Business Comment #5 jun/jul 10

Edinburgh Festivals rock – how Edinburgh became the World’s festival capital

JUNE/JULY 2010

Edinburgh Chamber - UK Chamber of the year 2010

Find the course that’s right for you or your business at SCE Enterprise …

sce-enterprise.com

We provide training and development solutions in:

• Health & Safety • Management Development • Learning & Development • Vocational Qualifications • IT • Business Communications For further details on any of our products or services visit our website at: www.sce-enterprise.com or call us on (0131) 535 4800

June/July 2010

Don’t let September SLIP you by

Contents 24

25

Every cloud eventually moves on to let in fresh sunshine. It might not be doing so in a hurry, and we may feel weary of the effects of recession, but as surely as summer eventually comes, fresh challenges and opportunities arise. The art of business is to stay awake to such opportunities constantly.

I am excited by the prospect of what the low carbon economy can offer our businesses by way of new products, services and customers. I am also aware that meeting the imperatives of a new way of thinking about energy presents difficulties which have to be solved.

Our oil has not run out yet, and we have significant reserves of coal; these are vital (alongside nuclear) for providing our present electricity base load. But our previous profligate energy habits cannot continue; environmental considerations and booming global demand dictate we have to get lean and mean on this one too.

The big opportunity is that new approaches to renewable energy for transport, electricity generation and heating, as well as judicious planning of buildings and conservation measures, offer a rich store for future businesses that are willing to risk exploring them.

Our temperate Northern maritime climate means we have always had a high need for energy to warm our buildings and light the long winter nights, and our early self-sufficiency fuelled the industrial revolution. The multitude of opportunities for renewable generation is driving forward fast as the latest round of Crown Estate offshore licensing creates the possibility for 11GW of fresh generation capacity.

More importantly, it creates a whole new prospect for Scotland’s businesses to become world-wide providers ahead of the game – not just in products, but also in know-how and services globally.

I am delighted we have been asked to stage the Scottish Government’s conference on the 28th of September at EICC, with a Holyrood reception and a dinner at The Castle to progress the Low Carbon Investment Plan (SLIP).

If you’re a player in the industry it’ll be an unmissable event – and if you’re not, it might be your perfect chance to find out how you could be. See you there.

Ron Hewitt chief executive

03 04 07 08 08 13 15 16|18 19 22|23 24|25

Introduction / contents Chamber Awards incentive Capital view New events booking system Get online with the Chamber Be the best Going international Inspiring connections 60 seconds The interview Cover feature

27|31 Finance feature

34 PR & marketing feature

37 In the spotlight

38 Chamber news

39 Legal

41 Ask the expert / get with IT

44 Getting started

45 Business news

47 Arts

49|50 Movers & shakers

Business Comment is an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce publication.

All editorial a n d g en eral en qu iries: Edinburgh Chamber Customer Services Team Phone: 0844 736 2992 email: customerservices@edinburghchamber.co.uk Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Capital House, 2 Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9SU www.edinburghchamber.co.uk President: Robert Carr Chief Executive: Ron Hewitt Bu sin ess Com m en t Editor Josef Church-Woods, Marketing & Communications Executive Phone: 0131 221 2973 email: josef.church-woods@edinburghchamber.co.uk PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0191 4788300 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0191 4788316 john.neilson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com DISCLAIMER

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.

Cover p h oto Christine Fiedler, courtesy of Paul Lucas Productions and Richard Jordan Productions.

June/July 2010

BC

3

Chambernews Go continental with bmi Enter the Chamber Awards – it’s a win, win deal!

To encourage our members to showcase their talent by entering the Chamber Awards 2010, we are offering a reward to any business within our network that submits an application!

We will commit to giving all our members who enter one or more categories of the awards, run by the British Chambers of Commerce, a free advertising slot in one of our e-newsletters, worth £200*.

Better still, we will give any member who is crowned a regional winner a year’s free membership to the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce. If that’s not a win, win deal, we don’t know what is!

For more information about the awards, how to enter and a list of award categories, go to: www.chamberawards.co.uk The Chamber Awards 2010 entry deadline is the 25th of June.

If you want to discuss any of the above with someone at the Edinburgh Chamber, call our Customer Services Team on 0844 736 2992.

*The timing of your free advertising slot will depend on the number of applicants as well as the availability in our e-newsletters.

There are 5-6 advertising slots per month and paid-for advertising will be prioritised.

Adverts need to be supplied by the advertiser, to Chamber specifications. One free advert per member company.

4

BC June/July 2010

Mix business with pleasure in Vienna

bmi has launched two new routes from Edinburgh to Berlin and Vienna, via London Heathrow, to make business travel to and from Scotland even easier.

The airline now operates four daily flights to Germany’s vibrant and cultural capital city, renowned for its design expertise and creative industries, whilst flights to Vienna will operate in conjunction with Austrian Airlines, to offer five flights a day, seven days a week to the Austrian capital.

Both cities offer a fascinating dynamic between old and contemporary, where historical buildings, monuments and museums jostle for space alongside modern plazas, contemporary art galleries and gourmet restaurants.

There has never been a better time for business travel with bmi. With improved schedules, outstanding benefits and fantastic value, bmi offers business travellers a greater range of connections across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Russia.

Edinburgh-based customers can make the most of business travel budgets with bmi’s re-launched shorthaul product on all services across the UK and Ireland to and from London Heathrow. The introduction of a single Economy cabin and enhanced services for customers travelling on Flexible Economy fares offers excellent value and gives customers the ability to keep business travel costs down.

Passengers travelling on to Vienna and Berlin, can experience all the benefits of a full service business and economy class product onboard.

Berlin’s iconic Brandenburger Gate

Customers travelling with bmi will benefit from excellent onward connections, highquality service, bmi’s Company Rewards programme for SMEs and the UK’s leading loyalty programme, Diamond Club, where destinations miles can be spent on flights with Star Alliance member airlines, hotel accommodation and a range of gifts and treats.

For more information or to book flights visit www.flybmi.com. Return fares to Berlin and Vienna start from £174, including taxes.

ARTERY adds to Edinburgh’s creative pulse An exciting new arts project called ARTERY, initiated by not-for-profit organisation ‘26’, aims to transform one of Edinburgh’s main bus routes – the number 26 route – into urban art…and businesses are invited to get involved.

ARETRY is the brainchild of Henzteeth copywriter Stuart Delves, 26’s Director in Scotland, who, in association with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, developed previous 26 project in Edinburgh, ‘26 Malts’, in 2005.

Supported by Lothian Buses, The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Zoo amongst others, ARTERY will see writers work in collaboration with visual artists, involving neighbourhood communities within the city and outlying East Lothian towns along the 26 bus route.

The project intends to make bus stops along the 26 route into ‘urban shrines’ by February 2011, with text pieces, posters, sculptures, pavement graffiti and sound installations. Selected 26 buses are to sport art instead of ads on their exteriors, with panel poems, sound installations and Wi-Fi reception for down-loadable clips inside.

Edinburgh’s number 26 bus route is to get a makeover

Core funding for the ARTERY project is currently being sought, as well as one or two major commercial sponsors. Businesses along the route are also being offered the opportunity to sponsor an artist or writer/artist pair, in return for a prominent position on the number 26 bus route map.

26 strives to raise the profile of words and language, both in business and everyday life.The organisation has staged a number of public-facing creative projects since 2004, working in high profile partnerships with the likes of The British Library, Arts & Business Scotland, London Underground and The Globe Theatre. to find out more about ArterY or to get involved, please contact stuart on 0131 653 5080 or email him: stuart@henzteeth.com

EMS

FOR ALL YOUR MAILING NEEDS

n Free Collection Service n Inserting & Collating n Labelling & Sealing n Mailsort Services n Postage Discount* n Database Management n Mailmerge Services n Response Handling n Next Day Local & National Deliveries * Depending on mailing meeting criteria

26 malts – a previous 26 project in Edinburgh, with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

EDINBURGH MAILING SERVICES LTD info@edinburghmailingservices.co.uk Tel: 0131 552 4085 Fax: 0131 551 5145 24 New Broompark Edinburgh EH5 1RS For more information or a Free Quotation don’t hesitate to contact us.

Tel: 0131 552 4085 June/July 2010

BC

5

Saloon, Estate, Coupé, Cabriolet.

What’s your pleasure?

The E-Class range. A sunnier outlook all year round.

The new E-Class range has redefined style, safety and pure driving pleasure and, with the arrival of the new E-Class Cabriolet, you are even more spoiled for choice.

E 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY SE Saloon with Metallic paint

ÞÜ The E-Class Saloon at a Typical 5.9% APR . With high specification as standard, every aspect of the E-Class Saloon delights.

On the road price

£28,440.00

Customer deposit

£4,599.00

ÞÜ The new E-Class Estate at a Typical 7.7% APR^. With best-in-class 1,950 litres of load space, the E-Class Estate offers impressive practicality and versatility.

Retailer deposit contribution**

ÞÜ The E-Class Coupé at a Typical 7.8% APR¥. Dynamic and sporty, it offers luxurious comfort and head-turning style.

Acceptance fee

ÞÜ The new E-Class Cabriolet at a Typical 7.7% APR^. With its unique wind-deflecting Aircap system, this car has reinvented open-top driving.

Total charge for credit

∞

All across the range, BlueEFFICIENCY technologies reduce fuel costs and emissions without compromising performance. So, whatever your pleasure, you’ll find it in the E-Class range. And, with affordable finance, that pleasure is attainable.

36 monthly payments of*

Optional purchase payment†

Purchase activation fee†

£349.00

£446.80 £13,800.00 £180.00 £95.00 £3,244.80

Amount of credit

£23,394.20

Total amount payable by the customer††

£31,238.00

Typical 5.9% APR

For more information on any of these offers, please contact our Sales Team on 0843 208 0719.

Mercedes-Benz of Edinburgh 12 Edinburgh Road, Newbridge, Edinburgh 0843 208 0719 www.mercedes-benzofedinburgh.co.uk Mercedes-Benz of Coldstream 1 Guards Road, Coldstream 0843 208 0719 www.mercedes-benzofcoldstream.co.uk Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the E-Class range: urban 15.0(18.8)-42.8(6.6), extra urban 30.4(9.3)64.2 (4.4), combined 22.1(12.8)-54.3(5.2). CO2 emissions: 299-137 g/km.

MODELS FEATURED ARE A MERCEDES-BENZ E 200 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SE SALOON AT £28,440.00 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT AT £630.00, A MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SPORT ESTATE AT £40,175.00 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT £630.00, A MERCEDES-BENZ E 250 CGI BLUEEFFICIENCY COUPÉ SPORT AT £37,080.00 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL PANORAMIC SUNROOF AT £1,315.00 AND DIAMOND WHITE METALLIC PAINT AT £1,080.00 AND A MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY CABRIOLET SPORT AT £42,725.00 ON THE ROAD INCLUDING OPTIONAL METALLIC PAINT AT £630.00 AND LEATHER UPHOLSTERY AT £1,315.00 (ON THE ROAD PRICE INCLUDES VAT, DELIVERY, 12 MONTHS’ ROAD FUND LICENCE, NUMBER PLATES, FIRST REGISTRATION FEE AND FUEL). **THE £446.80 RETAILER CONTRIBUTION IS ONLY AVAILABLE WITH THIS E 200 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SE SALOON FINANCE OFFER. *BASED ON A MERCEDES-BENZ E 200 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SE SALOON WITH METALLIC PAINT ON A MERCEDES-BENZ AGILITY AGREEMENT. †PAYABLE IF YOU EXERCISE THE OPTION TO PURCHASE THE CAR. ††INCLUDES OPTIONAL PURCHASE PAYMENT AND PURCHASE ACTIVATION FEE. CREDIT PROVIDED SUBJECT TO STATUS. EXAMPLES BASED ON 10,000 MILES PER ANNUM. EXCESS MILEAGE CHARGES MAY APPLY. GUARANTEES AND INDEMNITIES MAY BE REQUIRED. ∞THE TYPICAL 5.9% APR CAMPAIGN IS AVAILABLE ON SELECTED E-CLASS SALOON MODELS EXCLUDING AMG AND SPECIAL REQUEST ENGINES (E 250 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY MANUAL AND E 350 CGI BLUEEFFICIENCY OFFER IS AVAILABLE ON SELECTED RETAILER STOCK VEHICLES ONLY.) ^THE TYPICAL 7.7% APR CAMPAIGN IS AVAILABLE ON ALL E-CLASS ESTATE AND E-CLASS CABRIOLET MODELS. ¥THE TYPICAL 7.8% APR CAMPAIGN IS AVAILABLE ON ALL E-CLASS COUPÉ MODELS. ALL VEHICLES MUST BE REGISTERED BETWEEN 1ST APRIL AND 30TH JUNE 2010. OFFERS CANNOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER PUBLISHED OFFER FROM THE RETAILER. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. CREDIT PROVIDED SUBJECT TO STATUS. PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS (04/10). FINANCE PROVIDED BY MERCEDES-BENZ FINANCIAL SERVICES UK LIMITED, MK7 8ND.

Capitalview Getting Edinburgh ready for take off How the capital’s airport is helping Edinburgh to global success – by Gordon Dewar, Managing Director, Edinburgh Airport challenges. But let’s not forget how others perceive us and it is generally something to celebrate.

Edinburgh Airport has managed to build a reputation for value for money. This doesn’t mean that we’re the cheapest, but what it does mean is that we work hard to understand and meet our airline customers’ needs.

We’re aggressive commercially as we know that every penny counts for our customers and their passengers. The more we can invest in our airport and the more revenue we can generate from elsewhere, the less we need to charge our customers. This will continue to grow the choice and frequency of flights from Edinburgh, all delivered without any public money unlike most of our European competitors.

Gordon Dewar Managing Director Edinburgh Airport

The recent volcanic ash cloud cast a large shadow over many of us, not least Edinburgh Airport and the many businesses we support.

Beyond the initial week of no flying, the ramifications of the crisis are still unfolding.

The potential reluctance of people to fly, the ongoing impact on the tourism industry and the large dent in the reputation of aviation all remain with us and pose big challenges for Edinburgh Airport and the capital alike.

The crisis underlined the importance of aviation to a country like Scotland. We’re a nation at the north-west periphery of Europe.

Tourism is one of our biggest employers and exports and aviation is still the main access to the vast majority of our overseas markets.

)-

LIC ORT LER TO HE CAL IN ND.

The crisis showed the capital in a great light.

When the disruption initially hit, we asked Edinburgh’s tourism and hospitality trade to assist us with the many passengers stranded here. Within a matter of hours we had a list of discounted hotels, restaurants and bars, to help ease the stay of those stranded. City of Edinburgh Council did its bit too, with its social work department offering help to those in financial difficulties.

So adversity has again shown us the intrinsic links between Edinburgh and its airport.

We’re a big employer in the City Region, supporting around 5,000 jobs on the airport campus and many more in the surrounding community. Our economic contribution in 2009 was estimated as £118.4m.

And the capital is a huge factor in that success.

Sometimes we can forget how great our city is when we get distracted by local issues and

Growth airlines like Ryanair and easyjet are not in this industry to fly to airports and cities that will not be profitable. We need to blend our expertise in running an airport with Edinburgh’s world class status to maintain the unbeatable product that has already seen huge growth over the past decade.

So in order for us to truly be Scotland’s airport of choice, Edinburgh must be Scotland’s city of choice. We will only be successful if Edinburgh is successful.

We intend to build on what we’ve achieved together. I’m ambitious for Edinburgh and the airport and believe that together with my team we can attract more routes and open up further parts of the world for our enterprising businesses to exploit.

We’re working with our partners in Edinburgh such as the excellent Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and development and tourism groups such as DEMA and ETAG to ensure that Edinburgh is the best that it can be.

Despite the challenges that our city has faced recently, I’m optimistic about the future.

We all live and work in Scotland’s city of choice. Let’s keep our eyes on that as we compete on the European and global stage.

June/July 2010

BC

7

New Chamber events booking and payment system Following a review of our internal processes and in order to streamline our activities as well as improve our service to members, we are introducing a new approach to events bookings and payment.

As of the 1st of July 2010, we will require payment for events at the same time as bookings are made.You will be able to pay by cheque (payable to Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce) or by debit/credit card – but unfortunately we do not accept American Express.You will also be able to book and pay online, via www.edinburghchamber. co.uk.

We hope you will bear with us and appreciate that our new process is designed to increase efficiency and save costs, in turn allowing us to put more resources into delivering an improved and enhanced membership service. Hand in hand with our event booking and payment review, we are also working on revitalising our member

benefits and support. The Chamber is all about representing business interests while helping our member companies grow and save money, and we are working hard to ensure our membership offering reflects theses aims as closely as possible.

Our updated package of member benefits and schemes will be launched shortly so watch this space! In the mean time, why not check out the June events diary and get networking?

To book a place at any of our networking events, call our Events Team on 0131 221 3194, or email: events@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Get online with Edinburgh Chamber Edinburgh Chamber is now on Facebook, as well as Twitter and LinkedIn, offering members the chance to interact and network online.

Recently, we have used our social marketing platforms to seek feedback from members, highlight marketing and partnership opportunities and even tender out contracts, so it could well be worth your while connecting with us online.

When this magazine went to print our Twitter page (EdinChamber) had over 1,000 followers – including a host of local businesses – and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Group on LikedIn had around 700 members, many of whom use the discussion and news boards to seek feedback and services, as well as new business opportunities, from fellow users.

The latest addition to our social marketing tools – the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce fan page on Facebook – has already attracted almost 90 ‘fans’ and drummed up some interesting debates among members.

make sure you’re not missing out on any opportunities or member-tomember action by joining us on all three.

We’re constantly looking at how we can improve our use of social marketing and online networking, with some exciting ideas in the pipeline, so watch this space! In the mean time, why not find us online and get involved? www.twitter.com/EdinChamber www.linkedin.com – search for ‘Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’ www.facebook.com – search for ‘Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’

All our Facebook updates are fed through to our Twitter page and, in turn, to LinkedIn and the news page on our website (What’s new), but

8

BC June/July 2010

Businessnews Scientific investment announced Scottish Government ministers have announced a £750,000 boost for technological advances in sustainable and agricultural development.

The investment was confirmed at a meeting, chaired by Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, at the Scottish Parliament where representatives of the Parliament and the Technology Strategy Board discussed how to build on the science base that already exists in Scotland.

Iain Gray, chief executive of the Board, said: “In the current economic recession, it is more important than ever that the Scottish economy should benefit from partnerships and joint investments that support the development of innovative technologies. We aim to turn clever ideas into commercial reality.”

The £750,000 investment goes towards the Board’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform that will see investment of up to £90 million over the next five years in technological research and development in crop productivity, sustainable livestock production, waste reduction and management, and greenhouse gas reduction.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “This funding capitalises on our scientific strengths and helps meet our objective in supporting food producers and suppliers in order to feed our country, and the world, in the coming years.

“By making this initial investment we hope

Building plan being reassessed

Iain Gray

to attract additional funding into Scotland in future and further promote and strengthen our world-leading Scottish science base.”

For more information on the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Innovation Platform, visit the Technology Strategy Board’s website at www.innovateuk.org or speak to Calum Murray on 01793 442700.

Central Taxis

Plans to refurbish a historic Edinburgh building are being reassessed.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s proposal to breathe new life into the Assembly Rooms received a setback when a bid for £2.7m was rejected by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Plans for the Grade A listed George Street events venue are being reviewed.

Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture Leader, said: “The Assembly Rooms is an extremely important venue for Edinburgh and indeed Scotland’s cultural and events offer, and there was already substantial financial commitment to the project in place from the Council and other funding bodies. The Assembly Rooms is now in desperate need of investment and while the full refurbishment proposals may have to be scaled down, we need to press on with improvements to this iconic building.”

Alan Johnston, Chair of Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance, said: “It is extremely important that the Assembly Rooms secures the investment it needs and deserves so that it can fulfil its role as one of the capital’s premier arts and conference events venues.”

0131 229 2468 CHIP, PIN & GO!

All Central Taxis accept Credit & Debit cards Edinburgh’s LARGEST taxi company

June/July 2010

BC

9

Edinburgh A destination worth discovering Edinburgh is a city that you think you know well, however there is so much more going on than meets the eye. Edinburgh has medieval roots yet is very much a city that has grown and developed to be a city of enlightenment, science, business, architecture and since 2004 the world’s first City of Literature.

Edinburgh is very much a city moving toward the future with a buoyant economy across many sectors and is a highly desirable destination in which to invest, visit, live, work and study.

Edinburgh is extremely proud of the accolade of “The Festival City” and can also add europe’s top location for economic potential and best small city of the future, according to Financial Times Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine, March 2010.

The economic value of business tourism to Edinburgh and its city region is estimated to be in excess of £300m per annum; also Edinburgh is the most popular UK city after London for hosting international association meetings.

Edinburgh attracts business and leisure tourists all year round with its beauty, history, vibrancy and wealth of visitor attractions.

Its mix of urban amenities, rich culture, inspirational festivals and quality accommodation has led Edinburgh to be named as of the world’s top ten cities by travel magazine Wanderlust (2008). May 2010 saw Trip Advisor Destination Awards name Edinburgh as the only British city in the top 25 destinations in the world.

Edinburgh is quickly becoming a key destination city in which to do business and invest in, it was ranked first in a ‘value for money’ survey of ten world class conference destinations commissioned by VisitBritain last year.

2009 saw the city voted for a tenth consecutive year, Favourite UK city at the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Travel Awards.

A number of growth zones around the city offering exceptional development and investment opportunities are continuing to make the city a desirable and key destination in which to invest.

Edinburgh is the UK’s most favoured city after London to hold an international conference.

The Scottish capital has a strong track record in delivering successful conferences and major international events including the MTV Europe Music Awards (November 2003), the G8 (2005) and the 49th NATO conference (2003) to name just a few.

Scotland’s capital won at the MIPM conference in Cannes, the best small city of the future’ by fDi Magazine’s European Cities & Regions for the second year in a row.

The north of the city centre is being developed along Edinburgh’s Waterfront into one of Europe’s most significant regeneration projects. Plans include transforming the industrial periphery of Edinburgh into a new urban quarter for the

city including residential, leisure business and visitor destination.

To the west of Edinburgh, the area around Edinburgh Airport is being developed as a new international business gateway zone. Future developments include the expansion of Edinburgh Park, recognized as one of the best business parks in Europe, from 58 to 78 hectares.

Land has also been allocated nearby for 1,000 new homes and new hotel developments.

In Edinburgh city centre itself, more than £1 billion is currently earmarked for development.

At the east end of Princes Street construction will begin in 2011 on the £850 million redevelopment of the St James Quarter by Henderson Global Investors. The development will include two new hotels, cafés, restaurants, office space, underground parking spaces, residential apartments and retail space.

To the south of the city, Edinburgh’s life sciences cluster also includes one of the world’s leading animal bioscience groups in the Easter Bush Research Consortium. Developments here amount to over £100 million and include a new research facility for The Roslin Institute, a new building for the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and expansion of Pentlands Science Park, home of Moredun Group.

Many factors make Edinburgh a desirable destination; the city provides a range of conference and meeting venues. You can host a reception in the Royal Yacht

Britannia, prepare for a seminar in the rooftop garden of a boutique hotel, or host a themed banquet in the great hall of Edinburgh Castle.

There’s even more to come too, with multi-million pound refurbishments of both the National Portrait Gallery and National Museum, the redevelopment of top arts venue the Usher Hall and the arrival of new Tattoo stands in 2011 ensuring the Edinburgh visitor experience remains world class.

It’s these reasons that also make Edinburgh a great place to do business or to stage a conference; as well as playing host to centrally-located, topquality meeting and conference facilities, and the city offers delegates so much more besides.

World class events are what also gives the city its unique atmosphere, upcoming events include a rugby Magic Month of May, World Duathlon Championships, Taste of Edinburgh and a Super September of Sports as well as the usual festivities of arts and culture blending in the worlds largest Festival City.

To find out more about Scotland’s Inspiring Capital, go to www. edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com Learn about how to become an ambassador for the city, visit www.edinburghbrand.com or contact the team at DEMA at info@edinburghbrand.com

Sustainability reporting is not just for the big boys For some years now, larger companies have been churning out annual reports describing their corporate responsibility (CR) or sustainability record. While these reports have become more sophisticated, they try in many ways to please everyone and often please very few.

At the same time, there is a growing band of smaller companies which have embraced regular reporting as a means of driving process improvement. These companies will take different approaches to environmental management and working conditions, but they share a desire to improve their relationship with the environment, suppliers, local communities and employees. This work is partly driven by legislation, but is also a means of responding to questions from customers and saving money, for example through reduced waste disposal, energy and recruitment costs.

Why make progress or problems with sustainability public? Firstly, the report can be a mechanism for setting targets and driving the resulting process improvements – you cannot beat a public statement of

intent to concentrate minds! The report can sit easily alongside an existing data and management system and should offer a full and frank picture, even where progress is not being made. Secondly, the company may well be getting enquiries from potential customers, investors and employees about its sustainability record. Thirdly, greater transparency is a facet of improved management, which in turn enhances the value of the company brand.

The rise of digital communication means that even small businesses can produce concise, engaging and up to date summaries of environmental and sustainability performance. While a printed summary will always be necessary, online reports can be much more flexible, visual and up to date. In addition, the work of those within the business can be brought to life, specific projects can be illustrated and targets updated.

The report need not emulate the thick tomes produced by larger companies. It should describe the nature of the business, associated policies and how the company is

Dr Michael Groves

tackling its key ‘impacts’ such as waste, water, responsible sourcing, employee development or community involvement. The report may also be structured in line with external voluntary guidelines.

In the era of business transparency and scrutiny, those companies that are prepared to expose their management of environmental, ethical, social and community issues, will undoubtedly enhance their bottom-line and their value.

Dr. Michael Groves is an environmental professional whom helps companies report and communicate around environment and corporate responsibility.

For more info, go to: www.greatcircle.co.uk

Paternity ruling a concern

12

The Government has announced that fathers will be able to take up to six months absence from work on paternity leave if the mother chooses to return to work.

The combined effect of this is to grant to those parents who wish to take advantage of the new entitlement a combined total of 12 months leave.

This means that fathers will now be given the legal right to take the place of the mother during the last three months of her nine month maternity leave.

The announcement has caused disquiet amongst employers, not least the British Chambers of Commerce.

The current payment attached to the entitlement is Statutory Pay of £123 per week.

A major concern is that this further additional regulation will discourage employers to take on more staff.

Fathers who are eligible to receive Statutory Pay would then also be entitled to take a further period of unpaid leave of up to three months.

The Government has confirmed that they only expect between four and eight per cent of those fathers eligible for extended

BC June/July 2010

paternity leave, to take up the offer.

The full details and copies of the Regulations entitled ‘The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010’ can be found on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website. For assistance contact the helpline on 01455 850000.

Bethebest Considering franchising?

Per capita of population, the UK still remains relatively under-franchised; this represents a huge opportunity for businesses to expand, utilising other people’s investment to create leverage in a cash poor economy.

Some advisors will tell you that it isn’t a quick process to bring a franchise to market and in general this is the case. Nevertheless it is possible to move quickly if what you’re offering is attractive and some good financial constructs are in place. Sadly, franchising is not a magic wand – if the core business doesn’t make enough money, it can’t possibly work as a franchise.

Gerry Forristal

Successful franchise systems rely on the business owners being very committed to the sales process and ensuring that the right people are recruited to fill the first few places. Future sales are always reliant on the first ones through the door because these provide the terms of reference for many years to come.

Gerry Forristal, a partner at The Infinite Group of Business Advisers in Scotland said: “Franchising is a fantastic way to build a business, leveraging other people’s money to build your company and brand. The key is to tread lightly and keep your eye on what makes the most money in the early stages.”

Edinburgh Chamber runs a series of training courses to develop sales skills, and works directly with businesses that are considering franchising, as well as with people looking to buy a franchise.

For more details, go to www.edinburghchamber.co.uk and check out our Business Solutions listing.

For more information on The Infinite Group, go to www.the-infinite-group.com.

Laughing all the way to the bank

Tree of Knowledge MD Gavin Oattes, flanked by directors Alan Burton (left) and Dougie Clark, with two of their products: a Peapodo, for early-years children, and an Apodo, which provides motivational activities for older pupils and adults.

Having a laugh at work can be profitable - that‘s the message from an Edinburgh Chamber member company that’s challenging ideas about motivational speaking, putting an emphasis on having fun.

As part of that approach, it launched Fun@Work, a series of half-day workshops for corporate audiences held at Edinburgh Zoo, using humour and fun activities to instil positivity and lateral thinking.

Dunfermline-based Tree of Knowledge believes that fun is crucial to business confidence and self-belief.

The firm believes that helping people to think ‘outside the box’ promotes greater creativity at their place of work.

Headed by managing director Gavin Oattes, Tree of Knowledge is attracting big-name clients such as the Scottish Government, The Prince’s Trust, KPMG, Scottish Natural Heritage and Registers of Scotland.

The company also works in schools, giving motivational talks to pupils and staff. Its Peapodo system is full of fun activities for early-years children, while the Apodo System for Enterprise is aimed at older pupils.

Last year, the firm became one of the first in Scotland to have a management buyout funded by the Government-backed Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.

With Tree of Knowledge poised to launch a corporate Apodo, containing more than 100 motivational activities, the firm is confident of continued success in helping businesses find that having fun can be profitable.

Since the deal, Tree of Knowledge has been showing businesses the power of humour in the workplace.

For more information visit www.treeof.co.uk

June/July 2010

BC

13

Edinburgh Skyline Palace of Holyroodhouse Greyfriar’s Bobby

Tour Guide

John Knox House

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Tour Guides is an Edinburgh based company. We have local guides with local knowledge, who specialise in Edinburgh. Our guides are all fully insured, professional, motivated and experienced. We have guides with special interests from Architecture to History, Robert Burns to Storytelling.

From walking tours to coach and car tours, our guides would love to show you our beautiful city. Guides can be hired from one hour to a full day.

We are also happy to help you plan your itinerary from admissions to coach hire.

We are happy to supply guides for large groups or individuals. Our client base includes Ambassadors, Journalists, and Conference delegates, university student and schools groups.

Whatever your guiding needs, we are here to help you make the most of your time in Edinburgh.

23 Broomhouse Place North, Edinburgh, EH11 3UF. Tel: +44 (0)131 443 0548 Mob: +44 (0)79 4847 2828 info@edinburghtourguides.com www.edinburghtourguides.com

Goinginternational New faces, global places The Chamber recently welcomed a new addition to its fast growing international trade team. Ross Clark has been appointed as Operations Director – International, for Scottish Chambers International (SCI), Edinburgh International Trade and Smart Exporter.

Formerly known as Intelligent Exporter, Smart Exporter is an international trade up-skilling programme for Scottish businesses, which is match-funded by the European Social Fund and is a partnership involving the private and public sectors.

Managing Director for the Chamber’s business development and international trade activity, Alasdair Kerr, says: “Ross is a welcome addition to our team and brings a wealth of international trade experience as both an exporter and an importer. He has a clear understanding of the issues and challenges that face businesses, which informs his work in supporting Scottish businesses to achieve their international trade ambitions.”

Having previously run his family’s engineering company and as Divisional Managing Director within the Howden Group plc, Ross has been involved in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of capital equipment worldwide. Over a period of 15 years, he has dealt with and visited global customers, distributors and agents. He has also been a distributor and agent for imported equipment, and in a third international venture has exported and imported consumer goods.

Ross Clark – international outlook

Part of his time at Howden was in the role of European Sales Director, which involved the set up of overseas offices and staffing, and liaising with worldwide Centres of Excellence in design and manufacture.

Latterly he has focused on assisting high growth technology companies to achieve their potential.

To find out more about the international trade support open to you business contact 0844 736 2992 or log on to: www.scottishchambersinternational.co.uk

Can we protect against Euro zone contagion?

With earlier fears of a hung parliament now realised investor confidence in the new Government’s ability to address the UK budget deficit will be critical to the performance of the pound. Sterling has been riding high against the euro as internal pressures weigh on the single currency and this has, until now at least, sheltered the UK from the negative spotlight.

Financial markets do not like uncertainty, as witnessed by the 8% depreciation in the euro against sterling in the two months since Greece unveiled its austerity package to tackle the debt crisis. Fears of contagion to other parts of the Euro zone, particularly Portugal, Spain and Ireland, have further undermined the euro.

Whilst recent data has provided some encouragement for the UK economy, there is no doubt investors wish to see a swift and credible plan put in place to address the UK debt issues to prevent this contagion spreading across the channel.

A simple forward contract, bookable out as far as two years if required and for as little as a 5% deposit, would lock into current exchange rates and eliminate the risk of a potentially damaging fall in the value of the pound. Clearly this would also remove the possibility to take advantage of further gains, although protecting margin should be seen as a priority over undefined currency gains or losses.

If you would like to speak to one of our foreign currency specialist call 0131 476 7371 or visit www.no1currency.com

Looking at 9-month highs, and close to last year’s 1.1905 high in £-eur, many businesses with overseas exposure would like to take advantage of current exchange rates to protect against the potential for sterling depreciation in the wake of the General Election.

June/July 2010

BC

15

Inspiringconnections Key note dinner with the First Minister

02 01

On the 4th of March the First Minister, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, and Chairman of Shell UK, James Smith, spoke to guests at our ‘Opportunities for Scotland in new energy future’ dinner at Prestonfield Hotel. The dinner was supported by Napier, PPS Group, and our valued Partner in Enterprise, Spire Edinburgh Hospitals, as well as media partner, The Scotsman.

01

02

16

L to R: The Chamber’s Ron Hewitt with Dame Joan Stringer of Edinburgh Napier University, the main event sponsor, and James Smith of Shell UK The First Minister takes centre stage

BC June/July 2010

03

First Minister Alex Salmond with Donald Anderson of PPS, who kindly supported the event

04

All smiles: the Chamber’s Liz McAreavey and Dave Anderson, Director of Development with the City of Edinburgh Council look pleased to be mingling

Photos on pages 16-17 by Graham Carnie, Tuskite Photography

03 04

05

Dinner with Donald

06

07

Bank of Scotland Director of Commercial Banking Donald Kerr took centre stage at our Premier Series Dinner at The George Hotel on Thursday 8 April, sharing his thoughts on how Bank of Scotland plans to help Scotland’s economic recovery. The winner of the annual Grahame Cunningham Award, Style Exotic, was also announced at the event.

05

Coming up roses: florists Amanda Baillie-Hogg & Lydia Shade of Style Exotic (4th & 5th from the left) are congratulated on winning the Grahame Cunningham Award by (L to R) Donald Kerr, Bank of Scotland, the chamber’s Linda Fenwick, Elaine Cunningham and Chamber President, Robert Carr

06

Managing Director of the Chamber, Graham Birse, with Sarah Boyack MSP, who was among the guests

07

L to R: Ewan Thomson of First Scottish Group with Charlotte Di Corpo of Festivals Edinburgh & Barclay Price of Arts & Business in Scotland enjoy the drinks and networking

Photos on pages 16-17 by Graham Carnie, Tuskite Photography

Budget breakfast

08

On the 25th of March we hosted our annual Budget Breakfast, kindly sponsored by Chiene + Tait, where Bill Jamieson of The Scotsman and David Collier of Chiene + Tait gave us their analysis of the 2010/11 budget.

08

Bill Jamieson makes a crucial point

09

David Collier of Chiene + Tait gets ready to make taxation exciting!

10

Jeremy Peat, Chairman of The David Hume Institute, delivers his summing up

09 10

June/July 2010

BC

17

Inspiringconnections

11 12

13

Working the catwalk

14

On the 15th of April, Edinburgh Chamber’s Women in Business committee and John Lewis in Edinburgh organised a glamorous fashion show for members, showing off the new season’s trends, from business wear straight through to evening and cocktail attire.

18

11

L to R: Jackie Rochmankowska of Toys Galore, Norma Reid of the RBS Group and Pauline Forbes, Caledonia Asset Management LTD

12

Sylvia Whyte of EHS Architectural Ltd, Susan McFadyen of Tods Murray LLP, Avrill Elliot of MRICS and Emma Watts of Contract Scotland Ltd enjoy the view

13

Strike a pose: a model makes a lasting impression

14

Jill Davidson of the Chamber’s Events Team (2nd left) poses with the models

BC June/July 2010

60seconds Q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Architect in private practice.

Q How long have you been a Chamber member?

A Five years.

Q Why did you join?

A To increase the profile of our business.

Q What services do you use?

A Attendance at networking events and utilisation of the business mentoring services.

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

A We have met some valuable client and other industry contacts.

Name: John Macfarlane Company Name: Jefferson Sheard Architects (UK) Ltd. Website: www.jeffersonsheard.com

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

A Further expansion of online services, including access to more detailed presentation notes from chamber events.

Q If you were telling another business person about the Chamber, what’s the first thing you would say?

A You only get out of it what you put in.

Q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

A In the office or on the train.

Buoyant commercial property market helps secure deals Encouraging conditions in the commercial property investment market have helped Ryden to complete deals worth £144m across Scotland, including in Edinburgh.

Independent commercial property firm Ryden acted in the purchase of The Bridge on Edinburgh ’s Royal Mile; £1m was paid by SWIP Property Trust for the of development, which includes two retail units, two restaurants, a banking hall and the five-star Missoni Hotel.

Other completed deals included those in Glasgow and Aberdeen and Ian Dougherty, a partner based in Ryden’s Glasgow office, said: “Factors which drove demand to exceptional levels in 2009 prevail in 2010.

“High quality investment opportunities continue to attract interest from indigenous and overseas investors as well as property companies however many investors are looking higher up the risk curve for properties with shorter leases or voids in the search for a higher initial yield.”

Ryden has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness.

June/July 2010

BC

19

what?s next!

for your business?

Corporate consultancy: n Market Research n Strategic Development n Workshop Design & Delivery

Small Business consultancy: n Problem Solving & Creative Thinking n Strategy & Planning n Market Research

Explore the possibilities. Contact us at: Tel: 07971 406809 Email: info@whats-next.co.uk Web: www.whats-next.co.uk

3 peaks

24 hours

1challenge We’ve raised the challenge.

Can your team raise the cash?

3 Peaks Challenge 4-5 September 2010 Contact: Lucy

Tel: 0844 412 2877

Email: challenges@redcross.org.uk Weblink: redcross.org.uk/3Peaks Registered charity number: The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738).

20

BC June/July 2010

Photo courtesy of Kristina Vidic

Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon are ready for the taking.

anythinghosted Web hosting: Corporate sites and small webpages Email hosting: POP3 and Exchange 2010 (same domain options available) Privately owned servers Improved service reliability UK based servers (UK compliance laws) Multi-platform access to emails, contacts, tasks and calendar items (PC, Mobile, Internet) Up-to-date information between platforms and employees High availability uptime

Contact us now to discuss all your hosting requirements

the IT range MAIL IT: Professional online email marketing tool BACK IT UP: Reliable and secure back-up service for all your data

Free to trial now

No obligation to continue

No payment details

Completely risk free

Contact us now to start using the FREE TRIAL today

Many companies are now seeing the immediate benefits of using their own tailored bespoke software

Improve productivity

Reduce your overheads

w: http://www.webit-tech.co.uk w: http://www.anythinghosted.co.uk w: http://www.theitrange.co.uk

Stay ahead of competition

t: +44 131 302 0016 f: +44 131 302 0017 e: info@webit-tech.co.uk

Speed up tasks

Promotional code: ECC03255PF - 2 months 1/2 price with Anything Hosted - 3 months FREE with the IT range

Theinterview speCiAl FeAture

Where the unexpected is to be e Few jobs in Edinburgh can be as demanding and high-profile as chief executive of The Festival Fringe Society.

However, that is the challenge that Kath Mainland took up last year after four years as administrative director of the city’s hugely successful International Book Festival.

Kath Mainland, chief executive, The Festival Fringe Society

Because the programme largely develops itself, the main role for Kath and her team is a more practical one as they look after the needs of performers from around the world.

Appointed to the job in February, and taking up the post three months later, she did not inherit an easy situation, arriving after the previous year’s event suffered from the collapse of its online booking system.

But with last year’s highly successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe behind her, and an online system that worked well in handling ticket sales, she is now looking forward to this year’s event between August 6 and 30.

She says: “It has been a hectic time since I took the job but that is the nature of all festivals and that it is why we like them.

“The appeal of the Fringe is that it is open access which means that we are never quite sure what will happen.That is what makes it an interesting job.

22

BC June/July 2010

“I think the Fringe’s accessibility is one of the reasons for its success.”

Kath says: “Our job is to support, encourage and advise all participants, before, during and after the Fringe.

“With the Book Festival, and many other festivals, decisions could be made about the size of the event and the programme could be shaped around those decisions but the Fringe is not like that.

“There are none of those boundaries and none of those decisions to make. It all depends on who wants to perform.

“Our role is to provide comprehensive information and ticketing for the participants, the media and the public, and raise the profile of the entire Fringe worldwide through the media and other outlets.”

The figures for last year’s record-breaking event show how big a job that can be with 31,000 performances of more than 2,000 shows, featuring 18,000 performers.

The main vehicle for promoting the shows is the printed programme, which comes out in

e expected June and reveals for the first time what kind of a Fringe it will be. It is only then that the city gets an idea of the size of the event.

But whereas with many festivals, the programme is confirmed well in advance, the Fringe is different.

Kath says: “We set a deadline for the printed programme but there are always people who come along afterwards.

“They still get to perform, it’s just that they do not get to go in the programme.”

In addition to organising the promotional work, another key role undertaken by the Fringe Society team is make sure that performers are given the practical help that they need.That help is important because many of the city’s more traditional entertainment buildings are already in use as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Indeed, that’s the point because when the Fringe began in 1947, the catalyst was the arrival of eight uninvited theatre groups to the first Festival.

The team works hard to ensure that a balance is struck between artistic freedom and the need to observe undertakings such as meeting health and safety legislation for audiences and performers alike.

Kath says: “During the Fringe, events happen in temporary buildings and structures and the support of the city council and emergency services is invaluable in making sure that the shows can take place.

“We have a good relationship with them.They understand what an event this size means to the city and their approach is another reason why the Fringe has been such a success.”

They are not the only people to appreciate the scale of the Fringe; Ms Mainland secured the job over more than 100 applicants from across the world.

Although she hails from Orkney, the appointment was a form of homecoming because she began her career at the Fringe as an administrative assistant in 1991 before working on many of Scotland’s biggest festivals and events.

One of her priorities since taking up the job has been to help the city’s businesses take better advantage of the opportunities which the Fringe offers.

She says: “We do have commercial sponsorship but it is something in which we can do better.

“For that month in August we will have a community of performers in this city.

“They will spend all their lives here and do the things that everyone else does, eating, taking taxis, going to the doctors, visiting the launderette and one of the things we want to do is bring businesses closer to that community.”

It’s a hectic job - the Fringe has developed into the world’s largest arts festival, ranging from theatre, comedy, music and dance to musicals, opera, children’s shows and exhibitions - but just over a year into the post, Kath Mainland is relishing the challenge. She said: “I am loving it, It can be nerve-wracking at time and you are never quite sure what is going to happen but that’s part of the thrill.”

June/July 2010

BC

23

Coverfeature The greatest show on earth – how does Edinburgh do it?

By Hamish McRae Associate Editor, The Independent

01 The Edinburgh Festival has long been an important part of the city’s calendar and crucial to the local economy – but why is it so successful? Financial journalist Hamish McRae explains in this extract from his book What Works – Success in Stressful Times.

A shouted warning for the audience to stand back and a burst of fire from a human flame-thrower surges towards the crowd of onlookers on the Mound. A troupe in silver body-paint hands out leaflets for the night’s performance. Down the High Street, a jazz band bangs out the sounds of New Orleans. It is clamour, clamour – ‘come and see us, the most brilliant act ever’ – as every group of talent demands your attention.

For it is August in Edinburgh and the prim grey capital of Scotland is once again home to the largest arts show in the world. As the International Festival guide puts it: ‘There is no place on earth like Edinburgh in August.’ Nothing, but nothing, prepares the first-time visitor for the scale of what is on offer.You could in theory set to work every morning at ten, jam-pack the day with visits to shows and go all the way through the wee hours to 4 a.m. – and still see only a tiny fraction of what is available.

There are more shows, more world premieres, more tickets, more new talent, more critics, more media moguls, more authors and playwrights – in short more talent on display – than at any other arts festival anywhere.

There is a host of other arts festivals around the world but Edinburgh is three times the size of any of them. It is an extraordinary, if improbable achievement – and one that many other cities would love to emulate. How has Edinburgh done it? The short answer is slowly.

This is not one festival but – depending what you include – ten. Each reinforces the others, giving the city an artistic critical mass that makes it impossible to topple.

Critical mass matters. Once the Fringe was established as the premier showcase for British, later world, theatrical talent, it was natural that Edinburgh in August should attract other festivals too. The market was largely ready-made, for people who are interested in new experimental theatre are probably also interested in more conventional drama, in

24

BC June/July 2010

classical music and jazz, in new books – in all the other experiences that Edinburgh offers.

But Edinburgh is not just a retail show for interested individuals; it is a wholesale show for the different artistic trades. For a young performer to get noticed at Edinburgh can be a life-changing experience. Win one of the top awards and nothing will ever be the same again.

Edinburgh has long had a lot of things going for it – things that would naturally make it the ideal backdrop for an arts and entertainment festival. It is, physically, the most beautiful city in Britain, with its castle, its gardens, its medieval Old Town and its Georgian squares. It is a capital city and – important in the entertainment world – an Englishspeaking one. But none of this, of course, would have been enough.

There are at least three special features about the Edinburgh Festival that carry a message for other cities seeking to develop their own special face to the world.

Lesson one is the willingness to create and permit a completely open marketplace. This means accepting that what happens cannot be controlled. Edinburgh has tended this marketplace wisely, not by piling in huge amounts of money or building infrastructure, but rather by clearing bureaucratic blockages that might stifle it. that Festival effect: Cover photo of Die Roten Punkte

by Christine Fiedler, courtesy of Paul Lucas Productions and Richard Jordan Productions; spoof rockers and comedy act Die Roten Punkte are touring the world this year after their sell-out debut at the 2009 Fringe.

For more information, check out:

www.myspace.com/ dierotenpunkte

Photos kindly supplied by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society/Colin Hattersly

performers and promoters how to put on a show. The trick, which the various organisers of the Edinburgh festivals have managed to pull off, is to achieve balance – to plan but not to over-plan, to lead but also to follow the demands of the market.

That leads to the third lesson: the need to listen. This has been central to Edinburgh’s development at three stages. What started as a conventional arts festival, and might have remained so, was swiftly transformed by the demands of the market into something much bigger. Nothing is for ever but the sheer size and variety of the talent on display in Edinburgh gives it a stability that other arts festivals lack. Because it is market-driven, it cannot be snuffed out by a squeeze on funding; as long as it provides a useful showcase function for the entertainment industries, it will survive.

02 03

04

So far, Edinburgh seems to have caught the fickle shifts of fashion and retained its lead.

Long may it continue to do so. Meanwhile, anyone in the world who is interested in the arts should have at least one shot at braving the cacophony on the High Street of Edinburgh one August.

Go to ten shows in a day and stagger back to the hotel battered and ready for some more tomorrow. Better still, put on one: back some students or even commission some music and give it a world premiere.

At some stage the ever-greater size of the festival will become a more serious obstacle.

Maybe the re-timing of the film festival carries a warning here – it cannot go on growing for ever and the switch from its present very big bang to some sort of steady state will be tricky. But for years to come it will remain, quite simply, the greatest show on earth.

For example, one of the keys to the Fringe’s success is the use of unconventional performance spaces, often in old buildings designed for another purpose. That means applying sensitive fire and access regulations – to make sure audiences really are safe – rather than insisting that venues fit box-ticking requirements.

It also means accepting that the city will, for one month, be a quite different place from what it is during the rest of the year. It is business, of course, but it is also disruption.

Were it badly managed, the disruption could damage the core activities that drive the city

through the rest of the year. All tourist centres have to cope to some extent with surges of visitors with different values to the locals, but this is extreme stuff. The lesson, therefore, is not just to permit the creation of a market but also to relish it.

Lesson two is to blend top-down and bottom-up. There is no single mind planning what happens in Edinburgh; there are and always have been lots of minds, which work in different ways. And there is one crucial function that the Fringe performs beyond logistics. This is teaching. Every year it holds a series of seminars to show would-be

Hamish McRae is the principal economic commentator of The Independent and the Independent on Sunday and associate editor of The Independent. ‘What Works’ was published in January 2010 by Harper Press (£12.99), ISBN 9780007203772.

01

In 2009 the Edinburgh Festival Fringe alone sold 1.9 million tickets and generated £75 million for the local economy

02 03

The festivals attract a vast range of performers, from international drumming groups, such as the Tao Drummers, to cabaret-style acts like Frisky & Mannish

04

All eyes are on Edinburgh during the festival season

June/July 2010

BC

25

Finance speCiAl FeAture

Planning crucial for companies seeking loans

By John Dean deangriss@btinternet.com

The virtual collapse of the banking system sent shockwaves through the UK economy and had a disastrous impact on many businesses.

Scotland was no exception and not only did major financial centres like Edinburgh feel the effect on their major institutions but the knock-on impact damaged confidence in businesses large and small.

According to the BBA, new lending to small businesses has stabilised at just over half a billion pounds a month. Banks are currently lending a total of around £55bn to small businesses.

Now, with the banking sector recovering and more talk of a recovery, there has been a greater emphasis on ensuring that businesses can gain access to the funds they need to survive and thrive.

BBA statistics for February showed that 48,000 new banking relationships were established in February. Most were businesses starting-up, but one-in-eight were switching to alternative banks.

And the message from the banking sector is that it is still there to help businesses - and that it has been doing so throughout the recession.

Statistics director, David Dooks said: “New lending to small businesses is running at a fairly constant monthly level and there is evidence in new business banking relationships of lender competition to provide small business support.

Brian Capon, Assistant Director of the British Banking Association, said there had been a perception among businesses that money was not available. That had led to some businesses not even trying to obtain loans because they assumed that the answer would be no.

He said: “The fact is that the banks have continued to lend to businesses. What we are seeing is some businesses making the decisions themselves.”

26

BC June/July 2010

“Business behaviour is still being conditioned by the difficult economic environment, with cost containment, reduced investment and lower trading activity all suppressing borrowing demand.”

He said: “Banks are more cautious. I think any business is in these times but banks will look more favourably on an application that is well presented. They are looking for businesses that have done their homework and have a plan B should things go awry.”

Mr Capon said that banks are also wary of businesses that seek loans to see them through the remnants of the recession, rather than to finance growth.

He cites the hypothetical case of a restaurant which sees its clientele halved every night because people have not been spending as much during the recession.

Mr Capon said: “That business may approach a bank and ask for money to tide it over but the bank is more likely to be favourable if the business has identified what has happened to it and knows what it needs to do to see it through.”

Mr Capon said that, although funding is available, businesses seeking to apply for loans need to make sure they are well prepared.

Scotland’s £4.3 billion late payment mountain New research from RBS reveals that 71% of SMEs in the UK have suffered from late payments over the last 12 months. The collective value of invoices paid outside of the stipulated terms and conditions in Scotland alone is an estimated £4.4 billion. As a result, some 16,000 SMEs in the region claim time wasted chasing debt has adversely affected their business.

Whilst larger companies have a higher value of invoices paid late, as a proportion of turnover it is smaller businesses which are worst affected.

For example, one in five (20%) businesses with an annual turnover of between £250,000 and £500,000 has suffered. This compares with just one in fifteen (7%) of medium and large businesses. For businesses with a turnover between under £1m, the equivalent of 12% of their annual turnover is paid late.

Despite these problems, the research reveals that less than half (45%) of SMEs have taken measures to improve their cash flow. Of these businesses, around one in ten (11%) have hired an in-house credit controller. Only 9% have used invoice discounting and 8% have used factoring, both of which are effective means of plugging a cash flow gap and are now widely recognised as appropriate alternatives to mainstream funding methods.

Graham Galloway, Managing Director, Scotland, Business and Commercial Banking, said: “Bad debts and late payment of invoices are endemic problems for UK businesses. For more than one in ten (12%) firms, over 60% of all their invoices are paid late, causing major cash flow problems for many Scottish businesses. What’s concerning is that so few are making use of services from their bank to help alleviate the problem.

“For businesses trading on short-term credit there are financial solutions available which enable them to turn unpaid invoices into working capital. For example, RBS Invoice Finance is ideal for businesses looking to take control of cash flow and fund growth. It can give businesses an immediate cash injection of up to 85% of the value of unpaid invoices.

“The reality for most small businesses is that they are too busy to spend time chasing payment and managing debtors. However, our Invoice Finance team can pick up the burden of chasing payments and help protect businesses by safeguarding their financial supply chains.”

Colin Borland, spokesperson, Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland, said: “Poor payment practices can drastically affect cash flow for small firms at a time when business owners are doing their best to hold on to precious funds. Indeed, figures from BIS show that late payments were responsible for some 4,000 business failures in 2008 alone. Since the economic downturn we have been urging businesses and agencies in both the public and private sector to sign up to the Prompt Payment Code to highlight best practice and help boost the cash-flow of small firms during these tough times.”

Late Payments by sector Late payments are most prevalent in the wholesale industry with 93% of firms reporting that they have experienced late payments in the last twelve months. For one in five (19%) business services companies, over 60% of all payments they received were paid late. The retail industry has fared the best with late payment figures below the UK average of 71%.

Industry

Experienced late payments

Number of companies that said over 60% of all payments were late

Wholesale

93%

11%

Manufacturing

81%

18%

Construction

80%

11%

Business Services

72%

19%

Retail

66%

8%

UK Average

71%

12%

The invoice finance solutions offered by NatWest and RBS include factoring and invoice discounting converting unpaid invoices into immediate liquid funds; bad debt protection to protect firms if their customers become formally insolvent; asset-based lending, enabling firms to use assets to raise additional funding. RBS Invoice Finance’s FacFlow facility enables businesses to manage and monitor their invoice finance facility online.

Security may be required. over 18s only.

Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage

RBS Invoice Finance is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, RBS Invoice Finance Limited. Registered in England No. 662221. Registered Office: Smith House, Elmwood Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 7QD. RBS Invoice Finance Limited?s registered VAT number is 243 8527 52.

June/July 2010

BC

27

speCiAl FeAture

Paragon Inks invest £3.5 million in construction of new purpose-built premises n Paragon Inks business expansion leads to relocation plans for new purpose built site. n Completion planned for end of 2010 with support provided by RBS n Backing provided by RBS in the form of £1.4million senior debt funding facilities.

Scottish manufacturing firm Paragon Inks has secured funding from The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to support the construction of a new £3.5 million purpose-built business premises in Livingston. The expansion of the business has resulted in the planned relocation to new premises and will bring the creation of new jobs to the area.

Paragon Inks is an established manufacturer of printing inks which had been in operation since 1985. The team has over 25 years experience in the UV products and services sector and operates globally supplying products to the global web printing market through specially selected distributors and direct sales.

Paragon Inks will re-locate from its existing premises in Broxburn to Livingston with completion of the project expected for the end of this year.

Managing Director Gerry Merten approached his long-standing bank RBS to provide the funding to support this project. Relationship Director Stuart Wilkie structured a funding package to assist the construction of the new premises. The new site will allow for additional growth of the business, with a focus being made on growing the export side.

“Despite current market conditions Paragon Inks has demonstrated that the manufacturing industry does continue to have success stories and we are delighted to support them with this opportunity to build a new purpose-built business premises.

This deal demonstrates that the Bank is open for business and continues to support viable commercial businesses with strong management and detailed business plans. With the construction work underway we wish Paragon Inks all the best with the development of the new premises and look forward to supporting them with their future expansion plans.” stuart Wilkie, relationship director at rBs

“The time is right for Paragon to capatilise on its position as a global ink supplier within the niche market of web packaging.

We have built a very strong distributor network worldwide and have to compliment this with a more efficient and higher capacity facility. The 6.5 acre Starlaw site purchased from SE is perfect for our long term ambitions. We’ve been with RBS for 25 years and see them as the obvious partner in this new exciting venture” gerry merten, managing director

For further information please contact: stuart Wilkie, relationship director, the royal Bank of scotland, Business & Commercial Banking tel: 0131 523 5883 mob: 07909 998764 email: stuart.wilkie@rbs.co.uk Security may be required. over 18s only.

Your home or propertY mAY Be repossessed iF You do not Keep up repAYments on Your mortgAge

June/July 2010

BC

29

Finance speCiAl FeAture Supporting the work of banks have been a raft of initiatives which recognised the continuing challenges that smaller businesses face in accessing finance.

One such initiative announced by the UK Government was that the Enterprise Finance Guarantee will be continued for a further 12 months, enabling £500m of additional bank lending to go to SMEs between April this year and March next year.

The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is a loan guarantee scheme that was launched in January 2009 to help viable SMEs obtain the working capital and investment that they need during tight economic times.

Initially, EFG made provision for up to £1.3 billion of additional bank lending between 14 January 2009 and 31 March this year, which has now been extended.

By providing lenders with a Government-backed guarantee for 75% of the loan value, the scheme facilitates lending that would otherwise not be available.

There is no automatic entitlement to receive a guaranteed loan but the idea behind EFG is to help businesses which do not have sufficient security and at businesses that can ultimately repay the loan in full.

With 44 lenders taking part, EFG supports lending to businesses with an annual turnover of up to £25m seeking loans of £1,000 through to £1million, repayable over a period of between three months and 10 years.

Under EFG, the following types of lending can be guaranteed:

30

BC June/July 2010

new term loans Refinancing the existing term loans, where the loan is at risk due to deteriorating value of security or where for cash flow reasons the borrower is struggling to meet existing loan repayments.

Conversion of an existing overdraft into a term loan to meet working capital requirements.

A guarantee on invoice finance facilities to support an agreed additional advance on an SME’s debtor book. This will supplement the invoice finance facility already in place.

A guarantee on new or increased overdraft borrowing for the SMEs experiencing short term cash-flow difficulties.

Business Gateway can provide information and advice to businesses seeking finance including under EFG. For an initial appraisal on whether your business may be eligible for the Enterprise Finance Guarantee go to the Real Help ‘Help with Finance’ web page hosted at www.bgateway.com

Mr Capon at the British Banking Association said that although such schemes were welcome, business needed to still remember the importance of correct planning.

He said: “Schemes like the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme are out there but it is important that people realise this is not blanket lending. Banks are still more likely to lend to businesses whose applications are well thought out, businesses that have grasped what they need to do.“

speCiAl FeAture

Crucial for directors to ensure they are in full control of their businesses

By Ken Pattullo Begbies Traynor

Economic recovery still remains fragile and the latest figures from the quarterly Red Flag statistics compiled by leading business rescue, recovery and restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor underline the fact that the pain in Scotland is more acute than the rest of the UK. ‘significant’ problems, down from 11,233 to 10,136, although this drop is less than in any other part of the UK. He believes that although the Scottish economy is now technically out of recession the figures indicate there is likely to be more pain to come. This is particularly likely given the Scottish economy’s heavier reliance than England’s on public sector spending with swingeing Government cuts expected to be made.

There is now a climate, says Mr Pattullo, where trade suppliers are increasingly seizing the opportunity to take action against their debtors in order to raise much needed working capital. He sees this shift in behaviour heralding a new phase in the cycle, putting businesses experiencing financial problems at greater risk of failure.

“Low interest rates have been one of the principal reasons why business failures have not yet reached the peak levels that many feared this savage recession would cause,” he adds. “Interest rates will also have a role to play, with the latest Reuters poll of over 50 financial institutions predicting a rise of 1 per cent over the next 12 months, thereby tripling current base rate, with some banks forecasting a rise of as much as 1.5 per cent.

Ken Pattullo Begbies Traynor

During the first quarter of 2010 the figures show that 241 businesses faced ‘critical’ problems, a hefty 59.6 per cent increase on the same period of 2009.

“I think this increase is very interesting as it is traditionally the companies with ‘critical’ problems which are far more likely to fall into some sort of insolvency,” says Ken Pattullo, group managing partner for Begbies Traynor in Scotland.

The statistics again show that hardest hit year-on-year was the construction sector with an increase of 14 per cent while property services was up 11 per cent and business to business services by a massive 26 per cent. Retail was up 6 per cent.

On a slightly brighter note, however, there is an encouraging 9.8 per cent year-on-year fall in the number of companies experiencing

“A rise may tip more struggling businesses over the edge later in the year and through into 2011, especially in the embattled but vital SME sector that is so important to Scotland’s economy and which cannot afford the protection of sophisticated rate hedging.”

Looking ahead, with recent increases in inflation and anticipated increases in interest rates and taxes, it is likely that there will be significant pressure on consumer spending in the near future.

In an unequivocal message to company directors Mr Pattullo warns: “While the country may be exiting recession, the peak of insolvency activity may be some time away yet, both at a corporate and personal level. This is why it’s crucial for company directors to ensure they are in full control of their businesses and have up-to-date financial reports on the performance of their business.”

Mr Pattullo’s comments also come in the wake of statistics released by The Insolvency Service on 7 May showing that company liquidations in Scotland in the first quarter of 2010 totalled a provisional 275, an increase of 71 per cent on the same quarter of 2009 compared with a decrease over the same period of 17 per cent in England and Wales.

June/July 2010

BC

31

speCiAl FeAture

Giving something back… …how private sector philanthropy offers hope in tough times

With talk of further economic difficulties to come, charities are thinking harder and working smarter than ever before to ensure that vital services continue to be delivered.

With cuts in public sector spending a certainty, charities are encouraging corporate partners to invest in local communities.

Bethany Christian Trust,TFN Scottish Charity of the Year 2009, has benefited greatly from the support of leading individuals and private sector organisations. As Iain Gordon, Bethany’s Chief Exec, comments “In uncertain times, most of us have concerns about what the future holds. What Bethany is seeking to convey is that for the most vulnerable in Scotland’s communities, the concerns are very real indeed and the consequences can only be described as devastating for many of the people we support everyday.”

Bethany started 2010 with a boost from Morton Fraser LLP as its Charity of the Year. Morton Fraser’s Chief Executive Linda Urquhart spoke of the decision. “We are delighted to support the important work of Bethany. Our focus is very much on engaged philanthropy on a local level and on giving more than just financial support”.

32

BC June/July 2010

Alan Henderson, a senior solicitor with the firm, was one of more than a hundred people who slept rough for the night in aid of Bethany’s work. “The Big Sleepout was a unique opportunity to experience what life is like for the thousands of homeless people across Scotland. It was an eye-opening night’s sleep – literally - which really made me think about the daily struggle homeless people face. I was proud to take part”.

Peter Vardy, CEO of Peter Vardy Ltd, told us why charity and private sector partnerships work so well in producing results. “We are really proud supporters of Bethany. The organisation is tackling homelessness at all levels, providing vital services to bring direct help to those who really need it. I am very impressed with the support they give in moving people on from a life on the streets to one where they have greater stability.”

Dan Reynolds, Fundraising and Marketing Manager, commented on why Bethany was seeing an upsurge in corporate support. “Many leaders in the corporate sector are aware of the levels of professionalism and innovation that underpin the work of an organisation like Bethany. However, charities can sometimes fail

to offer compelling models of participation that work for corporates.”

“Bethany’s partnership schemes provide an immediate and tangible buzz but with an assurance that any time, energy and money invested will have a guaranteed long term impact.” Edwin Backler, Managing Director, Charles White Ltd has found this to be true.

“Our company volunteering scheme with Bethany has been actively embraced, has opened our eyes to real-life needs in Edinburgh and has enabled us to give of ourselves in response.”

Bethany is currently expanding its offer of participation with accessible ways to give something back.

Contact dan for more information danreynolds@bethanychristiantrust.com or call 0131 625 5319.

The right chemistry for business ...

“Edinburgh start-ups are exactly the market we are looking to get behind. We believe that looking into an economic recovery, the entrepreneurial ventures with solid support are exceptionally positioned for the next few years.”

Duncan McFadzean, Investment Director of Elixir Incubation Ltd

Elixir Incubation Ltd (“Elixir”), an Edinburgh and London based business incubator, brings a package for start-ups that can assist in leveraging growth and in achieving a significant uplift in equity value. Backed by AIM-listed MWB Business Exchange PLC, Elixir offers a combination of capital, office space and business advice and support. For each company this package will look different, dependent on needs.

MWB Business Exchange PLC is one of the UK’s leading serviced office companies, and as part of the relationship with Elixir, brings high-quality facilities to the mix. With a wide ranging expertise amongst the various backers of Elixir, business advice and skills input can be from people who have worked in manufacturing, service industries, finance, property investment, leisure, design, restaurants, hotel industry and many other fields.

Combining this offer with an ability to deploy capital to the startup, predominantly in the form of equity investment, Elixir is a good place for rapidly growing start-ups to consider as a partner for future growth. Each investment opportunity is assessed on its own merits, but broad investment criteria include existing sales of less than £300k, cash break-even to be achieved within the next twelve months, necessary technical knowledge already in place and a funding requirement from Elixir of up to £25,000.

Elixir has no sector or industry bias, and considers service companies and product companies.

It looks for investments where there is some overlap with the existing expertise, although this is considered very broadly. It does consider opportunistic partnering where, perhaps due to the financial climate, short term investment funding might be required.

Duncan McFadzean, Investment Director at Elixir, stated that “We’ve already had many exceptional applicants approach us, attracted by our partners and our wide-ranging offer. We want to come alongside Edinburgh and Scotland’s best new companies and propel them to the next level. We believe that we tackle the three biggest headaches of funding, property and advice. We would encourage anyone interested or even curious to just get in touch.”

Further information including contact details can be obtained at www.elixirincubation.com

PR and marketing speCiAl FeAture However, there is more to promoting a business than the good old press release, which is where marketing companies come into the equation. Their ideas go way beyond PR, taking in everything from branding to viral marketing.

Good marketing experts realise that the companies who fare best in this hothouse of creativity are those who think - to use a modern, but very appropriate, clichĂŠ - outside the box.

They are experimenting with the likes of podcasts and flash banner advertising on websites or taking advantage of the exciting revolution in hand-held technology and the opportunities it offers for downloads onto mobile phone and I-pod technologies and apps. Technology has opened up a wealth of opportunities limited only by the imagination of those who pursue them.

Getting the message out there As the economy shows sign of recovery, there has never been a better time for businesses to tell people what they can offer - and that means investing in Public Relations and Marketing.

Many companies see the value in promoting themselves and bring in outside companies specialising in PR and marketing whose staff understand how best to convey a message.

It is an area that is constantly changing with the advent of new technology.

Going back twenty years, the main way for Edinburgh’s public relations agencies to convey information about their clients was through the post, sending out hardcopy press releases and printed photographs.

Technology then introduced the fax, a much faster way of conveying information, but what brought about the major change was the advent of email. Suddenly, it did not take a press release two days to reach a media outlet, it took two seconds.

The effect has been dramatic: suddenly a PR agency sending out a release can see it hitting the web within minutes, particularly as many media outlets now consider themselves as much Internet providers as purveyors of more traditional formats.

That in itself has created new outlets and PR agencies are acutely aware of the growth in independent websites or those run by organisations which focus on their particular field of speciality.

For instance, an agency representing clients in the housing sector will be as aware of the specialist housing websites as much as local newspapers and associated media.

However, that does not mean that more traditional outlets are being ignored. Far from it. A mention in the local newspaper or radio station, or a slot on a television bulletin, can still do wonders for a business and all of them have their own websites as well.

34

BC June/July 2010

That is not to say that print is dead - far from it. Indeed, there are those who will tell you that the pendulum always swings and that, for all the glittering array of technology, more and more people will value hardcopy material.

For many of the companies who realise that, producing their own printed publications is the key and those who succeed are the ones who value creativity above everything else, who dedicate time and effort to getting the look and the text right so that they make for attractive and informative reads. It is not enough to simply slap words and images on a page: it is a more creative affair than that.

All these avenues are open to PR and marketing experts and for each and every one, the goal is to make their client stand out from the crowd.

db

db

Lighting

Domestic environments

I wonder how many people really understand the benefits of light, whether it is for commercial use or domestic. To say good lighting is a life changing experience is not overstated, it is fact.

A home is split into areas and rooms for a reason, each one has a specific function and each one should be lit accordingly. A multi functional space will require multi functional lighting solutions.

The secret is how light is integrated into the design and controlled by the touch of a button. It should never be over complicated or difficult to use.

Here is a thought, did you know compact fluorescent lamps can be an environmental disaster, or cost you money, not to forget the gloomy atmospherics when used incorrectly.

So, what are you meant to do about improving your lit environment? To start off with it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg; it can actually reduce your electricity bill. Now that’s worth considering in this uncertain economic climate.

Did you know you can change the perception of a space with light? In short, don’t spend a lot of money on expensive finishes if you don’t intend to light them properly.

Commercial environments How about improved efficiency, not only do you work efficiently under good light you can be more fulfilled in your achievements.

Now you can increase the bottom line through working in good light.

We use rest rooms, breakouts, canteens, staff rooms and relaxations areas to escape from the work station and take your mind off the working day. Atmospheric lighting helps to differentiate areas and clearly defines the difference between a working area and a relaxation / rest area. This will create the edge between you and your competitors.

Lighting is not an afterthought; it is a fundamental part of the building process. The more thought goes into a lighting design the better the results, be specific in your objectives. It’s no longer acceptable to flood the room with a 300w pendant just so you can read a book when everyone else has to put their sun glasses on.

Think of the safety and practical features of night lights. Great for young children, guests or even getting up early to catch the red eye to London.

Dining out: Where to, is it a canteen or is it an atmospheric dining experience.

How often can you recall sitting under a beam of light and the table is in darkness. Wrongly directed light doesn’t do much good for hiding the receding hair line or disguising the results of aging.

It’s the table that should be lit and not over lit at that.

The bottom line is lighting is a pleasure to work in, live with and enjoy. Now, not everyone knows how this is achieved, but rest assured, if you contact us for a face to face chat with no obligations, then you won’t go wrong.

222 Leith Walk Edinburgh EH6 5EQ Give us a call on 0131 555 4499 or email me at david@davidbrownlighting.com

Inthespotlight Company name: Barbon insurance group Who? martin oliver, Chief executive officer Website: www.barbon.com 1. What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

I was stuck on a seven-hour train journey from Glasgow to Bournemouth - this ash cloud fiasco has all the trappings of swine flu!

2. What do you see as your job’s biggest challenge?

Culture change - our sector is changing quite rapidly and getting staff to embrace and deliver change ahead of the opposition is the biggest challenge.

3. What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

Persuading private equity owners to invest £500k in a Nursery for our staff 4. do you have any money-saving business tips?

I’m a fan of the ‘every penny counts’ approach - get the culture right with the small stuff and the rest will follow.

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

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

Stage 1 - qualifying as a chartered accountant - testing myself against my peers gave me huge confidence.

Work harder than the next guy - most textbooks hardly mention this.

Stage 2 - stepping out of my comfort zone of finance into business development.

11. Who is your hero?

Stage 3 - moving from a company where I had almost 15 years experience (Kwik Fit) to another sector and company (Barbon).

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

6. Where do you stand on work/life balance?

I have to get the home life right or work won’t follow - a bit of a challenge for me right now as I live in Glasgow and work four days a week down south.

Sir Bobby Robson - a gent and a giant of a man.

Barbon of course - the best commercial insurance broker in the land.

13. other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

7. What do you like to do on your spare time?

England cricket captain on a winning away Ashes test series.

Mucking about with the kids and watching the Toon (NUFC for the uninitiated).

14. Who (living or dead) would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

8. What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

15. outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

Attitude is by far the most important - most everything else can be taught.

Bon Scott (ex lead singer of AC/DC).

A regular and active love life (you did ask!)!

9. in business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

I don’t do business with people I don’t like, if that helps!

June/July 2010

BC

37

Chambernews Design agency secures award An Edinburgh Chamber member has been named Scottish Design Consultancy of The Year.

Awarded by the Scottish Design Review, in association with Easter Exhibition and Display, the prize went to Whitespace, whose co-owner Iain Valentine was awarded Design Leader of the Year, voted for by his peers.

Despite difficult economic times,Whitespace has notched up a design fee growth of 16 per cent, winning new work from the likes of Tennent’s, Aegon, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and Investors in People, while being retained on the Scottish Government roster.

As well as identifying the best overall portfolio of work, the judges were also asked to select their one favourite piece of creative.

Whitespace won this award for the liquid imagination website, www.liquidimagination.eu, for paint brand valtti. (pictured left, along with samples of their diversely creative portfolio)

Have you joined the conversation? and Facebook, which together directly accounted for $9 million of the company’s sales last year. But social media impact goes beyond revenue – it’s about making connections and engaging in conversations that build customer loyalty. Dell connects with 3.5 million people through its global social properties, such as forums, blogs, Facebook and Twitter pages. If you’re not part of the conversation, then you’re leaving it to others to answer questions and provide information, whether it’s accurate or incorrect.

Or, even worse, you may be leaving it up to your competition to jump in to become the resource for the community.

Last month Steve Felice, Dell’s President of Consumer, Small and Medium Business, hosted a special business breakfast briefing with Edinburgh Chambers delegates looking at how SMEs can take advantage of new technologies to be more competitive in the recovering economy. One of the key technologies Steve talked about was social media.

You may have read that Dell has generated millions of dollars through sites like Twitter

38

BC June/July 2010

SME business owners are finding the barriers to investing in social media are very low – anyone can open a Facebook or Twitter account for zero cost. Correctly used, social media offers exceptional opportunities to engage in a conversation with a worldwide community of customers, suppliers and partners. So there’s a real opportunity for small businesses to grab the lead. And once you do, the sky’s the limit.

some simple ways to get more active in social media: n Get on Twitter n Start a blog n Harness the power of Facebook n Share photos and videos on line using free sites such as Flickr and YouTube n Create evangelists for your brand and get them talking about you online n Measure your success online visit www.facebook.com/dellsocialmedia for a series of useful social media guides

Steve Felice

speCiAl FeAture

Making your business ‘investor ready’ – the legal considerations

By Austin Flynn

Corporate Law Partner

Morton Fraser LLP

Raising finance to grow your company can be tricky at the best of times. In today’s market, however, it is doubly important to have a better story to tell than your competitors. The key qualities needed are: n a sound business idea demonstrating demand for your product/service; clear competitive advantage; an ability to maintain profit margins; scope for strong sales growth n a credible business plan for marketing and delivering the product or service n a committed management team, capable of implementing the business plan and managing and controlling operations.

Assuming that you have all of these qualities, any potential investor will soon instruct lawyers to carry out due diligence (‘DD’) on your company. This process involves you providing the potential investor with information covering every legal aspect of the company including: n employee contracts n health and safety compliance n Data Protection compliance n intellectual property (‘IP’) ownership n litigation/disputes involving the company n the company’s key contracts n details of the company’s heritable or leasehold property n the company’s statutory books.

It is therefore important that when you reply to the DD questions, you ensure that there is nothing that gives the investor the impression that yours is a badly run company. Even if you can demonstrate that you have the three ‘key qualities’ listed above, any investor will be wary if, for example: n your employees don’t have written employment contracts n you don’t have Data Protection registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office (assuming that you require such registration, which is likely) n your statutory books are not up to date, or even non-existent n you are illegally using IP (e.g. Microsoft software without a valid licence) n you have unresolved chronic disputes with suppliers/customers n your company is occupying premises without a legally documented right to do so n key contracts are not properly documented.

the world; suffering from several simply gives an investor the impression that things aren’t entirely under control. Therefore it is crucial to be able to reply to DD promptly and with all of the information in order, and in such a way that the investor sees an organised and efficient investment opportunity. First impressions count, even in the world of private equity.

What I therefore recommend to my client companies is that they instruct me to carry out ‘pre investment DD’ on them: we then correct anything that shows up. This remedial process is much easier and cheaper to implement in advance of formal investor DD; doing it in the heat of an investment is at best a distraction, at worst, fatal to the investment (the cat is out of the bag by the time the investor spots the problem), and in all cases is just one more thing to deal with.

if you would like to discuss any of these issues, please call me to arrange a free consultation on 0131 247 1260. www.morton-fraser.com

Over the years, I have encountered all of these issues, and more. Suffering from one of these issues is probably not the end of

June/July 2010

BC

39

speCiAl FeAture Rockliffe Hall, Matfen Hall and Hardwick Hall Hotel. The very highest standards are ensured but at prices that won’t break the bank - with fivestar, 24-hour delegate rates from £175 and day-delegate rates from £40.

Find some ‘Space to Think’

Time is always of the essence and with Alnwick Castle under 2 hours’ drive from Edinburgh and the stunning Slaley Hall roughly 2 ½ hours’ drive from Glasgow, delegates and team members will be feeling relaxed, inspired and motivated in next to no time. to receive your essential brochure guide to conferencing in rural north east england and take up the unique promotional offer, contact: 0191 440 5757, email: conventionbureau@ngi.org.uk or visit: www.spacetothink.info

Beautiful back ‘garden’ Every business needs space to think; to focus the mind and refresh the batteries. With spring in full bloom and summer nearly upon us, there has never been a better time to get out of the office to motivate staff and build relationships with key clients.

Research by psychologists has shown that holding events in a tranquil, rural setting can stimulate creative new solutions which can impact on your business’ bottom line. North East England’s range and quality of rural venues provide the perfect opportunity to escape to a place where the only ‘tweet’ is from the countryside’s natural birdlife.

Thirty venues across North East England have teamed up to encourage businesses in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow to venture south of the border into their ‘back garden’ to experience its space, beauty, quality and value, with a new promotion launched offering 10 delegate places for the price of nine.

Rest assured that after a busy day of discussions and seminars there’s no better place to cool down than by the water features at The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland. Labyrinths, a tree-top bridge, treasure hunts and the UK’s biggest tree house make this venue stand out as special and memorable for business

‘Space to Think’ is a new campaign offering meeting planners a unique insight into North East England’s stunning rural conference scene, with a whole host of top-class venues to choose from, dotted throughout North East England from the atmospheric Hadrian’s Wall, to Durham’s beautiful landscapes; right through to the striking countryside of Tees Valley.

A brand-new ‘Space to Think’ brochure and bespoke website enable conference organisers to directly access information on conference venues, with details on function suites, the great leisure offer, maps and locations and of course the 10th delegate goes free promotion.

Major venues, hotels, castles and stately homes, including big-name brands such as Barceló, De Vere,Von Essen and Macdonald, are all part of the campaign, as are a range of high-quality independent properties like

Close(r) than you think An elegant restoration of this 18th-century mansion set in an exceptional location makes Northumberland’s Close House one of North East

meetings or conferences.

Think outside the box (room) and take your team meeting to the very top … at the Treehouse.

England’s most stylish and distinctive conference venues.

It sets out to make business both enjoyable and productive with five fully-equipped meeting rooms for up to 100 guests, all with magnificent views across the 300 acres of beautiful parkland. At just over 2 ½ hours’ drive from Edinburgh, this sublime rural setting is ‘Close’ enough to get to, but far enough away to feel you’ve escaped!

Venues across North East England have teamed up to offer meeting planners a fantastic 10-for-9 deal running to the end of March 2011, so there’s never been a better time for you to find Space to Think.

10 for 9

Visit www.spacetothink.info today to find out more, or request a Space to Think brochure by emailing spacetothink@ngi.org.uk or calling 0191 440 5757.

In association with NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, Northumberland Tourism, Visit County Durham and Visit Tees Valley. Supported by One North East Regional Development Agency.

40

BC June/July 2010

Asktheexpert Q: I’ve heard about cloud computing and Google Apps but don’t know much about it. What is Cloud Computing and what are the pros and cons for businesses?

A:

Cloud computing is the equivalent of buying your electricity from Scottish Power rather than generating your own!

For a fixed monthly cost, you get the same functionality as you would running your own server, but without the associated headaches and expense.

This model makes enormous sense for small and medium businesses who want enterprise-grade functionality but without the price-tag and hassles involved in doing it themselves.

Take email and shared calendars: typically, providing these to your staff means having a server running 24 x 7 in an office down the hall. This is expensive and labour-intensive.

Google Apps and Microsoft’s Business

Productivity Online Suite allow companies to ditch that server while retaining all the usual features for a fixed monthly or annual subscription.

So what are the drawbacks? Well, for a start, you are trusting your precious data to someone else, so you need to make sure they’re doing back-ups and keeping your data secure.You also need to look at how easy or difficult the provider makes moving your data to an alternate provider.

Both these issues should be dealt with transparently and in simple language on their website.

With effective implementation, cloud computing can be an enormous competitive advantage for SMEs and one that should not be ignored.

Scott McKenzie, Cloud Logic, www.cloudlogic.co.uk

GetwithIT

By Bill Magee

Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

An integrated approach to recovery As we all strive to lift ourselves out of the recession, serious and considered thought should be given towards utilising clever technological solutions to successfully enter the next stage of an organisation’s growth cycle.

Here, think about engaging a strategic partner to help develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated IT roadmap solution across all functions, centred, for example, on Oracle’s E-Business Suite offering.

One endowed with a triple strength adding up to the most complete integrated business intelligence portfolio, coupled with the most adaptable global business platform, and add to this the most customer-focused applications strategy.

Phil Wilson, consultancy director of awardwinning Inoapps (Oracle UK partner of the year two years running) explains from their Edinburgh office that it represents the most comprehensive suite of integrated, global business applications.

In today’s economy, customers may not be inclined to implement large-scale upgrades of their core operational systems. Rather, we’re talking here about having the ability to recognise rapid value in the near term, without requiring an upgrade; an effective

way to build a strategic IT roadmap, laying the groundwork for long-term success and a lasting return-on-investment.

All departments can be integrated, including project management costing and billing; human resources processes; marketing and field sales; proposals and quoting; and telesales. Even an iexpenses package can be installed as every base is covered.

First port of call is: www.inoapps.com

June/July 2010

BC

41

Business Partnership Centre Business Partnership Centre offers a flexible approach to delivery and training.

In an economic downturn, there is always a temptation for businesses – large and small – to cut spending on staff training, however, now is precisely the time to be investing in the skills and talents of your staff. Investing now in building new skills will put companies in the strongest position as the economy recovers.

With a proven track record and 20 years experience in developing and delivering demand led training, both on and off site we pride ourselves on building long lasting partnerships.

The Business partnership Centre can help put in place a framework that will: n Build talent and skills in your business. n Increase business performance and contribute to make the UK a world-class leader in productivity. n Help improve the way your business works and influence the performance of your suppliers.

42

BC June/July 2010

n Implement Business Improvement Techniques. n A Free Training Needs Analysis is available to help you establish your skills development requirements.

We offer a completely flexible approach to delivery and training.

Sessions can be held in the workplace or at the Business Partnership Centre. In addition, over thirty qualifications can now be accessed on our innovative e-learning portfolio including the new suite of Professional Development Awards (PDA’s) in Management.

The Centre also has conferencing and venue hire at competitive rates, offering executive facilities to suit all group sizes as well as a conference hall which can accommodate up to 800 people for large corporate events.

For further details on the training courses available please contact 01506 427955 or visit www.business-partnership-centre.ac.uk.

SQA launch new Emergency First Aid at Work qualification Health and Safety (First Aid) regulations require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or fewer employees and to the self-employed.

SQA – Scotland’s national accreditation and awarding body - is pleased to announce that we have launched a new Emergency First Aid at Work qualification which will support employers in meeting these requirements.

emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work.

The content of the course includes, understanding the role and responsibilities of an emergency first aider and knowing how to assess and respond to an incident. It is approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and meets the Health &Safety regulations 1981 in respect of Emergency First Aid at Work.

SQA’s award can be delivered over one day or two half days/evenings with continuous assessment throughout the delivery of the award. Assessment will take the form of practical activities, observation, and short answer questions. Successful completion of the award will allow learners to carry out the role of an emergency first aider in a low hazard environment. They will also receive a certificate from SQA – a nationally recognised awarding body.

The course content has been produced by the HSE. Successful completion of the qualification will allow participants to give

All employers are required to carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine what training and facilities are required for their

business. HSE has published a Q&A leaflet, available from their website about first aid provision at work and what level of cover is needed.

For more information about delivering the new SQA Emergency First Aid at Work qualification contact our Business Development Team on 0303 333 0330 or email mycentre@sqa.org.uk.

June/July 2010

BC

43

Gettingstarted Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

A: SoulFit Personal Training is a premium bespoke personal training service based in Edinburgh. Working with clients in their home, office or local park, we create custom-made fitness & nutrition programmes for individuals to help them reach their health & fitness goals.

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

Name:

Colin Crerar

Business name:

SoulFit Personal Training

Start up date: Oct 2009

Website:

www.soulfit.co.uk

A: It is SoulFit’s mission to create components to enable people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives. By creating fitness and nutrition solutions that are quick, simple and fun, SoulFit provides people with the knowledge and encouragement they need to empower their every day lives, and incorporate the idea of wellness into their lifestyles.

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

A: I love for people to be healthy, whether it’s mentally, physically or emotionally and for a long time have been involved in sport and fitness. Following redundancy in 2009, I decided to take the plunge and give my long held dream of starting my own

business a go. And that’s when SoulFit was born!

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

A: Making all the decisions.

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

A: Seeing how happy my clients are when they start to see the results they are achieving.

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

A: There haven’t been any low moments so far! I’m loving every minute of it.

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

A: It’s my aim to turn SoulFit into the number one personal training business in Scotland and then the UK. Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

A: Share your passion with somebody in need.

It’ll make both your lives better.

Inspiring growth chamber style Edinburgh-based businesses with aspirations to grow can now tap into a new package of support through a collaboration between Edinburgh Chamber and the City of Edinburgh Council.

44

Branded ‘Inspiring Growth’, the programme of support targets businesses with aspirations to grow by up to £400,000 over the next three years. The aim of the programme is to help businesses that have potential to expand and create employment, but do not qualify for client or account management support through Scottish Enterprise.

In addition to a web forum, it also runs a series of Inspiring Growth master classes and events covering a range of topical subjects with input from specialists and inspiring business personalities. These focus on three key themes: business growth, improving efficiency and effectiveness, and people development.

Inspiring Growth offers a comprehensive package of support that includes one-toone business advice, business plan reviews, investment readiness support and sources of public and private sector funding.

If you would like to find out more about Inspiring Growth and stay up to date on forthcoming events, please contact Nikki Black on 0131 221 3184 or email: nikki.black@edinburghchamber.co.uk

BC June/July 2010

Nikki Black is the Chamber contact for the Inspiring Growth collaboration

Businessnews Hitting the peaks The search is on for intrepid workmates to take part in this year’s British Red Cross Three Peaks Challenge.

Passenger access is being improved at Haymarket Station.

This year’s challenge will see hundreds of walkers climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon - over 24 hours.

The Three Peaks Challenge is one of the biggest fundraising events in the Red Cross calendar and teams raise vital funds to directly support the work of the Red Cross in the UK and overseas.

Each team of four is asked to raise £2,750 for the organisation, which is enough to train more than 250 members of the public in life-saving first aid skills.

Last year’s challenge saw teams raise more than £60,000. Such funds are extremely valuable to the Red Cross and could provide a new, specialised frontline ambulance including training for the driver and crew, or supply 600 family tents to provide shelter for displaced families fleeing disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti.

Lucy Tambyraja, senior events officer for the Red Cross, said: “Companies can use the event to inspire staff – bringing colleagues together and setting some friendly competition.Training for a challenge like this and raising funds for

a great cause can all help team building and improve energy levels in the office.”

Land Rover, Halifax and Royal Bank of Scotland were among companies that put teams forward for the 24-hour Challenge in 2009 and organisers are looking for 40 teams to take part this year.

The event takes place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September. It starts at Ben Nevis, continues up Scafell Pike and finishes with a party and prizegiving event at Snowdon on the Sunday evening.

To take part you will need a team of four or five walkers and two support crew to keep you wellfed and to drive you between the mountains.

Sign up for the challenge or find out more by contacting Lucy Tambyraja at challenges@ redcross.org.uk or on 0844 412 2877 or visit www.redcross.org.uk/3Peaks

Award for publisher The only Scottish company to be shortlisted in the 12 award categories, Bright Red was founded in 2008.

The company was praised by the judging panel for winning a tender to publish SQA’s Official Past Papers then by producing high quality, student-friendly books across a range of subjects.

Richard Bass of Bright Red Publishing receiving the award

Also to be congratulated is Edinburghbased Bright Red Publishing, which was named Education Publisher of the Year at the Independent Publishing Awards.

Improvements to station The start date for the £1.5m investment was accelerated so that the two lifts will be installed by the end of the year meaning the project will be completed almost one year early.

In addition, Queen Street station has benefited from an investment of £2.25m, with six new automatic ticket gates and investigation works have started for two new escalators.

Taken together, the schemes will provide better access for passengers and are being funded by First ScotRail as part of their franchise agreement with Transport Scotland to fund accessibility improvements at both stations.

Dougie Andrews, franchise projects and investment manager at Transport Scotland, said: “Transport Scotland is committed to working with industry partners to encourage people to travel by public transport and improving accessibility plays a key part in this.”

Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail said: “Access to these key stations will be much improved and will make a real difference for our customers.”

The change in programme means the Haymarket lifts will also be ready in time for the predicted increase of passengers from the re-opened Airdrie to Bathgate line, which is scheduled to open this December.

The Judges were also impressed by the company’s understanding of its target market, as well as its dedication to customer service and order processing, both of which are handled in-house at Bright Red’s offices in Edinburgh’s West End. Richard Bass of Bright Red said: “We conceived Bright Red with the intention of delivering the highest quality in all that we do, and we are thrilled to have our efforts recognised by this award.”

June/July 2010

BC

45



 

     

 

Thearts speCiAl FeAture

Artistic galaxy a must-see for collectors Edinburgh Art Fair is committed to showcasing an array of art for all tastes and budgets, but don’t be fooled into thinking that this dilutes the quality of work on offer. With Picasso, Henry Moore, and Jolomo amongst the artists regularly on show, rarely is work of this quality and variety accessible under one roof.

The diverse range of art on offer at Scotland’s premier art fair makes it the perfect place to view and purchase work by some of the world’s most acclaimed artists. Examples of paintings, sculpture and glassworks by leaders in their field will be showcased in one venue, making the Edinburgh Art Fair a must-see for any collector.

generate much interest from visitors to the fair. His sensual figurative pieces created from steelmesh and stainless steel, have heralded continued rise in both popularity and value.

Works by the celebrated painter Beryl Cook will once again be exhibited by Alexander Gallery from Bristol. Peter Slade, the galleries proprietor, has published Cook’s work since 1977, and holds the largest selection of her work in the country.

The astonishing response to Beryl’s death at the age of 81 in 2008, both from the media and the general public, is a remarkable testament to her unofficial position as Britain’s favourite painter who’s lasting popularity amongst the public was in direct contrast to the dismissive view of the elitist British art establishment. Her original work regularly sells for upward of £40,000 and her popularity will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

Other household names that will be present include Alexander Millar, Peter Howson, Gerry Burns, and John Bellany all of whom adorn many a collector’s wall.

Number Nine The Gallery, from Birmingham, represents leading artists from the worlds of Sculpture and Glassware. The work of Edinburghborn, London Based sculptor, David Begbie is once again sure to

Bertil Vallien, easily the most internationally celebrated glass artist and designer in Sweden, will also be represented by Number Nine.

Vallien has worked within the world-renowned Kosta Boda design house since 1963, producing some of the most critically acclaimed and collectable pieces of this medium.

With so many high quality, collectable pieces on show at one time, The Edinburgh Art Fair must be a vital inclusion in any collector’s diary. edinburgh Art Fair. 18th – 21st november 2010. For more information, please visit www.artedinburgh.com

www.artedinburgh.com

June/July 2010

BC

47

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce welcomes its latest member companies: 7N Architects Abacus Asset Finance Limited Absolut Plumbing Advance Consultancy UK Limited AJA Events Limited Allan Makin & Sons Ambit Solutions Aqua Energy (Scotland) Limited Axiano Limited Aye Do B&M Joiners (Edinburgh) Limited Barbon Insurance Group Barnardo’s Scotland Basically Tool Hire Limited Bawbags Limited Below the Belt Food Company Limited Benugo Events Biffa Waste Services Big Ideas Bigdna Limited Brayleino Limited Broomhouse Centre, The Buchanan Chiropractic Capital Appointments Limited Castle Hotel Management Company Limited Charles Stanley Citrus4Benefits Ltd Cityjet Clean Earth Capital LLP Co Star Coast to Coast Computer Law Training Limited Cosmo Architectural Division D.J.Manning Danscot Print Limited Dap Architecture LLP Datamart Delta Design Limited Delta-Simons Environmental Consultant Limited Design LED Products Limited Design-a-Cushions DM Audio DTR Services Limited Dynamech Engineering Design Limited E-Talent Systems Limited Edinburgh Lock Centre Edinburgh Property Maintenance Limited Edinburgh Property Manager Limited, The Electrical Hygiene Solutions Elite Linguists CIC Ellersly House Hotel Engaging IT Epitome Solutions Limited Equity Bridge Limited ESPC (UK) Limited European Energy Centre Limited Evidence Metrics

48

BC June/July 2010

Expanding Web Limited Falkirk Car Carriers Fettes Management Limited First Display Five Star Forwarding & Logistics Limited FLEXcon Europe Limited Franchise Route G.P Wolffe Get Re-Wired Limited Glenavon Insurance Gregor’s Greywalls Hotel Hannings Limited Harajuku Kitchen Hays - Experts in Career Transition Hayward Jardine Limited (Ecospecialists Scotland) Hebco Global Recruitment Limited Holmes Partnership House Call Care Support Limited Hymans Robertson Services Limited Informed Edinburgh Ingenuity (Scotland) Limited Ingenza Limited Integrity Insurance Intelligent Property Internet Search Marketing Intrelate Limited Intuitive Documentation Limited IT Pro Systems-UK JMC Property JPM Gas Services JVR Properties Kevlar Management Services Limited Kingdom Capital Partners LLP KK Interactive Limited Krzysztof Borkowski Jewellery L.F.T Promotions Limited Lahori Karahi LDN Architects LLP Lets 4 U Lochend Motor Company Loud Street Limited Love Food Catering Macfarlane Gray Chartered Accountants MacIntyres of Edinburgh Mamook Graphics Mary Reid International Spa Academy Maryanne Johnston Masons Mortar Limited Media Plane Limited ML Electrical Morbaine Limited MTA Couriers Multiply UK Limited Narwiks Transport Services National Library of Scotland

Newsbase Limited Newtyne Limited Nightsky Cosmic Ceilings Oakhill Appartments Limited Oink of Edinburgh Orton Search & Selection Ltd Pagan Osborne Pentland Format Office Supplies Pickled Piper, The Plum Films Limited PNE Winds UK Limited Premier Inn Private Booksales.Co.UK PTS Consulting (UK) Ltd QSE Training Ltd Ravelston Golf Club Limited Red Harbour Events Redhouse Group Regis Banqueting Limited Restored Hearing Limited Rettie & Co. Rothera Group Limited RPC Trading Scotland Saville Ferguson Scotshirts Scottish Arts Club Shortbread House of Edinburgh Ltd Six Brunton Place Guest House Slorach Wood Architects Smart Design & Print Limited Spree Publications Ltd Sterling FP Tax Assist Accountants (Edinburgh West) Thomson Bethune Limited Transform Business and Training Consultancy Ltd Uniformity Urban Paintball Edinburgh limited Vegware Victoria Rigalia Limited Vistage International (UK) Limited Vitares Wasp Wood Works Waverley Management Consultants Limited Whisky Club Bogotá Whole Works, The Will Rudd Davidson Edinburgh Limited Woodroyd Care Limited Workflo Solutions

Chamberappointments Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce New starts to the team:

Dorothy Taylor

Jeananne Henderson

Ross Clark

Nicola Walker

Dorothy joined EBD in March 2010 as Administrator (Finance) for Projects and Partnerships after nearly 30 years with Bank of Scotland.

Dorothy is a key addition to the team providing general claims and finance support as well as essential support for the Intelligent Exporter project.

Jeananne joined the Chamber’s Edinburgh Business Development, Public Sector Training Contracts team in March. She is working on the Flexible New Deal Project, providing both administrative and client support to assist in delivering employability services.

Ross joined the Chamber in March as Operations Director, Scottish Chambers International. Ross will have overall operational responsibilities for our International activities that include Edinburgh International Trade, Scottish Chambers International and Smart Exporter.

Nicola joined the Chamber’s Edinburgh Business Development, Public Sector Training Contracts team in March. She is working on the Flexible New Deal Project liaising with clients and businesses to provide both placement and permanent work opportunities for our clients whilst assisting with business recruitment needs.

Edinburgh Chamber’s Partners in Enterprise

Stay One Step Ahead with free branding & marketing advice; call 0844 736 2992

June/July 2010

BC

49

Moversandshakers BIG unveils new head of Edinburgh operation Public relations agency the BIG Partnership has appointed Nicki Sturzaker as the new head of its Edinburgh operation. Nicki takes over from Bill Shaw, who has stepped down after six years with the agency.

Edinburgh-born Nicki is returning to Scotland after ten years working for agencies in London and the South. BIG director and founder Neil Gibson said: “Nicki is a seasoned communications professional with some tremendous experience of working with major brands as well as a track record of leading and developing teams. We believe she’ll make a significant contribution to the ongoing growth of our Edinburgh operation and the wider company in the years ahead.

“We’d also like to wish every success to Bill Shaw, who has decided to step down to seek a fresh challenge. Bill has made an important contribution to our Edinburgh office since joining from Catchline Communications in 2004 and we wish him well.” Nicki said: “Despite the recent economic downturn, I believe this is an extremely exciting time for Scottish businesses and the PR industry in particular.”

Family law expert takes on new job Gillian Crandles, an expert in Family Law, has been promoted to Partner at Turcan Connell.

Specialising in divorce cases, particularly those involving business valuations, Gillian is ranked highly by Chambers UK, who recognised her as “operating at partner level” while still an Associate.

She has acted in several high profile cases, covering issues including the valuations of shares in private companies, employee incentive schemes and share options and taxation.

Gillian also deals with high net worth cases in the Court of Session and disputes concerning children and has been instrumental in introducing Collaborative Law, an innovative form of dispute resolution, to Scotland.

Two join Deloitte Deloitte, the business advisory firm, has announced two new appointments to its Scottish practice.

John Watt has joined as an associate partner in its government and infrastructure practice and Pat Kenny joins as a director in the audit practice where he will continue to grow the public sector audit and advisory practice in Scotland. John, who will be responsible for building the firm’s government and infrastructure advisory business in Scotland, will work across Deloitte’s consulting, audit, tax and corporate finance practices. Pat joins Deloitte from Mouchel, the global public sector business, where he led a team of 70, working in local and central government, transport and the police service. James Baird, senior partner for Deloitte in Scotland & Northern Ireland, said: “The firm is significantly expanding its public sector business and John and Pat’s appointment illustrates our commitment to deliver a broad range of capabilities in these challenging times.We are delighted to have them both on board.”

Clydesdale Bank appoints new Edinburgh boss Clydesdale Bank has appointed a new Managing Partner at its Edinburgh Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).

Simon Kerr has 28 years of banking experience and moves into the post from Clydesdale Bank’s Glasgow FSC, where he has worked as a Senior Partner since September 2006. In his new role he will lead a team of more than 70 Partners and Associates at the Bank’s flagship office on Lothian Road, with Business and Private Banking clients across all sectors.Mr Kerr said: “Clydesdale Bank’s traditional banking approach has allowed the FSC’s doors to remain open. Ninety-five per cent of decisions can be taken here in Edinburgh and along with my team, I look forward to helping local businesses realise their growth potential.”

“Clydesdale Bank has a close working relationship with the Capital’s business community and I am delighted to be taking on that responsibility and carrying the mantel for the Bank here in Edinburgh.”

50

BC June/July 2010

Skills mean more with SQA.

SQA offers a range of qualifications and services to develop the skills people need to work more effectively and more productively. Meaning happier employers, happier staff, happier results.

Smile.

Log onto www.sqa.org.uk/employers Contact SQA’s Business Development Team on 0303 333 0330 or email mycentre@sqa.org.uk