Ambition Issue 49 (November/December 2021)

AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

ISSUE 49 £2.95

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

A NEW CHAPTER Ulster University Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew, on the university’s latest plans

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Contents November/December 2021 Issue 49

NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

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The Classic Drive CEO of Crowley Carbon, Norman Crowley, speaks to Ambition about bringing car manufacturing back to Ireland.

Managing Editor: Christopher Morrow Interviews: Emma Deighan Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Managers: Lorraine Gill & Gerry Waddell Editorial Assistant: Joanne Harkness Email addresses: Christopher.Morrow@northernirelandchamber.com/ lorraine.gill@ ulsterjournals.com / gerry.waddell@ulstertatler.com Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com / www.ulstertatler.com Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim.

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

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At a Glance News: 08 Almac Group create 1,800 new jobs 10 Acting up for change 70 SONI unveils renewable roadmap 92 Ulster Carpets Look to Greener Carpets Columnists: 12 Paul Murnaghan 14 Peter Russell 60 John Campbell 62 Jonie Graham 64 Kate Marshall 68 Jane Shaw 72 Aileen Lagan 74 Brian Kelly 84 Maybeth Shaw 88 Dr Kristel Miller 102 Aoife McDowell 104 Mark Owens 112 Jim Fitzpatrick

NI Chamber Chief: 28 CEO Update 29 NI Chamber News 30 NI Chamber In Conversation With...

31 NI Chamber Strike Gold 33 Let’s Power Change Together 34 Quarterly Economic Survey 36 NIE Networking Event

Features: 16 A Lasting Legacy 18 My Ambition is to...

20 A New Chapter 24 The Classic Drive 42 At Your Service 46 Preparing for a Comeback 50 Stairway to Seven

52 56

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58 78 90

The New Way of Working Supporting Business Back Better Building a World-Class Belfast Making Mortgages Meaningful The Drive to Meet Climate Goals

Appointments: 94 Belfast Harbour Appoints Three New Directors

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Lifestyle: 98 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 108 Fashion - Joanne Harkness 110 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

78 20 Cover Story 88

95 5

EDITORIAL

President’s Perspective

The Business of Climate Action

C

OP26 has focused all of our minds and businesses are now more focused than ever on the role they have to play in tackling climate change. At NI Chamber, we’re immersed in helping companies across Northern Ireland to play their part and identify the opportunities which change brings.

Recently, we partnered with our colleagues in Chambers Ireland to bring a major climate action conference to Belfast. The all-island event brought the First and deputy First Ministers together with An Taoiseach to look seriously at how we all can contribute to the creation of a more sustainable region, island and global community.

As that event made clear, in Northern Ireland we have a window of opportunity to establish ourselves as leaders in the global fight against climate change. But it will require a competitive, sustainable, reliable and future-focused energy infrastructure and we need to make rapid progress.

From government, we need to see a prioritisation of projects that support decarbonisation. Infrastructure strategy, planning, the rating system, enhanced capital allowances and enterprise supports are key.

We also feel that the rating system should support those enterprises that are investing in our environmental future, providing discounts for carbon zero or neutral buildings. Those that have the largest negative environmental impacts should be rated more heavily and vice-versa, in order to incentivise better environmental outcomes.

After too many years of political inaction on climate change, we do now have two bills at different stages within the Assembly. We welcome the progress and the fact that it is happening in the context of a new energy policy for Northern Ireland is encouraging.

However, climate change is a race and as businesspeople, we cannot afford to wait on policy makers to do all of the heavy lifting. It has serious implications for enterprise and as employers and citizens, we each have a responsibility to take action now. That means grasping the opportunities which exist to flourish in a new, low carbon economy. It means holding ourselves and our supply-chains to account and monitoring carbon emissions as we do our finances.

While our politicians must do the politics of climate change, we in the business community will get on with the business of it. Climate action is full of opportunity and there should be no limit to our ambitions or the speed of change.

Paul Murnaghan President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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NEWS

ALMAC GROUP TO CREATE 1,800 NEW JOBS GLOBALLY BELFAST MET LAUNCHES VIRTUAL CLASSROOM Belfast Met has launched Ireland’s first Met LIVE virtual studio, a facility designed for engaging hybrid and virtual teaching.

Funded by the Department for the Economy, and working alongside Niavac, the bespoke virtual classroom is situated in the e3 building of Belfast Met’s Springvale Campus, home of the Belfast Film and Television School.

Based on Barco’s weConnect platform, the virtual classroom provides a more authentic classroom experience in the virtual realm. During lessons, students are presented life-sized on individual screens, enabling tutors to pick up on nuances of body language.

In addition, students are clearly highlighted whenever they speak or raise their hand. Each student has their own individual camera aimed at the tutor, creating a more personalised remote learning experience. These features offer a more meaningful connection between tutor and learner and, in turn, a more enriching learning experience.

James Conlon, Managing Director of Niavac commented: “Engagement is the underlying ethos of weConnect and Niavac are proud to deliver this learning innovation into Belfast Met. Encompassing hardware from brands such as Barco, NEC, Biamp and Clevertouch reflects the forward-thinking approach of the College.”

This project is just one part of a larger contract of bespoke communication solutions that Niavac will be delivering to Belfast Met in partnership with Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland. This involves the installation of professional audio-visual equipment across all of Belfast Met’s campuses, such as CleverTouch touchscreens and an Absen LED video wall.

Global manufacturer Almac is planning to recruit 1,800 new jobs across its global operations over the next three years.

The new jobs will include operational, supervisory and managerial roles across its business and offers a variety of opportunities for both graduates and experienced candidates alike. Positions are available immediately across 120 different job roles at its sites in the UK, Ireland, North America, Singapore, Japan and the Nordic region. The company, which marked 50 years in business in 2018, is at the forefront of the development, manufacturing, testing and distribution of essential medicines to vulnerable patients across the globe.

To find out more, visit www.almacgroup.com/careers.

Alan Armstrong, Chief Executive of Almac Group.

GALGORM EXPANDS LUXURY OUTDOOR ACCOMMODATION

Colin Johnston, Galgorm Collection Managing Director with Economy Minister Gordon Lyons.

Galgorm has announced plans to create a suite of new accommodation and thermal spa options within its 380-acre County Antrim Estate which forms part of a £10 million investment that will create up to 50 new hospitality jobs over the next two years.

This new investment marks the first phase of a £30 million project to further expand and enhance Resort and spa facilities by 2027 and is the latest move by Galgorm Collection to ensure the Resort’s position as a world-class international tourism destination, having already invested £60 million since 2010. In addition to the expansion of the Resort, Galgorm Collection has also committed to the rollout of an enhanced benefits package for all eligible team members, including a £1 million investment into premium private health care cover over the next five years as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in its people.

INVEST NI LAUNCH NEW £4M INNOVATION GRANT FOR SMES Economy Minister Gordon Lyons has announced a new grant to support local businesses to develop and implement innovative projects. The £4million Economic Recovery Innovation Grant (ERIG) will provide up to £5,000 of support to SMEs develop new, or improve existing, products, services or processes through innovation. ERIG is a new scheme developed by Invest Northern Ireland to support businesses to recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses can access up to a maximum grant of £5,000 to support eligible costs to progress their innovative idea/project. Such costs may include testing and developing new products or processes; equipment; skills development; marketing and consultancy.

Applications close at 5.00pm on Monday 31 January 2022 and full details on the scheme, eligibility criteria and how to apply are available on Invest NI’s website.

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FEATURE

Acting Up for Change COP26 has called time on procrastinating on climate change. Emma Deighan looks at where Northern Ireland sits in the drive to net zero: from Stormont to the factory floor.

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he world’s leaders and ministers gathered in Glasgow to discuss mobilising funding for rapid, large-scale climate action at COP26.

Pledges and projected funding figures were issued at what was the most pressing commitment to tackling rising temperatures, green innovation, landmark deforestation and more.

In theory, the promises were positive, but a tangible effort through action must be made to realise the goals laid out at the historic summit.

First Minister Paul Givan said: “The scale of the challenge is such that everyone across society has their part to play. Governments, businesses and individuals must all shoulder their responsibilities to create a cleaner environment…”

He said the Executive’s Green Growth Strategy for NI, which sets out the long-term vision for tackling the climate crisis, will be key in Northern Ireland playing its part.

It has been developed by all Ministers and government departments and in collaboration with external stakeholders – from local government, the private sector, voluntary and community sectors and others.

In the strategy, 10 ‘Green Growth Promises’ are laid out.

This includes laws for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the development of a climate action plan, the creation of green jobs, the reduction of emissions in Government buildings and vehicles and an all-Ireland approach to emission reduction, as well as a solid system for tracking of the latter promises.

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Meanwhile two competing climate change bills are being considered at Stormont – one aims for net zero carbon emissions by 2045 and completed the first stage in the Assembly in March.

The second bill completed its first stage in July, and calls for an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The stalling of passing one specific bill makes NI the only region in the UK without a clear-cut climate change plan. In spite of that, many businesses here have already taken the lead in setting their own targets.

Translink is one of those firms having recently pledged £30m in Foyle Metro in Derry.

The cash injection will see the city’s entire urban fleet replaced with electric buses making it one of the first cities in the UK and Ireland to have a fully zero-emission bus fleet when all the vehicles go into passenger service in 2023.

Chief Financial Officer at Translink, Patrick Anderson, told Ambition the transport organisation plans to be fully carbon neutral by 2040 in Belfast and 2030 in Derry.

“We know people want that from a transport provider,” he said.

Hydrogen buses, which are the work of Ballymena-based

FEATURE

Wrightbus, will feature heavily in those efforts.

Wrightbus showcased its hydrogen vehicles at COP26, winning contracts including a lucrative deal with England-based transport firm Go-Ahead to supply 20 of its hydrogen fuelled single decker buses.

Meanwhile Wrightbus boss Jo Bamford launched a £200million hydrogen investment fund, the HYCAP fund, part of Vedra Partners, earlier this year.

At the time, he said: “We are hardworking people and we need to get Northern Ireland into that space. The reason we are doing this is to get hydrogen production embedded in the economy and Northern Ireland will certainly be a place we will be looking to put money into but we need the Executive to be on-board.”

Northern Ireland’s banks and lenders are also tweaking their lending power in sync with green drives, with many now offering mortgages targeting buyers of more energy efficient homes. This includes Danske Bank, Ulster Bank, Santander and AIB. And to support the conversion to Electric Vehicles, Maxol has a list of new forecourts in the pipeline here that will accommodate “a real need for access points” said Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson.

Meanwhile the world’s biggest soft drinks brand, Coca-Cola, here in NI, has been investing millions of pounds to set industry standards.

Clive Wilson, supply chain director at Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and NI, says the household name has more than an obligation to give back to the community. Among its achievements is its new keel clip technology investment which sees its multipacks of cans come with less packaging.

“That’s eliminated 600 tonnes of plastics from the supply chain,” Clive revealed.

“We are now looking, as a group, to the next phase on how to reduce plastics on our PET packaging and that’s where our area of development will be in the immediate future, not products but the next stage of our sustainability journey.”

The company has a “Circular Packaging Vision 2030” which includes several commitments including all packaging being 100% recyclable by 2025 and all PET bottles to contain 50% recycled content by 2025.

In the fuel sector, Balcas, the major sawmill and carbon neutral energy provider, has written its own macro green story. Its initiatives are far-reaching.

CEO Brian Murphy said: “Balcas is a true example of a manufacturing contributor to the circular economy. Every log it uses originates from a sustainably managed forest. The forests throughout Britain and Ireland not only capture carbon but sustain rural jobs and provide leisure and social outlets for our citizens.”

Balcas generates twice as much electricity as it consumes too.

The heat left over from the generation process is used in Balcas’

timber drying kilns and to dry more of the left over fibre to convert into wood pellets.

Balcas pellets are currently used to heat hospitals, care homes, distilleries, supermarkets, schools, hotels, office buildings, National Trust properties, farms, and private homes. And every year Balcas’ wood pellets displace the equivalent of 100m litres of oil. The planting process then restarts the green Balcas cycle.

“What we’re trying to do now is help others do the same,” said Brian, who explained wood pellets are a reliable part of the answer to the decarbonisation of heat. And while he is aware of the reputational issues borne from the botched RHI scheme, the benefits of wood pellets as an energy source far outweigh the notoriety of that scheme, he added.

Materials processing equipment manufacturer for the quarry and mining industry, CDE, is telling its green story too. Marc Jennings, CEO at the firm said: “We will focus our efforts on key strategic growth markets, on continuing to develop and deliver sustainable solutions with customers, and on the development of talent coming through our industry. CDE can create multiple solutions in this area; that’s where new growth is and where new markets lie.”

And construction firm GRAHAM, has set its own green targets ahead of the UK’s 2050 deadline. John McDonald, managing director of the company’s investment projects said: “We have established four core pillars which form the basis of our CSR strategy; the environment, communities, people and ambition. Reducing our carbon emissions as part of our environment pillar is our number one priority and we are working hard to remove carbon from our business. We project a 50% reduction by 2030.”

To support its ambition, the company has rolled out “carbon literacy training” to help its staff make informed decisions on everything from selecting materials to cost impacts.

Perhaps one of the most ambitious climate change drives here is Harland and Wolff owners, Infrastrata which has a goal to develop an underground gas storage facility in Islandmagee.

John Wood, CEO at Infrastrata told Ambition Magazine that H&W will provide the metal fabrication for the project, saving the company millions of pounds but allowing the shipyard to reach a new potential, possibly drawing in new clients outside of the marine sector.

The facility could be the focus of hydrogen storage when infrastructure is ready to convert.

And Phoenix Gas is ready and waiting for that conversion, Jonathan Martindale, director of business development said.

“When greening up the gas network you think what else can be put into that infrastructure instead of natural gas and the two options are biomethane and hydrogen.

He said blue hydrogen would “green up NI’s gas network”.

“It’s the most abundant molecule in the universe and always attaches itself to something. The gas we use has the chemical composition CH4 and one option is to take the hydrogen out of that, strip the carbon out of it by using sequestration and when that’s burnt by the end user there is no carbon produced.

“There is a different organisation looking at that. Then there is the option to use Green Hydrogen, which is more environmentally friendly. Water is one option – split the H2O and sell the oxygen for other uses, or if you use the excess energy created by wind turbines when no end user needs it – that can be another solution.”

The opportunity for Phoenix to be part of the green revolution is huge and Jonathan says that while big players across the water are also looking at solutions, he adds: “I think the big momentum is the realisation that Northern Ireland can take ownership of this. Instead of waiting we can be pioneers in this.”

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Columnist Kate Marshall Coach Speaker Author Facilitator

“We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then is not an act, but

a habit.” Aristotle

T

here is a difference between success that happens because of our behaviour, success that

happens by luck, and success that happens despite our behaviour.

I’ve been re-reading What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith, who is one of the most successful of corporate America’s

coaches.

Goldsmith’s

primary insight is that good manners is

good

management,

that

bad

habits keep highly successful people from succeeding even more. What differentiates the one from the other, he observes, has nothing to do with one’s abilities, experience, and training and everything to do with behaviour.

Goldsmith explains, successful people often limit themselves with habits and behaviours that they don’t even know they have. Likewise, people who have experienced some level of success, tend to assume that the behaviours that got them this far will, in time, get them further still. This may not be the case: they could fail to realise that their success has come despite their flaws.

Some fail to understand that their habits may be preventing them from reaching their full potential, not only at work, but also in life.

EVERYONE HAS A FEW BAD HABITS. HERE ARE SOME THAT MAY BE HOLDING YOU BACK: 1. Not listening. One of the most valuable skills we can develop is the ability to listen well. This means listening with the intent to understand, most of us listen with the intent to reply. The quality of your listening will determine the quality of the relationship and is perhaps one of the most important habits to really work on – by truly listening, you help people feel valued, show that you care and that they belong.

2. Adding too much value.

This is when you can’t stop yourself from adding your thoughts to already viable ideas. The reality is that, while it in some cases it may slightly improve an idea, it drastically reduces the other person’s commitment.

3. Criticising and passing judgment / negative comments disguised as humour. Think twice before passing judgement. Before speaking, ask yourself: “Do I need to say this?”

4. Starting with “No”, “But” or “However”. Almost all of us do this and most of us are totally unaware of it. As soon as you say that you negate the other persons view and that will damage the relationship.

Change your phrasing to “Yes” or “And”.

5. Speaking when angry.

When you get angry, you are usually out of control:

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take a breath, walk away.

We don’t think or act rationally and logically when emotional and this can be very damaging.

6. Withholding information.

This one is all about power.

We do this unconsciously: when we are too busy to get back to someone with valuable information, when we forget to include someone in our discussions or meetings, or when we delegate a task and don’t take the time to show them exactly how we want it done.

7. Failing to give recognition and saying thank you.

Catch people doing things right – it builds trust and confidence.

8. Making excuses. We do this by blaming our failings on circumstances or someone or something else outside ourselves.

Own up when you mess up.

9. Lack of accountability.

Lack of accountability at any level is a damaging negative attribute. It overrules many good qualities. When things go wrong, don’t look for who to blame: look for what you can learn and commit to make it better.

10. An excessive need to be right. This shows up when we argue our strongly held viewpoint when it really doesn’t matter to the outcome.

We end up damaging relationships and creating barriers between us and those we lead.

11. Holding onto the past.

It’s important to reflect on the past, to learn from it, but we must look forward to current and future circumstances. I call this head up leadership, looking to the horizon.

What got you here may not get you there.

12. Not asking for feedback.

I am a huge fan of 360° feedback. We can only change that which we are aware of. While selfreflection is important, there are parts of us we cannot see. Ask for feedback or, as Marshall Goldsmith puts it, “ask for feedforward”: tell me what isn’t working and give me suggestions to improve. In my Vistage CEO Advisory Boards, we finish each meeting with WWW and EBI – What’s Working Well and Even Better If – a great example of feed forward in action. in action.

We are creatures of habit – some that work and some that no longer work for us. My challenge to you is to ask yourself which habits will you repeatedly do or need to drop to enable you and your organisation to achieve the Habit of Excellence?

COP26

What’s next for Northern

Ireland business?

Learn more at kpmg.ie

Your Partner For What’s Next

Columnist Peter Russell Managing Director of Telefónica Tech Ireland

Cyberattacks have shown that no company is immune We haven’t had to look far or listen long for news about cybersecurity attacks in the past year.

autonomously or hand-in-hand with the business’s existing IT department.

Telefónica Tech UK&I has significant expertise in cybersecurity.

Indeed, we are doubling the size of our SOC in Belfast as part of a six-figure investment to expand our premises here.

The investment that Telefónica Tech UK&I is making in Belfast involves the acquisition of additional floor space at Catalyst’s Concourse 3 and will enable us to accommodate our growing headcount and offer our specialist cybersecurity services to a larger number of customers across the UK and Ireland.

Our enlarged SOC will provide services such as monitoring and analysis of customers’ IT systems to pre-empt and prevent security risks and attacks. The SOC is manned 24 hours per day, seven days per week, working for a wide range of clients including NHS Trusts and several housing associations.

It is business critical that organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors secure, protect and monitor their IT systems to prevent breaches that could have very significant repercussions. That’s why this investment is so important, enabling us to expand our offering to a wider range of customers.

We have invested significantly in the SOC including in capital infrastructure, in our technology, and in our people to ensure we have an offering that meets the requirements of organisations with complex and sophisticated cybersecurity needs, such as in the health sector where we have market-leading expertise.

Telefónica Tech UK&I is delighted to support this investment which highlights the business’s commitment to investing in Belfast and to continuing to grow our team and offering here, and across the UK and Ireland. It will also provide extremely valuable services to customers looking to accelerate tech adoption and drive their digital transformation in a secure and productive way.

Telefónica Tech UK&I, formerly CANCOM UK&I, is a certified Microsoft Gold Partner for nine competencies, including Azure Expert MSP, CSP Direct, LSP, Surface Silver Partner and FastTrack, and it also has other relevant partnerships with leading technology vendors. The company employs more than 600 people, 300 of whom are based in Northern Ireland, and incorporates the former Novosco business, which was founded in Belfast.

T

hey are all over the news, impacting organizations from all industries, all around the world, with severe consequences on infrastructure and supply chains – not to mention customer trust and brand reputation. These cyberattacks have shown that no company, large or small, is immune.

Aside from the big, headline-grabbing attacks, there has also been a marked increase in the number and frequency of cybersecurity attacks overall. It is a challenge for many organisations that simply cannot be ignored and it’s therefore a topic that should be front of mind for all organisational leaders.

Having employees working from home in unprecedented numbers quickly became a gateway to new forms of data theft at levels previously unseen. And while some workers have returned to offices, we know that the future of work is hybrid and many will continue to work from home in some form.

In the age of digital transformation, IT and cyber resilience are the foundations of a company’s future viability. However, with the threat of cybercrime increasing across every sector, IT departments are being pushed to their limits.

The reality is that very few businesses have the internal bandwidth and expertise today to undertake 24/7 attack monitoring and protection themselves. Fortunately, help is at hand. Outsourced security operations centres (SOCs) help businesses achieve comprehensive cyberprotection in the face of unprecedented demand. They can either work completely

“In the age of digital transformation, IT and cyber resilience are the foundations of a company’s future viability.”

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FEATURE

A Lasting Legacy Ulster Carpets have been part of the fabric of the Northern Ireland community for over 80 years and an integral part of that legacy is the work carried out by the John Wilson Memorial Trust (JWMT).

. Pictured at the Learning Conversation Suite in the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre in Belfast are (from left) Professor Gerry Gormley,

Inaugural chair in Simulation and Clinical Skills at the Centre for Medical Education (CME); Dr Jamie Coburn, QUB Graduate 2008 – 2013, Medicine; Dr John Wilson, Chairman of Ulster Carpets and Trustee of the John Wilson Memorial Trust; Nick Coburn, Managing Director of Ulster Carpets and Chairman of the John Wilson Memorial Trust; Teresa Sloan, Head of Health Fundraising.

E

stablished in memory of John Wilson following his death in 2009, the Trust is run by nominated trustees involved in Ulster Carpets.

As the son of company founder George Walter Wilson, John shared his father’s vision of supporting the local community and the Trust works tirelessly to realise this.

JWMT actively encourages entrepreneurship by backing a wide range of local businesses, including several start-ups. Support is also provided to charities from across Northern Ireland.

Dr John Wilson, Chairman of Ulster Carpets and Trustee of the John Wilson Memorial Trust, explained: “Having those strong links with the community was something my father felt strongly about and the work of the JWMT allows us to continue that in his memory.

“Since 2009 we have been able to react to the needs of our local community and provide them with much-needed support. That was clear during the pandemic when we were able to support the NHS, the Southern Area Hospice and the Craigavon Area Foodbank to deliver vital services to the most vulnerable in society.”

Health research is another fundamental part of the JWMT, as reflected in an ongoing collaboration with Queen’s University that has

included PhD studentships, the purchase of a Robosep Machine for MS and several giftsin-kind.

The most recent donation of £25,000 will benefit the young health professionals of tomorrow.

The sponsorship of the Learning Conversation Suite in the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre in Belfast provides a cuttingedge training facility for Medical, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing and Midwifery students at Queen’s.

The InterSim Centre is one of the few in the UK to truly champion simulation-based education with an interprofessional approach, which allows students to train together in interactive scenarios that closely replicate a wide range of clinical settings.

Teresa Sloan, Head of Health Fundraising at Queen’s University Belfast, said, “We have a longstanding relationship with the John Wilson Memorial Trust. We are grateful for their contributed generosity including the recent donation to the InterSim Centre. Sponsorship of the state-of-the-art Learning Conversation Suite in the centre helps us with our mission to promote excellence in the education of healthcare professionals to drive safe, effective and collaborative care now and in the future.”

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This type of assistance will continue as the John Wilson Memorial Trust continues to create a lasting legacy of support for the local community. www.johnwilsontrust.com

“We have a longstanding relationship with the John Wilson Memorial Trust. We are grateful for their contributed generosity including the recent donation to the InterSim Centre.”

LET’S COLLABORATE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS

VISIT THE COP26 NI BUSINESS HUB Access and share climate-focused events, helpful resources, and inspiring case studies that will help Northern Ireland businesses come together to tackle climate change.

www.bitcni.org.uk/cop26 #COP26NI

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FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

KEVIN O’NEILL, ARCHITECT, HLM ARCHITECTS

H

aving grown up in a family with a local construction and joinery company, I was inspired to pursue a career in the construction industry from an early age. However, despite spending many summers on site when I was younger, I quickly decided that it was architecture I was keen to explore further so I went on to study Architecture at Northumbria University, where I gained my Part l and ll qualifications.

Since joining HLM in 2014, I have been involved in a wide range of projects across a number of sectors including healthcare, hospitality and commercial. Here I have gained experience in a wide range of sectors. One of the key projects I have had significant involvement in is the North Wing at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

When I joined HLM as a Part II Architectural Assistant, the North Wing project was in the very early stages of development. This enabled me to be involved in all stages of the project from concept design through to planning, technical design, detailing and delivery on site.

As the project progressed through the various stages so did my professional experience. I was able to apply the knowledge and skills I developed throughout the North Wing contract within other projects, such as the National Children’s Hospital Satellite Centres in Dublin and a Multi-Storey Car Park, also at Altnagelvin. This portfolio of projects enabled me to gain the experience required to obtain my professional qualifications, registering as a qualified Architect in 2017.

The North Wing development provides 144 bedrooms over six wards, which will allow the hospital to provide clinical care and treatment

to patients in single en-suite rooms. This will improve the quality and experience for the patients whilst supporting the staff, allowing them to provide a high level of care.

A new main entrance is one of the most significant elements of the project, providing a bright and welcoming environment for all that use the facility and wider hospital. Large internal courtyards provide views from both the main entrance and ward accommodation, whilst the connection to the courtyards and surrounding landscape help improve the wellbeing of its users.

Originally due to be completed in June 2020, the construction of the North Wing was advanced to complete in April, fulfilling the need for additional hospital bed space during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being from Derry I am immensely proud to have been involved in such a significant project in my hometown, and to have personally contributed to such an achievement in challenging times that enabled the facility to open early to provide much needed accommodation and services to the local community.

As I progress my architectural career, I hope to continue to work on local projects that might help improve the quality of health and wellbeing of the people that use them.

I genuinely believe that, irrespective of the size of project, ‘good architecture’ can meet functional aspirations and be socially beneficial to their users, with an impact that reaches into the wider community.

I also believe a key part of designing and delivering socially responsible buildings is to ensure they are sustainable, by integrating design strategies that will reduce the negative impact on the environment, with considerations such as building materials, construction methods and technology.

My ambition is to continue to progress through my architectural career by developing my skills, expertise and knowledge to ensure I continue to design and deliver socially responsible architecture through the Healthcare, Education and Residential sectors, that will contribute positively to the communities within which the buildings reside.

“I also believe a key part of designing and delivering socially responsible buildings is to ensure they are sustainable”.

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FEATURE

A New Chapter Ulster University Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew, tells Emma Deighan that despite moving to a hybrid teaching model during the pandemic, community and bricks and mortar settings will always be the priority.

P

rofessor Bartholomew was appointed to the role just as the pandemic took hold, which presented a massive challenge for the former NHS Diagnostic Radiographer.

With the £364m Belfast Campus due to launch and a new medical school in Magee opening its doors to students, he faced a series of challenges from the onset, but today those hurdles have spawned many new beginnings for the high-ranking educational institution.

“We’re always motivated by doing the right thing for students and staff,” he begins.

“Our staff responded magnificently to the pandemic, with teaching moving online until the beginning of this year when we introduced a more hybrid way of teaching and during that time we had many achievements.”

Among those achievements were surging industry rankings and awards.

Ulster University was shortlisted in a small pool of five (out of 135) UK Universities for the most prestigious accolade in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide: the ‘University of the Year’.

It was also included in the top 50 universities for the first time in the Complete University Guide (CUG) 2022 League Table. After a third successive rise in these rankings, Ulster University rose 16 places from 60th (2021) to 44th (2022) out of 130 UK universities. This is the highest rank the University has achieved in the Guide’s 15-year history.

It was also placed second in the UK for postgraduate researcher satisfaction in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES 2021). The national benchmarking exercise surveyed postgraduate research students from 89 universities across the UK

about their postgraduate research experience.

“We’re not an institution that chases accolades,” Professor Bartholomew says.

“We are focused on enhancing the experience we provide and if we do well, we say thank you and we’ll take it. We’ll continue to do the best we can for staff and students and as long as we continue to do the right thing, we’ll be in a good place.”

Behind the scenes that commitment to doing the best they can is evident with the Magee, Coleraine and Belfast campuses undergoing significant investments while Ulster University’s course portfolio’s expansion is garnering praise.

A new chapter was marked at the Magee Campus in Derry-Londonderry when the newly refurbished building welcomed the very first 70 students to its new School of Medicine.

“We had a full uptake for that course. What we’re trying to do there is take a cohort of students that will continue to work and stay in the North West,” says Professor Bartholomew.

Twenty eight students in the course are from ROI, with three international students, two from England, and the rest from NI. “That’s an outstanding achievement,” he adds.

The Magee Campus’ new medical school will add to the University’s reputation for excellence in life sciences and the City Deals projects in the North West will attract funding to build on the campus’ interdisciplinary research prowess and in turn deliver economic benefits for the region.

Ulster University is also relocating its undergraduate health sciences provision from Jordanstown to Magee, while a new paramedic degree has also started on the campus.

“We’re really building a hub in the North West for health sciences but we also have fantastic capability in data analytics too and

20

we’ve recently opened an £11m teaching block to ensure that campus continues to have the highest levels of student satisfaction,” he says.

Most of the university’s Jordanstown Campus’ courses will relocate in due course, with the bulk of them heading to the new Belfast campus.

That facility opened this term and will return a £1.4bn contribution to the NI economy.

“Teaching began on the new campus this academic year and is catalysing and reimagining of the teaching and learning experiences that are deployed across all of our campuses, accelerating innovation in how we do things.”

This campus will help bring focus to the Belfast Regional City Deals projects, including the Screen and Media Innovation Lab (SMIL), which will help to maximise the benefits of this sector for the Belfast Region, and beyond, by providing a dedicated physical infrastructure to support the rapidly expanding activity in virtual video and film production.

“There will be a lot of research and innovation which will have a direct impact on industry,” says Professor Bartholomew.

Meanwhile the university’s Jordanstown campus is still the focus of many programmes until they move to their new locations.

“Going forward, we will still retain facilities there, but with a much smaller footprint.”

This includes the more practical facilities, including expansive outdoor spaces, for sports-discipline students and for the provision of sports facilities for the wider student body, while the rest of the site “will become an asset over time that we will sell in due course.”

Meanwhile the Coleraine campus will retain its identity as a UNESCO centre through the School of Education, “being an internationally

Ulster University Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew.

21

Coleraine campus.

renowned leading voice in education” with “outstanding provision in biosciences, pharmacy and optometry”.

And thanks to investment in a new digital learning degree and Marine Science degree, the Coleraine campus will continue in its new chapter.

Professor Bartholomew says his goal is to consolidate Ulster University’s identity as a regional institution that works with industry and creates the best in future talent while delivering outstanding learning experiences for students and working experiences for staff.

He continues: “We are Northern Ireland’s regional university and that’s our distinctive characteristic – we’re a multi campus university that is committed to our regional footprint and the impact it has on the communities in which we operate and the wider society of Northern Ireland as a whole.

“We demonstrate good value with a benefit to cost ratio of 7:1 and we remain committed to the people-centric excellence that places us in the top quartile of universities in the UK as well as continuing to engage with business partners.

“We also want to work with schools to attract more students to stay and study in Northern Ireland. We are aware two out of three students who study outside of NI don’t come back and although we are doing more to lower that figure, we’re still seeing around 3,000 students going across the water yearly.”

He continues: “I would conclude that all graduates of Ulster University have boosted value to give to any employer. We prioritise employability; we’re constantly engaging with employers and using our integrated curriculum design framework to produce graduates who are change-makers, world class thinkers and doers. While studying at Ulster students acquire the skills and knowledge to make an immediate and tangible impact wherever they work. And that’s evidenced in the continued demand for our students from our partnership organisations like PwC, Randox and FinTru – to name just a few.

“We also have one eye on the economy and what industry needs, including STEM talent, but we don’t get too blindsided by just responding to what the economy of the moment needs. Our university has to have an eye on the economy of the future, taking a broader view, and that means not only being responsive to the now, it means investing

Magee campus.

across the piece – investing in sustainable futures for all.”

And he adds, online learning, regardless of its role and importance during Covid-19 will not replace a full-time educational model at the university’s campuses.

“Although there are certainly some lessons that have been learned in how to design teaching provision during the pandemic and even though my own career is based in that area – my research area is computer supported collaborative learning – I firmly believe that learning is a social activity that is best enacted within a face-to-face environment.

“That’s not to say the skills and staff

development over this period isn’t something we would seek to make best use of but it’s not my agenda to move to a hybrid model. We will of course continue to augment classes with technology as it make sense for students and staff but I believe it is important to create communities of learning and we’re taking steps to make it life-enriching for students.

“It’s not just about what happens in the classroom: it’s important that people can come out of lessons and be excited and talk about what they’re learning, participate in the clubs, the night life and be part of the regions they study in. That’s why we continue to invest in our buildings and our communities.”

“We are Northern Ireland’s regional university and that’s our distinctive characteristic – we’re a multi campus university that is committed to our regional footprint and the impact it has on the communities in which we operate and the wider society of Northern Ireland as a whole.”

22

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The Classic Drive

FEATURE

Irish serial entrepreneur, Norman Crowley, the CEO of Crowley Carbon is on a mission to bring car manufacturing back to Ireland, but his business concept is on track to surpass anything the beloved DeLorean factory produced, he tells Ambition Magazine.

R

aised in a West Cork village, Norman Crowley says cars were always a “complete obsession” in his life, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he is using his green credentials to transform the automotive industry and his home country is the main location for this investment.

As the CEO of Cool Planet Group – which includes Crowley Carbon, an energy efficiency company dedicated to helping corporations lower their energy consumption – Norman has founded many ground-breaking tech firms, including The Cloud, Europe’s largest Wi-Fi operator.

24

“When we convert a classic car we take it from 2,000 fairly unreliable components to about 90. We make these beautiful cars reliable.”

FEATURE

Whatever he touches turns to gold and the same pattern is ringing true at his AVA car production firm.

“Where I came from was the home village of Henry Ford’s grandfather,” he begins. “So we were always told about his history and I was kind of always steeped in it.”

Norman founded Electrifi in 2013, which was his first real foray into the conversion of cars, transforming them from diesel and petrol guzzling art pieces to zero carbon entities still boasting the same look and even better performance.

This business develops a range of high-performance electric cars in Co Wicklow. These cars, known as hypercars, will be taken

by Electrifi and will include some of the world’s most iconic classic car brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin. They will be rebuilt and optimised with the latest technology and powered by a Tesla engine.

The company has two sites; one in Wicklow and another in Wales.

Norman says the business was founded for those who have classic cars and want to convert them.

“When we convert a classic car we take it from 2,000 fairly unreliable components to about 90. We make these beautiful cars reliable,” he explains.

And he admits; “Market research said it wouldn’t work but we’re sold out for the next few years.”

Norman says performance levels after conversion are “phenomenal”, adding: “We took a 1981 Ferrari 308, which was made famous by Magnum PI and increased its speed. Before conversion it went from zero to 60 in seven seconds, now it can go from zero to 60 in 2.8 seconds.” And that’s just his own personal vehicle.

Norman’s latest vehicle venture AVA teams up with motoring design legends Peter Brock and Ian Callum to bring car-making back to Ireland on a bigger scale. Its niche is transforming the world’s most desirable classic cars to electric.

The initial concept was to convert other people’s personal vehicles but the firm has evolved to buy and sell its own classics after converting to a “very high standard”.

Norman says in excess of £7m worth of AVA cars were sold at a recent car exhibition.

“The goal for the wider group is to do good,” he adds, informing Ambition that some of his productions boast he lowest carbon footprint in the history of vehicles.

He talks of one of AVA’s most iconic creations, that of an AC Cobra, “painted in psychedelic colours” by one member of the BEV group of artists, who were hailed as the Beatles of the art world in the 1960s.

25

FEATURE

They were the creatives behind the elaborately painted AC Cobra

“The plan was to auction the car and donate some of the proceeds

owned by Guinness heir Tara Browne, for whom the Beatles penned

to charity but we got an offer from the Middle East in excess of £1m

A Day in the Life following his tragic death.

for it,” Norman reveals.

AVA Hyper Classics recreates and reimagines “but we do want to

Norman says: “He was an icon of the 60s and the psychedelic colours are him. We became obsessed with the vehicle after hearing

build a car from scratch in the Irish market,” says Norman.

“The last car that was built here from scratch was the DeLorean so

the story and we built a brand new vehicle.”

He says having ex McLaren workers on board at AVA help realise new vehicle creations no matter how ambitious, while the craft and

we’re now developing a real range of vehicles that look like they’re classics but have the performance of a hyper car.”

The latter concept has been made possible with the help of former

skillset of one of the original BEV artists, Dudley Edwards, became part of the AVA story.

design director at Jaguar and Aston Martin, Ian Callum, whose work

26

FEATURE

“The idea was to do high end first as it brings revenue into the business and as we build that allows us to lower the cost of the vehicle.

“We’ve been working with Toyota and other partners to allow for a system of conversion with volumes of around 30-40,000 per year.”

He continues: “What’s interesting is, our energy business isn’t the most exciting, but it’s exciting from a financial point of view, so it’s quite fun

“We’ve been working with Toyota and other partners to allow for a system of conversion with volumes of around 30-40,000 per year.”

to have the cars. They’re eye-catching and once you have people’s attention you can then start to talk to them about energy efficiency.”

Looking ahead, he adds: “If you’ve been to Germany and seen the sale of the BMW factory, you will see that they have double decker trains full of cars and that’s because they have this history around engineering.

“But if you think of the transition into electric, that vehicle has a lot more in

has redefined the world of motion and Peter

common with a laptop and what we’re

Brock, one of the most influential designers

learning is our skills in Ireland, in software

in American history, and the last remaining

and pharma etc, mixed with the massive

member of the original team that put together

engineering history in Northern Ireland

the Corvette Stingray.

which still exists – that combination is huge and you’re talking the

Images of the first AVA Hyper Classic, a modern take on the Daytona,

creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

will be released early 2022 with the first vehicle unveiled later in the year.

“We’ve already grown out of our factory and we’re waiting on

While the AVA portfolio is the elite of car manufacturing, Norman

planning permission for another one. The opportunity out there

says practical application is the end goal, with mainstream vehicles

is insane and we want to expand and create investment and

and massive job creation on the agenda.

employment here.”

27

UPDATE NI Chamber Chief’s

As businesses chart the path to economic recovery and growth, NI Chamber is here to help facilitate their efforts. We remain committed to helping members overcome obstacles with practical assistance and advice, whilst working collaboratively to find solutions to issues in need of resolution. Here NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor provides an overview of what’s coming up and what’s taken place recently.

O

ver the past couple of months, the NI Chamber team has really enjoyed being able to meet more members in person again and we’ve been delighted to welcome you back to some face-to-face events. That has included a sold-out Leadership Live event with political strategist Alastair Campbell, regional networking events in Dungannon and Belfast, an all-island climate action event and a Sector Club for people working in technology.

Alongside face-to-face events, we continue to provide the option to join lots of activities online too. For example, our flagship Meet the Buyer event was hosted virtually in early November, and successfully facilitated over 120 new business meetings between local buyers and suppliers. As well as this, our suite of training programmes will continue digitally and there will be other hybridoptions, all designed to ensure that every member can continue to enjoy access to our services in a manner which is best for their circumstances right now.

One of the highlights of recent weeks has been ‘Let’s Power Change Together’, an important all-island climate action event, hosted to coincide with preparations for COP26. In partnership with our colleagues in Chambers Ireland and SSE, we welcomed the First and deputy First Ministers and the Taoiseach to discuss what global agreement on climate action means for companies across the island of Ireland and highlighted the ‘green’ opportunities which exist for local firms. The gravity of the climate situation that we face was highlighted by the fact that the leaders of the governments at Stormont and

Dail Eireann came to address business leaders in person. By doing so, they joined us in sending a powerful, cohesive message that climate change matters, that we all have a role in bringing forward climate solutions and that the time for action is now. It’s a theme and action point we’ll continue to prioritise.

Following the autumn budget and spending review, we hosted an inperson event with Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA, and the Director for Public Spending, Joanne McBurney. The Minister provided NI Chamber members with an update on what the outcome of the Spending Review means for public finances and listened as they shared their business priorities directly.

It was also an important opportunity for us, to reiterate the findings of our latest Quarterly Economic Survey.

The report indicates that while there are positive signs of recovery in the Northern Ireland economy, inflationary pressures from mounting business costs and labour availability are negatively impacting business confidence. We have shared the detailed findings of the QES with policy makers and all members can access the report on our website. Thank you, as always, to everyone who takes the time to complete that survey and make their voice heard.

Looking ahead to what’s coming up before the end of the year, undoubtedly our 2021 President’s Banquet is a highlight. The event sold out in record time and we are really looking forward to welcoming you to ICC Belfast on 25 November. We are all excited to hear from celebrity guest speaker Sir Mo Farah, who will provide inspiration on 28

the evening’s theme of ‘Moving Forward Together.’ It will be a fabulous opportunity for business people to come together after a long time apart and if you’re lucky enough to be joining us on the evening, we really look forward to seeing you there.

NEW GROWTH MEMBERS

NEW ESSENTIAL MEMBERS

* To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www.northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 02890 244113.

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Sir Mo Farah to address NI Chamber President’s Banquet Inspirational Olympic, World and European Champion Sir Mo Farah CBE is set to be guest speaker at NI Chamber’s 2021 President’s Banquet. He will be interviewed live on stage by prominent sports broadcaster, Craig Doyle.

The sold out black-tie event returns to ICC Belfast on Thursday 25 November and will see 600 members of the business community gather to celebrate what resilience, innovation and hard work has achieved over the past two years. The theme for the event is ‘Moving Forward

Together,’ looking at 2022 with optimism and a determination to succeed globally with all of the agility, pace and spirit of an Olympic athlete.

The President’s Banquet is delivered in partnership with NI Chamber’s Communications Partner, BT along with supporting sponsors Tughans, Phoenix Natural Gas and Tourism NI, and drinks reception sponsor, Staffline.

The event is currently sold out with a waiting list in place. Visit northernirelandchamber.com for further information.

Paul Murnaghan (President of NI Chamber & Head of BT in NI); Gillian Orr (Communications Manager at Phoenix Natural Gas); Naomi Waite (Director of Marketing at Tourism NI); Patrick Brown (Managing Partner at Tughans) and Tina McKenzie (Chief Executive of Staffline Ireland).

Finance Minister briefs NI Chamber Members

Business leaders hear from political strategist Alastair Campbell Political strategist Alastair Campbell spoke to business leaders at a sold-out NI Chamber and Electric Ireland event in the Europa Hotel, Belfast.

Best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy, Mr Campbell spoke openly about his experiences of leadership, success and mental health.

Joanne McBurney (Public Spending Director at the Department of Finance); Paul Murnaghan (President of NI Chamber) and Finance Minister Conor Murphy.

Following the publishing of the UK Government’s Spending Review in late October, Finance Minister Conor Murphy briefed NI Chamber members at an event hosted by Belfast Met’s Titanic Quarter Campus.

The Budget Engagement session provided members with an opportunity to also hear from Joanne McBurney, Public Spending

Director at the Department of Finance, Jeff McGuinness, Head of Central Expenditure in the Department of Finance and Ian Snowden, Chief Executive of Land & Property Services.

The briefing also included a question and answer session which provided members with an opportunity to share the priorities which are important to their organisation.

29

Paul Murnaghan (President of NI Chamber); Alastair Campbell; Louise Turley (Head of Campaigns and Events at NI Chamber) and Dermot McArdle (Head of Business Markets at Electric Ireland).

NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI CHAMBER IN CONVERSATION WITH

RAY HUTCHINSON Managing Director, Gilbert-Ash

R

ay, who studied accounting at Queen’s University Belfast, tells listeners: “My background is quite removed from the construction industry.

I began my career as an accountant in a textile business in 1994. I moved from there to a larger organisation in the food industry and then to another position as a Financial Controller in a successful local company in the fast-moving consumer goods industry.

“In 2003, I joined Gilbert-Ash. At the time, construction chose me. I was approached to consider taking on the role of finance director within Gilbert-Ash. To be truthful, I didn’t consider that I would be selected for the position. I thought there were people with more experience than I had. But I decided to throw my hat in the ring and I’m glad to say that the chairman and managing director of the company then took a risk in appointing me.

“I became managing director in 2012 and I haven’t looked back. Every day is different and brings new challenges.”

Like many organisations, Gilbert-Ash has had a challenging year.

“The last 15 months have been one of the most challenging times in my career. I don’t think we have experienced anything like what we have seen as a result of the pandemic. I have worked in construction for the past 20 years. We have seen recessions and cyclical downturns during that time but what we have seen with COVID has been unprecedented.

“In March last year, we weren’t sure what the impact of COVID-19 would be. We closed our sites for three weeks at that stage to give consideration to how we could, from a health and safety perspective, bring our staff back safely.

“Since then, what I have seen in our staff has been remarkable – a desire to roll up their sleeves and get on with things.”

During the episode, Ray discusses some of the supply issues currently facing the construction industry.

“We are seeing a shortage of materials and significant increases in the cost of materials worldwide. Recently, we received notice from our supplier that

Ray Hutchinson is managing director of Gilbert-Ash. In episode five of NI Chamber’s ‘In Conversation’ podcast, delivered in association with Narratology, Ray speaks to Mark Devenport about his career transition from accountancy to construction, developing a culture of inclusion, as well as how Gilbert-Ash established itself in markets further afield.

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the cost of timber was increasing by 50%. Those increases create significant disruption.

“Coupled with the red tape as a result of Brexit, which is causing delays at ports, it is presenting real challenges for us.

“All we can do is roll up our sleeves, work determinedly and try to overcome those challenges.”

Ray reflects on Gilbert-Ash’s landmark projects, including the Royal College of Music, the National Portrait Gallery and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“I am proud to have been involved in many iconic buildings over the years.

I wouldn’t like to highlight any one in particular, but the Everyman Theatre won the Stirling Prize. That’s a particular project we are proud of being involved in.”

Later in the episode, Ray discusses the evolution of diversity in construction and the need for continued improvement.

“Back in the early 2000s, construction sites would typically have been male30

construction, technology, banking, insurance, legal and professional services, healthcare, retail and wider business services.

We have successfully delivered for clients from multinationals, PLCs and NI Top 100 to family-owned firms, SMEs and startups, introducing key executives to make

dominated. It was not a diverse place for people to work.

“I have a 14 year-old son and a 10 yearold daughter and I would hate to think that my daughter would have doors closed to her that would otherwise be open to my son. It’s because of this that I have tried to bring about change, diversity and inclusion in the construction sector.

“We have a workforce that is made up of 21% females. This doesn’t sound great but when compared to the industry average of 12%, it shows how we have taken steps to improve the diversity agenda.

“I’m a strong believer that diversity has a great capacity to bring innovation and creativity to the workplace.”

Discussing his leadership style within Gilbert-Ash, Ray explains the importance of communication.

“At Gilbert-Ash, we have a lot of remarkable people and a large part of how I lead is by listening to and valuing

NI CHAMBER NEWS

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the opinion of others. I have always been keen to develop and nurture a culture where people feel included, engaged and motivated to contribute.

“Communication is central to my leadership style. I work very hard to keep everyone informed on how the company is performing, the challenges we are encountering and what we are doing to develop solutions to those.”

Ray shares how Gilbert-Ash became established in markets further afield and successfully competes within them.

“One of the biggest changes I have overseen has been a switch away from being entirely focused on the market in Northern Ireland to becoming more concentrated on the market in the UK and further afield.

“When the recession struck, that forced us to think differently. Opportunities in Northern Ireland started to slow down and we knew that if we didn’t take quick

action, we would struggle. We started to look to the market and opportunities in mainland UK. “We’ve been struck by how successful we have been in the UK and how small that marketplace really is. It’s a bit like here, everybody knows everyone else and once you get a foothold there and if you perform well, you can really build on that.”

Ray concludes the episode by offering advice to his younger self.

“Don’t be afraid to ensure your voice is heard because your contribution is important. I would encourage my younger self to use their voice, never sit back and never allow others to dictate your pace and progress. While it can be intimidating, I would encourage a can-do attitude.”

Episode five of the ‘In Conversation’ podcast is available to listen to now on the NI Chamber website, as well as on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts.

31

Hosted by Mark Devenport

NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI Chamber strikes gold at PRide Awards The Communications & Policy team at NI Chamber picked up the Gold award for ‘Corporate and Business Communications Campaign of the Year’ at the recent PRide awards. Hosted by the Charted Institute of Public Relations, they are the UK’s leading regional PR awards, celebrating outstanding professional practice among industry professionals.

A panel of independent judges commended the ‘impressive’ planning and research that into the campaign, as well as the strategy and delivery which contributed to a ‘great campaign that went beyond the targets set’.

Other finalists in the category included Morrow Communications (Runner up), LK Communications, MW Advocate and Portview.

Speaking about the win, Christopher Morrow, Head of Communications and Policy at NI Chamber said:

“We are thrilled to pick up this award, in what was a very competitive category at the CIPR PRide awards. To be awarded it by a panel of industry experts is an important endorsement of the work we do on behalf of member businesses across Northern Ireland. It is reflective, not just of the Communications & Policy team, but of the quality of our whole organisation and the services we provide.

“On behalf of everyone at NI Chamber, I’d like to congratulate all of the winners, runners-up and finalists, including many of our members.”

The PRide award is the third significant award win for the Communications & Policy team in the past 12 months, having also won ‘Internal Communications Team of the Year’ and ‘B2B Campaign of the Year’ at the UK-wide PR Moment Awards.

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NI CHAMBER NEWS

Let’s Power Change Together – Climate Event The First and deputy First Ministers were joined by An Taoiseach in Belfast to share their approaches to climate action ahead of the COP26 summit.

Co-hosted by NI Chamber and Chambers Ireland with the support of SSE, the allisland event discussed what global agreement on climate action means for companies across the island of Ireland and highlighted the ‘green’ opportunities which exist for local firms.

Event host, Tommie Gorman.

Stephen Wheeler (Country Lead for SSE in Ireland); Sarah Venning (CEO of NI Water), Fiacre O’Donnell (Director of Sustainability at Encirc) and Catherine Moroney (Head of Business Banking Market at AIB Ireland).

NI Chamber President, Paul Murnaghan.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.

The hybrid event had an in-person and online audience.

First Minister Paul Givan.

First Minister Paul Givan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

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NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI’s business recovery risks losing

• 1 in 3 companies are performing better than before the pandemic • 58% of businesses have seen costs rise by 6% or more • 61% are expecting to raise prices in the next 3 months • 69% expect to increase wages in the next 6 months • 80% are experiencing recruitment difficulties The latest Quarterly Economic Survey findings, published by NI Chamber and BDO NI for Q3 of 2021, suggest that while there are positive signs of recovery in the Northern Ireland economy, inflationary pressures from mounting business costs and labour availability are negatively impacting business confidence.

According to the survey, expectations to raise prices are the highest on record since before the Financial Crash (circa 2008): 62% of manufacturers and 60% of service businesses expect to raise prices in the next three months.

Three in five firms (58%) saw costs rise by 6% or more in Q3 2021. For one in ten firms, business costs have risen by more than 20% over the last nine months. There are multiple and, in some cases, interlinked drivers of these cost pressures, including the impact of Brexit and the NI Protocol, rising raw material costs, rising energy costs, wage increases and supply chain disruption.

New trading arrangements post-Brexit The Q1 and Q2 2021 surveys showed that adjusting to new trading arrangements has been challenging for some businesses, although there have been signs of improvement. During Q3 2021, 45% of businesses said that they had adapted well to the new trading arrangements (compared to 44% in Q2 and 15% in Q1). However, almost a third (32%) said they were still finding new trading arrangements difficult. A core of around 13% of businesses were still finding the new trading arrangements extremely challenging (14% in Q2).

COVID-19 recovery Business recovery from the pandemic is mixed. In Q3 2021, one in three companies stated that they were performing better than pre-pandemic, one in three were performing about the same as pre-pandemic and one in three were performing worse. Of those who performed worse, around one in five don’t expect the business to recover to its preCOVID-19 performance.

Recruitment In Q3 2021, 70% of manufacturers and 74% of services were trying to recruit. Recruitment difficulties were one of the most persistent and growing concerns among members preCOVID-19. It is now re-emerging as a significant issue, with 80% of survey respondents in Q3 2021 finding it difficult to get staff.

Christopher Morrow (Head of Communications & Policy at NI Chamber) Brian Murphy; (Managing Partner of BDO NI) and Ann McGregor, (Chief Executive of NI Chamber).

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At the same time, firms are facing strong pressure to raise wages: 69% of businesses who responded to this survey said they expect to increase wages in the next six months and more than 40% of them expect those rises to be above inflation. This is driven by a range of factors including the need to retain staff (43%) and/or recruit new staff (27%) rather than the strong performance of the business (16%).

Commenting on the survey findings, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive, NI Chamber said: “While it is certainly positive to see signs of economic recovery in Northern Ireland, conditions remain extremely fragile and challenging for firms in both manufacturing and services.

“We have seen some really positive momentum build in business recovery and for some sectors and businesses, sales performance is now very strong.

However, business trading conditions are undermining these gains with a combination of higher costs, supply-chain and logistics problems, increasing labour shortages and wage pressures.

“Taken together, these elements are beginning to erode business confidence despite the amazing effort by firms to build back from the pandemic. Profitability is being squeezed to the point where businesses have no alternative but to consider increasing prices, a decision that isn’t taken lightly by our members at this time.”

NI CHAMBER NEWS

momentum as price pressures mount THE BDO NI PERSPECTIVE

BY BRIAN MURPHY, MANAGING PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND

It’s sometimes easy now to forget how devastating the early months of 2020 were, as COVID started to rip through our society, when human survival became the number one objective for businesses.

Although these results are mixed, it’s important that we assess them in this context.

We recognise the concerns many firms have but we are also able to report that for many they are returning to pre-pandemic levels of business. It is remarkable to see how far we’ve come and how resilient our local businesses have been.

It would take the hardest of hearts not to be cheered by the fact that firms are now reporting increases in domestic sales and projecting greater confidence, too, in turnover growth and investment intentions. Only a few months ago, this would’ve been unthinkable.

The key challenge for the business community will be balancing the delivery of this projected growth whilst maintaining stability in the face of growing business costs and inflation. Rising energy costs, insurance premiums, the cost of raw materials and wage demands are all putting significant pressure on profit margins – that’s a lot of plates to keep spinning.

The service sector has had a better quarter and Northern Ireland is now only second to London in terms of UK regions for performance in export sales, with recruitment activity the highest it’s ever been. With the roll out of the Department for Economy’s High Street Voucher scheme, this should further support the sector following easing of social distancing measures.

However, the concerns regarding prices and inflation do remain a great concern, with a reluctant acceptance amongst many companies that continued rises in costs will inevitably be passed on to the consumer – 61% are expecting to raise prices over the next three months. Add to that the pressure for increased wage demands across the board – again a direct result of the increased cost of living for individuals and families – and organisations will have some difficult decisions to make over the next quarter.

While it is a positive that sales/orders are in a relatively strong position for both the manufacturing and services industries, there is a need for further support to allow businesses to fulfil these orders. Rising costs alongside COVID recovery and uncertainty around both Brexit and the NI Protocol are all playing their

part in inhibiting businesses from fulfilling their potential.

We are also seeing a change in purchasing strategy from local companies since the new EU trading arrangements were introduced, with more selling and purchasing from local businesses within NI which can only be a good thing for the domestic market. A knock-on effect of this, however, is the decrease in similar activity from GB, with 28% less purchasing activity there.

In tackling COVID, businesses and Government worked together very successfully to save lives and businesses.

As we emerge from the devastation of COVID and face the challenge of rising costs, we need to ensure that both businesses and Government continue to work together to deliver the jobs, investment and environment that benefit us all.

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NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI Chamber & NIE Networks Regional Networking Series

Christine Martin from AIB

After more than 18 months of virtual interactions, NI Chamber and NIE Networks held the first in-person networking event as part of the 2021 ‘Regional Networking Series’.

Hosted by The Malone Hotel in Belfast, the event provided facilitated networking to help attendees kick-start the expansion of their business network, providing an opportunity to meet new people face-to-face and reconnect with others.

Over 60 members attended the networking event at Malone Lodge Hotel in Belfast

Sinead Ferris from NIE Networks

NI Chamber’s Valerie McConville with Sinead Ferris from partner NIE Networks

Caroline Bloomfield, Sustrans

Pure Fitout’s Alan Stewart and Mark Flynn from Mark Flynn Consulting

Malone Hotel General Manager, Chris Kilpatrick

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CUSTOMERS AT THE CORE WITH THE LAUNCH OF THEIR VULNERABLE CUSTOMER STRATEGY, NIE NETWORKS AIM TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT CUSTOMERS WHO MAY NEED SOME EXTRA HELP. HERE, AMBITION’S JOANNE HARKNESS TALKS TO HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, EDEL CREERY, ABOUT HOW NIE NETWORKS PUTS THEIR CUSTOMERS FIRST.

N

orthern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks) is the owner of the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Northern Ireland, transporting electricity to over 895,000 customers including homes, businesses and farms.

Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, Edel Creery, has been with the company for over 15 years, climbing her way up to a variety of senior roles.

“A key part of my current role is understanding the needs of our customers now and in the future and ensuring our business responds to that.”

Speaking about what she loves most about her role, she says; “The challenge. As a large and diverse business, we work alongside a broad range of customers, policy makers, industry bodies and key business partners, and engaging effectively with those stakeholders is vital. We provide an essential service – keeping the lights on for 895,000 customers. The impact of our actions and decisions is significant. That’s why we engage stakeholders; to make sure they influence our decision-making, drive us to continually improve and hold us to account for our performance.”

“All our customers have a unique set of priorities and it’s our job to manage those.

The needs of a major energy user will be very different than those of a vulnerable customer group, but both are equally important. Striking the balance can be a challenge,” Edel says.

With every role there will be challenges, especially with the added stresses that came with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Throughout the pandemic, we maintained our critical role as key workers to keep the electricity flowing and society functioning. Many within our teams were redeployed to support the neighbourhoods and communities in which we live and work.

“We understand it’s about so much more than what some may perceive vulnerability to be and we’re determined no customer will be left behind.”

“Some supported the volunteering efforts by making face visors, while our metering teams supported councils and community groups through the delivery of prescriptions and essential items.

Other members of our team proactively called vulnerable customers to check in with them and undertook a wide range of fundraising activities. A great sense of community spirit has always been at the very core of NIE Networks and during the COVID-19 pandemic it was evident more than ever.”

As a business, customers, and particularly those customers who may have vulnerabilities, sit at the heart of everything NIE Networks do and every decision they make. Edel explains how they put customers first.

“We listen. By engaging directly with those we actually serve, we understand their needs better and can respond accordingly. Our stakeholders were able to identify how even small changes in our approach could make the world of difference to customers and we’ve responded to that feedback.

“An example is the textphone service that we had in place for customers who have difficulty using the phone. We engaged with RNID, the national hearing loss charity, and they recommended we offer Relay UK instead, as that service is more commonly used by people who

39

have hearing difficulties. In response, we have introduced the Relay UK service in our contact centre and upskilled our employees to use it.”

NIE Networks recently launched its Vulnerable Customer Strategy 2021-2024, which sets out how the company will increase the support they already provide to their domestic customers who need extra help.

“Many of the services we offer rely on the skills and competence of our employees.

We are continually learning and training our teams to ensure that every vulnerable customer receives the help they need, when they need it. We will continue to take feedback as we move forward and then revise our strategy after the threeyear period. That allows us to dovetail our approach with the Utility Regulator’s Consumer Protection Programme which will be launched during that time.”

With vulnerability coming in many forms and at times temporary, or due to external circumstances, Edel explains how there is a need to recognise different categories of customers.

“We understand that vulnerability goes far beyond what some may view it to be and there is a need for a broader definition of vulnerability, as well as a wide range of people that we need to be tailoring our services to. We also understand that some customers may need extra time and

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support, or further explanations of when, why or how we are carrying out our work.

“A key vulnerable customer group for us are those that require extra support due to healthcare needs. Some customers have medical equipment in their homes, such as specialised mattresses, feeding systems or lifting equipment. For any customer reliant on healthcare equipment they can join our Medical Customer Care Register.

“If you are on our register and your electricity goes off, we will keep in contact with you with information through the duration of the fault. This gives reassurance, but also enables the customer (or their carer) to make choices about how best to respond to the situation.”

NIE Networks currently have 10,000 customers on their Medical Customer Care Register, but they want to make sure that any customer who relies on electricity for their healthcare needs is included.

“We want to ensure no customer is left without support and our goal is to increase the number of customers on the Medical Customer Care Register by 25% by 2024.”

It doesn’t stop at the Medical Customer Care Register, in fact, Edel explains there are over 20 ways that NIE Networks offers help and support to their vulnerable customers.

“This includes being a JAM Card friendly business – which means our teams are trained to help customers with learning difficulties, autism or communication barriers, by discreetly giving them ‘just a minute’. Our customer service agents are also trained as ‘Dementia Friends’ in order to recognise and help in small ways.

Each year we invest around £0.5 million in support services specifically for more vulnerable customers.”

A particular worry for some customers can be someone calling to their home,

40

therefore the company has established ways to make this process run smoothly for their customers.

“Although anyone who calls at a customer property on our behalf has undergone safeguarding checks, we understand that it can cause concern, particularly for the elderly or a customer with dementia. If a customer is concerned about a caller to their home they can call Quick Check on 101 to confirm their identity. We can also arrange a meter reading appointment if a customer needs extra time to give entry to their home or if they would like to have someone with them.”

With an ageing population, it would be expected that the number of vulnerable customers will increase, but Edel notes that there are more factors than just age that will see the number incline.

“The development of our understanding and appreciation of vulnerability will drive an increase in numbers rather than age.

Inclusivity is an essential part of life and it is vital that we, as an essential service provider, remove any barriers customers may face when dealing with us. The support of our stakeholders is vital to move our understanding forward at pace.”

The company has also launched a Northern Ireland wide campaign to help raise awareness amongst customers of the services on offer. If a customer believes they could benefit from one of the support services in place, there are several ways customers can find out more.

“You can contact our Customer Helpline on 03457 643 643 and one of our trained customer service team will be happy to help. But there are many ways in which you can get in touch – including email, letter or via our website. You can also speak to our employees face-to-face when they call to read your meter or fix a problem with your electricity.

“When customers do get in touch, there are a range of services in place to help them regardless of their individual needs or circumstances. For example, we have translation facilities on our website for those customers who do not use English as their first language, we use Relay UK and we have Browsealoud on our website for those with visual impairment. We understand it’s about so much more than what some may perceive vulnerability to be and we’re determined no customer will be left behind.”

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FEATURE

At Your Service The pandemic has prompted an evolution at one of the world’s best known facility management service providers, David Fox, Managing Director of Sodexo Ireland, tells Emma Deighan.

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S

odexo employs 35,000 people in the UK and Ireland to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations.

Here in NI, Sodexo has “in excess of 500 employees, working across 79 client sites, through all of our business sectors, focusing on improving workplace experience through the services we deliver – from catering and technical to optimised space management and smart buildings,” says David Fox, its MD in Ireland.

“We are one of the largest integrated facility management service providers, with 430,000 employees worldwide,” he continues, “with our core values focusing on improving the quality of life of those we serve and our local communities, every day.”

Sodexo was set up in 1966 in Marseilles, France, as a family owned business. Today the business is still very much part of a family empire.

“In Northern Ireland we partner with a variety of company sectors, both local and multinational, as well as a number of government and corporate service entities from Belfast to Derry. We also service a vast array of schools and universities,” David adds.

The usual catering format that Sodexo had operated for many years has evolved, however, given COVID-19, which has instigated a hybrid work model for many businesses.

Sodexo was quick to react to the changing needs of its client base and today, its shift in services and new model of catering is here to stay.

“While our heritage is built on a variety of quality food offerings, over the past year we have introduced more flexible and agile service models. These include click & collect and micro-markets, food lockers and delivered-in solutions, and we have partnered with food technology expert Dynamify, which creates a mobile-first experience for customers and – through an app – supports scan and go pre-order and pre-pay.

David continues: “Now more than ever, organisations need to reflect on the ways in which they can support their employees to keep teams engaged and productive. Sodexo has launched Vital Spaces, a comprehensive approach which works with organisations to create a workplace environment and experiences that work best for the business and their people.

“This includes consultation services in terms of supporting clients with their return to work setups. We have found that clients now need flexible models and greater digital solutions, so we’ve invested heavily in supporting those needs.

“We offer the complete suite of services to workplaces through a strategic relationship.

Among those services are workplace strategy design, onsite physical services in the smart building era and solutions to how we can

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transform and improve employee wellbeing as well as protecting against COVID-19.”

He adds: “Among that newer, reformed post-COVID offering is everything from workplace layout support to concierge services for employees whether they work from home or in the office, as well as a catering service that homes in on healthier living.

“We are able to support the redesign of a workplace to reflect how it is being used and we’ve had an evolution of our portfolio of solutions that will assist with that.

“How catering was delivered pre-COVID is not necessarily how it will be delivered in the future. There will also be a focus on the workplace experience and how to include consultancy benefits and rewards solutions with a view to retain staff.”

Meanwhile, the company’s concierge service will appeal to those staff members who have been used to working from home and have had the freedom to undertake other household tasks: when they’re reintegrating back into office life, whether it’s arranging a boiler service or booking holidays, Sodexo can deliver the service for that.

“My focus for the immediate future is sharing our insights and expertise to support clients to implement solutions that are right for their business now, and into the future,” he adds.

The nutritional needs of workplaces are also high on Sodexo’s agenda. Illustrating that priority was its investment last year in Fooditude, the London-based delivered-in office food services provider.

That deal represents a significant milestone for Sodexo in offsite food production and food delivery, allowing the business to grow new digital-enabled and consumer-focused food services to support its mission to keep its clients’ employees happy, healthy and well-fed.

“We cater for 17,000 consumers every day and they are looking for this seamless experience now. We know that the hybrid model is in play, probably for the long term

FEATURE and we’ve created a long-term solution to that. Queuing and paying at a register are going to be things of the past,” David says.

“And, through research, from the beginning of lockdown, it’s been revealed that 43% of people say they are not eating healthily and that’s up 9% from last year. So we have readapted our solutions, particularly in food, to promote health and nutrition and it’s an ondemand service, too.

“We’ve invested in and launched our digital ordering pre-paid apps that take away the cash transaction, take away the queuing for the buffet-style meal and you have the ability to see the menu in advance, have it delivered or pick up at a collection point.”

He also talks of Sodexo’s Micro Market, an unmanned retail outlet that boasts menus based on consumer preference, a smart POS system that allows unattended access 24/7 with the option to have staff during peak hours, and a cost structure that “creates measurable value for client, consumer and Sodexo”. That service is currently mobilising in NI. “Clients are making commitments and they’re investing for the long term and we see that through our partnerships.

“They’re asking for options that will be applicable in three years’ time – long-term solutions – and what we’re seeing is a desire to extend contracts and we now employ that partnership etiquette with our clients.

“It’s full transparency and there’s been a

notable change in those relationships, and we have negotiated solutions that are fair to both sides; allowing clients to pay for only what they are receiving and giving them sustainability and the assurance of quality.”

He says Sodexo’s client base here is growing as a result of its new developments.

“Northern Ireland is a priority for expanding our footprint and sustaining jobs and growing jobs. We’ve also placed an emphasis on upskilling our people because it’s important we don’t lose that human factor.”

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David is insistent that, in spite of a fasttracked digital revolution in services, this will lead to job creation as opposed to job losses.

“We want to retain and up-skill our talent to the best in class at the diversified offering we have. The strongest element of our business is our people who deliver our services on site: they’re the core of what we’re providing.

Without them we would not have the entity we have in the North or South,” he concludes.

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FEATURE

Preparing for a Comeback

Ireland’s largest hotel operator, Dalata, welcomed a huge boost in custom over the summer and now it’s gearing up to accommodate a new demographic and greater expectations in the hotel industry. Emma Deighan speaks with the group’s four Northern Ireland hotel managers.

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FEATURE

T

he hospitality sector has arguably been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic but for Dalata Hotel Group, recovery has provided a bigger bounceback than even it anticipated.

A larger staycation and cross-border market surpassed the group’s recovery targets, with all but one of Dalata’s hotels thriving over the summer. The exception was its International Airport site, which was challenged by restricted air travel, but even there occupancy levels are now growing fast.

The group reported an occupancy rate of 44% in June but said this increased to 58% in July and 68% in August.

The latter growth was illustrated in Dalata’s half year loss, which, before tax came to €37.8m (£31.9m), down over 46% compared to the loss of €70.9m (£59.8m) reported the same time last year.

Here in NI, the company has four settings: the Maldron Hotel in Belfast City Centre, the Maldron Hotel in Londonderry, the Maldron Hotel at Belfast International Airport and its Clayton Hotel on Ormeau Avenue, Belfast.

“We had a bigger recovery than we ever expected,” Clayton Manager Jonathan Topping begins.

“The South was behind in opening up so we saw a lot of people from there come up in July and word of mouth got out which saw many visit again in August.

“It offset some of the loss but hasn’t recouped it all. We also had a record number

of months in our Derry hotel and at Clayton,” Jonathan continues.

“They came from the deep south including Cork, Kerry, Galway and Limerick and I would hope that would be a lasting legacy. We would see those guests coming and staying for four to five nights and getting out and exploring the city and the rest of NI but I do think it would be difficult to repeat that once the world of travel really opens up.”

He says the pandemic has impacted the typical demographic serviced by the group’s four properties here, with the business traveller less of a feature at many sites. But he believes the business traveller will return, albeit with a new guise.

“Historically we would have a lot of connections with corporate clients, but that stopped entirely during the pandemic; now we are starting to see it come back.

“People are starting to realise that while Microsoft Teams and Zoom are fantastic tools for communicating, they don’t replace sit down, face-to-face meetings. I think the guest stay in the corporate market will change, however. I expect less travelling but longer stays, that will be the style shift in that market.”

Attracting talent is a big issue for the hotel sector as it haemorrhaged workers to other trades during lockdowns, but Mike Gatt – manager of the group’s newest property, Maldron, in Belfast City Centre – says it was felt beyond the hotel lobby.

He says: “While hospitality had its own

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issues, there were a lot of problems with other sectors, too. We had late deliveries, no deliveries, IT support from companies suffered a bit – it’s a broad brush.”

The company’s Dalata Academy and comms app, Alkimii, helped to level up the talent within the group and proved vital during the quieter times.

“We haven’t lost much of the key team,” Mike reveals as the company embarks on a hefty recruitment campaign to staff up for brighter times ahead.

“Historically we would have a lot of connections with corporate clients but that stopped entirely during the pandemic.”

FEATURE

THE PROPERTIES MALDRON HOTEL, BELFAST CITY, MANAGER: MIKE GATT

The newest Dalata property in Northern Ireland, Maldron on Brunswick Street in Belfast is just three years old.

With 237 bedrooms, Maldron Belfast’s USP is its intimate meeting and event rooms, modern facilities and its award-winning chef.

Its meeting rooms have a capacity of 60, while its high speed Wifi and other mod cons are top of the range.

In 2020, the site’s resident chef, Adam Curley, took the Institute of Hospitality’s Chef of the Year for his culinary craftsmanship.

Guests staying at this site span pilots to concert goers and business travellers.

“Leisure has overtaken our corporate guests in the summer months but when they do come back, and we expect they will because the appetite is there, we will be there to welcome them,” says Mike.

Perhaps the most unique thing about this site is its efficiency, including its sustainable environment project 13 floors up on the roof.

Here, resident beehives fall under the Group’s ‘Project Urban Honey’ scheme, which boasts 5,000 honeybees. The first production of honey is imminent and will be used by chef Adam while guests will be able to purchase bottles.

A 13th floor herb garden is also part of this site’s sustainability drive.

Reflecting on the past year, Manager Mike adds: “We went from zero to 100 mph. It was relentless. We had full occupancy when hotels reopened and that is reassuring that people want to travel.”

MALDRON HOTEL, DERRY, MANAGER: PAUL TRUSCOTT

The Maldron Hotel on Derry City’s Butcher Street enjoys a unique setting within the city’s 17th century walls.

“We’ve got the bars, the restaurants and a new fitness suite that overlooks the city,” says Manager Paul, who has enjoyed being at the helm of the group’s busiest Northern Ireland hotel in the summer of 2021.

With 93 bedrooms and 55 staff, the Maldron, Derry has been operating for six years.

The hotel has two meeting rooms with a total capacity of 300. It also runs the Lyric Bar and Grill as well as its Grain and Grill Restaurant.

In close proximity to the Donegal border, the hotel enjoyed a large cross-border guest list.

Paul says: “At one point we had a bus of 40 people travel up from Cork.”

In recent years, it has had health and safety overhauls and an update to the rooms, with the lobby area due to be upgraded.

The hotel will be part of the group’s current recruitment drive, with 595 jobs in the pipeline, across 45 hotels in Ireland and the UK. Derry’s busy schedule will see its team grow.

CLAYTON HOTEL, BELFAST, MANAGER: JONATHAN TOPPING

Ormeau Avenue’s Clayton Hotel is one of the best known in the group here thanks to its USP of being the only Belfast City Centre hotel to boast a swimming pool.

With 170 rooms, four junior suites and 128 staff, Clayton is a hive of activity for both the leisure and corporate guest as well as the day visitor.

It has 15 meeting rooms, that can accommodate up to 600 people, making it the city’s largest hotel conference centre.

It is also a regular focal point for many city centre events including personal and public affairs.

“We’re pretty much back to normal now,” says Clayton manager, Jonathan. “Most of our meetings go ahead and we’ve also developed a hybrid system for the business guest who can now host meetings but invite guests in via Zoom or in person.”

He adds: “We’ve been really surprised at our occupancy rates in recent months. We are very corporate on Wednesdays and Thursdays with the weekends having a reasonably high leisure occupancy.”

The site’s Club Vitae Health and Fitness Centre, as well as its pool and spa – which recently benefited from a £250,000 upgrade – attract both residents and non-residents.

“We’ve invested a lot in the hotel, especially over lockdown,” Jonathan continues. “We completed a £6m upgrade which included the replacement of our air conditioning unit, LED lights and more.”

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MALDRON HOTEL, BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MANAGER: BRIAN TRACEY

Located just 50 metres from Belfast International Airport, this Dalata site employs around 50 staff and boasts 104 rooms.

It has seven meeting rooms with an occupancy of up to 250 people.

“We can track our occupancy to airport passengers,” Manager Brian Tracey begins.

“Whilst we were hit severely during the pandemic we used this time to refurbish, install a new roof, complete essential maintenance and enhance the surrounding areas.

“This was the culmination of our ongoing refurbishment plans for our meeting spaces, bedrooms, restaurant and bar. We’re ready to welcome an influx of travellers, business and leisure alike.

“Business is so much better now. We’ve been flying for around three months and our Park, Stay and Fly package is doing really well.

“Our corporate market is growing. I don’t think we’ll see much of the Asian market for some time yet, but our sights are set on the North American market,” Brian continues.

“As weeks go by we’re benefitting from a pent up desire for corporate guests to meet face-to-face. That old adage ‘people do business with people’ is ringing true and we are also finding many corporate travellers are flying from England and organising meetings at the Maldron and flying back on the same day.”

everyone.

Also part of Reach

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FEATURE highlight treatment risks and alternatives, as well as the benefits), our clinical staff provide potential patients with all the facts. The team understand the apprehension some patients feel when taking the first steps towards laser vision correction or other ophthalmic procedures and so fully facilitate the journey.

Patients truly appreciate the transparency, honesty and patience exercised by our team, which consolidates trust and integrity.

5. Courtesy, Care & Compassion Success and growth in our clinic have been derived from simply exercising care for the wellbeing of our patients. The entire team is driven to assist and improve the quality of peoples’ lives. Our senior clinicians and patient care & support staff are always on hand to guide our patients from their first phone call to final assessment – ensuring they have a safe, comfortable, and caring journey. We always remember to treat each patient as if they are one of our own family members, or as we would like one of our own family members to be treated.

Stairway to Seven

My seven steps for business success Gary McArdle has been General Manager/ CEO of Cathedral Eye Clinic for almost six years. Prior to this posting Gary worked as a senior consultant in Belfast at a leading management consultancy firm for 15 years.

Gary has worked intricately with businesses in various sectors specialising in business development, marketing, tendering and sales.

Cathedral Eye Clinic was established in 2008, striving to provide patients across the island of Ireland with positive life-changing experiences. The clinic has had a global impact, both operating on and assisting visually impaired people in developing countries such as Cambodia and Zimbabwe.

Gary’s seven key tips for success through his career to date are: 1. Finding & Retaining Top Talent First and foremost, finding employees who embody our company’s values is vital to the success of Cathedral Eye Clinic. Across all departments (front-of-house, optometry, patient care and administration, marketing, nursing, theatres and surgical), both recruiting and retaining a high calibre of employees has allowed the clinic to grow in success. The clinic is constantly evaluating fresh initiatives to acknowledge and reward both individual and team performances, whilst providing work-life flexibility wherever possible to retain top talent.

2. Championing the Right Culture & Ethos Collectively within our people and clinic

structure lies a strong work ethic and culture.

We have a passionate team who are versatile, diligent and that genuinely care about each other and the success of the clinic. The team at Cathedral Eye treat every patient with the highest standard of care. I like to think that common decency is a simple and effective philosophy that we all espouse here.

3. Delivering Gold Standard Patient Experiences Our patients can be naturally nervous and apprehensive, or in contrast excited and enthusiastic about the prospect of life-changing surgery. It is the task of the Cathedral team – and integral to its success – to not only provide exemplary visual outcomes, but also to deliver a calm, friendly and compassionate journey to assure patients they are in safe hands. When patients enter our facility, they receive an immediate warm welcome and from there we strive to ensure they receive the combination of five-star treatment and optimum care and attention.

With this winning combination, patients will often relay these positive experiences and new visual outcomes to friends, family and acquaintances etc.

4. Commitment to Transparency, Ethics, Honesty, and Integrity Based on my previous roles in management consultancy, honesty and integrity are of the upmost importance at Cathedral Eye Clinic.

From our ethical advertising right through to our informed consent process (whereby we

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6. Commitment to Excellence As an eye hospital, our governance structures and protocols must be flawless and understood by the whole team. Every member of our dedicated team at Cathedral Eye Clinic works exceptionally hard to ensure rigorous compliance and achievement of the highest standards, guaranteeing that our valued patients are attending a safe, clean, and well-organised practice. This is recognised and scrutinised independently through the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and in recent times, we have also received several prestigious awards for Clinical Excellence.

7. Never Standing Still Through my 15 years of consultancy experience, I have observed ongoing innovation and advancement is a common theme of business success. At Cathedral Eye, this is certainly the case. Spearheaded by owner and Clinical Director, Professor Johnny Moore, the clinic is continuously investing in research and development to deliver excellence, efficiency, and improved quality of life. We are proud – amongst other truly innovative measures – to be the only healthcare company in Ireland to offer the very latest, minimally invasive, fastest recovery VisuMax SMILE laser eye treatment. In addition to this, Professor Moore is currently collaborating with Queen’s University to advance the standards of ophthalmic treatment through robotics.

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FEATURE

Managing Director of Niavac, James Conlon .

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The New Way of Working Belfast-based NIAVAC, the audio visual specialists for the corporate, education, health and event sectors, has reinvented its offering to accommodate a new hybrid working world. Managing Director James Conlon talks to Emma Deighan about how his firm is leading the way.

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IAVAC’s 60-year history reads like a timeline of the evolution of sound and visual technology for everything from the classroom to the highpowered boardroom filled with influential executives.

James Conlon, who acquired the business in the 1980s, recalls the early days of NIAVAC and how a £1.75m investment in its current premises at the height of the recession was an outlay that made it foolproof and fit for purpose no matter what the economic climate.

“I joined NIAVAC in 1985 as a trainee. At that stage we were based in Rugby Avenue in what was a bit of a dilapidated building, so the business didn’t thrill me right away,” he begins.

“Back then we were dealing with small end photocopiers, overhead projectors and screens and the service was built around schools.”

Acetate sheets, bulky projectors and screens set up in dimmed rooms were the bread and butter of the business many years ago and, at the time, the height of boardroom and classroom sophistication. Today those products are all but a dead language compared to the new, state-of-the-art breed of services and equipment on the NIAVAC menu.

“With the advances of computing and the widespread use of the laptop, things started to change. Things became smaller, lighter and cheaper and we began seeing an avenue for hiring equipment; from there it mushroomed,” James continues.

“Tech became very good, very quickly and was continually upgrading. Light output, resolution and ease of use – it all became a lot better and we were supplying a lot of these things and maintained good relationships with the progressive manufacturers and suppliers.”

The contracts began flowing in, many of which are still the bulk of NIAVAC’s client base. This includes high-end tech firms, education boards and healthcare sites.

A move to Rosetta followed after which, in 2008 and several new technological advances later, the company invested in its current office in Castlereagh.

The purpose-built base “happened to be the best thing we ever did”, James recalls.

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“It became a place where people wanted to work. It is functional for what we’re doing and provides storage, workshop space and showrooms.”

Business continued to evolve over the years when “we found we were not only integrating and installing equipment but we had hire clients and what scored us high and attracted referrals was our service. We are not just about supplying a box, but also training clients on how to use what we provide.”

In recent years NIAVAC has completed numerous acquisitions including Loft Sound, which James says allowed it to broaden its offer to provide large stadia and outdoor sound to the event client.

“That really brought us into the stratosphere and took our events from those with a 100-200 capacity to 5000. We then invested heavily in equipment and some of the staff came across from the acquisitions; it made us one of the leading AV companies here.”

That investment in the Castlereagh site “really came home to roost” during the pandemic, James says.

“When the pandemic hit, we had one of the best AV premises in the UK and Ireland which really helped us to pivot quickly into virtual studios.”

During COVID the company launched two new virtual studios to support the remote conferencing industry. It offers clients a riskfree, high-tech way to do business.

The studios work against a HD, LED backdrop and use iVideo with 4k cameras and studio lighting that can bring any event to life, says James.

A small number of people can be in the studio at any one time and link with remote staff and clients via Zoom.

Among the users already are PwC, Hendersons, Decathlon, Aisling Events, Callow Events and NI Chamber of Commerce.

“I think hybrid is here to stay and this hybrid event fashion will stay too. We’ve turned our boardroom into a green room and our former showroom is now our virtual studio with a giant screen, cameras and a full complement of technical resources.

“We can bring as many as 100 people into that event using Zoom and that’s been massive for us.

“I think even though things are coming back, this hybrid style is going to remain and allow the new way of working to continue.”

Testament to James’ prediction is a twoyear contract signed with NIPSA for the studio.

“Some companies are hesitant to go into live events and this is a much more efficient and cost-effective way to do it. Our clients can get so much more out of it and we can provide a bespoke offering for their event, with things like polling, voting and various other tools for their presentations.”

The studio can hold up to 30 people but it can also go mobile and has already been on the road setting up at Titanic Centre for a technical event. It was also instrumental in winning a major contract for a Belfast PR firm during lockdown.

The NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also availed of the studio, while a tribute to GAA hero Mickey Harte also took place using the new studio provisions from NIAVAC. An innovative Digital DNA event at the historical St Georges Market allowed PwC to marry culture with tech thanks to the NIAVAC studio too.

And it’s gone one step further by being emulated at Belfast Metropolitan College which launched Ireland’s first Met LIVE weConnect virtual classroom.

Thanks to NIAVAC’s installation of a studio, the College can deliver hybrid teaching, but also assist in making those virtual teaching sessions more engaging and successful.

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“We diversified and innovated and that is what has helped us,” says James. “Many businesses are aware that it is very important to have the right audio visual equipment to be sure their people are not disadvantaged being at home.”

Outside of NIAVAC’s revolutionary studio, their core offering of digital signage, video conferencing, interactive touchscreens, control systems, video walls, audio systems and projectors among other things are upgrading office spaces, classrooms, healthcare settings and more.

It’s this intense portfolio of services and equipment in the audio visual realm that has gained NIAVAC a string of awards. As Ambition was in production, it won a Specialist Contractor of the Year award at the 2021 Electrical Awards. It has also been shortlisted for more categories at other upcoming events.

Summing up the company’s most recent history against a backdrop of challenges, James said: “It has been hard to know at times how to react, what to do and what not to do. How do we survive the biggest threat to our industry while caring for our loved ones and do what we can to protect ourselves and those around us?

“NIAVAC, like so many other businesses, faced our most challenging year to date.

Throughout the last 12 months we adapted to a new reality, and despite all the fears and worries, we put our best foot forward.

While handshakes and hugs were banned, we forged new relationships and won high profile contracts, such as our position as the number one distributor of Clevertouch Technologies in the island of Ireland. To counteract restrictions on live events, we launched our groundbreaking virtual studio, enabling live broadcast of hybrid events to a global audience and facilitating conferences, festivals, award shows and much more to continue despite the pandemic.”

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FEATURE Niall Devlin, Head of Business Banking

Supporting Business Building Back Better Meet the new Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland UK 56

FEATURE

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ppointed in late 2020, Niall Devlin heads up Business Banking in Northern Ireland for Bank of Ireland UK after holding a number of senior management positions with the Bank across a 20 year career. A Certified Bank Director and BSc Hons Finance graduate from Queen’s University in Belfast, Niall’s experience in financial services has prepared him well for the challenges that the last year have brought. In his new role, Niall is responsible for leading the customer facing business banking team in Northern Ireland, maintaining their focus on helping customers thrive and acquiring new business for Bank of Ireland UK. Now approaching the end of a remarkable first year, Niall shares some reflections, insights, and thoughts on things to come.

I can say that my first year has been a really interesting one, it was critical to hit the ground running with a relentless customer focus to help support them through the pandemic. In addition, I was tasked with delivering operational transformation in our own business as we respond to changing customer trends. But a major focus of mine has been on staff wellbeing – leading at a time when most staff were working remotely meant looking after the needs of the team was so important.

The pandemic has delivered many challenges across business, society and for us as individuals, and the level of resilience shown by everyone is remarkable.

The early part of 2021 saw continued focus and energy to deliver the UK Government Business lending schemes to our customers.

I have been so impressed by the dedication of our team and their attention to ensure that these urgent funding needs were delivered time and time again. It is this resilience, focus and dedication that makes me most proud to lead the Business teams at Bank of Ireland UK. Since the start of the summer, I have noticed a remarkable increase in business activity and a desire to get on with the ‘business of doing business’ again. Many of the local SMEs have used the time through the various lockdowns to challenge their operating models and many are now feeling more confident about their business than at

any stage in the previous 18 months. But they focused on more than just their business – so many have also supported their staff beyond their obligations as employers and have helped the local communities where they work – this is real leadership.

Thankfully the most recent economic updates have included some positive statistics indicating that the local economy is trending back towards pre-pandemic levels, which supports what we are seeing with Bank lending normalising. But it is clear that there will be changes to the business landscape as we move forward, and three key trends are standing out; the continuing acceleration in digital adoption, adjusting to remote and hybrid working and an increasing focus on the sustainability agenda.

That, combined with some immediate to short term challenges on the horizon, does mean a level of uncertainty continues for business. The significant increase in global energy prices are hitting consumers in a cost of living increase, with the inflation rate currently at 3% and expected to rise to 4-5% in the short term. The rising cost environment, coupled with product shortages and trade disruptions, have made businesses critically review their supply chains, both locally and globally.

Supply chains have been a hot topic and focus for many SMEs over the last few years and this remains to be the case. Many are expecting supply chains to be less global, more local and regional and to operate within a digital ecosystem with greater data visibility to better manage shocks.

Our continued engagement with customers and local businesses through vital industry partnerships, such as the NI Chamber of Commerce with the Business Breakfast Series and the Winning Business programme, remain critical. This ensures a collaborative fit with our ambition to work as a valued partner with businesses, not only in providing funding supports, but in enabling them to access advice and support to continue building business confidence for growth.

That collaboration, and the knowledge that businesses may seek to adopt new ways of working or pivot their supply chains, is why ‘Meet the Buyer’ continues to be an important opportunity in Winning

Business for local SMEs. It gives unique access to procurement specialists in quality, recognised business brands like Coca-Cola HBC, Harland & Wolff, Henderson Group, NIE Networks, Randox, Errigal Contracts and Moy Park, among many others. It is a great example of how we listen to businesses real and practical experiences and then use that feedback to shape and deliver support to help create opportunities for local SMEs. Like many businesses, transformation is high on our agenda at Bank of Ireland UK. We continue to embed new ways of working and are prioritising ongoing investment and integration of digital capabilities into our business to help support customers.

But we will not lose the personal touch, which is what customers want and need as they navigate the challenges of running successful businesses – indeed our relationships are at the heart of how we do business in Bank of Ireland.

We have been working hard to reshape and prepare our business resources and services so that we can continue to play our part in supporting businesses as they emerge, rebuild and thrive in Northern Ireland.

Mark Cunningham will lead our Regional Business Team with our Mid Ulster, Central South and Northwest Teams. Paul McClurg will lead our Greater Belfast and MidCorporate teams. Together Mark, Paul and their teams want businesses to succeed and thrive in Northern Ireland.

At Bank of Ireland we have been working through the ups and downs of the economy for many years providing a wide range of financial supports. We’re proud of our people and how they’ve helped businesses across Northern Ireland, so please do contact us and let’s see what we can do for local businesses, who are key contributors to growth and employment within the Northern Ireland economy.

For further information or to engage directly with one of our business team, please feel free to contact me at niall.devlin@ boi.com or visit https://www. bankofirelanduk.com/business/ business-team/ to meet the team.

“The pandemic has delivered many challenges across business, society and for us as individuals, and the level of resilience shown by everyone is remarkable.”

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FEATURE

Building a WorldClass Belfast Professor Gillian Armstrong, Director of Ulster University Business School’s Business Engagement Unit.

Drew Nesbitt, Partner at Wilson Nesbitt

Drew Nesbitt, Partner at Wilson Nesbitt, has been talking to Belfast and Northern Ireland’s key organisation leaders and business pioneers to find out their insights, how they are helping to deliver a world class Belfast and what support they feel is needed.

Professor Gillian Armstrong is the Director of Ulster University Business School’s Business Engagement Unit, which means she’s perfectly placed to talk about how the private sector can help to build a world-class Belfast.

Do you think Northern Ireland is currently in an era of opportunity?

We’re seeing that a lot of firms that come into Northern Ireland tend to stay and grow. There are some really impactful case studies of firms we’ve worked with, where over five years Belfast went from being almost a satellite service centre to being a major force in those global firms. When I talk to firms about the talent that comes out of the Northern Ireland schools and the education system, they are still very good.

Why do you think that that’s the case?

The Business School does a lot of work around customising programmes and learning solutions – maybe it’s a degree programme that really suits the knowledge, skills and behaviours that an employer needs. A great example of this is Deloitte’s growth in Belfast and the Deloitte BrightStart Degree Apprenticeship programme in Business Technology. This programme was co-created between the Business School and Deloitte and is reported to be a key component of their growth for Belfast.

Apprenticeships are providing a dynamic new pipeline of talent to these firms in a short time frame and the apprenticeship provision is expanding every year.

Everyone knows everybody else here.

Many US firms coming in have said that this is really unusual – that they would never get such access to the university sector, never mind a university that’s willing to change its programmes and respond quickly.

What industries are you inspired by right now that will be important in the coming years?

I’m probably very biased because of those we work very closely with, but for us at the moment I think the services sector – in the broadest sense – is what we should be looking at, be that financial services and fintech, technology and professional services, or business and shared services. They all seem to be in constant growth.

At the Business School that’s something we’ve focused on for a few years now and increasingly with our colleagues within the School of Computing, and as a result we’ve gained some valuable expertise in it. There’s great synergy in these sectors, with much more sharing of practices. I think that will continue to happen and those are the sectors I would certainly want to support and see growth in.

At the moment there are major multi-million pound office developments happening in the city, between PwC’s move to Merchant Square and Deloitte to Bedford Square, which between them will house more than 3,000 staff. Such significant growth is tremendous and offers new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

That’s not to say we’re exclusively in those sectors. SMEs and start-ups make a significant economic and social contribution to the Northern Ireland economy and we are also focused on deepening our ties with these indigenous companies to help them realise their growth potential.

Is there a buzz in the city around the new campus?

Ulster University’s new innovative Belfast campus demonstrates a commitment

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to Belfast. It will be a catalyst for the city, delivering a creative, innovative, transformative and vibrant environment to inspire staff, students, local communities and wider society. The city centre location will connect local people, businesses, academics and students to each other. I think for us to have that physical presence in the city centre will be a great reminder to the wider public of Ulster University and the sort of work that we’re doing.

The Business School prides itself on being very approachable to businesses, with an open door. Being in the city will allow us to deepen our relationships with industry and increase collaborations.

Do you see a city or institution which has a model you’d like to emulate?

Northern Ireland is getting it right with upskilling and reskilling more than most, with the increasing availability of apprenticeships and innovative skills training models, in addition to the provision of relevant academic programmes. There are a lot of parties involved and it’s having a positive impact on the city and the region generally.

I think that there’s a time for new conversations, particularly around hard to reach communities and experienced individuals who have the potential to develop a range of new and enhanced skills. There has always been a lot of work done by the University to ensure community and political engagement. To me, the Business School in particular plays an essential role as a bridge or a broker to try and bring all the relevant parties together and demonstrate a leadership role.

Find out more about World Class Belfast events and key interviews on the Wilson Nesbitt website: www.wilson-nesbitt.com/ world-class-belfast/

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Columnist

John Campbell Economics & Business Editor, BBC Northern Ireland

Filling the Vacancies BBC NI’s Economic & Business Editor, John Campbell, discusses the decrease of EU 26 workers in Northern Ireland and how it is affecting certain industries, such as the food sector.

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ometimes a single chart can tell the story of an economic moment.

The freakish ‘inverted V’ of the official Northern Ireland house price index between 2005 and 2008 is a perfect visual representation of a speculative bubble inflating and then bursting.

But it is a chart from the aftermath of that crisis which helps tells the story of the labour supply problems that many businesses are now grappling with.

The NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) have produced a chart which shows employment growth since 2008.

Employment fell by 40,000 between the start of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009 as the banking and property meltdown rocked the economy.

Thereafter it began a slow recovery, finally making up all the jobs lost by 2016. But the striking thing the chart shows is that almost all that net employment gain went to workers from the EU 26 (nonIrish EU citizens).

That trend continued until 2019 when UK-born workers began to account for the largest share of local employment growth.

Now as we climb back from another crisis it will be impossible to have a labour market recovery driven by EU 26 workers. That pipeline of people has been almost entirely turned off.

Migration is not covered by the Protocol, so in this area we are having the same Brexit as the rest of the UK. Freedom of movement from the EU 26 has ended and a new points-based system is operating, which is fundamentally based on a minimum salary of £25,600. That is above the median for lower

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skilled service and manufacturing jobs in Northern Ireland.

The settled status scheme means around 100,000 EU 26 citizens already in Northern Ireland will have the right to stay here, though that doesn’t mean that all will. The number of EU 26 workers in the labour force had already been falling since the Brexit vote and has probably been exacerbated by the pandemic.

The most recent official figures suggest that the total number of EU 26 workers has fallen by 18,000 or 33% since the summer of 2016. This is not the outcome that Stormont wanted.

Back in 2016 Arlene Foster & Martin McGuinness’s “Brexit letter” to the Prime Minister called for immigration policies flexible enough “to allow access to unskilled as well as highly skilled labour”.

Business organisations, including NI Chamber, devoted considerable time to engaging with the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

They advanced a case for a special Northern Ireland arrangement with a lower salary threshold, pointing to the unique situation of having a land border with the EU labour market. The MAC looked at this, twice, and said no.

It concluded that a lower threshold for some parts of the UK risked labelling some places as low wage and “reinforcing geographical inequalities.”

“The most recent official figures suggest that the total number of EU 26 workers has fallen by 18,000 or 33% since the summer of 2016. This is not the outcome that Stormont wanted.”

It’s also likely that a special deal for Northern Ireland would have meant other lower wage regions like Wales trying to make their own special case which would have risked chipping away at the whole policy.

In recent weeks the UK government has made clear that it will only be prepared to roll back its migration changes in a tokenistic way, with special time-limited visas for HGV drivers and pork butchers.

The Prime Minister spelled it out in his party conference speech: “We are not going back to the same old broken model with low wages, low growth, low skills and low productivity, all of it enabled and assisted by uncontrolled immigration.”

This leaves businesses facing some difficult problems, particularly in the food processing sector. Some firms have already had to let customers down purely down to a lack of people to do the work.

What are the options for those businesses? The Prime Minister suggested that greater investment in automation is one way forward.

That will only do so much as plenty of food manufacturing, particularly meat processing, requires judgement and dexterity not yet matched by robots.

Higher wages to attract workers, whether locals or migrants, is

also a potential way forward and again one that Prime Minister sees as desirable.

However in a low margin sector, higher wages without higher productivity is inevitably going to mean higher prices. Are the customers, notably the UK’s highly competitive supermarkets, going to wear that?

If the workers won’t come to the manufacturers at a price which makes economic sense then the manufacturers may have to go to the workers. This was suggested as a rational outcome by the proBrexit economist Patrick Minford in the run-up the referendum.

He wrote: “Over time, if we left the EU, it seems likely that we would mostly eliminate manufacturing, leaving mainly industries such as design, marketing and hi-tech. But this shouldn’t scare us.

“Britain is good at putting on a suit and selling to other nations.”

No politician will dare make that case but their policies could still lead in that general direction. Torsten Bell, the director of the Resolution Foundation think tank, recently told me: “It’s basically a simple choice: the new migration regime will mean a smaller food sector – do we want that or not?

“Obviously it matters a lot for specific companies, but from a national perspective this is mainly a resilience question, one we’ve answered in different ways over time.”

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Columnist Jonie Graham Senior Consultant at BRC Partnership

Learn it ’til you earn it I have never been a fan of the saying ‘fake it ’til you make it’, although I know there have been situations in the past that I have found myself in when I have had to do exactly that. These instances are never comfortable as they are usually laced with peaking anxiety, nervous physiology and copious amounts of stress. I realise that in some instances of minor significance faking it may have little or no consequences. The contestant on the T.V. dinner party show that buys the entire menu from the local take away and tries to pass it off as their own may not have done any serious harm other than to their own credibility. The Walter Mitty type that spends his time trying to convince everyone else that he is the true representation of what he imagines himself to be, as he spins some great tale of great feats of achievement and self-importance, usually only ever convinces himself. Neither of these instances, nor any like them, are likely to end up in making it. They only ever serve to perpetuate the fantasy of the one faking it. However, there have been instances where real damage has been done by the individual that poses as a medical practitioner and manages to secure a post in a hospital. Or the amateur pilot that somehow convinces a major airline that he qualifies to fly an airliner, as in the story of Frank Abagnale made famous by the movie ‘Catch Me If You Can.’ The difficulty I have with the ‘fake it ’til you make it’ saying is that I feel it represents an attitude that can all too easily end up causing problems for ourselves or others. As part of Black History Month, ex England and Liverpool player John Barnes told BT Sport of the expectations and standards that his father had for him as an emerging footballer. He said that his father pushed him to do everything with commitment, integrity and authenticity.

These three words really resonated with me.

What more could we ask from our leaders, team members, colleagues, customers, representatives, or any of our stakeholders than that?

Commitment, integrity and authenticity are to my mind the key elements that should earmark our leadership, our model of conducting business, our way of relating to customers and colleagues alike. Commitment, integrity and authenticity should infuse every aspect of today’s leaders in business, politics and culture in general. They should be the distinguishing marks that typify a business or individual that is here for the long haul.

When anyone fakes it there is no authenticity, there is no integrity and any resemblance to commitment is purely cosmetic. Of course

there is a need for anyone to be able to come to terms with any task set before them. We all need time to adjust, to comprehend and understand expectations and possibilities. We need time to practice and to improve and often we need to do that on the job. There is a distinction between on the job learning and faking it; specifically, learning. When learning is taking place it is a very different thing to faking it. Learning is an acknowledgment of a gap in understanding, not pretending you already know. Perhaps a better approach to ‘fake it ’til you make it’, would be ‘learn it ’til you earn it.’ Acknowledging that we all need time to build our understanding and to increase our skill set and the level of proficiency in any given task should not only bring freedom from the dreaded imposter syndrome, but also bring release from the anxiety and stress that so often accompanies faking it. The feelings of stress that come from the anxiety that at any moment we are about to be found out do not accompany the learner. A learner knows that they need time to improve, that they will need a mentor or teacher who will invest in them. They know they need opportunities to practice and to improve their skill set.

Once we acknowledge our need for this level of investment, then we can get about the task of becoming the best we can be, based on our commitment to the learning, our integrity in regard to a job well done and the authenticity of it being a job done right.

If a leader is faking leadership, when a crisis comes that demands genuine leadership then they find their style of leadership bankrupt. If an individual is faking knowledge, it only takes a wellinformed other to ask a pertinent question that will expose the lie. If someone is faking proficiency, when quality is tested or output examined, the shortfall will be obvious for all to see. But where there is learning there is ongoing improvement, proficiency is increased and experience improved.

Even if the learner does not know the answer, they will most likely know where the answer can be found. If they do not have the skill to perform a task they will have the knowledge, not only to know how the task should be done correctly, but also to know the dangers if it is done incorrectly.

Regardless of how long we have held a position or been within a given industry, there is always room for learning. Let us not be fakers; rather, let us be learners. Let us be those that fulfil our tasks with integrity, that interact with others with authenticity. Let us be those that are not only committed to our team and our task but also to the priority of lifelong learning.

“If a leader is faking leadership, when a crisis comes that demands genuine leadership then they find their style of leadership bankrupt.”

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Thank you To all who have supported us over the last year.

We are delighted to be ranked as the best firm for planning and environmental law in Northern Ireland

by The Legal 500 for the third year running.

carson-mcdowell.com

We do more.

Better.

Columnist

By Paul Murnaghan Regional Director

BT leading the way in supporting post-COVID economic recovery

By Paul Murnaghan, regional director for BT’s Enterprise business in Northern Ireland.

build an Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing testbed within the NITC environment where, working with local manufacturing businesses, we can jointly identify, test and prove real business outcomes.

We will use this to help to create smarter technologies which will allow factories to become more efficient, productive and less wasteful. We are looking forward to working with the team at NITC and members of the Northern Ireland manufacturing sector in the assessment and adoption of smart and automated technologies to embrace new market opportunities, which will allow local manufacturing businesses to compete on the global stage.

As we all look back over the last eighteen months, it’s clear that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the economic instability that this has created across Northern Ireland has led to a very challenging environment for many local businesses.

At BT, I am proud that we have played a key role in continuing to keep Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK connected.

As we emerge from COVID, BT Group remains committed to playing a pivotal role in the economic recovery and growth of Northern Ireland. As one of Northern Ireland’s largest investors and employers, we currently support more than 7,200 jobs locally.

BT Group has also helped to generate £655 million total GVA in Northern Ireland in the last year as well as being at the forefront of driving technological change, securing the UK’s digital infrastructure with investments of £632m in innovation.

EXPANDING OUR PRESENCE IN BELFAST As one of the UK’s largest cybersecurity employers, we support thousands of customers in 180 countries worldwide. Every month we protect our customers against 10,000 cyberattacks and block 230 million connections to malware. I am therefore pleased to confirm that BT is extending its global network of cybersecurity operation centres to Belfast as part of a recent contract win. A new 40-seat cybersecurity operations centre will be up and running early next year and will be fully integrated with our existing network operations centre to ensure an end-to-end managed service for our customers.

Looking to the future, BT has and will continue to support our customers and employees as they adapt to the ever-changing world around us. Importantly, BT remains committed to our ongoing investments in Northern Ireland, which remains a strategically important region for us, helping to sustain jobs and to support and grow the local economy.

INVESTING IN NORTHERN IRELAND’S FUTURE RECOVERY BT recently announced a multi-million pound investment in our flagship Belfast office, Riverside Tower, confirming Belfast as a strategic and long-term location for BT in the future. With a capacity for approximately 1,800 colleagues, the new modern building will be completed in 2022 and will provide colleagues with a future-fit workplace to thrive in as we continue to do the best for our customers.

In addition to this, BT has also announced an investment of over £2.7 million in establishing a new legal hub in Belfast that will create up to 30 commercial law jobs here over the next four years.

As connectivity is more important than ever before, BT Group’s investment in broadband and mobile infrastructure has been and continues to be key to connecting businesses across Northern Ireland and with the rest of the world. Northern Ireland is the most digitally connected region in the UK, with more than half of premises already connected to Openreach’s gigabit capable full fibre broadband.

EE has extensive 4G and 5G mobile coverage, with 86% of NI’s geography covered by 4G and 38 areas set to benefit in 2021.

When combined with EE’s expanding 5G mobile network, this digital infrastructure will help drive future economic growth.

CREATING LANDMARK PARTNERSHIPS As the third largest investor in R&D in the UK, BT is committed to being at the forefront of developing strategic partnerships to benefit local businesses.

I was pleased to welcome Rob Shuter, BT’s CEO for Enterprise business, to Belfast recently to officially launch our partnership with Queen’s University’s Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC).

Along with our partners, Cisco, we are providing the NITC with an investment of over £100,000. The purpose of the partnership is to

(L-R) Colm Higgins, head of Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at Queen’s University Belfast, with Rob Shuter, chief executive of BT Enterprise, and Paul Murnaghan, regional director for BT’s Enterprise division in Northern Ireland, celebrating the launch of the NITC at Queen’s University.

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CALIBRO WORKSPACE ANNOUNCE SIGNIFICANT CONTRACT WIN IN LIMERICK

Local Office Fitout Specialists - Calibro Workspace, have been awarded a significant re-development project for an existing client in Limerick.

Building on their long-term trusted relationship with Matt Staunton, General Secretary at Forsa, this project entails the refurbishment of a derelict warehouse into a new, modern office block.

Calibro were first approached back in 2016 by the landlord of the building to carry out a series of roof repairs. However, having the seen the building, Neil Cooper, Senior Director at Calibro, immediately had a vision of how the building could be transformed into a usable office space.

“Following the initial site visit, we came up with a concept design of how we could convert the derelict site into a usable office space and my client absolutely loved it” said Neil Cooper.

The concept design was put before the Limerick County Council and planning authorities and planning permission was secured to transform the site.

Over the last 12 months, Calibro has been working on behalf of their client to engage a full design team to produce final detailed designs and specification to complete the construction and fitout project.

Ronnie Crawford, Client Relations Director, commented: “The last year has been an exciting part of the project, seeing original concepts turn into final design and specification. To see an unusable building convert into 9,300 sq.ft of modern re-usable office space has been incredibly enthusing and rewarding. It is definitely one of our most significant projects heading into 2022.”

The building will retain some unique features of the building’s history and incorporate modern design elements such as exposed ceilings, high-tech conference facilities and a town-hall area. Calibro’s focus on staff wellbeing has been shown out in the conversion of each end of the building from solid walls to glass facade to get as much exposure to natural light throughout the building.

The existing derelict building in Limerick.

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CGI showing proposed building after redevelopment works.

The works have begun on-site as of 4th October and are scheduled to continue until Q3 of 2022.

Commenting on the contract delivery, Ewen Cooper, Contracts Director at Calibro Workspace, said: “The project scope certainly makes it an exciting project to manage and we look forward to delivering the project with the same high level of quality as all of our projects, on time and within budget.”

The team at Calibro are also extremely optimistic about the future and are forecasting a record year for 2022 to kick-start their ambitious growth plans.

Columnist Jane Shaw The Elmfield Institute

Self-care allows us to care better for those around us I recently gave a presentation to a group of mental healthcare workers about the importance of self-care. While this group touched me deeply in just how much they give to society through their important work it also made me aware of the importance of self-care for each of us in all areas of our lives.

Looking after ourselves allows us to be able to give more to our work, our families, friends and communities. The old analogy of putting on your own oxygen mask first still rings true.

If we can offer self-compassion and empathy to ourselves first, then we have more compassion and empathy to give others. If we look after our own physical health, we have more energy to give to our business. If we look after our own emotional wellbeing, we have greater capacity to look after our family and friends.

What is self-care? It looks different for different people.

Ultimately it is about nourishing ourselves. For some, it means going to the gym regularly, eating healthily, going for a long Mourne walk, or not bringing work home in the evening. For others, it is taking time to be with family and friends, or dancing and letting your hair down to good music with some good craic. It may even be wild swimming or taking a cold shower every morning. It is about doing things that are meaningful for us and that make us feel good.

It is very easy to put taking care of yourself to the bottom of your priority list, so here are some tips and ideas for effective self-care.

the thousands of online courses available.

Say no It is all too easy to keep on saying yes when asked to help. It is important to know your own boundaries and when to say no.

Saying no can take courage and practice but it ultimately gives you extra time for yourself. Schedule “me-time” into your calendar.

Listen to inspiring podcasts or read a good book While self-care can sometimes be about rest, it is often just as important to stimulate your brain with new inspiring ideas. Try listening to a few interesting podcasts or read a good book. Giving your mind a break from your everyday work life can be a good rest for your brain.

Take some physical exercise An obvious self-care practice is to take physical exercise. Try to assess what your body needs. A gentle walk, a yin yoga class or a tai chi class can be as effective for your physical health as a six days a week intensive gym habit. Listen to your body to see what works best for you. Try a few different activities to see what nourishes you best. You might notice that some days you prefer a slower pace and others need something more invigorating.

Enjoy some quiet time Take time to rest. Try going to bed half an hour earlier. Read quietly in the evening rather than watching TV. Have you tried to meditate? A 10 minute meditation practice before you go to bed or first thing in the morning can help regulate your nervous system supporting your physical and emotional health.

Self-reflection An element of self-reflection is needed for proper self-care. Get to know yourself better. What do you really like to do? What feeds you? We need to know what supports us to feel better. Journaling can be a good practice to become more aware of ourselves. Record your thoughts and observations in a dedicated notebook. Notice how you feel when you partake in different activities. You might notice that your preferences change over time.

Make self-care a habit The hardest part of self-care is often to keep going. The best way to keep up a nourishing self-care practice is to make it a habit. Try to fit small self-care practices into your daily routine and grow from there. Schedule time in your calendar to go for a walk, to listen to a podcast, or go out for a meal.

Have fun What is it about the activity we do that feels good? I used to go to the gym four days a week and while the circuits were good for my health, the best part was boxing and playing at some gymnastics.

Why did I feel so good after these bouts of exercise? It was the co-regulating fun. My nervous system was becoming regulated as I interacted with my gym instructor, we laughed and had so much fun turning cartwheels and boxing round the room. If you don’t fancy boxing, try having fun by playing a board game with your family and friends.

“If we can offer selfcompassion and empathy to ourselves first, then we have more compassion and empathy to give others.”

Try learning something new Our bodies respond well to trying new activities. We feel a sense of satisfaction learning a new skill and it can stimulate different neural pathways. Take a class in dance, crafting, singing, poetry writing, or another adult learning topic. Queen’s University Belfast offers many online and in-person subsidised courses as well as

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MAJOR SUCCESS FOR VU.CITY AND QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY BELFAST COLLABORATION VU.CITY is a game-changing, powerful digital twin of our cities to help people organise, visualise, and analyse city data in the clearest and most accessible way to make better decisions; offering benefits to architects, developers, local authorities, planning consultants and agents. The overarching aim of the Innovate UK funded KTP project, was to develop an interactive 3D model which could instantaneously evaluate planning development proposals, identify problems and offer solutions in order to facilitate fast, effective, high-quality decision making by planners and other public sector authorities.

KTP Associate, Justin McHenry joined the VU.CITY team in 2019, working with the guidance of expert academics, Dr Philip Boland and Dr Stephen McKay from Queen’s School of Natural and Built Environment, KTN and company advisors, Justin developed the project framework and specification roadmap for the VU.CITY model to meet the

Dr Philip Boland, Justin McHenry, Dr Stephen McKay.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH KTP AT QUEEN’S

The interactive model of Belfast City.

evolving interdisciplinary and multi-sector needs of the natural and built environment professions along with growing the product’s accessibility to, and functionality for, new stakeholders. This now supports emerging user requirements to collaborate, instantaneously understand and evaluate planning development proposals, and specify the barriers which must be overcome in order to obtain planning consent.

The project was graded ‘Outstanding’ in all categories by Innovate UK and Justin was recently awarded highly anticipated ‘Future Leader’ status at the annual KTP Awards. The future is looking bright for VU.CITY. As a trusted advisor to their public and private sector clients, the company is no longer

just a pioneering technology provider, but is also a thought leader with expertise in their field and a better understanding of the processes and policies that their software can support. The ongoing partnership has endorsed a proactive approach in VU.CITY’s implementation of new functionality, due to internal understanding of the user needs. The company now engage and test out their Student Licencing approach within Queen’s University Belfast, which now incorporate specific VU.CITY modules into their curriculum.

If you have an innovative idea for your business and you would like to discuss whether a KTP could help take it forward, contact us at ktp@qub.ac.uk.

A KTP is a three-way-partnership between a business, an academic team and a suitably qualified graduate. businesses to access the expertise in Queen’s University Belfast, and attract fresh talent to deliver strategic innovative solutions to achieve business growth.

The programme is intended to bring new capabilities to a business in order to solve a problem that is unique to your company. In Northern Ireland, KTP projects are mainly funded by Invest NI and Innovate UK.

Now is definitely the time for businesses to think outside the box - if you have an idea for your business but do not have all the in-house expertise needed to develop it, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) could be exactly what you need.

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“

Having academic support for real-world business applications brings benefits to all parties. And ensuring that this knowledge is then embedded back into the business leads to significant long term benefits.

Jamie Holmes, CEO | VU.CITY

If you have a business idea and would like to discuss whether a KTP could help take it forward, contact us at ktp@qub.ac.uk

NEWS

SONI unveils renewable roadmap

S

ONI, the electricity transmission system operator, have unveiled a plan to transform the high voltage network to support Northern Ireland’s fight against climate change.

The blueprint for Northern Ireland’s future grid, known as the Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap, is the result of a 14-week consultation across all sectors of society and two years of research by the system operator, including tens of millions of technical simulations.

The plan will be the foundation for delivering Stormont’s 2030 renewable electricity target which looks set to be no less than 70%. Achieving this will mean doubling the amount of renewable energy carried on the grid today; and for this to happen the grid needs to be made stronger and more flexible.

The Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap provides an outline of the key developments needed on the transmission grid but also includes the changes required in electricity system operations and in the electricity markets in order to deliver Northern Ireland’s 2030 clean energy ambition – an important step on the journey to net zero carbon emissions.

SONI consulted on four different approaches to developing the grid and the final roadmap contains a blended approach that looks at grid development from economic, technical, social acceptance and deliverability perspectives; seeking to minimise the impact on communities while still delivering Stormont’s 2030 renewable ambition.

1. Generation-Led: Government policy would influence where renewable energy is generated – favouring locations where the grid is already strong.

2. Developer-Led: In this approach, we continue to connect new sources of renewable electricity as requested in any location.

3. Technology-Led: This approach uses technical solutions to make the grid more resilient so it can better handle the variable nature of renewable energy.

4. Demand-Led: Government policy determines where future large energy users such as big industry and data centres would locate in Northern Ireland.

The plan proposes 3 significant new grid infrastructure projects to move clean energy produced in the north and west, to the urban centres in the east, where it will be used. Nine upgrades to existing electricity transmission lines will also be required, in line with SONI’s commitment to fully utilise the existing transmission grid to minimise cost and disruption.

For fourteen weeks from 8 March 2021, SONI held a series of workshops, meetings and fora across Northern Ireland to inform people and gather feedback that directly influenced the final roadmap. The consultation was supported by a range of traditional and innovative engagement 70

and participation activities. These included a Civil Society Forum, Industry Forum and direct engagement with stakeholders. SONI also engaged at grassroots level with rural communities, local businesses and young people.

SONI received just under 100 submissions from members of the public and industry during the consultation period.

Alan Campbell, SONI Managing Director, said: “SONI’s Shaping Our Electricity Future roadmap is key to securing Stormont’s renewable energy ambitions.

“It follows what was by far the most extensive consultation ever carried out

by SONI and I believe that reflects the importance of the need to tackle climate change.

“The publication of the roadmap is particularly timely given current events at COP26 and the universal focus on the threat posed by global warming.

“The transmission grid requires unprecedented change by the end of the decade and that change will impact everyone. It will be challenging, but it will bring huge benefits to our environment, economy and society.

“Our final roadmap is based on the feedback we received during the Shaping Our Electricity Future consultation and what SONI experts feel is technically feasible when it comes to facilitating at least 70% renewable electricity by 2030.

None of the significant grid developments proposed in the roadmap will move forward without early and meaningful engagement with stakeholders and communities.

“We look forward to implementing this roadmap with the support of industry, the electricity regulator and government so that Northern Ireland plays its part in tackling the climate emergency.”

A summary of the Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap, along with the full technical and consultation reports, is available at www.soni.ltd.uk.

“SONI reports that no one approach achieved complete support. Overall, responses showed that there is a lot of support for a low-carbon future and a clear understanding that real action must be taken to address climate change. The feedback from across the public and industry called for a mix of all four approaches.”

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We’re serious about o ering a first-class secure shredding service. With our modern fleet of mobile shredding vehicles and secure collection trucks, we can carry out the destruction of your sensitive data, either immediately at your site or at one of our destruction centres. We take our shared environmental responsibility very seriously too – Environmental Agency waste carrier accredited, we recycle 100% of the paper that we process.

Off-site Shredding Our off-site shredding service offers a more cost-effective solution, tailored to meet the needs of your organisation. Your confidential material will be collected by our security-vetted staff in security-tracked and locked vehicles, and transported to one of our destruction centres for same-day shredding.

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Branded goods such as ID cards and badges, uniforms and personal protective equipment (PPE) could be used for fraudulent activity if they fell into the wrong hands. Our secure destruction process ensures that these items are fully destroyed so that your staff, customers and the general public are protected.

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Through our other businesses in the Restore Group, we can also securely collect, dispose or repurpose toner cartridges, IT equipment and other waste electrical and electronic equipment (for compliance with the WEEE Directive). All IT equipment is processed here in the UK and securely wiped and tested for safety before being reused. Through our ongoing partnerships with charitable organisations, we provide much needed equipment for community projects.

Accreditations We strive for best practice standards at all times and this is reflected in the accreditations we have achieved, making us one of the UK’s most accredited document destruction and shredding companies.

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Columnist Aileen Lagan Director of Business Banking, Ulster Bank

Prioritising Sustainability At the heart of Ulster Bank’s purpose and strategy is a commitment to becoming more sustainable. This is not an altruistic drive to become a force for good but rather a response to the growing imperative for every business to address sustainability. Given the growing pressure from activists, shareholders and other stakeholders to act on climate issues, it is no longer an option to sit out on this issue.

Within the financial industry there is a huge amount of scope to generate positive change. This has been demonstrated with the involvement of NatWest Group, Ulster Bank’s parent company, in the upcoming COP26 conference. As a principal partner to the conference, NatWest Group has been getting its own house in order and using this unique level of access and insight to bring operations to net zero across the board.

I am pleased to report that this has filtered down through each of the group’s brands, including Ulster Bank, and we are now working towards becoming net positive by 2025 and aiming to halve the carbon footprint of all financing activities by 2030.

Getting our own sustainability journey underway puts us in a better position to help our customers on their own path to becoming greener. Put simply, if businesses want to futureproof their operations, then they must act responsibly and meet the public expectation to improve their environmental credentials. Increasingly we see that consumers are making choices over where they spend their money, so there is a very obvious choice for businesses to make, too: either align with this movement or be left behind.

While this may seem like a daunting prospect for some companies, we want to reassure our customers and stakeholders that we can help them make the transition.

Given that climate change is one of the biggest risks facing this generation, we are committed to providing capital into the economy so that businesses have the resources they need to improve their green credentials.

Following the recent publication of our Springboard to Recovery report, as a group we’re pledging £100 billion of climate and sustainable funding and financing. This report identified that given the right access to funding, awareness and knowledge, SMEs can achieve 50% of the UK’s Net Zero decarbonisation goals and generate an additional £160bn to the UK economy in the process. Northern Ireland businesses can make a significant contribution to these efforts, which is why are committed to ensuring they achieve a share of this prize.

The funding will be available until 2025 and is intended to support things like making the transition from fossil fuel-based energy generation to renewables and improving the energy efficiency of offices and buildings. We’re

encouraging businesses to think seriously about the steps they can take to cut their carbon footprint and are eager to have conversations with our customers about how we might provide assistance with these goals.

A crucial lesson for all businesses as they try to become more sustainable is to bring staff on the journey with them.

This is essential if companies wish to unlock the full potential inside the organisation and create long-lasting, positive change.

By tapping into the energy that already existed within our own people, Ulster Bank has leveraged this engagement and enthusiasm to achieve net zero across our offices and branches.

Above all, those organisations which have genuine intentions to address climate change must fully commit to the goal.

It needs to be at the heart of the business mission and not simply an add on or a short paragraph in an annual report.

Embedding better choices within your business culture is the surest way to succeed on this mission and create a better, greener future for your business and your customers.

“Getting our own sustainability journey underway puts us in a better position to help our customers on their own path to becoming greener.

Put simply, if businesses want to futureproof their operations, then they must act responsibly and meet the public expectation to improve their environmental credentials.”

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FEATURE

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Dalradian Preparing for c.£750m Supply Chain Spend Brian Kelly, Managing Director of Dalradian, writes for Ambition.

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FEATURE

I

n September, the Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, fulfilled her long-stated commitment and referred Dalradian’s proposals for a narrowvein underground mine in west Tyrone to a planning inquiry with the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC). Nearly four years since our planning application was submitted and over a decade since Dalradian began working in Northern Ireland, this is a very welcome step.

Although in global terms, Dalradian’s proposals for a gold-silver-copper mine aren’t large (it will process less rock annually than some local quarries), the project will be one of the largest ever inward investments west of the Bann (should planning permission be granted).

The economic and societal benefits will be substantial, and I believe, transformative. An external review carried out by professional services firm EY found that the mine will provide a “significant and timely stimulus” for the economy for more than 25 years and concluded that the project will contribute to “a more prosperous, competitive and regionally balanced economy”.

From a purely financial perspective, the economic contribution provided by the mine will be extensive. Some of the headline figures which informed the EY review include 1,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs and a supply chain spend in the region of c.£750m.

Supply chain opportunities will be particularly pertinent in Tyrone where 40% of the world’s crushing and screening equipment is designed and manufactured. Dalradian has already engaged with a number of leading firms locally and we are exploring opportunities to develop a new centre of excellence to build upon the area’s existing specialisms.

Constructing the mine, a three-year project in itself, will provide a £158m boost to the construction sector. When mining operations begin, it will generate a further £21m in salaries and £46m in supply chain expenditure annually. An additional £360m will also be invested in capital equipment over the 20-25 year life of mine.

During operations we will employ 350 people directly, c.90% of whom we expect to recruit locally and whose average salary (£40,000) will be 1.8 times the Northern Ireland average. Local hiring will also be supported by a £15 million training programme over the early years of the mine’s construction and operations.

For us, this is will be a shovel-ready project and we’ve already begun the task of identifying local suppliers to help deliver it once there’s been a successful conclusion to the planning process. Mining is a new sector for Northern Ireland and as such there’s an ongoing task for us to explain to businesses the sheer range and scale of our requirements.

“For us, this is will be a shovel-ready project and we’ve already begun the task of identifying local suppliers to help deliver it.”

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For example, even during this stage of the project when we haven’t generated any revenue, Dalradian has invested in excess of £130m to better understand the deposit and to develop environmentally responsible proposals to extract the metals. That has involved working with almost 500 suppliers across the island.

When operational, we’ll need an incredibly diverse range of contractors and suppliers, and there will be opportunities for everything from IT and automation to accounting, human resources, office equipment and laboratory supplies. Construction, heavy equipment, conveyors, fencing, furniture, fuel, water treatment, security, health and safety equipment, environmental consulting, testing equipment and engineering are also integral aspects.

We’ll also need people across a wide range of skills, those with experience and those without.

So far, over 3,000 people have expressed an interest in working for the company.

For a rural area where many people have to travel long distances to find employment, the prospect of 350 direct jobs with an average salary almost double the Northern Ireland average will be a brilliant boost for our community. Studies show that wealth really does mean health. Well paid jobs in the area are good news for community cohesion, local services and the wellbeing of hardworking families.

With COP26 just passed, we’ve also anticipated the need to ensure that the project is environmentally responsible. We plan to be the first carbon neutral mine in Europe and have already achieved Carbon Neutral Plus status for the past two years. We’ve changed the project already to reduce our carbon footprint by electrifying more operations, using more bio-fuels and sourcing 100% renewable electricity.

Managing our environment is, of course, fundamental to everything we do and, although our operations will be akin to a hitech, precision-led, underground quarry, there is (quite rightly) an exacting regulatory regime which we have designed the project to satisfy.

This is, after all, our environment too and one which we share with our neighbours.

For this reason and others, Dalradian has always supported the call for a public inquiry to provide another level of independent scrutiny and to provide a forum for queries to be addressed and assessed.

Gold, copper and silver are essential for a wide range of applications from electronics to the renewables tech that will help decarbonise the economy. With the reality already accepted by the EU that the supply chain for strategic metals needs to be more resilient, our hope is that when the planning inquiry concludes next year, Northern Ireland can quickly move to become part of the solution.

Titanic Hotel Belfast Your Future Venue In a Heritage Location Make your next event a memorable one by hosting it at Titanic Hotel Belfast, four times winner of ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Hotel’ at the World Travel Awards!

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FEATURE • Roisin Keenan has over 20 years’ experience with AIB across retail banking, banking operations and business banking. She now leads the AIB’s Homes team responsible for mortgages in NI.

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Making Mortgages Meaningful AIB has reshaped its business strategy to focus on how the bank can further develop its full service offering for customers against a backdrop of changing consumer habits and wider market trends.

SUSTAINABLE AND RELATABLE Roisin says that given the growing climate emergency, AIB is encouraged to see such a strong appetite among households to be more energy efficient. “Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy which is why we are helping our customers fight climate change through innovative products and services like our Green Mortgage.”

“While our research reveals that the vast majority of consumers are already trying to do their part by saving energy at home through a variety of measures, it also reveals that people want more information on how to be energy efficient.”

AIB’s latest support to current and potential homeowners is to tackle this challenge head on, by helping people understand a property’s energy performance rating and how it can be easily improved. “Our research uncovered

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that only one in five consumers (21%) know how to check their home’s Energy he strategy will see an enhanced

particularly buoyant with the latest NI

Performance Certificate (EPC) rating

focus on both business and

Residential Property Price Index (NIRPPI)

yet knowing where you rate in the

mortgage lending as well

reporting the ninth successive quarter of

first place is a great first step to take

as continuous improvements to its

growth in Q2 2021. The latest quarter’s

on your journey to becoming energy

overall online experience for customers,

growth spurt marked the fastest quarter-

efficient,” explains Roisin. “Our ‘Rate My

including a new digital mortgage offering.

on-quarter growth rate in five years, a trend

Home’ campaign is focused on making

that we have continued to see into Q3.

sustainability at home easy to understand

Putting the homes sector at the heart of its revitalised approach builds on AIB’s

Against this backdrop, Roisin says that

with relatable and helpful content. From

success in the mortgage field over the

AIB’s products and services continue to

videos and blogs to social media content

last number of years. With its year-on-

evolve, as the bank adapts to and anticipates

and graphics, we are showing consumers

year market share continuing to increase,

customers’ changing desires and needs. “A

how to find their EPC rating and the

Ambition caught up with Roisin Keenan,

good example of this is the launch of our

AIB’s Head of Homes in Northern Ireland

Green Mortgage in September 2020. We

on how the bank is making mortgages

were one of the first providers to introduce

more meaningful for potential and current

a competitive mortgage offering for high

homeowners.

energy rated homes.

“Buying a home or making changes

“Having recently commissioned

to your home can be overwhelming

independent research in this area, we

– particularly in the current climate –

know there is a high level of interest in

but it’s also a process that for many

products that reward energy efficiency

people signifies an important personal

and sustainable living at home. Four

milestone,” says Roisin. “The significance

out of five people (78%) said they would

of milestone moments is something that

consider a Green Mortgage, if it offered

has shaped our mortgage offering and

them a low interest rate for good energy

services, reflecting our commitment

efficiency. This is certainly a trend that

to helping our customers achieve their

will likely continue as 93% of people also

dreams and ambitions.”

said they consider energy efficiency at

Northern Ireland’s property market is

home in the future to be important.”

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“Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy which is why we are helping our customers fight climate change through innovative products and services like our Green Mortgage.”

FEATURE benefits that come from higher

FUTURE FOCUSED

service as well as knowledgeable insight

EPC bands.”

Looking to the future, Roisin explains that

into the NI market,” says Roisin.

as a bank, AIB is focussed on ensuring it

“Sustainable Communities is one of

those who embrace energy efficiency at

is leading the financial market in climate

the five pillars of the overall AIB Group

home by supporting other environmental

change action by creating a virtuous

Strategy and is recognised as fundamental

efforts, “We work closely with Trees

green circle, where sustainable lending

to our future success. Where and how

on the Land, an initiative working to

practices in turn attract the capital

we live is a key part of this, and so our

establish young native trees across the

that supports further lending for the

focus on Homes will continue to ensure

island of Ireland. This means that for

benefit not only of customers and the

our customers gain access to the most

every Green Mortgage drawn down, AIB

wider economy, but also the planet. This

relevant information, products and

will plant ten trees in Northern Ireland.

includes working with local partners

services in the easiest way. We want

We are finding that our approach of

were possible. “We have an exclusive

to help ensure a greener tomorrow by

‘informing, rewarding and celebrating’

partnership with local insurance advisors

backing those building it today.”

customers who embrace a sustainability

Crawford Mullholland who provide

ethos reflective of AIB’s own, is also

our customers with free, independent

helping make their mortgage journey a

mortgage protection options. The firm

more meaningful one.”

has an excellent reputation for customer

Roisin says AIB is also celebrating

• AIB’s Rate My Home series sees Serena Terry, AKA Mammy Banter and property insider Paul Moneypenny, help homeowners undercover their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating.

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“Our approach of ‘informing, rewarding and celebrating’ customers who embrace a sustainability ethos reflective of AIB’s own, is also helping make their mortgage journey a more meaningful one.”

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Columnist Maybeth Shaw Partner , BDO Northern Ireland

The Business of Budgets In recent years, successive Chancellors of the Exchequer have used the platform the Budget provides to outline their agenda for the future of the UK economy. Gordon Brown promised an “end to boom and bust” whereas George Osborne often spoke about living in an “age of austerity”.

a welcome change to the yearly budgets they have been navigating in recent times. Whilst there seems to be a commitment for the bulk of any ‘new money’ to go to the health service, there will be a wrangling within government departments for whatever additional funds are left over.

There was acceptance from the Chancellor that inflation is likely to stay for the medium term, with an expectation that it could reach 4% over the next year. This is particularly important when considering the recently announced proposed pay rises for millions of public sector workers.

The universal credit taper will be cut by 8% (from 63p to 55p) – a welcome support to working families who are facing increasing costs across the board in relation to the cost of living.

We had confirmation of a five-year freeze for the capital gains tax annual exemption as well as the pension lifetime allowance, the amount you can save into a pension before paying penal tax charges. Although this looks like a welcome announcement, it has opened him up to criticism that he is seeking to exploit fiscal drag, a charge often levelled at Gordon Brown when he occupied No.11.

Closer to home, there was some ‘red meat’ for local businesses as well as local families.

S

et against the backdrop of the menacing, ever-present threat of COVID, this Budget was always going to be difficult for the Chancellor. When you add into the mix the spiralling cost of living, the supply issues hitting businesses and consumers alike, on top of the recent and very un-Conservative hike in National Insurance, it is fair to say that the Chancellor was starting from an incredibly difficult place.

Taxes The Prime Minister once famously said he was “pro having cake” and “pro eating cake”. To many observers this approach appears to have continued in relation to economic policy as the current Government seems torn between high spending and wanting to be seen to cut taxes during this Parliament.

On Wednesday, Rishi Sunak said he would like to be known as a Chancellor that “cuts taxes”. It looks as if he has started to do this in some areas, but as ever the proof of this will emerge in the coming months. Several tax ‘changes’ were also announced with the Chancellor seemingly focusing on restoring public finances.

Holding a ‘technical budget’ gave the Chancellor plenty of scope to make changes that raise revenue. With the confirmation of the reform of basis periods for the self-employed for example, this is being labelled as a simplification measure to help sole-traders and partnerships with the move to Making Tax Digital quarterly reporting from April 2023 but, in practice, it will at the very least accelerate revenue for the Exchequer for 2023 and the next five years.

There have also been other tax rises already announced – it’s just that they may not feel like rises. For example, freezing personal tax allowances from April 2022 will raise considerable revenue due to fiscal drag (i.e. allowances not rising as wages/inflation goes up means more tax is collected). Freezing other allowances and thresholds at a time of rising inflation may be a nice little earner for the Chancellor over the next few years.

A Budget for Business Growth?

After years of campaigning, our local airports have succeeded in getting Air Passenger Duty reduced for flights between NI, England, Scotland and Wales. This is an important step towards levelling the playing field with RoI and should be a welcome boost to our beleaguered aviation and wider tourism sector.

A £70million boost for local SMEs will support the business community in their investment aspirations as well as supporting those starts up who have been hampered by the pandemic, which will go some way to supporting economic recovery.

We’ve seen the business community across NI voice concerns relating to skills, recruitment, rising business costs, inflation, and increased wage demands, particularly across the services and manufacturing sectors.

In an effort to address driver shortages across the UK, the Chancellor announced a freeze on the duty to heavy vehicles – how this will contribute to wider driver shortages across the UK is not clear. The scaling up of the visa system is aimed at aiding businesses to bring in highly skilled individuals, allowing them to compete on a global scale.

The lowering of alcohol duty on lower strength drinks is expected to reduce the cost of a pint by three pence – a small but welcome support to the local hospitality sector, although the threat of further restrictions through the winter remains ever-present.

The next step for our local politicians will be to allocate this funding within their multiyear budget with the significant competing demands of rebuilding our public services whilst facilitating much needed economic prosperity. Over to our Finance Minister and his Executive colleagues. We will all be watching with interest.

A detailed analysis of the Budget is available at https://www. bdoni.com/en-gb/microsites/budget-2021/budget-2021.

Contact details of Maybeth and her team can be found on the BDO Website. If you have any questions on how the budget announcements may affect you or your business, please get in touch.

Northern Ireland As we digest Rishi Sunak’s third Budget, it is worth reflecting on what was announced and how it impacts Northern Ireland.

The Chancellor made a point of highlighting, on numerous occasions, that this budget is a ‘budget for the whole of the UK’, declaring that devolved administrations have receieved their biggest ever block grants since devolution in 1998.

From the levelling up fund, Northern Ireland will get an extra £50m in addition to the usual Barnett Consequential. The Chancellor further highlighted that the Northern Ireland Executive would receive £1.6billion per year for public services, although some confusion on this figure was raised by the NI Finance Minister who stated it would ‘actually amount to £1.9bn for day-to-day spending over three years’. What does this look like for local spending plans in NI? Time will tell.

The NI Executive will plan their budget over a three-year period,

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NEW MEETING SPACE OPENS IN THE HEART OF BELFAST In an era of constant activity and noise, having a suitable place to talk through any issue is invaluable. The Meeting Space at Law Society House is a state-of-the-art multi-function facility that provides room to think and act with clarity and care. Offering both formal and informal areas, with flexibility in size and layout, the Meeting Space delivers the privacy and convenience that effective engagement demands. Mediation, a venue for business gatherings, or a place where you can bring clients – The Meeting Space is a calm, quiet and friendly place to talk.

Located in the heart of Belfast’s Legal Quarter, with spacious plenary and meeting rooms, break out areas and coffee docks, it is the perfect city centre base for solicitors and also an excellent choice for seminars, presentations and gatherings for any business sector. Close to the courts, restaurants and shopping areas, with ample nearby parking and easy access to motorways and rail links, you will be hosted by a professional team dedicated to ensuring your event is a success.

We all know that face to face communication is hard to beat. However, virtual and hybrid meetings have become a way of life and therefore every room is equipped with the highest specification audio-visual facilities, high-speed connectivity and wide-screen video conferencing. Our five meeting rooms seat up to 8-people boardroom style, while the three plenary rooms each accommodate double that number. The seminar room can comfortably accommodate up to 40-people for larger events and meetings, seminars or tribunals. The new facilities were officially opened by the Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA, on Wednesday 29th September 2021 at an event attended by Northern Ireland’s new Lady Chief Justice and invited guests.

Speaking at the opening, the President of the Law Society, Rowan White, said: “As the Law Society approaches its Centenary next year, the new Meeting Space at Law Society House reflects our commitment to investing in the future by providing state of the art facilities to support the legal profession.

We are delighted that the Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA and the new Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, The Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan, have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us at the official opening”.

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Columnist

Dr Kristel Miller Reader in Innovation and Strategy at Ulster University Business School (UUBS)

Women in STEM: Why Diversity Matters Dr Kristel Miller, Reader in Innovation and Strategy at Ulster University Business School (UUBS), highlights the importance of women in STEM and discusses how to increase uptake of STEM careers among this important demographic.

from the environment we are in, the media we consume, to the visibility of role models. All this can have a perpetuating influence on the number of young female students in STEM subjects and the attractiveness of STEM careers for female career-changers or those re-entering work.

For example, deeply ingrained visualisations of a male STEM worker, working within a lab or computer setting imprints upon individuals considering this career route. However, the reality is that the creative sector, transport, health, sports, fashion, energy, the environment, construction and built environment, food and agriculture sectors all have a high demand for STEM skills. STEM careers are more creative and varied compared to how they have been portrayed in the past.

Greater awareness is needed of how STEM occupations require more than just technical skills. COVID-19 has taught us that soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, management and leadership are imperative to navigate changing landscapes. Firms can accumulate a diverse skill set if they embrace diversity of employees from different genders, races, age groups, economic backgrounds and personalities.

To bridge the gender gap in STEM, perhaps a full rebranding is needed to tackle these deeply ingrained visualisations of STEM work and the ‘typical’ STEM worker. At the core of this rebranding is the need for more visibility of female role models, who come from diverse backgrounds and who enter STEM from different career trajectories, to promote and demonstrate that STEM is a career for all.

Additionally, greater levels of mentoring and flexible models of education and skills development, which account for the challenges women face are essential in supporting them to pursue STEM careers and progress to leadership positions.

From the boardroom to the classroom, we all have a part to play. Part of Ulster University Business School’s efforts to increase the pipeline of diverse talent in STEM careers are evidenced in programme development. For example, the ‘So She Did’ initiative – a programme designed to drive more young women towards a career in entrepreneurship –- has opened doors for students wishing to enter the tech industry, with several participants setting up tech businesses after completing the programme.

As the digital economy demands more professionals who combine soft skills and technical expertise, an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum development is critical. Recently, Ulster University Business School collaborated with Digital DNA and Belfast Met to develop a new Advanced Certificate in Management Practice (Transformational Management in a Digital World) course to help current and future leaders leverage emerging technologies for business growth. Furthermore, multi- disciplinary subjects are built into many programmes at UUBS, including the MSc Business in Technology, International Business with Data Analytics MSc and MSc International Accounting with Analytics.

Whilst there are lots of excellent initiatives contributing to supporting women both locally and globally, more funding and support is needed now to accelerate targeted interventions to help close the UK’s STEM skills gap. The future of the UK competitiveness is reliant upon it!

A

s we enter the cusp of the fifth industrial revolution, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills have never been more important. The UK Government’s ‘Build Back Better – Plans for Growth’ strategy emphasises its aspiration to make the UK a science and technology superpower.

Similarly, the ‘Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland: Skills for a 10x Economy’ identifies that building upon already existing strengths in science and technology is key to developing a region underpinned by innovation which benefits all.

Despite this, there are significant STEM skills gaps across the globe, where technological advancement is outpacing both the ability of the workforce to upskill and the number of high-quality graduates coming into the workforce with STEM skills.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, as adoption of technology increases and nine out of 10 jobs in the future will require digital skills.

The rise in apprenticeship education models is one way to help bridge STEM skills gaps, but this is not enough. To meet current and future skills requirements, there is an urgent need to draw upon more females, where there has been historical gender segregation in STEM. Women are an underutilised source of skills within STEM occupations due to perpetuating factors and gender-based challenges. Recent data from the 2019 IDC Women in Technology Report revealed that approximately 77% of leadership positions in STEM careers are held by males.

Attracting more women into STEM-related careers will have a significant and positive impact on the economy. It is suggested a 10% increase in participation from women would drive approximately £2.3 billion additional output to the Northern Ireland economy (Women in Work, 2021).

Whilst increased awareness and interventions have resulted in a rise from 21% of females in STEM occupations in 2016 to 25% in 2019 (STEM Women, 2021), these figures vary depending on the subsection of STEM. In 2021 Tech Nation published a survey suggesting that just 19% of tech workers are female. This is alarming considering that seven out of the 10 largest STEM occupations are technology related.

Proposed solutions – is a STEM rebrand needed?

So what can we do to tackle the STEM gender gap to help alleviate current and future STEM skills shortages?

At risk of appearing to oversimplify a very complex problem, I believe much more needs to be done to challenge stereotypes of STEM work and deeply ingrained societal expectations of a ‘typical’ STEM employee. Let’s explore this concept.

There is still an arbitrary stereotype associated with STEM work, associating it as a masculine career trajectory which can lead to unconscious bias. Unconscious bias exists outside of someone’s conscious and is impacted by everything around us,

To learn more about UUBS and how it is encouraging more young women into STEM, visit https://www.ulster.ac.uk/faculties/ ulster-university-business-school

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FEATURE Chris Martin, Head of Sustainability, Danske Bank.

The Drive To Meet Climate Goals

By Chris Martin, Head of Sustainability, Danske Bank

E

verybody wants change but not everybody wants to change – it’s probably a phrase you’ve come across before in a number of different contexts, perhaps where someone is explaining why the thing that should be happening isn’t happening.

I heard it used most recently by Emer Rafferty, an 18-year-old who is Northern Ireland’s Young Climate Ambassador to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.

Emer was one of the panellists at the Sustain Exchange Hybrid Summit, an event staged by MLN at Titanic Belfast and attended by almost 500 people, which I also had the pleasure of speaking at.

She eloquently shared the frustrations her generation feels with our generation

over the lack of action and leadership that governments, businesses and individuals have shown to tackle climate change risk.

Emer pointed out that systemic change is needed to get the world out of the climate crisis and urged those in the room to use their power, to move now and move together. When businesses take legitimate climate action and do the right thing, she said, it fuels Gen Z’s hopes and ambition for the future.

It was inspiring to hear Emer’s passion, which she and other speakers acknowledge is increasingly being reflected not only in her generation but amongst governments and businesses, many of whom now have sustainability firmly on the board agenda.

The eminent writer, broadcaster and commentator Jonathon Porritt CBE told the

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Sustain Exchange audience that businesses can make a huge contribution to societal change and noted recent efforts by global companies to jointly lobby the G7 for action.

He was encouraged that this collection of large businesses from all around the world are now telling governments: “You have got to deliver on your promises.”

“Don’t underestimate the importance of the voice of business: increasingly it matters that business leaders are outspoken about the nature of the crisis we find ourselves in,” he said.

However, the campaigner also noted that while surveys show businesses are stepping up in terms of their commitment to doing something about climate change, the changes resulting from these expressions of intent have so far been disappointing.

FEATURE

He quoted statistics indicating that less than a third of companies who expressed a willingness to change have followed through with real, hard edged, time bound action plans to make things happen.

While Jonathon is of the view that it’s not too late, he noted that this won’t be the case for much longer and it was interesting to hear his view that the next 12 months, as we rebuild our economies after the coronavirus crisis, will be “the decisive time” for individuals and organisations to take meaningful action.

While it’s the right thing for businesses to do, it also makes financial sense. He noted that as the frequency and intensity of climate disasters gets worse, the cost of these disasters also gets bigger every year and this is already having a major impact on industries like insurance. None of us, he said, have the luxury of adopting anything other than a “code red” mindset – we have to act now or the people of Emer’s generation, who should be in the prime of life by the 2050 target date for reaching zero carbon emissions, will be living in a world that is irreversibly changed.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by such dire warnings but I was encouraged that Jonathon also flagged the solutions that are emerging through new investment and new ways of thinking about energy, transport, manufacturing and farming; new technology, processes, systems and uses of data.

As Emer noted, wanting to change and starting to change are different things. I’m pleased to say that Danske Bank is already making changes and thinking about the type of business we want to be. We’ve taken steps to understand our climate emissions and stated our ambition to go green.

In the initial stages this has led us to implement a number of changes, such as replacing all the lighting in our branches with ultra low energy LED lighting, making our company car scheme hybrid and from next year electric only and undertaking boiler replacements that will make 80% of branches fossil fuel free by the end of the year. One of the earliest and simplest decisions we took was to get 100% of our energy from renewable sources.

The message that sustainable is core

to what we do comes from the top of the organisation. But there’s only so much you can achieve on your own, so we have made a point of collaborating with and learning from others, benchmarking our progress through the NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey and signing Business in the Community’s pledge to reduce scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% by 2030.

The progress we’ve made has also been driven by the engagement and enthusiasm of our employees. They have driven the creation of a wildflower and productive garden in the outdoor space at our operations centre and our partnership with Eco Schools to deliver similar gardens at schools across Northern Ireland.

We’re also looking out and engaging with our customers to support them on their climate journeys through our Climate Action Programme, which is designed to help typical SMEs approach and navigate challenges. The programme helps them understand the case for climate action, measure their carbon footprint, plan the targets they want to reach and ultimately commit to make tangible emissions reductions.

Northern Ireland is lagging behind on climate from a policy perspective and it’s our belief that we don’t have time as businesses

to wait for policy or regulatory intervention before we take steps ourselves. Many of our customers are part of international supply chains and are already being challenged on their climate credentials by their customers and suppliers.

As I told the audience at Sustain Exchange event, we know we are very much at the beginning of our climate journey, we’re still learning and have a long way to go. But we’re trying to see things from a future perspective, through the eyes of Gen Z and that means changing how we operate.

Jonathon Porritt noted that the pace of change and speed at which we implement big shifts in behaviour will never be fast enough to reverse all of the impact humans have had on the planet, but the quicker we move, the less damage will be done.

“We all have to understand that we can’t go on with the gap between the science and the policy response getting wider and wider, which is what it’s doing. In order to narrow the gap we will need all of our endeavours,” he said.

I’m encouraged that businesses here in Northern Ireland, including many of our clients, are now taking steps to work out how they can reduce their climate impacts.

It will take time and effort, but big ambitions can start with small steps.

“Northern Ireland is lagging behind on climate from a policy perspective and it’s our belief that we don’t have time as businesses to wait for policy or regulatory intervention before we take steps ourselves.”

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NEWS

ULSTER CARPETS LOOK TO GREENER CARPETS Portadown manufacturer Ulster Carpets, who can create carpet in any colour imaginable, has announced that each one will be a little bit greener thanks to a new agreement with Power NI. The premier supplier of Axminster and Wilton carpets to the world market has now switched to a new green energy contract from Power NI. This will now see the Portadown company’s manufacturing and warehouse facilities supplied with green energy generated by local, renewable sources.

Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at Ulster Carpets, said; “We have always been a company with an ethos of sustainability. Founded in 1938, the company has invested in key strategic innovations to maintain local jobs, create a premium product and export globally to some of the most luxurious establishments in hospitality.

“As a manufacturer, we have a responsibility to steward our people and planet well. Our latest strategic move in sustainability has been to partner with Power NI to procure 100% green electricity for our NI operations. This commitment has been forecasted to reduce our carbon footprint by over 950 tonnes per year – a key step in moving to decarbonise our manufacturing operations.”

Ulster Carpets’ Adam Stevenson, Procurement Manager, and Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and Environment Manager, with Power NI’s Commercial Marketing Manager, Amy Bennington.

LAW SOCIETY OPENS NEW MEETING SPACE New meetings facilities at the Law Society Northern Ireland (LSNI) have been officially opened by the Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA, at an event attended by Northern Ireland’s new Lady Chief Justice and invited guests.

Speaking at the opening, the President of the Law Society Rowan White said: “As the Law Society approaches its Centenary next year, the new Meeting Space at Law Society House reflects our commitment to investing in the future by providing state of the art facilities to support the legal profession.

“We are delighted that the Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA, and the new Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, The Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan, have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us at the official opening”.

Located in the heart of Belfast’s Legal Quarter, the Meeting Space at Law Society House is a new multi-function facility. It offers both formal and informal areas, with flexibility in size and layout. With spacious plenary and meeting rooms, break out areas and coffee docks, it is the perfect city centre base for solicitors and also an excellent choice for seminars, presentations and gatherings for any business sector. Its five meeting rooms seat up to eight people boardroom style, while the three plenary rooms each accommodate double that number. The seminar room can comfortably accommodate up to 40 people for larger events and meetings, seminars or tribunals.

Rowan White, President of the Law Society, Naomi Long MLA, Justice Minister, The Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan, Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, and David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of LSNI.

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POWER NI PLEDGES SUPPORT TO ULSTER WILDLIFE Power NI has announced a new corporate partnership with Ulster Wildlife.

For decades, Ulster Wildlife has been working on the ground, across Northern Ireland, to champion nature and protect the environment. The local charity protects and restores important habitats that lock carbon safely away and help combat the effects of climate change. Power NI has pledged its support to Ulster Wildlife’s peatlands protection projects through a two-year partnership, lending not only financial support but also helping the charity raise public awareness about environmental sustainability.

Jennifer Fulton, CEO Ulster Wildlife, says: “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Power NI over the next two years and together we will be restoring these precious habitats to help us reduce peatland carbon emissions, improve the habitat and boost their biodiversity.”

William Steele, Power NI’s Director of Customer Solutions added: “We’re delighted to partner with Ulster Wildlife and support the fantastic work they are doing to protect Northern Ireland’s peatlands and mitigate climate change. “As a proud Business Action on Climate champion, we are committed to powering NI’s homes, farms and businesses for generations to come. At Power NI, and at Energia Group, we are generating sustainable energy that is better for our planet and innovating with the latest green products and technologies, transforming the way our customers choose and use energy to have a positive impact on the environment.”

102-106 Main Street, Moira BT67 0LH Tel: 028 9261 9508 www.beaufortinteriors.co.uk @beaufort_interiors

appointments

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NEW

PPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

AMANDA SISTERN

RICHARD DICKSON

PADDY MURNEY

TIM CAVE

Director of Marketing & Business Development at Carson McDowell

Partner at Carson McDowell

Retail Sales Director at Musgrave NI

National Business Manager for GB at AG (Acheson & Glover)

FIONA BENNINGTON

LISA STEWART

JONATHAN JACKSON

JOSEPH DOHERTY

Head of Entrepreneurship and Growth, Catalyst

GB Business Events Sales Manager at Visit Belfast

Director and Shareholder at MKB Law

Re-Gen Waste, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Advisory Committee on Packaging

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appointments

RECORD RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE FOR NI

(L-R) Ian Lang, Kevin Ryan, Joe O’Neill and Mike Dawson.

BELFAST HARBOUR APPOINTS THREE NEW DIRECTORS Belfast Harbour has announced the appointment of three new Directors to its Leadership Team, as it continues to develop its strategy to become a world leading regional Port and a key economic hub for the region.

Ian Lang has joined Belfast Harbour in a new role as Infrastructure and Sustainability Director, with 15 years’ experience in the transport and aviation sector, leading the development agenda at airports in various geographies, most recently including Gatwick, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Lang has significant experience in delivering complex infrastructure projects, including the project management of large-scale capital investment portfolios, and will bolster Teams in developing high-quality, sustainable infrastructure, as well as promoting Belfast Harbour’s Green Port strategy.

Mike Dawson has been appointed as People and Corporate Services Director.

From his previous roles, including Group HR and Corporate Services Director at Dale Farm, Dawson brings a wealth of experience in developing progressive HR policies and procedures, and will drive Belfast’s Harbour’s commitment to nurturing and attracting diverse talent.

Kevin Ryan has been welcomed as a new Development Director. He joins Belfast Harbour from Dublin based international property company, Hines, where he was Development Director for 6 years. Prior to this Ryan was Head of Property for Tesco Ireland. His depth of experience will support Belfast Harbour and partners in realising ambitions around future growth, enabling the organisation to continue to stimulate and grow the regional economy.

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Local Jobseekers are facing a postlockdown recruitment boom with a wide range of well paid, skilled roles on offer according to NIJobs.com.

The latest ‘NI Jobs Report with Ulster Bank’ examines recruitment trends in Q3 and reveals many sectors are listing record numbers of vacancies.

Data indicates that 24 of the 31 employment categories on NIJobs. com increased the number of job listings in Q3 relative to the previous quarter. Just under half of all the employment categories recorded their highest number of vacancies to date in the third quarter. These included: Nursing, Healthcare and Medical; IT; Hospitality; Retailing, Wholesaling & Purchasing and Accountancy & Finance. These were the top five employment categories and together account for over 40% of all jobs advertised.

Sam McIlveen, General Manager at NIJobs.com believes there’s never been a better time to consider career options; “There are many well paid, skilled roles available on the market, while that offers tremendous opportunities for jobseekers it creates a challenging recruitment environment for businesses. The competition for talent is immense right now.

“Our data shows that applications have actually increased compared to this time last year so people are on the move but the volume of jobs available means they can pick and choose. The end of furlough should bring more applicants forward for roles, but the ongoing skills shortages and experience required to meet current demand is proving difficult for employers.

“Looking ahead, it’s an opportune time to future proof and ensure employers attract and retain talent for current roles. Those sectors that were decimated in the height of the pandemic such as retail and hospitality are now fast approaching their busiest time of the year with the Christmas trading period. In fact, we are already advertising Christmas roles on our platform for leading retailers such as Argento. The recently launched high street voucher scheme will be a welcome boost for many local businesses as they seek to claw back the revenue lost over the last 19 months.”

NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN YOUR NEXT HYBRID OR IN-PERSON EVENT AT TITANIC HOTEL BELFAST Make your next event a memorable one by hosting it at Titanic Hotel Belfast, four times winner of ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Hotel’ at the World Travel Awards!

The hotel houses seven private heritage event spaces of varying sizes so whether you are holding a small meeting or require a larger function room, Titanic Hotel Belfast has a space to suit your needs.

You can even host your event in the room where RMS Titanic was designed - the stunning Drawing Office One features triple-storey barrel-vaulted ceilings and has views towards the iconic Titanic Belfast visitor attraction. It provides a bright and airy space for up to 300 guests and has an adjoining bar and reception area ideal for pre-function drinks and arrival registration.

Although a historic venue, meeting rooms are also equipped with the modern facilities necessary to make your next hybrid or in-person event a success. Their Day Delegate Rates start from as little as £35 per person. Bespoke event, residential meeting and private dinner packages are also available upon request.

For further information or to book visit www.titanichotelbelfast.com or email the events team at events@titanichotelbelfast.com.

NOW IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO MOVE TO PHEV AND FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES….

As we continue to see the number of Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) on our roads an important question will be to consider if this type of alternatively fuelled vehicle works for your business and your drivers. There are several key considerations to review all of which have implications and impact on suitability, these include.

Electric Range – we are now seeing BEV’s becoming available with increased electric ranges, over 300 miles in some cases. This means these vehicles could well suit many more drivers alternatively a PHEV continues to bring added flexibility without any ‘range anxiety’.

Fuel or Electricity reimbursement – if you provide either PHEV or BEV’s there needs to be a consideration as to how you and your drivers deal with business mileage reimbursement. Handling this in the wrong way could have significant cost implications.

Leasing costs – in practice Phev and BEV’s can be more expensive than comparable Petrol or Diesel variants however from a whole life cost perspective both the driver & company can save due to reduced Class 1 NIC and BIK, we are more than happy to calculate these for you.

Benefit in Kind – Providing both Phev and BEV’s will

result in potential savings for your company car drivers and a reduction in Class1 NIC company costs. See above two BIK examples: Clearly there are many considerations to take account of however at Agnew Leasing we understand how best to guide you and your drivers through the process of deciding which specific vehicles to select and how best to manage the integration.

For more information on this please contact David McEwen (Head of Business Development) at Agnew Leasing on 02980 386600 or david.mcewen@agnews.co.uk

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Business Class Motoring

By James Stinson

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W. agnewleasing.com T. 028 9038 6600

Sponsored by

LIFESTYLE

James Stinson

Estate Power

ProCeed is an estate for drivers who like a bit of punch, writes James Stinson.

K

ia isn’t the cheap and cheerful car maker it once was. A raft of new model launches over the last decade has it firmly in the mainstream. Cars like the sporty Stinger as well as the latest versions of the Sportage, Rio and Ceed, with striking looks and sturdy mechanicals, are both desirable and dependable.

More recently, the Korean car maker has been blazing a trail in electric cars, with the e-Niro and eye-catching EV6. It seems Kia wants to be everywhere, with a car for every driver. Proof of that can be seen in the Kia ProCeed, a sleek and sporty estate version of its popular 4-door Ceed hatch.

Actually, to call this an estate isn’t entirely accurate. There’s already one of those in the range, called the Sportswagon. This is a

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W. agnewleasing.com | T. 028 9038 6600

sportier and far better looking version of that estate – what is fashionably known in motor industry marketing speak as a shooting brake.

It’s not boxy like so many SUVs nor is it frumpy like your regular estate, thanks mostly to the sloping rear roofline. Of course, you can’t have something this pretty without compromises: the rear window isn’t terribly big and the roof is a little lower, which means rear passenger room and boot space isn’t as generous as the conventional estate, but not by much.

There are other reasons why you might opt for this ProCeed, too, with the promise of a more engaging drive to back up the aggressive looks. The suspension has been tweaked so it is firmer and sits a little lower on the road, which makes the ProCeed more planted than less racy versions of the same family.

New for 2021 on the looks front is a redesigned front, which features a fresh pair of LED headlamps, two new intakes in the front bumper and the latest version of its trademark ‘Tiger Nose’ grille. At the rear, the tailgate has been smoothed over and there’s a new gloss black insert mounted in the lower edge of the bumper.

Other upgrades include leading vehicle departure alert, which informs the driver when the car in front has pulled away from a standstill. Blind-spot collision avoidance is another new addition, which can step in to mitigate accidents with the rear quarter of the vehicle.

There are three trim levels to choose from: GT-Line, GT-Line S and a no holds barred

range topping GT version. The entry level GTLine – priced from £25,480 – comes with a 158bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox.

The same engine features in the GT-Line S edition, from £30,240, but with a sevenspeed double-clutch transmission. Extra kit includes 18-inch alloys, sunroof and LED front fog and headlights. It also comes with a nicer interior that includes electrically adjustable seats trimmed in black leather and faux suede, along with rear seats that fold in a 40:20:40 split. There are the usual digital displays, which are clear and easy to navigate.

A smart powered tailgate is standard, too.

The flagship ProCeed GT hot-hatch is the beast of the bunch, powered by a 201bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is only available with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The GT can accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and will hit a 140mph top speed.

Priced at £30,280, the ProCeed GT adopts the standard equipment of the GT-Line model, with numerous GT-specific additions to give it considerable on-road presence. These include 18-inch alloy wheels with red centre caps, red accents for the front grille and rear diffuser and a twin tailpipe exhaust set-up.

Inside, the GT gains red contrast seat stitching and black steering wheel stitching, and a GT Performance mode for the digital instrument display. In keeping with every Kia, it also comes with a unique-in-the-UK sevenyear or 100,000-mile warranty.

IT’S TIME TO PLUG INTO ELECTRIC DISCOVER THE BIK BENEFITS AND FUEL SAVINGS

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It’s time to plug into Electric

AND DISCOVER THE BIK BENEFITS AND FUEL SAVINGS

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewleasing.com T: 028 9038 6600

LIFESTYLE

VW PURSUES THE HOLY GRAIL

O

ne day we might all be driving electric cars but for that to happen, they are going to have to be a lot cheaper than they are now. For one with decent range and space, say a VW ID.3 or an e-Corsa, you need to spend upwards of £25,000 – a massive premium over diesel or petrol-powered rivals.

Prices are coming down as economies of scale kick in. The price of batteries especially is expected to fall significantly over the coming years. VW certainly thinks so.

It reckons you’ll be able to buy something closely based on this ID. LIFE concept, revealed at the recent Munich Motor Show, for as little €20,000 (or around £17,000) as soon as 2025.

The ID. LIFE is halfway between a supermini and a baby SUV, and VW describes it as a crossover. The overall look is chunky, but the graphics at the headlights and tail-lights are more friendly – almost cute – as a reference to the original VW Beetle.

VW CEO Ralf Brandstatter described the car as a “VW for a young generation”. The car is 4,091mm long – about four centimetres longer than a VW Polo – but has a wheelbase of 2,650mm, around 10cm longer than that of the conventionally powered supermini.

Alongside better affordability, the ID. LIFE also promises good range and faster charging. The concept has a 213bhp, 290Nm electric motor on the front axle, delivering a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds. VW says the battery capacity is 54kWh, delivering up to 248 miles of range under the WLTP test cycle. The model will also feature fast charging with VW saying the ID. LIFE can add up 100 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes, assuming you can find a suitable fast charger.

Inside, there are two bench seats that can be folded forwards to deliver a number of layouts. The concept features a retractable projection screen that would allow occupants to watch movies and play video games while the car is parked. More tangible features include side cameras instead of door mirrors, a nine-inch display in the upper

dashboard and door pockets that have an integrated wireless charging function for smartphones.

The standard boot capacity is 225 litres, with an additional 108 litres of space beneath the floor and a further 68-litre compartment beneath the bonnet. There’s also an eight-litre storage section at the front, designed to accommodate the charging cable.

The platform will also be used for forthcoming models from Cupra and Skoda, with the Group aiming to produce around 500,000 units per year at Seat-Cupra’s Martorell factory in Spain. Roll on 2025!

DUSTER – STILL THE BEST VALUE SUV

I

t’s hard to believe you can buy an SUV for the price of a supermini and a damn good one at that. Dacia has just given its versatile Duster a refresh, to keep it bang up-to-date with changes elsewhere in its range.

The face-lifted car still provides outstanding value with entry-level Essential trim prices from £13,995. Of course, you’ll probably end up

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W. agnewleasing.com | T. 028 9038 6600

heading up the range a little. Comfort trim, at £15,495, is easier on the eye, adding things like alloy wheels along with electric mirrors, front fog lights, hill descent control and an 8.0 inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring functionality.

The range-topping Duster Prestige comes in at £16,695 with larger 17 inch alloys, privacy glass, automatic air conditioning, keyless entry and heated seats.

Latest changes include Dacia’s new Y-shaped headlight designs and a new chrome grille, and more efficient LED front indicators. New aerooptimised wheels and spoiler designs, in conjunction with new wheel bearings, tyres and the more efficient lights, are said to help cut CO2 emissions by 5.8g/km on the four-wheel-drive Duster.

There are three petrol versions on offer: an 89bhp 1.0-litre TCe 90, and a 1.3-litre TCe unit with either 128bhp or 148bhp. A TCe 100 BiFuel variant is also available, along with a Blue dCi 115 diesel engine with 113bhp and the choice of two-or four-wheel drive.

A six-speed manual gearbox is available with all versions, except the 148bhp petrol car which comes with a dual-clutch automatic transmission. You can only buy a diesel 4x4 version in Comfort or Prestige trim, which means you’ll have to spend just over £19,500 for a Duster with four-wheel-drive.

IT’S TIME TO PLUG INTO ELECTRIC DISCOVER THE BIK BENEFITS AND FUEL SAVINGS

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Columnist Aoife McDowell, Sync NI

Let’s Talk Tech

Innovation and opportunities: The spotlight continues to shine brightly on Northern Ireland’s technology sector.

As Northern Ireland gets back to business as usual, it’s impossible to ignore the sea of optimism and innovation that is currently pouring out of the region as some of the world’s most prestigious technology and businesses choose Northern Ireland as the perfect destination to set up new offices. Record investment in local startups and ground breaking research coming out of our Universities is creating amazing opportunities for generations to come.

New roadmap sets out strategy for huge investment in Northern Ireland Fintech

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recent report published by FinTechNI, has found that Northern Ireland Fintech sector could benefit from over £25 million in new Foreign Direct Investment, the setup of over 20 new companies and the creation of thousands of jobs in just three years.

The ambitious roadmap developed by Fintech experts at advisory firm, Deloitte and commissioned by FintechNI, is the first time such an in-depth report has been created by the industry here.

The Fintech cluster, now estimated to be worth a significant £392million per year to the NI economy, identifies factors in this success that include - geographical advantage; talent, skills and education; a supportive and collaborative community and expertise in cyber security, AI, data analytics and RegTech - positioning Northern Ireland as a leading international hub.

The publication of the roadmap comes soon after the HM Treasury backed Strategic Review of UK FinTech conducted earlier this year by industry expert Ron Kalifa OBE, which named Northern Ireland as one of the leading emerging clusters for Fintech in the UK. FintechNI has said that the outcome of the review presented a major opportunity for Northern Ireland to build on its burgeoning reputation.

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New £500k digital testbed to create ‘step change’ in smart manufacturing-

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orthern Ireland has also been leading the way for tech innovation.

It was recently announced that a new £500k digital testbed, which will create a “step change” in smart manufacturing, is being built at Queen’s University Belfast to help develop new technologies and grow market opportunities for businesses.

A collaboration between Queen’s, BT and Cisco, the project is part of a co-investment to create a 5G enabled digital factory.

The testbed, which will be based at Queen’s University’s Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC), will provide a unique opportunity for local industry to collaborate and explore the benefits of 5G connectivity within their future manufacturing operations.

The project will build on existing research in smart factory technology, which has been taking place through the University’s iAMS (intelligent autonomous manufacturing systems) Pioneering Research Programme and Project SCENIC, which is supported by Invest Northern Ireland’s Research & Development programme.

These new technologies will lead companies to pursue increased digitalisation of factories, adopting smart factory technologies including automation and robotics, allowing them to become more efficient, productive and less wasteful and to compete on the global stage.

The facility will also provide an invaluable resource for researchers at Queen’s to translate their research to industry in the areas of Digital Twin, Cyber Security, Digitised Manufacturing, Sensors and other Industry 4.0 activities.

New £500k digital testbed to create ‘step change’ in smart manufacturing-

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s travel and events resume, Belfast has reaped the benefits. This September, Belfast was awarded the coveted ‘Best Events Destination’ title at Low-cost the Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT) staff: Awards 2021.

This is theUS third time Tech salaries in major cities areBelfast among the highest in the world for a given role, has been awarded the title. with software engineers sometimes earning over 60% more in the US than they can Theinawards, are held infrequently London, set up offices in major UK tech hubs such get the UK.which US companies recognise theorbest of the Meetings, as London Manchester to save money, but Northern Ireland is even cheaper than Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) those locations. industry around the world and areIreland firmlymakes even more sense now that most tech Setting up shop in Northern recognised asare theoffering most sought-after companies full remote work for the foreseeable future. Companies honours in business that have now set tourism. up robust infrastructure to enable remote work will find it much In less than a decade, Belfast easier to fill skilled roles if theyhas can accept applicants from other cities or countries.

Openreach recognises ‘World Class’ Northern Irish talent confounded expectations to become onecost of living Northern Ireland’s combination of low and highly skilled IT workers may of make the world’s best event destinations in a tech staff. it the ideal place to source remote ambitious build programme to undergo orthern Ireland has also recently highly-competitive marketplace. a once in a generation upgrade of the been recognised for its home This latest award recognises the efforts broadband network. grown talent within the tech field. made by Visit Belfast and the tourism Over the last two years Openreach NI Openreach Northern Ireland (NI), the industry, which is renowned for going has created 200 new apprenticeship roles region’s largest digital infrastructure the extra mile for conference and event with the company saying the talent they provider, held its first ever Apprentice organisers and delivering an exceptional have encountered has been ‘world class’.

Awards event at the beginning of October experience for delegates.

The company has committed a further in Belfast. Apprentices from across the Business events are a hugely important £30 million to the existing £100 million country took part in the ceremony which part of the city’s tourism economy because investment in Northern Ireland between aimed to shine a light on those individuals they generate mid-week, year-round, high 2021 and 2022. who have excelled at what they do. spending visitors to the hospitality sector.

Openreach has also recently The rapid expansion of Openreach’s Conferences and Exhibitions in Northern been recognised as one of the best Ultrafast Full Fibre network across the Ireland were given the all-clear to return companies to work for in the UK for region requires a team of dedicated on 16 August, so this award came at a the second year running. engineers to drive forward its crucial time as event planners look to select destinations and plan in-person events.

Earlier this year, Belfast was confirmed the official host city for the One Young World Summit in 2023 – a global forum for around 2,000 young leaders – following a competition of eight global city candidates from across five continents.

The award also reflects Belfast’s commitment to the conference and events industry and to adapting fast to changing needs in the marketplace.

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Columnist Mark Owens Managing Director (Northern Ireland), Civica

Unleashing the Power of Data

T

he digitalisation of our public services has been rapidly gathering pace in recent years. Nowhere has this been more evident than during the past 18 months, with a massive shift towards digital because of the COVID pandemic. For most of us, when we think of online services, the first thing that pops into mind is probably laptops, video calls and searching for that ever-elusive ‘mute’ button. But these are merely the tools that support digital public services: the foundation on which they are built is data.

Data is the bedrock for the digital services – both public and private – which we take for granted today. Just think about how many times in the past week alone you’ve been asked to click ‘Accept All Cookies’ on websites you’ve visited. Government at all levels across Northern Ireland sit on rich seams of data. From your local council to the health service, public bodies collect huge amounts of information which is used to shape the services they provide to each one of us, from pensions to medical prescriptions.

The truth, however, is that we could be making much better use of that data, as the Executive’s Open Data Strategy for Northern Ireland acknowledges.

“Untapped data is at best a wasted resource: at worst it is unexploited potential to deliver real change for the people and communities who need it most.”

Standards, skills & sharing – three practical steps Collected, managed and shared effectively, data could transform the relationship between citizens and public services. We are starting to see some examples of this happening, but nowhere near on the scale that is needed. This situation isn’t, in fairness, unique to Northern Ireland, or indeed to the wider UK, and I’m not going to dwell on the causes here. What I will do, however, is set out what we at Civica believe are the practical steps which need to

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be taken to unleash the transformative power of data. These are what we call the three Ss – standards, skills and sharing.

Let’s start with standards. Robust standards ensure that the data which is used to inform decisions on everything from social housing to medical diagnoses is trustworthy and reliable.

By defining and carefully applying robust rules for how they collect, manage and use data, public services can concentrate on understanding and interpreting data without having to constantly check what it means or where it came from.

This takes us to skills, the second S. Even with robust standards, data is of little use if we don’t have people with the skills to use it effectively. This doesn’t mean however, that everyone who handles data needs an IT degree. With the right tools, training and systems, people at every level of public service delivery, including those in frontline roles, could make better use of data to guide smarter, more innovative decision-making, thereby ensuring the best outcomes for the people they serve. With tech now accounting for one in every seven job vacancies across Northern Ireland, we urgently need to attract more young people to the sector. For this reason, Civica ran an initiative in October called NI Digital Awareness Week, which was aimed at showing young people the wealth of exciting careers on offer to them in the tech sector.

The final S is sharing (of data). Much of the information which is at present collected by public bodies sits on databases which are accessible by a limited number of people. By sharing – in a secure and transparent manner – the collective wealth of data they hold, public bodies at all levels could develop a unique, joined up understanding of the needs of each citizen, providing a more tailored, impactful service. As the Executive’s Open Data Strategy points out, the re-use of data could provide ‘powerful drivers for social and economic benefit, provide transparency in government decision making and hold public authorities more accountable to the public’.

Grasping the opportunity The pandemic has given us a glimpse of data’s true potential. From ‘track and trace’ to digital vaccination certificates, data-driven technologies keep us safe and allow us to live our lives, despite the global crisis. Untapped data is at best a wasted resource: at worst it is unexploited potential to deliver real change for the people and communities who need it most.

Let’s therefore grasp the opportunity to unleash the true potential of data for our public services in Northern Ireland.

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Reverse

IMPROVE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING PUBLIC TENDERS Go-2-Tender events The all-island public procurement market is worth an estimated £13bn, and it represents an outstanding opportunity for companies to win steady business and increase their sales.

InterTradeIreland’s award-winning Go-2-Tender programme has been designed to help businesses across Northern Ireland and Ireland to become more successful in bidding for public sector contracts.Through a series of practical, sector specific workshops and one-to-one, company specific mentoring supports, Go-2-Tender can give firms the edge when it comes to applying for public tenders. The opportunity-driven workshops are delivered by an experienced tendering consultant, who provides real insight into the tendering process and shares the practical guidance that can give you the knowledge and confidence to submit quality bids.

Workshops are tailored for the following sectors: • Construction • Supplies and Services • Health • Cyber Security • Consortia and joint ventures

Upcoming Go-2-Tender workshops • Go-2-Tender Cyber Security Workshop, 10th and 11th November • Go-2-Tender Supplies and Services Workshop, 17th and 18th November • Go-2-Tender Supplies and Services Workshop, 8th and 9th December

All workshops are delivered online over 2 half day sessions and cost £50 per person. Once you have successfully completed a Go-2-Tender workshop, you may avail of one-to-one, company specific mentoring support.

To find out more about InterTradeIreland’s tendering supports visit: https:// intertradeireland.com/sales-growth/tendersuccessfully/

SMES ARE TENDERING AND WINNING MORE CONTRACTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR THAN EVER BEFORE – HERE’S HOW TO JOIN THEM The opportunity for public procurement in Ireland is currently valued at £11bn per annum, with approximately £3.5bn in Northern Ireland. This scale of opportunity should encourage all companies to apply for public sector tendering contracts. Success is already happening for many firms and the pandemic has created a number of ‘catch-up opportunities’.

Can SMEs win these contracts?

Of course. One issue companies face is that they’re not sure where to find opportunities or they’re cautious about tendering. However, this should not stop business owners for two reasons. The first is that data confirms SMEs are already winning contracts – across Ireland and Northern Ireland there are approximately 150 frameworks operated by the Office of Government Procurement and small businesses make up 70 per cent of all framework members. Secondly, for those who need more guidance, InterTradeIreland can help.

Help is at hand InterTradeIreland’s Go-2-Tender programme helps businesses to improve tendering capability through workshops and 1-1 mentoring packages. The Go-2-Tender workshops help companies to analyse the public sector market and consider the best bids to pursue. More importantly, they help to develop stronger bid content to improve the “win rate.” Workshops are open to firms that want to improve bid performance, target new sub-sectors and win more public contracts as part of their growth strategy. A series of Go-2-Tender workshops are available throughout 2021 and 2022 for firms in the Supplies & Services, Construction and Health sectors.

Win a share of the market For businesses in Northern Ireland, there has never been a better time to access the public procurement market. Opportunities are at an all-time high and frameworks are more accessible than ever before. Previous participants of the Go-2-Tender programme have reported winning tenders valued at £85m, so you don’t want to miss out!

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LASER HAIR REMOVAL AT BELFAST SKIN CLINIC Belfast Skin Clinic are delighted to announce the arrival of the most advanced laser for hair removal; The ‘Splendor X’. This incredible piece of equipment, operated by experienced dermatology nurses, is a step change in hair removal treatment.

SPLENDOR X is unlike any other hair removal system in the world.

It is the first Nd:YAG and Alexandrite laser system to be powered by BLEND X™ technology for unprecedented power, speed, versatility and coverage rate.

Hair removal can be painful, messy, and ineffective. But SPLENDOR X laser hair reduction with BLEND X technology is different. It combines Alexandrite and Nd:YAG wavelengths for a perfectly tailored treatment that is fast, effective, and comfortable.

It also features a unique square-shaped laser spot that safely covers every single inch of skin being treated.

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For more information or to book an appointment visit: www .belfastskinclinic.com or email: info@belfastskinclinic.com

TOP ART TALENT ON SHOW AS DOORS OPEN ON 140TH RUA ANNUAL EXHIBITION, IN ASSOCIATION WITH KPMG One of the most prestigious events in the Northern Ireland cultural calendar has opened its doors to show off the best works from artists locally and further afield.

The 140th Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, in association with KPMG, is again being held at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

This year marks the 14th consecutive year that KPMG have sponsored the RUA, a partnership which is hugely valued by the professional services firm.

Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge at KPMG in Northern Ireland, said: “KPMG are delighted to sponsor the Royal Ulster Academy’s Annual Exhibition. The exhibition is a highlight of the visual arts calendar, right across the island of Ireland and I think I speak for colleagues, clients and friends of KPMG when I say it is always eagerly anticipated.

“Over the last 19 months the arts sector has experienced challenges like never before and support for the sector has never been more important. At KPMG we are very proud to play our part and we hope that our very positive experience of working with the RUA will encourage other businesses to explore similar opportunities.”

Dan Dowling, President of the RUA and Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge, KPMG in Northern Ireland.

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The exhibition runs until 9th January 2022.

LIFESTYLE

Joanne Harkness

Winter Warmers Irish wool Jessica coat, Magee 1866, £625.

MAGEE 1866

Ulster Tatler Woman Editor, Joanne Harkness, looks at wardrobe staples to get you through winter.

Carn cotton crew neck jumper, Magee 1866, £75.

Notting Hill check blanket scarf, Accessorize, £20.

Tawn boots, Dune London, £250.

Checked overshirt, Marks & Spencer, £39.50.

Vida cape jacket, Aleksandra Viktor.

Maxwell cardigan, Anine Bing.

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Cloudy black boots, Dune London, £150.

A harmless mole, or potential skin cancer?

At Belfast Skin Clinic we offer general skin checks, mole scanning and skin cancer screening services.

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LIFESTYLE

Chris Rees, Head Chef at the River Room Restaurant at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, serves Cured Glenarm sea trout with sesame wafers, miso and sprout leaves.

Dine & Wine

Braised venison shank, spelt, black garlic, mushroom and truffle - Serves 4

At The River Room we believe in using the best of local, seasonal produce and currently game season is firmly upon us. To honour this, we are showcasing venison shank as a second course on our tasting menu. If you’re recreating this dish at home, it could be easily doubled in size to use as a lunch or dinner main course, or remain this size as a starter.

The dish comprises of a warm sticky rillettes of braised venison set upon spelt grains, cooked in a mushroom stock, topped with sautéed mushrooms and truffle, and finished with a black garlic dressing.

Serves 4 Ingredients 2 venison shanks, large 500ml red wine 1000ml brown chicken stock 200ml white wine 2 onions Sprig of thyme and a bay leaf 200g spelt 200g mushrooms (I use ceps) 8 cloves of black garlic Sprig of parsley Olive oil, butter, salt and pepper for cooking 1 fresh truffle (about 15 -20 grams) Method For the venison shanks: In a heavy based pot, using a little oil, start to fry off the venison shanks until they are a dark golden colour all over. Slice the onion and add to the pot along with the thyme and bayleaf. Continue to cook this until the onions are soft, then add the red wine.

Reduce the wine by half and then add the chicken stock; bring to the boil.

Once the stock has come to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid or tinfoil and place in an oven at 120oc until the meat falls cleanly from the bone and is very tender. (I cook mine for 4-5 hours.)

Once cooked, remove the meat from the stock

and strain the liquid into another pot. Start to reduce this liquid to a sticky glaze. While this is reducing, gently pull the venison from the bone and reserve the meat, adding back into the pot with the stock when it has become thick and reduced in volume. Set aside.

For the mushroom spelt: Using another large saucepan, cook most of the mushrooms in a little butter, salt and pepper until soft. Add the spelt grains and continue to cook for a few minutes to heat up the grains. Season and add the white wine, then follow with enough chicken stock to cover the grains. Allow this to simmer until the spelt is soft, adding more chicken stock as it cooks to ensure that it doesn’t dry out. Once

cooked, add a few knobs of butter to the mix and fold through the spelt. Check the seasoning.

For the black garlic dressing: Chop the cloves of black garlic very finely along with flat parsley; season with salt and add olive oil until a wet dressing, almost like a pesto, is formed.

To assemble the dish: Fry off the remaining mushrooms in a small pan until golden, then take a plate and place a large spoonful of the spelt in the centre, followed by a spoonful of the sticky venison rillettes in the centre of that, then the mushrooms on top. Place a few, very thin slices of the truffle on top and finish with the black garlic and parsley dressing.

Need the perfect pairing?

Drinking good wine with good food is one of life’s great pleasures. The River Room Restaurant’s resident wine expert, Andrea Mola, recommends the perfect wine to accompany Head Chef Chris Rees’ delicious main course.

Wine Pairing: Farina Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore Valpolicella is the most famous red wine to come out of the Veneto wine region in the North East of Italy. The defining character of all quality Valpolicella is its fragrant, tangy cherry aroma, a quality which is carried through into the Ripasso wines, particularly those from the classico viticultural areas. Great red wine is obtained with respect for tradition and territory. The first fermentation takes place in autumn, after harvest. At the beginning of spring, it is refermented (passed over in Italian Ripasso) on the Amarone pomace still soaked in wine, from which it extracts more structure, personality, aromas, and colour. A striking wine, with hints of dried morello cherries, herby fruit and coffee integrated with a distinct hit of spice. Incredibly smooth and complex with soft tannins, this wine has benefited from 18 months of cherry-oak ageing. This further enhances the already richly textured wine with a distinctive bitter black fruit character which complements the dish perfectly.

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#GiftTheCity Looking for the perfect Christmas gift idea for staff or corporate clients? Then, look no further than the Belfast City Centre Gift Card.

This hassle free solution gives the gift of choice to spend at over 160 Belfast City Centre businesses. The Belfast City Centre Gift Card is the perfect, versatile gift offering a variety of experiences including retail, health and beauty, bars, restaurants, and hotels. Cards are valid for a year and can be used, in store, at participating businesses. Every £1000 purchased will receive entry into a prize draw to be in with a chance of winning one of 3 prizes, £1000, £300 and £200 in gift cards. Details of participating businesses and full terms and conditions visit: https:// townandcitygiftcards.com/product/belfast-gift-card/

Your alternative to online dating.

Purchasing a Belfast City Centre Gift Card not only means that you #GiftTheCity to the lucky recipient but you have the comfort of knowing that you are driving local spend and supporting our local jobs this Christmas.

To order the Belfast City Centre Gift card contact Karen on karen@ belfastone. co.uk or call 07747235688.

Last orders for cards is 17th December. The Belfast City Centre Gift Card initiative is a partnership funded by the Belfast Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) Belfast One, Linen Quarter BID and Destination CQ and features businesses from across the BIDs locations.

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Columnist Jim Fitzpatrick, Journalist and Broadcaster

Time to be Radical?

Journalist and broadcaster Jim Fitzpatrick reflects on whether it is time for Northern Ireland to take more radical steps to save the planet.

“

Why don’t you simply ban private cars from Belfast City Centre?”, I asked. The economy minister looked surprised.

This was a conversation in the days before devolution and I was being provocative on purpose. I wasn’t wedded to the idea of banning cars. I was simply testing the limits of the minister’s ambition.

“But people would go mad. They wouldn’t support it,” he finally replied after a shocked pause. “And yet, what does that matter to you? You’re not elected here. You have an opportunity to be radical,” I said.

He accepted my point, theoretically, but argued that he still needed to govern with care and be mindful of public opinion. He was probably right. But I’ve been thinking about that conversation again recently as the world looks to its politicians to take radical steps to save the planet. Why do we always fear change rather than consider its opportunities?

Northern Ireland and its political system aren’t renowned for radical politics in the environment or economy. But is there any reason why we couldn’t be? In many ways it’s the perfect place to try some big ideas.

It’s small, but of significant enough size and population to be a testing ground. And it has secure funding from the Treasury for its large public sector, which forms such a big part of its economy and therefore any radical measures elsewhere are not going to impact on that.

So, for instance, if private cars were banned from Belfast City Centre but public transport were made free, there is no reason why the Executive wouldn’t be able to find the money to fund that radical measure.

Farming and food production is a big slice of our economy. But it has big environmental costs too. Radical change there doesn’t necessarily mean the destruction of rural communities – as is so often claimed. It could mean the rebirth of the countryside and new income streams for rural families if the right mix of policies were implemented.

A radical plan would cut intensive farming and scale back industrial food production, but it would also encourage rural tourism, green energy and manufacturing, and, in this new era of

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remote working, could develop new centres for the new economy all across Northern Ireland.

Would tech workers not love living in vibrant rural communities if the IT and transport infrastructure were there? Would tourists, from home and abroad, not love visiting a rewilded countryside teeming with life and beauty?

These are not my suggestions. Nor are they developed proposals. But the point is to question the ambition and consider what could be. Too often, particularly in this place, imagination is limited by the experience of what’s happened to date.

We know that what’s happened to date is not good enough and we haven’t much time left on this planet to make the changes necessary. The question for Northern Ireland is whether it wants to embrace and shape the opportunities of positive radical change, or face the negative consequences of change beyond its control.

“Northern Ireland and its political system aren’t renowned for radical politics in the environment or economy. But is there any reason why we couldn’t be?

In many ways it’s the perfect place to try some big ideas.”

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MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

With the world re-opening, we know Ireland is getting ready to fly again.

To protect and reassure our passengers, we’ve put in place the health and safety measures that matter. Dublin Airport is open for travel and ready to re-connect you with the world.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

Ireland.

Open for Business.