Business Eye October 2013

Issue 135 October 2013 ÂŁ2.50 Voted best Business Magazine in Ireland 2005 and Magazine of the Year for Northern Ireland

Shortlisted Magazines Ireland Awards 2011 Business To Business Magazine of the Year

Keys Finance Funding Boost Spells Growth Features:

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Keeping Belfast business on the move

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Flybe Commits To Belfast Base

Down Royal...

Hospitality On The Up

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Contents

October 2013 ISSUE 135

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Air Travel Flybe Chief Commits To Belfast

The Charles Hurst Group complex on Belfast’s Boucher Road has a brand new showroom....with a touch of Italian class and elegance about it. It’s the new all-island focal point for two of the most prestigious brands in motoring...any time, any where. Welcome to the Belfast base for Ferrari & Maserati.

Employment Minefield...Adapt Or Face Consequence

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Cover Story Keys Finance....Funding Boost Spells More Growth A new tranche of funding from Dutch-based ABN Ambro has added further impetus to fastgrowing Keys Finance, a company which has been taking the asset-based finance marketplace by storm since it entered the marketplace a couple of years ago. We catch up with directors Judith Totten, Diane Woodside and Owen Graham.

Gareth Walls, Head of Employment Law at A&L Goodbody in Northern Ireland, talks to Business Eye about how employment law is having to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment and how he is expanding his specialist team to meet the associated challenges and opportunities.

Barry McBride’s role wouldn’t suit anyone with an aversion to aircraft or airports. Invest Northern Ireland’s Executive Director of International Business spends a couple of weeks a month at the Agency’s Belfast headquarters and the other couple of weeks ‘on the road’... which can mean anywhere from the USA to China.

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Five Minutes of Action... 25 Minutes of Interaction The annual National Hunt Festival of Racing, over two days at the start of November at Northern Ireland’s premier racecourse, is set to bring some 14,000 racegoers through the turnstiles and into Down Royal. The two men driving the racecourse forward, Mike Todd & James Nicholson, set out their stall.

Disputes... An Expensive Business If they’re not sorted out rapidly, workplace disputes are bad for business, bad for morale and bad for productivity. Employment law expert, Alana Jones, is tackling this problem head-on with the launch of her new consultancy; Alana Jones, Workplace Solutions.

Michael Graham, Director of Corporate Real Estate at Titanic Quarter, looks back on a memorable visit to Chengdu in China and the former Portuguese colony of Macau....and talks about market statistics which some might find alarming!

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UTV Business Eye Awards with Flybe 2013 Northern Ireland’s top private medical group, 3FiveTwo, took the Company of the Year title at this year’s UTV Business Eye Awards with Flybe, while Eleanor McEvoy of Budget Energy was named Business Personality of the Year. We look back at all the winners on a memorable night at the Culloden Estate & Spa.

Running In The Dark People all over the world will gather again at 7:30 pm local time on Wednesday the 13th of November in the hope that they are part of something better for paralysis victims. We catch up with one local victim of paralysis, the inspiration that is Mark Pollock.

Eye on People

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Eye on Planning

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Eye on Technology

Eye on Events

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Eye on Banking

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Eye on Travel

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Eye on Fleet Management

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Eye on Media

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Moving On

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Young Business Personality

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Eye on Internet

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Eye on Motoring

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Buckley Publications 20 Kings Road Belfast, BT5 6JJ Tel: (028) 9047 4490 Fax: (028) 9047 4495 www.businesseye.co.uk

Editor Richard Buckley Commercial Director Brenda Buckley Sales Manager Claire Dickson

Features & Promotions Manager Ciara Donnelly Credit Control Manager Lisa McArdle

Design Hexagon 65 Irwin Crescent Belfast, BT4 3AQ Tel: (028) 9047 2210 www.hexagondesign.com

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In Search Of Eastern Promise

Awards

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Playing The International Game

Sporting Busines

ABC average circulation Jan-June 2010, 7,610 copies Yearly Subscription £35 UK and NI or £37.50 outside the UK

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Sports Car Legends Open Belfast Showroom

Back in Belfast to help present the UTV Business Eye Awards, Flybe’s Director of Marketing Simon Lilley took the opportunity to pledge Flybe’s future commitment to the Belfast marketplace at a time of rapid change for the airline and its management team. He also adds his voice to the increasingly angry air passenger duty furore.

Regulars

Specials

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Photography Press Eye 45 Stockmans Way Belfast, BT9 7ET Tel: (028) 9066 9229 www.presseye.com

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There has long been a bit of a gulf when it comes to how we think about tourism here and how our colleagues south of the border think about it.

Comment

“Hamilton is a sharp enough operator in a lot of ways. But this is evidence that he’s not the forward thinker some of us thought he might be. He needs to consider the damaging effect the tax is having on airlines and the travelling public.”

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Richard Buckley EDITOR Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

ut it’s perhaps not as big a gulf as exists in imaginative thinking between the Republic’s government and our own Stormont administration.

The recent decision in the Irish Budget to scrap air passenger tax for passengers flying out of Dublin, Shannon, Cork, etc, could have major implications north of the border. Passengers can now fly out of Dublin, for example, without paying any tax while passengers flying from either of Belfast’s airport have to fork out a hefty £13 apiece per flight.

Bearing in mind that Dublin Airport is only an hour’s drive away for a lot of us in the North – and hour and half at worst from Belfast – flying via Dublin is now a very viable alternative indeed.

And many thousands of us already did it even before the latest tax move was announced.

The news will have an effect on passenger numbers at both Belfast International and – to a slightly lesser extent – Belfast City Airport for very simple reasons. Not only will cheaper flights be on offer, but Dublin can also offer a much larger choice of direct flights to Europe, the USA, and the Middle East.

And, when it comes to tourism, the implications are clear. Up North, we’ve long had to engage in hand-to-hand combat in an effort to lure tourists, especially of the American variety, to head up the M1 or take the Enterprise northwards instead of limiting their visits to Dublin and all points south.

The very fact that we’re charging them more – wherever they are flying home to – for the dubious pleasure of using our airports is a classic case of shooting ourselves in the foot.

The leading airlines serving the marketplace here – Flybe, easyJet, Aer Lingus, etc – have long spoken with one voice on the issue of APD (air passenger duty). They believe – and Flybe’s Simon Lilley makes it very clear in this edition of Business Eye – that it is

a tax which is unfair to operating airlines and, more importantly, to travellers using the Belfast airports.

Our Finance Minister Simon Hamilton is well aware of the debate, and he’s already been lobbied in the wake of the Irish Government’s decision. To be clear, air passenger duty is a devolved matter, and the Minister has it in his power to do something about this situation.

But he’s already made noises to the effect that APD brings in a substantial amount of money – it would, wouldn’t it, at £13 a head? - and that the scrapping of the tax would be too expensive to consider.

Hamilton is a sharp enough operator in a lot of ways. But this is evidence that he’s not the forward thinker some of us thought he might be.

He needs to consider the damaging effect the tax is having on airlines and the travelling public.

And he and his ministerial colleagues can surely not expect to lobby for new air routes, and the survival of existing ones, while they keep the tax in place.

The Minister’s political roots might make it difficult for him to follow a lead set by Dublin.

But this is one occasion where he might need to swallow his pride.....and do the right thing.

Otherwise, we’re going to lose routes, we could lose airlines, and we’ll certainly lose passengers and tourists to Dublin. It’s as simple as that.

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Eye on Travel

FLYBE RE-AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO BELFAST Regional airline Flybe has re-affirmed its commitment to Northern Ireland, where the airline is the largest operator from Belfast City Airport with a 15 destinations served directly, plus a host of connecting flights around the UK and onto long haul airlines through its Manchester hub

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lybe, which became a Plc less than two years ago, has been going through a period of senior management and structural change. Former easyJet senior executive Saad Hammad has already taken over the reins as CEO, and will shortly be joined by another former easyJet senior man, Paul Simmons, as Chief Commercial Officer.

“It’s been a an exciting rollercoaster ride since I first joined Flybe back in 2000, with most of it being what I would call good excitement, with growth and development,” says the airline’s Director of Marketing, Simon Lilley, in Belfast to attend the UTV Business Eye Awards sponsored by Flybe.

“Undoubtedly the past couple of years have been challenging for the business.. Having been here for well over a decade, having launched the Flybe brand back 2001/02, I do sense that we’re on the cusp of our next big evolution as an airline.

“Everyone at Flybe is passionate about the airline and the product we are offering our customers, and the fact that we have a brand new leadership team on board to drive the business forward makes it even more interesting.”

Saad Hammad has made it clear that he has firm plans for the airline which he is now managing, and he’s already made it clear that he will make the changes necessary to get Flybe back into profit and on the right track for its shareholders.

“I think it’s fair to say that

we will see a range of new developments and new ways of working being introduced, but I am sure what will remain core is our local roots and our regional network ,” adds Simon Lilley, who is based at Flybe’s headquarters right beside Exeter Airport.

“A comprehensive strategic review is due to be completed very soon, and things will move on quickly from then,” he adds.

“I’ve come here today from Cardiff Airport, where I was able to announce four new ski routes from the Welsh capital, which hopefully gives some indication of ambitions as we move forward.

“We have already taken substantial costs out of the business, and that mentality will become a culture, as we build the foundations for a lean, fit business, able to continue to offer great value fares from the UK regions.”

Flybe’s marketing chief is quick to reassure local travellers that Flybe’s commitment to Northern Ireland will continue.

“We’ve served the Northern Ireland marketplace since the day that Belfast City Airport opened for business back in 1983 (as Spacegrand Aviation), and we’re

committed to Belfast as a major base for our operations,” he says.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that there won’t be any changes to the route network. Flybe’s service to London Gatwick is due to end in March of 2014 but that comes after a decision by the airline to sell off its take off and landing slots at Gatwick for a handy £20 million to easyJet. When it comes to its cost base, Flybe has re-stated its intention to work with airports prepared to play ball on landing charges.

“Unfortunately London Gatwick’s costs for airlines with smaller aircraft types became prohibitive” says Lilley. “Most regional airports however see the value in regional connections as the lifeblood of local economies, yet we will still need airports to work with us and find ways of driving down landing charges so in turn Flybe can maintain viable services. At Flybe we have been going through a swathing cost saving programme for the last 12 months, as we target taking £40 million of cost out of our business – airports need to be part of that journey and be as hard on cost so we can prosper together.”

And, like rival airlines, Flybe continues to campaign for the

reduction of, or abolition of, air passenger duty. Northern Ireland’s air passenger duty is a hefty £13 per passenger per flight.

Meanwhile, in its recent Budget, the Irish Government did away with air passenger duty completely....at a stroke giving Dublin Airport a major advantage over its Belfast rivals.

“APD is an unfair tax on airlines and its an unfair tax on airline passengers. There is no reason why travellers from Northern Ireland should be taxed in this way, and we’ll continue to lobby government against its existence.

We hope that more devolved powers will be given to individual countries within the UK to make their own decisions over the impact tax increases in air travel are having on their economies” “We’ve been serving the travelling public from Northern Ireland for three decades, and we’ll be concentrating on further improving the service that matters to short haul customers...both on the ground and in the air. Our commitment to the Business Eye awards is just one indication of our continued concentration on the business traveller and Belfast as a key strand of our network.”

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Eye on News

NI Business Leaders Triumph At National Director Of The Year Awards

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wo of Northern Ireland’s top business leaders have fought off tough competition from around the UK to claim the coveted title of Institute of Directors (IoD) Director of the Year.

John McMullan, Chief Executive of Bryson Charitable Group, picked up the accolade of national Third Sector Director of the Year, while Helen Kirkpatrick of UTV and Invest NI was awarded the honour of UK Non-Executive Director of the Year.

Conor Walsh of Andor Technology plc was also Highly Commended in the Dr Neville Bain Memorial Award for Chartered Directors at the ceremony held at the Grange St Paul’s Hotel in London.

Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI) Divisional Director, Linda Brown, said the awards demonstrate the quality and talent of our local business leaders: “John, Helen and Conor are fantastic ambassadors for their industries, sectors, and indeed Northern Ireland as a whole, so it’s fantastic to bring back three awards to the region.

“The judges commented on the high calibre of business proficiency each of the directors possesses and the significant role they play at some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies.

“They said that John has demonstrated clear leadership and financial performance and growth, as well as a high degree of employee and community engagement, and remarked that Helen has shown clear leadership in a dynamic business that touches many people through their operations.

“Two key themes of the IoD in Northern Ireland are mentoring directors and developing excellence in business leadership, so it’s extremely gratifying to see our local members triumph at such prestigious awards.

They are thoroughly deserved.”

Helen Kirkpatrick, Non-Executive Director of the Year, said: “It is a real honour to receive this national award and I would like to thank the IoD for this recognition which highlights the important work of businesses in Northern Ireland.

“I would also like to thank my

colleagues, the board of UTV and all its staff throughout the UK and Ireland for their support.”

John McMullan and Helen Kirkpatrick were winners in their categories in the Northern Ireland IoD Director of the Year Awards 2012 and were then nominated for the national awards.

Also shortlisted for the UK awards were Karen Dundee from Galgorm Manor Hotel (SME Director of the Year), Karen Carmichael from mxb (Young Director of the Year) and David Dobbin from United Dairy Farmers (Large Company Director of the Year).

In February, Helen Kirkpatrick was awarded the IoD Lunn’s Award of Excellence - the first female in Northern Ireland to receive the accolade.

The 2013 IoD NI Director of the Year Awards, sponsored by insurance brokers and risk management advisors Abbey Bond Lovis, take place on 29 November at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast. Local comedian, Tim McGarry, will host the event.

BELFAST’S SHU SCORES A NEW FIRST AT UK NATIONAL RESTAURANT AWARDS

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SHU confirms its wellearned place in the UK’s Top 100 restaurants for 2013 8

isburn Road restaurant SHU has claimed the ‘Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland’ title for the second consecutive year at the 2013 National Restaurant Awards after impressing the judges with its innovative menu, designed

by Head Chef Brian McCann.

SHU, which is owned by restaurateur Alan Reid, is the only Northern Ireland restaurant to be recognised by the National Restaurant Awards which celebrate the 100 best places to eat out in the UK, as voted for by 150 industry experts.

A jubilant Reid and McCann celebrate today after earning a well-deserved place in the Top 100 Restaurants, coming in at number 86 in the UK at the industry’s most important annual event, which took place at The Brewery in Chiswell Street, London last night.

Scooping the number one spot for the first time is The Hand & Flowers, Tom Kerridge’s pubrestaurant in Marlow, Essex.

SHU, which is currently taking part in Belfast Restaurant Week - a celebration of the city’s buoyant culinary scene – joins the likes of Michelin-star The Ledbury in Notting Hill London

and celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Berkshire, on the country’s A-List of top restaurants.

SHU proprietor Alan Reid said: “Winning the best restaurant in Northern Ireland is a fantastic honour and being ranked in the top 100 restaurants in the UK is the icing on the cake for us. We set our standards exceptionally high at SHU and feel that these achievements are a testament to our success and the hard work the team puts in on a daily basis.”

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Eye on News

Tourism leaders join forces to promote region as a top holiday destination

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USINESSES across Northern Ireland are joining forces to promote the region as an adventure packed holiday destination with a wide range of outdoor and indoor activities for visitors to enjoy.

Activity Breaks UK, an ‘experiential tourism’ organisation set up by Managing Director Ricky Martin, was officially launched this week at the Ramada Hotel in Portrush (Monday, October 7).

The online business, which currently has 80 members signed up from across Northern Ireland, promotes activities such as water sports, cookery schools, arts and crafts skills, land and air adventures as well as promoting accommodation providers, specialist shops and places to wine and dine.

Mr Martin, from Portrush and owner of Alive Surf School, said the focus of

Activity Breaks UK is to attract service providers from across the province to use the facility to promote their businesses and to provide an online service whereby people can enjoy Northern Ireland as an all-year round tourism destination.

He said: “We live in a beautiful place and we believe www.activity-breaks. co.uk will showcase Northern Ireland as a fun and adventurous place to visit.

Northern Ireland has been put on an international stage this year with the City of Derry~Londonderry City of Culture and the World Police and Fire Games. We aim to encourage people from Northern Ireland to staycate but also to give tourists a one stop shop which will showcase Northern Ireland as a fun packed holiday destination.”

Speaking at the launch, Julie McLaughlin, Activity Tourism Officer

with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) said NITB fully supports Activity Breaks UK and said it is encouraging to see so many businesses collaborate.

She said: “The Northern Ireland Tourist Board are delighted to see so many individually owned tourism businesses working together under the ‘Activity Breaks’ umbrella. The initiative will offer our visitors a broad menu of things to do and experience in Northern Ireland as well as enable businesses with complimentary offers to mutually benefit from one another.”

Ciaran Doherty, of Tourism Ireland, said: “Tourism Ireland was set up to promote the island of Ireland as a leading tourism destination for the rest of the world to enjoy. We are delighted to support www.activity-breaks.co.uk which shows visitors just how much there is to do

here in Northern Ireland. This is a great online facility for all leisure and tourism businesses involved and will help market Northern Ireland as a great place to visit.”

Businesses wishing to promote their services on www.activity-breaks.co.uk can call Ricky Martin on 07809298897.

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Eye on News

New Business Telecoms Company for Northern Ireland

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traight Communications, a new business telecoms company, officially launched today with a commitment to helping Northern Ireland businesses to cut through the clutter by delivering tailored telecoms solutions to match their individual needs.

With a consultative approach Straight aims to help businesses make the best use of the latest mobile, landline, phone systems,

broadband technology and IT solutions. The company, headed by Managing Director, Adrian McCourt, has ambitious growth plans with a strategy focused on improving the customer service experience for business telecoms customers and helping companies to identify the best business telecoms packages.

Straight’s management team includes Sales Director, John Glackin, who has a significant track record in delivering business telecoms solutions to local companies with expertise spanning many years.

With new custom-designed offices, Straight House, in Holywood, County Down, the company has employed 16 people so far with plans for additional employment growth in the coming months.

Straight’s products and services portfolio includes Mobile, Landline, Calls and Phone Systems, Broadband and IT Solutions. Adrian McCourt believes the company’s refreshingly straight-forward approach will deliver a new level of customer service for business telecoms

users in Northern Ireland: “We work with key partners across the business telecoms space and our flexible approach means we will recommend the solution that delivers the best value for the individual business and not one that simply conforms to a particular network or tariff. For example, we offer rolling mobile contracts from as little as 30 days. This has proven popular with companies with a temporary mobile workforce or those who like the flexibility to scale up or down easily in response to changing dynamics of the business environment.

The 30 day rolling contract is part of our overall commitment to improving business productivity by providing flexible business telecoms solutions. We have heard of businesses being signed up to 3, 4 and in some cases, even 5 year deals - I believe there is simply no place in the market for these lengthy, inflexible contracts.”

Since opening in June 2013, Straight has secured broad-

ranging key partnerships allowing the company to offer solutions from mobile network providers including Vodafone, O2, EE as well as handset and mobile technology manufacturers including Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung and Straight will also be utilising the BT network to offer landline and broadband solutions.

Adrian McCourt believes the company’s approach to customer service is also critical to helping customers navigate the often confusing and cluttered business telecoms arena. Straight’s commitment to customer service is reflected in its ‘Straight Charter’ a set of measurable principals that it applies to its relationship with customers. He added: “We are dedicated to providing clear, simple and honest advice. The Straight Charter reflects our commitment to be clear and straight-forward when communicating with our customers and to delivering advice that is free from meaningless jargon and consumer hype.”

DALE FARM LINKS WITH GREINER

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eading dairy business Dale Farm has packaged up a new deal with Dungannon based business Greiner Packaging, reconfirming its commitment to local supply relationships. The £3million contract will see over 200 million pots per year of yogurt, cream and desserts produced at the Co Tyrone factory which currently employs 230 people.

Having invested in a new state of the art printer and thermoforming equipment to increase the efficiency, quality and environmental credentials of its outputs, Greiner was successful in securing the local contract

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which has led to the creation of ten new jobs for the business.

James Anderson, Procurement Manager of Dale Farm said, “We’re delighted to announce our new partnership with Greiner packaging helping to secure and create new jobs for the local economy. We were impressed by the efficiency and environmental credentials presented by Greiner, convincing us to move the sourcing of our packaging from a national supplier back to Northern Ireland.”

The new technology installed

by Greiner Packaging will result in all of Dale Farm’s yogurt/cream pots switching from Polystyrene to a new material Polypropylene.

Lighter and more environmentally friendly, the new packaging will cut materials by 100 tonnes per annum.

Jarek Zasadzinski, CEO of Greiner Packaging said “We are extremely excited and proud to be working with Dale Farm on such a significant and complicated project. Thanks to major innovation and investment we managed to divert significant amounts of plastics from landfill. On the other side we created 10 jobs in Dungannon that are extremely vital to the local economy.”

The move comes on the back of a major re-design of the Spelga low fat and zero percent fat range, giving the household favourite a modern, stand-out look.

1080 introduces the new ‘Nordic Stories’ carpet range from Milliken 1080 is the sole agent for Milliken carpet in Northern Ireland. The new ‘Nordic Stories’ carpet collection is inspired by the textural landscape, geological extremes, folklore and modern culture of the Northern Hemisphere.

‘Nordic Stories’ represents the sensory experience that is the Nordics, a group of diverse countries that have collectively helped to define contemporary design culture.

Contact our sales team: E: think@1080.co.uk T: 028 9070 1080 1080 is Northern Ireland’s leading provider of office furniture and design solutions, for further information visit www.1080.co.uk

TRANSFORMING BUSINESS INTERIORS

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Eye on Banking

Talking about an eVolution…

By Katherine James, Head of Small Business, Danske Bank

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ore and more, small businesses in Northern Ireland are being challenged to think about the way they do business and how they need to adapt to ever changing consumer behaviours.

The explosion of social media and mobile developments has changed the way we do business and the way we behave as consumers. The latest Ofcom Communications Market Report for Northern Ireland makes for very interesting reading. In some ways the report confirmed what we all already know, that consumers are increasingly using the internet at home and on the move for all aspects of everyday life, from online banking to shopping.

Sixty per cent of us now purchase goods and services

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on the internet for example – and Northern Ireland has the highest ownership of tablet computers in the UK, with the number of people owning a tablet trebling in the last year.

As well as the changes in how we communicate and how we shop, similar trends can be seen in how we pay.

The Payments Council’s report ‘The Way We Pay’ highlighted that just as we can’t imagine how we ever did without the internet, many people will soon wonder how we used to be so dependent on cash and cheque.

Cheque usage halves every five years and debit cards are quickly taking over for lower value transactions. Automatic payments like Direct Debit are now over three quarters of our regular commitments – up from half in 2001. Over the next decade debit card spending in the UK could close to double and contactless payment is poised to become even more popular.

Of course the payment needs of firms vary enormously according to their size and complexity. Cheque usage is still popular with the smallest firms, but even so, cheque usage by business continues to fall sharply. Use of Direct Debit among businesses lags behind consumer use.

The quiet revolution in payments has enabled the creation of whole new industries such as online sales. It has changed, and continues to change, consumer behaviours, reduce transaction costs and increased the speed and efficiency with which businesses can collect payments and pay suppliers.

Of course as a high street retailer we at Danske Bank are not immune to these changes.

We are seeing and responding

to constantly changing customer behaviours, such as the continued decline in the use of traditional branches for day to day banking and an increase in the use of online and mobile banking. And we are being responsive to these changes by continually investing in new technologies like mobile and tablet apps.

We have recently launched our new Business eVolution programme, aimed at getting small businesses to think about these new ways that consumers now pay, shop, communicate and do their banking.

The programme includes customer seminars in every branch, where small businesses can get expert advice and practical support on how to adapt and target the consumer of the future.

The overwhelming majority of firms in Northern Ireland are SMEs – and helping them overcome business challenges is vital to ensure the long-term health of the Northern Ireland economy. The businesses which will thrive and grow will be the ones which keep pace with change and adapt to new market places. Our new Business eVolution programme is all about helping them to do this.

For more information about Danske Bank’s Business eVolution programme or to sign up for an event, visit www.danskebank.co.uk/evolution

CASE STUDY One local business which is seeing the results of adapting to changing consumer trends is Danske Bank customer Argento, the fasting growing online jewellery department store in the UK and Ireland.

Accounts Manager Vincent Francis explained: “We had traditionally only traded from high street and city centre stores but saw a niche in the market for online sales and we took it. Since launching our website we have created over 20 jobs in Belfast directly attributable to online sales and have extensively extended our warehouse facilities to cope with the increased sales.

This year our turnover from online sales is anticipated at around £3.5-£4 million, almost 20% of our total turnover.

“We are now one of the UK’s largest online Pandora retailers.

We continue to invest and will soon launch our new website, argento.com, with other major European brands such as Thomas Sabo and Nomination.

This should help us expand into new international markets.”

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Eye on Events

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BIG BUSINESS IN THE BIG APPLE

STENA BACKS GAMES TEAM

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tena Line has flexed its muscle by announcing sponsorship of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Team which will see the ferry giant transport athletes between Belfast and Cairnryan over the coming months as they utilise the various arenas and stadiums in Glasgow for

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training and competition. Pictured at the announcement is (front) Niamh Cooper and Gemma Gibney (captain) of the Northern Ireland netball team, (back l-r) NI Judo champion Lisa Kearney, Stena Line’s Neil Palmer, swimmer Curtis Coulter, Conal Heatley of the NI Commonwealth Games Council and Judo player Eoin Fleming.

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epresentatives from corporate law firm A&L Goodbody recently travelled to New York with the Lyric Theatre as sponsor of its Broadway performance of ‘Brendan at the Chelsea’. A&L Goodbody’s Head of Belfast Office Mark Thompson said: “With offices in New York, San Francisco and Palo Alto, our US client base is growing year on year and it was fantastic to be able to take clients along to a Northern Ireland play on Broadway, showcasing the

level of talent that is coming out of Northern Ireland not just in business, but in the arts too. We also had the opportunity to engage with the Northern Ireland Connections programme to discuss how we can continue to build partnerships and share opportunities for new business and investment between the two jurisdictions.” Pictured (L-R) are: A&L Goodbody Corporate Partners Peter Stafford, Ivan Waide and Mark Thompson with Dr Bill McGinnis.

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Eye on Events

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MINISTER HOSTS BDO GUESTS

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he Minister for Finance and Personnel, Simon Hamilton, attended a private dinner with BDO Northern Ireland and their clients at Parliament Buildings to discuss new ideas of generating

growth within the NI economy.

L – R - Brian Murphy (BDO Business Restructuring Partner), Peter Burnside (BDO – Managing Partner), Laura Jackson (BDO - Principal), Simon Hamilton MLA and Nigel Harra (BDO – Senior Partner).

JUST THE TICKET...

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lasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) has launched a year long programme of events to inspire music lovers, fashionistas, culture vultures, food connoisseurs and sports fanatics to visit Glasgow over the next year. Events include Celtic Connections, Glasgow Film Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the 2014

Commonwealth Games. Pictured at the launch is Minty Woolgar (right), Marketing Communications Manager of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Laura Vass (left) of Glasgow’s Leading Attractions, Sarah Watson of Glasgow International Comedy Festival and comedian Gary Little who is performing at the 2014 Comedy Festival in Glasgow.

28/11/2012 16:57

CARE AGENCY EXPANDS

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eninsula Care Services has plenty to celebrate. Not only is Northern Ireland’s fastest growing care recruitment and domiciliary agency celebrating its 5th birthday last week, but they’ve opened their second office in Adelaide Street in Belfast,

creating 50 new jobs for qualified registered nurses and care workers with another 50 to 60 permanent and part time jobs currently being advertised and to take immediate effect. Pictured is Managing Director Jonny Cook with care workers Donna Gray and Marion Burgess.

DMS IRELAND AWARDS LAUNCHED

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ictured at the launch of the DMS Ireland Awards 2013 at the Culloden Hotel (Left to right): Lynn Carson (Managing Director of DMS Ireland), Patricia Colhoun (Centre Manager, Investors

in People Northern Ireland, Principal Sponsor), Jillian Gilmore ( Marketing Manager for Investors in People Northern Ireland, Principal Sponsor) and Karen McMillan, CIPD Director of Market Development for the UK.

15

TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND ENTERTAIN IN STYLE. www.odysseyarena.com

For information on Corporate Entertainment contact Odyssey Arena 028 9076 6000

Eye on Deals Ground Breaking Bio-Tech Company Secures New Investment One of Northern Ireland’s most innovative start-up bio-tech companies, SiSaf Ltd, has secured new funding in the region of £500,000 to carry out clinical trials of its new drug delivery system.

S

iSaf, which is located in the Northern Ireland Science Park and the Irish Innovation Center, San Jose, Silicon Valley, California, is using the investment to complete the clinical trials of its innovative drug carrier system, SiSafe®. The first application being trialled involves an application to cure acne more efficiently, and without any adverse side effects. The innovative drug delivery formulation could radically change the efficacy and safety of current acne skin treatments.

The funding has been provided by a consortium of investors, which includes Co-Fund NI, a Fund created

by Invest Northern Ireland and part financed by the European Regional Development Fund, Innovation Ulster Ltd, two angel investors and

Pictured at the announcement form Left to Right: John Hartnett, President & Founder ITLG & SVG, Suzanne SaffieSiebert Founder & CEO SiSaf, Mayor of San Jose California, Chuck Reed and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Mártín Ó Muilleoir.

led by ITLG’s fund, Silicon Valley Global Ventures (SVG Ventures).

Dr Suzanne Saffie-Siebert, Chief Executive of SiSaf commented: “The company is at a really exciting stage in its development. This funding allows us to begin critical clinical trials of SiSaf’s innovative drug delivery super app. Once these trials have successfully concluded, SiSaf will be able to

use the outcome across a number of platforms including animal vaccination and anaesthesia applications as well as the efficient treatment of acne.”

SiSaf’s Chairman, Mr. John Hartnett, who is Founder of ITLG and SVG, one of Silicon Valley’s leading tech investors said: “We have seen considerable progress by SiSaf since it won

the ITLG Innovation Awards in 2010 and we are delighted now to announce our 3rd follow on investment in this exciting biotech company.”

He added: “I believe the potential for SiSaf to attract further large scale private equity capital investment is significant given its cutting edge bio-technology and the wide variety of applications.”

BELFAST FIRM IN NANO DEAL Neueda Consulting, a Belfast based IT consultancy company, has announced its involvement in one of the forefront European research projects in Computing Systems, NanoStreams.

T L-R Pictured at the launch of the NanoStreams Project are Brian Fitzpatrick, Business development Director, Neueda, Professor Dimitrios Nikolopoulos of Queens University’s Department of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Paddy O’Hagan, IT Director, Neueda.

16

he project, which is being co-ordinated by a team from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Queen’s University Belfast, is looking to develop new energy-efficient micro-servers for instantaneously analysing large volumes of streaming data.

Commenting on NanoStreams,

Brian Fitzpatrick, Business Development Director with Neueda said; “This is a really exciting project and we are delighted to be a partner along with blue chip organisations such as Credit Suisse, IBM and Queen’s University of Belfast. The project will develop new real-time data analytics technology in the Capital Markets, Healthcare and Business Intelligence sectors.”

He added; “It is important that this project demonstrates the competiveness of European industry and Europe’s role in shaping future cutting edge developments in ICT. There is currently a massive opportunity in big data analytics and if we can develop the required hardware and software, the potential for specialist jobs could be up on 200,000 across Europe. As a Belfast based IT company, we

are delighted to be involved.”

Professor Dimitrios Nikolopoulos, Project Co-ordinator with Queens University’s Department of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science added; “Data volumes and energy consumption render current computing ecosystems unsustainable.

NanoStreams tackles these challenges by amalgamating best practices from the areas of Embedded Systems and High Performance Computing. The project proposes radically new ways to design sustainable, real-time data processing systems. The NanoStreams project is supported by European hardware and software corporates and SMEs and this collaborative approach will ensure maximum impact for those in the data analysis market.”

Eye on News

UTV HD Launches On Satellite UTV is now available in HD on both the Sky and FreeSat platforms.

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l in.in. uel les out. miles out.

ichael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV Television said: “Our Sky and FreeSat viewers will be able to enjoy a new dimension to their viewing, with even greater picture clarity on UTV HD. Sky HD viewers will be able to find us on channel 103 and FreeSat customers should select channel 119 for UTV HD. “Bringing HD to these two additional platforms represents a significant investment by UTV and one which we think our viewers will enjoy immensely.

“All of the favourite big name programmes will now be available in HD on Sky and FreeSat, including X Factor, Coronation

Michael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV Television

Street and Emmerdale.

“Our audience can look forward to watching the UEFA Champions’ League and FA Cup games, as well as local favourites like Lesser Spotted Culture - all in HD.”

UTV was the first broadcaster to introduce HD to the island of Ireland in October 2010, when Her Majesty the Queen officially launched the service in Northern Ireland.

Availability of the service has grown steadily since that date, with viewers already able to access UTV HD via the Freeview and Virgin platforms.

he the with ne. engine.

LLY HONDA ONDA

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Go further with the new Honda engine.

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CR-V 1.6 1.6 Diesel CR-V Diesel • Low fuel fuel costs 62.862.8 mpgmpg • Low costs • 119 •g/km CO2 CO2 119 g/km CR-V 1.6 Diesel • Band C VED • Band C VED • Low fuel costs 62.8 mpg

BIK rate • BIK• rate fromfrom 18% 18%

• 119 g/km CO2

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Civic Diesel• Low fuel costs 62.8 mpg Civic 1.6 1.6 Diesel

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Civic 1.6 Diesel

• 119 g/km CO2

• Low costs • Low fuel fuel costs 78.578.5 mpgmpg

• Band C VED

• Low fuel costs 78.5 mpg

•g/km 942 g/km • 94 g/km CO • 94 CO2 CO2

• BIK rate from 18%

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Fuel consumption figures for the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC range/CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 70.6/58.9 (4.0/4.8), 8 Boucher Road, Belfast.

Extra Urban 85.6/65.7 (3.3/4.3), Combined 78.5/62.8 (3.6/4.5). CO emissions: 94/119/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

Call 028 9044 5900 or visit www.donnelly-honda.co.uk

• Coming soon Powered by • Coming soon

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her Road, Belfast BT12 6HR d, Belfast BT12 6HR Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional White Orchid Pearl and CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl.

4 5900 or visit www.honda-belfast.co.uk or visit www.honda-belfast.co.uk

consumption figures1.6fori-DTEC the Civic 1.6 in i-DTEC 1.6 i-DTEC range in mpg (l/100km): mption figures for the Civic Fuel 1.6 i-DTEC range/CR-V range mpg range/CR-V (l/100km): Urban 70.6/58.9 (4.0/4.8), figures for the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC range/CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC range in mpg (l/100km): UrbanCombined 70.6/58.9 78.5/62.8 (4.0/4.8), (3.6/4.5). CO Urban 70.6/58.9 (4.0/4.8), Extra Urban 85.6/65.7 (3.3/4.3), 85.6/65.7 (3.3/4.3), Combined 78.5/62.8 (3.6/4.5).

CO2 emissions: 94/119/km.

Fuel consumption figures sourced from 2 65.7 (3.3/4.3), Combined 78.5/62.8 (3.6/4.5). CO2 emissions: 94/119/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from egulated laboratory testDONNELLY results are provided for comparison purposes figures and may not reflect experience. emissions: 94/119/km.

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• Low fuel costs 78.5 mpg • 94 g/km CO2 • Zero VED • BIK rate from 13% • Insurance group from 15E

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purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

lustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional White Orchid Pearl and CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl. urposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional and i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl.

CallWhite 028Orchid 9044Pearl 5900 orCR-V visit1.6www.honda-belfast.co.uk

Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional White Orchid Pearl and CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl.

Fuel consumption figures for the Civic 1.6 i-DTEC range/CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 70.6/58.9 (4.0/4.8), Extra Urban 85.6/65.7 (3.3/4.3), Combined 78.5/62.8 (3.6/4.5). CO2 emissions: 94/119/km. Fuel consumption figures sourced from official EU-regulated laboratory test results are provided for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving experience.

Models shown for illustrative purposes: Civic 1.6 i-DTEC SE in optional White Orchid Pearl and CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC S in optional Passion Red Pearl.

Powered by

17

Eye on News

EMPLOYERS TOLD DIVERSE EMPLOYEE BASE IS ROUTE TO PROFITABILITY

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Front row, L-R: Jill Minne, Belfast City Council, Minister Dr Stephen Farry MLA Department for Employment and Learning, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Paul Gillen, Pinset Masons. Back row L-R: Neil McCullough, Oxford Economics, Matthew McDermott, the Rainbow Project, Roland White IBM

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he campaign to create lesbian, gay and bisexual equality in the workplace took another step forward with the launch of a series of employment events rolled out by The Rainbow Project this week.

Oxford Economics, IBM, Pinsent Masons, the Department for Employment and Learning and Belfast City Council joined the Rainbow Project in the launch of the series at an economic conference in Belfast City Hall.

The Rainbow Project events are designed to assist employers to implement LGB supportive policies helping them to achieve positive outcomes and improve their bottom line.

The conference was addressed

by Roland White, Strategic Partner, Leadership with IBM, Paul Gillen, Head of Employment at Pinsent Masons, Neil McCullough, Director at Oxford Economics, The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and the Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry MLA. Matthew McDermott, Policy Manager at The Rainbow Project said, ‘ The Rainbow Project have been working with employers to support them in implementing LGB supportive policies as these policies have been shown to be linked with greater job commitment, improved workplace relationships, increased job satisfaction, less discrimination against LGB people and more openness about being LGB among staff teams. Increased openness is linked to greater job commitment, increased job satisfaction and increased productivity. This conference is part of that on-going engagement process with employers. Employers undoubtedly benefit from more openness and this is why diversity matters’.

Roland White from IBM said, ‘I work with employers globally on diversity matters and this is my first visit to Northern Ireland. I have been very impressed with the work that The Rainbow Project is doing.

Employers should be implementing inclusive solutions across their

organisations and utilising the diversity of people to optimise their best assets. Recognising LGB employees is a crucial part of this process and employers that do this reap the benefits of a fully engaged workforce and increased productivity’.

The Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry MLA commented, ‘I am very pleased to be funding this project to raise awareness of the issues affecting gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the workplace.

“I am committed to ensuring that the workplace is a safe and open place for people from all backgrounds to be who they are and to feel free from discrimination. This project is very much at the cutting edge of putting this vision into practice.

“In order to achieve the goal of a shared society, we must embrace diversity and ensure that there are no barriers to the full participation of people from all sections of the community in all aspects of their daily lives.

“But this is much more than a matter of equality. There is a fundamental economic rationale for doing so. Firstly, there are economic gains to be found from encouraging every person to develop to their full potential and to deploy their skills and talents to the full. Secondly, those societies that cherish diversity are the most successful in attracting and retaining talent. Therefore, I am pleased to see the business community embracing this initiative.’

Belfast Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir added, ‘The people at the rainbow project are fantastic ambassadors for equality and diversity. It is vitally important that equality and diversity are celebrated in all aspects of life.’

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Eye on Cover Story

KEYS

...

FUNDING BOOST MEANS GROWTH FOR FINANCE SPECIALISTS

The old business maxim that ‘People Buy People’ is hard to take issue with.... especially here in Northern Ireland where we’re just as likely to know the people that we’re buying from !

T

here are many laying claim to be people businesses, but not all of these claims stand up to close scrutiny. Keys group of companies is one that does.

It may be a financial business, but it’s a business built on the foundations of its people, their personalities and the easy way in which they talk about business and do business with a wide range of clients.

It’s also a business which is set to grow out of its current skin over the next few years thanks to a fresh injection of funding from its main backers, Dutch bank ABN Amro....which is in itself a vote of confidence for the Northern Ireland marketplace as well as for the team in Keys.

“I think our figures speak for themselves,” says Keys Commercial Finance, Managing Director Judith Totten. “We’ve funded Northern Ireland companies of varying shapes and sizes to the tune of close to £32 million since we opened our doors for business three years ago.”

“And we’re continuing to engage with more and more businesses locally, businesses whose owners and managers see the clear benefits of the revolving lines of credit that we can offer our clients.”

But, getting back to that ‘people buy people’

20

maxim, it’s clear that everyone in the team at Keys not only enjoy doing what they do, but that they bring an easy informality and an enthusiasm to the way that they work with their clients.

The entire management team at Keys have an infectious enthusiasm for their business “It’s not unusual for us to have numerous meetings, chats, cups of coffee and phone calls with a potential client even before they decide to become a Keys client,” adds Diane Woodside, Sales Director. “And it’s a matter of course for us to be in touch with our clients on a day to day basis , enabling us to understand what they are doing, what their challenges are, and how we can help.”

Additionally, given the perceived lack of working capital finance available through the main local banks, it’s hard to argue with the fact that Totten and Woodside are playing an increasingly important role in the wider business funding arena here in Northern Ireland.

“It’s not something that has yet been recognised by government and others, but there’s no doubt that we are taking up some of the slack that has been created by a lack of funding in the banking marketplace,” says Judith Totten.

Keys Commercial Finance forms part of a wider Keys Group which also includes companies offering Insurance Premium Finance, Trade Finance and Professional Fee Finance. “As a Group, we will put £50 million out into the marketplace here in our own parish and in Scotland over the next 12 months,” she adds. “Not bad for a Belfast-based, locally managed operation which makes all of its own funding decisions eh ?”

ABN Amro provides the core funding to Keys Commercial Finance on a ‘back to back’ basis but

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Eye on Cover Story

“ It’s about letting business owners and managers get on with running and growing their businesses, while we look after the supply of finance.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, and it isn’t when you work with Keys...” leaves the day to day decision making to Keys Belfast team. That said, there’s little doubt that the Dutch bank knows precisely what it is doing, and likes the look of the Northern Ireland asset based finance marketplace.

“Providing we continue to do what we’re doing, then ABN Amro will be providing funds through us, for the Northern Ireland business community for some time to come.”

ABN Amro have now committed to a full refinance of the entire group, giving the team in Keys the headroom for growth in their Insurance premium Finance and Professional Fee Finance divisions that has been lacking through their locally banked funding lines of recent years.

“We are delighted that ABN Amro have seen the potential in Keys and in Northern Ireland generally , and that they are injecting substantial new investment and funding lines to underpin our commitment to NI PLC” comments Judith on their most recent good news.

Keys Commercial Finance has grown from a standing start with no assistance

22

whatsoever from any outside agency, but with the help of a small band of external private investors, most of whom bought into the skillsets and track record of the team led by Judith and Diane.....both former senior managers in invoice and asset based finance at two of the main local banks.

What has been less known about Keys is that the wider business has its roots in the early 1990’s when it was set up by Alan Graham, later joined by his son Owen, initially offering , vendor leasing and asset finance, and later finding a valuable niche for itself in the area of Insurance Premium Finance. To this day Keys is the only locally owned and managed insurance premium finance provider in Northern Ireland. Keys prides itself on offering a first rate service to the insurance brokers who introduce business…again ‘people buy people’ Owen Graham continues to operate the Insurance Premium / Professional Fee Finance side of the business, working alongside fellow directors Judith Totten and Diane Woodside on the running of the wider group.

The arrival of Totten and Woodside in 2010 transformed the Keys operation and immediately they set out to challenge a number of established players in the invoice finance and asset based lending market.

“It always felt like the right fit,” says Judith Totten, “And it always felt like the right time to offer a new asset-based finance product.

“There were plenty of people who told us that we were mad to launch a new asset-based finance business in the teeth of the recession three years ago. But, for

us, it always made sense to introduce new finance to the marketplace when the main banks were heading in the opposite direction. And we always thought there was more to be done in evolving the way working capital can come into a business and at what point in the funding cycle.”

“No-one threw money at us from the start. We had to work really hard to get our message out there. But there was a window of opportunity and there was a gap in the market which we were and are, able to fill.”

Business banking trends didn’t do any harm either. There’s little doubt that most businesses have significantly changed the way they bank. Loyalty to one bank across the spectrum of banking and finance products is all but unheard of these days.

“Very few clients nowadays put all their eggs into one basket,” says Diane Woodside.

“Whether it is about reducing the risk profile or other factors, most organisations will deal with a number of different finance providers.”

“Of course we can’t offer all of the products that mainstream banks can offer so we’re not setting ourselves up as competitors,” adds Judith Totten. “In fact, we work with all the clearing banks and other funding providers.

That is an important part of our business and we try to treat everyone with equal respect.

Only by learning to work together can we ensure that our mutual clients get the best possible solution each and every time.”

The management team at Keys are united on one message. The growth of the company isn’t going to stop with the latest round of additional core funding from ABN Amro.

“We’re not going to stop here,” says Judith Totten. “We’re looking at new trade and asset finance lines, and we’d also like to look at other aspects of the balance sheet that can be leveraged for increased funding. It is all about releasing as much working capital as we can for our clients.

“But it’s also about letting business owners and managers get on with running and growing their businesses, while we look after the supply of finance. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and it isn’t when you work with Keys.....”

But what’s most important for Totten and Woodside and the wider management team is understanding their clients, and communicating effectively with them. And communication, for anyone who has never met Judith or Diane, isn’t something they struggle with !

“Sometimes we feel more like counsellors than lenders,” smiles Diane Woodside, “and maybe that’s not a bad thing. We have two ears and one month and we listen before finding the solution that our client really needs, not just the one that ticks a box.

“We’re committed to our client relationships, we’re committed to our business and we’re committed to the Northern Ireland marketplace.”

u.tv/news

Eye on News

SIXTEEN SOUTH’S CHILDREN’S SHOWS GO GLOBAL

B

roadening its relationship with The Jim Henson Company, Belfast based Sixteen South Television, has

appointed The Jim Henson Company with the global consumer products rights to their new mixed media, animated preschool series, DRIFTWOOD BAY. Driftwood Bay will air across the world from Spring 2014 and has already been purchased by the leading television networks in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Israel, Middle East and Norway.

Colin Williams, Creative Director, said: “We’ve just completed the first two episodes of Driftwood Bay and have had a wonderful time bringing it to life. Every part of the show is organically hand-crafted and we’re really fortunate to have such a brilliantly talented team working on it. We are really confident that parents

will love it - as well as the 4-6 year olds we’re aiming it at.”

And from 23 September, Nick Jr, Nickelodeon’s preschool channel, will premiere Sixteen South’s award winning pre-school favourite Pajanimals to television screens across the UK and Ireland.

In the bedtime slot, the brand new series will feature four of the most cuddly characters ever – Sweetpea Sue the pony, the excitable duck Squacky, the creative cow CowBella and the optimistic puppy Apollo.

The premiere episode ‘Light in the Sky’ will help address Squacky’s fear of the dark.

The Pajanimals travel to The Night Sky where the Moon tells Squacky and the others that there is nothing to fear at night because he is always watching over them in the night sky.

Pajanimals is a partnership between The Jim Henson Company, Sprout (the US broadcaster) and Sixteen South.

Colin Williams, Creative Director, said: “I’m thrilled that Pajanimals is ‘coming home’. The series has had unparalleled success in over 300 homes across the globe but it’s just brilliant that our own children here at home will be able to enjoy their adventures from later this month. It’s a show that was proudly made here in Belfast.”

Sixteen South is a BAFTA award winning children’s television company. Their show ‘Pajanimals’ received two Emmy® nominations at this year’s 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Awards.

Driftwood Bay and Pajanimals have been part funded by Northern Ireland Screen.

Northern Ireland Hiltons New Mortgage From Progressive...

Take Top Awards

H

ilton Belfast & Hilton Templepatrick have been recognised as Leading Hotel of the Year and Leading Business Hotel of the year respectively at the European final of the Hilton World Travel Awards 2013. Hilton Templepatrick has won the prestigious business award for three consecutive years.

At the Europe Gala Ceremony, which took place in Antalya, Turkey, the two Hilton Worldwide hotels in Northern Ireland were

24

amongst the company’s 20 properties to receive an accolade. The awards for both hotels come on the anniversary of both hotels opening 15 years ago.

Mark Walker, Area General Manager said “We are absolutely delighted on winning these two prestigious awards which have recognised not only the standard of our product but more importantly the service and dedication of our teams who strive to deliver international standards on a daily basis.”

Both properties have undergone an extensive refurbishment programme and have been honoured with many awards over the years.

Simon Vincent, area president, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide, said, “I am delighted to see so many of our hotels recognized at these well-respected awards, including one for the fifth consecutive year. This demonstrates a consistent level of service across our brands and our company’s leading position within the European market, where we now have more than 250 hotels in 30 countries “

Ella Cassidy (5) gets ready to move into her second home with the help of Michael Boyd, Deputy Chief Executive at Progressive Building Society. The building society has launched a new 2 year variable discount mortgage, targeting Northern Ireland’s second time home buyers. The building society is seeing signs of an increase in the number of people across Northern Ireland who are planning to move to their next home and has tailored the new mortgage offering to meet the needs of those movers with a 40% deposit.

New thinking about energy

www.electricireland.com LoCall 0845 309 8138

Eye on Business Personality

YOUNG BUSINESS PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH Lisa Rea, Owner, Absolutely Barking

“ To see the look on the owners faces when their freshly groomed, calm dog leaves the salon makes it the most rewarding job in the world.”

(L-R) Claire Dickson, Business Eye, Clare McAllister, Electric Ireland, and Lisa Rea of Absolutely Barking

Despite being just 31 years old, Newtownabbey businesswoman Lisa Rea already has a host of successes under her belt.

N

ot least of which is her thriving holistic dog grooming business; Absolutely Barking located in the Throne View Centre of Netownabbey which she started from scratch in April 2012.

Working hard to prove that spa treatments are not simply for ladies who lunch, ambitious dog lover Lisa Rea has created a thriving business which is used by canines all over the province.

The treatments range from traditional nail clipping to fluffy drying, coat trimming and teeth cleaning to the more exotic such as massage, calming lavender baths and refreshing dog masks, all carried out in the open plan luscious looking salon.

Lisa Rea followed her life-long ambition to open Absolutely Barking after spending more than a decade caring for animals under the training of Marion Dundee, one of Northern

26

Ireland’s top dog groomers.

Following GCSEs, Lisa attended Belfast institute for further and higher education where she completed a Btec national diploma in animal care.

“From a young age it was apparent that a career caring for animals was one which I would choose. I’ve always loved dogs and have always had them growing up so in a way it choose me.”

“I always wanted to be a vet, but I quickly got to realise that that side of animal care was not for me.”

Her first job was at Hillside kennels as a kennel maid. “I had spotted an advert in my local vets and I gave them a call,” she said.

“I was asked to come for an interview straight away. The interview was nice and relaxed and the dogs were amazing, Marion and Don sawhow much I loved dogs and how at ease I was and I was given the job.”

Lisa worked at Hillside for eleven years when she decided to fulfil her dreams by opening her own business.

“My average working hours are around 40 hours a week at the salon, but back at home I’m still

working trying to promote and find ways to help each and every customer who comes in,” she said.

“I like to call my work styling, creating a stylish yet manageable hair style for the busy pet owner, along with being a holistic salon, offering dogs and their owners the finest healthy products and services.”

She continued, “I believe the products we use are equally as important as the treatments we offer. What goes on our pets’ skin is just as important as what goes on our own which is why we have decided to use this range. We are the first salon in Ireland to be granted a contract, showing a belief in us from the owners who distribute the products globally.

“The range is totally natural and also includes dog fragrances sprays and paw balms which are enriched with pure essential oils and natural extracts.’

Lisa said being good with dogs is the most important thing for her work, but also being creative is key.

“You need a good handling and knowledge of dogs as well as a creative side as styling comes from your

head,” she said. “I love my job, I take care of the dogs as if they were my own, all this leads up to happy dogs which in return gives customer satisfaction.

“The best advice is I would give is experience, do voluntary work at an animal shelter where you can receive animal handling experience as well as helping grooming. Brushing a dog not only keeps it looking good but it creates a bond and may help spot abnormalities in the coat and skin.”

In terms of inspiration, Lisa said “There has been a few people who have inspired me in my career, my nanny andgranda supported me immensely it was them who taught me never to give up and who loved and nourished me throughout also Marion Dundee, owner of Hillside Kennels, who if it weren’t for her I would not be a groomer”.

Lisa concluded, “I absolutely love what I do and am so glad I took the brave move to open my own business.

“To see the look on the owners faces when their freshly groomed, calm dog leaves the salon makes it the most rewarding job in the world.”

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Eye on Travel

STENA FREIGHT CHIEF & GROWTH ON THE IRISH SEA The fact that Stena Line has just added a third ship to its busy Belfast-Liverpool route to carry freight between the two ports is a clear indication of the state of the ferry operator’s freight business on the Irish Sea.

“F

reight is a growing proportion of our overall business and accounts for 55% of revenue,” says Richard Horswill, Stena’s Liverpool-based Head of Freight for the company’s Irish Sea routes.

That means both Belfast-Liverpool and the Belfast-Cairnryan service, as well as the routes from Dublin and Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead and from Rosslare to Fishguard.

“We do focus on freight as a growth area,” he adds. “It’s not just about getting trucks and trailers across to Scotland or England and vice versa, it’s also about forming part of a network which gets freight right into the heart of Europe from Belfast Port.”

Units can leave Belfast Port on either of Stena’s routes and head for Rotterdam in Holland on the company’s service from Killingholme or Harwick on the east coast of England. Stena also operates rail freight services – from Rotterdam to Posnan in Poland and from Kiel in the north of Germany to Verona in Italy.

“It’s a bit of a throwback to the

28

old days, I suppose, when ferry services were operated by railway companies or divisions of railway companies,” adds Horswill.

Stena’s freight mission, he says, is a simple one. “This business is all about moving freight from point to point at the lowest cost possible,” he says. “Belfast is a very important freight hub for us and Northern Ireland’s geographical location means that it is very dependant on strong freight links.”

In a nutshell, Stena’s vessels carry three basic types of freight – accompanied trailers, unaccompanied trailers (towed on and off the ship at the port and collected by drivers) and

(on Liverpool) trade cars..... new vehicles destined for car dealerships in Northern Ireland.

Unaccompanied trailers account for the biggest proportion of overall freight traffic (around 56% of volume) and accompanied units make up a further 40%.

“In terms of actual goods, our vessels are carrying all sorts of goods into and out of Northern Ireland, from new vehicles and retail food items coming in to food products, manufactured goods, even construction materials going out.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that we play a vital role in the Northern Ireland economy, along with our fellow operators.

“It is still a very competitive marketplace. Freight operators have a choice and they demand the best prices and as much flexibility as they can get,” he says. “Recession meant that the ferry companies were effectively operating at a loss, and only the well capitalised operators like ourselves could hope to survive. But there are clear signs of improvement.

“Recession hasn’t stopped Stena Line investing in its ferry services, though,” Richard Horswill

emphasises. In the midst of recession, we’ve invested in a brand new port at Loch Ryan in Scotland, we’ve introduced two new ships onto the Belfast-Cairnryan route and we’ve taken over the Belfast-Liverpool service and invested in the ships operating it. That amount to many millions of pounds worth of investment during a challenging time.”

The company works hard on managing its relationships with the all-important haulage and freight companies. Key accounts (the larger transport firms) can expect regular contact from their relationship managers, while smaller operators work alongside a dedicated Customer Service Team based at Belfast Port.

And then there’s the on board experience.....just as important for freight drivers as it is for car and foot passengers.

“We’ve spent a lot of time and money investing in our cabins on the Belfast-Liverpool service, on food and on every aspect of the on board experience that we offer to our freight drivers, most of whom are regular travellers with Stena. So it’s important that we keep them happy.”

Eye on News

Flybe Scoops Top ‘Airline Of The Year’ Award For Second Year Running

F

lybe, Europe’s largest independent regional airline and the biggest operator at George Best Belfast City Airport has been named ‘Best UK Domestic Airline’ at the Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards. This is the second consecutive year that Flybe has won the accolade ahead of BA, Aer Lingus, easyjet and Jet2.

The award was decided following independent voting by travel agents throughout Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the win, Ken Harrower, Flybe Regional Sales Manager said: “We are delighted to have won this Award, made all the more special because it is determined by our peers across the local travel and tourism industry. The travel trade makes an invaluable contribution to growing our corporate and leisure business in Northern Ireland and

its endorsement evidenced by this award is testament to the strength and success of our partnership. It is especially significant that we have won in this particular year which not only marks our 30th anniversary operating out of George Best Belfast City Airport, but also sees us take major strides towards the next three decades.

In reference to these, the personal touch remains a key element as it is a critical part of our commitments to customer satisfaction and congratulations must go to all of the staff at Belfast who made winning this award possible.”

Flybe was presented with the award at a gala dinner in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle attended by over 400 representatives of the travel and tourism industry in Northern Ireland.

Tesco Outstanding Supplier Award for Belfast Ad Agency T he award is in recognition of its Taste NI campaign and the recent launch of a new Switch to Local initiative.

Both projects involved throughthe-line advertising and digital activity, as well as all the design and production of supporting in-store marketing and point of sale.

The campaigns, which are aimed at educating Northern Ireland shoppers about the array of local food & drink products available in Tesco, highlight the people and places behind the products. These range from a carrot and parsnip grower in Comber to a soup-maker in Magherafelt and fresh meat pies made in Pomeroy.

Switch to Local and Taste NI are obviously unique to Tesco Northern Ireland but they have also caught the eye of senior Tesco execs in GB too.

Caoimhe Mannion, Tesco NI

Marketing Manager said, “Since the beginning of this year, we have awarded an Outstanding Supplier of the Month award to one of our 90+ local food & drink suppliers.

It’s not always easy working with a large commercial entity like Tesco and it can be very demanding. We wanted to recognise their hard work and commitment in helping us to deliver an industry-leading breadth of fresh, locally-sourced produce. Previous award winners have included Moy Park, Wilson’s Country and Fivemiletown Creamery.

“This month, in the wake of the hugely successful Taste NI festival in Belfast and a high profile launch of the Switch to Local campaign, we wanted to recognise the company behind these successful achievements and that is RLA. “Every time we present RLA’s

creative campaigns and their results to our senior colleagues in Tesco in GB, they are really impressed - which is very encouraging.

“RLA’s team works tirelessly to meet very tight deadlines and produce a collossal amount of superb work in a very short time. They go above and beyond and they are an

invaluable support to the work of the Tesco Northern Ireland marketing team, and in turn, to our suppliers.

We think they are outstanding!”

For more information on the Tesco Taste NI campaign, follow on www. facebook.com/tastenorthernireland or join the campaign at www. switchtolocal.info

29

Eye on Racing

Hospitality On The Up At Down Royal With his biggest event of the year just over the horizon, Down Royal Racecourse General Manager Mike Todd is surprisingly relaxed.

Down Royal Racecourse General Manager Mike Todd with Chairman James Nicholson

30

Eye on Racing

Example: Rainbow Communications Package

T

he annual National Hunt Festival of Racing, over two days at the start of November at Northern Ireland’s premier racecourse, is set to bring some 14,000 racegoers through the turnstiles and into the stands, hospitality suites and private boxes at the venue for a couple of days worth of top-class racing action.

“We’re 20% up on hospitality this year, and that’s excellent news,” says the charismatic Todd, the man who’s been at the helm of Down Royal through some years of phenomenal change and investment. “So we’re expecting a memorable couple of days....as it has been in previous seasons.”

Todd calls it ‘hospitality’ for a good reason. “A lot of our hospitality is corporate. We have a lot of different companies and organisations entertaining their guests here at the racecourse. But it’s not all corporate.

We have plenty of groups of friends, families, even neighbours, enjoying the race-day experience in our various hospitality venues.”

And these days, there are a few. Guests can enjoy the huge Beef Or Salmon Suite, built just a couple of years ago and offering unrivalled facilities overlooking the finishing straight at the course.

But there is also the smaller, but recently improved, Moscow Flyer Suite (both suites are called after legendary National Hunt horses and former Down Royal November winners), there is the brand new Wine Bar and there are a number of corporate boxes.

“It is now 20 years since we embarked on a major programme of investment here at Down Royal,” says Mike Todd. “The building that we invested in then, a new grandstand, is now the oldest

building that we have on the site.”

Down Royal embarked on its biggest investment four years ago with the development of the new hospitality suites, but it hasn’t rested on its laurels since then.

“In fact, we’ve invested in the racecourse in some shape or form every year for the past number of years,” says Down Royal’s Chairman and leading local wine merchant, James Nicholson. “It has been a carefully planned and strategic programme of investment and improvement and it’s one which has put us up among the leading racecourses anywhere in Ireland these days.”

Even in recent months, a landscaping programme has helped transform the main entrance to the course, and a new racecourse watering system has been completed....and put to use for the first time during the warm summer of 2013.

Both James Nicholson and Mike Todd, a highly driven and dynamic double act as General Manager and Chairman, are racing fans as well as racing industry managers. It’s easy to get the impression that a passion for the sport is something of a necessity in either of their roles.

But both are equally aware that the hospitality experience has to be looked at in a very different way that the experience of died in the wool punters and racing fans who come to Down Royal.

“I’ve often said that racing on our big days is five minutes of action and 25 minutes of interaction.

People very definitely buy people here in Northern Ireland, and the hospitality experience we offer is very much tailored to that notion,” adds Todd.

This year, 580 people will be entertained and looked after in the

The Pavilion at Night

The Thrill of the Chase...

Beef Or Salmon suite alone for each day of the National Hunt Festival.

The top English trainers are once again expected to send horses over to the Festival of Racing this time around, as they have done in previous seasons.

“Without any doubt, it’s our very best racing of the year, and it brings Down Royal up to the level where punters and racing fans all over the UK, Ireland and beyond are tuning in to what’s happening here for two days in early November,” says James Nicholson.

As an indication of that, €4 million was gambled via Paris Mutuel by French punters on last year’s Down Royal Festival, which featured a number of French horses.

“We work hard to make sure that the hospitality experience is just as good as it can be,” says Mike Todd. “That includes following up with questionnaires for all of our customers and a constant process of engagement.”

Both Todd and Nicholson are aware that there is competition out there on the sporting front, most notably from Ulster Rugby, which continues to step up the corporate hospitality offering at the new-look Ravenhill.

“The live sporting experience is what it is all about. It has to

be good, because we’re not just competing with other sports and other venues....we’re also competing with television.”

The Down Royal Chairman says that representatives of other Irish racecourses have been to see what has been achieved at the Northern Ireland venue.

“Racecourses watch very closely what the others are doing,” says Nicholson, who travels around the island in his role with Horse Racing Ireland. “We’ve certainly had people from Galway and elsewhere coming here....and we keep an eye on what’s going on elsewhere at the same time.”

“We always took the view that if we built, the public and the business community would come to Down Royal....and that has been the case,” he adds. “But we’ll not be taking it easy for a while yet.”

Both men point out that Down Royal and horse racing in general have a positive impact on the economy here.

“We’re looking at around 4,000 jobs here in Northern Ireland which are dependant on horse racing.

And don’t forget that 24% of the winners at the Cheltenham Festival this year were horses bred right here in Northern Ireland. That’s a very significant statistic.”

31

L-R: The Charles Hurst senior team: Dealer Principal Richard Stinson, Operations Director Colin McNab and Chairman Ken Surgenor.

32

Eye on Motoring

FERRARI GETS A NEW BELFAST HOME...

In the media world, some invitation are best avoided, some need plenty of consideration and that odd one needs no thought at all.

A

pologies, then, to the business organisation which was holding a conference at Titanic Belfast in mid-September on the same day as Ferrari....which would you choose to attend?

Our mission? To turn up at Titanic, have a spot of late breakfast, wander down to the slipways, pick up a nicely polished and fully fuelled Ferrari, blast off towards North Down and the Ards Peninsula for an hour or two, head back to Belfast and return the Ferrari to its new local home, the newly-opened Ferrari/Maserati showroom at the Charles Hurst Group complex on Belfast’s Boucher Road.... where a spot of Italian-themed lunch awaited. Not bad, eh?

The car? Our’s was a magnificent black F430 Coupe from 2008 with a mere 8,000 miles on the clock packing the undoubted punch, and the wonderful noise, of Ferrari’s 4.3 litre V8 petrol engine.

It was one of several paraded

by Ferrari’s experienced Belfast team (headed by Specialist Car Division supremo Richard Stinson) that day and prepared by the dedicated team of technicians who work at the Belfast showroom, and service the surprisingly high number of 400 or so living and breathing Ferraris which live around these parts.

None of them were brand new.

And there’s a good reason for that. As well as officially unveiling the new showroom, Ferrari UK and Charles Hurst Group were highlighting a new Ferrari preowned programme....which offers

buyers of used and approved Ferrari models the reassurance of seven years worth of free maintenance on the car, whatever its mileage or age. That’s plus the fact that all of the approved cars go through a rigorous inspection at the hands of Ferrari technicians before going on the market.

Our F430, by the way, is on the market (or was, at the time of going to print) for just shy of £90,000. And it’s one of a decent selection available at the Hurst Ferrari site at any given time.

Charles Hurst operates the only Ferrari dealership in the whole of Ireland, a geographical fact which makes the investment in a new and dedicated showroom all the more important. Ferrari and Maserati used to share a showroom with the Aston Martin and Bentley brands at the sprawling Boucher Road site.

The new Belfast showroom closely follows the Italian maker’s corporate identity, and the way that it sells its cars all over the world. Planning, it seems, has gone into lighting, viewing angles, space and environment.....or so they say. There’s a sharplydesigned customer lounge area, and there’s an ‘atelier’.

Now, aside from being French for attic, ‘atelier’ is a description of a room or space beloved of fashionistas....a place, perhaps, where cloth is cut and clothes are modelled. In this case, it’s where the Ferrari customer sits down to choose his or her colours (everyone, it seems, doesn’t choose red), interior trim, even the shade and type of leather to be used for the seats. It’s a process which really can’t be rushed.

Special guest for the media event, and a customer reception the same day, was Matteo Torre, Regional Manager for Ferrari North Europe....the part of the

Continent with rather more clouds than his native Southern Europe. Torre hails from Northern Italy, not too far from Ferrari’s spiritual home in Maranello, not far from the city of Milan.

33

Eye on Law

A Proactive Approach To Employment Law Gareth Walls, Head of Employment Law at A&L Goodbody in Northern Ireland, talks to Business Eye about how employment law is having to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment and how he is expanding his specialist team to meet the associated challenges and opportunities…

“O

ne of the biggest talking points for employment lawyers at the minute is trying to get a visual on what Northern Ireland employment law will look like in the next few years,” Walls says. “Employment law here is rapidly diverging from practice in GB and that will have a significant impact on employers with a presence in both jurisdictions.

“With power now devolved to Stormont, I would anticipate that employment law will change significantly in the coming years and I suspect that we will end up with what could be a blend of the best aspects of local, and both GB and ROI employment practice.”

But it isn’t just legislation that is changing, he explains. “Alongside imminent changes in Tribunal practice and legislation, the commercial drivers for local and international businesses require new skills and delivery methods from employment lawyers also.

“With the ‘day-to-day’ tribunal and advisory practice at A&L Goodbody we are seeing much more social media and internet issues than ever before. New methods of communication are a major concern for many employers and it is imperative that they have a robust and unambiguous internet and social media policy in place.

“The working population is becoming more diverse with the introduction of more Eastern European workers in the last few years, with the result that we are

34

(L-R) Shirley Blair, Andrew Spratt, Gareth Walls and Lisa Bryson

seeing more agency and foreign worker issues, and employers seeking cultural diversity training.

“The other side of our practice then is the work we do in supporting our Corporate team. A&L Goodbody is consistently ranked as the most active legal advisor by both volume and value of deals in Northern Ireland for the past 18 months, which means that we are busy supporting our Corporate colleagues – be it due diligence in an acquisition or disposal, advising on succession planning or managing industry specific employment issues in a deal.”

He explains that much of the deal activity A&L Goodbody acted on recently has been driven by foreign investment, particularly from the US. “Employment law in Northern Ireland differs greatly from foreign jurisdictions, particularly the US, and this can bring about challenges

when advising on employment issues in a transaction. US buyers tend to be surprised at first by the very rights-based, human resources-led jurisdiction we have here, but the quality of employees in Northern Ireland is very strong and this remains a critical factor in encouraging investors.”

Having recently expanded the Employment team, Walls is confident that A&L Goodbody is well equipped to help its clients respond to the many opportunities and challenges facing employers in Northern Ireland.

“We recently recruited Lisa Bryson – formerly an associate at Carson McDowell – to the team and this has given us even more quality to what is already a formidable offering.

“I have a very strong team of associates locally in Shirley Blair, Andrew Spratt and Lisa Bryson, which coupled with

our colleagues in the Dublin and London offices give us a strength, depth and strategic ability which is second to none.

“The wrong way to do employment law is to be solely reactive. Instead, we are taking a very proactive approach – delivering bespoke training and running a series of industry-specific forums to facilitate peer to peer confidential discussions about the issues clients face. We also have an ‘Irish HR App’ which is the first of its kind to these shores and illustrates the team’s commitment to supporting our clients around the clock,” he says.

“It is a privilege to work with such a market-leading team and I am confident we will maintain and grow our reputation for delivering technically excellent, pragmatic and commercial advice to our clients in Northern Ireland in the months and years ahead.”

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36

Eye on Investment

BARRY McBRIDE...

SPEARHEADING INVEST NI’S INTERNATIONAL FOCUS Barry McBride’s role wouldn’t suit anyone with an aversion to aircraft or airports. Invest Northern Ireland’s Executive Director of International Business spends a couple of weeks a month at the agency’s Belfast headquarters and the other couple of weeks ‘on the road’... which can mean anywhere from the USA to China.

H

e heads up the department responsible for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into Northern Ireland.

Competing with countries all around the world, this is a challenging task but one McBride is up for.

“I think the progress we’ve made over more recent years shows what can be achieved,” says McBride, pointing to examples like the Deloitte technology investment and that of the New York Stock Exchange.

An engineer by training, Barry McBride has spent the bulk of his professional life in industry both in Northern Ireland and overseas. He started at the old Fisher Body car components plant in Dundonald, moving on to Shorts Missile Systems and then away from Northern Ireland.....working in the US for four years and Malaysia for a further four.

“I ended up as Chief Technology Officer for Teleflex and it became clear that I’d have to re-locate permanently to Philadelphia with my family but, by that stage, we were ready to put our roots down here in Northern Ireland.”

The new role of Executive Director for International Business came into being on the back of the organisation’s Transform Programme, initiated by CEO Alastair Hamilton a couple of years ago.

“The thinking behind the new role was to have a department which could provide a holistic approach to our work in international locations – be that attracting foreign investment or identifying export opportunities for Northern Ireland companies.” explains McBride.

“We’ve managed to combine two very different functions very well,” he says. “There are clear regional differences depending on the country, for example the USA, as a region, is 70% FDI focused for us and 30% trade.

The Middle East, on the other hand, is 90% skewed towards trade and only 10% on FDI.” Invest NI’s International Business unit has also spent a lot more time recently developing its activities and presence in China with the appointment of a new representative based in Beijing to join the existing office network in Shanghai.

“Asia, for very clear reasons, is a major area of focus for us. The region continues to produce GDP growth of 7-8% and, on the trade front, there are exciting opportunities for a wide range of products from Northern Ireland companies.

As well as having specific countries in mind, Invest NI takes a distinctive cluster approach nowadays, as witnessed by the focus on LPO, technology and financial services. “Developing strong clusters is a bit like developing a shopping centre.

You’ve got to have a strong anchor tenant around which to build, and that’s what we’ve been doing very successfully.

“We have supported the investment of a cluster of companies involved in Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO).

It is an area of FDI in which we continue to do well.”

Belfast, in particular, plays host to a number of LPO offices for international law firms such as Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills. On the financial services front, key examples include that of Citi Group, whose Belfast base has seen significant expansion since the international banking company first touched down here.

“What we do as a team is very targeted and it’s carefully researched,” he says. “We target prospect companies very carefully having done as much homework as we can possibly do.”

The recent high-profile

“ What we do as a team is very targeted and it’s carefully researched,” he says. “We target prospect companies very carefully having done as much homework as we can possibly do.” investment by Deloitte in a Belfast Technology Centre initially creating 177 jobs is evidence, says Barry McBride, that this region can be a key location for so-called ‘Big Data’ operations..... bases providing the technology backbone for international companies. And Seagate in Derry is also held up as a prime example of what can be achieved at the high-technology end of manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

“Skills, great education and a strategic location are the big three in terms of USP’s for

us, just as they have been for some time,” says McBride.

“But it’s vital that we continue to deliver that all important talent pool,” he warns. “If we bring technology investments to Northern Ireland, it is absolutely vital that we can deliver the people these projects need, and we have to keep our eyes on the ball on that front.

Northern Ireland’s key selling points have been well documented by everyone from the First and deputy First Minister to Invest NI personnel, and next month will be reinforced to a target audience of over 100 potential new investors at the Northern Ireland Investment Conference.

Being organised by Invest NI on behalf of the NI Executive, the conference, says McBride, will provide an unprecedented opportunity to sell Northern Ireland to a captive audience.

“And what we have to remember about FDI projects is that they have a very positive knock-on economic effect. We might create 200 jobs directly by bringing in a project but there will be work for accountants, for lawyers, for transport operators, for office suppliers and so on. The supply chain factor, the ‘eco system’ if you like, is something that tends to be overlooked when we deliver FDI investments.”

“As a region, we’ve been working to attract foreign investment for a very long time. People forget that Harland & Wolff was once an FDI project... although it wasn’t called that back then.

“Any region needs a strong mix of indigenous and international companies and that’s exactly what we have built here in Northern Ireland... and we’ll continue to build upon it.”

37

www.ccstockbrokers.com CCS ad_banner_185x15mm.indd 1

26/05/2011 10:56:18

Eye on Markets

Fed Watching Cunningham Coates look at recent developments at the US Federal Reserve and the implications for investors.

F

or some months now markets and Central Banks have been engaged in a game of cat and mouse over the timing of a potential interest rate rise from current record lows. Since May, when Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke first suggested the tapering of Quantitative Easing, we have seen significant declines in fixed interest markets; smaller but not inconsiderable falls in equity markets and a flight of investment capital from emerging market currencies, bonds and equities. The initial panic appears to have been the result of market participants misreading ‘tapering’ QE for ‘raising rates’.

Fed watching has since taken on a whole new dimension, with each subsequent pronouncement carefully scrutinised to determine the beginning of the end of asset purchases. Market movements have been sharp with large daily swings. Paradoxically in this new Alice in Wonderland world, good news for the economy is bad news for markets hooked on the sugar rush of Quantitative Easing, threatened with its removal. Meanwhile in the UK the arrival of a new Governor for the Bank of England in the form of Mark Carney has also given rise to much speculation as to what the next moves from that quarter might be. In the event his much-vaunted ‘forward guidance’ has led not to more clarity, but to considerable confusion, if not

outright wilfulness on the part of the bond market which has priced in rising rates some 18 months to two years ahead of the Governor’s estimates.

Of course the potential for a ‘great rotation’ from bonds to equities had already been heralded as valuations in fixed income had become severely stretched following the flight to safety in the aftermath of the financial crisis and the search for yield as a consequence of Quantitative Easing. Yields on benchmark government bonds in the US and UK had fallen to all-time lows and in fact the real (after inflation) return had turned negative: investors were paying governments to hold their money, rather than being paid a return for lending it to them. There has undoubtedly been an outflow from bonds (and emerging market equities and currencies) but inflows to equities have not necessarily been commensurate: the FTSE 100, having initially lost altitude in May, has been range-bound ever since in spite of the daily swings.

Two recent announcements have caused equity markets to rally and a small reversal of the decline in bond prices: firstly the withdrawal of one of the front-runners for the position of Federal Reserve Chairman, Larry Summers, which was taken as a dovish sign for markets; followed by the failure of the Fed to introduce tapering in September. The market had assumed

the latter was a done deal - the first step in the programme of tapering. Weaker US economic data and a slowdown in the housing market (thought to be in part the result of the rise in market rates since May’s initial announcement) appear to have influenced the decision to hold off for now at least.

So where are we now? Well, the ‘equity risk premium’, a measure of the cheapness or otherwise of equities compared to bonds, which should see equity market investors compensated for the extra risk of investing in shares with their uncertain returns, compared to the fixed return on bonds, appears to indicate that we are now beginning to see a degree of normalisation. After five years of negligible returns on cash and bonds, we must at some stage see a meaningful reversal (unless we are in a Japanese scenario of long-term ongoing depression). This, of course, is good news for the economy, but investors in fixed income need to take great care and exercise maximum flexibility to avoid a loss of capital on their investments from this point on.

Equity investors are accustomed to a much less certain world and must as ever continue to exercise great care in their selection of investments, but having faith that a return to a more normal environment should mean healthier and happier times for the companies in which they invest.

Heather McHenry, Partner

This does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell investments and the value of any shares may fall as well as rise. Investments carry risk and investors may not receive back the amount invested. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of Cunningham Coates Stockbrokers.

Cunningham Coates Stockbrokers is a trading name of Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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38

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Eye on People

MEDIATION...

A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE It may seem like office politics or just a little squabble between colleagues but did you know it could cost your business thousands of pounds?

D

isputes in the workplace take many forms and can arise even in the most harmonious of environments.

It may be an individual with a grievance, bullying or a problem between two colleagues.

If handled poorly, they are bad for business, bad for morale and bad for productivity.

Employment law expert, Alana Jones, is tackling this problem head-on with the launch of her new consultancy; Alana Jones, Workplace Solutions.

She explains: “When an employee raises a grievance the employer’s first thought may be to fear, as the almost inevitable, a costly and damaging tribunal claim.

That initial reaction, perhaps attributable to past bad experiences, may cause an overly defensive and unnecessarily formal approach to the situation.

Sometimes grievances are of a particularly serious nature, such as an alleged campaign of harassment, when a formal approach is appropriate from the outset.

However, all too often businesses miss opportunities to resolve potential conflicts at an early stage prior to launching into a formal grievance procedure.

Of course the nature of each grievance needs to be assessed and the employee’s right to pursue a grievance if that is the preferred course of action must be respected, but alternative approaches may offer a better solution.

Consideration should be given to seeking to resolve the matter informally or through mediation.

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What is Mediation?

Mediation involves an independent third party assisting those in dispute to reach an agreed resolution of the situation.

Engagement in mediation is voluntary but where there is a genuine will to sort out a situation, it can provide a swift, confidential and creative solution.

If the formal grievance procedure is to be followed, care needs to be taken to adhere to an appropriate procedure.

The organisation’s own procedure should be followed as should the relevant sections of the Labour Relations Agency’s Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures which provides helpful guidance.

Whilst there is no longer a grievance procedure prescribed by legislation, any unreasonable failure to follow the grievance aspects of the Code can be taken into account by an industrial tribunal and any award of compensation increased by up to 50% on account of such failure.

Where an employee raises a formal grievance, the employer should ensure that it has sufficient details of the complaint. If the employee raises the grievance verbally, ask for details of the grievance to be provided in writing.

Managing the Grievance An appropriate manager should be appointed to deal with the grievance.

It may be necessary to appoint an external person, for instance, if the grievance relates to the conduct of the only available managers.

The grievance should be addressed as promptly as

possible bearing in mind the need for a full investigation to obtain all relevant evidence.

It is often the case that the grievance meeting needs to be adjourned to facilitate the conduct of further investigation and the employee should be provided with the opportunity to consider the collated evidence in advance of the reconvened hearing and to comment upon it at the hearing.

The employee enjoys a statutory right to be accompanied at the grievance meeting a work colleague or trade union official regardless of whether the employer recognises any union.

After the grievance meeting the manager will need to decide whether or not to uphold the grievance, in its entirety or in part, and on any action to be taken.

Records of each stage of the procedure should be retained and all steps should be taken without unreasonable delay.

Communication is Key Whilst a consistent approach is recommended to the handling of grievances and every employer should have a grievance procedure in place which has been effectively communicated to employees, care also needs to be taken to ensure that particular needs are accommodated.

For example, if an employee has learning difficulties, it may be appropriate to adjust

the usual procedure to allow accompaniment at the grievance meeting by a family member, or for other employees it may be necessary to arrange for the attendance of an interpreter.

Addressing grievances with the attitude “if there’s a problem, let’s see what we can do to resolve it” is the best approach.

Of course the employee may be preparing to launch a tribunal claim and it is prudent to keep a close eye on potential grounds for a successful claim.

If there are no such grounds and the employee’s grievance appears to lack any merit, listening attentively to the grievance, conducting a thorough investigation and explaining the grounds for not upholding the grievance just might satisfy the employee and conclude the matter.

If there are good grounds for a claim, best to resolve it, if at all possible, internally rather than preparing for battle at tribunal.”

Workplace Solutions is based in North Down and offers investigations, in-house training, coaching and mediation services to a range of businesses of all sizes. Contact Alana Jones at wps@alanajones.co.uk or call 028 9754 2854

Eye on People

PUTTING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR PROBATION

By Vilma Patterson, Chair of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

T

he newly appointed Minister for Finance Simon Hamilton has said that Northern Ireland can and should have a dynamic and innovative public sector. At times, many including those from within the private sector, can be sceptical about how much capacity and indeed desire the public sector has to find innovative and creative solutions in how it carries out its business.

At the end of last year I was appointed as Chair of the Probation Board for the Northern Ireland.

I have worked for many years in both the private and public sectors.

However in the last 10 months as I have travelled throughout Northern Ireland meeting probation staff I have been really impressed by the innovation, dedication and commitment displayed as they work to make local communities safer.

Like all public services probation has finite resources and are making significant savings year on year. However unlike many public services probation already provides value for money. The cost per household in NI of probation is £30.95, which is much less than the cost in England and Wales which is £33.71 and £39.46 per household.

As well as being more efficient, probation in Northern Ireland is also more effective than England and Wales with three out of four people who started their probation order in 2007 not reoffending within one year. The same proportion three out of four people given community service orders did not reoffend within one year.

Through a range of recent audits and inspections we know our work is making a difference in preventing offending and reducing

crime. However we are not complacent. We want to do more.

This year we are consulting on our Corporate Plan which will provide the framework for how we will carry out our business in the coming years. Key themes in that plan include collaborative working, working effectively and efficiently, focusing on innovation and development and serving the public.

I believe we need to have a closer working relationship with those within the business community.

We have more to learn and we have good practice to share. That is why during the consultation period for PBNI’s Corporate Plan we are keen to hear from members of the business community about what they believe our priorities should be over the coming three years.

Probation plays a key role in helping prevent crime in communities and the causes of crime. We know that many of those who have been victims of crime are members of the business community. I fully appreciate that crimes against businesses including burglaries, thefts, fraud and other crimes can have a devastating impact and repercussions throughout the entire community.

One of the new initiatives that probation is involved in aims to tackle priority offenders and reduce the levels of acquisitive crimes such as burglary and theft which can impact upon members of the retail community in particular.

‘Reducing offending in partnership’ is an initiative which brings together probation, the police, prisons and the youth justice agency and targets the most prolific offenders across Northern Ireland. It uses a range

of interventions to disrupt the offender’s criminal activity and thereby reduce their reoffending.

The initial evaluation of this project showed 68% of priority offenders in the pilot area had reduced their offending and acquisitive crime was also significantly reduced.

We are keen to develop this work in the coming months and believe there are real benefits for the business community as we tackle priority offenders and in partnership prevent reoffending and seek to reduce acquisitive crimes such as thefts, robberies and burglaries.

Of course reducing crime and preventing reoffending cannot be left simply to one organisation or the justice system. I believe there is a role for the business community in assisting people to stop reoffending. For example not being able to get a job or sustain employment is a key factor that drives offenders to crime. Evidence suggests that offenders who gain sustained employment are far less likely to re-offend than those without a job. Through our community grants

scheme we fund projects such as ‘Jobtrack’ which helps prepare and equip those who have offended to enter the labour market and find suitable employment.

A lower rate of reoffending results in smaller numbers in prison, a reduced cost of crime to the economy and a safer society.

It is in all our interests to work together to ensure there is less reoffending and opportunities to divert people from a life of crime.

Over the next three years we are keen that the priorities and concerns of the business community are addressed.

We believe that by working together we can reduce crime and the harm it does.

If you would like to have a say in how we shape probation into the future, or have any ideas or suggestions about our work, you can view the consultation document at www.pbni.org.uk or email me at consultation@pbni.gsi.gov.uk

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Eye on Planning

Change on the horizon for retail planning

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Eye on Planning

With major structural and policy change underway within DOE Planning, Business Eye caught up with leading Retail Planning expert Martin Kelly and Richard Bowman from Planning Consultants Strategic Planning, to assess what lies ahead for retail development in Northern Ireland.

BE: Do you see much change in retail development at present compared to five or ten years ago?

MK: Definitely. Discount retailers are a major part of the retail mix now. I have spent a lot of my career securing planning approvals throughout Northern Ireland for large retail parks and major food-stores but more recently the work has shifted to securing approvals for discount retailers such as Home Bargains and B&M Retail Ltd. We are also increasingly seeing household names in the food retail market focusing on developing smaller stores often in town centre locations.

At the end of the day, this is all market and location driven. Online shopping will have a certain impact but it won’t remove the need for physical retail units. Retailer developers are now much more discerning about the size of units they need to maximise their returns.

BE: There has been a lot of talk about PPS5 and changes in retail policy in Northern Ireland. What is the current state of play?

MK: The current policy remains as set out in Planning Policy Statement 5 - commonly known as PPS5. This sets out the Government’s policy objectives for town centres and retail developments at all levels and types, ranging from village shops right through to regional shopping centres. The policy is now almost 20 years old and despite efforts to update it, such as Draft PPS5 in 2006, it remains in place.

DOE is currently developing a new retail and town centre planning policy to be included within a single Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS), a draft of which is due to be published for public consultation in early 2014.

The SPPS will be an amalgamation of the existing planning policy statements transposed into one single policy document outlining planning policies for various land use types for the whole of Northern Ireland. This follows the UK

model, where England, Scotland and Wales all have single policy documents.

BE: So will this mean a change in emphasis or approach in Planning policy for retail development?

“ The challenge for the Department is to formulate a set of policies which will control new retail development in a balanced rather than an overly restrictive way. The new policy needs to create the conditions to allow retail development where it is needed and when alternative town centre sites are not available.”

RB: Despite not having sight of it, it’s fair to say that we expect the Draft SPPS to propose much stricter policies on retail development. Draft PPS5 proposed to continue emphasising town centres as the first choice for new retail development, however, it went further than the current PPS5 and proposed an explicit sequential test (town centres first, then edge of centre then out of centre), an additional test of need and very restrictive floorspace caps on certain types of retail development outside town centres (excluding Belfast and Londonderry).

Whilst these and other tests are a common feature of current retail policy elsewhere in the UK, the imposition of retail floor-space caps is not the trend in policy elsewhere and would in our view, be a step too far.

MK: Yes, that is our concern. Future retail policy should allow for any form of retail development outside town centres where it can be demonstrated that it meets certain policy tests.

Such out of centre sites act as important release valves for town centres allowing for complimentary forms of retail development while allowing town centres to maintain and improve their vitality by accommodating an appropriate scale of new retail development and avoid town centre cramming.

The challenge for the Department is to formulate a set of policies which will control new retail development in a balanced rather than an overly restrictive way. The new policy needs to create the conditions to allow retail development where it is needed and when alternative town centre sites are not available.

BE:: Most people are aware that Planning powers are to be devolved to the new 11 Super Councils by mid-2015 – does that mean they will handle all retail planning applications?

MK: Yes, the new Councils will determine almost everything, whilst DOE Planning Headquarters will deal with only a handful of only the most regionally significant planning applications per year spanning all sectors of development. The outworking of this will mean that all the new Councils will require new Development Plans to guide and identify land use within their areas. These new Plans will also present opportunities and challenges for retail development.

MK: The landscape and policy context is going to change fairly dramatically in the coming years, so it’s very important to take professional advice well in advance of making land acquisitions or disposals, or if you are in the process of developing retail proposals.

Martin Kelly and Richard Bowman can be contacted on 028 90 425222 or online at www.strategicplanning.uk.com

BE: So, do you think there is a risk that a new retail planning policy will be too restrictive?

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Eye on Banking

Back to the future of Bank funding Brian Gillan, Head of Business Banking, First Trust Bank

B

ank funding is an essential ingredient necessary to underpin economic recovery in Northern Ireland which is beginning to return to a new normal. I call it a new normal, because there is no denying that like any other Northern Ireland business, we have had to review what we do and how we do it, in the context of what is today’s economic realities. At the same time business customers still need funding to grow and rightly expect their financial partners to be in a position, when they need them, to support their business development plans.

It’s all about confidence and trust in your bank; confidence for customers, enables them to spend time searching out and planning for

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investment opportunities to grow and expand their businesses. We’re in it together like any successful partnership and First Trust Bank is determined to play its part in making it work. Increasing professionalism does mean due diligence requirements are higher, but access to competent Relationship Managers who know and want to understand your business sector and where you operate within it, results in the right decisions being made for both the customer and the Bank.

As early signs of green shoots emerge in the Northern Ireland economy, First Trust Bank wants to have a central role in supporting local businesses grow and help deliver sustainable economic growth here.

In support of that strategy, we

have recently launched a new £50m Owner Managed Business Fund which compliments our existing Business Support Fund (operating since 2012). Together they are designed to provide viable Northern Ireland businesses with funding at affordable rates over longer committed contract terms, allowing them to plan for and invest in new business opportunities.

While the Business Support Fund focuses on loans below £250,000, the new Owner Managed Business Fund is targeting larger businesses which need to borrow above that level. The scope for the Owner Managed Business Fund has been widened to include new loan, overdraft, invoice discounting and asset finance facilities.

Whilst demand for funding over the past year has been slower than anticipated, we believe that trend is changing. We are encouraged by growing evidence that more companies are increasingly confident about their prospects and are bringing forward new opportunities to develop and expand their businesses. With these two business fund offerings, First Trust Bank can provide competitively priced finance to viable businesses at a reduced interest rate over longer committed contract terms.

This is five years in respect of the Owner Managed Business Fund, and up to 15 years in the case of the Business Support Fund. Our Owner Managed Business Fund also has the added incentive of having no arrangement fee (usually 1%) if the facility is agreed by 31 December 2013 and drawn down within 60 days of the facility letter date.

We have dedicated Relationship Managers based in our Business Banking team in Belfast, who have a range of sectoral specialisms, in addition to branch based Relationship Managers, who all offer customers an accessible, competent and professional resource which is

open for and wants to do business.

First Trust Bank has a proud heritage, closely associated with supporting family businesses across a broad range of industries.

Recognising their role as the engine of the local economy and as one of their key partners, we have deliberately tailored our Business Support and Owner Managed Business Funds to focus our relationship and credit delivery processes on them.

Finally, more important than what I say, is what our customers say about First Trust Bank.

With the help of our Owner Managed Business Fund, we supported Northern Ireland’s largest independent tyre retailer, Modern Tyres, a long standing customer of First Trust Bank, in its recent £1 million purchase of 11 outlets from the Republic of Ireland based Hanover Group which was in administration, a move which has resulted in saving 30 jobs.

Jimmy Byrne, the company’s Managing Director said, ‘We have always been an ambitious organisation and have strengthened our offering over the years, seeking the right opportunities to expand and widen our reach. Throughout this time, we have enjoyed a strong working relationship with First Trust Bank and are delighted that they have been able to support us at various stages along the road.’

This is a perfect example of the type of strategically important business propositions that we are keen to support and we would encourage other businesses that are considering any investment, to speak with us about their future plans.

Brian Gillan is Head of Business Banking, First Trust Bank 028 9047 9206/ brian.m.gillan@aib.ie

“40 locations in 50 years with the support of First Trust Bank.”

Supporting business

Jimmy Byrne, with sons Connor and Rory, Modern Tyres

We see the potential too Talk to us today about our Owner Managed Business Fund

www.firsttrustbank.co.uk/business | Phone 0845 6005 925 Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply, contact us for further details. First Trust Bank is a trade mark of AIB Group (UK) p.l.c. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.), incorporated in Northern Ireland. Registered Office 4 Queen’s Square, Belfast BT1 3DJ. Registered Number NI 18800. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Eye on Media

Mobile Traffic Is Growing And This Is Good News

By Morgane Campioni, Head of Online Channels, UTV, on why the growth in mobile traffic in Northern Ireland is good news for local businesses.

H

ow did you first access the internet today?

Did you use your laptop, a computer at work, your phone or a tablet?

According to Ofcom, the Communications Regulator, more than half of all consumers in urban areas across Northern Ireland now use their phone to go online, with an increasing number of people also using a tablet as their primary device to stay connected.

In fact, one of the key local trends unveiled by Ofcom is that Northern Ireland now leads the take-up of tablets across the UK. Three in ten homes here have one.

In its recent Communication Market Report, which examines the availability, take-up and consumption of the internet in Northern Ireland, Ofcom found the way we access the internet is changing rapidly and the number of people owning tablet computers more than trebled in the past year.

Northern Ireland now has the highest rate of tablet ownership in the UK. Take-up is particularly marked in homes with children.

Smartphone ownership also continues to grow in the region. It is up by a third, to 45%, in the past year, meaning more and more people are able to access the internet easily and on the move.

More connected devices simply mean more people online and more opportunities for users to interact with businesses.

In recent years, on content websites like u.tv, we have seen early morning traffic grow as

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people check their phones after waking up. They also consume content on their way to work if they commute by bus or train.

Later, there is a spike when people take their lunch break and again when they return home. In the evening, there’s plenty of browsing time when smartphone and tablets act as second screens for TV viewers.

People don’t need to turn on their PCs to read and watch our digital content any more as more and more live in what Google describes as ‘a world of constant connectivity’.

It is no surprise then that, according to Ofcom, there are now more adults in Northern Ireland who use the Internet as their main source of news in the region than there are who read newspapers, while TV remains the main source of local news for more than two-thirds of them.

Since the start of 2013, traffic to UTV’s website has surged, thanks to our focus on mobile.

On average, over 55,000 unique users visited u.tv every day in both July and August, more than double the figure during this time last year.

So far in 2013, our number of unique users has increased by around 70% year-on-year, while the number of visits to our platforms has more than doubled.

From January to August, the number of UTV pages and screens viewed by our users also jumped by a whopping 200% year-on-year to around 77 million.

It comes after the launch of our mobile site and the release of new Apps for news, sport, entertainment and weather

last winter. They are now our fastest-growing platforms.

In March, the number of mobile and tablet visits overtook the number of traditional desktop visits for the first time, starting a trend which has gathered pace this summer, with over 60% of all our traffic now coming from devices.

Our mobile platforms all focus on providing the latest stories that are relevant to our users wherever they are, along with great pictures and video clips.

This goes hand in hand with a growing and reputable social media presence. As part of this strategy, we were delighted to see Twitter grant UTV’s primary accounts (@utv, @ utvnews, @utvsport) official ‘verified’ status in July.

More than half of those surveyed by Ofcom in Northern Ireland said they use Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, either at home or on the move. And we can see that UTV’s mobile traffic is also largely social in nature.

The growth in mobile web in Northern Ireland is a great opportunity for local advertising.

Yes, ads are smaller on a phone screen, but mobility means their impact is often stronger.

Google says a recent study showed that nearly three in ten mobile searches result in visiting a shop, calling a business, or making a purchase online.

Ofcom’s research found that mobile users are younger and from higher income households.

In the UK alone, the mobile advertising market is forecast to almost double to £1bn in 2013.

A couple of years ago, you were probably told to go social to grow your brand and your business.

Some now frankly warn you to go mobile or die. To local businesses with a digital presence, I say go mobile and thrive. u.tv

Eye on News

Paul Hutchinson Receives PANI Lifetime Achievement Award T

he Publicity Association of Northern Ireland (PANI) Presidents Lunch took place in Belfast earlier this month where Paul Hutchinson, UTV’s Senior Sales Director was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award to mark his contribution to PANI and the advertising industry.

Tony Axon, past Chair of the Publicity Association said: “Paul had served on the PANI council

for over 6 years, including 3 years as the Chair. During this time one of the most spectacular Awards competitions was held and the event is fondly remembered. The award was unanimously voted by the current PANI council and warmly acknowledged on the day.”

Paul Hutchinson said: “I am delighted to receive this award from my colleagues in the advertising industry and

would like to thank all those involved for this prestigious recognition and their support of UTV over the years.”

PANI has celebrated the best creativity in Northern Ireland’s advertising and design industries since the first awards ceremony in 1977.

Since then, PANI has grown into one of the longest established marketing and communications associations in the UK.

Stena Line Adds Third Ship to Liverpool Route

S

tena Line has confirmed it will be adding extra freight capacity to its Belfast-Liverpool service. The Stena Hibernia will be introduced onto the route from Tuesday 5thNovember and will initially operate eight sailings per week giving freight customers greater availability and choice. The extra sailings will depart Liverpool Tues

– Fri at 0300hrs and will depart Belfast Tues – Fri at 1500hrs.

Stena Line acquired the Belfast-Liverpool and Belfast – Heysham services in July 2011 and since then have undertaken an investment programme to increase capacity and improve service levels.

Paul Grant, Stena Line’s Route Manager Irish Sea North said: “The

freight market is showing signs of recovery and it’s important that Stena Line adds capacity to accommodate the expected growth. Belfast continues to develop as a key freight hub for Stena Line with 11 daily departures to Cairnryan, Heysham and Liverpool and we are confident our customers will react positively to our expanded service.”

ARLENE MEETS MIRANDA...

W e’re not quite sure what actress Miranda Richardson is up to in this photograph with Economy Minister Arlene Foster?

The actress, a star of the Harry Potter films and remembered for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder, was one of a

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number of stars who made the trip to Enniskillen for the Happy Days International Beckett Festival.

The Festival, held in the town where Samuel Beckett spent his formative years as a pupil at Portora Royal School, was billed as the world’s largest celebration of the Irish Nobel Prize-winning author.

The Minister, a Fermanagh native, met up with Richardson at Enniskillen’s Masonic Hall (hence the distinctive floor design) where she was reading Beckett’s ‘Enough’.

Medical Group Takes Top Title At UTV Business Eye Awards

The staff from the 3fivetwo Group collect the highly coveted Company of the Year Award. Receiving the award is CEO of Kingsbridge Hospital Mark Regan (centre). Also pictured are Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing of overall sponsor Flybe (centre left) Andrea Hayes, General Manager for Market Development, Flybe (left) and Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director of Business Eye (right).

The fast-growing 3fivetwo Group, Northern Ireland’s largest private health provider, took the top title of Company of the Year at the 2013 UTV Business Eye Awards with Flybe.

T

he awards, now in their seventh year, were presented at a gala event held at the Culloden Estate & Spa last night (Thursday 10th October).

3fivetwo Group, which opened the brand new Kingsbridge Private Hospital on Belfast’s Lisburn Road less than two years ago, has grown from small beginnings as a Belfast clinic into a multi-million

50

pound turnover operation with 18 sites and 240 employees.

The Chief Executive of another fast-expanding company, Eleanor McEvoy of Budget Energy, was named as Business Personality of the Year. A serial entrepreneur, she has guided the rapid growth of the Derry-based electricity provider which has doubled its customer base in less than 12 months.

Other key winners on the night included SME of the Year Elmgrove Foods, an innovative Dungannonbased meat processing firm, and International Award winner Lagan Construction, one of our leading building firms and responsible for major projects worldwide.

Jarek Zasadzinski, the 33-year old Chief Executive at Tyrone packaging manufacturing company Greiner Packaging was the winner of the hotlycontested Young Business Personality of the Year category, while contact centre group Firstsource Solutions took the Employer of the Year Award.

Flybe’s General Manager for Market Development, Andrea Hayes, a member of the judging panel, commented that the entries for the

2013 awards were stronger than ever.

“We were delighted with the allround quality of the entries, and the Awards once again produced some excellent winners, both individuals and organisations.”

Michael Wilson, Managing Director of UTV Television, said: “The calibre of entries for this year’s awards show that there are plenty of ambitious, confident and well led companies operating in Northern Ireland. UTV is delighted once again to recognise and celebrate these top achievers and organisations in such a positive way. These awards represent all that is good about business in Northern Ireland and it is great to see growth and success in so many sectors in spite of the tough times.”

Full List of Winners – UTV Business Eye Awards with flybe Best Use of Online Video

SME of the Year

Business Education Award

International Award

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Elmgrove Foods

William J Clinton Leadership Institute

Lagan Construction

Digital/Online Company of the Year

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Keys Commercial Finance

Research & Development Project

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Elmgrove Foods Ltd

Charles Hurst Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: TreatTicket Business Consultancy of the Year Cubic3 Young Business Personality Jarek Zasadzinski, Greiner Packaging HIGHLY COMMENDED: Orlagh McGahan, OMG Software Fleet Funder of the Year NIIB Finance

Agri Food Innovation Award Linden Foods HIGHLY COMMENDED: Heavenly Tasty Organics Employer of the Year Firstsource Solutions HIGHLY COMMENDED: 3fivetwo Group Green Company of the Year Greiner Packaging HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lidl Northern Ireland

Expellier International Waste Reduction Project of the Year City Hotel, Derry HIGHLY COMMENDED: Cloth Nappy Library Tourism/Hospitality Project World Police & Fire Games 2013 Derry/Londonderry City of Culture (joint) Retailer of the Year Lidl Northern Ireland HIGHLY COMMENDED: Henderson Retail

Deal of the Year NAMA, National Asset Management Agency Business Personality of the Year Eleanor McEvoy, Budget Energy HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mark Regan, 3fivetwo Group Company of the Year 3fivetwo Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mount Charles Group

Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing, flybe addresses the audience.

The team from Lidl Northern Ireland celebrate their awards.

Richard Huntingford, UTV Chairman addressing the audience

Richard Buckley, editor of Business Eye addresses the audience.

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Deputy Mayor of Derry Gary Middleton and representatives from Derry/Londonderry City of Culture 2013 with their award for the Tourism/Hospitality Project of the Year 2013.

Norah Ann Barron of Pi Communications (category sponsor) presents the Best Use of Online Video Award to Charlotte Jess (second right) of Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Also pictured are flybe cabin crew members Kara Doherty and Victoria Montgomery.

Chris Lomas of Expelliere International receives the Research & Development Project of the Year Award from Sam Kinghan, Invest NI’s sector Manager for Research & Development (category sponsor).

Johnny Foster, Maria Loan and Chris Neil.

Veronica Doherty, Ian Gardiner, Wesley Shannon & Clare Campbell.

Roger Alexander, Cubic 3 receives the Business Consultancy of the Year Award from Stephen Cross of category sponsor Cleaver Fulton Rankin. Also pictured are flybe cabin crew members Kara Doherty and Victoria Montgomery.

Catriona Donnelly of Lagan Construction Group receives the International Award from Niall Casey of category sponsors InvestNI. Also pictured are Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director, Business Eye (right) and Andrea Hayes, General Manager Market Development,Flybe (left).

Gerry Lennon, Belvast Visitor & Convention Bureau

John Tully (Chief Executive) and Dame Mary Peters (Patron) of the 2013 World Police & Fire Games receive the first Tourism & Hospitality Project of the Year from Conal Harvey (second left), Deputy Chairman of category sponsor Titanic Belfast.

Conal Harvey (second right) of Titanic Belfast presents the second Tourism Hospitality Project of the Year Award to Derry/Londonderry City of Culture. Receiving the award is Deputy Mayor of Derry, Gary Middleton and Aine Gallagher, City of Culture 2013.

Nigel Gray, Henderson Retail, collects a highly commended award on behalf of the company in the Retailer of the Year category from sponsor Elaine Carr, head of Commercial Operations at RSA Northern Ireland.

Siobhan Matthewson, Ruth Matthewson, Ciara Donnelly & Brenda Buckley of Business Eye, Ciara Donnelly, Debbie Wilson.

Claire Dickson (Business Eye) with Sarah Weir (JPR) and Andrea Hayes (flybe)

Elaine Carr, Head of Commercial Operations at RSA Northern Ireland (category sponsor) presents the Retailer of the Year Award to Glen Cinnamon and Paul Gibson of Lidl Northern Ireland.

Mark Thompson (centre) of category sponsors A & L Goodbody presents the Deal of the Year Award to Frank Daly, NAMA Chairman (second left) and Ronnie Hanna (second right) Head of Asset Recovery.

Stuart Dobson (centre) and Daniel Gromola (second right) from Elmgrove Foods collect a highly commended award in the International category from Invest NI’s Director of Skills & Strategy Solutions, Niall Casey (category sponsors).

Also pictured are Brenda Buckley (left) and Andrea Hayes (right).

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Mark Regan collects a highly commended award in the Employer of the Year category on behalf of the 3fivetwo Group from Richard Huntingford, Chairman of UTV Media PLC (category sponsors).

Harry Parkinson, Close Commercial Finance with Ian Roddy Peter Shaw and Uel Butler of DFC.

Tropical Storm entertain the crowd.

Helen Brady, Adrian Farrell, Sally Smith and James Coey.

Des Moore, Head of Customers and Distribution, First Trust Bank (category sponsors) presents a highly commended award in the SME of the Year category to Diane Woodside, Judith Totten and Kelley Toner of Keys Finance.

Stuart Dobson (centre) and Jack Dobson (second right) collect the SME of the Year Award from Des Moore of First Trust Bank (category sponsor). Also pictured are Andrea Hayes of Flybe (left) and Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director of Business Eye (right).

James Blair of Heavenly Tasty Organics receives a highly commended award in the Agri-Food Innovation category from Steven Murphy, Buying Manager for category sponsors Tesco. Also pictured are Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director, Business Eye (right) and Andrea Hayes, General Manager Market Development,Flybe (left).

Steven Murphy (left) from category sponsor Tesco, presents the Agri-Food Innovation Award to Gerry Maguire Managing Director of Linden Foods. Also pictured are Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director, Business Eye (right) and Andrea Hayes, General Manager Market Development, Flybe (second right).

The Stuart Suite.

Mark Regan, 3fivetwo Group, receives a highly commended award in the Business Personality of the Year category from Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing of overall sponsor Flybe.

Eleanor McEvoy (centre), CEO of Budget Energy receives the Business Personality of the Year Award from Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing of overall sponsor Flybe. Also pictured are Andrea Hayes, Flybe (left) and Brenda Buckley, of Business Eye (right).

Orla McKibbin, Head of Communications, UTV & Michael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV Television with Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing, Flybe and Richard Buckley, editor of Business Eye.

Lidl Northern Ireland: Paul McKee, Johnny Strain, Dermot McGirr and Michael Sweeney

Cathal Geoghegan, Managing Director of Mount Charles Group (centre) receives a highly commended award in the Company of the Year from category from Derek Quinn, Commercial Insurance Director of category sponsor Hughes Insurance (second right).

Jarek Zasadzinski, CEO of Greiner Packaging receives the highly coveted Young Business Personality award from Ken McKervey, Commercial Manager of category sponsor Electric Ireland. Also pictured are Andrea Hayes, Flybe (left) and Brenda Buckley, Business Eye (right).

Kevin Scruby (centre) and Michael Breen (second right) of Firstsource Solutions collect the Employer of the Year Award from Richard Huntingford, Chairman of UTV Media PLC (category sponsor). Also pictured are Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director, Business Eye (right) and Andrea Hayes, General Manager Market Development, Flybe (left).

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Damian Hughes, Managing Director of category sponsor Fleet Financial (centre left) presents the Fleet Funder of the Year Award to James Dempster and Garry McCracken of NIIB. Also pictured are flybe cabin crew members Kara Doherty and Victoria Montgomery.

Alan Taylor (Arthur Cox) and Helen Taylor.

Peter Gordon, Charles Hurst Group, Nicky Larkin, LK Communications, Claire Dickson, Business Eye & Mike Todd, Down Royal.

Clare Campbell and Veronica Doherty of the City Hotel, Derry receive the Waste Reduction Project of the Year Award from sponsor Dr Ian Garner, Rethink Waste/ WRAP.

Jarek Zasadzinski, CEO of Greiner Packaging (second right) and David Kirkland (second left) receives the Green Company of the Year from Andrea Hayes, General Manager for Market Development, Flybe.

Dominic Walsh with Dame Mary Peters, Patron of World Police & Fire Games 2013.

Contestants in the Higher or Lower charity game.

Colin Higgins, Judith McGowan, Paul McKee and Jonathan Strain

Denise Falls (centre) and Anne Phillipson (centre left) from WJ Clinton Leadership Institute receive the Business Education Award from Brenda Buckley on behalf of category sponsor Design Co.

Ruth Devlin, Nial McCool, Angela Given and William Waugh

Nigel Robbins, Group Commercial Director, Alison Fleming, Presenter and Johnny Carroll, HR Manager, UTV.

Siobhan Grant of the Cloth Nappy Library collects a highly commended award in the Waste Reduction Project of the Year category from sponsor Dr Ian Garner, Rethink Waste/ WRAP.

Andrea Hayes, General Manager for Market Development, Flybe presents a highly commended award in the Green Company of the Year Award to Glen Cinnamon and Johnny Strain of Lidl Northern Ireland.

Mike Todd, Down Royal, Ruth Matthewson, Richard Buckley, Business Eye, Michael Wilson, UTV, Adrienne McGill, Ambition.

Mandy Patrick, Sarah Weir, Andrea Hayes and Naomi Long.

Ken McKervey, Commercial Manager of category sponsor Electric Ireland presents a highly commended certificate in the Young Business Personality of the Year category to Orlagh McGahan, OMG Software. Also pictured are Andrea Hayes, Flybe (left) and Brenda Buckley, Business Eye (right).

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John Keane of category sponsors Ardmore Advertising (centre right) presents the Best Digital/Online Company Award to Peter Gordon of Charles Hurst Group. Also pictured are flybe cabin crew members Kara Doherty and Victoria Montgomery.

Ciaran McCallion, Patricia Rodgers and Liam Kane.

Fionnaula and Martin McLaughlin, with Shane and Leanne Kerlin.

Imelda Aitken (centre left) and Mary McCall (centre right) receive a highly commended certificate for Treat Ticket in the Best Digital/Online Company category from sponsor John Keane of Ardmore Advertising (centre).

Two of the Les Miserables performers from London’s West End.

Johnny Foster, Maria Loan, Chris Neil and Stephen Cross.

Rakeesh Sharma, Linda Lynn, Ken Harrower and Eileen Magil.

Ciara Donnelly, Business Eye, Ruth Matthewson & Brenda Buckley, Business Eye.

EMPLOYERS: HELP

BUILD A BETTER

FOUNDATION

FOR YOUR BUSINESS FOUNDATION DEGREES are higher education courses that combine academic and work-based learning. They are delivered in local colleges and are available in a wide range of subjects.

Employers are fully involved in the design, development and delivery of the courses. This means FOUNDATION DEGREE students graduate with a very specialised set of skills designed to meet the specific needs of employers in a particular sector.

To find out how FOUNDATION DEGREES can strengthen your workforce and business VISIT nidirect.gov.uk/foundation OR CALL 0300 200 7825* *Standard call charges apply

Celebrate Christmas at Hastings Hotels At Hastings Hotels, Christmas remains one of the most magical times of the year.

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Eye on Internet

Embracing The Power Of The Default

By Gareth Dunlop, Fathom.

Across European countries there exists an enormous disparity in the percentage of people who donate organs when they die. The deviation is so great that in virtually all countries either more than 85% of citizens donate, or fewer than 28% donate. In just a small handful of countries is the number of citizens donating between 28% and 86%.

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o which counties have the highest donation rates and what cultural, political or social elements do they have in common? Perhaps they are all socialist countries with left-ish political leanings? Or maybe it is the progressive democracies of the Scandinavian countries who are top of the pile? Possibly the focus, precision and scientific thinking by which we have come to associate the Germans pushes them higher?

The answer is none of the above.

What the 86%+ countries have in common is that each citizen is opted in to organ donation at birth and if they don’t wish to donate they need to proactively opt out. Unsurprisingly therefore, the 28%- countries have opted-out citizens who need to proactively opt-in.

Top of the pile are Austria, France, Hungary, Poland and Portugal (100% of citizens opted in) with Denmark, Germany and UK bringing up the rear (on 4%, 12% and 17% respectively). Thus across a broad range of political, social, cultural and ethical environments the default position is the single largest influencing factor on the likelihood of an individual citizen to donate an organ.

Time and space preclude me elucidating further however the annals of social and behavioral psychology are replete with legion experiments outlining the impact of the default, the status quo and the group on individual decision-making.

This has a fundamentally important ramification for the design of persuasive user experiences. There may be no

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greater online crime than losing a sale after a user has emotionally decided to purchase an item, however there is no worse reason to lose the sale in that circumstance than not making the default clear to the user.

We carry out around a hundred user tests and dozens of conversion-rateoptimsiation projects each year, often focused around buying selection and check-out psychology, and the vast majority of conversion-killers are to do with not making the default obvious enough. In particular, inconveniencing the majority with minority exceptions drives users mad and just as importantly drives them anywhere but the finish line.

There is a range of techniques by which the user-experience architect infers the default choice. It can be easy not to implement these techniques on our own websites because we miss them on other websites, and we miss them on other websites because they are the default, and thus as users we barely notice them (which of course is the entire point). However we need to notice them, value them and implement them.

Don’t put a register button anywhere unless the user has specifically asked to register. The user may be asked to “continue”, “next step”, “advance”, “go forward”, but must not be asked to register if they just want to buy.

The most important call to action must always be the clearest item on the page.

Apply the blur test; look at your screen and focus your eyes into the distance,

the only thing you should still be able to see on the screen is the default action.

Give your user all of the visual cues and clues they require to help them understand the default. Use good colours, simple layouts, clear forms and logical relative font sizes, to help them understand what is primary and what is secondary.

The reason that information architecture and content strategy are now a constituent part of the design process is because they inform colours, fonts, layouts and calls to action. These must be founded on the task-requirements of your users and once these are established, they must not be compromised for the myriad exceptions which will undoubtedly crop up.

Set good defaults and at all costs avoid making your user have to think.

Gareth Dunlop owns and runs Fathom, a user-experience consultancy which helps ambitious organisations get the most from their website and internet marketing by viewing the world from the perspective of their customers.

Specialist areas include user-testing, usability and customer journey planning, web accessibility and integrated online marketing. Clients include Fáilte Ireland, Telefonica, Invest NI, Ogilvy, and Savile Row. Visit Fathom online at fathom.pro.

Eye on Property

Prime Yields Hardening

Gavin Elliott, CBRE Capital Markets, Belfast

Deals in the pipeline are poised to bring in prime investment yields in Northern Ireland, writes Gavin Elliott, CBRE Capital Markets, Belfast.

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ressure on prime investment yields was beginning to build during the first half of 2013 but it was only in Q3 2013 that the hardening of yields became an oddson certainty due to a stream of prime investments being brought to the market. Although these investments represent a broad range of sectors including supermarkets, retail warehousing, offices and leisure spread geographically throughout Northern Ireland, they do however have one strong similarity, all are institutional grade investments. The criteria for institutional grade is an investment let

Ulster Bank HQ, Donegall Square East

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to a strong covenant on full repairing and insuring terms with a lease length over 10 years term certain of sizable capital value generally in the region of £10 million plus.

Although the majority of these deals have not yet completed at the time of writing the sheer weight of interest and strength of bids from GB institutions, international funds and local investors mark a turning point in the Northern Ireland investment market. The demand for prime investments illustrates at first-hand a positive increase in market sentiment across the investor spectrum. Investor sentiment is often talked about but difficult to quantify, however it is critical to any market recovery.

CBRE Research has recently released the September 2013 yield matrix which highlights the improvement in market sentiment with investment yields within every sector trending stable or stronger apart from secondary shopping centres. At the prime end of the market investment yields have generally tightened by 25 basis points and we believe in the upcoming months that a number of sectors that are still trending stable will begin to strengthen. This will reduce the discount investors to NI have benefited from when acquiring prime assets over the past number of years, relative to provincial GB. With prime yields hardening what will be the effect on the secondary market? The gap between prime and secondary investment yields are at record levels, the widest recorded in the Northern Irish market. As prime has strengthened many investors will be asking themselves whether it is time to invest in best secondary investment stock at yields offering very attractive double digit returns. We believe it does, however stock selection will remain key, with factors such as occupational demand, geographical location, rental analysis and build quality all playing an important factor in stock selection.

The outlook for secondary yields will however remain challenging. With the continuing trickle of administrations and occupiers continuing to question the merits of trading from secondary locations, investor confidence is being constantly undermined. Further

Tesco Newry

Sector

May-13

Sept-13

Trend

Prime

6.75%

6.50%

Stronger

Secondary

10.00%

10.25%

Stable

Prime

7.50%

7.25%

Stronger

Secondary

10.25%

10.75%

Weaker

Solus – Prime

7.00%

7.00%

Stable

Park - Prime

6.75%

6.75%

Stable

Secondary

10.50%

11.00%

Stable

5.00%

4.75%

Stronger

Prime CBD

7.75%

7.25%

Stronger

Secondary

11.00%

11.00%

Stronger

Prime Major Provincial

11.75%

12.00%

Stable

Prime Distribution

8.00%

8.00%

Stable

Prime Estate

9.00%

9.00%

Stable

HIGH STREET SHOPS

SHOPPING CENTRES

RETAIL WAREHOUSES

SUPERMARKETS Prime OFFICES

INDUSTRIAL

pressure on rental tones and growth looks likely. Hence, the wide yield gap.

The market will correct in time, when performance differentials become clearer, but – at the moment – the market remains cautious of poorer secondary stock. It is likely that secondary yields will move inwards during 2014 as the prime end of the market continues to strengthen.

In all of this, the bottom line is returns. The great thing about property is that, carefully selected,

it still delivers reasonably stable income flows, at a time when even achieving inflation beating returns is difficult in many investment markets.

For further information on CBRE’s full range of Commercial Property Services, please visit our website at: www.cbre.co.uk/ni or contact Gavin Elliott at 028 9043 8555 / gavin.elliott@cbre.com

Eye on Fleet Motoring

Business Eye Launches Fleet Show For 2014

Fleet Magazine I

Business Eye has announced details of the inaugural Business Eye Fleet Show and Awards to take place on Thursday 27th March 2014 at the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor.

t is the first event of its kind to be organised specifically for the valuable fleet vehicle marketplace here in Northern Ireland.

The event will start with a Discussion Forum between 10.00 am and 12 noon on the day where delagates will be updated on current fleet market conditions and on the key issues and challenges facing the business car and van marketplace.

A Motor Show will run concurrently with the forum from 10.00 am until 4.30pm.

The Show offers the opportunity for attendees to meet with vehicle company and other fleet industry representatives on a series of stands. Vehicle manufacturers and local dealers will also have a variety of vehicles available for test drive on the roads of North Down.

The event will culminate with a glittering awards ceremony which will

celebrate the achievements of the fleet industry and recognise innovation, outstanding service and efficiency.

The Fleet Industry Awards will be judged by an independent panel drawn from the business and motor trade community in Northern Ireland.

Look out for the next edition of Business Eye Fleet magazine where the sponsors will be announced along with the programme for the forum.

Fleet Magazine For more information regarding this prestigious event please contact the Business Eye team on 028 9047 4490

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Eye on Law

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Eye on Law

INSOLVENCY FOCUS FOR JOHN McKEE LAWYERS A trio of lawyers from Belfast firm John McKee & Son has taken the unusual step of successfully completing the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency, a professional qualification more usually associated with accountants.

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t’s a clear sign that business restructures are playing an important role in the lives of business law firms, and will continue to do so well after recovery has set in.

“We are a banking and finance law firm,” says John McKee & Son Partner Avril McCammon. “So, for us insolvency has been an integral part of what we do for some time.

We decided to take the simple step of making sure that our specialist lawyers are fully qualified to provide a high quality service to existing and new clients. It helps to give us a USP as a business law firm.”

Two solicitors from the firm’s banking, restructuring and insolvency team and one solicitor from the banking litigation team have successfully completed the six month qualification by distance learning. They are Alison Reid, who has been with John McKee & Son for ten years, Jill Annett (six years) and Philip McBride (nine years).

“It was months of very hard work and included a tough exam at the end of it,” says Alison.

“And it’s not easy to get back to the discipline of studying and exams quite a few years after leaving all of that behind...!”

The three lawyers work closely with Avril McCammon, who heads up the banking, restructuring and insolvency team and Chris Ross who leads the banking litigation team, and together they handle

a wide range of insolvency issues on behalf of John McKee & Son’s business clients, as well as for the local banks and financial institutions for whom the firm acts.

“Very few solicitors have gone down the route of this specialist qualification in insolvency, but it’s one that we feel equips us very well to be able to understand all of the issues, and most importantly the potential courses of action open to clients we are advising,” adds Philip, who explains that the qualification covers both personal and corporate insolvencies including CVAs, Administrations and IVAs. “What is important for business people and individuals is that they come to us for help and advice at the earliest possible stage....when there are options open to them and different possible courses of action,” adds Jill. “And that applies to limited companies, partnerships and sole traders in all areas of their business.”

“It is a huge advantage for us to have three lawyers with a specialist knowledge of the whole area of insolvency,” says Chris. “It is a highly technical area and one that requires in-depth training.”

The three John McKee & Son solicitors work in partnership with other professionals, including accountants, property agents and local insolvency practitioners to provide professional and practical solutions to clients.

The 50-strong Belfast-based

law firm has a strong bias towards business clients and the banking and finance sector in particular.

Thus, insolvency specialisation is a good fit for the wider business and its lawyers, and sits well with the firm’s vision for the future.

“We have to be able to understand the problems and challenges faced by our clients,” says Alison. “The

“ Very few solicitors have gone down the route of this specialist qualification in insolvency, but it’s one that we feel equips us very well to be able to understand all of the issues, and most importantly the potential courses of action open to clients we are advising.” whole area of business recovery and re-structuring is very much a part of the wider picture, especially in these challenging economic times.”

Brian Murphy of BDO, President of R3 in Northern Ireland comments “There is no doubt that there are continued challenges in the marketplace, and it is critical that our profession maintains a high level of service to businesses which are facing difficult financial situations. The CPI qualification is an excellent way of demonstrating this high standard. It will certainly prove beneficial to both those who have obtained it and their clients.”

Alison, Philip and Jill form part of a dynamic team of 15 lawyers within John McKee & Son specialising in banking, restructuring and insolvency work for local banks and financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, accountancy firms and business clients.

“Our team has a wealth of experience and the insolvency qualification gained by three of our lawyers simply adds to the spectrum of experience and knowhow that we can bring to our clients across the board,” says Chris.

“Our simple message to business and private clients out there is to call on our team, if they want specialist, practical advice on business recovery, restructuring or insolvency.”

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Eye on News

Expand Or Exit – The Right Time To Sell There comes a point in every business owner’s career when he or she will wonder, “should I grow my business, or is this a good time to sell?” Alan Branagh, BCMS Corporate business manager in Northern Ireland and Ireland, comments: “There is no perfect time to ‘pack up shop’, but my experience over the years has shown that there are a number of factors which influence why and when people opt to move on.”

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hese factors include a change in lifestyle, such as retirement or a move overseas. Sometimes, owners are serial entrepreneurs, who wish to leave one innovative business in order to start up another. It is often difficult to let go of a company whose development and expansion you have overseen, potentially over the course of many years.

However, business owners who do not prepare effectively for the sale of their business seldom receive the maximum value when they approach the market.

“Selling in tough economic times may seem counter-intuitive,” says Alan. “But the reality I have found is that for long-term investors, the short-term effects of the peaks and troughs in the economy rarely influence their decision and the value that they put on a company.”

He advises patience, however, as today’s buyers are often more cautious about acquiring companies, and due diligence, the legal process that underpins the sale of every business, is consequently more intensive.

BCMS are market leaders in the sale of privately owned companies,

and specialise in assisting company owners with exit strategies that can result in the ultimate growth of a business. They offer free seminars for those looking to expand or sell their business. Over 2,000 business owners attend a BCMS seminar each year and benefit from their dedicated team and the support they can offer.

If you fall into the category of considering growth or exit strategies, then BCMS’s confidential, free seminars should be able to provide useful information which could help you to make this difficult decision.

To find out more, visit www.bcmscorporate.com for a full list of free, confidential seminars.

Alternatively, you can contact Alan Branagh directly on 02890823656; BCMS offices in NI are located at Midtown Business Centre, 25 Talbot St, Belfast, BT1 2LD.

Queen’s Team Takes Top Honours at 25k Awards A

Lorraine Martin of ProAx-Sis, Queen’s University Belfast (right) pictured with Julie-Ann O’Hare of main sponsor Bank of Ireland after being named the overall winner at the NISP CONNECT 25k Awards 2013. ProAx-Sis also won the Bio Tech Award, sponsored by Warner Chilcott.

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Queen’s University Belfast team which is developing a range of novel medical diagnostic tests is the overall winner of the 25k Awards 2013, sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

These prestigious annual awards are made under the NISP CONNECT entrepreneurship programme, which is based at the Northern Ireland Science Park in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.

The tests being developed by ProAx-SiS will enable routine monitoring of patients with chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis, either within the clinic or at home.

To do so, ProAx-SiS has developed small molecule, peptide-based inhibitors (Protease-Tags), which serve both as a means to trap

active proteases and to provide a visual readout of their presence in biological samples, with applications to protease biomarker identification.

Category winners in the Bank of Ireland UK sponsored 25k Awards, were: • Bio Tech: ProAx-SiS, QUB, sponsored by Warner Chilcott.

• Clean Tech: ADFerTech, QUB, sponsored by Dow. • Software & Digital Media: Liopa, QUB, sponsored by Intel.

• Hi-Tech: Eye-C-3D, UU, sponsored by IBM. The awards, were presented last night at a packed VIP gala ceremony in the iconic Titanic Belfast building, next to Northern Ireland Science

Park in the city’s Titanic Quarter.

Steve Orr, Director of NISP CONNECT, said: “Congratulations to ProAx-SiS for an innovation which shows great commercial potential - this is an exciting time for the team, and for all the category winners and finalists.

“The £25k Awards offer a showcase for regional research talent to display world-class innovations, as well as providing a valuable training and development process as they move beyond the initial stages of business development.

“NISP CONNECT programmes are designed to inspire, encourage and nurture local technology entrepreneurs during conception, growth and improvement stages, and to continue that process to help them reach their goals.”

Eye on Investment

In Search of Eastern Promise

By Michael Graham, Director of Corporate Real Estate, Titanic Quarter Ltd

T

he much heralded arrival of China as an economic superpower is something you can’t ignore in the business press. That’s due to the fact that everything to do with China is quite simply immense, not least its population which is now 1.351 billion. To paraphrase the American comedian A. Whitney Brown, China is so big that even if you’re a onein-a-million type guy, in China there would be 1,351 people just like you!

Other statistics are similarly mesmerising. In 2012 Chinese GDP stood at US $8.227 trillion, its landmass is 9.7m km² and its borders include 160 individual cities with more than one million citizens. There are 85 Chinese firms in Fortune magazine’s Global 500 and it is the world’s largest ICT market with 1 billion mobile phone users and 600m Internet users.

I’ve recently had the opportunity to witness this economic behemoth as part of a delegation from Titanic Quarter taking part in two of Asia’s

70

largest tourism events in Chengdu (Sichuan province) and the former Portuguese colony of Macau. As with everything else, the tourism statistics are similarly impressive.

The number of Chinese visiting overseas has grown rapidly in recent years from just 10 million in 2000 to 83 million in 2012. Rapid urbanization and an emerging middle class have already made Chinese travellers the world’s highest spending. The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has also forecast that the number of outbound Chinese tourists may exceed 400 million by 2018.

Given that the Chinese have a well-documented fascination with all things Titanic and that the average Chinese visitor spends over £1,600 per trip, that’s a market with Belfast and Northern Ireland need to start tapping into. The average spend for other overseas visitors is just £630.

During September Titanic Quarter attended the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) Travel Mart in Chengdu, which attracted over 1,000 buyers and sellers from

the Chinese tourism industry, and the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) in Macau, which was attended by a ‘Who’s Who’ of Asia’s highly lucrative hotel, leisure and travel industries.

Apart from making some very good contacts and paving the way for a number of fact-finding trips by potential investors to Belfast, I was struck by how much work there is to do. Partly because of the sheer scale of the opportunity, but also the understandable lack of knowledge the Chinese market has about Northern Ireland (and that includes one Chinese-born travel operator who took some persuasion that RMS Titanic was a real ship and not a Holywood-generated myth, despite having studied in the US).

What would change things over night would be a direct airlink between Northern Ireland and China – something which the CEO of PATA, Martin Craigs (originally from Belfast) doesn’t think is as far-fetched as you might think. Overcrowding in Heathrow and the pull of Titanic might just make it happen.

Titanic Belfast attracted over 800,000 visitors in its first year and already welcomes weekly tours organised by the UK’s largest Chinese tour operator – we are though, just scratching the surface.

In New Zealand, for instance, Chinese tourists are now the biggest inbound group of visitors – and, if your geography of the Pacific is as hazy as mine, Beijing is actually over 1,000 miles closer to Belfast than it is to Auckland.

At present though the single biggest impediment to driving Chinese visitors to the UK and Northern Ireland in particular, is the UK’s visa system. At present Chinese visitors can access 26 nations across Europe on a single visa as part of the Schengen Agreement. If, however, they want to visit the UK they are currently required to apply for a separate British visa which is time consuming and expensive.

A campaign group, the UK China Visa Alliance, estimates that France receives eight times more Chinese visitors than the UK. If the UK could attract similar numbers they calculate that Chinese spend would jump from just £184m annually to £1.2 billion, creating a further 24,000 jobs in the process. While the Home Office has offered to streamline the UK system, perhaps there’s a role for the Executive to add its voice in support of a more China-friendly approach?

Over the long-term Northern Ireland also needs to examine how to boost our skills in Mandarin and start building business links with the Chinese dragon. Just as in the fairy tales, where there’s a dragon, there’s sure to be a treasure trove nearby.

David Gavaghan, CEO, Titanic Quarter, Martin Craigs, CEO, PATA, and Michael Graham, Titanic Quarter’s Director of Corporate Real Estate recently attended two of Asia’s largest tourism events in Chengdu and Macau to help raise Northern Ireland’s profile.

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Eye on Commercial Insurance

ACCELERATED GROWTH

The Commercial Insurance division at Hughes Insurance is delivering 30% year on year growth, and is quickly becoming one of the best known commercial brokerages in Northern Ireland. Business EYE speaks to Derek Quinn, Commercial Insurance Director at Hughes Insurance, to find out more.

T

he Hughes Insurance commercial division is the fastest growing commercial insurance business in Northern Ireland. We put it to Derek that he must be pleased with the progress his team is making: “Pleased to be keeping pace with the personal lines business,” was his succinct response.

Overall the company generates upwards of £70 million in insurance premiums per annum and has over 147,000 customers across its insurance portfolio. Derek’s division makes a

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significant contribution to the bottom line at Hughes Insurance, and will continue to do so – even though the brand is predominantly known for its car and home insurance personal lines products.

According to Derek this works in his favour: “Business customers recognise the brand and know us as a local broker who delivers on both value and expertise. It’s the perfect platform for the commercial division team to get into dialogue with our customers.”

There are many synergies with the personal lines business in terms of the brokerage offering and the commitment to delivering the best available products at the best price. The difference is that Derek believes that establishing personal relationships with commercial customers is essential: “While many personal lines customers are happy to conduct their business over the phone, we work very hard to strike up a personal relationship with our clients. Each customer has

a relationship manager whose role is to understand the unique nature of their business so we can support their needs. This comes from establishing a platform for ongoing dialogue with our customer and understanding their business – the vast majority of which are small or medium sized enterprises.”

Looking at the commercial landscape in Northern Ireland, it is easy to see why Derek and his team specialise in supporting the SME sector: “Small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of the private sector economy in Northern Ireland. There are some 60,000 of these businesses in this market and they all need a bespoke commercial insurance package. We specialise in supporting their requirements and delivering the best possible solution for them – it’s why we continue to grow throughout Northern Ireland.”

The commercial division is based at the company’s headquarters in North Down - in fact the commercial team’s

Eye on Commercial Insurance

success is one of the main reasons why the existing premises doubled in size in 2011. Geographically however the growth is being delivered throughout Northern Ireland: “We have always recognised the potential in the North West,” advises Derek. “Now our Business Development Executives in the area are making a serious contribution to the figures. South Down and Mid Ulster are also providing opportunities, again through our locally situated Business Development Executive.”

Actually if you analyse the local commercial insurance market you can understand how a proactive and recogniseable brand name like Hughes Insurance is delivering growth. The market is dominated by the broker model – the majority of which are one shop independants. Derek argues that whilst these businesses can be successful, business owners need to ensure they are dealing with a commercial insurance broker who has the necessary ‘weight’ to deliver economies of scale.

“Few can match us for scale,” continues Derek: “We are the largest independent brokerage in Northern Ireland and offer our clientele local expertise. We advise them on the best products to suit their requirements – we then negotiate on their behalf with our insurance providers to secure the best price. It’s a simple philosophy but it works. We aim to provide effective cover that allows our customers

to concentrate on doing business in this market – safe in the knowledge that their insurance requirements are covered by the best available solution.”

For more information visit www.hughesinsurance.co.uk

Derek Quinn, Commercial Insurance Director Derek Quinn has been a board member for Hughes Insurance since 2005. He is a Chartered Insurance Broker and offers over 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry, working previously with Zurich.

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Eye on News

NORTH BELFAST COMMUNITY GROUP GIVES OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AFTER AIRPORT FUNDING A north Belfast cross-community arts organisation has been praised for its sterling drama performance, which was the culmination of a “Summer Arts Academy” sponsored by George Best Belfast City Airport’s Community Fund.

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ew Lodge Arts held its week-long academy of dance, drama, visual arts and music for over sixty young people aged between 8-18 after receiving substantial funding from the airport.

The project, based in New Lodge Youth Centre, was open to young people from across north Belfast, including Greater New Lodge, Ardoyne, Ballysillan, Mount Vernon, Westland, Whitewell and Tigers Bay. Head of Arts and Youth Development at New Lodge

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Arts, Katrina Newell, said: “Our very first Summer Arts Academy was a fantastic success which culminated in a brilliant performance of Sleeping Beauty.

“The Academy was a fantastic example of young people from both sides of the community coming together and working hard to learn new skills whilst having fun and developing relationships with new people.

“The programme was led by a professional team of artists and, as well as performing, those who took part in the Academy were also involved in stage management, prop making and costume design, so it was real hands-on experience.

“We’re very grateful for the Airport for coming on board and providing us with the funding which made the week long Academy possible, as we couldn’t have done it without them.

“The feedback has been extremely

positive from friends, families, and even politicians, so we are all delighted and on a real high.”

The George Best Belfast City Airport Community Fund, which sees the airport fine airlines for operating late flights, has provided funding to more than 60 community groups, charities, schools and projects.

Michelle Hatfield, Director of HR and Corporate Responsibility at Belfast City Airport said: “We are delighted to see financial support from the Community Fund go to a project which inspires and encourages young people from both sides of community.

“I was fortunate enough to attend the final dress rehearsal and see the groups bring everything they had learnt together ahead of their performance. It was great to see the kids working together and their dedication and enthusiasm towards the arts.

“The aim of the Community

Fund is to support the local community and inspire young people. This project was, therefore, a perfect candidate for support.

“Not only did it open up the world of arts to young people, but provided them with the opportunity to express their sense of pride and develop their self-esteem whilst building cross community relationships.”

For more information on New Lodge Arts, visit www.newlodgearts.com To find out how your community group can benefit from the Belfast City Airport Community fund, contact communityfund@ belfastcityairport.com The airport can also be contacted by Facebook and Twitter - @BelfastCity_Air

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Eye on News

SOS Bus NI Appeals for Thrill Seekers for Europa Abseil S

SOS Bus NI is calling on members of the public to sign up to a thrill seeking experience, by taking part in the charity’s abseil down the Europa Hotel, Belfast on Sunday, 22nd September.

OS Bus NI, which provides support for distressed and vulnerable people across Northern Ireland, is calling on groups of friends, corporate organisations and community initiatives to get on board for this fun and exciting experience, scaling one of Belfast’s most iconic buildings.

Registration is only £20 per person and to help fund the charity and its work across Northern Ireland, SOS Bus NI is also asking each individual to try their best to raise a minimum of £80. To enable them to continue to provide their Core Services every Friday and Saturday night, SOS Bus NI needs to raise £280,000 each year.

Gillian Thomson, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at SOS Bus NI said: “We are really looking forward to our Europa abseil. It is a great opportunity for people to get an adrenalin rush whilst raising much needed funds and supporting SOS Bus NI. For every £80 raised,

SOS Bus NI can provide 550 vulnerable people on the streets of Belfast with a cup of hot soup, or eight homeless people with a warm, dry sleeping bag.”

Over the last five years, the SOS Bus has provided a vital community resource, helping vulnerable people across Northern Ireland who have overindulged in alcohol or drugs; have been victims of violence; are homeless or are in emotional distress. Moving forward, we have ambitious plans to increase the scope of our operation and to further engage with young people. Funds raised from this event will help us with the charity’s future development plans and their efforts to make SOS Bus a continued source of support to those who need it most.

The work carried out by SOS Bus NI has been applauded by Belfast City Council and the PSNI for the positive impact it is having on the streets of Belfast. The charity’s distinctive yellow bendy buses, which can

be seen at Shaftsbury Square as well as outside the Odyssey Complex, take pressure off the city’s overstretched A&E departments and emergency services by providing on the spot help and care to those in need. SOS Bus NI works closely with other voluntary organisations, emergency services and statutory bodies to create a safer city every weekend when thousands of revellers descend upon the city.

Since starting in 2007, SOS Bus NI has engaged with over 200,000 people, whilst in-depth caring and medical support has been provided to over 4,500 individuals and their services have been proven to have saved 13 lives.

To register or for further information about the Europa Abseil, please contact Gillian Thomson on 028 9066 4505 or gillian.thomson@sosbusni. com. To find out more about SOS Bus NI and its work, please visit www.sosbusni.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter (SOS Bus NI).

TYRE FIRM IN £1 MILLION EXPANSION

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Pictured (L-R) Conor Byrne, Jimmy Byrne, Larry Murphy from First Trust Bank and Rory Byrne

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orthern Ireland’s largest independent tyre retailer, Modern Tyres, has announced the expansion of its operations following an investment of £1million with the support of First Trust Bank.

The investment has seen the family owned company expand its operations to 40 sites, with the purchase of 11 outlets from the Republic of Ireland based Hanover Group which was in administration, a move which has resulted in saving 30 jobs. This latest acquisition follows the purchase of three ATS outlets on Boucher Rd, Belfast, Castlereagh Rd, Belfast, and Moira Rd, Lisburn at the end of last year.

Started by Jimmy Byrne in Enniskillen in 1965 the company is still family owned and run today with assistance of four sons and a daughter, all performing different roles in the business.

Today, Modern Tyres employs 200 staff and is still focused on further

growth and development. As well as the extensive network of retail centres in Northern Ireland, it also owns D26 Tires a tyre wholesale company, now making it the largest independent tyre retail / wholesale company in Ireland.

The company prides itself on offering an unrivalled level of customer service through the retail, fleet and wholesale divisions, offering the widest selection of tyres from the leading manufactures as well as batteries and exhausts.

Speaking about the latest investment, Jimmy Byrne said: “We have always been an ambitious organisation and have strengthened our offering over the years, seeking the right opportunities to expand and widen our reach. Having grown successfully across Northern Ireland with Modern Tyres, we had set our sights on establishing a foothold in the Republic of Ireland through our sister company D26 Tires and the

Hanover acquisition was the perfect fit enabling us to have a retail presence in 11 key locations. Throughout this time, we have enjoyed a strong working relationship with First Trust Bank and are delighted that they have been able to support us at various stages along the road.”

Larry Murphy, Manager, First Trust Bank said: “First Trust Bank has worked with Modern Tyre Service for over 50 years and we have always been impressed by the company’s professional approach and clear business acumen. Throughout that time the Byrne Family has consistently demonstrated strong strategic vision matched by a focus on superior customer service and ongoing modernisation and investment. We believe this latest investment represents the next significant chapter in the company’s history and we are delighted to be able to support them once again.”

Eye on News

Donnelly Group Named UK’s Number 1 Sales Dealer For Fiat Group The Donnelly Group’s Mallusk showroom ihas been awarded the coveted status of Number 1 UK Sales dealer by manufacturing giant Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) in August.

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he showroom, located on Mallusk Way in Newtownabbey, recorded the highest volume of sales for both Fiat and Alfa Romeo, as well as for the overall Fiat Group, across the whole of the United Kingdom last month.

It comes as FGA, which

incorporates Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Abarth, marks its second anniversary at the Group’s popular Mallusk site.

Sales Director at the Donnelly Group in Mallusk, Eddie Black, said this recent title is testament to the excellent customer service of all the staff who develop strong relationships with their loyal customers: “To be recognised as the dealer that recorded the highest volume of sales of any Fiat Group showroom in the whole of the UK is an unbelievable achievement.

“Manufacturers within the Group, such as Alfa Romeo and Fiat, are producing models such as the trendy Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo MiTo that

are popular across the country, so it’s incredible to think that the Mallusk showroom is outperforming dealerships in larger cities such as London, Manchester and Glasgow.

“It reflects the commitment and expertise of our staff here at Donnelly Mallusk, lead by Michael McCulloch in Fiat and Richard Sinton in Alfa Romeo. Our sales have increased steadily since opening two years ago and receiving this accolade is a fantastic way to celebrate our second birthday!”

As the official retailer of Fiat across Northern Ireland, the Donnelly Group has three additional Fiat showrooms across the province - Dungannon, Eglinton and Enniskillen.

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Eye on Moving On

1 Dominic Montague has joined Belfast Waterfront and The Ulster Hall as an Exhibition and Business Sales Executive. Dominic brings a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience grained from his previous role in the Lyric Theatre, which will help ensure the venues continued success.

1 Dominic Montague

2 Seamas Keating

3 Chris Davis

Seamas Keating has been appointed a new Associate Partner with FPM Chartered Accountants, the Award Winning Accountancy and Business Consultancy Practice with offices in Belfast, Newry, Dungannon and Dundalk. Seamas joined FPM in 2006 following his success in the Institute of Chartered Accountants exams and practical training in offices in Newry and Dublin.

Since jointing FPM he has graduated through the various roles of Manager, Senior Manager, Director and now to Associate Partner in the FPM Recovery and Restructuring Department.

Ulster Bank has announced two new appointments to its Executive Committee. Chris Davis has been appointed Chief Operating Officer, joining Ulster Bank from Royal Bank of Scotland where he served as Chief Operating Officer for the UK Corporate Banking Division and formerly as Director of Change Management for Corporate Banking & Financial Markets. Eddie Cullen has been appointed Managing Director of Corporate and Institutional Banking. Eddie joined Ulster Bank in 1993 and has worked in corporate and international banking in Ireland in addition to roles in Natwest/RBS subsidiaries in the UK.

4 Eddie Cullen

5 Judith Jones

6 Richard Charles

Judith Jones has been appointed Assistant Solicitor in the expanding Private Client Department at Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors.

Judith holds an LLB Law and Spanish (Joint Hons) from Queen’s University and in 2005 graduated from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies with a Distinction. Currently Judith is undertaking the STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (Northern Ireland), having achieved Distinctions in both the Administration of Estates and Administration of Trusts modules, having been placed first in the Trusts Module in 2012. Prior to joining Cleaver Fulton Rankin, Judith worked in a family practice in Belfast, managing the Private Client Department.

Richard Charles has been appointed Head of I.T. Services at Rainbow Communications, Northern Ireland’s largest independent business telecoms company. Richard has over 21 years’ experience within the I.T solutions industry, including system implementation and planning.

7 Roy McLean

8 Julie McNeilly

Roy McLean has been appointed Senior I.T. Consultant at Rainbow Communications, Northern Ireland’s largest independent business telecoms company. Richard has over 27 years’ experience in the I.T. industry selling to clients in the corporate, government, voluntary and SME sectors.

Julie McNeilly has been appointed Customer Relations Coordinator at Rainbow Communications, Northern Ireland’s largest independent business telecoms company.

Julie has worked as a telecoms sales support coordinator for over ten years.

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Eye on News

Merchant Named First AA Hotel Of The Year For NI The multi awardwinning Merchant Hotel, Belfast has been named the first AA Hotel of the Year for Northern Ireland at the prestigious national AA Hospitality Awards.

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eld at the London Hilton on Park Lane, London, the AA Awards recognise outstanding excellence in hospitality. The magnificent five-star hotel, situated in Belfast’s historical Cathedral Quarter, is now the city’s only AA five-star rated hotel.

Commenting on the award The Merchant Hotel General Manager, Gavin Carroll said, “We are thrilled and honoured to have won this prestigious

award from such a wellrespected organisation as the AA. It further demonstrates the leaps and bounds that Belfast has made in recent years, with the city currently enjoying a huge boom in tourism.

“We are proud of the role that The Merchant has played in the development of Belfast’s social scene and we will continue to strive for excellence, offering five-star service and facilities to visitors and residents alike.”

Attended by worldrenowned chefs, prominent hoteliers, hospitality gurus and key industry media, the AA Hospitality Awards are amongst the most prestigious national awards of their kind and draw on the unrivalled knowledge and expertise of the AA inspectorate and other industry professionals involved in the judging process.

Winners are selected in recognition of excellence and success within their chosen category, having shown a significant improvement in the preceding 12 – 18 months and proving their dedication to raising industry standards and enhancing both their guest and diner experiences.

The Merchant Hotel is owned by the Beannchor Group, which boasts a portfolio of over 50 pubs, hotels and restaurants across Northern Ireland. Earlier this month, the group opened the doors to its latest venture The National Grande Café in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast. A further venue, Patisserie Mimi, is set to open before the end of September in the neighbouring building on High Street, Belfast, with a third venue, also in the Cathedral Quarter, scheduled to open later this year.

ARDMORE WINS TAGGARTS & LOMOND AUDI Two of Scotland’s leading car dealerships – Lomond Audi Group and Taggarts Motor Group – have signed up Ardmore Advertising to deliver a new suite of advertising, design and media initiatives as part of a concerted marketing push for these established brands.

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rdmore Advertising already provides strategic advertising, marketing, media and design services to Charles Hurst Group in Northern Ireland. Charles Hurst, Lomond Audi and Taggarts are all part of Lookers plc, one of the biggest

car dealerships in the UK. Ardmore Advertising managing director John Keane said “Lomond Audi and Taggarts are two of the biggest and best-loved names in the car business in Scotland and we are thrilled to be engaged with an ambitious, focused team of individuals who really know what they want for the business.

“Ardmore is already embarked on a series of new projects and we look forward to delivering many more over the years to come.”

The award-winning Holywood, County Down-based agency has created major campaigns for clients including Stena Line, Visit Belfast, Subway and Translink.

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Life Style Sports Run in the Dark Goes Global on 13 November, 2013 80

Eye on Charity As darkness falls over the city in November and many people are settling down in front of the television, thousands will be pulling on their trainers and heading for the door.

People all over the world will gather again at 7:30 pm local time on Wednesday the 13th of November in the hope that they are part of something better for paralysed people like Mark Pollock and others.

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he brainchild of the Mark Pollock Trust, the Run in the Dark is now in its third year and is going seriously global in 2013 with 5km and 10 km fundraising running events set to be held across 6 continents. There are 5 official locations - Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London and Manchester and pop-up events in cities worldwide run by independent champions.

Those who are interested in taking part in this year’s event can register online at www.runinthedark.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/runinthedarkofficial or via Twitter on @theruninthedark.

Participants in last year’s event describe a living, breathing light show as 8,000 runners flowed like lava in parks and streets in their Run in the Dark red armbands. They also describe an enveloping sense of togetherness, of common purpose, of being part of Mark’s plan for paralysis no longer being a life sentence.

And this feeling was felt around the world as people ran into the night in Cork, Belfast, London, Sydney, Hongkong, Singapore, New York, San Francisco and many other cities.

Mark’s quest began when he fell from a second story window in 2010. He broke his back and the damage to his spinal cord left him paralysed. Sadly, this was not Mark’s first tragedy. 12 years earlier at the age of 22, he lost his sight. But, then he defied his blindness and went on to compete in ultra endurance races across deserts, mountains, and the polar ice caps. These challenges include a race to the South Pole, 6 marathons in 7 days in the Gobi Desert; and the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon.

He also won silver and bronze medals for rowing at the Commonwealth Games.

As the blind adventure athlete lay in hospital, blind and paralysed his supporters knew that even though he was struggling, he would meet this new challenge head on. To fund his ambition to walk again, they created the Mark Pollock Trust – www.markpollocktrust.org. Now, Mark is exploring frontiers again using his own body as a research subject, and using his public profile to initiate collaborations across the world.

Commenting on his mission, Mark says, “I believe that the cure for spinal cord injuries simply requires enough of the right

What does an Olympian, A Boxer and a former Miss World have in common? They are all supporting The Lifestyle Sports Run in the Dark 2013! Pictured at the Launch:- Mark Pollock, Natalya Coyle, Olympian who represented Ireland in the Modern Pentathlon in 2012, Darren O’Neill, Manager of the Irish Boxing Team and former Miss World Rosanna Davison.

people having the will to make it happen.

It is my mission to find and connect those people around the world to mainstream what is currently on the fringes.”

Piers White, Head of Fundraising for Mark Pollock Trust, says “ I believe in the power of entrepreneurship to solve big problems, I felt that bringing an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising was the best way to support Mark Pollock Trust’s mission. Our vision was to create a global running series to provide a sustainable source of funding.

And we are delighted to announce Life Style Sports as our new Run in the Dark partner to help us continue to make it happen.”

Mark Stafford, CEO of Life Style Sports said “Life Style Sports is all about inspiration, fearlessness and collaboration, which fits perfectly with Mark Pollock’s incredible response to his own personal challenges. We are extremely excited about the ambitious growth plans for the Life Style Sports Run in the Dark race over the next three years and, through our network of 64 stores, including our online store lifestylesports. com, we look forward to offering Run in the Dark participants the very best range of running apparel and footwear.”

Funded primarily by donations from the Run in the Dark global running community, Mark was the first person in the world to own and regularly walk in an Ekso Bionics robotic suit and he trains in this €150,000 piece of equipment on a daily basis.

Supported by his trainer, Simon O’Donnell, he is following an aggressive physical therapy programme in conjunction with innovative electrical stimulation sessions on his legs. However, Mark knows that finding a cure for catastrophic spinal cord injuries won’t happen in isolation. He says

“ I believe that the cure for spinal cord injuries simply requires enough of the right people having the will to make it happen. It is my mission to find and connect those people around the world to mainstream what is currently on the fringes.”

“Finding a cure for spinal cord injury is not a predictable problem. It is a human crisis and it requires collaboration across geographical, organisational and intellectual boundaries.

It will not be solved by individual heroes.

We need the glorious chaos of global collaborations and a fanatical, fantastical desire to solve the things the human brain can’t yet comprehend. So, I am working on collaborations with scientists, technologists and physiologists around the world.”

Through Mark’s role as a charity ambassador, the team at Life Style Sports Run in the Dark have joined forces with Wings for Life, the global spinal injury research charity, who will also benefit directly from entry fees alongside Mark Pollock Trust. In addition, Piers White says “As a small organisation we realise how much effort and time it takes to create a top class event. So, in the spirit of collaboration which is central to our work, alongside Mark Pollock Trust and Wings for Life we want as many charities as possible to use Life Style Sports Run in the Dark as a focus for their own fundraising.”

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

your one stop shop when kitting out your home Basil Knipe Electrics Ltd Basil Knipe’s is a family-run company based in Ballymoney, County Antrim with a proud reputation for providing excellent customer service and competitive prices.

You will find our large and spacious showroom a pleasure to browse through and our friendly and experienced staff are always on hand to offer advice and guidance.

We also offer a range of payment methods for your convenience including credit facilities and cater for wedding lists for your big day.

Basil Knipe’s really is your one stop shop when kitting out your home. From when you select the television, laptop or integrated appliance of your choice, we at Basil Knipe’s will deliver it to your door and if required install it too.

We have a strong customer base across the province and can deliver anywhere in Ireland. Our website features just some of the extensive range of goods we offer. Please call the shop or drop in to view the huge range of the following: Basil Knipe Electrics 41 Ballymena Road, Ballymoney Tel: 028 2764 9222 Fax: 028 9764 9223 Email: sales@basilknipe.com www.basilknipe.com Opening hours: 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday

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Computing

Desktop and laptop computers, tablets, printers, MP3 players and accessories

Audio Visual

TV’s, DVD and blue-ray players, HI-Fi systems, home cinema and set top boxes. The only independent retailer dealing direct with all the big 4 Television manufacturers: Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic.

Refrigeration

Freestanding integrated and American fridges, freezers and fridge freezers

Cooking

Electric and gas cookers, hobs hoods, microwave ovens and range cookers

Laundry

Integrated and free standing washing machines, washer dryers and tumble dryers

Fires / Stoves

Inset fires, Opti-myst stoves and solid fuel stoves And much more!!!!

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THE WORLD’S FIRST 84-INCH ULTRA HD TV

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It’s the next standard for TV resolution and is available to buy now.

Via 8.3 mega-pixel resolution, it delivers an utterly immersive experience that has four times the impact of full HD.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) display technology, gives a 178-degree viewing angle without colour distortion.

The 2.2ch speaker system produces a deep and immersive sound.

The Worlds First 84” ULTRA HD TV from LG, available to view at Basil Knipe Electrics, Ballymoney.

www.lg.com/uk/84ULTRAHD 83

Eye on Retail

Tasty Job for Country Girl Sandra Tesco is ahead of the pack when it comes to supplying the freshest Northern Ireland produce to its customers. BUSINESS EYE met with Sandra Weir, Tesco Fresh Food Buyer Manager, to find out how she sources the tastiest food, getting it from plot to plate

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andra Weir is no officedwelling pen-pusher. With a pair of wellies permanently stashed in the boot of her car, the self-described ‘country girl at heart’ is more than prepared to get her hands dirty when it comes to sourcing the best food producers in Northern Ireland.

When she’s not touring farms and suppliers province-wide tasting the very best of homegrown food, the Moneyrea woman is meeting with potential suppliers who may have the right product for the Northern Ireland consumer.

“We always want to be the innovators and pioneering in the market for our customers,” she says.

Meetings with potential suppliers are an essential part of

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her remit in a bid to stock exactly what the Tesco customer wants.

“Suppliers come and present to us on a very regular basis.

We will look at the product in terms of the whole concept – will this fill a gap in our range, and will it add value? But, as well as that, we will often approach potential suppliers ourselves.”

Sandra acknowledges the importance of supporting local supplier businesses within Northern Ireland, adding it is ‘critical’ to employment and therefore the overall economy.

As a buyer in Northern Ireland she covers the fresh food sector so a typical day will see her out in the field (in those wellies) sampling everything from Ulster spuds to deciding which lettuce

is best for Tesco sandwich lines.

She believes, though, that people here want locally-produced food: “Local consumers care deeply about the provenance of their food. We promote our Northern Ireland food under the Taste Northern Ireland campaign and support it with shelf-end promotions, sampling in-store, social media and dedicated campaigns to get the message out there. We also invest a lot in impactful instore signage to bring our local food offering to the attention of our shoppers.”

Tesco’s support of local food is working too. A good example of this was when Sandra brought locally-produced food from Willowbrook Farm in to the fixed sandwich range, the majority of which was previously from Great Britain and sales for the Killinchy-based supplier on this line increased three-fold over the first year.

“One of the greatest things about this job is being able to match the taste of our shoppers with locally produced food and

drink. We are always on the look-out for innovative products that connect well with the Northern Ireland public and in recent months, as part of our commitment to supporting local food producers, we have enabled small, artisan companies to showcase their products within our stores to facilitate market-testing and sampling.”

Tesco did around £580m worth of business with local suppliers in its last financial year, reflecting an annual increase of 16%– considerably more than any other retailer here. It anticipates this figure continuing to grow as it partners with local companies to bring great new local products to the market here in Northern Ireland.

For more information on the support Tesco provides to local businesses and how it promotes local food products log on to www.facebook.com/ tastenorthernireland.

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Eye on Project Management

Finance Minister, Simon Hamilton launching the partnership between the NI Government Departments and the Association for Project Management (APM) at Stormont recently. With him from left is Tom Taylor APM President and Leslie Warren APM NI Branch Chairman and Director of Jigsaw Project Management.

NI GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS PARTNER WITH THE ASSOCIATION FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT Professional programme and project management to be key priority for government as NI Departments partner with UK’s leading body for Project Management, APM

A

new corporate partnership between the NI Departments and the UK’s leading professional body for Project Management, the Association for Project Management (APM) was launched at a special breakfast event

From left: Mike Brown, University of Ulster & APM NI committee member; Sylvia Murray, Department for Social Development; Karen Dickson, Northern Ireland Housing Executive; Des Clayton, Knox & Clayton and also APM NI committee member.

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in the Long Gallery at Stormont recently. The event was attended by over 60 senior civil servants including Heads of Government Departments and the NI committee members of APM. With significant new investments in social and affordable homes; major upgrades for road infrastructure as well as further multi-million investments in ICT, effective programme and project management will be at the heart of their successful delivery. The initiative emphasises

the importance of continual investment in professional skills and knowledge transfer in the effective delivery of complex government programmes that have the power to transform society and release benefits to the wider NI economy as it begins to move to recovery APM has over 20,000 individual and 500 corporate members making it the largest professional body of its kind in Europe. It also the Olympics Authority Learning Legacy Partner. Corporate members have

From left: Tom Taylor, APM President; Leslie Warren, Director of Jigsaw Project Management and APM Northern Ireland Branch Chairman; and Stephen McDowell, Department of Finance & Personnel and APM NI committee member.

access to a range of services that help build competence, recognition, and professionalism. In Northern Ireland corporate members include Thales and BT. Commenting on the development with the NI Departments, APM Northern Ireland Branch Chairman, Leslie Warren, predicts an increase in the skills of the professionally qualified project manager, “we expect to see an upsurge in demand for the skills of the Project Professional across all sectors as public and private organisations continue to grapple with the challenges of delivering more value with less resources.”

A membership development team ensures corporate members can maximise the benefits to employees. They also have access to the latest thinking and information about all aspects of project and programme management across the UK from knowledge sharing to tapping into local and international events and specific interest groups.

Discounts on APM qualifications and waivers on individual membership, registration and upgrade fees also apply as well as discount on publications and CD’s. Corporate members avail of priority access and discounted rates to APM conferences and a 75% discount on the International Journal of Project Management.

For further details on how to join APM as a corporate or individual member visit www. apm.org.uk or contact APM Branch Chairman, Leslie Warren on 07900 583188

From left: Gerry Coughlan, URS and APM NI Branch committee member; John Crosbie, Enterprise Shared Services; Deborah McNeilly, Department for Regional Development; Colm McCarthy, McCarthy Lilburn & Partners and also APM NI committee member.

Eye on Charity

Gas Industry Charity Ball A

young people’s theatre group, a Johnny Cash tribute act and 80s/90s television icon Roy Walker were just a few of the highlights of this year’s Gas Industry Charity Ball, hosted in October by Phoenix Natural Gas. The La Mon hotel and country club provided the venue for the annual charity fundraiser, which brought together gas industry executives, installers,

manufacturers, retailers, merchants and other interested stakeholders.

Around £4,000 was raised for the gas industry charity – the Energy for Children Charitable Trust. Phoenix covers all administration costs associated with the charity so that every penny raised goes directly towards helping local disadvantaged children. To date the Trust has helped improve the lives of over 6,000 young people.

Roy Walker, Melissa Magee, Peter Dixon

Alastair and Helena Pollock

Sean & Fiona McGreevy, Conor O’Reilly & Emma McNulty

Claire and Simon Horne

Jonathan Martindale, Roy Walker, Simon Little

Judith Cochrane MLA and Michelle McIlveen MLA

Michael & Lindsay Magill with Claire & Denver Wasson

Norman McNaught, Peter Lord, Kelvin Stephens

Roy Baker, Alastair Pollock, Liam O’Riain, Ivan Bell

John McCallister MLA, Melissa Magee, Glyn Roberts

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Eye on Energy

From zero to £5 million in five years: That’s the power of solar power...

Seamless efficiency – a recent Solmatix solar PV installation at the Tobermore Concrete plant in Tobermore

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s Northern Ireland’s business sector claws its way out of the worst economic downturn in living memory, we should perhaps remember the old adage: ‘In adversity lies opportunity’. For that has been the experience of Solmatix Renewables in Lisburn.

Despite all the trends, the period 2008 to 2013 saw this local solar renewable energy company achieve quite remarkable growth.

“We started Solmatix back in

2008, working from outbuildings at my family farm in Dundrod,” explains company founder and managing director, Richard Bell.

“We had a clear vision of where we wanted to take the solar renewables sector in Northern Ireland, but there were only three of us and in our first year, we managed a turnover of £3,000. We currently employ a staff of 35 local people and we’re looking at a turnover of around £5 million for this year, with a

Richard Bell, centre foreground, with the Solmatix team, pictured outside their offices in Lisburn

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target of £8 million for 2014.”

All of which begs the question: how did Richard and his team achieve such substantial growth in the middle of a recession and in just five years?

“It’s a combination of factors”, says Richard. “Timing has worked to our advantage. The economic pinch meant that incomes got tighter, and with rising energy charges, business and domestic customers started to look at ways of cutting their costs. Solar energy is ideal in that respect because the savings from solar kick in straight away.

Plus, we’ve always worked hard to secure all available grants for our customers. This means our systems are not only cost savers, but self-sustaining revenue generators.”

Richard also places great emphasis on the important role that technical excellence has played in Solmatix’s success.

“At heart, we’re an engineering company that specialises in solar renewables. We’re driven by engineering excellence. My background includes times as technical director with RFD and mechanical engineer with Shorts Defence Division and you’ll find the same engineering prowess running through every level of Solmatix. And of course, we’re a bricks-and-mortar local company.

Customers can see us, talk to us and know that we’re here to stay.”

The fact that Solmatix can install in a wide range of commercial, agriculture and domestic environments has also been to its advantage. Their first systems were solar panels for hot water, but within a few years, Solmatix had become pioneers of solar PV in Northern Ireland and the company now services major clients in the business, agricultural, domestic and volume housing sectors. Its customers include car dealers, hotels, dairy farms, poultry producers and concrete plants.

“Assuming your infrastructure is suitable, then going solar becomes a pragmatic business decision. Quite frankly, once when we show potential customers the figures in terms of savings, income and payback period, the decision to install is easily made.”

Richard also points out that their solar PV systems can be installed remarkably quickly, usually no more than two to three days, and there is no disruption to business. His team also resolve all grant applications so any potential hassle for the client is minimised.

“We’re an approved installer for Moy Park’s suppliers, which I believe is testament to our rigorous quality standards.”

Richard sees massive opportunities for further growth in the commercial sector in Northern Ireland and he is currently working towards the development of the low energy social housing sector in Scotland. This push into the Scottish market has been rewarded by winning a contract to design supply the renewable equipment for a new zero-energy showhouse, commissioned by BRE the national energy body on the Ravenscraig site. This will form the basis of low energy social housing across Scotland.

According to Richard, “The future’s bright, the future’s solar.

The costs of traditional carbonbased fuels are set to keep rising, whereas renewable technologies are improving dramatically in terms of energy efficiency and unit costs. We’re also looking beyond solar to other areas, such as biomass burners to heat homes and businesses. All they have to do is talk to us about the best solution for them.”

To find out more about Solar PV panels for your business, contact Solmatix on 028 9260 1449.

Eye on News

Hastings Hotels Announces £3M Investment In Ballygally Castle

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orthern Ireland’s leading collection of hotels has announced a £3 Million investment in one of its properties.

The 4 star Ballygally Castle, owned

by Hastings Hotels, will undergo a six month refurbishment programme which will see eight of its current bedrooms removed and replaced with 18 new ‘5 star coastal view’ bedrooms including six family rooms. When complete it will have a total of 54 bedrooms making it one of the largest hotels on the Causeway Coastal Route. The River Room, will be replaced by the

brand new Kintyre Ballroom with breathtaking views over the Castle gardens and stunning coastline all the way to the Mull of Kintyre, and will cater for a total of 250 people.

Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “Ballygally Castle is a spectacular retreat located in the heart of breathtaking scenery for which the Antrim Coast is so famous. The Causeway Coast and glens continue to attract an increasing amount of visitors every year and in recent years we have experienced an increase in short lesiure breaks, weddings, meetings,

conferences and escorted visitor groups to the Castle and we believe this £3M investment will help us continue to appeal to these growing markets.

“The Castle will be closed for the six months while the construction work is taking place, and we have relocated the staff around our other five hotels in Northern Ireland which will give them a broader experience allowing them to return refreshed with new motivation to Ballygally,” Howard added.

The £3M upgrade of Ballygally Castle follows a £1M investment by Hastings Hotels in the 5-star Culloden

Estate & Spa earlier this year, both of which are part of the group’s ongoing re-investment programme.

Stephen Perry, General Manager of the Ballygally Castle said: “We are very excited about this massive investment in Ballygally Castle and look forward to welcoming our guests when we reopen the doors in April 2014,” Ballygally Castle will be closed from 13th October 2013 until the end of March 2014. For enquiries and bookings during its closure please call Hastings Hotels central reservations on 028 9047 1066.

Eye on News

Mount Charles Wins Drinks Contract For Ravenhill The Mount Charles Group has recently secured the contract to supply all beverages served within the Ulster Rugby Stadium at Ravenhill. Pictured launching the new contract are (from left) Mount Charles Group Managing Director, Cathal Geoghegan, Ulster Rugby Squad members; Robbie Diack, Nick Williams, Roger Wilson and Mount Charles Group Chairman, Trevor Annon.

In-House Corporate Lawyers Add Value To Local Economy

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he importance of in-house lawyers to the Northern Ireland economy was one of several discussion points at a unique conference organised this week by the Law Society of Northern Ireland in association with law firm, Carson McDowell.

Over 70 in-house corporate lawyers many of whom work for some of Northern Ireland’s leading industrial and commercial companies attended the conference which took place at Law Society House in Belfast.

Those attending the daylong conference had an opportunity to hear from a number of key note speakers including the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster and the honourable Mr Justice Weatherup on issues as diverse as the business management, property issues, social media and data protection.

Commenting on the conference, Alan Hunter, Chief Executive of the Law Society said: “This is the first time that

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an all-day conference has been organised exclusively for in-house corporate lawyers in Northern Ireland and we are delighted to be hosting this unique conference at Law Society House in Belfast. It is timely that we recognise the important role and the many skills which in-house lawyers provide to commercial businesses and organisations through Northern Ireland and further afield.”

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster commented: “Northern Ireland’s in-house lawyers are playing an important role in our business community.

Going far beyond providing technical knowledge of the law, their expertise has a direct impact on the performance of businesses, as in-house lawyers not only aid the decision making process but inform strategy and policy development as well.

“As Northern Ireland’s companies look to make their mark on the global market, the expertise of in-house lawyers will be called upon to provide

(L-R), Alan Hunter, Chief Executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland; Arlene Foster, MLA Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment; Neasa Quigley, Head of Corporate, Carson McDowell and Stephen Allen, Head of Global Legal Services Transformation, PwC.

the advice and guidance which will be essential as we work to grow an economy that is truly world class.”

Head of Corporate and Commercial at Carson McDowell, Neasa Quigley, added; “We are delighted to be involved in this first ever one-day conference for in-house lawyers. As a firm we advise a number of in-house legal teams and the conference

is a great opportunity to discuss issues which are pertinent to them. Hopefully the success of today will ensure the conference becomes an annual event in the Law Society’s diary.”

As well as providing a platform to discuss issues affecting in-house lawyers the conference also provided an opportunity for attendees to network and meet colleagues.

18 Boucher Way, Belfast BT12 6RE www.agnewcorporate.co.uk

Eye on Tourism

SLIEVE DONARD TAKES TOP AWARD The Slieve Donard Resort & Spa in Newcastle is celebrating after it was crowned the supreme winner of Irish hospitality at the glittering Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards ceremony in Dublin this week.

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he 4-star resort, part of Hastings Hotels, took the top honour at the prestigious 25th Annual Gold Medal Awards. Judged by industry experts, the independent awards recognise and reward excellence in hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, spas, clubs and catering operations across the island of Ireland.

The Slieve Donard Resort & Spa won the Gold Medal Award for Four Star Hotels sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin and was then awarded the overall supreme winner with the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Excellence 2013.

Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won two prestigious awards including the Gold Medal Award for Excellence which is the highest honour in Ireland’s hospitality industry. We are the first hotel in Northern Ireland to have been bestowed this honour, which is not only a fantastic testament to the hard work and dedication of all the staff at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, but a tribute to the shining star that is the Northern Ireland tourism industry which has had an incredible time, especially over the last couple of years.”

Stephen Meldrum, General Manager of the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa added: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa and I would like to thank the whole team for ensuring we provide visitors from around the world with a first class service and an enjoyable stay which has helped us win these awards tonight.”

Now in its 25th year, The Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are intensively competitive drawing entries from hundreds

of hotels, restaurants, guesthouses, spas, clubs and catering businesses from across Ireland. Each entrant is rigorously assessed by members of the Gold Medal Awards jury who travelled over 20,000 kilometres across the island this summer to search for Ireland greatest purveyors of hospitality.

BELFAST UPBEAT ON TOURISM Visit Belfast set out its ambitions for the year ahead at its annual general meeting today at the Malone Lodge Hotel, pinpointing even further growth in visitor numbers, conference delegates and cruise ship arrivals.

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acked by more than 500 members from the local hospitality industry, Visit Belfast, which promotes Belfast locally, nationally and internationally and operates three tourist information centres, said it remained confident about the city’s tourism prospects for the year ahead.

Visit Belfast’s combined sales and marketing activities contributed £60 million to the local economy last year.

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Chief Executive Gerry Lennon also confirmed Belfast’s growing success as a city break destination after reporting one of the busiest summers on record.

Opening the event, Belfast Lord Mayor, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, said the results of the city’s concerted efforts to promote tourism were hugely significant.

“Tourism is undoubtedly one of the city’s success stories and the continued, collective efforts made to date by the public and private sector has created much-needed jobs and increased investment.

“Belfast now welcomes almost eight million visitors a year.

Tourism has helped to transform Belfast’s image globally into an exciting young destination for leisure, business and cruise, punching well above our weight for a city with a population of only 300,000 people. With all our partners, I’m confident that by working together the way we have, we can look forward to achieving even more over the year ahead.”

Pictured at the opening of this year’s AGM are Belfast Lord Mayor, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, Visit Belfast chief executive Gerry Lennon and Gemma Bell from key sponsor Diageo.

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Then Agnew Fleet Manager is the answer. It brings everything you need together – all at the touch of a button.

Pair this with our competitive rentals and find out how Agnew Corporate is the complete fleet solution.

Call us on: 028 9038 6600 Take control today - we’d be happy to give you a full demonstration of how Agnew Fleet Manager could benefit you.

18 Boucher Way, Belfast BT12 6RE www.agnewcorporate.co.uk

Eye on News

High Street Venue Extends The Wolsey Collection

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Bill Wolsey with son Connal and wife Petra

Northern Ireland’s hospitality scene has been given a continental twist, with the opening of the Beannchor Group’s newest venue, The National Grande Café Bar.

et in the historic surroundings of one of Belfast’s oldest buildings - the former National Bank Building on High Street -The National Grande Café Bar officially opened its doors to in mid-September, offering a taste of the continent in the heart of the city’s vibrant Cathedral Quarter....and open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.

In an exciting partnership with Magners Irish Cider, The National will also be home to one of the largest dedicated beer gardens in Belfast, and the first in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, with the launch of the ‘Magners City Orchard’ beer garden later this autumn. Complete with its very own apple tree, direct from the Magners orchard in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, the novel space will bring a new dimension to al fresco socialising in the city.

Next door in the adjacent building on High Street, Patisserie Mimi will be the city’s first high-end artisan bakery,

when it opens later this month.

The new addition is set to renew Northern Ireland’s love of the traditional bakery with a modern, continental inspired offering. The patisserie, which is scheduled to open a week after The National, will serve up an array of artisan breads, pastries, macaroons and gateaux.

The National Grande Café Bar and Patisserie Mimi are the latest additions to the portfolio of over 50 venues owned by the Beannchor Group – Ireland’s largest hospitality group. Over £700,000 has been invested

by Beannchor to bring the exciting new ventures to life.

Looking ahead to the launch of the two new venues, Bill Wolsey, managing director of the Beannchor Group, said: “This is a very exciting time for Beannchor; we are bringing something new and innovative to the local hospitality sector.

We have spent a great deal of time and effort carefully creating, developing and

NEW CHAIR FOR ENTERPRISE NORTHERN IRELAND John D’Arcy, Director of the Open University in Northern Ireland, has been announced as the new chairman of Enterprise Northern Ireland (ENI).

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nterprise Northern Ireland is the membership organisation for Local Enterprise Agencies in Northern Ireland and is the voice of enterprise operating in the field of entrepreneurship and economic development.

ENI holds contracts for national programmes such

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as the Go For It Programme, Exploring Enterprise, Social Entrepreneurship Programme, TradeLinks and the Small Business Loan Fund, which are delivered by ENI members.

Mr D’Arcy succeeds Sandy Smith, who has been chair of ENI since 2011. Mr D’Arcy is currently Vice Chair of Sport Northern Ireland and recently retired as founding Chair of the Oh Yeah Music Centre, He was also founding chairman of Audiences NI (2004-2008), set up by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to grow and diversify audiences for the arts and cultural sector. He also sat on the Board of BBC Broadcasting Council for Northern Ireland from 2004-2007.

fine-tuning every detail of both venues to create something totally unique.

“Belfast is increasingly becoming known as a cosmopolitan European city but it needs to continue to raise its game. We believe that The National Grande Café Bar and Patisserie Mimi will bring a genuine continental atmosphere to the Cathedral Quarter and will be a welcome addition to the area, which is quickly becoming the city’s cultural and social hub.

“Over the last few years we have invested over £16million in the local hospitality industry and as a result, we have built a strong portfolio of licensed premises, creating hundreds of jobs across Northern Ireland. We are committed to further expansion and hope to announce plans for another venue in the Cathedral Quarter soon.”

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Eye on Motoring

dfcbelfast.co.uk Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

NOW HERE’S A NEW MAZDA6 THAT YOU WILL NOTICE! Past versions of the Mazda6 have been a tad anonymous. Not so the new one which has shades of an American muscle car in its extrovert styling.

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nder the skin, it is the latest example of the company’s Skyactiv approach to saving fuel and reducing emissions. Rather than go hybrid, Mazda thinks the way forward lies in reducing the weight and improving the efficiency of its orthodox engines.

The results are impressive.

Business buyers will be attracted by the 148bhp version of the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine.

This drives well and quietly with acceleration to 62mph in nine seconds. Yet the economy figures are very creditable with a claimed 67mpg on the combined

cycles. Emissions of 108g/km make worthwhile inroads into the company car tax burden.

Driving is not a hair shirt business and I enjoyed the lift through the very pleasant sixspeed gearbox. There is plenty of urge when you want to get away at the lights or to overtake. Yet at motoring cruising speeds the engine is just running at a fast tick over. That means efficiency.

There is plenty of space inside - this 6 is bigger than the previous one. The boot is a decent 489 litre size. Seats are very comfortable and the layout is clear and effective. There

are conventional dials visible through the wheel and a large screen on the central console for navigation and entertainment controls. With a control knob on the central console, this is similar to the norm on more

expensive German saloons.

Priced from £19,595, the Mazda6 has the performance, refinement and quality to be seen as a rival to more prestigious brands. In many ways this is a roomy middleweight that makes business sense.

km. This puts it in VED Band A and keeps the company car tax down.

You get generous kit for the price. Even the starter model at under £10K runs to air conditioning, electric windows, six air bags and auxilary sound connections.

The 1.1 CRDi Active that I drove looks value at £12,795.

About the same size as a Fiesta, the i20 does what it says on the tin and undercuts most of its obvious rivals. This could be the answer for companies looking to reduce their fleet costs without making compromises. A sensible choice, it comes with a five-year warranty including roadside assistance that is hard to beat.

TINY DIESEL TOPS UP THE ECONOMY ON NEW HYUNDAI i20 The new Hyundai i20 may have conservative styling but it certainly does the business as a practical hatchback that feels solid and is keenly priced.

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esigned in Europe and built in India, the i20 is a competent all rounder and that is a compliment rather than faint praise.

Instead of fancy colours and eye-catching style Hyundai has gone for sterling values.

This is a car that does its job well, is well kitted for the money and has an impressively longer warranty than most.

The design reflects the latest Hyundai corporate image and is understated in a way as has never done the Germans any harm.

My test car had the novel threecylinder 1.1-litre turbo DIESEL engine. As you might expect with just 74bhp, this is a leisurely performer and takes almost 16 seconds to reach 62mph. Geared for comfort rather than sportiness, it has a feeling of teutonic strength. Modern features include electric power steering and electronic stability control.

The baby diesel may not be a tyre smoker but it offers a worthwhile pay-back The Combined Consumption is rated at 74mpg with emissions of 99g/

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For used VAT qualifying vehicles visit our website...

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Eye on Motoring

New Appointments: Orlagh & Chris Orlagh Birt and Kris Breen completed a year placement from August 2011 – August 2012 with us. Having successfully graduated in July we were delighted to be able to offer them permanent positions as Sales Support Executives. Their input will complement our Administration Team by helping with quotations, preparing and processing finance documents, helping with customer enquiries etc.

Our three latest appointments mark another significant step and I hope, like us , local businesses see some signs of economic improvement and that we can all look forward to continued success in the future.

visit our website... dfcbelfast.co.uk

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DFC is Northern Ireland’s only major independent locally owned Vehicle management company, for over 24 years DFC have supplied, funded and managed cars and vans.

We are confident we can provide a cost effective solution for your business or individual needs.

Call us today for more information on our car and van offers on 028 9073 4222 or email sales@dfcbelfast.co.uk 96

Own your company vehicles and need a cash injection? Talk to us about Sale & Leaseback...

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Eye on Motoring

Golf Day DFC successfully hosted their annual golf day on Friday 13th September at Malone Golf Club. The event offered a great opportunity for customers and staff to get together for a wonderful day golfing. The weather was kind and the competition fierce

Join the DFC Team...

We are Recruiting We have a range of exciting opportunities within Northern Irelands largest, independent, locally owned Vehicle Management Company. As we continually strive to improve our service we have vacancies for Sales Executives , Administrators, Receptionist. Would you like to be part of our team?

For more information contact, Annette Shanks on 02890 734222 or email your CV to annette@dfcbelfast.co.uk 97

For used VAT qualifying vehicles visit our website...

Eye on Motoring

dfcbelfast.co.uk Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

FUNKY AND FRUGAL - THAT’S THE RENAULT CAPTUR! This is a Renault Clio on steroids muscled up into a high-riding and funkylooking mini crossover! Could this do wonders for the image of your business?

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op marks for making a quart out of a pint pot.

Sliding backs seats means adults can squeeze in but the snag is a compressed boot. Not much use for deliveries then, unless you fold down the rear seats completely. Still, it makes an arresting mobile bill board!

In other respects it has all the virtues of the latest Clio. That means superb economy from the 1.5 dCi engine. You get to drive more than 100miles before the fuel needle starts to drop and then only slowly. At one point I was worrying that the gauge was

faulty and I would be stranded.

No fear, the official combined consumption of this little yoke is an impressive 67mpg, so you should achieve into the sixties with little hardship. Quite a decent reward for its fairly sleepy performance. It is light and easy to drive though the ride is a bit stiffer than the Clio.

The bean counters will love the running costs. With emissions of just 95g/km the eco dCi 90 with stop start is as cheap as chips to keep on the road. That means low company car tax for the users as well as a £30 annual tax disc.

You get ABS, central locking, cruise control, stability control, auto door locking, trip computer and a modern sound system with Bluetooth and connectivity to your device - all as standard. As well as this there are six airbags, alloy wheels and other useful details (but no spare wheel!)

Prices start from £12,495 for petrol engines and the diesels kick in from £15,395.

Higher grade models run to more exclusive specs including inexpensive sat nav.

The Captur is cheerful and offers a bit of inexpensive fun. Renault is definitely finding its way again.

CLEVER AMPERA TAKES THE WORRY OUT OF ELECTRIC DRIVING Vauxhall has just slashed the price of its Ampera by £3,500 in a bid to attract more pioneering buyers to what is one of the best of the current breed of electric cars.

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orried that you or your employees could be stranded somewhere inconvenient with a flat battery?

Well, don’t be - the clever thing about the Ampera is that it has a 1.4-litre petrol engine as a back up.

You can drive up to 50 miles with zero emissions on battery power and a further 300 with the aid of the petrol engine which produces electricity to keep the drive train running. BMW thinks this is a good idea too for it is offering rangeextending engines as an option on its i3 and i8 electric cars.

The more you run on electric power alone, the more you save - up to theoretical 235mpg!

They reckon as many as 80% of commuters travel less than

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40 miles per day. Charging the Ampera on a household socket takes six hours and costs around £1. Fitting a special charging point reduces the time to four hours.

Benefits include zero road tax, exemption from congestion charges and 5% company car tax.

The Ampera is surprisingly lively to drive. It can accelerate to 62mph in 8.8 seconds though top speed is limited to 100mph. There is instant response to the accelerator at low speeds and braking is assisted by the energy recuperating system.

It is a compact sporting fivedoor with a low roof line (ouch!).

You can squeeze in four adults though the boot is on the tight side. There are novel instruments designed to encourage frugal

driving. The switch from electric to petrol is imperceptible - apart from the battery range indicator morphing into a fuel gauge.

That big price drop plus the government grant of £5,000 means you can buy an Ampera

from £28,750 for the basic Positiv model to £30,495 for the lavishly equipped Electron. This is still a lot more than an executive diesel like the BMW 320d ED, so the Ampera, good as it is, still appeals mainly to the flag wavers.

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