Business Now Spring 2019

Issue 16 Spring 2019

Issue 16 Spring 2019

Putting the Now in Business

BUSINESS NOW

Putting the Now in Business

Full Fibre Transforming Aberdeen’s Digital Landscape - Coffee with Stewart Milne - Driving Mobility Forward - Skene Group Kicks Off 35th Anniversary Year

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For a limited time only we are offering New for 2019:

As well as our traditional lunchtime events BNS are now offering additional evening events, guest speakers and an annual dinner!

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Business Network Scotland

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£150!

all new memberships for only £195!

Other benefits include: • Ability to attend BNS events throughout Scotland • Book the 10-minute Speaker’s Slot • Attend pre-event seminars free of charge • Market your company free of charge via BNS e-newsletters

• Network regularly with members • Set up a display stand at an event • Your company details listed free of charge in members-only area of BNS website • You and your business benefit from BNS member-to-member offers

www.businessnetworkscotland.co.uk In Association with BUSINESS NOW 16 Spring 2019 01224 Issue 865466

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*Money-back Guarantee: - a full refund - with 100% no quibble - if you feel that having attended a BNS event has proved to be a waste of your time.

Welcome to the Spring issue of

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BUSINESS NOW

There may be huge uncertainty over Brexit and the future of the country but, on a positive note, there seems to be a resurgence in oil industry jobs in Aberdeen coupled with a boost in property prices. So, all is not gloom and doom!

Speaking of property, our ‘Coffee with’ guest in this edition needs no introduction. Stewart Milne, a name synonymous with north-east property development, talks candidly about Brexit, the vision for Countesswells and future growth in the property sector.

Our cover story celebrates Aberdeen’s place as a beacon of digital transformation and follows the progress of CityFibre in their quest to reach nearly every home and business in the city with lightning fast, full-fibre broadband.

There is an intriguing feature on collaborative mobility exploring our need to change how we travel and defining the beliefs of CoMoUK, who play a leading role in the UK’s transition to integrated mobility solutions.

Staying away from home on business? Hotels are a cyber criminal’s dream. We offer you five ways to protect your data when you are using a hotel’s Wi-Fi. Add to this our usual mix of business, energy, financial, hospitality and property news and you have another great and informative read. Our next edition is available in July. We await, with interest, what political accomplishments are heralded then!

On the Cover Allan McEwan of CityFibre gives an insight into the benefits for Aberdeen as a ‘Gigabit City’, and future plans for full fibre’s rollout across the city.

Eric W. Farquharson - Editor

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Driving Mobility Forward

BUSINESS NOW’s editor finds out about the multiple benefits of cooperative mobility, and CoMoUK’s role in the transition to a future with responsible transport.

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Why Pick One Network, When You Can Have Them All?

Gavin Henry of SureVoIP on ways to stay connected wherever you are, overcoming the thorny issue of patchy mobile coverage.

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We Catch Up with Last Issue’s Cover Stars

We catch up with Tidy Green Clean to hear about their new ISO accreditations and the benefits of the franchise model for taking control of your working future.

Editor

Advertising Enquiries

Design

Eric Farquharson editor@business-now.co.uk

Telephone: (01224) 865466

Jen McAdam & Shirley Aiken 479 Design, www.479design.co.uk

Assistant Editor Judy Marshall judy@business-now.co.ukk

Simon M Morgan simon@business-now.co.uk Loraine Ogilvie enquiries@business-now.co.uk

On the Cover Allan McEwan, CityFibre Photograph: Abermedia

Published by House of Morgan (Scotland) Ltd, 479 North Deeside Road, Cults, Aberdeen, AB15 9TJ

(01224) 865466 www.business-now.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press UK

Business Now are grateful to all who have submitted articles and photographs for inclusion in this issue. Materials submitted are accepted in good faith. Adverts prepared on behalf of clients remain the copyright of House of Morgan (Scotland) Ltd, the publishers. Great care is taken to ensure accuracy of details but liability cannot be accepted for errors or omissions. Any views or opinions expressed by columnists or interviewees are their own and do not represent those of House of Morgan (Scotland) Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

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Skene Group Kicks Off 35th Anniversary Year

Skene Business Centres celebrates 35th anniversary with the opening of a £1-million expansion to its facilities in the West End of Aberdeen.

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Vocation, frustration

The results of a fascinating survey of office workers about the many frustrations in their workplace that lead them dream of escape!

Index Business Features............ 8-13, 15 Energy...........................14, 16-21 Digital................................. 24-27 Financial............................. 28-31 Coffee with.......................... 32-33 Personnel............................ 34-37 Training.............................. 38-39 Property.............................. 40-42 Business Community........... 43-45

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Coffee with…

Food & Drink....................... 46-49

Stewart Milne

Leisure & Tourism................ 50-51

BUSINESS NOW’s editor found out what’s brewing in the NE’s newest community and the wider property market.

Sport.................................. 52-53 Appointments...................... 54-55 Award Winners & Networking.. 56-57 Events Calendar.........................58

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COVER STORY

Full Fibre Transforming Aberdeen’s Digital Landscape CityFibre project bringing Gigabit speeds to homes and business

The UK is depending on internet connectivity more than ever before. We are creating and sending a phenomenal amount of data, with a huge dependency on high-speed internet. In an online minute, we typically upload 243,000 photos to Facebook and stream 15 million songs on Spotify*.

“However, with our full fibre networks, data is transmitted in the form of light signals down glass fibre-optic cables, meaning you will receive lightning fast and reliable broadband services capable of gigabit speeds - up to 1,000 Mbps straight to your home or business.”

Only around 6% of UK premises currently have access to full fibre, compared to around 80% in Portugal and Spain. It was recently revealed that the average download speed in Aberdeen, however, is a mere 13.5 Mbps. The city’s existing 100-kilometre network – which was launched in 2015 by So, what does this mean and why do we need it?

CityFibre to serve Aberdeen’s business Allan McEwan, city development manager at CityFibre in Aberdeen, community – is being expanded thanks to explains: “Many people think they have ‘fibre’ broadband but don’t a strategic partnership with Vodafone, understand that it’s not ‘full fibre’. In simple terms, the last stretch of who are offering game-changing network from the street to your home or business typically uses capacity‘Gigafast’ broadband services to constrained copper cable which significantly reduces the speed, quality and residents. reliability you are able to access.

February 2018 saw Aberdeen announced as the first ‘Gigabit City’ in Scotland thanks to a ‘fibre to the premises’ rollout – a private £40-million investment from the UK’s largest alternative provider of fibre network infrastructure, CityFibre.

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Allan continued: “The infrastructure we are building is something that will benefit the whole city – from the biggest of businesses to the smallest of households, transforming Aberdeen into one of the best digitally connected cities in the world. It really will transform the way we work, learn and play. We have already connected over 100 sites for Aberdeen City Council, including schools, libraries and community centres, with more to follow.”

Aberdeen’s digital landscape will be enhanced ten-fold thanks to full fibre, making the city more innovative and productive, ultimately boosting the local economy for decades to come.

Enhanced digital connectivity comes in many forms, including innovative learning techniques across schools, colleges and universities, as well as the potential for vastly improved mobile network services and enablement of smart city initiatives, such as big data projects and smart traffic controls.

Aberdeen’s digital revolution took a significant step forward in December as the first households began to connect to the new full fibre broadband network. Work has now been largely completed in areas including Kincorth and Northfield, with Torry and Rosehill amongst the next areas to benefit.

Allan said: “It is fantastic to see our vision coming to life, with more and more homes now being connected to the network. Progress is encouraging and the project will soon bring enormous benefits to households and businesses throughout the city.

Aberdeen can safely say it is leading the UK into a new digital age – and we are proud to be part of that journey”.

“Aberdeen can safely say it is leading the UK into a new digital age”

Get connected

with CityFibre,

To find out more about Gigafast broadband services for your home, visit www.vodafone.co.uk/gigafast

after which other broadband providers will be able to utilise the network.

Businesses can connect to CityFibre’s existing network via a range of local specialist partners.

To find out more about CityFibre’s Gigabit City vision for Aberdeen, visit www.cityfibre.com/aberdeen and follow @GigabitAberdeen 

Heard about the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme?

Gigabit vouchers can be used by SMEs and local communities to contribute to the installation cost of a gigabit-capable connection. Learn more at https:// gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/ *

Source: Nokia, 2018

“However, it’s not just down to us to make this a success. You can help by becoming an advocate to help promote the benefits of this project across your communities, whether on social media, or otherwise. And, of course, register your interest in full fibre services from Vodafone if you are amongst the majority who are frustrated with their current broadband speeds.”

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BUSINESS BITES BREXIT FEATURE

UK Economy Could Drop Rankings in 2019 Potential to fall from fifth to seventh in global rankings • India and France could overtake the UK economy in terms of size in 2019 • US growth is expected to moderate from an estimated 2.8% in 2018 to around 2.3% in 2019 • Labour markets in advanced economies expected to tighten, pushing up wages The UK is set to fall in the rankings of the world’s largest economies, according to new projections from PwC in its latest Global Economy Watch. Both India and France are likely to surpass the UK in 2019, knocking it from fifth to seventh place in the global table.

While the UK and France have regularly switched places owing to similar levels of development and roughly equal populations, India’s climb up the rankings is likely to be permanent. PwC projects real GDP growth of 1.6% for the UK, 1.7% for France and 7.6% for India in 2019.

Mike Jakeman, senior economist at PwC, commented: “India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world, with an enormous population, favourable demographics and high catch-up potential due to low initial GDP per head. It is all but certain to continue to rise in the global GDP league table in the coming decades.

“The UK and France have regularly alternated in having the larger economy, but subdued growth in the UK in 2018 and again in 2019 is likely to tip the balance in France’s favour. The relative strength of the euro against the pound is an important factor here.”

The global economy as a whole is expected to slow in 2019, with the pick-up in growth of most major economies seen between the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2018 now over. In the US, the boost from fiscal stimulus is expected to fade, higher interest

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rates are likely to dampen consumer spending and a strong dollar will continue to drag on net exports. PwC projects US growth will moderate from an estimated 2.8% in 2018 to around 2.3% in 2019.

Growth in China will also slow relative to 2018. Although the government will try to ensure that the slowdown is minimal, the impact of US tariffs and the need to control debt levels are likely to create a modest deceleration in growth in 2019.

Labour markets in advanced economies are expected to continue to tighten, with unemployment falling further even if job creation slows. This would push up wages, but cause problems for businesses looking to fill talent shortages. In 2019 PwC predicts unemployment will fall a little further in the US and Germany, where the rates of job creation have remained strong.

Barret Kupelian, senior economist at PwC, said: “Last year, the big economic news was centred around advanced economies creating around 4.5 million jobs.

“We expect this trend to gradually moderate in 2019, with some economies like the US, Canada and Germany hitting structural floors in their unemployment rates, and wage growth starting to gradually pick up. Assuming an orderly Brexit, we expect the UK to also see unemployment flattening off, though a disorderly Brexit could lead to a marked rise of unemployment.” 

21,000 hospitality workers keen to remain, despite Brexit • Sector under strain as Brexit uncertainty continues • However, 16% of workers cited the UK as the most desirable country to work, followed by Switzerland and Germany (both 14%) • Almost a quarter (24%) have more than ten nationalities in their workforce • Caterer.com surveyed over 21,000 global hospitality workers across the EU to identify recruitment challenges and trends

The UK is the most desirable place to work according to 16% of hospitality workers in new research released by Caterer.com The survey of 21,000 hospitality workers from across the EU analysed employment trends in the hospitality sector.

The findings demonstrate the sector’s increasing global outlook and will cause concerns for employers who do not have clarity on key changes to employment legislation postBrexit. Switzerland and Germany are hot on the heels of the UK, both with 14% citing them as the most desirable place to work. Nearly 24% of respondents stated there are ten nationalities or more in their workforce, showing the diversity of the sector and importance of holding onto EU workers.

The hospitality sector provides jobs to 7% of the working population (2.9 million workers). However, UK employers will need to compete for talent against global opportunities more than ever post-Brexit. Over 85% of respondents said they are likely or very likely to consider working in another country, with the main motivations for

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BUSINESS BITES

UK Most Desirable Place to Work In moving being new challenges abroad (19%) and experiencing new cultures (13%). The data will exacerbate worries for employers that the UK will no longer be an attractive environment for workers in the sector following the UK’s exit from the EU in March.

Discussing the findings, Neil Pattison, director at Caterer.com, said: “The UK offers some of the most diverse roles in the sector with an abundance of opportunities to grow and learn, and for workers to put down roots long term.

To remain competitive, employers need to consider how supporting candidates through the relocation process and beyond will attract employees. Long-term benefits of training and investment and showcasing the new experiences on offer to candidates will allow them to stand out from other global opportunities.”

Respondents cited support in getting set up abroad as key, both financially and logistically. Employers could think creatively about easing the transition for workers by support in the flat-hunting process, paying for relocation or providing provisions for families, e.g. childminding.

Nineteen percent of respondents cited the importance of new experiences and challenges, and it is important for companies to offer an attractive package, showcasing their company culture and work-life balance in addition to long-term investment by way of ongoing training and development (key for 13%) in order to attract and retain EU workers.

Neil added: “More than half (53%) said they want to work abroad for as long as possible, which shows that working to attract talent to the UK hospitality sector will pay dividends in the long run.” 

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FEATURE

Driving Mobility Forward Collaborative mobility is the use of transport rather than owning it. It links the ethos of shared transport with other ways of making journeys, such as public transport, and provides new opportunities for people to make conscious choices to travel responsibly.

Car parking can often be a hazardous affair. You drive around a far too crowded car park, often frustrated by the only remaining space being labelled ‘Car Club’. Wondering who exactly is allowed in this sacrosanct zone, I decided to investigate. Wow! I’m glad I did!

I am aware there are various car-and, indeed, bike-sharing options, but never really took the time to delve into them. Following not too much research, I found CoMoUK. It’s the new name for Carplus and Bikeplus and is short for Collaborative Mobility. Sounds a bit of a mouthful but it does exactly what it says on the tin. They have a leading role in the UK’s transition to integrated mobility solutions designed to help people like you and me.

CoMoUK have been through an exciting period of change in response to the rapidly developing mobility sector. But what does all this mean?

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Let me try to explain the concept. If you require the use of a car but feel you don’t have the need or means for a full-time vehicle, you can join a pay-by-the-hour car club. This will allow individuals and businesses to have access to a vehicle without being tied to ownership. Just book your low-carbon car, drive it and return it to the same location – providing you with easy, affordable access to a vehicle 24/7.

It’s extremely user-friendly. Book a car online or by phone for any time from an hour to a weekend. To unlock a car in your neighbourhood, swipe your smart card, get the keys from the car and off you go. Just return it to the same location when your journey is complete.

Another option may be to speak to the neighbours in your local area: if they and you have underused cars, you could set up a peer-to-peer car club. Such a simple but efficient concept.

Sharing of journeys in a private car is also known as car sharing, carpooling, lift sharing or 2+1 ride sharing.

BUSINESS NOW’s editor on the multiple benefits of collaborative mobility

This is a simple idea whereby a trip is shared with one or more passengers.

There are also several models of bike sharing: bike share can be broadly defined as any setting where bicycles are pooled for multiple users. In larger cities, such as Glasgow, there is an on-street bike scheme.

Simply find a docking station located in convenient areas in the city. Some sites have a station with a terminal to release the bike and others have a smart bike transfer, which means you can pay for the bike with an app.

The bikes can be returned to any dock at the end of the hire. If you don’t have public bike share in your area, you may be able to take advantage of bikes offered in a shared capacity at workplaces and in communities.

The results of a CoMoUK’s bike share users survey in 2018 revealed bike share is

have saved 300 tonnes of CO2 by using a fuel-efficient car club vehicle.

attracting more people to cycle. Key trends

CoMoUK run accreditation schemes for car club and bike share operators, which provides assurance to local authorities and ensures operators meet required standards when providing their services.

show that increasing numbers of women are using bike share and that people combine it with public transport. By changing the way people travel, there is a direct impact on congestion and emissions.

CoMoUK’s 2017/18 annual survey of car clubs in Scotland shows how the sector is changing and growing, with a 29% increase in membership in the last twelve months.

As well as members reducing their own mileage by an average of 572 miles, they

There is clear evidence that how we choose to travel is changing. Thoughts of being defined as a car owner or cyclist are being replaced by how we can mix together modes into mobility lifestyles. It’s good for you and it’s good for your community.

CoMoUK plays a leading role in the UK’s transition to integrated mobility solutions designed for the public good and supports the development of shared modes, but they require the help of people like me and you to acknowledge their work and fuel interest in our local communities and our workplace.

To find out more about CoMoUK, visit their website como.org.uk Alternatively, telephone 0131 2432734 or email: scotland@como.org.uk 

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RETAIL

Scottish High Streets Weathering Testing Climate Retail and leisure facing the most challenging market in five years • Net store closures on Scotland’s high streets widens to almost two per week in first half of 2018 • Rate of store closures remains high, as growth of online shopping and restructurings take their toll • Leith and Ayr only areas of Scotland to see a growth in store numbers There has been an acceleration in the number of retail shops closing across Scotland’s high streets as a result of the growth in online shopping, a shift to in-home leisure, heightened restructuring activity and continued digitisation of services.

In the first half of 2018 there were 58 new store openings in Scotland’s main cities and towns, but 107 closures led to a net change of -49, according to PwC research compiled by the Local Data Company (LDC). The first half of 2017 saw a net change of -42.

However, the rate of net closures in Scotland is slightly better than the overall picture across Great Britain. In Great Britain, a net 1,123 stores disappeared from the top 500 high streets in the first half of the year.

The research found 1,569 shops opened, compared to 2,692 closures (H1 2017 net loss: -222 stores).

In Scotland, nine towns and cities are evaluated in the study. Aberdeen fared worst in relative terms, with -4.24% net closures. In the nation’s largest two cities there were also further net closures with Edinburgh seeing a net reduction of 13 stores and Glasgow 11, to 992 and 887 stores respectively. The only areas to see an increase in store numbers were Ayr and Leith, in Edinburgh, which both increased by one net store (see table 1).

Table 1

Businesses January 2018

Businesses July 2018

Units Net Openings Closures Change

Scotland

3,209

3,160

-49

58

107

Aberdeen

472

452

-20

2

22

Ayr

163

64

1

4

3

Dundee

227

225

-2

12

14

Edinburgh

995

982

-13

11

24

Falkirk

128

128

0

0

0

Glasgow

898

887

-11

22

33

Leith, Edinburgh

50

51

1

2

1

Paisley

121

117

-4

1

5

Perth

155

154

-1

4

5

The data also reveal the extent of the migration from high streets to retail parks. Over the period measured, 67 high street stores closed and 40 stores in shopping centres, while the number of stores in retail parks remained static (see table 2 below).

Table 2 Scotland

Businesses Jan 2018

Closures in Period

Businesses Jul 2018

Closures %

High Street

2,535

67

2507

2.60%

Retail Park

21

-

21

0.00%

Shopping Centre

653

40

632

6.10%

The analysis highlights changes in Scots’ consumer habits, with men’s and women’s fashion shops among the most affected as shoppers move online. Kitchen planning shops, opticians, shoe shops and banks were other categories which saw notable net closures.

Mark Addley, head of restructuring for PwC in Scotland, said: “Our analysis reveals a retail map which is continuing to change beyond recognition from a generation ago. The convenience of online shopping is making its mark on the high street, and we expect this will lead to retailers having to re-evaluate the purpose of their bricks and mortar operations.

“The number of high-profile retail casualties in 2018 has made headline news, while the volume of distressed businesses this year has led to a spike in company voluntary arrangements (CVAs). While these measures can help alleviate short-term distress, they are not a viable long-term solution unless there is a fundamental change to the business model.

“The intensity of the current retail climate which is being felt across Scotland’s towns and cities highlights that restructuring and new investment are required, but so are new ways of thinking.

“Retailers of all sizes will have hoped for a strong festive trading period, but we must bear in mind that the peak time period for new CVA announcements is first quarter of the New Year, so we should brace for more high street closures in the coming months.”  (Source: Local Data Company)

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FEATURE

Why Pick One Network, When You Can Have Them All? Gavin Henry of SureVoIP on staying connected wherever you are If, like millions of others, you were affected by the O2 network outage in December, then you will know only too well the pain that disruption to mobile services can cause.

In business, it’s paramount that you can keep in regular contact with colleagues and customers alike, regardless of location.

SureVoIP Mobile has the potential to be a game changer by allowing users to access every available network. No matter where you are in the world, if you have the SIM card and there’s a signal in the area, your phone or device will automatically find and access the best available coverage and internet access across any network.

We expect to have 5,000 SIM cards live by the end of 2019, while the move could create new opportunities for partnerships with large firms both in the UK and internationally.

A new mobile solution recently launched by SureVoIP allows business users to do exactly that: stay connected wherever you are in the world, without being tied to any single network operator.

SureVoIP Mobile is the first solution of its kind developed in Scotland and gives users access to EE, O2 and Vodafone networks whenever a mobile signal is available in the UK. The motivation for the new product came from the experience of visiting my grandmother on the west coast of Scotland, where my wife had a mobile signal with EE but I did not due to being with O2. I thought: “There must a be a solution out there.”

Primarily aimed at business travellers and remote workers who spend long hours out of the office or rely on using field-based devices, SureVoIP Mobile provides customers with the broadest network coverage possible.

The solution, which can be used throughout the UK and in nearly all international locations, is available on either pay-as-you-go or with monthly call and data bundles, which can be customised to suit an organisation’s needs.

Our customers, partners and resellers will benefit from the ability to receive calls on any device, record inbound and outbound calls, share bundles with colleagues and access real-time billing which provides more predictable costs and protects against fraud.

Gavin Henry is managing director of SureVoIP, an awardwinning Software as a Service (SaaS) provider that specialises in using the internet to deliver telecoms – more commonly known as voice-over internet protocol (VoIP).

SureVoIP is a carrier-grade VoIP provider and delivers its service over the firm’s own wholly owned and managed systems – providing clients with the reassurance of a UKbased technical support team.

The Aberdeen-based company, which is a network operator with its own equipment in Edinburgh and London, services the VoIP telephony requirements of more than 1,700 companies of varying size, from multinational oil majors to national charities. 

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ENERGY NEWS

WellConnection Group Signs Deal on First UK Acquisition

Norwegian company gains foothold in UK market with investment in IOS WellConnection Group – a leading Norwegian inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) company – has acquired Peterhead-based Independent Oilfield Services (IOS) in a deal which marks their entrance into the UK market.

WellConnection Group – with bases in Stavanger, Mongstad and Hammerfest in Norway – have made a strategic investment in IOS, which since its inception in 2014 has quickly grown to become one of the market leaders in the UK within IMR services and storage.

IOS changes name to WellConnection IOS and will provide the group with a strong foothold in the UK market to complement its Norwegian business, and represent the first step in realization of its strategy to become a strong international player.

Chief executive officer of WellConnection Group, Rune Haddeland (pictured, left), welcomed the deal, saying: “This is excellent news for both WellConnection Group and IOS. IOS has a strong and diverse customer base, a complementary business model and a collaborative culture that mirrors our own. This acquisition allows us to share knowledge and benefit from integrated technology, systems and processes.

“The combination will benefit both WellConnection’s and IOS’s

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existing client base in both markets and even more so those clients with operations on both UKCS and NCS. It also enables the group to provide new service offerings to our combined existing client base and the wider UK marketplace with our hydro cleaning and NORM (Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Materials) cleaning services.”

Glynn Geddie (right), managing director of IOS, commented: “We are excited at becoming part of WellConnection Group. The company is an expert in its field and boasts excellent facilities, making this a huge opportunity to extend our offering for new and existing customers in the UK and internationally. Our existing workforce will all be very much with us in this new chapter for the business, and we look forward to expanding the team over the coming months.”

Mr Geddie will transition into the role of CEO of WellConnection IOS and continue to manage their operations from its state-ofthe-art 50-acre facility in Peterhead. The company will enhance and augment WellConnection’s existing drilling inspection, maintenance and repair arm.

WellConnection Group is a portfolio company of EV Private Equity, a global oil and gas specialist investor with offices in Stavanger, Houston and Aberdeen. 

Business Now’s Editor Catches Up with Last Issue’s Cover Stars In our previous edition, we featured the commercial cleaning company Tidy Green Clean, and I’m delighted to report this outstanding cleaning team is going from strength to strength in their quest to make your business shine.

Growth in 2018 has more than doubled and they have now gained ISO accreditations (ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001), which covers the benchmarks expected in Health and Safety, Quality and Environmental Standards as set down by a governing body, who commented: “The integrated system is set up well and meets current business needs.

There is a clear commitment from senior management to continual improvement and there is some development already underway. During the next 12 months, there will be more data and review to highlight areas that could benefit from change and subsequent improvements. The organisation’s commitment to environmental issues are really good, and the CSR demonstrated is impressive and inbuilt in the ethics and ethos promoted by directors and staff.”

David Moncur, co-founder and operations director of Tidy Green Clean, stated: “We are delighted to have achieved our ISO accreditations and are already experiencing their benefits. We look forward to progressing and gaining further accreditations.”

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The other notable success has been the increase of interest in franchising.

So, why is Tidy Green Clean such an attraction? Franchisee Ali Wilson had this to say: “I was unfortunate enough to lose two jobs in the space of the past year so, when chatting with Andrew and David, the subject of a cleaning franchise arose and I was immediately drawn to the idea of putting my own future back within my own hands. I was already aware of the TGC ethos through my facilities background and knew I had a fantastic opportunity to become part of a forwardthinking, rapidly growing organisation, while at the same time become the owner of my own business with the ability to shape a better future for myself and my family. Simply put, a no-brainer!

“The flexibility around when you work is a major factor and, having four sons demanding your time, means I can balance work and home life to keep everyone happy. The support from the entire TGC office is amazing: whether it’s technical advice you’re seeking, help with staffing or just a general chat – the door is always open, so you never feel alone.

There is always a member of the TGC ‘family’ available to help.”

Andrew Alleway, co-founder and managing director, believes that franchising is in its infancy in the UK and TGC are leading the way in offering franchise opportunities to individuals and couples that have not previously existed. It’s an exciting time, and anyone interested should contact Tidy Green Clean and download their franchise information booklet.  

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ENERGY NEWS

DeltaTek Wins Contract with Energean Israel Multi-well deal for deepwater SeaCure cementing technology struck Well construction specialist DeltaTek Global has announced an international contract award by Energean Oil and Gas to supply its proprietary SeaCure cementing technology to support the Karish deepwater project in Israel.

DeltaTek will provide optimisation services using its SeaCure technology for all 20-inch surface casings, which will be drilled from the Stena DrillMAX in approximately 1750 metres of water. DeltaTek will initially deploy SeaCure in four wells in Q1 2019.

SeaCure is a unique system which delivers stabbed-in, inner string cementing for subsea wells. The technology provides a range of major cost and time-saving benefits to drilling and field development operations – including elimination of shoe tracks and cleanout runs, improved cement placement and reduced displacement, offline casing pressure testing, and improved drill out performance, with minimised risk of bottom hole assembly damage.

DeltaTek CEO, Tristam Horn (pictured), commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded our first large-scale international contract, supporting Energean Oil and Gas in Israel on a high-profile, deepwater exploration and development campaign, opening up the deployment envelope for our game-changing well construction technology. 2018 was an incredible year for DeltaTek and we plan to continue building on those successes in 2019.” 

New Investor Signals Expansion for Aberdeen Tech Start-up

Viewport3 also to benefit from Tom Bryce’s experience of sector An Aberdeenshire technology start-up company has secured a five-figure investment from one of the founders of a successful north-east engineering firm.

At Scopus Engineering, Tom Bryce and his partner initiated the process of dimensional control, which highlighted the value that 3D scanning can offer to the oil and gas sector, and rolled it out first to the North Sea, and eventually on a worldwide basis.

Tom Bryce (pictured, right), co-founder of Scopus Engineering – which was sold to the AMEC group in 2014, now owns a 15% stake in Ellon-based Viewport3.

Tom said: “During my years at Scopus, we always felt that the missing link in our business was our ability to accurately measure subsea.

Viewport3 are specialist providers of subsea scanning and photogrammetry services to the underwater sector. Using ROV-mounted cameras, they capture 3D subsea data for operators or marine contractors, eliminating the need for time-consuming and costly diving campaigns and additional hardware.

Viewport3 utilise cloud-scanning technology to provide data accurate to less than a millimetre in a much shorter time frame than conventional methods.

Richard Drennan (left), director and co-founder of Viewport3, said: “We are currently at the vanguard of subsea scanning, but we know that continuous innovation is key to retaining that position.

“We focus on the difficult projects and sub-millimetric outputs, and Tom’s investment will allow us to further develop our already cutting-edge capabilities, and in-

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troduce more sophisticated hardware technology that will allow us to scale up to meet demand.”

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“When I first heard about the technology developed by Richard and Chris at Viewport3, and the pioneering services they offer, I was intrigued. The more I learned, the more I wished that this had been around when we set up Scopus Engineering. It is exactly what the industry has been crying out for.

“So, for me, it was a very natural progression to come on board with Viewport3. With my experience and understanding of the sector, I am very much looking forward to working with Richard and Chris and providing guidance and support to help them grow the business.”

Viewport3 was established in 2017 when directors Richard Drennan and Chris Harvey (centre) met on the Elevator Business Programme and decided to form a partnership, combining their skill sets and vision. 

Companies snap up exhibition space at new venue, TECA More than 80% of exhibition space for SPE Offshore Europe 2019 has been sold according to the event’s organisers.

Companies including ABB, Aker Solutions, Emerson, Schlumberger, Shell, Weatherford, Wood and Worley Parsons have already committed to exhibiting at the new £333-million The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA). A fifth of the companies to sign up are exhibiting for the first time.

artificial

intelligence

are

enabling

new

approaches, safe and efficient methods for retiring ageing assets have become necessary. We seek to reinvigorate the seasoned veteran while inspiring the new hand.”

The organisers are also incorporating an ENGenious Zone into SPE Offshore Europe 2019 after the success of the inaugural event in Aberdeen in 2018. This area will highlight innovations in robotics, data analytics, automation and advanced communications ahead of the next standalone event in 2020.

The Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) and social enterprise, Elevator, will also run a start-up zone, providing exposure to the most exciting new companies in the sector.

Igor

Tavares,

exhibition

director,

SPE

Offshore Europe 2019, commented: “As well as the return of several large companies after a hiatus, roughly 20% of our exhibitors are

SPE Offshore Europe 2019 will take place from 3-6 September 2019 and, after a successful introduction at the 2017 event, will include an expanded Decommissioning Zone that will now include late life.

new, which demonstrates real excitement

Michael Borrell (pictured), conference chair of SPE Offshore Europe 2019 and senior vice president, North Sea and Russia at Total, is leading the executive committee that has developed the 2019 theme: ‘Breakthrough to Excellence – Our license to operate’.

It will be a complete refresh

He said: “The world is undergoing an energy transition and the oil and gas industry will play a major role in shaping its future. This is a tremendous responsibility for our industry and SPE Offshore Europe 2019 will show that the sector is the sustainable partner with the long-term vision for excellence that the world requires.

the industry. The new hotels,

“The ambition of this event is to help our industry not just to showcase the best of what is happening, but also to highlight that the challenges we still face offer a lifetime of opportunities. We will encourage an open, constructive and honest dialogue with all current and future stakeholders.”

The SPE Offshore Europe 2019 technical committee has been selected and will be charged with shortlisting the 80 plus papers that are to be presented throughout the four days. The deadline for submissions was 14 January 2019.

Stephen Holtz, SPE Offshore Europe 2019 technical committee chair and project manager, Halliburton, said: “The conference provides the ideal platform to present and discuss the latest technical views and developments within the industry, bringing together practitioners and innovators at the same time.

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amongst the industry for the event to be taking place at the new venue. and is coinciding with the confidence we are seeing in improved transport links and on-site facilities are all proving popular draws for our exhibitors.”

Approximately 36,000 people and 900

exhibitors

representing 130

countries

attended

SPE

O f f s h o r e Europe 2017. 

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ENERGY NEWS

SPE Offshore Europe 2019 Proving Popular with Industry

As data analytics, machine learning and

ENERGY NEWS

Oceaneering Enhances Global Asset Integrity Capabilities New senior role for Chirag Jayswal at company’s Chandigarh base Oceaneering International, Inc. announced it has bolstered its expanding asset integrity business in Chandigarh, India with more capabilities.

within the offshore design centre where he led a team of engineers. Before Oceaneering, he worked for Larsen & Toubro and Suzlon.

The engineering support team is expected to grow to from 13 to around 30 full-time engineers by the end of 2019.

The team provides highly experienced and specialized competency across all integrity engineering trades, enabling standardization, service excellence and full life cycle project execution.

Bill Boyle, senior vice president of asset integrity, Oceaneering, said: “Over the last five years, we have built considerable capability in Chandigarh, with a multidisciplined integrity team supporting many new-build pipeline structures and process projects globally. Our aim is to expand this team further in the next 12 months, providing services onshore and offshore in the areas of reliability, maintenance and floating systems.

Chirag is a fantastic addition to our

Chirag Jayswal (pictured) has been appointed senior integrity engineering manager. With Oceaneering since 2010, he will transition from his current role

asset integrity division and we’re excited to welcome him on board.

“Oceaneering provides value-adding asset integrity technologies and solutions that focus on maximizing value for our customers. Having a dedicated engineering resource supporting our global projects ensures that we have the right blend of technical, quality and commercial efficiencies across our business, and enables us with an agile and responsive customer service.”

Oceaneering’s asset integrity division provides conventional and advanced non-destructive testing (NDT), specialist inspection solutions and integrity management capabilities, with a team of over 2,100 technically focused people servicing clients from 24 global locations. 

Official Launch Heralds Next Generation for Completions Market Extensive research and development precedes global launch The next generation of creative solutions for the oil and gas completions market has arrived, thanks to the official launch of a new company based in the northeast of Scotland.

Vulcan Completion Products (VCP) was founded by Ian Kirk (pictured, second left) and, after two years of extensive research and development with his nephew, Nathan (centre), he secured the services of Andy Kirk (right), Mark Dundee (second right) and Martin Pirie (left) to augment the team. The company is now ready to launch to the global market from its headquarters in Westhill, Aberdeenshire.

Specialising in design, manufacture and application, VCP draws on more than a

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century of combined industry experience to offer bespoke, innovative and groundbreaking solutions to explore new frontiers in application-based engineering solutions around the world. From centralisation, reamer and guide shoes to float equipment, cement plugs, stop collars and cable protectors, VCP’s emphasis lies firmly on being a quality service provider, consistently exceeding client expectations.

Commenting on the official launch, Ian Kirk of Vulcan Completion Products, said: “Our focus lies firmly on setting new performance standards, thanks to our revolutionary products, which are built to withstand the world’s most demanding wells – wherever they may be.

“The warmth of reception our enterprise has received from the market thus far is a clear indication of the appetite which exists for our products and services, and we are very optimistic about what the future holds.” 

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FEATURE

Key to a Golden Lifestyle Stand out from the crowd by transforming the mundane to the spectacular!

If you are a Range Rover owner, you could be at the forefront of the evolution of car keys!

Bul-Key offers you the ultimate opportunity to re-craft the aesthetics of your key. They pride themselves in offering a unique product for you, your lifestyle and your car.

Bul-Key transforms your humble key into an item of jewellery. Their design team craft completely bespoke items from

precious metals, creating the perfect accessory for unique individuals. Use your imagination and engrave this gift for a loved one or make that special occasion one to remember. Choose from goldplated, sterling silver, bullion gold or rose.

Each product is crafted to your own taste and design ensuring your key is completely distinctive.

For more information, ring 07500 504091 or email info@bul-key.com 

WE’VE BEEN HANDLING REMOVALS & STORAGE LONGER THAN MOST SINCE 1498.

• • • •

Local, National & International Domestic & Commercial Removals Storage Part Load Services

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19

ENERGY NEWS

AgileTek Looks Forward to 2019 A record year in 2018 saw subsea consultancy increase sales by 165% Award-winning subsea engineering analysis consultancy, AgileTek, announced a record year, reporting a 165% increase in external sales and adding several new clients to the roster.

The results came as AgileTek celebrated four successful years in business, with contract awards approaching £1 million in 2018.

The business has done this whilst also building its presence in Aberdeen, the Middle East and the Far East – including Malaysia and Taiwan.

The company, which has doubled its workforce in the past year, became part of Tekmar Group plc – a market-leading technology provider of protection systems for subsea cable, umbilical and flexible pipes and offshore engineering services – in June 2018.

AgileTek will provide a key element of Tekmar Group’s service, supporting a range of international clients on some of the world’s biggest offshore energy projects.

Steve Rossiter (pictured), managing director of AgileTek, said: “AgileTek has grown rapidly since its inception four years ago and the business continues to evolve. 2018 was an incredibly

exciting year and saw us achieve an exponential increase in external sales.

“Last year we launched our new business division, AgileDat, opening up an exciting range of new possibilities, allowing us to enhance our digital offering and offer unrivalled multidisciplinary expertise. AgileDat was created in response to the acceleration of digital change and we’re confident that 2019 will continue to build on the success of 2018.

“We genuinely believe we can change the world through our combination of traditional engineering with cutting edge software, cloud and big data technologies. This gives us an unrivalled ability to efficiently evaluate and quantify risks to offshore assets during design, procurement, manufacture, installation and decommissioning, and we look forward to building this offer and sharing it with the world.”

Following success at last year’s event, where AgileTek picked up the Small Company of the Year award, AgileTek returned to Subsea Expo 2019, exhibiting as part of Tekmar Group plc. 

N-Sea Achieves 1.5m Man-hours LTI Free Golden Rules programme has embedded SHEQ across business UK- and Netherlands-based subsea provider, N-Sea, has reached 1.5 million man-hours LTI (lost time injury) free.

In 2017, N-Sea launched their Golden Rules programme, embedding excellence in SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality) across the business and has continued to see the benefits. N-Sea sets a high example for outstanding SHEQ performance and this is represented by this milestone.

N-Sea’s chief operating officer, Roddy James (pictured), said: “A safe working environment is one of the highest priorities at N-Sea and, with our ethos being to always operate in a safe, sound and swift manner, we are delighted to be able to celebrate this milestone.

“Introducing our Golden Safety Rules programme last year has allowed us, as a business, to raise awareness of our commitment to health and safety – both internally through our staff and externally to our customers. Safety is truly embedded within our company, our culture and our operations.”

It has been an incredibly successful year for N-Sea, turning over €75 million, expanding their operational capabilities internationally and making several key appointments. This

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achievement demonstrates N-Sea’s ongoing commitment to be a safety-driven business.

N-Sea is known for its innovative work as an independent offshore subsea contractor, specialising in IMR services for the oil and gas, renewables and telecom/utility industries, as well as for civil contracting communities. N-Sea provides near shore, offshore and survey services to major operators and service companies alike. 

ENERGY NEWS

New Thought Leadership Series Released ‘Attollo Conversation’ aims to open up discussion to improve offshore operations Leading offshore marine operator Attollo Offshore has released the first of its ‘Attollo Conversation’ series, which it hopes will help open the discussion to improve offshore operations ready for a new era through constructive disruption and change.

The series wants to address key issues of technology and innovation within the offshore energy industry, discussing the growing use of smarter technology within all industries, and its potential to provide smarter offshore operations.

Attollo has brought some of the brightest minds together to give their opinions on key industry topics – from the future of work to big data – to ignite the debate and get the offshore energy industry thinking.

Ben Moore (pictured), Attollo’s managing director, explains why he has done this: “I believe this is one of the most exciting times to be in the offshore energy industry and I want us all to see where new technology and ways of working can take offshore operations in the future.

“Opportunities are changing and the challenges are considerable, but new technology will improve the ways we work offshore more than anyone is currently thinking. Old

ways of working allow for shadows, for inefficiencies and hide opportunities. This new era will allow for extreme transparency and hyper-efficiency on a level that has never been able to be achieved before. We hope this series accelerates the debate and assists with the pace of change.”

One of the most powerful messages that came across during the filming of the series is the need to find ways of transferring the knowledge held by the current generation – the ‘soul’ of the business – to the next generation, whilst encouraging change; still controlling major accident hazards; being safe and protecting the environment, without question – but improving the methods of doing so.

Ben adds: “Offshore businesses that are capable of making this shift in their operations will clearly see the opportunity for growth, and will be able to execute on an ever more ambitious vision and scale.”

Attollo Offshore is keen to hear from those who have something to say about the future of the offshore energy industry. To take part in future interviews, please contact info@attollo-offshore.com 

Aberdeen Subsea Connectivity Specialist Expands Business Israeli partnership with Aretha Technologies brings marketplace experience Subsea cable and connector assembly specialist, Hydro Group, has expanded into a new market with Israeli-based distributor Aretha Technologies Ltd. Aretha Technologies will offer subsea electrical and optical cables, ROV tethers and more from Hydro Group’s extensive product range.

Established in May 2018 by Ofer Kleiner and Moshe Eisenkraft, the firm based in Kfar Saba, Israel, is the official agent for specialist engineering firms active in the defence, aerospace and renewable energy industries.

Douglas Whyte, CEO of Hydro Group Plc,

said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Aretha Technologies Ltd. Their experience and understanding of the region’s requirements is second to none, and they are the optimum partners to introduce us to the Israeli marketplace, helping us progress our ongoing strategy of international expansion.

“Their reputation within the industry is significant and we are very much looking forward to working closely with them in the future.”

With a strong track record of international expansion in both Asia and the Americas, Hydro Group is continuing to identify local

Issue 16

experts and new markets globally for its suite of subsea connectivity solutions.

Founder

and

managing

director

of

Aretha Technologies, Moshe Eisenkraft, continued: “Together with my colleague, Ofer, Aretha Technologies stands ready to assist our international partners with over 25 years of experience in the Israeli market.

“We are excited by the possibilities of working with Hydro Group and are confident that this new partnership will be of mutual benefit.” 

Spring 2019

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BUSINESS FEATURE SECTION HEADER

Skene Group Kicks Off 35th Anniversary Year

Company starts 2019 with opening of seven-figure expansion to serviced office accommodation

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A leading, family-owned provider of quality serviced office accommodation in Aberdeen has kicked off its 35th anniversary year by opening the doors to a £1-million expansion of its facilities in the heart of the city’s West End. Skene Business Centres opened its first prime serviced office accommodation at Rubislaw Den North in 1984 with 96 Rosemount Viaduct and 6-8 Queen’s Gardens also adding to the portfolio.

This has now been extended by 3,580 square feet, thanks to the addition of 2 Queen’s Gardens, which recently enjoyed its official opening and welcomed its first clients.

Skene Business Centres provide fully furnished and equipped offices, along with kitchens and shower facilities.

Board and meeting rooms are available to both internal and external clients, whilst internal clients can also make use of the business lounges and break-out areas. Amongst the options on offer are virtual offices and one to 12desk serviced offices, which are ideal for a wide variety of businesses and allow organisations to be up and running within 24 hours.

The additional space created by the recent seven-figure investment has facilitated another 12 fully furnished serviced offices, comprising around 60 desks, which benefit from private on-site parking. 2 Queen’s Gardens will offer Skene Business Centres’ flexible short- and long-term agreements to suit client needs.

The adaptable system of renting allows companies to contract or expand their office accommodation without having to change their address or telephone number.

Skene Business Centres occupy a unique position within the market, due to their unrivalled ability to cross-sell accommodation thanks to sister company Skene House HotelSuites & ConferenceSuites.

These serviced apartments, conference facilities and meeting rooms are now spread across three locations throughout the city of Aberdeen and offer the luxury of hotel living combined with the flexibility of self-catering accommodation – ideal for the business and leisure visitor.

Skene

Business

Centres

and

Skene

House

HotelSuites & ConferenceSuites are part of the city-based, locally owned Skene Group, along with Inchmarlo Retirement Village on Royal Deeside.

The Group currently employs around 200 people across its divisions and was created by life-long entrepreneur, company founder and chairman, Charles Skene CBE, who is passionate about entrepreneurship, its important role in the economy of Scotland and helping companies to succeed. He now works with son Richard and daughters Jennifer and Pamela, all of whom are involved in various aspects of the still growing business.

Commenting on the addition of 2 Queen’s Gardens to the Skene Business Centres family of accommodation, Charles Skene said: “The journey towards what became the business centres really started in the 1960s with the purchase of the former Osborne Hotel at 6-8 Queens Gardens, Aberdeen. I turned this location into a successful combination of family home, business base and offices for rent. I’m delighted to say that these properties are still part of the business today – although one was sold and bought back into the company a number of years later at a huge price increase of around 3000%!

“Throughout our company history, and central to the success of Skene Business Centres, is the quality of the product and its delivery. These important elements are backed by a passion for what we do, excellent customer service and the right atmosphere for conducting business successfully.

“We believe that this mix, coupled with our unique ability to cross-sell accommodation, will stand us in good stead as we evolve our business in step with changing marketplaces and operating environments. Watch this space!”

To find out more, visit www.skenebusinesscentres. com or call Maeghan Cuthill, manager of Skene Business Centres, on +44 (0) 1224 620067. 

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TRAINING FEATURE SECTION HEADER DIGITAL

Leaders Still Lacking Skills for Digital Transformation To help better equip leaders to manage the human element of digital transformation, Blain believes that leaders themselves need in-depth training and guidance in the specifics of implementing digital transformation beyond the technological elements. This should include how best to train staff in new technologies and processes; how to free staff of the burden of time-consuming tasks; and, essentially, how to build and carry out a strategy that ensures that this change in mindset is embedded from the top and maintained throughout the organisation in the long term.

Closer guidance required to navigate businesses through cultural changes successfully, says PerformanceWorks Technology is a powerful enabler, but leaders need closer guidance in bringing about the business and cultural changes required to make digital transformation a success When it comes to digital transformation, much of the debate so far has focused on new technology and how businesses go about incorporating this into their business. Despite the inevitable importance of technology, more attention needs to focus on the fact that leaders in high-ranking positions at organisations still do not have the required level of skills and awareness to bring about the cultural evolution needed to achieve a fruitful digital transformation. This is according to PerformanceWorks, an international provider of training and consulting services for business leaders and managers.

Given the extent to which digital technologies have permeated both our personal and working lives, it can be easy to pigeonhole digital transformation as being broadly a technological concern, with other factors being of secondary importance. However, according to Jeremy Blain – founder and CEO of PerformanceWorks, this is an overly simplistic way of addressing digital transformation projects and their challenges, with the issue of leadership and the preparedness of leaders being of crucial importance.

Blain said: “Digital transformation has become something of a nebulous concept, so approaching it as a one-dimensional challenge isn’t sufficient if organisations want to make a real success of it. The technology aspect is evidently a huge part of it, but it’s crucial not to lose sight of the fact that a business is only as strong as its people.

“Unfortunately, leaders – often through little fault of their own – remain one of the biggest blockers to progress in this area. Implementing the cultural and human change that should accompany any digital transformation needs a comprehensive approach to training and long-term strategy which emphasises the gradual removal of older processes in favour of new ones, in a way that ensures staff are prepared and ready to embrace this evolution. At the moment, leaders still don’t have all the tools at their disposal to make this happen.”

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He added: “Digital transformation comes from above: with that in mind, leaders need guidance in how best to do it, before they can then give effective guidance to the employees working for them. It’s about being able to balance the power of new technology with the need to maintain a high amount of human involvement, which helps keep internal morale high while ensuring that employees are wellplaced to serve customers in the best possible way. By taking the time to equip themselves with this knowledge and insight, the chances of a seamless transition to a digital workplace will increase significantly. This is the key – build the right strategy from the very top, and the digital transformation will look after itself.”

He concluded: “This can only be achieved through consistent, inspiring leadership in which those in positions of responsibility are clear in what they want the long-term goal of the company’s digital transformation to be. The leader’s approach can’t be a piecemeal one: for it to be successful, leaders need to be present at the visionary level but also all the way through the process, otherwise the full benefits will never be seen. If this can be guaranteed, the labyrinth of digital transformation can be safely negotiated in the long run.” 

TRAINING FEATURE DIGITAL

Micro Cybersecurity Predictions for 2019 Is forewarned forearmed enough to meet forthcoming threats?

Micro has released its cybersecurity predictions for 2019, which forecast a new wave of cyberattacks – such as SIM-jacking and chat-phishing, a serious spike in crypto-jacking, and some difficult decisions for security teams to make in the age of GDPR.

major fine for GDPR incompliance in 2019, with the ICO making a

Here are some of those:

the hard decision of choosing between compliance and security.

I’ve got a text!: An all-new social engineering attack will hit the

Unexpected cybercriminal in your security layer: As organisations

mainstream: SIM-jacking, whereby criminals convince phone carriers to port a target’s ‘lost’ SIM card to one that is in the hacker’s possession. This allows the hacker to take control of any part of the target’s online presence that is associated with their mobile number, and bypass two-factor authentication that involves an SMS code.

Chat-phish: Phishing attempts will rapidly evolve, with attackers designing AI-enabled chatbots that can hold a conversation and lure the target into clicking a phishing link. Hackers will explore a wide range of payloads, including manipulation of orders, installation of a remote access trojan, or even extortion.

big example of them so as to ensure the regulation is upheld. But businesses will begin to question GDPR and, by 2020, we predict up to 75 percent of new business applications will have to make

ramp up their use of AI to identify unusual activity, cybercriminals will use more innovative and malicious tactics to ‘blend in’ in 2019.

By repurposing standard computing objects for reasons other than their intended purposes – such as unconventional file extensions or online storage services, the threat actor’s arsenal will evolve significantly and enable them to intelligently camouflage within the corporate network. In 2019, as cybercriminals look to infiltrate sites under the radar, it is imperative that enterprises implement comprehensive security solutions that are able to spot disguised profiling attempts.

Crypto-jacking – the new currency: Crypto-jacking has become

The Catcher in the AI: The AI arms race between hackers and

a rising trend throughout 2018. As the trend evolves in the year ahead, more and more hackers will hijack cloud accounts to mine cryptocurrency. This helps to save on purchasing the necessary resources and computing power required to mine successfully.

Security teams will have a tough task detecting it though – an increase in crypto-jacking malware will occur in 2019, which minimises the risk of detection by throttling resource usage.

organisations will continue to evolve. Well-funded threat actors will

An Offer You Can’t Fake News: Distinguishing fact from fakery has never been harder, and the efforts from social media brands will not be enough to keep up with the deluge of cyber propaganda in 2019.

Despite calls for additional regulation, these sites will not have the time to clear the internet ‘airwaves’ of fake news. Motivation to influence democratic elections will only evolve, and thanks to technology that allows fake news propagators to sway public sentiment – whether that is AI-enabled voice or video editing tools, cyber propaganda will have the power to decide the fate of nations.

GDPR – a game of risk: An organisation will be subjected to the first

start to use AI for reconnaissance, tracking the locations of highprofile executives – whether it is their favourite restaurant or hotel – in order to gain useful intelligence for future attacks. Security teams will continue to draw more from AI too, and automate threat detection and response. In reaction to hacker’s increasingly advanced techniques, the pressure for organisations to utilise AI well has never been higher.

Cloud Infrastructure Abuse: More and more cybercriminals will try their hand at hijacking cloud accounts for a number of nefarious uses, whether it is mining cryptocurrency or maintaining control over alternative access. As enterprises adopt hybrid infrastructure platforms for the delivery of critical services and applications, the attack surface increases exponentially – especially at the periphery of where the cloud provider’s responsibilities end and the customers’ begin.” 

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DIGITAL

Companies see it not as a challenge, but as a chance to improve and grow • One in four businesses struggle to adapt and thrive from technology disruption

Savoy Stewart determined this was down to the companies

• 36.9% of companies view technology disruption as an opportunity to improve and grow as a business

admitting to having no approach. Positively, 50.4% of businesses

• In order to stay ahead of the competition, 50.4% of businesses reported having a proactive ‘opportunity-minded’ approach to new and emerging technologies • Only 12% of businesses voiced their concerns of their ability to adapt to digital advancements over the next three years, despite 23.4% rating themselves as ‘digital laggards’ Technology is often thought about in terms of physical devices that are electrical or digital when, in fact, technology encompasses far more than simply tangible objects. New and emerging technologies often impact the value of existing models and services, resulting in digital disruption, which leads to many companies re-evaluating and transforming.

Technology disruption is defined as: ‘technology that displaces an established technology and shakes up the industry or creates a completely new industry’.

There is currently a high-stakes global game of digital disruption, fuelled by the latest wave of technological advances spurred

by AI and data analytics. As a result, business models within industry sectors are inevitably changing. Despite the fact 19.3% of companies feel that the pace of technological change has made them significantly more competitive in the past three years, a large majority of companies are still struggling to keep up with this change.

As a result, SavoyStewart.co.uk sought to identify whether businesses view technology disruption as an opportunity or threat, through an analysis of the latest research conducted by Futurum*.

Interestingly, it was discovered that one in four businesses still struggle to keep up with the times and thrive from digital disruption. Despite this, whilst weighing up the ‘opportunity vs. threat’ of technological disruption, 39.6% of businesses feel that it provides them with new opportunities to improve and grow as a company.

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approach to technology adaption, with 24.4% surprisingly reported having a proactive ‘opportunity-minded’ approach, ensuring they remain competitive and up to date.

With 25.1% of business seemingly adopting a passive ‘wait and see’ approach, it is unsurprising that 30.7% of companies felt the impact of technological change over the past three years has made them less competitive.

The window of opportunity to gain competitive advantage generally falls inside a period of three years. It is, therefore, critical for business leaders to understand the value of technologically proactive leadership and operational agility. The faster a company can use technology disruption to their advantage, the more likely it is to surge ahead of its competitors.

Surprisingly, whilst 29.5% of companies stated they feel very excited about their ability to adapt over the next three years, only 18.3% rated themselves as ‘digital leaders’. These individuals are highly proactive and agile business leaders, who are ahead in their strategic and operational anticipation of the technological change facing them and their organisation.

Thereafter, 35% of businesses feel somewhat optimistic about their ability to adapt, which is not far off the 36.3% of companies that rated themselves to be ‘digital adopters’ – easily adaptable and proactive in their approach to evolve with technology disruption.

Following suit, 23.4% are a little concerned about their ability to adapt over the next three years, indicating their company is adaptable but passive in their approach, which is once again close in correlation to the amount of businesses that rated themselves to be ‘digital followers’, at 22%.

Lastly, 12% of businesses stated they are very worried about their ability to adapt to technological change, which is interesting considering almost double (23.4%) rated themselves to be ‘digital laggards’. 

By Mike Ianiri, director at Equinox Communications

Use RFID Shields Public places, such as hotels, are great hunting grounds for thieves looking for card data. They can easily steal your card information by skimming. With near-field communication (NFC) technology, they don’t even have to get hold of the card anymore – simply get close to it. Passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) protection comes in the form of a shield (credit-card sized) that slides into your wallet next to your cards, or there are now wallets with this tech built into the material.

More active solutions, using other radio frequencies, will actively block the signal used by the skimmers.

Keep your devices close If you’re working away and staying in a hotel, you might well find yourself using the hotel Wi-Fi, particularly if it’s offered for free.

There’s a problem, however. This is because the hotel industry is one of the top sectors to suffer data breaches. Because of the amount of data that hotels can hold about you – your full name, home/office addresses, passport details, car registration plates and credit card details – hotels are a cybercriminal’s dream.

As you connect to the Wi-Fi network, you’re required to enter personal details. Most guest Wi-Fi access has software that sits behind the access points and stores all this information.

The repercussions if a cybercriminal gains access to the back end can be catastrophic.

How can you protect yourself when travelling and needing to access hotel and other public Wi-Fi spots?

Tethering to your mobile Public Wi-Fi networks are rarely secure and often used by hackers to gather data they shouldn’t. We recommend, wherever possible, to connect to the internet via your mobile phone. Use your data allowance and the security built into your phone instead of a public network. Mobile data is becoming cheaper and cheaper: • Vodafone has a 20Gb data SIM-only contract for £20 per month • O2 are selling 32Gb of data for £26 per month The only issue comes when you can’t get a decent signal, most likely due to the structure of the building.

Have a VPN connection If you can’t get a secure internet connection, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection is the next best thing. This allows you to connect to your company network by creating a secure ‘tunnel’ between your laptop and your network. This stops others from accessing your data.

To create a VPN, talk to your IT department. They’re likely to have their preferred software application for this or, if you want to use the Windows VPN tool, you’ll need to know the names and IP addresses of the server(s) you wish to connect to.

Don’t be visible When you do log into a public Wi-Fi, it’ll sometimes ask you if you wish to be discovered, or visible, to others on the network. Always say: “No.” While you’re at it, turn off file and print sharing so that nobody can send or receive files from you across the Wi-Fi.

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You’re in a hotel or café, and you need the restroom. If you’ll only be gone a couple of minutes, your devices will be safe… Won’t they? Is it worth the risk?

Let’s consider one example: our smartphones. These can contain almost as much data as our laptops. If you use Office365 or another form of cloud-based computing, your smartphone is an access point for your data.

It will be no surprise, therefore, that the answer to the question is: Always take your devices with you. It is inconvenient, but it’s far less inconvenient than explaining to your boss that there’s been a data breach and they have to report it to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) with 72 hours.

You also need to be able to wipe data off your phone and secure it in the unlucky circumstances that it’s stolen. There are mobile device management solutions to help you do this. It is also worth remembering that Apple and Microsoft laptops have inbuilt trackers and there are products that will help locate devices if they’re stolen. However, it’s best to avoid needing to use them!

In summary GDPR and data security have only made it more important to protect your data. Fines or paperwork are painful, but even more so are the loss of your company’s intellectual property and loss of your customers’ trust.

It’s worth taking the actions above to keep your data safe. 

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DIGITAL

How to Protect Your Data on a Business Trip

FEATURE

Financial Worries Affect Employee Behaviour & Relationships Research by Neyber into employee well-being highlights effects of money pressures

“What’s more, a new report from the debt advice charity National Debtline1 tells us that 37% of employees put Christmas expenses on credit, so it is likely that their tension will magnify in January. Although staff spending is not an employer’s issue, there is great scope to support staff with financial well-being and education so they can start 2019 in the best possible way, helping them reduce stress and increase productivity.”

Employers can help by: • Creating an environment of trust in the workplace to provide employees with safe and confidential support for their financial worries.

• Providing financial support and services through an employee assistance programme or financial well-being provider.

These provide employees with a trusted solution to safely discuss their concerns and be signposted for more support.

• Getting everyone to play their part. HR might be in charge of deciding what’s included in a financial well-being strategy, but line managers are best placed to spot warning signs, such as a drop-off in performance. Managers can be trained to have

• 40% of staff say financial worries have a negative impact on relationships at work • 44% say they have a negative impact on their behaviour • Issues likely to increase after Christmas – 37% of Britons put Christmas presents on credit last year • Employer advice provided

open conversations with their employees to make sure they are aware of what’s on offer to help employees.

Allan added: “It is a widely known fact that employees often struggle to manage finances, which can be a very lonely feeling.

Seven percent don’t know who to turn to and 16% handle it on their own. Perhaps not surprisingly, just 3% would go to their HR team, or 5% to a manager, but it is possible

Research of 10,000 UK employees shows that 40% say financial worries have a negative impact on their relationships at work, and 44% say they negatively impact their behaviour. The findings, from Neyber, could doubly impact employees and employers as people increase debt over the holiday season.

for HR and employers to create a supportive

Heidi Allan, head of employee well-being at Neyber, said: “The additional pressure and stress associated with money issues affects how we interact with others and can make everyday activities more challenging than usual.

1

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environment for staff without going to great expense themselves.”  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ christmas-spending-debts-credit-card-payments-loanbritish-people-britons-household-incomes-a8138251. html

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FINANCE FEATURE

Happy Investing

By Andrew Dines, chartered financial planner at AAB Wealth As an investor, your happiness depends on having realistic expectations about returns and viewing market events in proper context. These two factors can drive your sense of financial wellbeing and influence your financial outcome.

To say that ‘money isn’t everything’ is more than a cliché. Studies have shown that a sense of well-being or happiness has not increased commensurately with increases in wealth over the previous half century.

That trend continues as the modern world has arguably made well-being more elusive than ever. Fortunately, positive psychology arose in the 1990s, attempting to find the key to understanding what makes people flourish. It has spawned the so-called happiness literature that seeks modern truth by weaving together science and ancient wisdom.

How to be happier is now the most popular course at Harvard and Yale universities. Business people and entrepreneurs are also contemplating some of these age-old questions. Mo Gawdat, a serial entrepreneur and chief business officer at Google X, tried to engineer a path to joy in his book, Solve for

Happy, by expressing happiness as an equation: HAPPINESS ≥ Your Perception of the EVENTS of your life − Your EXPECTATIONS of how life should behave.

According to Gawdat’s model, if you perceive events as equal to or greater than your expectations, then you are happy... or at least not unhappy. Investors wanting to increase their wealth and well-being should consider his model. You cannot control many events that affect your portfolio, but events themselves are not part of the equation. Fortunately, you have some control over the two variables driving happiness: your perception of the events and your expectations.

The good news is there are sensible and empirically sound ways to increase expected returns. The bad news is there will be periods of underperformance along the way.

Your happiness as an investor depends on how your perception of events stacks up against your expectations. Proper expectations alongside the appropriate perception can help you stay the course and may improve your wealth and well-being. 

Financial planning will help you sleep easy CHARTERED FINANCIAL PLANNERS

email wealth@aab.uk • www.aabwealth.uk • 01224 625111

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By David Gow, chartered and certified financial planner and director, Acumen Financial Planning, Edinburgh Are you a saver; a spender? Do you blow it all in one go, put it by for a rainy day, or make it work hard for you for the future?

Many of us seek financial advice as and when we need it — including a quick chat with someone in the bank when we’re looking for a loan or opening a new account, or talking to a financial advisor when we’re on the hunt for a mortgage to buy a new home. But what does uncertainty do to our plans? Should Brexit, for example, stop us from making big financial decisions; should we wait to see how things pan out?

No. There’s a better way.

When it comes down to it, the impartial, professional and transparent service we offer steers your finances in the right direction over the long term, so you get exactly what you want out of your money and investments, regardless of what’s happening on the worldwide stage.

Recognising the differences An accountant deals with what’s already happened over the past year; a solicitor deals with the legal aspects.

In contrast, a financial planner deals with today, tomorrow and beyond: advising clients about the road ahead — with an eye always on their plans for the future — and ensuring their finances are ordered in such a way that they never run out of money.

Our experts, many of whom are chartered and certified financial planners, are specialists in their own areas too: for example, retirement and pensions; divorcerelated financial issues; estate planning and inheritance tax; and intergenerational financial planning. Others have particular skills in advising business owners, as well as senior executives in the oil and gas and professional sectors.

My vision is for people to think of a visit to a financial planner as an annual occurrence, as a health check on their ‘financial fitness’, in the same way we think about our tax return, a mortgage rate review or checking interest on savings accounts.

Challenging perceptions Because of its specialised approach, financial planning is sometimes seen as coming with a hefty price tag, but that’s not necessarily the case: we work with clients with different levels of wealth.

Because of our talented team and the systems and planning software we have in place, we can deliver a premium level service, that adds measurable value.

Fundamentally, it is important clients know we’ve got their backs. Financial planning can be really complex, so we want to take a more straightforward approach and provide a clear view of their financial future, so they can reap the benefits. 

Supporting families through all of life’s performances.

• • • •

Savings & Investments Tax Planning Pensions & Retirement Planning Estate Planning

Tel: 01224 432 227 acumenfp.com

Acumen Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA number 218745

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FINANCE FEATURE

What Do You Do with Your Money?

COFFEE WITH...

Coffee with…

Stewart Milne Business Now’s editor found out what’s brewing in the NE’s newest community and the wider property market My coffee companion this month needs no introduction. He is an icon of the property industry and a well-known face in the North East. I was delighted to spend some time with the affable Stewart Milne, and passed a pleasurable hour chatting over a flat white at his group’s most ambitious project to date – the new community at Countesswells.

I had read recently in the press that a leading property expert believed ‘house prices in Aberdeen had bottomed out’, suggesting the city was experiencing the best property market since 1998. I asked Stewart’s view on this...

He responded: “Today is definitely a buyers’ market, with a great choice in new build properties from many different suppliers.

Countesswells is a working example of this.

“The financial crash in 2008 hit the UK very hard – no region was spared. But the North East was the first area to come out of the recession in 2011/12; the high oil price drove high levels of activities in the North East and boosted the local economy.

Spring 2019 Spring 2017

“With the oil and gas sector further extending the lifespan of the industry, which has been downplayed over the years, and the sustainable environmental gains, the region should be optimistically looking forward, as should the competitive housing market.”

I asked: “So, where did the vision and concept for Countesswells come from?”

“The vision for Countesswells has been over 30 years in the making. It’s a unique project

new community and that

to be backed by an HM Treasury guarantee.

– the only housing project so far in the UK

needs the right balance of

It represents a £1-billion investment in the

residents of all types and

has enabled us to invest up front in the

from all walks of life.

“In 2018/19, confidence is finally returning across all sectors. Longterm infrastructure developments such as the AWPR, the new harbour development, Aberdeen International Airport and TECA –

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businesses a renewed feeling of optimism.

“The aim is to create a

“However, as the rest of the UK started to come back, the oil price crash in 2014 sent the north-east economy into a fast downward spiral once again and, with it, consumer confidence across the region.

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along with a renaissance in the North Sea, have given locals and

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region and the backing from HM Treasury infrastructure

and

landscaping,

creating

something really special, on a level not seen

before. The concept supports housing, primary schools, secondary schools, office and retail units alongside large recreational green spaces, some of which are the largest parks incorporated into such a project. We’re building something new, but based on traditional values – with community spaces for sharing and play included.

There are new roads constructed now, with more to follow, and there are already primary school kids in a ‘Countesswells class’ in advance of a move to the new primary in the near future.

COFFEE WITH...

The project has been deemed exemplary by HM Treasury, planners and bodies such as RICS, and this wider recognition has already earned the development numerous awards and accolades. It’s also being looked at with a view to being replicated elsewhere in Scotland and other regions, which is a great testament to its vision.”

“So, tell me… Who is likely to live there? Is it families, first-time buyers, an older market?”

“The aim is to create a new community and that needs the right balance of residents of all types and from all walks of life. Twenty-five percent of the housing is classified as affordable, delivered through working with housing associations and other providers, covering all aspects of the rental market.

“The private market will cater for the complete range of homes, from the one- to two-bed apartment right through the executive four- to fivebedroom homes from a range of housebuilders. It’s important to note that this isn’t a Stewart Milne Homes’ development. We now have Barratt, Kirkwood and Chap on site, and there is already a wide range of housing available to suit all types of buyers.”

Without delving into political preferences, I wanted to know how Stewart Milne felt the property market would go post-Brexit.

“Like every other sector, the housing sector desperately wants a decision to be made. Once that happens, we will all know what the challenges that lie ahead are and we can then plan accordingly. The greatest concern is continued uncertainty.

“Don’t forget that businesses have worked through tough, challenging times before and know they have to adapt to survive. As will the budding entrepreneurs who will adapt in the face of adversity provided they know what to work with. So the certainty of a deal at the end of March is vital.

“Don’t underestimate or write off the skills and determination of businesses, and the wider communities, despite the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead. I personally am confident there will be a deal and I will then work with what is on the table to make the business work.”

So, where does Stewart Milne see himself in the next five to ten years?

“I have been in business the best part of 50 years. In some ways I see the next five to ten years as a new phase in the Group’s development.

“We are in the process of rebuilding our senior management team – a combination of new and existing senior management, and developing our medium- to long-term strategic plan that will see us expand in our existing markets, as well as developing new markets, throughout the UK. “Having enjoyed success with our offsite construction division, Stewart Milne Timber Systems, we look forward to the anticipated accelerated growth of modern methods of construction being adopted more widely in England, following the lead taken by housebuilders in Scotland. This could see our manufacturing division doubling in capacity over the next five years, from delivering around 8,000 housing units per year to 16,000, ensuring we retain our market-leading position in this sector of growing importance.”

Stewart continued: “Are we doing enough for the next generation to fill the void? Comparative earnings between now and the same generation ten years ago show a drop in actual earnings, so more has to be done to correct the gaps that exist through attracting more skilled people to the industry from university, college and apprenticeship programmes.

“Focus must be on the next generation to drive forward what has been started. They must be allowed to influence the next programme of development across the industry and that includes my own company!”

With Stewart’s positive vibes ringing in my ears I thanked my genial host for his time and went on my way knowing that, whatever the outcome of Brexit and other problems the country may face in the future, the property market is in good hands. 

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PERSONNEL FEATURE

Vocation Frustration UK office workers on the brink.

A word from Staples…

That feeling. When you can take on the world, or Monday, with a smile. When the printer just prints. When the little things you need make the big things you’re planning possible. When you’re in the zone, when you’re making a difference, or when you feel like a boss, even if you’re not.

When it all just works.

That’s the feeling that office workers are craving. But that’s the feeling that, according to our research, many are struggling to attain. The result? High levels of workplace frustration – or rather, vocation frustration – across the UK. This latest research report from Staples investigates this vocation frustration further. Because it’s time workspaces worked better for everyone involved. And it’s time workers stopped ‘jumping ship’ in pursuit of… that feeling.

Introduction The concept of job-hopping has long been debated by economists and businesses alike. It is a phenomenon that is impacting businesses in the UK. Job-hopping comes with a high price tag – according to research from Oxford Economics, it can cost a business as much as £30,000 or €34,000 to replace an employee.

Studies have ranged from those at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which a year ago found that employees will have an average of 11.7 jobs between the ages of 18 and 48, to data from LinkedIn, which has recently put this figure higher – at 15.

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At Staples, we have investigated the issue further. Just what does the job-hopping landscape look like in the UK? What’s causing people to constantly feel frustrated in their office workspaces?

And what role does the working environment have to play?

We have enlisted the help of Professor Sir Cary Cooper, the expert in organisational psychology at the Alliance Manchester Business School, to explore our findings. The results make for some interesting reading.

Most people spend more of their waking hours at work than at home, so the workplace is really important for the health, wellbeing and performance of employees. As this report finds, 89% seek fulfilment at work, and the physical and psychological environment are critical to achieve this.

Professor Sir Cary Cooper

The situation is so bad, in fact, that many office workers across the UK are regularly on the verge of handing in their notice at work, seeking escapism or a different environment all together.

But changing jobs to a different workspace isn’t always the answer. Despite the high numbers that are tempted to job-hop, lured by the prospect of a better work environment elsewhere, many soon realise that the grass isn’t as green on the other side as they had hoped. In fact, 37% say they get frustrated in a new workspace in the first six months, causing the vicious circle to start once again.

Percentage of the UK’s office workers who feel frustrated at work: 97% 22% look at job ads when they are frustrated 24% dream of escaping to the beach when they are frustrated 35% moan to someone when they are frustrated 77% agree there is a link between how fulfilled people are at work and the quality of their office workspace 80% agree that a well-functioning and attractive office workspace boosts staff productivity 81% agree that a well-functioning and attractive office workspace is important for staff mental health 76% agree that a well-functioning and attractive office workspace encourages staff retention

The impact of the working environment on its people The UK’s frustrated workers Our research has unearthed some common traits across the continent. There’s a distinct sense that people want to feel good in the office environment, with 89% saying that they want to feel ‘fulfilled’ at work. There have been multiple studies about the link between the work environment and fulfilment. Ultimately, an effective workplace helps people to feel better about work, meaning they will not only be able to up their performance; they will also be less likely to want to jump ship.

Our research backs up previous social studies which have drawn links between people’s work and their basic, and even emotional, needs. Maslow’s famous pyramid theory is still referenced by many psychologists, because it tells us that once their basic needs are met, human beings seek love and a sense of belonging, then self-esteem and prestige, and finally self-actualisation.

In the modern work space, self-actualisation can involve, in many instances, a sense of achievement, merit or even pride in the environment itself. And indeed, in our research, two in five (41%) said they want to ‘feel like a boss’ even if they’re not, and 83% want to be able to leave the office at the end of the day, feeling like they’ve ‘made a difference’. But, crucially, we found that too few office workers are attaining these goals. The result?

Office workers in the UK feel frustrated.

A problem that’s hard to avoid So, what do workers do when they feel frustrated in the office space? Well, the answers vary, but overwhelmingly our research shows that the UK’s workers are seeking solace in escapism – either from the office workspace; from their jobs; from their situation; or even from their entire careers.

Our research has explored an important link between the physical workspace itself, and the people that use it. Whether it’s having comfortable lighting; space to think, relax or unwind; or simply having an office with the right stationery supplies and a printer that doesn’t break down, the office environment itself has a huge impact on the people working in it.

Get the office space right, therefore, and people will be less frustrated. They will be more likely to feel fulfilled, more likely to reach that self-actualisation goal, and more likely to stay.

Conclusion This research has shown us a problem. It has shown us that too many workers across the UK are frustrated. They are trapped in office environments that do not work for them.

At Staples, we understand that the workspace is both the crux of the problem, as well as the key to the solution.

Having the right office space can have an unprecedented impact on workers. Space can connect, inspire, renew and take care of workers. Because when your space works, workers can feel more productive, fulfilled and happy.

How you are managed (by praise and reward instead of faultfinding), reasonable hours of work and flexible working if required, and a good quality office environment are all fundamental to enhancing job satisfaction. The physical environment is important not only because it makes the job experience fulfilling, but also because it says to employees ‘we care about you’.

Professor Sir Cary Cooper 89% of the UK’s office workers say they think about changing jobs. One in ten thinks about it constantly.  Methodology The research comprised an online survey of 7,000 office workers, conducted by independent research agency Arlington Research in October 2018. The research sample consisted of desk-based office workers from ten European countries, including: United Kingdom (2,000); Germany (1,000); France (500); Netherlands (500); Sweden (500); Norway (500); Spain (500); Italy (500); Portugal (500); and Finland (500).

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PERSONNEL FEATURE

In short, office workers are on the brink.

PERSONNEL

The Skills Conundrum

By Amanda McCulloch, managing director, Thorpe Molloy Recruitment Skilled people. It’s the topic that comes up most frequently in my client meetings. Finding skilled people is a priority for the businesses that are recruiting today, but it is also a concern of the business owners who know they will need to hire in the mid- to long-term future, too: “Where will I find the skilled people we need?”; “What will we have to do to recruit, and then retain, skilled people?” And, of even greater concern: “There just aren’t the skilled people we need out there.”

Experienced business people and in-house recruiters are increasingly concerned about the return of a counter-offer culture with inflated salaries used to recruit and retain staff.

We can identify with this, reporting in our most recent North East Salary Guide that fewer immediately available job seekers, in conjunction with more job choice, are making it harder for employers to source skilled and experienced professionals across our specialisms – from finance to trades to IT. This opinion was reinforced by research published in the AGCC Oil and Gas Survey, with one in three firms looking to increase their UK workforce by 10% or more this year, and 44% of firms reporting at least one skill to be in short supply.

How will the supply of skills be sustained if economic, commercial and operational conditions facilitate the production of oil reserves from the UKCS for the next 20 years?

The industry is notoriously cyclic, and I imagine this makes it very difficult to model future employment and skills requirements with certainty. But it is essential work and, building on their joint report – the UKCS Workforce Dynamics Review, OPITO and the RGU Oil and Gas Institute has collected data from a wide range of industry professionals to assess the changing skills demand between now and 2025. This research will contribute to the UKCS Skills Strategy.

Good recruitment practice has a role to play in helping to solve the skills conundrum, too:

1. Increase the number of entry-level positions If your business can support quality apprenticeships, training or mentoring, then consider increasing the number of entry-level positions you recruit into your business. I acknowledge this requires long-term investment, but you’ll be developing your own talent pipeline, as in only a few short years these people will be ready to take on promoted posts. If you are determined that it is graduate-qualified new starts you require, don’t get too hung up on where they studied. High achievers, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, may attend less prestigious universities, which have no correlation whatsoever to their abilities.

2. Tap into the gig economy Short-term contracts, temporary and freelance work are appealing to a growing number of experienced professionals seeking flexibility – making them a good choice for projectspecific, knowledge-sharing work.

3. Hire for attitude, train for skills OK, this one can’t be attributed across the board as certain professions do require specialist skills. But where that’s not the case – or the skills can be taught in-house, attitude is key and can broaden your candidate pool significantly. Use resourcing criteria that selects for high potential and then develop through training. Taking this approach can also positively impact inclusion in the workplace as there tends to be more socio-economic diversity across your employees.

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4. Recruitment process Without realising it, unconscious bias can creep into recruitment practice. What would happen to your shortlist of candidates if you removed information such as the person’s name from the application process (gender bias)? Could using a diverse team of people to make hiring decisions inject new perspectives to your resourcing? And have you tried applying for one of your own vacancies recently? The user experience is increasingly critical and, if people find your recruitment process intimidating or confusing, they’ll start to question whether they want to work for your business at all.

5. Acknowledge the importance of transferable soft skills I read on LinkedIn recently that 57% of leaders say soft skills are more important than hard skills. This is surely a reflection of the connected, collaborative culture that surrounds the world of work, where success is intrinsically linked with employee engagement and productivity or customer satisfaction. But this isn’t always reflected in recruitment practice. So often we hear of people who have been recruited into manager positions because of their ability to do the hard skills element of their job very well, only to find that their soft skills – such as confidence building, creativity, collaboration, adaptability, time management and people management – are not yet well enough developed for their new people management role.

6. Offer flexibility and family-friendly policies Flexible working is the most sought-after benefit for employees. Your business could challenge the concept of the drearily overused ‘work/life balance’. In today’s working world, there really is no such thing: life doesn’t stop while you are in work and work often spills over into home life. How far could you take flexibility? Could the job be done in a different city by taking advantage of communication and filesharing technology? It doesn’t have to be that dramatic: flexible working hours can be particularly attractive to experienced workers with children or other caring responsibilities, potentially retaining skilled people in your workforce. 

Millennials with successful track record show the way As of 2016, millennials became the largest generation in the workforce. In 2020, they will make up over half of all workers across the globe.

In the wake of this shift, we have now seen a rise in the number of millennial managers as businesses become more and more influenced by a younger generation who can make decisions that shape their workplace.

Since UK call-handling specialists CALLCARE employ so many fantastic millennials, they asked the question: what does the future look like with eighties and nineties kids at the helm of the labour market? And if you are just at the beginning of your career, what can you do to get to an influential position before your early twenties are over?

Here is how some inspiring professionals who have landed impressive roles at a young age did it:

Set specific goals

Billy Dee, head of diversity PR at Thinking Hat PR, was headhunted for the position of PR manager for Ministry of Sound – at the time the world’s biggest independent music company – at just 25 years old.

Her advice for others looking to do the same is to set goals you want to hit: “Set solid yearly targets and stick to them as if they are life or death. I was determined to be a manager by 25 and, when it became clear my current company weren’t going to allow that, I immediately started searching for somewhere else that would.”

Setting goals helps you measure your progress against your own ideals, which helps motivate you to step up when there’s a new opportunity you can take.

Get ahead of the game

Graduating from university can leave some people feeling lost and uncertain about the future, but some students can secure a career path ahead of time by working in the summers between semesters.

Sarah Benson, now an account manager at KC Communications, landed a management role because of the hard work she had put in with the business over the course of her degree.

Sarah says: “After I graduated, the directors sat down with me and discussed the opportunity of an internal promotion to fill the role rather than recruiting externally. They explained that they felt I had an in-depth knowledge of the accounts and had proved I could take on the responsibility.”

Sarah now manages two people in her current role, but has ambitions to become an account director before she turns 30. She credits her success to her proactive approach while at university.

“I very much believe that taking advantage of work experience in the sector you wish to work in during university is absolutely vital in getting ahead and ensuring that you don’t end up walking into a graduate-level job on a basic salary.”

Do what you enjoy, even if it’s not what you expect

The pressure to go into a field that relates to our degree can be almost overwhelming, but it is not necessarily the best choice if you want to progress.

Jodie Pilgrim, 21, quit her graduate position at an accountancy firm to work full-time for Party Hard Travel, organising their UK club tour while recruiting and overseeing new brand ambassadors.

Jodie said: “I felt like a huge weight had been lifted. At the accountancy firm I felt like a tiny cog in a huge wheel, whereas now I’m part of a small close-knit team with real influence.”

Her passion for the role has quickly taken her into a position of influence, despite the fact it didn’t align with her initial idea of what she wanted to do.

Forging the future

The most encouraging thing for young professionals to recognise is that many of the old unspoken rules in the workplace are being challenged. With every success story of a young person in business, companies around the world are rethinking what constitutes a good manager, looking at the skills of their employees, rather than the years they’ve racked up.

Those that can embrace self-development early on and find a role they’re passionate about can quickly climb the ranks to land themselves a role that’s both challenging and rewarding.  Issue 16 Spring 2019 www.business-now.co.uk 37 www.forbes.com/sites/jamiehopkins/2017/07/08/millennials-managers-a-guide-for-successful-management/#220e1d722ac3

PERSONNEL

How to Become a Manager Before You’re 25

TRAINING

Apprenticeships Are Answer To Falling Uni Numbers Training specialist DTL says fees are only part of cause for decline Develop Training Limited (DTL), a leading provider to the utilities and construction sector, says apprenticeships can meet many of the challenges thrown up by falling university numbers.

Many commentators have blamed high tuition fees for a growing number of young people not applying for university, raising fears of a lack of social mobility.

But DTL points out that school leavers give other reasons too, including that they do not enjoy studying or do not think they have the necessary academic skills for university.

The training company says that apprenticeships have the capability not just to provide an alternative to university, but also to address the wider issues.

Operations director John Kerr says: “Instead of racking up student debt, apprentices earn while they learn, and apprenticeships provide other ways of learning for those who aren’t suited to academia. At DTL, we specialise in practical training for high-earning roles in utilities and construction. Yes, there is an element of classroom learning but, for most of our apprenticeships, the focus is on learning through well-supervised, genuine on-the-job experience.”

Mr Kerr says that apprenticeships can also generate social mobility, even beyond what might be expected from gaining a practical qualification and a well-paid job. He explains: “As an organisation that believes in providing a holistic educational experience, we support many young people who have fallen behind with academic

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learning.” Crucially, he points out, that includes ensuring that apprentices attain satisfactory levels of literacy and numeracy.

Ensuring students achieve a set level of literacy and numeracy is a requirement made of apprenticeship providers by the educational watchdog, Ofsted, and DTL has invested in technology and teaching to ensure that apprentices reach the levels they need, not just to gain their qualification, but also to equip them for life.

Mr Kerr says: “Clearly, people who have poor literacy or numeracy, or both, are going to be disadvantaged. This is a significant step in giving them social mobility.”

With these crucial core skills and the confidence of having completed an apprenticeship, they might well go on to get a university degree or similar-level qualification, he points out.

Mr Kerr adds: “For us at DTL, this is much more than a question of meeting the requirements of the regulator. You can see this in our response to another Ofsted instruction. We have pioneered

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the introduction of safeguarding, ensuring that young people are safe in the workplace and the training environment.”

DTL’s latest Industry Skills Forum on the subject brought together leading figures in HR in the utilities and construction sector to discuss safeguarding and the government’s Prevent initiative, which requires education providers to play their part in ensuring young people are not recruited into extremism.

As an approved provider under the apprenticeship levy scheme, DTL says its customers expect it to deliver welltrained individuals, capable of carrying out their roles effectively and safely. This is particularly important when those roles are often in potentially hazardous environments in the gas, electricity, water and construction industries.

But as Mr Kerr sums up: “Our first duty is to the apprentices themselves, and we believe that ensuring their safety is paramount. By also ensuring they have those core literacy and numeracy skills, we add value to the opportunities created by their apprenticeship.” 

TRAINING

New Technology to Support Offshore Safety Training The footage is set to be used by Falck’s instructors during classroom induction training, so they can go through each element of the escape exercise stage by stage, giving delegates a clear understanding of what to expect and, hopefully, eliminate concerns for those who feel anxious prior to completing the in-water exercise.

Falck Safety Services launches improved and innovative HUET training Offshore workers are set to be better prepared for helicopter safety training with innovative technology being launched at a leading UK safety training provider.

Falck Safety Services UK (Falck) has revealed new 360° immersive technology at the OPITO Safety and Competence Conference which was held in Kuala Lumpur.

The virtual reality immersive experience, which can be best viewed with VR goggles and hand-held devices, gave delegates the most realistic understanding of what to expect during the Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) exercise.

The leading training, training management and competency service company, which has multiple training centres in Aberdeen and north-east England, is believed to be the first offshore training organisation in the country to introduce the technology.

The 360° immersive footage will be used as an induction training aid at the UK centres to fully prepare delegates for the escape training before entering the pool, and it is hoped the technology will help to eliminate any concerns or fears prior to the exercise.

Falck UK managing director, Duncan Bonner, said: “The 360° technology will improve the experience for our customers and their workforce by providing as much information as possible about the training and what their personnel will experience throughout the HUET exercise.

“As a training and training management company, we are always at the forefront of digital advancements within the industry, and this has been a small investment which will make a remarkable difference to our customers. They will be more prepared for the HUET exercises before they even wet their feet, as this technology provides a very realistic experience but in a controlled and safe environment.”

Assistant training centre manager, Rory Soutar, said: “This is set to be an enormous help for people who struggle with the pool exercises and a good training aid for people who are apprehensive or anxious about what to expect if it is their first experience of offshore safety training.

“For weak swimmers, it gives us a chance to coach them more effectively which will help to build their confidence and put them more at ease before entering the pool. It’s important that customers are able to view the footage of the exercises from an underwater perspective, showing each stage of the exercise, in addition to the demonstration that we conduct poolside. It is the most realistic digital experience we can offer delegates in the current market and it will undoubtedly be a fantastic training tool for our instructors and our customers.”

Launched at the OPITO Safety Conference, the technology, supported by Neil Weightman Digital in Aberdeen, will be rolled out across the UK centres, with plans to roll it out globally across Falck’s additional 33 safety training centres in the near future.

The 360° technology is also set to be used to create a fire training scenario, with filming due to take place before the end of last year. The footage will be used to provide a similar training aid for instructors who are delivering offshore firefighting courses within the UK centres. 

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First Retail & Commercial Opportunity at Countesswells Business properties at Aberdeen’s newest community now on the market

The first retail and commercial property opportunity at Aberdeen’s newest community has just gone on the market. FG Burnett will be marketing the space, with a view to the first shops and local business units opening soon. With four housebuilders on site and around 200 homes already built, there is now sufficient demand for local amenities.

The development framework for Countesswells sets out retail and commercial opportunities, community facilities, two primary schools and a new secondary school within the 400-acre site that will have vast expanses of formal and informal green spaces, neighbourhood centres with their own parks and civic squares, and a town centre with a central park.

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Countesswells is being taken forward by Countesswells Development Limited (CDL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Milne Group. Jim Fitzsimons, director of special projects at Stewart Milne Group, said: “Our ambition is to create a new community which becomes a highly sought-after place for people to live, work and play. With the announcement that plans for the first school are underway and now local retail opportunities, the pieces of the jigsaw are starting to come together as planned. Well located within the rapidly developing community and adjacent to what will eventually be the town centre, this first commercial unit will be a welcome addition for our new and existing residents.”

Situated close to the 1,000 homes, either built or being built by Stewart Milne, Kirkwood, Barratt and CHAP, the retail space offers attractive opportunities for shops and smallscale offices, set around a public open square. This new neighbourhood of carefully designed streets is set within extensive landscaped parkland, which also features a new children’s play park, a wildflower meadow and community orchard.

Richard Noble, managing director at FG Burnett, commented: “This prominently located retail and commercial unit, which compromises ground floor accommodation ready for tenant fit-out and shopfront, offers an exciting location for a wide range of occupiers. The unique and prestigious nature of Countesswells, along with the country’s fastest broadband speeds, will appeal to those in retail, office, professional, health-related and other sectors.”

The development of the new community, which will eventually have 3,000 homes, is being phased in over the next 10-15 years, boosting the local economy and supporting 1,000 construction jobs in the region. The project will also include upgraded access roads. 

Savills, on behalf of a private investor, is marketing the opportunity to rent The Hub at Hareness, a newly refurbished industrial warehouse in Aberdeen available as a whole or as four smaller individual units at a quoting rent of £8.50 per square foot.

Located on Hareness Road, The Hub has undergone a £1-million refurbishment programme to include a new roof and cladding.

Totalling 28,665 square feet, units range from approximately 5,600 square feet to 7,689 square feet.

Claire Herriot, associate in the business space team at Savills in Aberdeen, comments: “Following a comprehensive refurbishment, The Hub delivers high-quality modern industrial units in Aberdeen

Savills launches opportunity at newly refurbished The Hub in Aberdeen

and, with the majority of activity year to date concentrated at the smaller end of the market, The Hub should appeal to today’s occupier.”

According to Savills research, take-up at the end of Q3 2018 in Aberdeen’s industrial market totalled 550,000 square feet, slightly ahead of the same period in 2017 (512,000 square feet). Of all deals to complete in 2018 year to date, Savills says 50% were sub-10,000 square feet.

The property was acquired at auction in May 2018. Savills advised the landlord on the acquisition of the property and acted as project manager across the comprehensive refurbishment. 

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PROPERTY

New Flexible Industrial Units at Hareness

PROPERTY

Hyve a Clear Winner in National Architectural Awards Second year in a row that company has been recognised

by VELUX Award-winning Hyve Architects is celebrating a positive start to 2019 after being named overall winner of a VELUX design award, which celebrates the innovation of designers from across the UK and Ireland.

The Stonehaven-based practice’s project – the extension of a clifftop cottage and bothy at Crawton in Aberdeenshire – faced competition from more than a hundred projects submitted by some of the country’s most exciting architects.

Hyve’s brief was to design the first phase of a two-stage project which will eventually convert an existing three-bedroom cottage and bothy into an exciting, modern, functional

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five-bedroom home. The award-winning design focussed on the first stage – the conversion of an attached unheated storage bothy into the kitchen and living space for the house. The design met the VELUX criteria of featuring roof window products in the design through the creative incorporation of new windows throughout, giving access to spectacular views out to sea.

This is the second year in a row that Hyve has been recognised in the VELUX Awards.

Last year it was the Scottish winner of the VELUX Maximum Exposure Award for the extension and renovation of The Gables, a period property in the heart of Stonehaven Conservation Area. A second project – a new extension to Stonehouse Mill at Drumlithie – was shortlisted.

Hyve’s style of contemporary design – which incorporates a contrast of old and new styles to reflect the context of the site, building or location – has won it a string of other awards and industry recognition. Last year, company founder Nikki Ritchie was the only Scottish architect shortlisted in the Best Extension/Renovation Architect category in the national 2018 Build It Awards and was also a finalist in the 2017 awards.

Nikki said: “We’re really pleased that our work has been recognised at national level, and it is fantastic that this award showcases what can be achieved in a relatively small project.

“The property is in a beautiful location, and it was fantastic to work with the family to help them make the most of the surrounding views to see through the creation of a modern, functional and fun conversion, which will give them a truly unique home.”

Hyve was established by Nikki in 2005 and now has a team of five. The company specialises in residential work ranging from small housing developments to one-off new build homes and extensions, renovations and alterations. 

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BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Martin Wishart

Signature Food Festival Donates £250k+ to Charity Event with some of UK’s top chefs held at The Chester Hotel Signature, Scotland’s only fine dining festival, has raised more than a quarter of a million pounds for charity, more than doubling the amount raised at the previous 2017 event. A total of £239,000 will be donated to the Friends of the Neonatal Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and £12,000 was also raised for Friendly Access, a charity which supports those living with hidden disabilities. The sale of a guitar signed by more than 30

Scottish celebrities – including Sir Andy Murray, Ewan McGregor, Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Alex Ferguson – was split equally between the two charities.

Seven of the UK’s best-known chefs – including Glynn Purnell, known as the Yummy Brummie; Atul Kochhar the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star; and Martin Wishart – brought their menus to The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen for Signature.

The inspiration behind Signature, Graham Wood – The Chester Hotel co-owner, said of the total raised: “In 2017, the first year of the Signature food festival, we raised £105,000 for the Friends of the Neonatal Unit. To more than double this total in the event’s second year, and to be in a Atul Kochhar

position to donate more than a quarter of a million pounds between both charities, is a terrific achievement. The people of Aberdeen and those who travelled to Signature have such big hearts. It’s all thanks to the generosity of everyone who bought tickets for the dinners, donated during the afternoon tea event and bid for auction prizes. We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsors as, without their generous support, we would not have been able to give such a large donation to the Friends of the Neonatal Unit.

“I’m also indebted to our stellar line up of chefs, who cooked up such a storm in

the kitchen for a great cause, as well as all those who attended our Gleneagles events at The Chester Hotel earlier this year and who also contributed generously towards the £251,000 total.”

Katie Watters, head of fundraising at Friends of the Neonatal Unit said: “We are incredibly grateful for the huge amount of support we have received two years running from The Chester Hotel. The amount raised is unbelievable and will be used to greatly improve the new Baird hospital facilities. We can’t thank the staff and everyone who was involved enough for their hard work and generosity.”

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Atul Kochhar, a television regular on shows such as Saturday Kitchen and the Great British Menu, said: “My heart goes out for such events. We have to help such causes, which are close to my heart. My daughter was born critically ill and she wouldn’t have survived without Great Ormond Street Hospital. Anything and everything that comes my way where I’ll be able to help children, I just do without even thinking. So, when I was asked can I help Friends of the Neonatal Unit, I said: ‘Yes, I will.’”

The Yummy Brummie Glynn Purnell, another Saturday Kitchen regular and winner twice on the Great British Menu was also delighted to support the event: “An event like Signature where all the money goes to the Neonatal Unit is fantastic. For the owners of the hotel, [Graham and Gillian Wood] to put on such a great event, not just for fun and great food, but also to raise serious amounts of money for a serious cause, is terrific.”

Signature kicked off with a glamorous afternoon tea with patisserie and chocolate work by master chocolatier, William Curley, and entertainment by West End star, Beverley Knight.

Graham Wood concluded: “There will definitely be a Signature event next year; we aim to make it bigger and better. We’ve had such a great array of chefs from across Scotland and the UK. The variety and quality of chefs has been fantastic – the opportunities are endless. I’d love to see Signature grow and for people from all over Scotland to travel to the festival.

That would be incredible.” 

Glynn Purnell

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Big Push for Final Funding for Sue Ryder Centre £3.9 million campaign nearing its target for Dee View Court’s expansion Sue Ryder is now in the final months of its two-year capital appeal to raise £3.9 million to double the size of its Aberdeenbased neurological care centre, Dee View Court. The purpose-built care centre is the only one of its kind in Scotland, and demand for its specialist residential care and support for people living with complex neurological conditions is high.

Over £2.5 million has been raised to build twenty new bedrooms at the centre, and the charity is appealing to the community to help them raise the remaining funds to complete the project so they can provide more care for more people.

Valerie Maxwell, Sue Ryder Dee View Court centre director, said: “We’ve had wonderful support from local businesses, organisations, individuals, and trusts, which gave us the confidence to break ground and begin the building works on the new bedrooms in August.

The work is due for completion in June 2019 and, with the finishing line now in sight, we’re appealing to the community to help with one big final push to help raise the remaining funds.”

Sue Ryder is set to establish Dee View Court as a centre of excellence in the provision of specialist neurology training and development.

Val Maxwell went on to say: “We’ve recently received the Scottish Vocational Qualification certificate and, as part of our expansion, we will create dedicated in-house training facilities where we can provide formal training and teaching to the next generation of nurses, carers, and social care providers.”

The charity will also seek to develop and deliver new models of care over the coming year. This builds upon the recent trial of virtual reality at Sue Ryder Dee View Court, and the positive impact this was found to have on the physical and mental health of those with a neurological condition. Sue Ryder will now roll this out across all their neurological centres in the UK, and will continue to develop and utilise emerging state-of-the-art technology as an additional means of neurological support. 

Local Men’s Shed Site Goes Green Stewart Milne Group campaign aids charity to create sensory garden and more

Charity group, Alford and District Men’s Shed, won the hearts of the public as part of the Stewart Milne Group campaign – Greener Spaces, Better Places. The charitable group, based in Aberdeenshire, received the highest number of votes from the public for its plans to create a sensory garden, community orchard and series of allotments across its site.

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The leading independent homebuilder and timber systems manufacturer, Stewart Milne Group, devised the Greener Spaces, Better Places campaign to transform communal outdoor areas for the benefit of whole communities by making them greener and more attractive.

The projects had to demonstrate how they would encourage greater biodiversity through the planting of new grass, flowers and trees, as well as promoting community spirit by bringing people together to work on the transformation.

Stewart Milne Group chief executive, Glenn Allison, said: “The Greener Spaces, Better Places campaign is underpinned by our commitment to promote biodiversity and make outdoor areas more appealing places to live by and enjoy. The result of this campaign is the provision of support from our Stewart Milne Group team to develop and transform run-down and unused communal outdoor areas across the UK that have been nominated by the local community.

Central Investment’s support of Somebody Cares helps city children Aberdeen-based independent financial advisors, Central Investment, recently moved office from its longstanding residence at Albert Street to new premises on Albyn Place.

As a result, it donated four lorries worth of office furniture to Aberdeen’s leading crisis charity, Somebody Cares.

Despite Aberdeen being the oil and gas capital of Europe, in 2016 the city had over 18,000 people living in the most deprived 20% of Scotland. Many families now still have little over £50 a week to live on with over 27% of all city children living in families with extremely limited resources.

Crisis charity, Somebody Cares, was set up in 2003 in order to help people in need around Aberdeen. They now serve over 62,000 families and individuals by providing them with food and clothes as well as furnishing over 2,200 homes in 2017 alone, all for free.

Central Investment thought it was extremely important to help their community with Derek Robertson, managing director, saying: “In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that we help out in any way we can. We know the difficulties our city has faced in the last few years and we are delighted to be able to assist in this way.”

“By investing in this site, we aim to create legacies of greater biodiversity, allowing local outdoor green spaces to attract a variety of species of wildlife, as well as encouraging people to work on the makeover of these sites and get a taste for gardening.”

Having received the keys to the old Alford Academy building earlier this year, the local group entered the project to help support the development of the building into a community space for meeting up with hobby facilities, including woodworking and metalworking.

The makeover of the Alford and District project will help to improve the outdoor space to encourage increased community engagement at the site and, in turn, reduce social problems of isolation and depression.

The newly created allotments will be available to individuals or families on an annual basis, and the community orchard and accessible sensory garden will be open to all, with accessibility for wheelchair users and those with impaired ambulation.

The completed work at the Alford site includes raised beds, a community orchard with forty fruit trees, and nineteen half-size allotments which, according to the charity, meets one of the aims of the 2010 Donside Community Council Plan.

Glenn Allison explained: “The Alford District and Men’s Shed

site has achieved an extensive transformation since winning the Greener Spaces, Better Places campaign. The assortment of new features on the site includes an impressive variety of flowers, green space and quiet areas to sit, relax and enjoy the outdoors.

“The improvements to the garden will provide many benefits to the local community by allowing families and those suffering from social isolation to engage with a variety of horticultural activities.

We are very pleased to have been involved in connecting local communities together through the development of gardening activities and wildlife spaces across a variety of locations throughout Scotland and the north of England.”

Alford and District Men’s Shed secretary, John Reid, said: “Since winning the award we have been able to successfully develop and dramatically enhance our gardening site for the future, as well as bring a sense of unity to the local Alford community.

“We feel incredibly lucky to have been involved in the Greener Spaces, Better Places campaign, which has allowed the Alford Men’s site to benefit many across the local community. We cannot thank Stewart Milne Group enough, for their continued commitment to help communities enhance their horticultural surroundings and promote local biodiversity and wildlife.”  Issue 15

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Financial Advisors Know Importance of Investing in Community

Mr. Robertson continued: “Somebody Cares has helped thousands of people over the last 15 years and we hope our contribution can have a very positive impact on their patrons.”

Somebody Cares’ CEO, Brian Taylor, was delighted with the contribution, adding: “We are so grateful to Central Investment for their generous donation. The office supplies they gave us have not only helped families; some items have also been sold which helps us raise funds to enable us to keep the services we offer for free. Their contribution is a great help to our ongoing, and much needed, cause.” 

Tomatin Releases First 50 Year Old Distillery Bottling Highly anticipated single malt is a mix of rich and complex flavours Tomatin, the award-winning Highland whisky distillery, has announced the release of its highly anticipated single malt, the Tomatin 50 Year Old, distilled on 24 November 1967.

Following 50 years of maturation at the distillery, the deep honey-coloured expression has been bottled in its most natural form, yielding just 70 special bottles at 45.3% abv.

Stephen Bremner, managing director of Tomatin, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce the release of Tomatin’s oldest expression – the Tomatin 50 Year Old. This special expression has been quietly resting for half a century, and it is wonderful to see it presented in all its glory.”

The whisky, finished in a first fill oloroso sherry butt, cask number 35817, is encased within an individually numbered, handblown Glencairn crystal decanter. The decanter is luxuriously presented within a striking Italian crafted wooden box, furnished with soft, premium Italian leather. Sealed with a wooden transit cork, an engraved, solid brass gold-plated and glass stopper is also provided. Each box comes with an individually numbered book, hand signed by distillery manager, Graham Eunson. Finally, a premium leather carry bag completes the presentation.

The Tomatin 50 Year Old delivers a myriad of rich and complex flavours. On the nose, aromas of freshly felled oak in an orchard of apples, pears and plums can be expected.

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Once on the palate, it releases bursts of exotic tropical fruits and dried apricots, sweetened with flavours of vanilla toffee, crème caramel and flame raisins. Spice and fruits balance perfectly, providing a luxurious and velvety finish.

Graham Eunson, distillery manager at Tomatin, said: “This dignified expression is elegant and flavourful – a complex whisky with layers of taste sensations to delight the senses. Those privy to a taste of this whisky can expect warming spices which are mellowed by lashings of Manuka honey.”

The Tomatin 50 Year Old is the distillery’s oldest expression and is expected to retail at £10,000 for a 70cl bottle in the UK within specialist retailers. 

New capital allowances legislation paves way for more investment Johnston Carmichael’s capital allowances team has advised on £100 million of new distillery developments across Scotland as investment into the industry shows no sign of slowing, with a spate of developments in the pipeline and an increase in available allowances announced.

Scotland’s largest accountancy and business advisory firm revealed its specialist advisers have successfully identified capital allowances of between 40% and 60% for seven completed distillery projects across Scotland in the past year.

The number of new, and refurbished, distilleries opening continues to climb as the industry benefits from consumers moving towards craft and prestige drinks. Whisky leads the way as one of Scotland’s most successful exports, but capacity constraints and long lead times mean new distilleries are needed. Gin is also a key driver behind the surge in new openings, with more than 200 Scottish gin brands on the market and rising. In 2019, the number of distilleries is expected to increase by at least ten.

The introduction of further tax relief through the structures and buildings allowance (SBA), which was announced in the autumn Budget, will further increase the levels of allowances available to distilleries in 2019. The SBA gives a flat rate 2% allowance on eligible construction costs.

Michael Murray, partner, Johnston Carmichael, said: “Over the past five years, I’m proud to say we have worked with many of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries to deliver effective tax relief strategies to enable their businesses to go from strength to strength. In the last year alone, we estimate we have advised on £100 million of deals.

“We get involved at the earliest possible stage in either a transaction, new build or redevelopment, which is the ideal time to maximise the capital allowances position. Capital allowances is a complex area of UK tax legislation but, by taking the time to plan the approach and by engaging a specialist advisor early in your project, the benefits can be significant.

“The recent changes to the capital allowances legislation, introduced in the autumn Budget, will further increase the levels of allowances available, which is very positive for all new developments.” 

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Tax Relief Boosting Scottish Distillery Boom

FOOD & DRINK

Bosses to Ban Unhealthy Snacks from Office Access to healthy snacks can benefit both employees and employers Many of us will be familiar with the sight of an office desk groaning under the weight of cakes and biscuits brought in by well-meaning colleagues – but some bosses have declared they will ban the unhealthy treats from workplaces.

Chris Hall, spokesperson for Protecting.co.uk, said: “Many

Protecting.co.uk, a health and safety and employment law consultancy, has collated anecdotal evidence that shows that up to a third of managers and business owners are considering putting a stop to high-calorie snacks in the office. Not only will the move improve office conditions, these employers say, but it will also have health benefits for employees.

the employees affected. By removing temptation to snack on

One employer, Mike, noted: “It’s not just that employees are making a mess, crunching and leaving crumbs everywhere, which is antisocial in a shared office space. It’s also that employees who eat unhealthily are also more likely to take days off work, and that’s bad for business.”

Other employers who responded to Protecting.co.uk agreed.

Sally added: “It might be an unpopular opinion, but it’s true that employees who are more likely to look after their health are generally more concerned with their appearance and how they represent the business. We don’t want to encourage bad eating habits as it spills over into how employees act more generally.”

David Adams, managing director, BusinessWaste.co.uk said: “Our employees collectively took the decision to ban all energy drinks after we talked through the health dangers both to body and mind. We now provide lots of alternative healthy drinks and fruit, which make for a much happily lifestyle.”

The protecting.co.uk survey (950 managers) results showed that: 99% of managers can see an immediate benefit in banning unhealthy snacks 9% already provided free fruit.

35% would look at providing free fruit.

95% said they could not envision any uproar from banning bad snacks

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employers are becoming aware of the fact that their employees spend a large portion of their life at work – and that discouraging poor diet can have benefits elsewhere, both for the business and sugary or salty treats, employers are helping their staff maintain a healthy diet, and therefore contributing positively to their overall health. This is obviously beneficial for these individuals, but it also can mean fewer health-related absences over the years, and businesses would be wise to consider it.”

Some employers were also concerned about the financial implication of employees who were damaging their health with poor snack choices. In 2017, over three million employees held private medical insurance through their employers – which means that, for these businesses, keeping their employees healthy is not only a moral obligation.

Clara said: “People have a responsibility to keep themselves healthy and to look after themselves. But, as a business, we pay for medical insurance – and it defeats the object when we allow fatty or sugary food in the offices. We’re basically throwing money down the drain.”

Hall concluded: “It’s clear that many business owners are taking a stand when it comes to how their employees behave when they’re in the office, and some people might argue that this is a ‘nanny state’ type move. But employers aren’t banning unhealthy snacks outright – simply putting simple rules in place which show that they take the health of their employees (and, as a result, how their employees impact upon the business) seriously, and that will create positive outcomes for both staff and businesses overall. 

Biscuit maker Border has declared the end of elevenses as new research shows Scots’ snacking habits have shifted from the traditional morning break to an afternoon treat.

The new research, commissioned by Border Biscuits, surveyed 1,000 people from across the nation and revealed the time people choose to indulge is 3.18 p.m. This demonstrates a huge shift in Scots’ snacking psyche from the traditional ‘elevenses’ morning snack and echoes the shift to an on-the-go lifestyle.

The survey also uncovered the habits of serial snackers. Females were confirmed as the worst secret eaters, with twice as many women (20%) compared to men (10%) admitting to hiding from their kids to scoff a snack. The results also showed that almost three quarters of Scots end up eating twice as many biscuits as they had originally intended.

On-the-go lifestyle causes shift and hiding treats from others is rife…

Almost half of respondents (45%) admitted they do not like to share their snacks, with those under 34 years old appearing to be the most selfish with more than half (52%) agreeing they did not like to share their snacks at all.

A third of respondents admitted to stashing their snacks in secret places, with 28% hiding treats in their bags and a quarter smuggling them into their bedroom. Scots also confessed to storing snacks in their cars, wardrobes and even on top of the fridge to keep them out of the reach of others.

Regional results show those in Perth snack the latest in the day, tucking into a sweet or savoury bite at 4.20 p.m., while those in Inverness take a break on average at 2.20 p.m. Key regional findings include:

• People in Perth snack the latest in Scotland, opting to pause for a bite at 4.18 p.m.

• Inverness had the lowest number of secret snackers, with only 16% admitting to enjoying their treats in hiding, whilst Stirling had the highest percentage with 36% • 45% of Glaswegians confessed they did not want to share their biscuits • In Edinburgh, 83% of people choose to snack whilst on the sofa watching TV • 23% of Dundee’s residents owned up to being more likely to eat two more biscuits than intended, with 46% of Aberdonians eating two to three more biscuits than intended. 

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Crumbs!

Scots No Longer Have Elevenses

LEISURE & TOURISM

“The latter really has been the standout success story of the year, and it has without a doubt set the tone for the new year. We are focused on building on this success across 2019, with even more growth and a push against some of the more negative forecasts that have been laid out with regards to the industry for the year.”

However, Andrew is not denying the challenges the industry has faced throughout 2018 and accepts that caution must be exercised alongside such optimism, adding: “The industry itself has seen a real mix in fortunes across the last year.

New Year, New Opportunities – and New Challenges Hotel experts toasting growth in 2018, and an even bigger 2019 The UK’s leading independent hotel management company, RBH, has experienced a successful year despite the market pressures brought about by political and economic uncertainty.

Andrew Robb (pictured), the company’s chief business development officer, believes

“Cost pressures are also apparent, with rising property rates and salaries putting pressure on profit margins.

However, this is where the demand for hotel management companies begins to increase, as owners look for experts in maximising cost efficiencies and generating strong returns whilst offering guests a first-class experience, and that’s what we do best. We’re helping owners navigate challenging times and will continue to do so.”

Looking forward for growth In 2019, Andrew highlights, RBH will be helping even more hotel owners deliver returns through forecasted challenging times, resulting in even more growth for the company.

He continued: “This year is all about our business growth. We’re set to open seven new-build hotels – the most we have ever overseen in a single year – including the prestigious 200-bedroom Hilton Aberdeen at the new TECA development.

The level of activity is testament to the strength and depth of our capital team, and shows the recognition of our vast experience in this area – with more than 40 new-build openings under our belts in the last 20 years.

A year of two halves

“We’ll also be looking to broaden the already high quality among our wider teams of specialists to ensure we can really make the most of the opportunities that present themselves to us.”

He said: “This year, RBH has fought against a host of external factors impacting on

Industry trend watch

the business is in a strong position to top this in 2019 as it starts the new year with more new-build hotel openings than ever before – and a keen eye on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

the hotel industry, welcoming substantial growth. And while this has made for an exceptionally busy year that has not been without its pressures, it is a year we can look back on with immense pride. Our team of experts has effectively integrated the extensive 26-property QHotels portfolio, has overseen the opening of two brand new hotels and has also completed five rebrands to DoubleTree by Hilton within a six-month period.

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In order to make the most of potential opportunities, and mitigate any possible risks, the team is already reviewing industry trends and expectations for 2019.

“I would expect to see further consolidation among brands and, as the franchised hotel model continues to grow in success, would also predict mergers among smaller hotel management companies.

“One potential challenge that does concern me going forward is the lack of quality hotels available for sale. The appetite for the UK hotel market amongst investors is huge at the moment but, due to Brexit uncertainty and high pricing expectations from sellers, opportunities for these investors to get the returns they are looking for are few and far between.

VisitAberdeenshire Launches Definitive What’s On Guide List brings together all exciting events across North East for easy access VisitAberdeenshire has launched a new what’s on guide for the north-east of Scotland, bringing a definitive list of must-attend events together in one place at enjoyabdn.com The North East is benefitting from a thriving and growing festival and events scene and, as the popularity of the events calendar continues to grow, there is a demand for an official what’s on guide for the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire region.

Chris Foy, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire says: “Here in the north-east of Scotland our thriving festival and events calendar translates into a thousand languages and has the ability to create a memorable immersive experience for locals and visitors alike. In

“If, as an industry, we cannot suitably feed this demand, then there’s a real risk that another country or sector could attract this investment, leading to an overall decline in investment into the UK hotel sector across 2019.”

Staying true to the heart of the business But RBH will be ready to meet any challenges it faces head-on, as the company focuses on what lies at its heart.

Andrew added: “Investors come to us for advice, and we pride ourselves on providing consistent, good quality counsel – and on being transparent at all times. So, whilst growth is firmly on the agenda for 2019, we would never risk our reputation as trusted advisors in order to engineer any ill-advised expansion that could put investors at risk.

“These poor investments – whether through lack of robust due diligence or projects that have suffered from too much financial engineering – put the whole industry at risk. So, although we believe our investor partners will continue to acquire hotels, RBH is a business that is confident enough in its own expertise to also advise when deals shouldn’t be done if the returns are not sufficient – even if that means a slower rate of growth for ourselves.” 

particular we welcome a considerable number of friends and relatives of local people to our region. Our new events guide will provide a valuable resource and make it easier than ever before to find out where and when events are taking place.”

Enjoyabdn.com is powered by The List, the UK’s most comprehensive event listings guide.

It supports bids for major business events and works with partners across the region to deliver a great delegate welcome. VisitAberdeenshire is funded by Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Opportunity North East and Scottish Enterprise. 

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LEISURE & TOURISM

Andrew said: “The impact of Brexit is a complete unknown at the moment, and we will ensure we are able to react quickly to any major economic changes – whether they are positive or negative.

If Brexit was to have no major bearing, I personally predict an overall trend similar to 2018, with UK RevPAR growth at around two percent and London at around one percent.

SPORT

Former All Black Fronting Scotland’s Mental Health Programme Player draws on own experiences to help others build resilience

2012, where chronic knee and hip problems forced his retirement four years ago. He remains in the city, using his own tribulations to nurture Scotland’s contracted players, from the academy intake to the heavyweights of the national team. Sessions so far have covered communication skills, how to network and exploit their profile as professional rugby players, and changing a car tyre.

Academy

players

are

contractually

obliged to study or undertake some form of sustained work experience.

“You could be an 18-year-old kid that comes out of school and into pro rugby.

You can be 35 when you come out, but still be that 18-year-old kid if you’ve done nothing,” Atiga warns. “It’s important to players to find something that’s meaningful. What makes them happy?

What are they going to get up on Monday for? If we can give them the head start,

The former All Black Ben Atiga, who gave up the game because his self-doubt became so overpowering, is fronting Scottish rugby’s mental health programme, Rugby for Life.

we’ll see more players transition more

Fear is not an emotion easily associated with professional rugby players, but Ben Atiga knows appearances can be deceptive.

start creating some better men and better

The governing body launched the programme last year – its goal to help players stay healthy, educate themselves, and foster interests and careers outside of the game. As Atiga says: “You recognise them as players, but when they take that uniform off, who are they? That’s a really hard question for them to answer.”

Atiga helps organise regular meetings for

Atiga remembers what it was like to be a professional petrified to set foot on the field. He was 25, an All Black and captain of Auckland when his anxieties peaked.

and Edinburgh settle in Scotland. For

“I remember sitting on the bus on the way to Eden Park with my headphones on,” he says. “All I could think about was, ‘I can’t wait ‘til the end of the game’.” He knows now he was quite possibly suffering from depression.

“Coming from a place that might only

As a young full back and under-21 world player of the year, Atiga had been thrust into the spotlight in a country where rugby is religion and the pressure to deliver monumental. Aged just 20, he was selected ahead of national hero, Christian Cullen. He won a solitary cap before being felled by injuries and expectation.

confidently out of the game – and we’ll women.”

Scotland’s Pacific Islands players. The half-Samoan and half-Tongan Atiga also helps new signings at Glasgow Warriors most, the transition is straightforward but, in some cases, adapting to a new city, climate and way of life can be a wrench. have two sets of traffic lights to a city, a diverse culture can be daunting,” he says.

“We had a case where a player was trying to pass a Life in the UK Test (required for anyone seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK or naturalisation as a British citizen). He had about ten days before his visa expired, but he kept failing and he was laughing about it.”

Atiga had to intervene, telling the other players to encourage their teammate rather than joke with him about it – and

Atiga stepped away from the sport, but he knows that, by leaving it behind, he wasn’t confronting his problems – he was running away from them.

he passed with days to spare.

“I isolated myself from players, from rugby, even from my family,” he recalls, ten years on. “I lacked energy, I put on a lot of weight – I went up to 122kg from about 99kg.

players helped him and they were able

“He went home and did the work – the to understand this is how the Pacific

“It’s important players to realise you could be at the top of the game, the best full back in the world, and wake up and decide: ‘I don’t feel like playing anymore.’”

Islanders can respond to adversity,” he

Atiga did get back into rugby and the Auckland team, then moved to Edinburgh in

other’s culture.” 

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adds. “It’s about learning about each

Social media platforms big money spinners for top players Footballers are some of the most recognisable athletes in sports. They are adored by millions of fans across the world.

To better connect with their favourite players, supporters actively engage with them on various social media platforms. In turn, brands realise the significant impact and authority these star names have on the purchasing decisions of their followers and hence reach out to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to explore sponsorship possibilities.

Interested in football’s biggest influencers, ticket broker TicketGum.com utilised data from Influencer Marketing Hub to calculate how much 50 renowned footballers from Europe’s top five leagues – the Premiership, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 – could earn on average from a single sponsored post opportunity on their official Instagram account.

Furthermore, TicketGum.com used figures from The European Football Index 2018 to demonstrate how many season tickets (average price taken) and home shirts (2018/19 edition) from a player’s respective club can be purchased with the income they could gain from a single sponsored post on Instagram.

Based on his present Instagram following, the Premiership’s top scorer last season, Mohamed Salah (2017/18 – 32 goals), can earn £63,668.25 per sponsored post. Consequently, the dynamic striker can buy 1,158 Liverpool home shirts and 93 season tickets for Anfield with that amount.

England captain Harry Kane can make £38,649.94 from one sponsored post on Instagram.

With that much money, it would equate to him purchasing 595 Tottenham Hotspur jerseys and 49 season tickets for Wembley Stadium.

Recent World Cup winner, Antoine Griezmann, is currently able to generate £46,808.62 from having a sponsored post on Instagram – enabling him to splash out on 851 Atlético Madrid jerseys and 210 season tickets for the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

From all the players considered, fivetime Champions League winner Cristiano Ronaldo has the capability to earn the most from an Instagram sponsored post – at a colossal £306,288.52. The free-scoring Portuguese can splash the cash on 3,877 Juventus home shirts and 529 seasons tickets at the Allianz Stadium with the financial rewards from just one sponsored Instagram post.

Two-time Bundesliga player of the season, Marco Reus, can collect £14,860.62 from an Instagram sponsored post. To put that into context, the attacking midfielder could purchase 261 Borussia Dortmund (BVB) home tops and 78 season tickets for the lively Westfalenstadion stadium with that total.

Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) terrifying front trio consisting of the ever-clinical, Edinson Cavani (£12,201.82); teenage sensation, Kylian Mbappé (£48,440.19); and the world’s most expensive player, Neymar Jr, can all earn handsomely from Instagram sponsored post opportunities – especially Neymar Jr, whose astounding £221,921.91 per sponsored Instagram post can attain him 2,959 PSG home shirts and 579 season tickets at the Parc des Princes Stadium.

A spokesperson from TicketGum.com commented: “These days, footballers’ influence extends beyond the pitch. Social media has allowed players to better connect with their fans, giving them various platforms to showcase their lifestyle, opinions and personality. As players consistently do so, the more captivating their profiles become. Subsequently, they garner a large following on different social media channels. The research highlights the additional riches these footballers can expect to achieve when deliberating any Instagram sponsorship possibilities offered to them to promote a given brand’s products or services.” 

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SPORT

Revealed: Riches Footballers Make from Instagram

In Spain, nine-time La Liga winner Lionel Messi has the potential to earn £213,318.05 from an Instagram-sponsored post on his account. This translated to spending power would mean the exhilarating Argentinian having enough to get an astonishing 3,282 Barcelona home shirts and 1,432 season tickets for the Camp Nou.

SECTION HEADER

Appointments NEW

CHANGES AT TOP AT STEWART MILNE GROUP Stewart Milne Group announced that, after 30 years with the group, chief executive, Glenn Allison (right), is retiring in March 2019 and will be replaced by Stuart MacGregor. Mr MacGregor has been working closely with Mr Allison for the last two years, in his position as chief operating officer.

Mr MacGregor joined the business as group finance director in 2015. He has over 25 years’ experience in business and finance leadership roles, including a successful 15-year career with global brewing giant Heineken, where he worked in several European countries and the UK. Commenting on his new role, Mr MacGregor added: “I am pleased and honoured to take up my new role in March. I know I’ve got big shoes to fill in replacing Glenn, who has made such an impact on the business, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. It’s a very exciting time to be part of an independent housebuilder which has demonstrated agility and ability to react boldly, but prudently, to market conditions. Through determination, innovation and resilience, we’ve become market leaders in timber-frame, and leaders in shaping and designing new homes and communities in which people want to live.”

NEW GM TO TAKE HELM AT BRITAIN’S BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL Jordan Charles (right) has been appointed as general manager of award-winning Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course.

Charles, who trained as a lawyer at Stirling and Strathclyde Universities, joins the privately owned and recently crowned Best Boutique Hotel in Britain from Telford Hotel and Golf Resort where he was deputy manager.

The 27-year old Scot has worked in the hospitality industry since school. After graduating, Charles has worked his way up the ranks through Q Hotels and the newly rebranded RBH Hotel Group, and is delighted to be joining the prestigious Meldrum House for his first general manager’s role.

CEO at Meldrum House, Andy Burgess (left), commented: “Jordan’s strong track record in the golf and spa hotel sector will stand him in good stead for this exciting and challenging position. We’ve got a great team working at Meldrum House and Jordan is well placed to continue to grow the business.”

EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL ADVISOR APPOINTED TO SCOTT JAMES WEALTH MANAGEMENT An Aberdeen-based investment specialist has expanded its team with the appointment of an experienced financial adviser, following a period of continued growth for the business.

Graham Smith (right, with Callum Robertson, left, and Scott James) has joined Scott James Wealth Management – a representative of St James’s Place Wealth Management, based on Queen’s Road – and brings a wealth of expertise in retirement planning, investment planning, protection, estate and tax planning following a career spanning nearly 30 years in the financial services sector, largely in the central belt.

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NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MAGMA PRODUCTS

APPOINTMENTS SECTION HEADER

Magma Products, a leader in the commissioning and start-up arena of the oil and gas industry, has appointed Philip Tweedy (foreground, left) as managing director.

Philip, previously commissioning manager at Magma, will be responsible for day-to-day operations at the company’s Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth and Bucharest offices.

ABERDEEN SPORTS VILLAGE APPOINTS TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Paul Rushton (right), previously the managing director, will assume the role of chairman. He will have a focus on strategy, growth and business development with a number of industry projects due to come on stream in late 2019 and 2020.

A leading Scottish sports facility has boosted its board with the appointment of two non-executive directors to strengthen its position as a world-class sporting venue.

Sheila Graham and Bob Ruddiman have been appointed to the board of Aberdeen Sports Village (ASV).

Sheila Graham, commercial leader at Shell’s Global Upstream Operated business, has over 25 years’ international experience across a variety of senior roles in oil and gas businesses.

Bob Ruddiman, global head oil and gas at Pinsent Masons, has been an integral part in the growth of the law firm, supporting some significant developments over his 20 years at the international firm.

STRATEGIC APPOINTMENT FOR CARLTON RESOURCE SOLUTIONS Carlton Resource Solutions has strengthened its senior management team with the addition of a highly experienced director to a key strategic role.

With 22 years’ experience in oil and gas recruitment, Doug Robertson has joined the Aberdeen-based business as operations director, with a remit to enhance the firm’s capabilities through his expertise both in the UK and internationally.

PRODRILL FURTHER STRENGTHENS TECHNICAL TEAM Aberdeen personnel specialist, Prodrill, is further strengthening its team with the key appointment of recruiter, Alan Golightly, who joins the team to support growth and realignment across the business’s technical recruitment division.

Alan joins the team at the Aberdeen headquarters in Albyn Terrace as senior resource specialist, supporting client operations manager, Drew Alexander, enhancing the company’s technical recruitment offering.

Prodrill managing director, Louise Wood, said: “We are delighted to welcome someone of Alan’s calibre to the company.”

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Starter for 10…

Simon M. Morgan of Business Network Scotland offers some useful networking tips to help you get to and get through an event when you have to ‘network’ – whatever that is!

Assuming that you have accepted an invitation, you know where and when the event is; what type of event it is; and are dressed accordingly. Then all you have to do is turn up and get started…

What could possibly go wrong…?

In advance of the event, have you asked who else is attending and who else you will be sitting with? Are you attending on your own or with a partner – work or otherwise? Getting to the point: have you prepared in advance? Acquiring delegate lists and seating plans beforehand is so much easier but, without this, it just makes the evening more of an adventure!

On arrival, if you are meeting someone there, then where are you meeting them and have you got their mobile phone number? If you are travelling solo, then are you the first person in, joining a growing crowd or is the event already jam-packed with people?

And how might this make you feel?

Well, if you feel anxious and nervous, that is absolutely fine – as that makes you quite normal! If you feel more relaxed arriving first, then go early and be first; if arriving when others are already gathered is more comfortable, then do that. The point is to arrive with as little amount of stress as possible, which means that mentally you will be in a better place and, consequently, make more of and enjoy the opportunity that lies ahead. You just don’t know what that is yet…

On arrival, reception drink in hand (Q: alcohol or no alcohol?) – what next? Join the first big group you can, focus on smaller groups of three or four, or look to join others like you – on their own?

When introducing yourself to someone else on their own, you will never be rejected by someone standing alone – as they are simply praying for someone to help them so they are no longer on their own! How you do this is vital, as first impressions still count for everything.

However you make your introduction, be courteous, polite and don’t rush in. Extend the hand of friendship and be armed with some open questions to allow the conversation to unfold. Simple opening questions could be:

• • • • • • • •

Do you mind if I join you?

Have you travelled far to be here?

Which table are you sitting at?

Which company are you with?

In business, what is it that you do?

How long have you been working with …?

Have you been to an event like this before?

Who else is it that you know here this evening?

Generally speaking, this should get you 10-15 minutes before others can be introduced to the group and/or proceedings get underway.

Oh, and did I mention business cards? Along with your wallet or purse, these should be on your person at all times!  In the next issue of Business Now, Simon will offer more help moving you through a successful networking event with supreme confidence, making the best of the potential business opportunities that may exist.

Celebration for Stand Winners at YWE 2019!

Your Wedding Exhibition (YWE) enjoyed another successful weekend on 19 and 20 January. It was another busy year, with thousands of visitors turning out to meet suppliers, view fashion shows, get ideas from and taste the wares of the 200+ exhibitors.

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Judging the Best Stand competition was a tough challenge as the creativity shown by the exhibitors was inventive, original and dramatic, but the lucky winners were Robin’s Egg (left), with Couture Wedding Cakes by Sweet Cheeks, Midnight Elegance, Fondant Cake Design and The Bespoke Backdrop Company the worthy runners-up!

And, when it came to the Visitors’ Vote, Avorio Bridal (right) came out top of the stands for the second year running!

Look out for forthcoming details of YWE 2020 on 18 and 19 January at the new venue, TECA. 

the Outstanding Mentor Award, while WSP

telecommunications

engineer

Samuel Elegbede (third right) landed the Young BME Professional of the Year honour. Sarah Weihmann (second right), a PhD researcher in structural geology at the University of Aberdeen, was recognised as AFBE-UK Scotland Member of the Year for her commitment at the organisation’s events to encourage the next generation of engineers.

Dr Ollie Folayan (centre), chair of the AFBE-UK Scotland, said: “We’re delighted with the success of our first awards to celebrate diversity and inclusion for under-represented groups in the oil and

Social enterprise encourages young people into STEM careers More than 230 people attended the inaugural AFBE-UK Scotland Awards to celebrate success, diversity and inclusion in the energy and engineering sectors.

Oil and Gas UK chief executive Deidre Michie OBE (pictured, fourth left) was guest speaker at the social enterprise’s awards night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Treetops Hotel in Aberdeen. With a theme of the ‘Energy Future of the UK’, she highlighted the positive outlook for the energy industry while noting the

continued need for the sector to promote diversity and inclusivity.

AFBE-UK Scotland is a not-for-profit organisation that encourages young people, particularly those of black and minority ethic (BME) origin, to consider a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

Denis Pinto, an oil and gas industry professional for more than 30 years, was given the Special Appreciation Award.

The flow measurement and hydrocarbon allocation consultant has helped others through his many roles, including those at the Federation of Small Businesses and the Energy Institute.

Shell UK won Company of the Year and Claire Hayward (fourth right), of BP, won

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gas and engineering sectors.

“All the award winners and everyone shortlisted

thoroughly

deserved

recognition. It was a fantastic night and great to hear about company and individual success stories. We’ve had tremendous industry support and we’re looking forward to the next awards in 2020.”

Deirdre Michie said: “It was a pleasure for Oil & Gas UK to be part of the first AFBE-UK Scotland Awards. This event highlighted the progress made to support people from a variety of backgrounds to enter our industry. Securing greater diversity in our workplace remains a focus for the sector and is key to realising industry shared ambition, Vision 2035.” 

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EVENTS & NETWORKING

Winners Announced at First AFBE-UK Scotland Awards

EVENTS DIARY

Events Diary February

April

26 AGCC: Brexit Preparations: a safe and cost-effective

route via AEO and CDS, The Hub 26 Inverurie Business Association: Making Tax Digital,

Garioch Heritage Centre, Inverurie 26 JCI Aberdeen: Networking with Amanda Taylor, The

Carmelite Hotel 26 Pitching Masterclass with Elevator and Scottish

EDGE, The Hub 27 AGCC: Shire Connections – Creative Sector, Banchory

Lodge Hotel 28 Aberdeen Entrepreneurs: ‘shmu – using media to

transform lives’, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Aberdeen Treetops 28 AGCC: Speed Networking, Siberia Bar & Hotel 28 BNS Edinburgh, Lunch, Apex Grassmarket Hotel 28 Women in Tourism: Career Opportunities in Tourism

& Hospitality, The Carmelite Hotel

March 5 AGCC: IR35 – How to navigate the changes, The Hub 5 Business Insider and CMS Deals & Dealmakers

Business Breakfast, Ardoe House Hotel and Spa 6 AGCC: Scotland’s Biggest Parents’ Evening, DYWNE,

The Hub 7 AGCC: Business Breakfast – Leadership in disruptive

times, Ardoe House Hotel and Spa 7 SCDI: Members’ Lunch/Behind the Scenes, Aberdeen

Arts Centre 13 BNS Aberdeen, Evening 13 FSB: Making Tax Digital Roadshow, The Carmelite Hotel 14 AGCC: Spotlight on Mearns, Stonehaven 14 2020Plus Civic & Business Leaders Event, Sandman

Signature Aberdeen Hotel 20 AGCC: VisitAberdeenshire Tourism Conference, Music Hall 20 BNS Edinburgh, Evening 20 Oil & Gas UK: Business Outlook Breakfast Briefing, AECC 27 Innovation Masterclass: George Yule, Sir Ian Wood

Building, Aberdeen 28 Aberdeen Entrepreneurs: Question Time Debate

– Finance, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Aberdeen Treetops

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16

18

18

18 24 24

24

25 25

HR Professionals Network: Career Transitions, Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, Aberdeen Aberdeen Entrepreneurs: Peterhead Centre of Excellence, Buchan Braes Hotel, Boddam AGCC: Business Breakfast – Spring into sustainability, Aberdeen Altens Hotel BNS Aberdeen, Lunch, Marcliffe Hotel & Spa AGCC: Networking at the Races, Perth Racecourse AGCC: Premier Partner Informal Networking Event, His Majesty’s Theatre ABN: B4N (Before Noon) Relationship-Building, Centrum, Aberdeen BNS Edinburgh, Lunch, Apex Waterloo Hotel SCDI: Forum 2019, EICC

May 2 Oil & Gas UK: Aberdeen Breakfast Briefing, Ardoe

House Hotel and Spa 7 ABN: Meet-Everyone M4, Aberdeen Sports Village 9 Edinburgh Law Seminars: Contract Law Update 2019,

The Atholl Hotel 16 AGCC: Business Breakfast – Post-Brexit, Marcliffe

Hotel & Spa 16 BNS Aberdeen, Lunch, Copthorne Hotel 23 BNS Edinburgh, Lunch, Apex Grassmarket Hotel 28 Decom North Sea Awards 2019, AECC 29 Decom Offshore 2019, AECC 30 Aberdeen Entrepreneurs: Leadership in Sports

and B usiness, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Aberdeen Treetops

June 4-5 The OGUK Industry Conference, AECC 5 BNS Aberdeen, Evening 12 ABN: B4N (Before Noon) Relationship-Building,

Centrum, Aberdeen 12 AGCC: The Ultimate Business Show, AECC 14-16 Elevator Challenge 2019 19 BNS Edinburgh, Evening 27 Aberdeen Entrepreneurs: “Be All You Can Be”,

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Aberdeen Treetops 27 2019 Elevator Awards, Ardoe House Hotel and Spa

Business Network Scotland

WHAT IS NETWORKING? IT IS NOT SELLING: Networking IS about building real business relationships, actively maintaining them and above all giving as much as you take.

BNS has over 16 years experience of creating an ideal environment to help YOU to build your business in a cost effective, time efficient and enjoyable way.

Region

Dates for your diary:

Date

Venue

Event Type

Wednesday 13th March 2019

Aberdeen

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Wednesday 20th March 2019

Edinburgh

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Thursday 18th April 2019

Aberdeen

Marcliffe Hotel & Spa

Lunch

Thursday 25th April 2019

Edinburgh

To be confirmed

Lunch

Thursday 16th May 2019

Aberdeen

Copthorne Hotel

Lunch

Thursday 23rd May 2019

Edinburgh

To be confirmed

Lunch

Wednesday 5th June 2019

Aberdeen

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Wednesday 19th June 2019

Edinburgh

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Wednesday 17th July 2019

Aberdeen

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Wednesday 24th July 2019

Edinburgh

To be confirmed

Evening Event

Thursday 22nd August 2019

Aberdeen

To be confirmed

Lunch

Thursday 29th August 2019

Edinburgh

Apex Grassmarket Hotel

Lunch

www.businessnetworkscotland.co.uk In Association with BUSINESS NOW

01224 865466

*Money-back Guarantee: - a full refund - with 100% no quibble - if you feel that having attended a BNS event has proved to be a waste of your time.

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