK receiver of students from the USA, but China is now the biggest source of overseas students for us.”

That steep growth has not happened by accident, but through the hard slog of developing partnerships with leading Chinese universities, with developing Edinburgh Universities own offerings in the study of Chinese culture and language, as well as the Universities renowned excellence in sectors such as engineering, business and science.

Professor Jeffery added: “It is important to have real credibility when you go into a new market. We are in the very fortunate position that due to the excellence and breadth of expertise of our academic staff we are able to provide opportunities and learning that is genuinely relevant to, and valued by, the countries in which we wish to expand. For example, we recently opened the Centre for

Contemporary Latin American Studies. We are now in Sao Paolo in Brazil, and we are now taking a respectable number of students from the emerging economies of South America – although there is still the potential to take a lot more.”

Another string to the international bow is the online courses provided by the University – now taken in more than 200 countries around the world. As Professor Jeffery said “that’s just about everywhere.”

He said: “I think it is tremendously important that we have this global appeal. The dynamism of our society and economy depends in good measure on its interaction with other expertise and other cultures.”

And while it is vital for the University, it is also vital for the city. City of Edinburgh Council point to the talented workforce created through our universities, the innovation created through the research, as vital to the city’s success in attracting investment, business and employment.

In addition, in simple economic terms the international dimension to the University’s

work is of huge benefit to the Edinburgh and Scottish local economy – research has put its value at £1.2 billion added value.

Professor Jeffery said: “The benefits of our international appeal spin off in a multitude of ways – not just in the obvious ways such as the impact on our local economy of thousands of foreign students coming to live in our city, but in other ways such as the benefits it brings to our research work, to our ability to attract the highest calibre of staff, through to our contact with overseas alumni who are well disposed to the city, and whose contacts can be of tremendous benefit.

“So we continue to look at how we can develop this part of our work, growing and developing our reputation still further around the world, and bringing talented and ambitious young people to the city.”

As the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce continues to strengthen connections internationally, the University of Edinburgh’s global reach and reputation provides another key source of insight and business opportunities.

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JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED FOR

your BUSINESS?

It is in the interest of any business, large or small, to look after the health and wellbeing of its employees.

That’s where we come in at The Edinburgh Clinic with a comprehensive package of competitively priced healthcare support services geared specifically to the needs of our corporate clients.

Recognised for the quality of our services by all major UK private health insurers, we’re here to help you keep your staff in the best of health with fast access to a wide range of day-case medical and surgical treatments covering everything from private GP consultations to general and specialist health screening… and more.

To find out more about the business benefits of choosing The Edinburgh Clinic as your healthcare partner, visit www.edinburghclinic.com/corporate or call us on 0131 447 2340

40 Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5BT 38

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Follow us for regular health updates

FEATURE: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

ADVERTORIAL

Secrets of Health and Success Revealed Your success is determined by the health of your brain, which depends upon your overall health and the health of your spine.

Make better decisions and act on those decisions with a healthy body and mind.

to make subtle or gross changes to you and your company’s health.

The health of your brain determines your ability to solve puzzles, find solutions and make connections. Follow through on your decisions with the increased energy that comes from improving your health to create your success.

Distilled from 119 years of chiropractic clinical expertise and research, along with my own personal journey, these techniques will quickly add sustained health to you and your business.

The function of the brain and spine are temporarily improved during short bursts of stress, but prolonged stress is detrimental to both. Putting into action health habits to create a healthy brain is one part of chiropractic care.

Following through also reduces sick leave, enhancing a company’s production.

How is your health right now?

Do you know if your spine and brain health are as good as they could be? A free ten minute consultation will give an indication of where you are at and what can be done.

Book your appointment today and be sure of your health and wellness.

For more information on your next step, please call 0131 225 1177 or email gary@whitetreechiro.co.uk.

The posture and spine also leave subtle clues to brain function, so having your spine checked is one way to maintain the competitive edge.

Lead, and let your competition admire your spine.

Dr Gary Blackwood

www.whitetreechiro.co.uk

12 Weeks to Wellness In your 12 weeks to wellness program you will receive short informative talks on stress and health, exercises, relaxation techniques and chiropractic care

Medical Weight Loss at DermalClinic Rapid and Discreet Weight Loss, Body Contouring & Skin Tightening Without the Risks of Surgery!

Why visit Dermal Clinic? l Is it because they’re multi award-winning and provide expert solutions in a quality environment? l Is it because they provide a vast range of treatments to improve the way people look and feel? l Does complete discretion for medically supported weight loss, cosmetic improvement, tattoo removal and dermatology as well as their other numerous treatments, matter? l Is it about the highly trained and experienced practitioners and highest quality equipment?

What really matters is – it’s about you.

Tel: 0131 447 2642 www.dermalclinic.co.uk 21-23 Church Hill Place, Morningside, Edinburgh EH10 4BE

Russell lost 5st 1lb after 17 weeks

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Flexible GP services for corporate professionals

require their employees to travel abroad, and this invaluable service offers immediate peace of mind that employees are protected against whatever diseases they might encounter.

Many employers, embassies and other organisations also require specific medicals for employment, compliance or insurance purposes, and YourGP’s specialist practitioners are vastly experienced at meeting these requirements.

The practice is registered to provide Oil and Gas UK medicals and ENG1 seafarer medicals, and can supply them as stand-alone certification or as part of an organisation’s bespoke HR program.

As well as GP services, YourGP provides a range of counselling and support services, including stress and depression counselling.

Stress at work is becoming an increasingly significant problem, and YourGP’s expert therapists help patients address and develop ways of coping with problems such as anxiety, stress and depression in a supportive and confidential environment.

What about occupational health services?

If you want to reap the benefits of a healthier and happier workforce, YourGP also offers a complete occupational health service, which includes immediate appointments, rapid report turn-around times and high level employer and employee support.

Open seven days a week, Edinburgh private medical practice, YourGP, has created a flexible health service to meet the needs of busy corporate professionals.

The practice, Formerly known as Medicalternative, is located in the picturesque Dean Village, and offers a wide range of services and treatments, as well as longer opening hours to fit around your working schedule.

Unlike other health practices, YourGP provides short-notice appointments before, during and after working hours, ensuring you and your staff will be seen quickly and with minimum fuss.

So what type of services are on offer?

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With this in mind, YourGP offers a range of one-to-one, fully confidential medical MOTs and annual check-ups, including an executive health medical, the practice’s most popular option.

The executive health medical only takes an hour-and-a-half to complete, and provides a comprehensive package of tests that focuses on the aspects of health, fitness and lifestyle that most frequently give cause for concern.

YourGP has created a range of bespoke services for companies across Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, including a range of vaccination programmes.

The tests include height, weight and blood pressure tests, vision and hearing checks and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for heart problems.

As well as offering seasonal flu vaccinations between September and February, YourGP, which is a registered yellow fever vaccination centre, keeps a full range of travel vaccines permanently in stock.

With fast results, short notice appointments and late night opening hours, YourGP really can offer a one-stop solution to all your employer and employee health needs.

Companies across Edinburgh and Scotland have contracts and other work demands that

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One of the most effective ways to improve your staff’s wellbeing, and reduce the amount of money that sickness is costing your company, is through regular medical assessments.

There’s no need to register, so move your wellbeing to the front of the queue and enjoy the benefits that come from using YourGP.

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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Would you like to help your staff achieve healthy goals?

We’ll take care of it!

The Health Promotion Scheme is an exciting programme aimed at businesses across central Scotland from Scotland’s Health Charity, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

This innovative scheme delivers blood pressure screenings with individual lifestyle assessments and a choice of interactive activities from our team of Health Promotion Specialists.

In Scotland: n n n n

1 in 10 people is living with chest, heart or stroke illness 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure Every 45 minutes someone has a stroke Every 55 minutes someone has a heart attack

What are the benefits?

Participation in the scheme can help meet staff health and corporate social responsibility goals for your business.

Research shows that a workplace Health Promotion Scheme can: n n n n

Reduce employee absenteeism by an average of 30-40% Improve work performance by 10% Increase employee job satisfaction Achieve a positive return on investment – at least £3 for every £1 invested

What’s on offer?

Blood pressure screening and lifestyle assessments As well as checking blood pressure levels for staff, our Health Promotion Specialists will offer individual lifestyle assessments to raise awareness of risk factors for chest, heart and stroke illness and provide advice on how to reduce these by making healthier lifestyle choices.

Interactive workshops We have fun and engaging sessions to equip staff with important healthy lifestyle messages.

Support for staff-run health promotion activities Further resources can be provided to support your staff to run their own regular health and wellbeing groups.

I enjoyed the fact that I could get a blood pressure check without making an appointment and waiting at my GP outside of work hours Workshop Attendee

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How you can get involved?

In return for this service, you can work in partnership with us to raise funds to provide services which support people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions across Scotland. Ideas include: n Choosing CHSS as your ‘Charity of the Year’ n Organising fundraising events in your workplace n Entering CHSS fundraising events - individually or as corporate teams n Promoting payroll giving n Encouraging staff to volunteer for us

To find out more visit www.chss.org.uk/health-promotion or call George Grierson or Laura Hastings on 0131 225 6963

Be the best you can be in 2015 Perform is a specialist sports physiotherapy and human performance centre based at Shawfair Park Hospital. The centre is ideal for people who participate in exercise, and is suitable for weekend warriers through to elite sports men and women.

Physiotherapy at Perform Edinburgh

Back and neck clinic

Perform Edinburgh combines excellence in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders, with treatment from a multidisciplinary team.

The Active Spine Care treatment programme, developed over that last 20 years by the Finnish company DBC, is now available at the Perform Back and Neck Clinic at Shawfair Park Clinic.

Our team includes the highest levels of clinical excellence and expertise from specialist physiotherapists, podiatrists, a nutritional therapist and a sports massage therapist who work alongside sports medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons.

Our highly skilled team work together to develop a bespoke programme that is right for patients, targeting their specific goals and performance measures.

Active Spine Care has been proven to reduce back and neck pain and improve muscle stability, flexibility, endurance and well-being and is used in many physiotherapy clinics and sports clubs around the world.

Perform beyond your expectations

Paying for treatment There are two options for covering physiotherapy treatment costs, you can self-pay for treatment sessions, or through private medical insurance*.

April UK now offer private medical insurance that combines high quality healthcare with exceptional value for money. ‘inSpire’ allows you to receive a wide range of treatments, including physiotherapy*, at any Spire hospital throughout the UK. Spire Healthcare has 39 hospitals throughout the UK and works with over 3,000 of the UK’s most experienced consultant surgeons and specialists to deliver tailored, personalised care.

Is ‘inSpire’ for me?

3 If you have private medical insurance and want to save money on your premiums 3 If you self-fund your treatment but want a way to manage your budget 3 If you are looking for private medical insurance that offers fantastic value for money

For a free quote or to apply, call 0800 028 0849 *Please check if you are covered for physiotherapy treatments with your individual health insurance company as terms and conditions apply.

To book appointments for any of these services, call

0131 316 2537 www.spireperform.com/Edinburgh

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FEATURE: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

ADVERTORIAL

A local service for worldwide business The Edinburgh Travel Health Clinic is a long established specialist clinic well known to many businesses, voluntary sector and other agencies.

We provide travel health services for a wide range of travellers whether it is for short or long-term, single destination or even round the world trips. Advice is tailored to accommodate all ages and trip types. We have all travel vaccinations in stock including Yellow Fever, Rabies and BCG. We advise on all aspects of malaria prevention and we also have in stock all the current UK prescribed anti-malaria tablets. Travel goods and personal travel health items can be supplied.

The clinic offers very competitive pricing and a personal service with convenient appointments and even at short notice we always try to accommodate.

Travel Types at a Glance n Resort visits n Backpacking or independent travel n Volunteering and gap year travels n Adventure holidays

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n Business Trips n Ex-patriot and emigration n Overseas Family Visits n Foreign Studies

Website: www.healthytrip.co.uk Email: clinic@healthytrip.co.uk Edinburgh Travel Health Clinic, 14 East Preston Street, Edinburgh EH8 9QA

For more information contact us on Tel: 0131 667 1030

PARTNERS IN ENTERPRISE

Fast-growing Onyx Group active on the acquisition trail Innovative IT infrastructure and support services provider, Onyx Group announced the acquisition of Knowledge IT, a highly accredited ICT solutions and support firm.

After three years of good organic growth, this move significantly enhances Onyx’s consulting and managed service capability.

Since 2000, the group has completed five major acquisitions and exceeded a turnover of £20 million in 2014, a 13 per cent increase on the previous year. However, at £10 million, the purchase of North East based Knowledge IT is the biggest acquisition so far, boosting Onyx’s run rate revenue to over £30 million and increasing headcount to 170. The acquisition of Knowledge IT is a confident step towards achieving Onyx’s ambitious plans to become a national £100 million revenue IT support and services business in the next five years.

Onyx owns five data centers and six workplace recovery facilities across the UK and has a growing base of more than 200 customers including some of the UK’s bestknown brands. The acquisition will add to the facilities at Onyx and increase the breadth of its customer base.

Neil Stephenson, CEO of Onyx Group said “Increasingly over the past two years, customers have been asking us to manage their entire IT infrastructure, as well as providing resilient solutions to complex cloud

and hosting requirements. The Knowledge IT team has a great reputation for delivering these services and this deal will make the Onyx propositions and reach stronger for both sets of customers.”

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GETTING STARTED

Name: Naveed Babariya Business name: Peaches n Cream Boutique Start up date: 13th Dec 2014 Website: www.peachesncream.uk Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

Peaches n Cream Boutique is a contemporary new unisex beauty salon located in the very heart of Edinburgh at 40a George Street.

Q2: What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

We are a small but perfectly formed boutique, which offers beauty services at extremely competitive prices for central Edinburgh. We pride ourselves on creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere whilst making you feel like you never want to leave.

Q3: What motivated you to set up in business for yourself?

Everybody deserves to feel great. Having visited many salons and spas over the years, I felt most places left me feeling quite intimidated & dissatisfied by the whole experience. This motivated me to set up a salon where satisfaction and feeling special is at the core of everything we do. I want each and every client to leave feeling pampered and wanting more.

Q4: What do you like most about working for yourself?

Being autonomous and having accountability. Autonomy because I am able to make key decisions quickly and efficiently to help improve customer satisfaction.

Accountability because my business thrives or fails based upon the decisions I have made.

Q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

Empowering others – having partnered with doctors previously to help deliver effective cancer treatments for patients.

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

Manoeuvring through red tape. Being a gogetter I have at times during the set up of my salon, been slowed down by red tape which has been frustrating.

Q7: In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

To make many people feel great about themselves through Peaches n Cream Boutique or multiple boutiques across Edinburgh.

Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

To be focussed, develop a strategy, and execute the strategy with commitment and excellence. Finally be prepared for hurdles but don’t let them slow you down!

NEW MEMBERS ADLP

Dunedin Property Management

Pro Health Clinics T/A Napiers Clinc

Alzheimer Scotland

Edinburgh Alternative Finance - T/A LendingCrowd

RSTO Ltd

Firemac Ltd

Saxton Bampfylde

Castle Executive Chauffeurs

Halspan LTD

Spence & Spence

CGI IT UK Ltd

Handelsbanken

Steedman & Company

Connect Telecom Scotland

HD Printing

Crowdcube LTD

ime

Stephen Walters (Financial Planning) Limited

Crown Relocations

Interwoven PR Ltd

Crowne Plaza Edinburgh - Royal Terrace

Marsh Limited

Darl Services

Metro Ecosse

TRAC (Transform Research & Communication)

Double Take Projections

Morton Fraser

Village Urban Resort Edinburgh

Duddingston House Properties Limited

PLMR Scotland

Wardfire

Atlantic Airways Boots UK

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Sally Cuthbert Photography

Street League TLT LLP

ASK THE EXPERT

Are you maximizing the marketing value of your content?

As an expert in your field, you could be harnessing your knowledge to market your business, by creating some great content for your digital channels.

Content marketing is about turning your knowledge into traffic to your website, new digital connections and ultimately sales. It’s a technique that works right across the digital marketing spectrum from website content and email marketing to blog and social media.

Are you posting inspiring, persuasive copy on your website?

It’s the best way to demonstrate your knowledge, explore your subject area and provide quality information on your product or service.

Are you making use of social media?

Are you blogging?

Depending on your products or services these channels can be vital, but only if used in a meaningful and measurable way.

Has email marketing had its day?

I hardly think so. Email is still number one when it comes to business communications, so targeting people’s inboxes continues to make sense.

of course. Our new ‘Email Marketing for Business’ course is on 12th March 2015. We are also hosting our popular ‘How to write compelling web course content’ on 5th February 2015 and 21st May 2015.

Hilary runs both these course and is a trainer at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and is a writing specialist. www.chamberbusinesssolutions.com

Are you answering people’s questions?

Taking time to listen and really understand what your customers need to know makes all the difference. If you respond with relevant, focused material that genuinely helps them, then your business will get noticed.

We run a number of marketing training courses at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

Hilary Phillips

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Melville Castle

Meetings, Conferences, Team Building, Training Days, Incentives

Melville Castle Winter Warmer Sale Escape the city and enjoy your corporate event in tranquil surroundings where delegates can relax and enjoy the hospitality of Melville Castle n Day Delegate Rates reduced from £29.95 to only £25.95 per person (incl VAT) n 24 Hour Delegate Rate £169.50 to £149.50 per person (incl VAT) Rates subject to availability, please quote ‘Business Comment’ upon enquiry Tel: 0131 654 0088 | Email: events@melvillecastle.com Melville Gate, Gilmerton Road, Midlothian, EH18 1AP

|

Win

an overnight stay www.melvillecastle.com/buscom

Valid until 31st April 2015

www.melvillecastle.com

Get married in 2015 for £2015* • Wedding breakfast • Complimentary honeymoon suite • Evening buffet • Hall hire including DJ • Welcome drink

BOOK NOW! Exclusive use from 50 to 150 people prices from £15 per head for buffet and disco. Or 3 course meal for up to 120 people for £30 per person including half a bottle of wine and disco.

221 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH6 4NN Scotland

Tel: +44 (0) 131 454 2060 Email: enquiries@vphotel.co.uk

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*based on a wedding of 50 people

EUROPE DIRECT

What is Horizon 2020?

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with almost â‚Ź80 billion of funding available over 7 years. The programme started in 2014 and runs until 2020.

It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.

Horizon 2020 aims to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering new ideas.

If you run a business or are an academic brimming with innovative ideas you can now take advantage of the largest ever EU Research and Innovation funding programme.

Horizon 2020 is open to everyone, with a simple structure that reduces red tape and time so participants can focus on what really matters. This approach makes sure new projects get off the ground quickly and achieve results faster.

Interested in learning more about EU funding opportunities for your research or innovation

project? This is the place you need to go Horizon 2020 If you have questions about the EU, get in touch with your local Europe Direct information centre. Europe Direct Edinburgh is based at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, 40 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LE. We are here to answer questions about the EU and signpost you to the information you require.

T: 0131 221 2999 E: europedirect@edinburghchamber.co.uk Twitter.com/EuropeDirectEDI

Gerardine Renwick EDIC Project Manager

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BE THE BEST

Help with your international presence It may seem daunting to start the process of exporting your products or services abroad because it is a big world out there. But there are many opportunities to increase your market share and profit.

Here are a few helpful tips: n Research. It may sounds obvious but find out the demand for your product, competitors, pricing, packaging. Speak to an experienced advisor from SDI or UK Trade and Investment. n Plan. Create a business plan highlighting potential revenue and profit, and any investment needed.

n Support. Find out what support and funding is available for your industry. Many agencies arrange trade missions and you can apply for grants to attend overseas shows.

We can assist you with all of the documentation and legalisation services you need to exporting your goods and services quickly and easily, For more information contact the International Team on 01506 497667.

n Test. Visit the country and attend trade shows and meet with potential partners and customers. Get the feel for your product/ service and the demand in that country.

Here are a number of websites that can help: exportbritain.org.uk/ www.sdi.co.uk/ www.gov.uk/tradeshow-access-programme

n Culture. Assess the cultural, language and legal issues which could affect you exporting.

GET WITH IT A highly impressive cluster of hi-tech enterprises with one thing in common - a global reach - have signed up to STARTEDIN. The new organisation has been established to promote Edinburgh’s thriving and vibrant tech community on the national and international stage.

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By Bill Magee Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

Edinburgh has a start-up ecosystem second to none - supported by companies with varied creative, technical and entrepreneurial flair. The overall aim of STARTEDIN is to bring cohesion to this community.

Also, to both boost and support it to attract yet more great talent and resources as Edinburgh tech is promoted worldwide.

The country’s ICT trade representative body, ScotlandIS, along with Invest Edinburgh and Scotstarter have also become members.

Inaugural members include Skyscanner, Head Resourcing, miiCard, Global Surface Intelligence, Whitespace, Lynchpin and Mimir Data.

Global Surface Intelligence says: “Village Edinburgh, small enough to know everyone but big enough to get heard internationally.”

Collectively they will help to raise awareness outwith Scotland of the dynamic and successful tech activity that exists in the Capital.

Head Resourcing says: “It’s a beautiful city to live and work with huge opportunities for employment with great companies.”

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By Mayan Grace Marketing Manager Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

n Patience. Give it some time to take off and don’t be disheartened - it could just take time.

Lynchpin: “Edinburgh has a wealth of talent and a strong support network for running a business..”

Mimir Data: “..he digital scene is vibrant, there’s an excellent community feel and people tend to have strong, professional work ethics.” miiCard: “Edinburgh has...strong universities providing good talent, a great local enterprise and public sector support infrastructure, strong early funding opportunities in an active angel community.”

Last word goes to Skyscanner that has created 250 jobs doubling its global team: “We moved to our new HQ in Quartermile in Edinburgh City Centre. We, think it’s a great place to be.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Company name: Edinburgh International Film Festival Who? Mark Adams, Artistic Director Website: www.edfilmfest.org.uk What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

Watching a film at the Dubai International Film Festival What do you see as your job’s biggest challenge?

Balancing audience, industry and cultural expectations What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

Setting up the DVD label at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) Do you have any money-saving business tips?

Doing the national lottery doesn’t seem to work!

What do you believe are the 3 key stages on your career ladder?

Becoming a journalist…realising I could get paid for watching flms…working on the film festival circuit Where do you stand on work/life balance?

It is a great concept, but when work involves travelling the world and watching films it is easy for lines to blur What do you like to do on your spare time?

Play tennis, eat at good restaurants and – ridiculous as it sounds – watch great films What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

An enthusiasm for what they do and the ability to get on with those around them In business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

Trick question. I’d take being both…

What is the one piece of advice you would give to others trying to reach the top?

Be open and enthusiastic and willing to ask questions and learn. Make good contacts

Who is your hero?

I don’t really have heroes…just people I admire. And they change all the time.

Outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

Family, friends and sorting out my single-handed topspin backhand

Any business (or other) projects you would like to plug?

Nope…I’m all about the EIFF Other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

Millionaire playboy tennis-playing restaurant reviewer Who (living or dead) would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

William Powell & Myrna Loy (stars of the Thin Man films from the 1930/40s)

“Be open and enthusiastic and willing to ask questions and learn.”

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ADVERTORIAL

Love What You Do… Do What You Love!

Read inspiring stories of successful women business owners!

There’s something about 2015 that gives me refreshing energy.

I love the thought of new opportunities and budding female entrepreneurs ready to claim their life purpose and grow their business or profession.

Are you an innovative woman entrepreneur?

This Inspirational Women’s Column is dedicated to innovative women who aspire to do more in their business and be more in their life.

With the hustle and bustle that goes with my everyday life as a successful business owner, wife and mum of 2, it would have been easier for me to settle for second best. However, my 20 years of entrepreneurial journey taught me an important lesson of knowing your true purpose in life as a foundation for achieving your ultimate success.

I have admired other successful and savvy women who have inspired and mentored me. Whether I have met them or not, they are valued, recognised and rewarded for their contribution on empowering women.

I have no other hope but to inspire you in this regular column with success stories of my own, and other successful women who have been working hard to support other women in realising and pursuing their ambitions.

My desire is for you to believe in yourself, become the best at doing what you love, and be a living testament of success for other aspiring women to achieve amazing things!

U.S.A. Immigration: One Minute Q&A for Human Resources By: Olivia McMillan McLaren Q: I just received news that my company will be opening a branch office in Houston, Texas. Five members of our management team and three staff will need to spend the next year in the United States to oversee the opening, and I will be responsible for ensuring they obtain the necessary visas.

What should I do next?

A: For each member of the transferring team, you will need to put together a portfolio of information and documents that will allow a U.S. immigration attorney to advise and assist in the visa application process. Gather copies of each employee’s updated curriculum vitae, passport biographic page, all prior U.S. visas, degree diplomas and transcripts, job description and offered salary for the U.S. position, job description for the U.K. position currently held and information about the intended worksites in the United States.

Q: How long does it usually take to obtain visas in this kind of situation?

A: It can take from one to six months, so reach out to counsel as soon as possible to expedite the process.

By: Beverley Anderson Business Coach - Consultant Speaker - Media Guest

Tel: 0131 281 6017 E-mail: olivia@mclarenltd.com

www.mclarenltd.com

Tel: 0131 214 1114 Email: info@businessboostexpert.com www.businessboostexpert.com Twitter: @BizBoostExpert

Olivia McLaren, Ltd., Forth House, 28 Rutland Square, Edinburgh EH1 2BW Olivia McLaren, Ltd. is a limited company registered in Scotland (SC483161) and regulated in the practice of law by bar of the State of New York Registered address: 5/4 Peacock Court, Edinburgh EH6 4HZ *

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Olivia McLaren is a U.S. lawyer admitted to the bar of the State of New York.

CHAMBER TRAINING

Training Course Calendar Tuesday 3rd February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Leadership: how to lead, manage & coach your people to success Wednesday 4th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Finance for non finance managers: How to understand & speak with confidence about financial issues in your business Thursday 5th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 How to Write Compelling Web Content Friday 6th February 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Google+ & Facebook for Business Tuesday 10th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Introduction to project management: How to plan, manage and close successful projects Wednesday 11th February 09.30 – 16.30 Winning Presentations: how to speak in public with power, passion and confidence Thursday 12th February 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Google Analytics Friday 13th February 2015 09.30 – 12.30 LinkedIn for Business Development Wednesday 18th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Time Management: How to get more done in less time Thursday 19th February 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Growing your Business Visibility on Google An Introduction to SEO & Google Adwords

Tuesday 3rd March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Keep your customers: How to understand & improve your customers experience Friday 6th March 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Planning e-Commerce: Successfully investing in on-line business Tuesday 10th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Operational excellence: How to design & implement a continuous improvement culture for your business Wednesday 11th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Negotiating: How to negotiate & achieve the right deal for you & your customers Thursday 12th March 2015 09.30 – 12.30 E-Mail Marketing Friday 13th March 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Building e-commerce: developing your online shop Monday 16th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Managing Change – enabling Organisational Transformation Tuesday 17th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Managing Change - Enabling Organisational Transformation Wednesday 18th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Difficult Situations: How to deal with difficult customers & staff effectively & confidently Friday 20th March 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Managing e-commerce: Controlling and growing your on-line business

Friday 20th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Tendering for Success

Wednesday 25th March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Networking: How to build great business relationships & enjoy meeting strangers

Wednesday 25th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Process Mapping: How to create process maps & improve your business processes

Tuesday 31st March 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Sales Skills: How to enjoy & get great results when selling face to face or by telephone

Thursday 26th February 2015 09.30 – 16.30 How to Increase Your Leads and Sales Online

Wednesday 1st April 2015 09.30 – 16.30 Digital Marketing

Friday 27th February 2015 09.30 – 12.30 Documentary Letters of Credit

To book please contact us the training department on 0131 221 2999 option 3 or email: training@edinburghchamber.co.uk www.chamberbusinesssolutions.co.uk

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FEATURE: GREEN VISION

ADVERTORIAL

Taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the green revolution The move towards renewable technology and waste reduction represents exciting opportunities for businesses in the Edinburgh area.

Some of the technologies being researched include:

Over recent years, the area has been developing an expertise in a variety of renewable technologies with its companies taking that expertise across the UK and abroad.

n The Hydrogen Economy: work is under way to develop hydrogen as an energy source, taking advantage of the large amount of hydrogen already produced as part of chemical processes. Used properly, hydrogen can be a immensely useful power source which produces only water as a by-product

One of the key themes is the way that men and women who once worked in more traditional areas have turned their hand to the challenges presented by the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

For instance, people skilled in the engineering industry have been able to turn those skills to solving the challenges that accompany wind turbine technology, the first renewable technology to really become established.

Wind is not alone in offering opportunities and companies are also investigating the potential for new technologies in everything from chemicals to transport.

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n Solar: based on the idea that the power of the Sun can be captured and transformed into electricity, solar power can operate on a large scale with huge panels or on a very small scale with ones that can fit on a house roof

n Biofuels: the move towards vehicle fuels that do not produce pollutants has created the biofuels industry. Biofuel is made from the likes of vegetable oils and wheat and is low on pollutants, which is crucial because car exhausts are a major source of greenhouse gases

n Anaerobic digestion/biomass: some companies are investigating ways of turning organic material into energy. For instance, anaerobic digestion uses bacteria to break down waste to produce biogas which can be used to generate energy. Its use of bugs means it is a natural process which lends itself as easily to back-yard concerns as it does to industrial-scale operators n Waste minimisation/recycling: many companies are experts in the reduction of waste, partly through more efficient processes and also through recycling, including developing the idea of symbiosis where materials produced from one industrial process can be re-used in another instead of being discarded.

n Transport: the Edinburgh area is witnessing many initiatives to reduce the emissions from private and public service vehicles

We’re proud to be delivering energy, custodial and healthcare solutions that are helping Scotland to support its people and reach its potential.

Our goal is to deliver places that exceed expectations, enhance communities and inspire people.

How can we help you?

skanska.co.uk

twitter.com/skanskaukplc

youtube.com/skanskauk

linkedin.com/company/skanska

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FEATURE: GREEN VISION

ADVERTORIAL

Would you like clear guidance on environmental regulations covering topics such as Air, Waste, Water, Transport and Energy?

If so you can go to Netregs for guidance that is: n Written in plain English, avoiding legal jargon n Checked over by specialists in SEPA n Free to use n Up to date

NetRegs provides guidance by Business sector, or you can search the library of topics for a specific subject.

We keep legislation lists which outline the key pieces of legislation that businesses may be required to comply with.

All are free to use, and available online. They are designed to help businesses comply with environmental law and to reduce their impact on the environment.

NetRegs is a partnership between SEPA and the NIEA. We provide guidance on environmental regulation and good practice advice, aimed at SMEs in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Visit www.netregs.org.uk

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In addition we have n A free monthly email update – keeping you informed of new legislation, consultations and events that could be of interest. n e-learning tools to refresh your understanding of key topics – covering Duty of Care, Sinks drains and sewers, WEEE, Generating renewable energy and a general guide to preventing pollution. n Video clips to illustrate good practice, including Contrsuction, Agriculture and general business topics, including oil storage, reducing carbon, good practice in offices and transport. n The environmental compliance self-assessment tool – designed to let businesses review their main activities and find out if they have any areas needing attention. It generates a report that is completely anonymous, and can be used for a programme of improvement. Split into 6 sections: Waste, Air, Materials and equipment, Hazardous substances and Packaging

FEATURE: GREEN VISION

ADVERTORIAL

What are the VIBES Awards?

“Promoting positive environmental actions” The Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards are held every year to recognise and showcase best practice.

The aims of the awards are to: n Promote efficient use of resources n Enhance the competiveness of businesses n Improve environmental performance

organisations that makes VIBES unique, along with the fact that it is the only Scottish Awards scheme that is accredited by the RSA, meaning VIBES winners can be automatically entered into the prestigious European Business Awards for the Environment.

Six previous winners of VIBES awards were entered into this year’s EBAE and congratulations go to Vegware and The Bay Fish and Chip shop who were both runners up in their categories against stiff competition from across Europe.

n Support wider goals of sustainable development

Good for the environment and good for business

The VIBES awards are presented at a high profile ceremony at the end of the year, allowing success to be widely recognised.

In the current difficult economic climate, businesses that develop good environmental practices and reap the financial rewards of greater efficiencies are well places to weather the storm. The VIBES Awards welcome applications from innovative businesses that are working hard to take advantage of the opportunities that environmental best practice can offer.

The accredited awards scheme for Scotland The VIBES Awards are a partnership between a number of high profile organisations: n The Scottish Environment Protection Agency n The Scottish Government n Scottish Water n Scottish Enterprise n Highland and Islands Enterprise n Zero Waste Scotland n Energy Saving Trust n 20:20 Climate Group It is the backing from government and the involvement of these public sector

Ten Scottish businesses were recognised as champions of business sustainability at the 15th annual Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards.

BAE Systems Naval Ships, Jessie Mac’s B&B, Fife HARCA Ltd., IRT Surveys Ltd., Keenan Recycling Ltd., Peel Tech Ltd, Soilutions Ltd and Wind & Cloud Travel Ltd. were named as winners at a ceremony held at Glasgow’s

Grand Central Hotel and attended by around 300 people from a wide range of Scottish businesses and organisations.

GRAHAM Construction and Celtic Renewables Ltd. received commendations.

Applications for 2015 The Edinburgh area has produced a large number of finalists in previous years and we want to help celebrate your success. This begins with the application process, and if you are interested and would like to attend a Launch event in your area, then please register your interest at: vibes@sepa.org.uk You can find out about the categories of award, case studies of previous winners and details of the application process on the vibes website www.vibes.org.uk

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REDUCING WASTE, CARBON AND COSTS.

“I am really impressed with the whole service that Changeworks Recycling offers; there is so much communication! It is such a prompt and fantastic service that they provide!’’

Alzheimer Scotland

Over 80% of all waste generated within an office environment can be recycled presenting a huge opportunity for you to reduce your waste costs!

Receive a complementary waste audit and see how we can help your business.

To book your FREE waste audit call 0800 694 0158 or email INFO@CHANGEWORKSRECYCLING.CO.UK

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FEATURE: GREEN VISION

ADVERTORIAL

New trade waste initiative to affect City Centre businesses!

Following a successful pilot The City of Edinburgh Council have introduced an initiative to clean up Edinburgh’s streets and remove trade waste bins from public areas.

After complaints about the rising number of commercial bins being placed on public property, the council decided that as well as being unsightly, the often-overflowing bins were attracting vermin.

Businesses will have a four week grace period within which they are expected to comply with the new regulations. These state that all waste and recycling must be stored within business premises or on private land, and may only be put out on the street during specified collection windows.

While this is great for the local environment, residents and tourists alike, what does it mean for the affected businesses? Well, it means that they need to more actively manage their waste and its disposal. Many businesses have restricted space, so they will need more frequent collections. Others may find that complying with the newly introduced Waste (Scotland) Regulations will

help them reduce their general waste and make it easier to manage.

The initiative will be rolled be rolled out across Edinburgh by the 1st March 2016, so if you currently dispose of your waste in a bin that’s on public land, it’s likely you’ll soon find a sticker on it, giving you four weeks notice to remove it or it’ll be removed for you and you may be fined £200.

ADVERTORIAL

Hosting Innovation At ECCI – Workspace Available Now In ECCI’s Low Carbon Hub The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation’s (ECCI) Innovation Suite is a dynamic, shared workspace for public, private and third sector organisations.

The Deutche Post/DHL INNOVATION SUITE brings together talented people from diverse backgrounds & disciplines, in a world-class collaborative environment, all seeking to create a low carbon future.

The IDEAS LAB enables novel, step change ideas including pre-revenue concepts, intrapreneurs within large organisations and existing small businesses to receive intensive mentoring, network and idea development support, incubated at ECCI.

What we do Unique for an innovation centre, we welcome any idea / organisation that shares our low carbon vision: from small businesses, large corporates and social enterprises; to public sector and voluntary organisations.

Current Residents There are 14 current residents of the Innovation Suite ranging from business think tank 2020 Climate Group - set up to advise the Scottish Government on climate; to the Royal Bank of Scotland Sustainability team. The Ideas Lab recently welcomed 4 new residents including Town Rock Energy, Scotland’s first deep geothermal energy company with David Townsend, eSparks ‘entrepreneur of the year’ as CEO. Residents enjoy modern workspace in an open-plan environment; 24/7 building access, free and discounted event/meeting space; access to ECCI’s expert team and mentoring, funding opportunities and links to the myriad of projects, networks and events in the building. Residents can also take advantage of internship opportunities via ECCI’s low carbon business incubator and the University of Edinburgh’s carbon focused Masters programmes.

Find out more ECCI have just launched the new round of applications for the Ideas Lab and space for 3-4 further innovation residents.

To find out more visit our website, or call Charlotte on: 0131 650 9822 http://edinburghcentre.org/Deutsche-PostDHL-Innovation-Suite.html http://lowcarbonideaslab.edinburghcentre.org

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Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation

LOW CARBON IDEAS LAB Support, mentoring and world class accommodation for inspirational ideas that accelerate Scotland’s progress towards a low carbon economy

Applications Open Now www.lowcarbonideaslab.org

DEUTSCHE POST DHL INNOVATION SUITE Dynamic, shared work space for public, private and third sector organisations in ECCI’s inspirational, low carbon innovation hub

www.edinburghcentre.org

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: GREEN VISION

The Green Vision for Edinburgh Waste and recycling company Biffa has been working with customers in Edinburgh to revolutionise the way they manage their resources. By recovering the most value from recyclables and using waste to generate electricity, Biffa provides a genuine zero waste to landfill solution.

Biffa’s Commercial Manager in Edinburgh, John Gilmour said: “From simple recycling systems to complex multi-site operations, Scottish companies are benefitting from our specialist knowledge and zero to landfill approach. We support organisations directly as well in partnership with Scotland’s local authorities to deliver award-winning services.

Scotland is leading the way towards a Zero Waste society, where all waste is treated as a resource – something that Biffa specialises in. The Zero Waste Regulations which came into force in Scotland this January require businesses to have systems in place to recycle metals, plastics, glass, paper and card, and food waste collections where reasonable amounts are produced.

The good news is that Biffa already has well-established services in Scotland to help companies meet these new obligations.

Whether your company generates just a little office paper or ten tonnes of food waste a month, Biffa has a sustainable and costeffective solution.

Gilmour said: “Biffa’s infrastructure around Scotland makes it easy for businesses to comply with the new regulations. Food waste is a particular target area for many of our customers. By collecting this waste stream separately, it can be used to generate clean, green renewable energy by anaerobic digestion. Not only does this bring benefits in terms of avoided Landfill Tax, but also by contributing to Scotland’s renewable energy supply.

“We are now developing new affordable solutions designed to create space for waste with ‘smart’ swipe-card access. Based locally in Edinburgh and operating 24/7, Biffa is committed to ensuring our range of services reflects the specific needs of our Edinburgh customers. It’s good for the City and good for your business.”

sure the most is made of materials that are too often thrown away. By addressing waste and recycling from the bottom up, customers are saving money at the same time as shrinking their environmental footprint.

Biffa is a leader in providing creative sustainable waste management services. Businesses are invited to contact Biffa Scotland’s Customer Service Team to arrange a FREE consultation 0800 023 2172.

You can also find out more about our complete rangeof services by visiting www.biffa.co.uk

Biffa is helping organisations large and small throughout Scotland to understand the value in wasted resources. With nationwide recycling infrastructure and a regional presence, Biffa’s experts are at hand to make

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FEATURE: PROPERTY

ADVERTORIAL

Edinburgh12: Building for the Future After just over two years as Economy Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, Cllr Frank Ross updates the business community on the progress of over £2 billion of key developments springing up all over the city.

The Edinburgh 12, the name given to 12 of the biggest and most significant development sites in the city centre, has the potential to support up to 20,000 jobs once complete and a further 28,000 during construction. These will also go some way to address the city’s demand for Grade A office space and much needed additional hotel accommodation.

The Council is playing a significant role in this success and has established the Edinburgh Premium, a suite of services offered by a team of experts from across the Council who provide support to developers to ensure a smooth path to site delivery.

One site we have been heavily involved with is the £1 billion Edinburgh St James, which will massively boost the city’s retail offering and transform the east end. The Council has played a crucial role in securing this major investment for Edinburgh.

At The Haymarket Edinburgh, initial £9.6m SPRUCE loan funding, via the European Union’s financial instruments, has been secured for preparatory work at the gap site located opposite Haymarket Train Station.

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New office and retail space along with two hotels will transform the area and complement the investment in the newly refurbished Haymarket Train Station and Edinburgh Trams.

Artisan Real Estate Investors plans to breathe new life into the area around Council headquarters with their New Waverley site.

This has been left neglected for many years, with demolition complete and construction beginning on a £150m mix of hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants as well as grade A office space.

A number of the other sites also have work underway including Shrubhill, King’s Stables Road, Fountainbridge, Quartermile and 3-8 St Andrew Square.

five years and transport connections.

There is still a strong city centre focus but there are also key sites being identified in other parts of the city, for example Granton and West Edinburgh. Key sites within the Development Pipeline will receive support to help them advance when requested even if they are not part of ‘the 12’ at that time.

Ongoing support will be provided to sites that near or reach completion. This reflects the commitment of the Council to drive investment and development across Edinburgh for the benefit of all.

It is crucially important that the city has a continuing supply of development sites and our efforts are now focussed on delivering a Development Pipeline.

Over 50 potential future sites has been created as part of the Development Pipeline taking into consideration economic factors such as potential job creation and GVA, location, planning considerations, deliverability within

QUARTERMILE 4

www.qmile.com

Major new prime office development now under construction at Quartermile.

In one of Edinburgh’s largest ever speculative office builds, the M & G Real estate is investing £80 million in delivering two further office blocks at Quartermile, the deluxe mixed-use development in Edinburgh city centre.

FIND OUT MORE: Mike Irvine Montagu Evans T: +44 (0)131 229 3800 E: Mike.Irvine@montagu-evans.co.uk

Stewart Taylor CBRE T: +44 (0)131 469 7666 E: Stewart.Taylor@cbre.com

Due for completion in early 2016, the 129,830sqft Quartermile 4, will deliver of grade ‘A’ office space and include 1,250 sq ft of retail space.

Work will then begin on Quartermile 3, which will provide a further 73,000 sq ft of grade ‘A’ office space. n Grade A office space now available to let. Just minutes away from the Exchange, Edinburgh’s financial district and a short walk from Waverley Train Station and Princes Street. n A rich variety of shops, cafés, restaurants and leisure facilities are located at Quartermile including both national brands and independents. n Existing occupiers include Skyscanner, Investec Wealth and Investment, Mercer, IBM, Fanduel, Morton Fraser and Maclay Murray & Spens. n A prime location adjacent to the main campus of the University of Edinburgh and The Meadows, one of Edinburgh’s most popular parks.

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© McAteer

© McAteer

Key advice for office occupiers The Edinburgh city centre office market is moving from a ‘tenants’ to a ‘landlords’ orientated market, reflecting a shortage of Selection of the right property can make a supply and increasingly strong demand. significant difference to an organisation’s This is particularly noticeable for modern bottom line. open plan floorspace in the city centre in the Correct selection of a suitable office property 2,000 - 5,000 sqft bracket, but also for large floorspace in the 25,000 – 50,000 sqft bracket. affects your organisation’s productivity, recruitment and retention.

It is agreed in the marketplace that rental and capital values will rise significantly during The shape, layout and nature of an open plan floorplate can save 10 – 15% on floorspace and 2015, reflecting increased competition, total occupational costs on an annual and over shortage of supply and a considerable number of lease events occurring over the the life of the lease. period 2015 – 2019.

Occupiers should look at total occupational Parties thinking of relocating or intending costs, not just the rental rate per sqft or the acquiring office floorspace in Central incentive package offered.

Edinburgh would be well advised to start Poor advice can lead to unintended and their search early. unnecessary costs, both in the short and Montagu Evans LLP provide a Partner-led longer term. approach to all property situations and a It is, therefore, absolutely essential that bespoke service structured to meet the occupiers seek sound professional advice specific needs of individual clients. based on experience and track record.

Selecting a commercial property is first and foremost a property decision.

For a no obligation discussion, please contact either Mike Irvine (Partner) on mike.irvine@montagu-evans.co.uk Hugh Rutherford (Partner) on hugh.rutherford@montagu-evans.co.uk These Partners are responsible for office acquisition, disposal and development in Edinburgh and East Central Scotland, and have acquired or disposed of over 13 million sqft of office space, and are recognised as one of the top office advisory teams in Edinburgh.

www.montagu-evans.co.uk

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E: Resource & Environmental Consultants Ltd

T: 0131 247 7577

T: 0131 247 7577 sbrough@recltd.co.uk E: sbrough@recltd.co.uk W: www.recltd.co.uk W: www.recltd.co.uk

Title Resource and Environmental Consultants Limited (REC) is a multidisciplinary Environmental Consultancy offering integrated support services to the built and natural environment. REC help to assess and mitigate potential environmental risks to land transactions and planning applications, ensuring development completion by delivering high quality solutions. Our team consists of experts in geo-environmental services, asbestos management, air quality management, ecology consultancy, and acoustic services.

Celebrating 20 years’ since its formation, REC boast 13 offices across the UK and are currently in a period of growth nationwide.

We aim, across all offices, to offer a professional service tailored to the specific needs of our customer. We are proud to hold ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 and are full Constructionline members.

Samuel Brough commented “REC have completed many projects

REC are a multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy in and around Edinburgh including Residential, Commercial and offering integrated support services to the built and natural RECInfrastructure was recently acquired Julya 2014 by of Concept projectsinfor variety publicLife andSciences; private sector environment. REC help to assess and mitigate potential an organisation created with backing from private equity clients. I am extremely proud of the team who havefirm made great environmental risks to land transactions and planning Equistone Partnerswith Europe, andworks, is now including looking to Old significantly achievements recent Town and New applications, ensuring development completion by delivering grow the business.

Town regeneration, Student Accommodation in Holyrood and high quality solutions. Our local teams consist of experts in Housing developments in and around Edinburgh. geo-environmental services, asbestos management, air quality Within Scotland, REC boasts offices services. in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. These expert teams are managed by Associate management, ecology consultancy, and acoustic Director, Samuel Brough. With a wealth of experience in the We geo-technical geo-environmental fields,new Samuel are proud and of our history with partners andand oldhis and look been growing theREC capabilities Scotland despite the recession. continue building relationships with clients in and around the Celebrating 20 team years’have since its formation, boast 2 and offerings of RECtoacross city in 2015!” offices across Scotland and a further 9 in the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland. aim, across allacross offices, to offer REC hasWe undertaken work a variety of sites in all areas of Edinburgh, within both the public and private sector. REC For further information on REC’s complete portfolio of services a professional service to the specific needs of our providestailored dedicated environmental services, ensuring all projects are delivered cost efficiently and to required time frames. in Scotland, and to see how we can meet your requirements, customer. We are proud to relationships hold ISO 9001, 14001 and based OHSAScontractors ensure REC’s strong with Scottish that they are consistently able to mobilise all required please contact your local Scottish office or visit our website.

18001 and are full Constructionline members. equipment for any ground conditions.

REC Ltd, (along with SAL Ltd and Peakdale Molecular) was For further information on REC’s services and to see how we can meet your requirements, then contact your recently acquired in 2014 by Concept Life Sciences; an local office or visit our website. organisation created with backing from private equity firm Equistone Partners Europe.

Within Scotland, REC holds offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow but maintain projects all over the country. With a wealth of experience in the geo-environmental and geotechnical Edinburgh fields, Associate Director, Samuel BroughGlasgow and his team have successfully been growing the capabilities and offerings of 83 Princess 16 Langlands Place REC across Scotland sinceStreet 2011. REC provides dedicated Edinburgh Kelvin South Business Park environmental services, ensuring all projects are delivered cost 2ER efficiently andEH2 to required time frames. East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 0YF Edinburgh

T: 0131 247 7577

83 Princess Street Edinburgh EH2 2ER T: 0131 247 7577

Glasgow

T: 01355 573 350

16 Langlands Place, Kelvin South Business Park East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 0YF @RECLtd T: 01355 573 350

@RECltd

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FEATURE: PROPERTY

ADVERTORIAL

Working smarter, working harder Official statistics The Land Register records every sale and property transfer in Scotland, including those that do not involve a mortgage. This means that our statistics offer the most complete picture of the property market in Scotland.

Our quarterly house price figures are classified as official statistics, and are produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

We also produce a ten-year report, which uses these statistics to look back at the Scottish property market over the last decade.

DPA Development Plan Approval (DPA) is a service offered by RoS that can provide developers with the confidence that any title extent issues can be identified and resolved prior to the sale of individual houses from the development. This reduces cost and risk for the developer whilst still retaining the flexibility to progress the development to meet changing market conditions.

DPA removes any risk within the process for the developer and for future purchasers and their lenders, as all parties will have the certainty that the plot being purchased along with any ancillary property rights and title conditions fall within the developer’s title.

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Once DPA has been approved for a development the keeper will use the approved extent to facilitate advance notice of part and registration applications. This will eliminate the risk of any paper deed plans being rejected if they do not comply with the keeper’s deed plan criteria.

Reports A new suite of legal and plans reports is now available to view via the RoS eservices portal. The new reports comply with the requirements of the 2012 Act and have been designed to give assurance to sellers, purchasers and lenders when transacting with property.

Applications will now be processed within 24 hours through the RoS online system. On completion of your order, we will send you a link that gives access to your reports to view, save, and print for up to one year after completion.

the old reports which you will be familiar with, but they include additional information to reflect the requirements of the new legislation.

To access the new reports portal, login to eservices using your usual login details.

For general reports enquiries, please contact customer services on 0800 169 9391. Full guidance is available at ros.gov.uk.

Customer service centres We have two customer service centres – one in Edinburgh, and the other in Glasgow. Both provide our full range of services, and can be visited in person or by phone or email. Visit our website for opening times.

Get in touch Call us on 0800 196 9391, or email customer.services@ros.gov.uk.

The new range of reports provides options depending on the circumstances of the particular transaction. This will help identify potential issues prior to registration and reduce the likelihood of rejection when the application is submitted for registration. The new reports retain some similarities with

Constructing and caring for Scotland’s future

Good infrastructure is essential to sustainable economic growth.

Creating and maintaining places fit for the future is challenging.

Skanska is here to support.

As a green organisation, we understand that our actions today will affect our world tomorrow and our commitment to a more sustainable society is resolute.

Keeping it local At all of our construction and infrastructure projects, we are able to employ locally for both construction and operations.

For example, at HMP & YOI Grampian in Peterhead the majority of the workforce were local people.

We also made sure that residents were kept up to date on progress by welcoming them on site to find out more. So, not only did we deliver a high-quality, green building built to an innovative design, we also contributed to the local community and left a legacy of continuing employment Harnessing technology Before we even begin work on a construction site, we employ our award-winning building information modelling (BIM) expertise to identify any issues in construction, make structures safer and maximise efficiency.

This collaborative way of working provides everyone on the project, from contractor to client, with accessible, accurate data. It leads to better communication, greater efficiency, more precise scheduling and estimating, and reduced risk.

These detailed plans can also be used by those maintaining the building, helping them to resolve any challenges at an early stage – taking care of the future now, in other words.

Shaping the skyline We provide fit-out services where construction is already in hand. Our expertise is evident, thanks to our award-winning work on the iconic Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow. We’re very proud to say that we installed its striking, undulating roof, which symbolises the city’s relationship with the River Clyde.

In our work to retrofit sustainable energy management solutions to existing buildings, we help owners and tenants to reduce their costs and their environmental impact. This expertise has helped those in government, education and health to make the most of their budgets and become more sustainable.

Looking after you Skanska provides a diverse range of facilities management services, providing the kind of support that organisations need to run smoothly – from council estates and universities, to office buildings, and everything in between.

We’re proud of the many facets of our business, and the way we work with our clients to make a positive contribution to the built environment and thus society.

We look forward to working with you.

Alex MacLeod email: alex.macleod@skanska.co.uk tel: 07974 789623

skanska.co.uk

twitter.com/skanskaukplc

youtube.com/skanskauk

linkedin.com/company/skanska

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Want practical advice for your business?

Business Gateway know how valuable the right advice can be to the success of a business.

Call 0131 529 6644 to book your free appointment and get advice on: • Sales • Marketing • Sources of finance • HR issues

• • • •

Business planning Cash flows Exporting E-commerce

Find out how else we can help your business at www.bgateway.com/edinburgh 0131 529 6644 bglothian@bgateway.com www.bgateway.com/edinburgh

Business Gateway services are delivered by Local Authorities, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government with the 70 BC February/March 2015 support of associated partner organisations. Maximum call charge from BT landline is 3p a minute.

Marketing Fun Today’s commerce projected forward for a successful future.

Our company founder, Colin Linton, proudly runs this small consultancy firm from home, after 20 years of developing his knowledge of business enterprise. He attended Napier University, where he pursued a research project with the outcome of the European Union to 2010. This had the moral support of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, who shared the material obtained from other European institutions. Prior to this research, he made a point of going to study business development in America. He embraced this study three times. Here he became involved with change, creativity, marketing new opportunity, and politics.

The experience and skill that he developed over these years of study and research led him to the establishment of this business. He decided to devote his knowledge to establish long-term strategies for small and medium businesses that will help get them on the map.

He looks forward to helping you research your business goals. Call us now.

Call Colin Linton Management Consultant of Dalkeith, Midlothian, for accredited management consultancy and business advice that will help get your business to where it deserves to be.

Flat 2, 135 High Street, Dalkeith EH22 1BE Tel: 0131 610 6062 E-mail: colinlinton283@btinternet.com www.lintonmanagementconsultant.co.uk

The term ‘marketing’ and ‘fun’ don’t usually go hand in hand, but when it’s working with our latest client FUNBOX, that certainly applies. FUNBOX is the brand new family show from Anya, Gary and Kevin (the stars formerly of The Singing Kettle).

Weesleekit design have just completed the first phase of working with FUNBOX to help develop their brand identity, website and promotional material.

Within 24 hours of their website going live they had over 1000 likes on Facebook and are continuing to go from strength to strength via an online and offline campaign.

We wish you all the best in your venture FUNBOX and look forward to your first official show on 1st March at SECC Glasgow. www.funbox.co.uk

What are you saving for?

Retirement First Home Child’s Education I can help you do it all.

Contact me today: Ian F. Gibson Dip CII, MSCI, Partner, True Potential Wealth Management LLP Tel: +44 (0) 7989 411 815 Email: iangibson@tpllp.com

We make no compromise.

We are beyond wealth management.

www.tpllp.com Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FSR number 529810.

Registered in England and Wales as a Limited Liability Partnership No OC356611.

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INSPIRING CONNECTIONS

As we welcome 2015, we look back to the final events of 2014.

Our popular “60 Really Useful Minutes” series hosted Grayling MD Billy Partridge in November discussing reputation management and Murray McCall Managing Partner of Anderson Strathern and Nicola Gandy of Aberlour Childcare trust discussing CSR in December.

2014 saw the launch of “Inspiring Women in Business”, a series of lunches with world class speakers and December 5th was no exception.

The End of Year event was attended by over 100 delegates who heard from Emma Little, CEO/ Founder of ExecSpace, Elspeth Atkinson, Director of MacMillan Cancer Support and Courtnay McLeod, Director of Bauer Academy. In November, we also launched our 4th Annual Business Awards in spectacular fashion at the Penthouse Suite of the DoubleTree Hilton. It was

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a great night of networking with some surprise entertainment from the 5 star Fringe comedian Juliette Burton with a shortened version of her show “When I grow up”. The Business Awards areopen to entries until February 9th 2015. After the tremendous success of our Breakfast Connections with Ian Craig CEO Transport for Edinburgh in 2013, we welcomed him back to update the business community on the developments of the past year on November 27th. Finishing the year on a high, we enjoyed an evening of festive networking and drinksat The Glasshouse for our Annual Christmas Party.

Another sell out event saw members dazzled by magician Elliott Bibby and the Edinburgh University Swing Dance Society.

Kicking off 2015 members enjoyed hearing from Gordon Dewar CEO of Edinburgh Airport at the Balmoral Hotel on January 8th discussing the huge growth of Edinburgh Airport and also how businesses can take advantage of the

INSPIRING CONNECTIONS

international markets that are now being directly connected to the capital city. Our 2015 calendar has a whole host of events lined up including a Premier Series Dinner with Keith Williams Executive Chairman of British Airways on 20th of April. Not to forget

our glittering Annual Business Awards taking place on March 2nd 2015 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa. On 4th of March we are partnering with Management Today on the “Inspiring Women� Conference, the

first of these events held outside of London.

For more information please visit www. edinburghchamber.co.uk/events

FORTHCOMING EVENTS February

March

April

Wednesday 4th 60 Really Useful Minutes: Entrepreneurship with Stephen Leckie, Scottish Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year

Monday 2nd 4th Annual Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards - The Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa

Wednesday 1st 60 Really Useful Minutes: Crisis Management with Billy Partridge, Director Grayling

Wednesday 4th MT Live Conference - The Balmoral

Wednesday 4th 60 Really Useful Minutes: Leadership with Bryan Leslie official Edinburgh Chamber trainer

Monday 9th Awards Submission Deadline Tuesday 10th High Flyers Club with MBM Commercial: Entrepreneurship Wednesday 11th Influencers Breakfast at The Royal Yacht Britannia Wednesday 11th Networking Lunch - Mussel Inn

Thursday 5th Women in Business Conference - The Balmoral Tuesday 10th High Flyers Club with MBM Commercial: Building a Brand Wednesday 11th Chamber Dining Club Dinner - La Garrigue

For all event queries please contact Sian Downes, Events Manager on 0131 221 2999 option 2 sian.downes@edinburghchamber.co.uk or Genevieve McAreavey, Events and Marketing Executive gen.mcareavey@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Tuesday 14th High Flyers Club with MBM Commercial: Risk and Overgrowth Management Wednesday 15th Chamber Dining Club Lunch - STEAK Monday 20th Premier Series Dinner with Keith Williams, Executive Chairman of British Airways The Waldorf Astoria Wednesday 22nd Speed Networking - The Royal College of Surgeons Tuesday 28th Inaugural Inspiring Women in Business Workshop with Liz McAreavey, Commercial Director at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce - The Waldorf Astoria Thursday 30th Annual Whisky Tasting - B+B Edinburgh

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

An exciting new role based in Edinburgh Steven Skinner has recently been appointed in a new role as Senior Sales Executive for Landmark Press in Edinburgh. His role is to expand the company’s excellent organic growth within the tourist publication and leaflet distribution markets in Scotland.

Steven joins Landmark Press with over 10 years of experience in sales, marketing and business development, having previously worked for Company’s such as Orchard and Shipman and Sitexorbis Ltd and intends to use his skills to enhance and increase the Landmark Press customer base.

Steven said: “I am very excited to be working for a company at the top of it’s sector and I look forward to helping them continue to grow and develop in the years to come”. (Please see page 10 for our advert)

SCC Chief Executive awarded O.B.E. Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), Liz Cameron, has been recognised with an Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) for her services to Business and Commerce in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2015.

With a career spanning three decades, and recognised as one of the top 10 ‘Women of Influence’ in Scotland, Liz has been head of the leading business organisation for 10 years since she was appointed CEO of Scottish Chambers in 2004.

Liz Cameron commented “I have had the honour and privilege of supporting and helping businesses across Scotland throughout my career. Working with the Chamber Network has provided me with many opportunities, enabling me to meet and engage with so many exciting and inspirational people in business, education and the public sector. To be personally recognised in this way is truly wonderful. I owe so much to so many others who have helped me throughout my career, and am so grateful.”

B USI N ES S CO MMENT IS AN EDINBURGH CHAMBER O F CO MMERCE PUBLI CATION. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Business Centre, 2nd Floor, 40 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LE www.edinburghchamber.co.uk President: Alex Mcleod Chief Executive: Dave Birrell

E DI TO R : Mayan Grace, Tel: 0131 221 2999 email: mayan.grace@ edinburghchamber.co.uk

FE AT U R ES E D ITO R David Forsyth, Tel: 07887 955778 Email: david@benchmarkpr.co.uk

DI SC L A IM ER

P RO D UC TIO N & D E S IGN Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2385 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

A DVE RTIS IN G Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE John Neilson, Tel: 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

Distinctive Publishing or Business Comment cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Comment.

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Entrepreneurial Partner appointed at Chiene + Tait Chartered Accountants Gillespie Macandrew Neil Norman, previously Appoint Two Associates Director of Corporate Tax Services became Chiene + Tait’s Entrepreneurial Tax Partner on 1st January 2015. Neil qualified with a medium sized firm and then spent 5 years with KPMG prior to joining Chiene + Tait in January 2012. Neil specialises in tax planning and tax relief claims for entrepreneurs and angel investors including Enterprise Investment Schemes, Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes and R&D Tax Relief.

He works closely with new start ups, university spin outs, business accelerators, high growth companies, life science organisations and entrepreneurs to make sure they are fully up to speed with the latest legislation set down by HMRC. Commenting on his promotion to partner, Neil says”I am absolutely delighted to become the newest partner at Chiene + Tait. With support from a fantastic team, we have developed and built on our existing entrepreneur and angel investor expertise and work with many angel syndicates across Scotland and the high growth companies they have invested in.

I look forward to working with my fellow partners and growing our entrepreneurial work.”

Edinburgh law firm Gillespie Macandrew has announced the appointment of two new Associates.

Fiona Cameron has been promoted to Associate within the Litigation & Dispute Resolution team. In her new position Fiona will maintain a broad commercial litigation practice but, increasingly, will be focusing on employment law and property litigation. Fiona hopes to continue in her roles as a Law Society of Scotland mentor and co-chair of the Young Mediators’ Group.

Amy McDowell has been promoted to Associate within the Commercial Property department.

In this role she will continue to develop her experience in both renewable energy and strategic land developments. In addition, Amy will continue in her roles as member of the firm’s CSR Committee and Social Committee.

Ian Turnbull, Managing Partner of Gillespie Macandrew, comments: “We are delighted to appoint Amy and Fiona as Associates. Both joined us as trainees, in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and became fully qualified solicitors and valued members of their respective teams. We work hard at Gillespie Macandrew to provide good development opportunities for our people and it is always particularly pleasing to watch quality individuals progress their careers with us.”

Tailored IT support throughout Scotland For more information contact us on

01786 238 540 www.cplitservices.com February/March 2015

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Wired into Scottish businesses

It’s a proven fact that trained and qualiďŹ ed staff are more motivated, more reliable and more productive.

Through your own dedicated advisor, we can give you all the support you need to connect with SQA.

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/employers

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