PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - issue 37

The Largest Circulation Regional Business Publication in the UK.

ISSUE 37. 2017

MARK ZUCKERBERG

PLATINUM The Power of the Geek

Rosemary French OBE ON MEET THE BUYERS

FOCUS ON…

SECURITY & BUSINESS CONTINUITY

PLATINUM

REVIEWED: Rolls-Royce Wraith Tesla Model X

DUSSELDORF Fast cars, high fashion & Japanese culture

HOW TO MANAGE PEOPLE READ ALL PAST ISSUES AT WWW.PLATINUMBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

Choose an MBA that recognises your ambitions and goals, and a university that supports, inspires and challenges you.

Choose the Sussex MBA.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SUSSEX MBA www.sussexmba.com

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mba@ sussex.ac.uk +44 (0)1273 873522

Welcome

THE BIG STORY MARK ZUCKERBERG The power and influence of Facebook shows no sign of receding. Is it a force for good?

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ROSEMARY FRENCH OBE

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FOCUS ON…Security & Business Continuity

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HOW TO MANAGE PEOPLE

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DUSSELDORF

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MOTORING

Why Meet the Buyers is an unmissable opportunity

The experts from NatWest, Priavo, DMH Stallard and Rawlison Butler offer timely advice

Si Conroy’s tips on retaining the best staff

Fast cars, high fashion & Japanese culture

6 Local & National News 14 Rosemary French - Meet the Buyers 16 Kreston Reeves - The economic picture 18 The Big Story - Mark Zuckerberg 24 Carpenter Box - Cash in your pension?

27 Focus on… Security & Continuity 28 Cyber Crime - NatWest 30 Personal Security - Priavo 32 Contract Disputes - DMH Stallard 34 Data Protection - Rawlison Butler 37 Acumen Business Convention 39 Business News - Adetiq 41 Si Conroy - Managing people 42 Yelo Architects - The process of architecture 44 Destination - Dusseldorf 50 Uniglobe - The BA brand 52 British Airways i360 53 Net XP Expos 54 Awards - Adur & Worthing 56 Smart Monkey - Digital Marketing 58 Gatwick Diamond Economic Forum 59 Awards - BAHBAs 60 Awards - Lewes 61 Manor Royal Know Your Neighbour 62 Hurstpierpoint College - Preparing for work 64 Sussex Economic Forum 65 Awards - Women in Business 66 Motoring - Rolls-Royce Wraith 70 Motoring - Motor Show Review 72 Motoring - History of Ferrari 74 Motoring - Tesla Model X 76 Table Talk - A month in food 78 Table Talk - L’Enclumet 80 Table Talk - English still wine 83 Networking 84 Chambers of Commerce 92 Anger Management 94 Institute of Directors

Featuring reviews of the ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH and TESLA X, plus happy birthday Ferrari

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited materials or the return of these materials whilst in transit. Platinum Business Magazine is owned and published by The Platinum Publishing Group.

PRESIDENT CLUMP

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

GROUP

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At a Glance

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Issue 37 - 2017

A word from the Editors The weather in this country is a little like our politics. If it is sunny in the morning, there is no guarantee that it won’t snow in the afternoon and you cannot trust it to plan anything.

But enough of politics and on to the subject that rarely lets you down - business. Maarten get his sweaty hands on the Rolls-Royce Wraith black badge - the fastest production Rolls in their history and then slides into the new Tesla X. We profile Mark Zuckerberg, the 33-year-old Facebook founder who looks like he still needs his nappy changed and yet is one of the richest and most influential people on the planet.

We take a look at the security of your business and staff, from cyber protection to personal protection and we chat with Rosemary French OBE about the unique Meet the Buyers event which offers the opportunity to really accelerate your business. Rose swanned off to explore the MICE scene in Dusseldorf and Amanda trekked off to Cumbria to L’Enclume in between the arduous task of opening her own restaurant in Brighton, Pascere. We will be at the glittering opening next week and will let you know if she pulled it off.

On page 56 we bring you one smart monkey and in Anger Management, Maarten invites you to a party.

We hope you enjoy this issue and if not, in the next issue we will bring you news of a business psychiatrist who will assist you with your mental health!

Maarten & Ian Platinum Business Magazine July 2017

The Team

Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com

07966 244046

Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com

07989 970804

Lesley Alcock

Amanda Menahem

Kate Morton

Business Development Director

Food & Drink Editor

Copy Editor

Rose Dykins

Beth Nash

Travel Editor

Digital Manager

Sarah Walker-Bennett Amanda Harrington Event Photographer

Head of Design

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News

LOCAL NEWS PIER PROMOTION Brighton Pier Group has promoted Managing Director Anne Martin to a newly created role as Chief Executive Officer of the company.

She joined the group board with the acquisition of Brighton Palace Pier. Anne has 25 years’ experience working at senior levels within the leisure and hospitality sector, including high-ranking roles at Bourne Leisure and Forte, where she was responsible for the introduction of retail franchises to the Motorways Division, along with senior roles within the hotels division.

Brighton Pier Group executive chairman, Luke Johnson, said: “Anne has brought a wealth of experience to the group. Under her leadership over the last 11 years The Brighton Palace Pier has grown year on year. As the group acquires more businesses, her unique experience will be invaluable in helping us to evaluate, acquire and manage these new assets. On behalf of the board we look forward to working together with Anne in her new role.”

BRAZILIAN BODY SHOP?

The Body Shop founder, Anita Roddick

L’Oreal has entered exclusive discussions to sell The Body Shop to Brazilian firm Natura Cosmeticos.

The proposed transaction value of the ethical beauty brand is €1bn (£880.4m). L’Oreal bought The Body Shop in 2006 for £652m The Body Shop is a Sussex institution with headquarters in Littlehampton. It was founded in Brighton’s North Laine by the late Anita Roddick.

It now has stores in 66 countries.

Jean-Paul Agon, chairman and chief executive of L’Oreal, said, “I am very pleased to announce Natura as the potential new ‘home’ for The Body Shop. It is the best new owner we could imagine to nurture the brand DNA around naturality and ethics. Natura will support The Body Shop development in the long-term and enable The Body Shop to best serve its customers while respecting its strong commitments towards its employees, franchisees and stakeholders.”

Guilherme Leal, co-chairman of Natura, said, “Natura and The Body Shop have always walked in parallel, and today their paths meet. The complementarity of our international footprints, the sustainable use of biodiversity in our products, a belief in ethics in management and fair relations with communities and a high degree of innovation constitute the pillars of the journey on which we are now embarking.”

The deal is expected to close in 2017 and is expected to open opportunities for The Body Shop in emerging markets.

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Happiness is having a large, loving, close-knit family in another City

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News

WATCHING THE DETECTIVES A former police inspector and a primary school teacher from Horsham have joined forces to launch a new business, The Detective Project Mid Downs, offering children and adults the opportunity to try their hand at crime scene investigations through a range of fun detective-themed events.

Best friends Cath Reed and Mary Wood met fourteen years ago when their children were in nursery school. Now the pair are employing their policing and teaching skills to deliver detective parties, school and educational workshops and corporate team-building days across an area stretching from Reigate to Burgess Hill and Dorking to Haywards Heath.

Their new roles see Mary sharing her expertise of scene of crime analysis and Cath using her teaching skills to encourage participants to join in hands-on challenges, involving skeletons, finger-printing kits, crime scene materials and story boards, in the science-based events.

Cath has taught in primary schools in Crawley, Horsham and East Grinstead for 27 years. Mary joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1981 and worked as a police constable and community officer before being made a Sergeant in 1996 and an Inspector in 2004. Her career has included working on murder and other serious crime teams, earning her two medals and five commendations.

Mary says: “I’m delighted with our new business, especially as I didn’t think for a minute that my extensive knowledge of murder and death was a transferable skill! It’s a dream come true to work alongside my best friend.” www.thedetectiveproject.co.uk

DIGITAL BOGNOR

Designer Wayne Hemingway, MP Nick Gibb and local member David Edwards.

Plans for a creative digital hub in Bognor Regis have got the backing of Nick Gibb, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, after he visited the site.

He was shown around the proposed site for the hub, at Bognor Regis railway station, by West Sussex County Councillor David Edwards and renowned designer Wayne Hemingway, whose company Hemingway Design is supporting the project.

Led by the County Council, the proposed hub and its activities will support more than 150 businesses at any one time by providing shared working space, business support and networking events.

Leader of West Sussex County Council, Louise Goldsmith, said: “The timing for this project is perfect – we know there is growth in the creative business sector across the coastal area and by basing the hub in Bognor Regis, we are linking in with the University of Chichester’s plans for a new Engineering and Digital Technology Park.”

Nick Gibb MP said: “It was a pleasure to visit the rooms for the Creative Digital Hub at the Bognor Regis railway station and to see the opportunity for jobs and economic growth it will bring for the town.”

Negotiations are currently underway with Southern Rail and Govia Thameslink to lease the space at the railway station and procurement will take place to appoint an operator for the hub.

Southern Railway’s senior project manager Paul Best said: “We’re already working on our £2 million scheme to renovate Bognor Regis railway station, making the most of its elegant heritage features. The proposed digital hub would help us make the building a centrepiece of the community, further supporting the vitality of the local economy.”

Find out more by emailing business.support@westsussex.gov.uk.

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Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen

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News

LOCAL NEWS THREE MORE YEARS FOR LOCATE EAST SUSSEX Locate East Sussex has secured a new three-year contract to deliver the county’s inward investment service and expand its support for high-growth, innovative companies.

Funded by the district and borough councils in East Sussex as well as by East Sussex County Council, Locate East Sussex will now benefit from additional support from the European Union. For the next three years, Locate East Sussex will in part be funded by the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund Programme, as part of a wider South East Invest project that involves Essex County Council.

Philip Johnson, Director of Locate East Sussex, said: “East Sussex is a superb place to do business, with so much to offer from a wide range of affordable commercial property to excellent transport links and an exceptional quality of life.”

Since Locate East Sussex was launched in 2014, over 820 new permanent jobs have been created in the county. Locate East Sussex has delivered some £5.8million in grants and loans from East Sussex County Council to growing businesses in the County through an associated business support programme. This financial support has been matched by over £24.8million from local companies, representing a total boost of £30.7million to the East Sussex economy.

The Locate East Sussex team is now welcoming applications from companies interested in accessing grant or loan funding to support business growth.

Locate East Sussex is part of the Let’s Do Business Group (LDBG), the the south east’s leading provider of business advice, training and finance.

LET’S DO WINNING It’s been a good month for Let’s Do Business as the group is also set to benefit from a share of £1m, as NatWest reveals the winners of the latest round of its Skills & Opportunities Fund.

The NatWest Skills & Opportunities Fund was set up in 2015 to create opportunities for people in disadvantaged communities to gain qualifications, financial capability & entrepreneur skills or start a business. Since then, over £3.9m has been distributed to good causes in England & Wales through the Fund.

Let’s Do Business Group (South East) Limited, based in St Leonards-on-Sea, supports the economic development of Hastings and the wider East Sussex area by helping new and budding entrepreneurs. Its Business Builder project has received funding to provide start-up workshops, mentoring support, online training and specialist advice for deprived communities.

Tim Boag, Chair of NatWest’s South East Regional Board, said: “Supporting not-for-profit community organisations is a crucial part of our commitment to making a real, long term difference for disadvantaged communities in the South East. Since we launched the Skills & Opportunities Fund two years ago, the projects we’ve funded across the South East have so far made a positive difference to more than 1,600 disadvantaged and at risk people. This includes supporting 23 new business start-ups, helping 80 people get into employment and another 234 achieve Go to heaven professional qualifications. In addition to the funding we will also look to partner for the climate with each winner through mentoring, volunteering and advice.”

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Nearly 600 organisations from across England & Wales applied to gain funding for community projects. You can find out more about Citizens Advice Maidstone and Let’s Do Business, as well as the other 32 winning organisations in England & Wales, and how their inspiring projects will be making a difference in communities by visiting: http://skillsandopportunitiesfund.natwest.com/winners/

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and hell for the company.

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News

MINI SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS MINI has joined the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards as a Premium Partner for the 2017 awards programme.

MINI has been a sponsor of the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards since its conception, and this year will once again be awarding a brand new MINI Countryman to an entrepreneur to use for six months.

Now in its fifth year, the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated some outstanding entrepreneurs who have gone on to become household names. Previous winners include David Buttress former CEO of Just Eat, Julie Deane - Founder of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt - Founder of BrewDog and Alexander Solomou - Founder and CEO of TheLADbible Group.

Creator of the Awards, Francesca Russell, said: "Having your company branding on a fun, iconic car is a great way of improving your business exposure, and we're thrilled that MINI are giving this opportunity to an entrepreneur again this year."

Ian Waspe, Corporate Development Manager at MINI says: "MINI is a true British icon and we are therefore delighted to be a partner of the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards for the fourth year in a row, celebrating the very best of British talent."

"We are thrilled to offer a branded Countryman to a budding entrepreneur for six months. This latest, bigger Countryman represents a fantastic opportunity for business with a large boot and lots of space for passengers, as well low CO2 emissions and a high specification which includes navigation."

The NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards is open for applications and will celebrate entrepreneurship across a number of categories including Innovation, High Street, Start-Up and Creative Industries. You can enter here: www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com.

KARTING OFF £50,000 Harry Daymond of Kart Kompany was the winner of the ultimate business prize fund of products and services worth £50,000 at the Young Start-up Talent Gatwick Diamond held at Lingfield Park Resort.

Harry’s business of creating bespoke carts began at a wedding: “It all started from an inspiration I saw back in 2014. I was at a wedding and saw a table which had a few jars of basic sweets on it. This got me thinking. I went home that day and wanted to develop and see what I could do with this. For five months my grandpa and I designed and manufactured a fully collapsible vintage Kandy Kart.

“Each weekend I would go down and together we would work in his garage for hours designing, drilling, sawing, cutting, painting, screwing and sanding.

From there my grandma help me with the aesthetics, working to sew the canopy and help with the colour schemes. This period of time didn’t only just help build this kart. But it brought me closer to my grandparents.”

Founding Partners of the initiative Lorraine Nugent and Matt Turner said, “We have had a terrific year and feel humbled to have worked alongside so many youngsters with such exciting futures ahead of them and wish them all well. We would like to thank all of our judges and sponsors for making it all possible as without their support and generosity Young Start-up Talent would not exist. www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk

❝ Judges and finalists

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty.

She’s ninety-seven now and we don’t know where the hell she is.

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News

NATIONAL NEWS WHOLE IN ONE Amazon is buying Whole Foods in a $13.7bn (£10.7bn) deal that marks its biggest push into traditional retailing yet. It will buy the upmarket supermarket for $42 a share.

Founded in 1978 in Texas, Whole Foods was a pioneer of the move towards natural and organic foods, and has grown to more than 460 stores in the US, Canada and the UK, and employs about 87,000 people.

Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said: “Millions of people love Whole Foods Market because they offer the best natural and organic foods, and they make it fun to eat healthy.

“Whole Foods Market has been satisfying, delighting and nourishing customers for nearly four decades - they’re doing an amazing job and we want that to continue.”

The takeover deal - the biggest in Amazon’s history - is expected to be completed in the second half of the year, pending approval by shareholders and anti-trust regulators.

Whole Foods boss John Mackey said: “This partnership presents an opportunity to maximise value for Whole Foods Market’s shareholders, while at the same time extending our mission and bringing the highest quality, experience, convenience and innovation to our customers.”

The takeover also makes Amazon an instant player in the grocery industry, where it has operated at the fringes since launching its food delivery service Amazon Fresh in 2007.

ANIMAL MAGIC Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has teamed up with virtual band Gorillaz to find 5,000 staff to enhance its expertise in autonomous and electric technology.

The firm says it will use a two-stage recruitment challenge, to be found on the Gorillaz mixed reality app, as an “innovative recruitment tool”.

The first part involves virtually assembling the Jaguar I-PACE Concept, an all-electric fiveseater sports car, and the second part involves a series of code breaking puzzles.

“As the automotive industry transforms over the next decade, fuelled by software innovation, we have to attract the best talent and that requires a radical rethink of how we recruit,” said Alex Heslop, head of electrical engineering at the car firm.

“Here we’ve found an engaging way to recruit a diverse talent pool in software systems, cyber systems, app development and graphics performance.”

The firm said it would hire 1,000 electronic and software engineers, and 4,000 workers across other sectors. Most of the jobs will be based in the UK, with recruitment taking place over the coming year. The carmaker, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, employs more than 40,000 people globally.

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The hardest thing to find is happiness. Money is only hard to find because it gets wasted trying to find happiness.

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JET SET, GO Supersonic air travel could be back in little more than five years if a plane that aims to replace Concorde takes to the skies.

Boom Supersonic expects a prototype of its passenger plane to make its first test flight by the end of 2018. If the full-size 55-seat plane is approved, the first passengers could be travelling at supersonic speeds across the Atlantic by 2023.

Blake Scholl, the founder and chief executive of Boom, said at last month’s Paris air show that the design of the XB-1 demonstration plane had passed a performance and safety review ahead of manufacturing.

Boom said five unnamed airlines had placed 76 orders for its passenger plane, which resembles Concorde but has a delta wing that sweeps almost to the tip of the nose.

The company claims that airlines flying its plane will be able to charge similar prices to a business class fare on the lucrative London-New York route of about $5,000 return - Concorde tickets used to cost up to about three times that amount.

“Airlines are excited for something new and different to offer their passengers,” Mr Scholl said.

Although many remain sceptical that Boom can deliver its promises, the company said in March that it had raised the $33m that would allow it to build and fly the demonstration plane. One believer in the project is Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, who announced late last year that he planned to buy the first ten passenger jets made by Boom. His Virgin Galactic space travel venture will also provide manufacturing and engineering services, as well as flight test support.

SORT IT OUT! Almost one million UK bank customers will be forced to use new six-digit sort codes as the high street lenders implement rules intended to make the financial system safer, according to a Bank of England official. James Proudman, a senior regulator in Threadneedle Street, said the estimate from high street banks included retail and corporate customers.

The change has been caused by the Vickers rules, which force banks to ringfence their high street operations from other banking activities.

Proudman added: “Banks will inform those customers that their sort code details are changing when the change will take place, and if there is anything they need to do.”

The Bank of England regulator also revealed that the banking industry will have spent billions of pounds to meet the timetable for the new rules by 2019. Some changes will also need to go through the courts, starting later this year, to allow business to be transferred into the “ringfenced bank”, Proudman said.

The rules are named after Sir John Vickers, who recommended in 2011 that banks ringfence their high street operations from the riskier businesses after the financial crisis.

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The only sure way to make a computer go faster is to throw it out the window.

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News

NATIONAL NEWS ICE PLACE TO BUY The hottest property market in the world is Iceland, with house prices growing by 17.8% in the year to March, according to Knight Frank.

The island nation beat off competition from Hong Kong, New Zealand and Canada, all of which have had soaring prices in recent months, and where analysts have suggested markets may be heading into bubble territory. The UK, by contrast, came 35th, below Ireland, Germany and the United States.

Kate Everett-Allen, head of international residential research at Knight Frank, said: “Iceland’s Housing Financing Fund suggests 9,000 new apartments need to be delivered over the next three years in Reykjavik alone to keep pace with demand.”

The population of the capital sits at just over 123,000, but after the financial crash, many contractors went out of business and building ground to a halt. Analysts suggest that Reykjavik’s housing market has been put under more pressure due to homes being rented out on sites such as Airbnb, and a rule passed in January means that those renting their home on the site for more than 90 days must obtain a licence.

Average house price growth levels across the world hit the highest for three years, suggesting that more countries are recording sharper rises.

Eleven countries recorded double-digit price growth in the year to March, while a year earlier only four fell into this bracket.

POWER CUT The developer behind one of London’s biggest luxury property projects has nearly halved the number of affordable homes it plans to build on the site.

The £9bn revamp of Battersea Power Station in central London has slashed the number of affordable flats to just 386, a 40% reduction from original plans.

Previously, the plan was to construct 636 homes affordable homes targeted at local residents, first-time buyers and renters, with locals promised a 40% discount on the average market rent. The affordable home proposals amounted to 15% of the total 4,239 homes planned, which included luxury pads ranging from £800,000 for a studio atop the former power station, to £4m for a four-bedroom flat.

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How can you make sure you never miss your target?

Shoot first, and whatever you hit, call it the target.

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Battersea Power Station Development Company, backed by a group of Malaysian investors, argues that the entire project may become financially unviable if it sticks to its previous plans. It cited “technical issues” relating to the restoration of the Grade II listed power station and cost increases, partly caused by the weaker pound. It has also been hit by the slump in the luxury home market.

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To compensate for the planned reduction, the developer said it would build the 386 affordable homes three years earlier than previously envisaged, which means residents will receive their keys in 2020.

News

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Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian

SHE’S ELECTRIC

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Petrol stations and motorway services will be required to install electric charge points, under plans outlined in the Queen’s Speech last month. The measure forms part of a government push to increase the number of electric vehicles on UK roads.

The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill also contains plans to push driverless car technology. It also includes an extension of car insurance to cover the use of automated vehicles. There are several trials of driverless cars ongoing in the UK - car insurance will be extended to automated vehicles “to ensure that compensation claims continue to be paid quickly, fairly and easily”, the bill says.

The government is investing more than £200m in research and testing infrastructure and is hopeful that the advent of driverless cars can have a profound impact on road traffic accidents.

In 2015, more than 85% of reported collisions that caused personal injury involved human error, according to government statistics.The government has also committed to spending £600m during this Parliament to support the growing market for low-emission vehicles.

In the first quarter of 2017, 13,800 ultra-low emission vehicles were registered, up 17% from the same time last year.

WHAT’S APP YOU SAY? WhatsApp is becoming one of the prevailing ways people discover and discuss news, according to a study. But use of the messaging app appears to vary widely between countries. In Malaysia, more than 50% of those surveyed said they used WhatsApp for news at least once a week. But in the US, the figure was only 3%, and in the UK it was 5%.

The Digital News Report also indicates the Brexit debate has led to growing mistrust of the UK's media. It said only 43% of respondents declared that the news could be trusted - down from 50% last year.

The research was carried out by the Reuters Institute For The Study of Journalism and covered 34 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia, in addition to Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The results also indicate that Facebook remains the most popular social media and messaging service for news engagement in all but two countries - Japan and South Korea - where, respectively, YouTube and Kakao Talk dominate. But it adds that use of Facebook for news had dipped in more than half of all the territories where a yearon-year comparison was possible. According to the report, WhatsApp is now the second most popular social service for news in nine of the 36 locations, and the third most popular platform in a further five countries.

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Interview

MEET THE CHAIR

Rosemary French OBE, Executive Director of the Gatwick Diamond Initiative, is the Chair of the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer steering committee. Rosemary explains to PBM why Meet the Buyers is such a big date on the business calendar…

Can you explain how the event works?

We know how difficult it is for small businesses to get in front of larger companies, both in the private and public sector. Just getting past the receptionist and the secretary is often an achievement when you are a new supplier to that company. The idea of the event is to bring into one place on one day up to 40 large companies who currently have products or services they wish to purchase.

We then invite up to 200 small businesses with products and services that match those contracts. These small businesses have an opportunity to meet the buyers privately on a one-to-one basis and make a sales pitch to them to be followed up with an appointment after the event. We do not put together suppliers and buyers where there are no contracts to match, so nobody’s time is wasted.

How did you get involved?

I chair the steering group for the Meet the Buyer programme that meets fortnightly and works with our event organiser and delivery partner gdb: Gatwick Diamond Business Association. My relationship with the Meet the Buyer event goes back as far as 2001 when I also sponsored the event every year as CEO of Surrey Business Link. The event used to be called Gatwick Meet the Buyer because most of the larger UK airports held similar events.

But we recognised that the event is larger than just Gatwick suppliers.

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How long has this event run in the Gatwick area?

Just getting past the receptionist and the secretary is often an achievement when you are a new supplier to that company

This is our 17th year! In that time, over £22.5m of business is estimated to have been created because of the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer. In 2017, there will be more than 2,000 sales meetings on the day alone and many hundreds of small businesses will have received free training at the workshops.

I believe that the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer is now the largest Meet the Buyer event in the UK, now that Heathrow dropped their event. Potential suppliers from across the UK are attracted to the Gatwick Diamond

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Rosemary French OBE Meet the Buyer although they pay a premium to attend the event. Businesses in Surrey, Kent, West and East Sussex and Brighton all receive a considerable discount at only £125 to meet up to 10 large buyers.

What role does the Gatwick Diamond Initiative play?

The Gatwick Diamond Initiative is one of the sponsors and has been since 2008. All

Interview seven District and Borough Councils (Reigate & Banstead, Mole Valley, Epsom & Ewell, Tandridge, Crawley, Mid Sussex and Horsham) and two County Councils (Surrey and West Sussex) that fund us effectively sponsor the event through the Gatwick Diamond Initiative.

It is so important to Crawley Borough Council that they add additional sponsorship. Critically, Gatwick Airport is a key sponsor recognising the importance of local supply chain development.

In your opinion, what makes this event special?

What makes this programme special are the nine free training seminars and workshops.

Eight of them before the event help small businesses prepare when making their pitch.

Have they got the right policies in place?

What is their competitive edge? How sharp is their elevator pitch? Overcoming negative behaviours. How to supply the public sector.

Understanding the psychology of the customer and so on.

Even if a small business does not have the right match for the big Meet the Buyers event on the 18th October, they can benefit from these workshops which could have cost them £3,000 in training costs if they attend them all.

The final ninth event after the Meet the Buyer event is about how to follow up leads. It is so surprising how many small businesses have a good meeting arranged by us with the buyer only to find that they do not immediately follow up and expect the buyer to phone them!

bid for the delivery contract this year and beat two other very strong bidders. They won the contract because they could demonstrate that they knew the business sector make-up of the area very well, and because they had excellent relationships with partners such as the many national and local business organisations whose role is key in reaching as wide a business community as possible. They also have a long history of successful business events locally, the most well-known being the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.

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I believe that the Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyer is now the largest Meet the Buyer event in the UK

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environmentally friendly because goods lorries are not travelling long distances; it can contribute to their CSR policies; they can find out what products and services are available locally; it is time effective because they are able to meet several buyers on one day; and most large companies want to contribute to their local business community. And of course, it is free for a Supplier to attend!

The Gatwick Diamond and its hinterland is an amazingly collaborative economic area.

Already worth £24bn, the economic region is third only behind Thames Valley and London.

The strength of the area is its diversity across several sectors which means just about anything can be bought and supplied here.

So much so, that this year we are dividing the buying zones into our strongest sectors: • Business Services - to include Professional, Financial, Digital, Educational • Manufacturing and Innovation • Public Sector and Utilities

Why should suppliers be there?

• International Business

Suppliers recognise the importance of buying locally. They have more control over the buying and delivery process because it is closer to home; they often find it more

To finish, all I can say is why wouldn’t a supplier or a potential buyer want to take up this great opportunity!

• Construction and Infrastructure

gatwickdiamondmeetthebuyers.com

This year, Gatwick Diamond Business are helping deliver the event - what benefits does this relationship bring?

GDB, Gatwick Diamond Business Association

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Finance

THE GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL ECONOMIC PICTURE Keep a weather eye on rough economic conditions ahead, says Kreston Reeves partner, Richard Spofforth.

T

he economic outlook was already choppy, but looming conditions now have the makings of a ‘Perfect Storm’, and local businesses must heed these warnings in trying to steer the best possible course over coming months and years.

‘Tornado Trump’ is one factor - the new US President is unpredictable to the point where perhaps even he doesn’t know quite what he will do next! But his tough stance against nuclear renegade North Korea’s even more unpredictable leader, Kim Jong-un - also potentially involving those other major Asian economies, China, Japan and South Korea is the biggest concern to global economics and peace. And it comes at a time when the

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European Union – a political and economic moderator in the world – is also troubled.

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All markets also get nervous when the oil industry does. Prices have risen as major players like Saudi Arabia cut production in a bid to boost revenues

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Members have been rocked by Brexit, a traumatic French election - though the new pro-EU President Emmanuel Macron could be a stabiliser - and imminent German elections, where Chancellor Angela Merkel’s position looks uncharacteristically weak.

All markets also get nervous when the oil industry does. Prices have risen as major players like Saudi Arabia cut production in a bid to boost revenues and move to a more broad-based economy, and it is noticeable that BP and Shell are among the stock market’s front runners at present. But an upward trend simply makes US shale oil production more

Finance

viable and undermines producers aiming to sustain oil revenues.

The long-term outlook for oil could also be much weaker as the automotive industry races towards a low-carbon - through hybrid electric cars - and ultimately non-fossil fuel future, currently championed by US billionaire, Elon Musk and his Tesla electric car brand.

Such a shift could have a major impact on the strength and stability of economies underpinned by oil.

Much of the above is also reflected in currency issues, notably Sterling and the Euro’s weakness, while China’s Yuan looks deliberately under-valued, as the rulers of the world’s number two economy try to stop it running out of steam after a miraculous boom.

Meanwhile, the UK position is a mixed bag, not made any easier by the run-in to a General Election where Brexit and a strong government to negotiate it was the key issue, until Theresa May’s wobble over care reform.

UK positives such as low wage growth and near full employment are countered by lower economic growth (currently 1.9%), rising inflation (currently 2.8%), persistent UK trade and budget deficits; the government recently announced that it does not now plan to balance the budget books until 2025, though its borrowing cost (currently around £50bn) has been driven steadily downwards and now stands at a third of what it was in 2009/10.

And while employment does seem to be defying gravity at present, with some experts saying it is edging towards full capacity, businesses must surely stop hiring as they hedge their bets in the face of the above negatives.

Even here there is a caveat, as the latest immigration/emigration figures show that the difference between the two statistics is narrowing - more EU residents are returning home, perhaps nervous of staying on in the UK as it gears up to leave the Union.

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The new US President is unpredictable to the point where perhaps even he doesn’t know quite what he will do next!

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On the other hand, they could be leaving for purely commercial reasons. The pound they were used to earning, perhaps to keep a family back home or build a new life on their return, is no longer worth as much.

And like native Britons, they will have seen wages stagnate at a time when inflation and borrowing are both predicted to rise, the latter fueled by quantitative easing and PPI windfall cash running out of steam.

All of which begs the question, was Theresa May and her advisors’ timing of the General Election less about Brexit and ‘strong and stable Government’, and more to do with the possibility that the economy might have been much weaker by the time Parliament reached the end of its fixed term?

Mrs May presumably hoped that the election would leave her better placed to weather unpopularity that will surely come with that economic weakness, and have enough seats in Parliament to carry through what we all hope will be a good Brexit deal despite worrying speculation over any divorce bill - some say it will be as much as £80bn or £11k per household.

Instead, Mrs May was handed a hung parliament, not the result she wanted, not the decisive result the country needed, and it also weakens the government’s hand at the Brexit negotiating table.

And yet again the Tories have suffered a self-inflicted wound, their poor election campaign demonstrates that they really do need to learn to listen to and connect more with the people. On the other hand, we seem to have avoided Labour’s desire to impose the highest rates of tax the UK would have seen in peacetime. This would have affected all of us, not just those considered wealthy.

So, in short, invest in something secure there are shaky times ahead!

Richard Spofforth is the regional managing partner at leading accountancy, business advisory and financial services firm Kreston Reeves. Email richard.spofforth@ krestonreeves.com www.krestonreeves.com

business. tax. wealth.

17

The Big Story

THE MAN THAT MADE GEEKS COOL ❝ M

by Maarten Hoffmann

ark Zuckerberg is one of those incredibly annoying people - 33 years old with the face of a 12 year old and the fifth richest person on the planet, with a bank account showing over $62 billion.

These days it seems there is only one way to get there that fast and that is in the digital and online sphere, meaning that if you are not hard at it at the age of 15, you have missed the boat.

Zuckerberg founded Facebook from his dorm at Harvard University in 2004 and it was originally designed as a method of communication for students. Little did he know at the time quite what a behemoth it would become and, one might say, it has become the most socially life-changing invention since the horseless carriage.

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Facebook uses a complicated series of shell companies in tax havens to avoid paying billions of dollars in corporate tax.

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He was born in White Plains, New York in 1984 of a dentist Father and a psychiatrist Mother and won prizes at school in maths, astronomy and physics and attended the John Hopkins Centre for Talented Youths summer camp. On his college application he noted he could read and write French, Hebrew, Latin and ancient Greek and was captain of the fencing team.

Whilst the ‘cool’ kids were at the beach chasing girls and tequila, Zuckerberg was at the very uncool summer camp and labelled a prime geek.

His Father aided his rapid programming development by hiring software developer David Newman, to privately tutor his son.

Newman quickly claimed him a prodigy and moaned that it was really tough to keep up with him. According to writer Jose Antonio Vargas, “some kids played computer games.

Mark created them.” Zuckerberg himself recalls this period: “I had a bunch of friends who were artists. They’d come over, draw stuff, and I’d build a game out of it.” However, notes Vargas, Zuckerberg was not a typical “geek-klutz”, as he later became captain of his prep school fencing team and earned a classics

The Big Story because its popularity had overwhelmed one of Harvard’s network switches and prevented students from accessing the Internet. In addition, many students complained that their photos were being used without permission.

Zuckerberg apologised publicly, and the student paper ran articles stating that his site was “completely improper.”

diploma. Napster co-founder Sean Parker, a close friend, notes that Zuckerberg was “really into Greek odysseys and all that stuff”, recalling how he once quoted lines from the Roman epic poem Aeneid, by Virgil, during a Facebook product conference.

During Zuckerberg’s high school years, he worked under the company name Intelligent Media Group to build a music player called the Synapse Media Player. The device used machine learning to learn the user’s listening habits, which was posted to Slashdot and received a rating of 3 out of 5 from PC Magazine.

Vargas noted that by the time Zuckerberg began classes at Harvard, he had already achieved a “reputation as a programming prodigy”. He studied psychology and computer science and belonged to Alpha Epsilon Pi and Kirkland House. In his sophomore year, he wrote a programme that he called CourseMatch, which allowed users to make class selection decisions based on the choices of other students and also to help them form study groups. A short time later, he created a different programme he initially called Facemash that let students select the best looking person from a choice of photos. According to Arie Hasit, Zuckerberg’s roommate at the time, “he built the site for fun”. Hasit explains “We had books called Face Books, which included the names and pictures of everyone who lived in the student dorms. At first, he built a site and placed two pictures of two males and two females. Visitors to the site had to choose who was “hotter” and according to the votes there would be a ranking.

The site went up over a weekend, but by Monday morning, the college shut it down,

The following semester, in January 2004, Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched “Thefacebook”, originally located at thefacebook.com. Six days after the site launched, three Harvard seniors accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection. com, while he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product. The three complained to The Harvard Crimson, and the newspaper began an investigation in response.

Following the official launch of the Facebook social media platform, the three filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg that resulted in a settlement. The agreed settlement was for 1.2 million Facebook shares that were worth US$300 million at Facebook’s IPO.

that Jobs had advised him on how to create a management team at Facebook that was “focused on building as high quality and good things as you possibly can”.

In a public Facebook post, Zuckerberg launched the Internet.org project in late August 2013. Zuckerberg explained that the primary aim of the initiative is to provide Internet access to the 5 billion people who are not connected as of the launch date. Using a three-tier strategy, Internet.org will also create new jobs and open up new markets, according to Zuckerberg. He stated in his post: “The world economy is going through a massive transition right now. The knowledge economy is the future. By bringing everyone online, we’ll not only improve billions of lives, but we’ll also improve our own as we benefit from the ideas and productivity they contribute to the world.

Giving everyone the opportunity to connect is the foundation for enabling the knowledge economy. It is not the only thing we need to do, but it’s a fundamental and necessary step.”

A movie based on Zuckerberg and the founding years of Facebook, The Social

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There is something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in ten years, when millions of students can’t afford to pay off their loans

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Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard in his sophomore year to complete his project. In January 2014, he recalled: “I remember really vividly, you know, having pizza with my friends a day or two after I opened up the first version of Facebook and at the time I thought, “You know, someone needs to build a service like this for the world.” But I just never thought that we’d be the ones to help do it. And I think a lot of what it comes down to is we just cared more” Facebook was born and has been a hard to control bucking bronco ever since. Facebook was so well received that is took on a life of its own and Zuckerberg’s team have been trying to get ahead of the game ever since.

In a 2011 interview with PBS shortly after the death of Steve Jobs, Zuckerberg said

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The Big Story

Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan Network was released on October 1, 2010, and starred Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg.

After Zuckerberg was told about the film, he responded, “I just wished that nobody made a movie of me while I was still alive.” Also, after the film’s script was leaked on the Internet and it was apparent that the film would not

portray Zuckerberg in a wholly positive light, he stated that he wanted to establish himself as a “good guy”. The film is based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, which the book’s publicist once described as “big juicy fun” rather than “reportage”. The film’s screenwriter Aaron Sorkin told New York

magazine, “I don’t want my fidelity to be the truth; I want it to be storytelling”, adding, “What is the big deal about accuracy purely for accuracy’s sake, and can we not have the true be the enemy of the good?”

Upon winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture in 2011, producer Scott Rudin thanked Facebook and Zuckerberg “for his willingness to allow us to use his life and work as a metaphor through which to tell a story about communication and the way we relate to each other.” Sorkin, who won for Best Screenplay, retracted some of the impressions given in his script: “I wanted to say to Mark Zuckerberg tonight, if you’re watching, Rooney Mara’s character makes a prediction at the beginning of the movie. She was wrong. You turned out to be a great entrepreneur, a visionary, and an incredible altruist.”

On January 29, 2011, Zuckerberg made a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, which was being hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. They both said it was the first time they ever met. Eisenberg asked Zuckerberg, who had been critical of his portrayal by the film, what he thought of the movie.

Zuckerberg replied, “It was interesting.” In a subsequent interview about their meeting, Eisenberg explains that he was “nervous to meet him, because I had spent a year and a half thinking about him. Mark has been so gracious about something that’s really so uncomfortable. The fact that he would do SNL and make fun of the situation is so sweet and so generous. It’s the best possible

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The Big Story way to handle something that, I think, could otherwise be very uncomfortable.

Zuckerberg’s attention had now been drawn to politics, with rumours of his intention to run for President of the United States.

He has never revealed his own political views: some consider him a conservative, while others consider him liberal. In 2013, Zuckerberg hosted his first ever fundraising event for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Zuckerberg’s particular interest on this occasion was education reform, and Christie’s education reform work focused on teachers unions and the expansion of charter schools. Later that year, he hosted a campaign fundraiser for Newark mayor Cory Booker, who was running in the 2013 New Jersey special Senate election. In September 2010, with the support of Governor Chris Christie, Booker obtained a US$100 million pledge from Zuckerberg to Newark Public Schools. In December 2012, Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a community organisation that includes education in its list of grant-making areas.

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Zuckerberg’s attention had now been drawn to politics, with rumours of his intention to run for President of the United States.

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Zuckerberg led the launch of a lobbying group called FWD.us. The founders and contributors to the group were primarily Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors, and its president was Joe Green, a close friend of Zuckerberg. The goals of the group include immigration reform, improving the state of education in the United States, and enabling more technological breakthroughs that benefit the public, yet it has also been criticised for financing ads advocating a variety of oil and gas development initiatives, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Keystone XL pipeline. In 2013, numerous liberal and progressive groups, agreed to either pull their Facebook ad buys or not buy Facebook ads for at least two weeks, in protest of Zuckerberg ads funded by FWD.us that were in support of oil drilling and the Keystone XL pipeline, and in opposition to Obamacare among Republican United States senators who back immigration reform.

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Award winning business, tax and wealth advice To find out more about the full range of accountancy, business advisory and financial services that help our clients achieve their business and personal goals, please contact:

Bryan Elkins, Partner, Horsham office T: +44 (0)1403 253 282 E: bryan.elkins@krestonreeves.com Shirley Smith, Partner, Gatwick office T: +44 (0)1293 776 152 E: shirley.smith@krestonreeves.com

Offices across London, Sussex and Kent www.krestonreeves.com 22

The Big Story filed a petition in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, asking for a court order to enforce an administrative summons issued to Facebook, Inc., under Internal Revenue Code section 7602, in connection with an Internal Revenue Service examination of Facebook’s year 2010 U.S. Federal income tax return.

When questioned about the mid-2013 PRISM scandal at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Zuckerberg stated that the U.S. government “blew it.” He further explained that the government performed poorly in regard to the protection of the freedoms of its citizens, the economy, and companies. In January 2017, Zuckerberg criticised Donald Trump’s executive order to severely limit immigrants and refugees from some countries.

It would appear that the election of Donald Trump to the Oval Office has inspired him to move forward with his own political beliefs and, with his utter domination of the digital space and sufficient cash in the bank, his ability to bankroll his own campaign is not in doubt.

At the start of the year, he embarked on a tour of every state in the US, saying he wanted to better understand how peoples’ lives are being changed by globalisation and technology. The tour, on which he has been meeting groups from sports teams to church congregations, sparked speculation that he might be considering running for president.

He wrote a 6,000- word letter, which some called a Facebook manifesto, about how he wants the platform to improve the “global community” by making it safer, better informed and more civically engaged.

First he will have to deal with the most pressing problem that Facebook faces, that of an increasing number of Western governments demanding that the company act against terrorist extremism, fake news, under-age porn and cyber bullying that plague the online space. It would appear that his sheltered early life did not allow him to look forward to the depraved wickedness that would swamp Facebook and now the company is struggling to police the system before legislation is passed to force them to do so. And here lies the problem. With 2 billion users every month, five new profiles created every second, 83 billion fake profiles and 300 million images uploaded per day, this is a problem of massive proportions. Safeguards built in when the system was designed might have been able to control this but retrograde solutions are nigh

on impossible.

The use of Facebook can have psychological effects, including feelings of jealousy and stress, a lack of attention, and social media addiction, in some cases comparable to drug addiction.

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So the company is beset with problems but if you think they are going anywhere soon, you would be sorely mistaken.

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Facebook’s company tactics have also received prominent coverage, including electricity usage, tax avoidance, real-name user requirement policies, censorship and its involvement in the United States PRISM surveillance programme.

Facebook uses a complicated series of shell companies in tax havens to avoid paying billions of dollars in corporate tax. For example, in 2011, Facebook paid £2.9m tax on £840m profits, no tax in 2012, no tax in 2013, and £4,327 in 2014 on hundreds of millions of pounds in UK revenues which were transferred to tax havens. Facebook routes billions of dollars in profits using the Double Irish and Dutch Sandwich tax avoidance schemes to bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.

Due to allowing users to publish material by themselves, Facebook has come under scrutiny for the amount of freedom it gives users, including copyright and intellectual property infringement, hate speech, incitement of rape, terrorism, fake news, and crimes, murders and violent incidents live-streamed through its Facebook Live functionality.

Facebook was recently shaken by allegations that it could have influenced the election by accelerating the spread of fake news, much of which supported Donald Trump, and creating filter bubbles, where voters were not shown news beyond their own viewpoint.

The platform has been banned by several governments, including Syria, China, and Iran but this originates from their desire to control the population rather than their outrage.

So the company is beset with problems but if you think they are going anywhere soon, you would be sorely mistaken. The Facebook generation is here and life will never be quite the same again. I am sure the same worries were voiced when the first car scared the living daylights out of a horse, the first plane roared across the sky and the first computer relieved us all of having to use tipex.

There can be little doubt that this genius multi-billionaire has good intentions and has voiced his intention to give 99% of his money away to good causes. In the two hours it has taken me to write this profile he has earned $2.5 million, so perhaps he had better hurry as he is making it faster than he can give it away.

Proof, if proof were needed, that geeks are now cool.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice

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Finance

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE

MHA Carpenter Box Partner, Chris Coopey, takes a look at life for British businesses who trade in Europe and beyond, post-Brexit, and raises a few questions about final salary pension schemes.

W

hat does the post-EU landscape look like for British business? For some businesses, the decision last summer to leave the EU has provided an unexpected boost in trading. For one thing, exports from the UK are more attractive thanks to the drop in the value of the pound.

This helps exporting businesses here in the UK to be more competitive than their European counterparts. However, Brexit is a double edge sword as we’ve seen in the steep rise in the cost of imported goods. As these costs are inevitably passed onto the consumer, although still fairly low, inflation is now at its highest level since 2013.

Despite or perhaps because of the recent triggering of Article 50 and impending negotiations, UK companies remain committed to strong trading relationships with the EU. This is according to the results of the British Chamber of Commerce’s International Trade Survey, released earlier this year. The findings show that over a third (36%) of responding businesses plan on putting more resources into exporting to the European market over the next five years.

How will Brexit affect European operations?

SMEs will be looking to government for clarity on how Brexit will affect their business and operations. VAT is a prime example. The majority of UK firms currently trading within the EU don’t incur European VAT – will this continue once we leave? This could have a significant impact on import and export strategies. Any future trade deals need to either continue the current tax arrangement, which businesses are accustomed to, or provide a simple alternative. This will allow businesses to plan and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Trading beyond Europe And how will leaving the European Union

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affect trade outside of Europe? While UK businesses already operate far and wide (including the US, Far East and India) the majority of these countries work with us within EU regulations, and treat us as ‘European’ businesses rather than British.

As the UK turns its eye to the international markets, trade with businesses in countries like China and the US are paramount to ensuring long-term growth for British SMEs, and the key to prosperity after Brexit.

Helping you trade globally As a member of MHA our national association, we are independent members of Baker Tilly International; one the largest global associations of independent accountants, auditors, tax advisers and business consultants.

That means your journey to understanding

and trading in foreign markets can start at MHA Carpenter Box. Through our colleagues across the globe, we can help you to meet the cross-border needs of any business wanting to operate across international markets. So no matter where you intend to operate, you’ll get the best possible commercial and tax efficient advice.

With member firms in over 140 countries, the global footprint that Baker Tilly International delivers means we can access the international expertise our clients need, helping to translate their ambitions into new markets.

Read more about our national and international reach at www.carpenterbox.com/mhainternational-interests

Finance

DO YOU KNOW THE CURRENT CAPITAL VALUE OF YOUR FINAL SALARY PENSION SCHEME FROM PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT?

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etirement consultancy, Mercer, recently revealed that the final salary pension deficit of the 350 largest companies listed in the UK had reached £137 billion by the end of last year, despite the FTSE 100 index closing 2016 at a record high. That figure is more than three times the corresponding deficit amount of £39 billion at the end of 2015.

Against this, it is perhaps no surprise then that more and more people are seriously considering cashing in their final salary pensions from previous employment and transferring the funds to an alternative pension scheme. This is in stark contrast to past trends, where the security of a guaranteed income for life for you and your spouse, often linked to inflation, with all the investment risk taken care of by the former employer was generally seen as something not worth risking.

However, with a considerable question mark hanging over where the funds for many final salary pensions will come from in the future, suddenly the guarantee feels far from ironclad. As the title of a Telegraph article put it, “If a former pensions minister cashes in her final salary plans, perhaps you should too.”

Benefits of transferring Transferring from a final salary to a defined contribution pension will give you a lump sum transfer value, which is usually twenty times the amount you would receive annually from your final salary pension, although due to ongoing low interest rates and increasing longevity, these multiples have been rising significantly.

Whilst a defined contribution pension scheme (such as a personal pension) doesn’t offer the guaranteed income of the former, it does allow much more flexibility. Benefits include the ability to take multiple lump sums and the ability to pass on any unused savings after your death with the potential of no tax being due.

Another worry for some is that the economic turmoil of 2016 following the EU referendum and US election results could mean that the amount offered to transfer out of a final

salary scheme may be about to drop sharply. There is also the recent debacle surrounding the collapse of BHS and the impact this has had on the pensions of its former employees, which have now fallen into the Pension Protection Fund with pension incomes for those who are yet to retire capped at 90% or even lower for higher earners.

Appropriate advice Ultimately, there is real value in considering the position with any final salary pension schemes from previous employment and whether they remain suitable for your own circumstances and retirement plans. Whilst this is a major financial decision, our independent financial advisers within Carpenter Box Wealth Management have the skills and relevant qualifications to help. Indeed they have provided advice in this area to a large number of our clients detailing the options available in full.

Visit www.cbwm.co.uk for more details or to speak to one of our Independent Financial Advisers.

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Focus on Security & Business Continuity

FOCUS ON… Security & Business Continuity

C

reating and growing a business is an enjoyable experience and can be very rewarding. We all enjoy creating new products, innovating, expanding and thinking big. The best aspect of running a company is identifying opportunity - and acting on it.

However, businesses are also faced with all kinds of threats. Whether it is cyber crime, personal security, new legislation or contract dispute, it seems there is always something (or someone) out there looking to trip you up.

The best way to deal with these challenges is to avoid them in the first place.

Being prepared can save you time, money, and, in extreme circumstances, the business itself.

PBM asked leading experts for advice on business continuity and security.

Over the following pages there are in-depth features offering valuable advice on keeping yourself and your business safe. Ignore these at your peril!

CYBER CRIME The recent cyber-attack which disrupted IT services across the globe may have been making headlines - but small businesses also need to be alert to other, smaller-scale fraud and scams. NatWest fraud analyst Sarah Grant talks about staying safe in a fast-paced and increasingly digital world.

PERSONAL SECURITY One important consideration for a company is the safety of their staff and Directors when travelling abroad on business. The best way to do business is still face-to-face but how can you keep safe? The Association of Corporate Travel Executives recently reported a staggering 56% increase in business travellers’ safety concerns. Riz Omar, Global Operations Manager at Priavo Security, gives his advice of travelling safely.

CONTRACT DISPUTES While business dealings are often about negotiation and compromise, sometimes things do go wrong and relationship breakdowns happen. By planning ahead you can help guard against problems, but if they do occur, litigation does not have to be the only solution. James Colvin, Partner at law firm DMH Stallard, looks at some of the ways businesses can guard against disruptive contract disputes.

COMPLYING WITH NEW LEGISLATION Ignorance is no defence. If a new law comes in and you are now acting illegally, the consequences can be dire.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25th May 2018. The penalties for failing to comply with the GDPR can be very severe, with fines of up to €20 million or, if greater, 4% of group turnover. Although the changes don’t come into effect until next year, your business will have to undergo a huge number of changes. Will Walsh from Rawlison Butler looks at the key areas employers need to look at without delay.

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Focus on Security & Business Continuity

CYBERCRIME Don't be held to ransom The recent cyber-attack which disrupted IT services across the globe may have been making headlines - but small businesses also need to be alert to other, smaller-scale fraud and scams. NatWest fraud analyst Sarah Grant talks about staying safe in a fast-paced and increasingly digital world.

I

n the first few hours of the recent cyberattack on England’s NHS, a number of big-name companies and government departments in other countries also fell victim to the malicious software.

Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, has called the cyber-attack the “largest ransomware attack observed in history”.

But what about smaller frauds and scams which may only target one business, but to that company can be equally devastating?

Three of the most common which we are

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currently seeing focus on emails, invoices – and even your own staff.

hundreds of emails every week?

Emails are not always what they seem.

An increasingly prevalent scam is nicknamed ‘Bogus Boss’. This is where an email arrives with a payment request - usually marked ‘urgent’ – and appearing to be from a senior person within your organisation. In fact it is from a fraudster posing as your colleague, with a very convincing replica of an email from your firm’s account.

The key is to stay alert and never take things at face value. Have a process in place to verify if the request is genuine or not, for example speaking to the sender in person using a trusted contact number. If you are at all suspicious about the request contact the sender independently to check they did actually send the request. Do not use any contact details for them contained within the email.

How can you spot this kind of scam – especially when you are ploughing through

Another threat is from Invoice redirection fraud. This is where fraudsters pose as a

Focus on Security & Business Continuity supplier or creditor and tell you that their bank details have changed.

This can come via email, letter or over the phone. The instruction asks you to settle all future invoices to a new sort code and account number.

But if you do this, funds are paid straight to the fraudster when the next invoice is due and the original debt to the genuine supplier still stands.

Just as with Bogus Boss, my advice is to question any communication which asks you to do this. Contact your supplier or creditor using the details you hold for them, not those on the letter or email, and check if this is genuine. And make sure all staff know of this scam and to be on their guard.

Unfortunately though, sometimes your own staff can be the source of a fraud. Insider fraud often starts with small amounts being taken but can then increase along with the confidence of the perpetrator.

Look out for:

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The key is to stay alert and never take things at face value.

• An employee having financial difficulty

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• Employees who are reluctant to take holidays • Always staying late or being the first in • A new member of staff who resigns shortly after joining • Customer complaints about missing documents • Changes in an employee’s behaviour/lifestyle/performance • Suppliers who insist on dealing with the same employee Make sure that you always validate employees’ right to work,

qualifications, references and criminal records. Control access to your building and systems with unique ID and passwords, restrict and monitor access to sensitive information, implement a joiner/leaver process, and always reconcile statements. And as the leader in your business, set a zero tolerance to fraud for all staff, regardless of role, grade and length of service.

To find out about the latest developments in fighting fraud, we recommend that you regularly visit the Financial Fraud Action’s website: www.financialfraudaction.org.uk

Email: sarah.grant@rbs.co.uk

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Focus on Security & Business Continuity

SAFELY DOES IT

How real are the risks of global business travel?

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives recently reported a staggering 56% increase in business travellers’ safety concerns. Riz Omar, Global Operations Manager at Priavo Security, spoke to Max Vinall about his views on this growing issue.

MV: So Riz, how justified are these travel fears?

RO: Well, these concerns are very real.

The security and political landscape has deteriorated significantly in recent years.

Employees want to know that their companies value their safety. Organisations must understand the negative impact on the business and their team if something goes wrong.

MV: Who is affected here?

RO: All of us to some degree. Even the most routine trips pose risks: safety, security, financial, medical or even environmental.

An organisation’s exposure to risks increases when they operate globally and have people travelling on their behalf. We live in an ultraconnected age, but physical meetings with key people is still an absolute necessity to secure the best deals.

MV: OK, so if your staff need to travel, what can be done to ensure their safety?

RO: Fortunately, keeping people safe can be relatively simple and cost effective if

done correctly. We have a lot of experience protecting employees and understand the challenges businesses face when managing teams of travellers. Our Travel Risk Management service ranges from monitoring people, events and intelligence to the provision of security teams and chaperones.

their activities and the countries they visit:

MV: How does this work?

Secure. There are many practical steps we can take to safeguard travellers from moving individuals and teams through immigration formalities in an unfamiliar country, to the provision of security trained drivers and monitoring travellers 24/7 through our inhouse safety app ‘locate’.

RO: Travel Risk Management is broken down into three key areas, tailored for each client,

Empower and inform. We review and strengthen an organisation’s current procedures, identifying gaps and training needs. Information is provided on risks travellers may face including crime, terrorism, safety, medical and cultural considerations.

Respond. In the event of an incident, we can deploy in-country security, medical, logistical and emergency support. Before we get to that stage I advise companies to develop a crisis management plan. Travel Risk Management is not just how well your organisation responds to a crisis, but how well it can prevent that problem from becoming a crisis in the first place.

At Priavo, we are here for your safety and business needs. We can and will take all reasonable steps to safeguard you and your team whenever and wherever you operate.

www.priavosecurity.com

31

Focus on Security & Business Continuity

KEEPING YOUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS ON TRACK James Colvin, Partner at law firm DMH Stallard, looks at some of the ways businesses can guard against disruptive contract disputes

B

enjamin Franklin once said: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” These are wise words and one of the many scenarios they’re true in is in dispute resolution. While business dealings are often about negotiation and compromise, sometimes things do go wrong and relationship breakdowns happen. By planning ahead you can help guard against problems, but if they do occur, litigation does not have to be the only solution.

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From little acorns, big disputes grow You and a friend have come up with a great business idea and are about to become entrepreneurs. You’ve been friends for 20 years, you don’t need to get all formal and put everything in writing. Should any disagreements arise, as 50/50 shareholders, you’ll be able to sit down and talk about them to come to a mutually agreeable solution. Or you’ll do it once you have more time. Right?

In what seems like the blink of an eye, it’s five years down the track, one shareholder

wants to sell their shares and the other doesn’t agree with the timing or process. There’s a stalemate.

It started with a… contract While contracts aren’t one of the most exciting things about running a business, and are often an expense that parties want to avoid at the outset of their fledgling business, they are hugely important. Done properly, they can save a lot of headaches down the line and be a key factor in resolving disputes – or even stopping problems before they become formal disputes.

Focus on Security & Business Continuity

❝

While contracts aren’t one of the most exciting things about running a business, and are often an expense that parties want to avoid at the outset of their fledgling business, they are hugely important.

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In the earlier example, a well written shareholders’ agreement would give clear guidance on what would happen next. It can encompass a range of issues, such as who gets the deciding vote if there’s a stalemate, who you can and can’t sell shares to, and much more.

The Brexit factor Contracts are equally important with suppliers when it comes to avoiding disputes, especially with the unknown quantity of Brexit on the horizon. Ensure that your terms and conditions are up to date, relevant and incorporated into your business dealings with third parties. For example, if there is a crossborder element in your supply chain contracts, make sure that there are appropriate law and jurisdiction clauses which specify how or where any disputes will be resolved. Without this, even before you turn to trying to find a solution to the dispute, there could be timeconsuming and protracted discussions about where and with what process you’re going to solve the problem.

❝

Disputes in business will occur no matter what, but if you plan for them before they happen, you will be in a much stronger position to resolve them in your favour.

❞

The options for resolving disputes

There are two major ways to address serious contract disagreements: alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and litigation. Litigation in the courts can be expensive and time consuming - taking you away from running your business and being emotionally draining.

It is therefore no surprise that the Courts and the Court Rules are increasingly encouraging people to explore ADR before resorting to the courts.

ADR covers options such as conciliation, mediation, adjudication and arbitration.

While the first two are voluntary, flexible and non-binding (unless an agreement is reached), adjudication is final and binding unless the decision is challenged by subsequent arbitration and/or litigation. Arbitration can be binding or non-binding, depending upon the agreement between the parties at the outset. All four of these options are confidential, unlike most court cases.

Mediation is becoming a more and more popular way to resolve disputes as the parties can agree to take into account a broad range of issues, especially concerning commercial and business interests. While in a court case a judge can simply make an award of, say, £100,000, in mediation, for example, parties can be more creative and structure settlement terms on a much wider basis that may help maintain the relationship between the parties.

For example, rather than a lump sum payment of £100,000, settlement terms could be agreed that one party must give the other a minimum number of orders per month, on which the purchaser will pay 10% above market rates, until the sum of £100,000 is paid in full.

The solutions that can be made through ADR, where people get to air their grievances and get the chance to be heard, should not be underestimated. It’s easy in a dispute for

viewpoints to become entrenched and for people to start fighting their corner and lose sight of the bigger picture. ADR can give people the chance to focus on the wider commercial considerations involved in a dispute, and come to an agreement without ‘losing face’. Should ADR fail, there is then the option of litigation in the courts.

Be prepared Disputes in business will occur no matter what, but if you plan for them before they happen, you will be in a much stronger position to resolve them in your favour. You can then focus more of your time on building your business, rather than fighting fires.

DMH Stallard lawyers manage and resolve all types of commercial and corporate disputes. We are firm but proportionate and understand that avoiding rather than encouraging legal conflict usually delivers a better outcome for our clients. We are able to draw on the expertise of colleagues in other parts of the firm as required in areas such as banking, real estate, employment, corporate/ commercial and intellectual property. For further information, please contact james. colvin@dmhstallard.com or +44 (0)1293 605169.

33

Focus on Security & Business Continuity

DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT General Data Protection Regulation: What do employers need to do to prepare?

Will Walsh from RB’s Employment Team gives an overview of the urgent action points that employers need to take before the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25th May 2018.

T

he penalties for failing to comply with the GDPR can be very severe, with fines of up to €20 million or, if greater, 4% of group turnover. Although the changes don’t come into effect until next year, your business will have to undergo a huge number of changes. The key areas employers need to look at as soon as possible will be as follows:

Identify all existing personal data processing systems The starting point for all employers will be

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❝

There will be severe restrictions on an employer’s ability to use consent as a reason for processing data.”

❞

to carry out an audit of all data processing they do. Processing includes obtaining, holding, recording, using, disclosing or erasing any personal data. Personal data is any information that identifies an employee.

Employers need to know what types of data they process, who it relates to and the systems they use to process that data.

Using consent to process data Under existing data protection law, there are a number of different grounds an

Focus on Security & Business Continuity employer can use for processing personal data and the most commonly used is consent.

Many employers include a standard clause in employment contracts, confirming that by signing the agreement, the employee gives consent to their personal data being processed. The list of lawful grounds for processing data is similar under the new law, however there will be severe restrictions on an employer’s ability to use consent as a reason for processing data.

Consent must be given entirely freely and those who give consent have the right to withdraw that consent. If included in an employment contract, the consent will not be given freely as it is bundled together with the other terms and in most cases, an employee will have little bargaining power to ask for their consent to be removed from a contract.

Further, if an employee gave consent and then withdrew that consent, the employer would be prevented from processing any data for that employee. If the employer tried to choose a different ground for processing data in the event that consent was withdrawn, that in itself would demonstrate that the initial request for consent was not genuine.

Therefore employers should check contracts and other employment documents to see where they have asked for consent to data processing. Where consent has been requested, employers must consider whether they genuinely need consent as the reason for processing data, or whether they should rely on one of the other grounds for processing that data. It will be rare that consent is the only reason that an employer can use for any particular processing activity, in which case consent should not be used.

Prepare fair processing notices Employers must provide full information on the legal basis for processing each different type of data, and provide this to employees and job applicants in respect of any of their personal data being processed. The notice must be in plain language, concise and specific. It must detail the source of the data, who will receive it, the period for which it will be stored, the legitimate ground on which the employer is relying to process the data and the rights of the individual.

Review data protection policies and employee handbooks It will no longer be sufficient to comply with data protection law, employers will

also be required to demonstrate compliance.

As employers will need to be much more transparent and specific about data processing, it is highly unlikely that current data protection policies will be fit for purpose. Going forward, policies should be substantial and detailed documents, covering all types of data processing and the particular information, rules and requirements relating to each.

Prepare a data breach response plan The GDPR requires mandatory breach reporting. For example, if an employee loses a portable device storing data about other employees, customers, suppliers or any other individual, the employer will need to notify the regulator within 72 hours. Therefore it is critical that all employees understand what they need to do if there is an issue, and what steps will be taken to ensure that the notification is made on time.

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employer may be classified as a “data controller” and the third party with be the “data processor”. The rules on the use of data processors will become stricter, employers will need to ensure that data passed to processors is handled correctly and, as the processors themselves will have a number of liabilities, they will require clearer information and stricter requirements from employers.

Staff training A large amount of data will be handled by the employees themselves, often in an unstructured manner. For example, any email received will contain personal data about the sender and the recipient and, quite often, third parties. This may include special categories of data that have even stricter rules, for example details about health. Employers will still be responsible for how this data is processed.

In order to comply, and indeed demonstrate compliance, training should be given to all employees on their responsibilities and the employer’s requirements in respect of each category of data that might be processed.

How RB can help

It will no longer be sufficient to comply with data protection law, employers will also be required to demonstrate compliance.

❞

Ensuring compliance by data processors Employers will often pass employee data to third parties, such as payroll companies, pension providers or medical insurance companies. In these circumstances, the

We offer a checklist that allows you to understand exactly what changes your business will need to undergo to comply with the new GDPR. For a copy of our checklist, or if you would like to understand more about what you need to do to comply with the GDPR, or would like help with the preparation of your data protection policies, contracts, fair processing notices or a data protection audit for your business, please email Will Walsh on wwalsh@rawlisonbutler.com or call 01293 558540.

This document is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this document.

35

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36

LET’SDO BUSINESS B2B EXHIBITIONS 2017

Business Conference

ACUMEN BUSINESS CONVENTION 2017 The Sponsors Verdict

T

here is no event quite like the Acumen Business Convention. As MD Penina Shepherd says, “When there is singing, clapping, zebras and hundreds of business people – it can only be the ACUMEN BUSINESS CONVENTION 2017!

“The day was absolutely packed with inspiration, motivation and expertise from our speakers, fascinating workshops and plenty of networking opportunities with 300 decision makers.”

PBM was very proud to be a partner for the innovative and successful event. We asked our fellow sponsors and partners for their verdicts…

FACEMEDIA GROUP “Face Media Group were once again a headline sponsor and official print partner for Acumen Business Convention in 2017. Its the fourth year we have been involved, and this years response to our activity at the event has been the best yet. We designed and printed all the promotional material used at the event, and in doing so, has opened communication with some brand new contacts, conversations that would not have happened if we weren’t involved. We love the Acumen Business Convention. It’s a landmark in the Brighton Business Calendar, a ‘must be at’ event - we will be there again next year.”

WOODHART GROUP “Very proud to sponsor such a worthwhile event, a very enjoyable day and the speakers at the event were great”

WATSON ASSOCIATES “We were extremely proud to be sponsors of the Acumen Business Convention. The convention never lacks energy and provides a great forum for business decision makers to meet and create opportunities.

Inspirational speakers and though provoking seminars create a top class afternoon.

hiSbe “At hiSbe Food we were proud to be sponsors at the 2017 Acumen Business Convention, flying the flag for social enterprise! It was an inspiring day, successfully fusing innovative and traditional businesses in a room together and injecting that unique uplifting Acumen style.

Events like this remind us that working with great people is exciting plus The Rock said he loves hiSbe”

SUSSEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “The Sussex Chamber of Commerce is proud to be a sponsor at the Acumen business convention. The event provides great exposure for the Chamber, raises our profile so that businesses are aware of who we are and what we do. The networking is fantastic and the workshops are very informative.”

BASEPOINT CENTRES “Being a sponsor of the Acumen Business Convention always gives us real value – not only is it fantastic to be associated with Acumen and other the well-respected companies that sponsor the event, but the exposure before, during & after the event is superb and Acumen always make sure that as sponsors, we are very well looked after. The event itself is fun, innovative, inspirational and excellent for networking as it attracts decision makers from a wide variety of businesses, with the set-up of the day allowing for plenty of opportunities to make new connections. We’re looking forward to being involved with the Acumen Business Convention again in the years to come.”

To find out how you can get involved with the 2018 Acumen Business Convention, please contact Lee-Ann Connor on 08458 678 978

37

Charity News

BREAKFAST OF

CHAMPIONS Lancing College hosts networking breakfast for local children’s hospice, Chestnut Tree House.

T

he Dining Hall at Lancing College was the latest venue to host a networking breakfast for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice, encouraging local businesses to get together to network and learn more about the work of the charity. Over 90 people attended the event on Wednesday 31st May, with representatives from a wide range of businesses, including Assurity Consulting, CSM Bakery, Porsche, Ridgeview Estate, and guest speaker, Sussex Police Chief Constable Giles York.

Derwyn Jones, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Chestnut Tree House, introduced charity trustee and Lancing College Bursar, Mark Milling, and Linda Perry, Director of Children’s Services at Chestnut Tree House. Mark welcomed guests to Lancing College and Linda gave a moving account of the care provided by the hospice to local children and families, and talked about some of the charity’s activities for the coming months.

Linda said: “It’s always great to see local businesses showing their support at events like this. Spreading the word about the specialist care services we offer is so important to us, both in terms of awareness and fundraising, and it was fantastic to see so many new faces at this networking breakfast. We would also like to thank Lancing College for letting us use their stunning Dining Hall”.

Chief Constable Giles York gave a poignant speech about the role of Sussex Police, the importance of transparency and trust, and the shift in policing that is required to deal with issues such as cyber-crime. Giles spoke about the role of policing as part of the fabric of society and his duty to provide a strong, safe environment. He encouraged guests to find out more about the work of Chestnut Tree House – his Charity of the Year – explaining that it is a happy place where people go to live, but that the charity is in need of support so that they can continue to care for local children with life-shortening conditions and their families.

Mark Milling announced the winner of the business card draw – Laurel Edwards of CSM Bakery, who won a Sunday lunch for two at The Coal Shed in Brighton.

Chestnut Tree House provides care and support to around 300 children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Sussex. The cost of providing this vital service is over £3.5 million per year, yet the hospice receives less than 7% central government funding, so relies heavily on the support of the local business community and events like this to continue providing vital care to local children and families.

The next Chestnut Tree House networking breakfast is taking place at Crawley Town Football Club on Friday 14th July. For more information or to book, visit www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/crawley-networking-breakfast

Photos (top to bottom): Toby Lanaway and Andrew Spence; Louise Savill and Sally Neil-Smith; Giles York, Sarah Arnold, Juliette Macpherson, Mark O’Brien.

All photos by Graham Franks

If your company would like to get involved with supporting Chestnut Tree House, please contact the Corporate Fundraisers on corporate@chestnut-tree-house.org.uk or visit www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/corporate for more information.

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Business News

PART OF THE PROCESS

Adetiq complete move to new headquarters in Portslade, Brighton.

A

detiq is the leading industry expert in highly secure document and data process outsourcing. Established over 50 years ago, Adetiq handles the complete document processing cycle including physical and online document and data processing, as well as end-to-end project management. This leaves customers free to focus on what really matters growing their businesses.

Over recent months, Adetiq has been working behind the scenes ready for a large-scale office move. In excess of £600,000 has been invested in bringing onstream over 9,000 square feet of purpose designed office space for their new headquarters in Portslade. The spacious new premises have been completed with the latest technology, and with underground car parking facilities to support growing staff numbers and ease of access for clients as the business continues its expansion. This new office space compliments Adetiq’s other facility in Burgess Hill completed in mid-2015. Adetiq has been a major employer in Brighton for over fifty years and are delighted to continue this long association from their new premises.

Adetiq are currently working on many large-scale projects for clients in government, education, finance and the private sector, and are proud to count well-known brands such as Karcher, Liz Earle and Superdry as clients, to name but a few. Following a successful bid for a contract with Sport England, the main body responsible for promoting and supporting sport access across the UK, Adetiq were thrilled to receive the 2016 Global Sourcing Association ‘Outsourcing Works – Award for Delivering Business Value’.

Peter Repp, CEO of Adetiq commented: “Adetiq has been working with Sport England for just over a year, and in that short period of time, the team have achieved outstanding results against the KPI’s for the programme, as well as forging exemplary working practices between the two organisations. Our clients from Sport England joined us at the GSA awards evening and it was very special to celebrate success and industry recognition together; the whole team should be very proud of their achievements”.

If you would like to find out more about the services available at Adetiq, visit www.adetiq.co.uk or email sales@adetiq.co.uk.

FULL SERVICE UK BASED BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING SERVICES INCLUDE:

Document Processing & Management Services

Data Extraction, Data Capture & Data Entry Services

Virtual Mail Room & Non-Voice Contact Centre Services

Adetiq Ltd, Avery House, 69 North Street, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1DH Database & Systems, Management & Administration

Data Transformation Validation & Maintenance

Business Automation Services

01273 202 006 sales@adetiq.co.uk www.adetiq.co.uk

39

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CEO Fight Club

CEO THE SEVEN SECRETS OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

By Si Conroy, owner of Scarlet Monday

I

feel like a drug dealer. Giving you that

Do you know what the scariest thing about all

tantalising title is like crack for leaders. Why?

these ‘people problems’ is? They’re all bollocks.

Because you want them, SO much. Not just

They’re pretty much all symptoms of the real

because most CEOs have some form of addictive/

secret of people management… there is no

compulsive/obsessive personality traits; but

secret.

because I’m pretty sure I’d win a bet that you have a people problem right now.

Now I know this isn’t what you wanted to

useless as time passes after the event. The more people give feedback 360 degrees, the better.

3. Who got you here probably won’t get you there. This is a tough one as it challenges our sense of loyalty. You need to challenge

hear, but it’s because the answer is like all the

whether the people who served you so well

big truths in life. It’s simple and in plain sight.

for the stage of growth you’ve just come

problem that never stops giving. Whatever the

People don’t like to be managed. Most

through, are fit for the next stage. If not,

variant, people talk as if there is a central truth:

don’t want to work. What they want is to

move them sideways or replace them. We have

People management is hard. It’s messy and

be led in doing something of meaning; after

to show loyalty to the best interests of the

emotional and draining and… [insert your own

all, it’s the thing they will spend the most time

adjectives here].

doing (except sleeping) between when they’re

I hear it over and over, and it’s like the

When I start working with startups, they complain about it being so hard to hire those first people they could trust.

Leaders of small businesses talk with each other in hushed tones at networking events.

They warn each other – as though passing on the Eleventh Commandment - to get rid of their

born and when they die.

You don’t like to be managed. For some of you

business.

4. Nervous is good. Google have a people/ culture rule: give people slightly more trust, freedom and authority than you are

it’s probably why you set up your own business/

comfortable giving. If you’re not nervous,

became a leader. So pretty much every problem

you’ve not given them enough.

you suffer is caused by your failure to recognise this alternate reality.

So now we’re getting somewhere. And the

5. Hire people who scare you. The biggest hiring breakthrough I had in one of my first companies was that if I hired people faster,

businesses as soon as they near that dreaded

really exciting thing is that the alternative nature

smarter, and more capable than me, then all

’30 people point’. It all goes wrong they say. It’s

of this reality gives us our magic key (ok, so I

I had to do as leader was to remove blockers

too big: you meet people you’ve hired and don’t

don’t want you to go cold-turkey).

and evolve the business fast enough for them

know their names. You spend 120% of your time

You solve every people management or

to want to stay.

on people issues and you can’t control everything

recruitment problem by recognising that what

anymore, apparently.

you should do is the opposite of what your brain

by-product of how you lead the business;

tells you/most other people are doing:

the mission you set and the beliefs you

1. Treat money, rewards and benefits as

communicate. Beanbags, brainstorming

The impossibility of building senior teams, people processes, rampant compensation requests and politicking, weigh heavily on the

hygiene factors. You have to pay what the

small to medium size businesses. But that’s

market is paying for the role in your area but

nothing compared to the medium to large

past this, it’s scientifically proven not to be a

businesses. They have a war on talent, and

motivator.

couldn’t survive without anti-competitor, antipoaching and confidentiality clauses in their HR contracts. Acquihiring is even a thing: where it’s worth buying an existing business just for the people, with the products/services purchased closed down post-acquisition.

2. Tell it straight and fast. Woolly corporate performance appraisals are going the way

6. You can’t manage culture. Culture is a

booths and bring your pet to work days are great – but they’re not culture.

7. Vulnerability and personal understanding trump professional ‘separation’. Leaders who ‘act’ as leaders, thinking there are things they should and shouldn’t do to be ‘leaderly’

of the mammoths. Anything other than

are immediately distorting. Just be you.

immediate, unambiguous performance

Oh, and always deliver on your promises.

feedback is an abstraction that becomes more

Si Conroy specialises in helping business owners set and achieve stretching goals: sales, profit & capital/ dividend value realisation. Trained at PwC and owner of www.ScarletMonday.com and www.ConstantMentor.com, Si practices what he preaches across a number of businesses in which he has invested. si@scarletmonday.com · @siconroy

41

Architecture

THE PROCESS OF ARCHITECTURE Andy Parsons, Founder and Director of Yelo Architects, talks us through stage three of the architectural process - getting the building built.

CGI render of final build

B

y this stage in the project we will have gained planning consent which on this project was won through an appeal. However all planning applications are consented to with conditions, most are standard such as you have three years to start the building works, or the decision is based on the drawings submitted. With larger schemes, there will be pre-commencement conditions that require another planning application in order to discharge them before work can start.

Pre-commencement conditions normally cover items that can only really be decided at prebuild stage, such as material samples, building compound details, tree protection measures and items like soil investigation reports. With this project we had 14 planning conditions of which five were pre-commencement conditions. We therefore submitted additional applications to discharge them in advance of starting building work and all were signed off. It’s important to understand that these additional applications only cover the conditions - the principle of development had already been considered and granted.

Also in the pre-construction period it is quite

42

common to make some small amendments to the overall design, and again we made an application to relocate a couple of windows.

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I’m particularly keen to see the set back brick top floor as this is quite unique - top floors are normally in zinc or cladding so brick should be quite dramatic.

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The work above was all commissioned by the client but after planning consent was granted, more consultants and a contractor were required. The client is a high-end developer so he was concerned about how quality would be maintained during the build.

There are a number of ways of controlling this and it’s not just about finding a good builder!

We encouraged the client to take advice from a Project Manager on the type of procurement to use in this case.

There are a number of methods and they have different outputs in terms of cost, speed and quality. Most small residential projects would follow a traditional procurement route - an architect produces all of the drawings needed for construction, a builder prices against them and then is monitored throughout the build until it is complete. This method is historically the preferred method but it is slower and often more expensive than other routes. It also involves the client spending more money prior to the start of the build.

A more common route for a scheme of this size (nine residential units) is the Design and Build process. A contractor will be selected normally on the best price after they have reviewed a smaller amount of information and drawings. Once they are appointed, they will employ an architect to complete the design and package of drawings for them.

The benefit of this process is speed and cost,

Architecture it delivers buildings quicker because the contractor has the ability to build the building in a way that suits them. However the final product doesn’t always match the client’s aspirations as cost savings can often be detrimental to the design and finish of the building.

Detail drawing of typical apartment window

So what did we do on this building? We went with an increasingly common method - we spliced the best of both routes together! The client appointed us to produce all of the construction drawings (as per traditional process), the contractors then tendered their prices and the winner was appointed under a design and build contract. It meant the price was more efficient as less risk was priced in, yet the contractor had

❝

The client is a high-end developer so he was concerned about how quality would be maintained during the build.

There are a number of ways of controlling this and it’s not just about finding a good builder!

❞ the freedom to make savings if they could find them.

Finally, after completing all those stages, we can get on site and build the building which is exactly what we have been doing since November! Building sites always take a while before you see real progress, and here we had to demolish the existing building, dig out a basement, pour the foundations and start the frame before there was any real evidence appearing above the site hoardings.

The concrete frame is complete up to the fourth floor, and the remainder of the concrete elements such as staircase are nearly complete. Unfortunately the building will now be shrouded in scaffolding so we’ll have to wait until spring 2018 to see the final facade.

I’m particularly keen to see the set back brick top floor as this is quite unique - top floors are normally in zinc or cladding so brick should be quite dramatic. The balconies are also a distinctive feature as they are angled and have moving privacy screens.

Progression of works on site

Our current role is to support the contractor by providing advice, any additional drawings and to visit site on a regular basis. Once completed we’ll ensure everything is compliant, paperwork is signed off and then we’ll assist the client with information for the sales brochures and land registry.

Then in spring 2018 we can attend the opening party!

43

Travel - Dusseldorft

Shake hands in...

DUSSELDORF

Rose Dykins finds fast cars, high fashion and Japanese culture in the dynamic German city.

T

he glassy canal of Konigsallée is tinged deep blue by the sky above it. It is sandwiched by two rows of plane trees flourishing with lime green foliage. On both sides, well heeled shoppers relax at bistro tables, giving their credit cards a well deserved break after flexing them at Hermés, Prada, Versace and Cartier – some of the luxury flagship stores located along this leafy avenue.

Clusters of somewhat scruffier folk linger at the traffic lights on Konigsallée’s corners, but they aren’t waiting to cross the street.

When the red light flashes, so do the crowd’s cameras, as one exotic sports car after another slows to a halt – a yellow Lamborghini Garlado Roadster here, a bubblegum blue Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano there. These car spotters are in their element in Dusseldorf, where there are more millionaires than any other German city, appoximately one per 1,500 people.

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Though Dusseldorf’s centre gleams with sleek shiny car bonnets and swanky shopping centres, its suburbs harbour a subversive spirit and a more bohemian culture, conducive to the freeflowing of ideas.

❞

Dusseldorf’s strong economy is diverse, and the North Rhine-Westphalia’s GDP of approximately €645 billion is propped up

by a range of industries thriving within the city, including automotive manufacturing, ICT, finance, chemistry and fashion. In terms of international investment, Dusseldorf’s convenient position in the northwestern corner of Germany, within close proximity to Belgium, the Netherlands and France, has been sought after by one nation in particular.

“After the Second World War, Japanese companies settled here because of Dusseldorf’s strong geographical location, in the hope of trade with western nations,” says my tour guide, Marion. “Now, we have somewhere between 550 and 650 companies from Japan here”. These companies include Fujitsu and department store chain Mitsukoshi.

Dusseldorf is also home to the third largest Japanese population in Europe (after London and Paris, respectively). There’s even a “Little Tokyo” district in the centre of the city. A

Travel - Dusseldorft Konigsallée

couple of minutes on foot from Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof station is Immermannstrasse, the main drag of the city’s Japanese quarter (where Japan’s Chamber of Commerce is also located). Along here, and along the streets branching off of it, are Japanese supermarkets, bookstores, bakeries and restaurants, including Na Ni Wa (naniwa.de) where, any day of the week, you’ll see people sitting on benches outside, queuing for delicious bowls of noodles and soup.

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city’s avant-garde art culture, which challenges fixed perceptions of art. “The art scene here is moulded by the Dusseldorf Art Academy,” says local art historian Natalia Gershevskaya, who moved here from St Petersburg. “In the Sixties, it was artists like Joseph Beuys who formulated a new concept of art. Then came the whole generation of the avant-garde artists, who expressed their creativity not only through their art, but also through their lifestyle”.

This rejection of fixed definitions of art, and the experimental work of Dusseldorf’s avant-garde pioneers, influenced the concept that fashion could, in fact, be an art form. The two art forms went hand-in hand and today, the city has become known for its innovation in both fields. Today, art lovers still travel to Dusseldorf to request specially commissioned pieces; and the city stages several international fashion trade fairs, including Gallery

Dusseldorf Art Academy

As well as Little Tokyo, Dusseldorf has also gained the moniker of “Little Paris”, thanks to its internationally renowned fashion industry.

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As well as Little Tokyo, Dusseldorf has also gained the moniker of “Little Paris”, thanks to its internationally renowned fashion industry.

Its innovative fashion scene is rooted in the

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More destinations than any other UK airport

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Source: OAG schedules 2016

Travel - Dusseldorft (gallery-duesseldorf.de), which takes place twice annually. There are 800 show rooms within its limits, where fashion buyers come from afar to seek out striking clothing to sell back at home.

What’s more, there are seven fashion schools and, aside from the established designers, a slew of emerging talent. While some feel the city could do more to support young self-starters, who often move on after graduating due to the lack of funding and expensive rental fees, Dusseldorf’s creative

streak is tangible throughout the city. “We have a very good creative scene and a really collaborative atmosphere,” says Marion Strehlow (marion-strehlow.squarespace.com) a Dusseldorf-based designer. “Because we’re a small city, everybody knows everybody, and there’s a lot of mutual respect between musicians and artists here”.

Though Dusseldorf’s centre gleams with sleek shiny car bonnets and swanky shopping centres, its suburbs harbour a subversive spirit and a more bohemian culture,

conducive to the free-flowing of ideas. Artistic collaborations abound, and there are a number of festivals where visitors can witness these in action, such as Open Source (opensource-festival.de) which takes place in July, and provides a platform for some fascinating co-creative projects. “Artists, musicians and fashion designers all come together here, often through self-initiated events,” says Gershevskaya. “It’s extremely productive for all parties, and it makes the city of Dusseldorf a very interesting place to be”.

WHERE TO EAT

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OKINII

A buzzy setting for a sushi lunch on Immermannstrasse (the main drag of the city’s Japanese quarter), where you order staggered sets of sashimi, succulent gyoza and flavoursome yaki tori via iPads. Definitely try the fried Okinni rolls – salmon sushi rolls fried in batter and drizzled with avocado sauce. okinii.de

EMMAFISCH A vast, laid-back venue in a converted building on the edge of Volksgarten park, with eclectic chairs, garden lanterns and mermaids grafittied upon the far wall.

High-quality ingredients and excellent attention to detail make the fish, steak, pasta dishes and tapas here special, from the butterfish with tomato confit, to the dates wrapped in bacon. emmafisch.com

➠ CARLSPLATZ MARKT Grab a hefty hotdog and an Altbier – Dusseldorf’s crispy, fruity locally brewed beer – and watch the world go buy at this vibrant market in the heart of Old Town. More than 60 stalls selling international cuisine, artisan coffee and handmade sweet treats will keep you occupied during a lunch break, and the Rhine embankment promenade is a short stroll away. carlsplatz-markt.de

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Travel - Dusseldorft

TOP PLACES FOR A MEETING/EVENT MESSE DUSSELDORF

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Dusseldorf’s big daddy conference venue lies northwest of the city centre – a ten-minute taxi ride from the airport. Covering 305,000 sqm, with another trade hall being added for 2019, it staged 23 leading global trade fairs last year, and welcomed 1.5 billion visitors. messe-duesseldorf.com

K21 STAENDEHAUS This striking art venue, comprising 22 rooms set over three levels, presents the work of groundbreaking international artists within its airy, modern spaces, which can be hired for events, workshops or group tours. kunstsammlung.de

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STATION AIRPORT

Start your event the moment delegates get off the plane by hosting at Dusseldorf Airport’s long-distance railway station. There’s more than 3,500 sqm of flexible event space to choose from, including an outdoor terrace with panoramic runway views and a glass-roofed gallery VIP area. stationairport.de

ME AND ALL HOTEL DUSSELDORF This trendy hotel in the Japanese quarter has a smart co-working area in its lobby – a long boardroom table for ten delegates – which could be ideal if your team feels motivated by external stimuli. There’s also an eleventh floor lounge serving drinks and street food for when the hard work is done. duesseldorf.meandallhotels.com

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RHEINTERRASSE DÜSSELDORF Enjoying a prime location along the Rhine River, this 1920s-era building retains the glamour and hedonism of its age. It has five halls, a beer garden and a jetty allowing guests to arrive by boat. stockheim.de

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Travel - Dusseldorft

WHERE TO STAY MAX BROWN MIDTOWN

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This stylish new boutique hotel in the Japanese quarter fuses urban décor with classical features. The quirky rooms range from “tiny to large”, but all come with Crosley record players and luxury linens. WiFi and breakfast are thrown in for free, and the retro bar, complete with tropical wallpaper, serves nibbles all night long. maxbrownhotels.com

HOTEL INDIGO DUSSELDORF Situated in Medienhafen – within easy reach designer showrooms – this ubercool design hotel screams fashion. Rooms come with Nespresso machines and free WiFi, with walls adorned with black and white murals of models doing their thing.

Adress restaurant regularly hosts brunch events at the weekends, and there’s a modern boardroom for 15 people. indigoduesseldorf.com

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BREIDENBACHER HOF, A CAPELLA HOTEL

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For those with more traditional tastes, this five star property enjoys a top location in a turn-ofthe-century building at the end of Konigsallée. The elegant, creamy-hued rooms start from 41 sqm in size, while the various categories of suites feature working fireplaces, spa baths and views over the Old Town. There’s also a spa offering treatments from premium skincare brands, and an indoor pool. capellahotels.com

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Travel

BA ON CRUZ CONTROL It’s all in the eye of the business, says John Burroughes Managing Director, Uniglobe Preferred Travel

L

et me start by declaring I am a loyal British Airways fan. For me flying does not get better than to experience British Airways service at its best, be seated on one of their planes knowing it is superbly maintained, listening to the dulcet tones of a British Airways pilot and looking out of the window to see Rolls-Royce engines ready to power us aloft.

But sadly, listening to some of my clients together with various well-publicised recent events, something appears to be going badly wrong, so let us examine the past in order to fully understand the future.

Long before my time there was Imperial Airways. This was an early British commercial long-range air transport company that operated from 1924 to 1939 serving parts of Europe but principally the British Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East, including Malaysia and Hong Kong.

In 1939 Imperial Airways merged with the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) which in turn merged with British European Airways Corporation in 1974 to form British Airways.

Since 1974 onwards British Airways has gone from strength to strength and like most leading brands, as it expanded, it has had its ups and downs in terms of vision, service and delivery. Prior to its present difficulties British Airways turned to its formidable history to rediscover its heritage, many of you may remember a superb marketing campaign with the tagline “To Fly. To Serve” Let me remind you of some of the key messages British Airways delivered in this campaign: To fly to serve is who we are. It’s what we do. We’re putting customers back at the heart of the operation. It’s what our brand stands for and it’s what our customers look for when they choose to travel with us.

To our customers, British style conjures

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up an image of sophistication, understated design, quality and meticulous attention to detail. Our thoughtful service makes customers feel treated as individuals and their needs are understood from the very moment they book a flight with us.

Keeping our promises means we will live up to our customers’ expectations, from consistent service to punctual departures, to reliable in-flight entertainment, to bags arriving safely and on time. If we say we will do something we will do it, our service is warm and approachable, we are experts in flying and that’s because we do things properly.

This was British Airways message circa 2011 onwards, it was brilliantly encapsulated in a

Alex Cruz

Travel superb range of videos that are still available on YouTube and when you watch them, they made you feel proud that BA is our national brand. At the time the experience lived up to the marketing.

So what has changed in the recent history of BA to bring us to the currently perceived low ebb?

Well quite a few things. In January 2011 British Airways and Iberia, the flag carrier airlines of the UK and Spain, respectively merged into International Consolidated Airlines Group, shortened to IAG, with its operational headquarters in London and officially registered in Madrid for taxation and currency purposes, with British Airways holding 55% of the newly formed company.

In October 2011 IAG created Iberia Express, a new lowcost airline which began operations in March 2012. In April 2012 IAG completed the purchase of British Midland International (BMI) from Lufthansa, which increased IAG’s share of Heathrow Airport slots from 45% to 54%. In 2013 IAG took control of Vueling, a Spanish low-cost airline based in Barcelona. In December 2012 IAG completed the merger of the cargo operations of BA, BMI and Iberia into a single business unit, IAG Cargo.

In August 2015 IAG took over Aer Lingus in a £1 billion deal.

In March 2017 IAG announced the launch of a new low-cost long haul airline named LEVEL operating out of Barcelona.

In November 2015 Alex Cruz was appointed chief executive and chairman of British Airways, his background is that he was founder and chief executive of clickair which then became part of Vueling in 2009, at the time Vueling was Spain’s secondlargest airline with 163 destinations.

If we review the history of British Airways since 1924, we can see that change and mergers are no stranger, indeed the one thing about the aviation industry is that change is constant, but clearly there are other issues at play here.

Currently the main issues seem to be crew disruption caused by mixed fleet integration. Put simply BA have been recruiting new crew on new contracts, the terms of which are fundamentally different from legacy BA crew. It is the crew on the new contracts that appear to be causing the disruption and BA have put much resource behind keeping their services operating during this dispute.

Then there was a much-publicised removal of inclusive food and drink on short haul flights and on talking to my client base the biggest gripe appears to be not around M&S sandwiches but the removal of free gin and tonic.

And finally, we move to complete shutdown of BA’s IT systems at Heathrow which has received much press coverage. This resulted in huge disruption for BA’s clients and has caused many questions to be asked.

My guess is BA will, for very good commercial and security reasons, not make public what happened. However, I do believe that IAG must explain to their shareholders how such a threat to their investment is possible, as well as reassure them there will no recurrence.

Given that as of August 2016 Qatar Airways, who are the state owned flag carrier of Qatar, announced they now own 20% of IAG it could be a very interesting time ahead.

So looking back at this history I believe there are lessons to be learnt, clearly within IAG there is much appetite and emphasis on low-cost

travel. I also believe that in terms of the BA brand, IAG felt it had to do something, as we all know what happened with Kodak and the denial of the digital revolution.

However, as it currently stands I believe nobody is clear what the British Airways brand stands for anymore.

So again turning to history, a past American president whose good friend had been charged with very serious offences was asked by the marauding press if he was a friend of the president. His reply was firmly “NO!” The president then said, “He is a very good friend!” Thus giving the press nowhere to go with the story.

My suggestion for British Airways is to acknowledge that you are a little more expensive, because you’re worth it, deliver on all the brand promises that have always been at your heart, listen to the people who work for you, who are so proud of what you have been and so desperately want to be part of what you could be.

Set out a bold and clear vision that British Airways is the premier brand of the skies and no matter where you encounter or touch that brand, it will be superior and above all, reinstate the free gin and tonics.

If you’d like to know more, please contact me on John@Uniglobepreferred.co.uk

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British Airways i360

STARRY NIGHTS Put some sparkle into this year’s Christmas party by hosting it at British Airways i360 and take in the festive lights of Brighton.

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here’s nothing like a great party to kick off the festive season, so the popular Starry Nights shared Christmas parties at British Airways i360 are back - designed specifically for groups wanting to enjoy the atmosphere of a larger event.

The British Airways i360 beach building will be decked in festive lights, and as guests arrive they will be given a warm welcome before boarding the glass observation pod for a night-time flight. Glass in hand, they’ll watch in wonder as the festive lights of Brighton and Hove spread out beneath them, while delicious canapés are circulated at 450ft. Back at beach level the evening unfolds with a seated two course meal and DJ entertainment until late.

British Airways i360 is conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, creators of the London Eye.

Starry Nights packages include: • Flight on the British Airways i360 pod with canapés (drinks can be purchased at the Nyetimber Sky Bar on board) • Two course meal with a choice of main and dessert • Half a bottle of wine per person at the table • Mince pies with tea or coffee • DJ music until late Starry Nights Christmas parties are available on selected dates between Friday 24th November and Friday 22nd December 2017, from 7pm until late. Price £62 + VAT per person. Book now at BritishAirwaysi360.com

Private parties Looking to book a private Christmas party? Packages are also available for exclusive lunch or evening Christmas events for between 10 and 480 guests.

Book early to secure your preferred date by contacting our events team on (01273) 448370 or events@britishairwaysi360.com.

Menu Canapés Smoked salmon, blinis, lime gel Turkey mousse, brioche, cranberry chutney Goats cheese and chestnut bonbon (v) Compressed beetroot with balsamic (v)

Main Roasted turkey ballantine, filled with sage, onion and chestnut stuffing with roasted potatoes, carrot purée, glazed sprouts and honey roasted parsnips, served with all the trimmings Steamed plaice paupiette, stuffed with a seafood mousse, wilted spinach, roasted golden beets fondant potatoes, served with salsa verde Caramelised butternut roasted apples and Ashdown Forrester tart, with chard coulis (v)

Dessert Cranberry and Cointreau popcorn cake with mince pie ice cream Traditional Christmas pudding, brandy cream, confit fruits

After Dinner Mince pies with tea or coffee

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Business Expos

CUTTING IT ACROSS SUSSEX Sonny Cutting is currently setting up business expos across the county.

He explains what inspired him to create a business events company…

I

was invited to a business conference in Haywards Heath and was simply not impressed. The business conference felt tired and lacklustre and I knew that there was a space for a livelier event. In January 2015, I set up a small networking group which worked like a mini conference with speakers, guests and members that met once a month on a Saturday morning in Ardingly, West Sussex bringing together 15-20 business people every month to network, make connections and ultimately, this was the humble beginnings of the Network Xpress brand and vision.

The network club closed after six months but I picked up some valuable life lessons about market research, actively engaging and asking for feedback. I learnt the priceless lesson of adapting and enhancing your brand after both success and failure, to bring it back to the market even stronger.

The second time round Net XP set up a series of small mini expos at Hurstpierpoint College to see if there was scope to build the brand and expand across Sussex. This proved to be incredibly popular, and the mini expos started to evolve and grow. Consequently, Net XP needed bigger venues to start adapting the concept and to build the brand with four venues across East, West and Mid Sussex.

Net XP’s first ever corporate conference was held in August 2015 in the grand hall of Hurstpierpoint College. I introduced the game theme, Trivial Pursuit for Business, for the first time and it could not have gone better. Companies loved the idea of a game to play which broke the ice and enabled easier conversation. In early 2016 we started to introduce tech into events with high-quality video, professional photography, augmented advertising, VR and much more.

After the initial success of our first big event, I wanted to connect with even more businesses to gain a foothold in the marketplace. We organised each event with a gamification process which allowed users of the website to play games, register points and win prizes.

The brand and concept is exciting, and though initially businesses may not grasp what Net XP offers, they are soon brought round to the idea that there is a whole lot more to Net XP’s brand than just a ‘tradeshow’. Net XP is an immersive experience, real fun and invaluable for forging genuine connections with other businesses.

Business Tradeshows with a twist!

Website: www.netxp.co.uk – Telephone: 0800 2545 666 Email: sonny@netxp.co.uk

Net XP now covers Uckfield, Gatwick, Burgess Hill and Hastings with more event destinations coming soon.

Register on the website to see what Net XP is all about!

Born in South London, Sonny Cutting was a Brighton local from the age of 16 and has lived in Hurstpierpoint for the past 17 years. Today, in the sleepy village of Hurstpierpoint, he lives with his wife, Andrea and their four-year old twins, Jack and Charlotte. Sonny is the Managing Director of Sussex Pages, the Business Marketing network, a local digital marketing company which he set up after leaving BT as a new media specialist after eight years of service.

53

Business Awards

THE ADUR & WORTHING BUSINESS AWARDS The new look awards launched on Worthing Pier

T

he 2017 Adur & Worthing Business Awards, under new independent management, launched on Worthing Pier in June, with over 60 people attending to find out about the categories and what needs to be done to win an award.

A panel of previous winners, Phil Duckett from Southern Pavilion, Michaela Meredith from Bespoke You and Ivan Lyons from Investment Solutions shared their experiences of the Business Awards and their top tips. They all agreed that just by entering the awards, the application process alone makes you look at your business, your performance and involves all your staff.

Attendees were encouraged to use the nomination process to shout about their business and achievements. Winner or not, you should be there to celebrate the night!

Businesses are invited to enter up to three categories out of the 18 separate categories, all designed to recognise successes and achievements across various industries. Entering or nominating a business couldn’t be easier - simply complete the relevant online form at www.awbawards.com and select the ‘Enter/Nominate’ tab The judging panel is led by local business figures who themselves, bring a wealth of industry knowledge to the awards. Entries can be submitted now and winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony held at The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing on Friday 10th November 2017.

Winning an award will…

• Showcase your business to customers and suppliers • Provide credibility and status, opening doors to new customers and suppliers • Pave the way for considerable press coverage, otherwise perhaps out of reach.

• Attract possible partners or investors • Help you focus on your business issues. This in turn increases your bottom line

Guidelines to help you with your entry • Be clear and concise • Read the entry criteria properly • Understand the category you are entering and tailor your information to suit • Evidence everything you state • Be innovative • Pinpoint changes that have improved profit, customer base, costs, etc.

• Check your entry before submission and get someone else to read it too • Ensure that you meet the deadline date!

If you would like to book for the event or want more details on the Business Awards please visit www.awbawards.com

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Business Awards

55

Digital Marketing

MONKEY BUSINESS Digital marketing plays an important role in business. Kate Morton talks to digital marketing guru, Beth Nash, to find out more about how this fast-paced industry inspired her to start up her own digital agency, Smart Monkey.

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here’s no getting away from it. It’s part of our daily lives, and we are consuming it at an alarming rate via our smart phones, computers, laptops and tablets… welcome to the digital world.

With access to information anytime and anywhere, apparently people spend more time on social media than they do eating and drinking, and at least 80% of consumers use the internet to search for products and information. So it’s no wonder that Google processes over 10 billion searches every month (that’s around 40,000 searches every second!). And for businesses, being techsavvy when it comes to their own marketing is essential. Beth Nash explains why.

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KM: What is Smart Monkey?

come from?

BN: We are a digital marketing agency growing small and medium sized businesses in Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

BN: I always wanted an animal in my company name as animals are memorable words. My brother runs a software company called Red Monkey, so I thought I’d keep it in the family.

And ‘Smart’ relates to setting smart marketing objectives.

KM: Why did you start Smart Monkey?

BN: In 2005 I became a Chartered Marketer having completed a three year Post Graduate Diploma, which I studied for at evening school, followed by two years professional development. Having worked in a few marketing roles, firstly in the automotive industry, moving to an agency and then for a telecoms company, I knew that I could go it alone and develop a business on my own terms. So in 2006, I went for it.

KM: Where did the name Smart Monkey

KM: Can you briefly describe your services?

BN: We have a track record of delivering results for businesses through SEO, PPC, content marketing and social advertising.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) involves optimising a website so that it appears for the keywords your prospects are searching for online. SEO is a longer-term strategy as

Digital Marketing it takes time to move up the search rankings, however, once your website is there, the clicks through to your site are free.

SEO links very closely with content marketing as Google likes to rank useful, information rich websites. We thoroughly research our clients’ markets to ensure we create sought-after web content.

PPC (Pay Per Click) is great for generating new business quickly as people are actively searching for your service or product, whilst advertising on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram is more about brand building.

Beth Nash

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Google processes over 10 billion searches every month, that’s around 40,000 searches every second!

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KM: Why do you think digital marketing is so important?

BN: Because of the number of people who use their phone and computer to find something.

If you’re not online, people won’t find you!

One of the most critical things for success online is the initial research. When we start working with a client, we carry out in-depth research to understand their business, market, competitors, target audiences, etc. Our aim is to get under the skin of their business and find out what makes it tick. Armed with this information, we develop a robust strategy with the confidence it will deliver.

KM: What are your top five tips to get started in the digital world?

BN: Make sure you have set up a Google My Business account, especially if you are a local business, so that people can find you on the map listings. Set up a website with well written content that’s of value to your target audience - think quality over quantity.

Increase your Domain Authority (a score that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines) by building relevant, good quality incoming links from other websites.

Start with a paid search campaign (PPC) to quickly assess the opportunity online before you invest in organic SEO. Last of all, if a

business is very ambitious and has solid growth plans, working with an agency like us would be a great start!

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Our aim is to get under the skin of their business and find out what makes it tick. Armed with this information, we develop a robust strategy with the confidence it will deliver.

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KM: What are your dos and don’ts?

• Do share interesting sought-after content through your social channels.

• You don’t have to cover every single social media platform - choose what’s right for your target audience.

KM: What’s your business ethos?

BN: We provide a proactive and transparent service for our clients so that they know exactly what we are doing, when, and ultimately, how it will meet their objectives.

We also have strong ethics and an unwavering commitment to keep our promises.

KM: Where do you see the future of digital marketing?

BN: The ‘way’ people search is changing… voice activated searches are increasing.

Looking further into the future, I will be keeping an eye on personalisation of websites for individual visitors as well as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.

BN: • Do make sure you only use ‘White Hat’ SEO techniques, meaning that your SEO follows Google’s guidelines.

• Do your research to understand your target audiences.

• Do make sure you have a social media policy for your staff, if your staff are posting.

www.smartmonkey.co.uk beth@smartmonkey.co.uk @Bethanie_Nash

57

Forum Review

HOW DOES THE DIAMOND MEASURE UP? Delegates at the recent Gatwick Diamond Economic Forum got a new perspective on the regional economy, and how it can be grown, as two major new reports were presented.

By Ross Sturley

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he Centre for Cities presented their report benchmarking the Gatwick Diamond against four other UK regions – the Thames Valley, Greater Medway, the M3 corridor, and the South East Midlands (Milton Keynes and surrounds). In a poll taken at the event just before the presentation, delegates believed our regional economy would be better than the UK average – and this proved to be true. It out-performs all but the Thames Valley with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head of £63,000. The Thames Valley manages £71,000, with the UK average being £54,000.

It also rated well for residents’ skills levels and for knowledge intensive business services jobs. However, we are growing slower in that sector than our UK rivals, which could be a long term cause for concern.

A third of residents work outside the Diamond, and a third of workers live outside.

This helps produce a larger difference in average weekly wages for residents and workers than is the case in the UK generally,

Gatwick Airport CEO Stewart Wingate in conversation with Daryl Gayler, Regional MD of Natwest. and, along with other factors, contributes to housing being far less affordable in our region than elsewhere, with average house prices 13.2 times average annual earnings.

and happiness’. In a fascinating presentation, delegates learned that Reigate & Banstead district is in the national top ten when all these factors are considered.

It was also clear from the report that our town centres do not make as big an economic contribution as in other parts of the UK. Crawley town centre, for example, adds less proportionately to the economy that does Reading’s to the Thames Valley. This is true across our region.

Crawley – in the top ten nationally for prosperity in the Grant Thornton tables, was let down by its other scores, ranking as low as 281st – for ‘resilience & sustainability’. MidSussex was in the top five in the UK for ‘health, wellbeing, and happiness’, with Horsham and Reigate & Banstead also making the national top ten.

The clear message was that we need to continue to expand the supply of employment space in the areas where it is most needed to allow jobs to grow, and particularly to encourage investment in town centres where those jobs can contribute to supporting the retail and night-time economies.

It’s also important that we address the housing affordability issue – companies will hesitate to move here if their employees will not be able to afford to buy homes close by.

And of course, we must continue to seek improvement in public transport connections into and within the Gatwick Diamond.

Paul Swinney, Centre for Cities

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Grant Thornton presented a different set of measurements on economic vibrancy.

Their index goes beyond economics and encompasses, as well as ‘prosperity’, a series of measures such as ‘dynamism & opportunity’, ‘inclusion & equality’, and ‘health, wellbeing,

Overall, we saw that there is no real relationship between prosperity and the other factors, and that it is important for businesses to look beyond GDP to understand the reasons for good and bad productivity.

The relationships between places – particularly travel to work patterns – are important to employees, so investment in infrastructure, facilitating choice of work locations, is crucial to our region’s success.

Businesses need to be located where people with the right skills want to be – and can afford to be. We all need to work together to try to achieve this in the Gatwick Diamond.

See the reports and the data contained at www.gdegf.com/programme-2017/. The next event in the Gatwick Diamond Economic Forum series – Spotlight on Crawley - is on September 22nd.

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Business Awards

THE LEWES DISTRICT SHORTLIST F

ollowing a record level of entries, some of the Lewes District’s biggest and best make the shortlist of forty-six finalists for fourteen awards in this year’s Lewes District Business Awards.

Commenting on this year’s shortlist, David Sheppard, Chair of the Sussex Chamber of Commerce and of this year’s Judges, said: “Lewes and District businesses have once again excelled themselves with the numbers and quality of the entries for the Lewes and District Business Awards.

“Ranging from small retail businesses to larger multi nationals, Lewes District has shown strength in depth and wide diversity setting high business standards in all sectors, notably the creative, leisure, professional services and tourism industries. This made judging a particularly hard task for the judging panel, but in the end winners were agreed upon, all ready to be revealed at the award ceremony."

The Awards will be presented by the BBC Television News presenter and correspondent, Ben Brown, on Thursday 13th July 2017 at the Lewes Town Hall.

The event will be attended by around 250 of the District’s leading businesses and offers great opportunities to both celebrate and network.

Tickets cost £65 each (plus vat) or £600 for a table of ten (plus vat) and includes a threecourse meal with wine preceded by a sparkling wine reception provided by award-winning local wine producer – Plumpton Estate.

2017 SHORTLIST

• Businessperson of the Year Sponsored by Cheesmur Building Contractors Nathaniel Hepburn, Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft Richard Light, Fundraising Auctions Jacqueline Elsey, Krunchkins Ltd. t/a The Runaway • Best Green Business Sponsored by Veolia Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC Tina’s Kitchen Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd • Business in the Community Sponsored by Richard Soan Roofing Lewes Football Club Edward Reeves Photography CTLA Community Transport • Culture, Leisure & Tourism Sponsored by Viva Lewes Pells Pool Community Association Newhaven Fort (Wave Leisure Trust Limited) Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft Bluebell Railway Plc

• Best Customer Service Sponsored by Basepoint Gateway Cafe (Papachinos Ltd) Cleankill Pest Control The Phoenix Centre (Sussex Community Development Association) • The Best Place to Entertain Clients Sponsored by ACES Magazine Plumpton Racecourse Chaula's Aqua Restaurant • Best Business Growth Sponsored by Platinum Business Magazine Le Magasin Industrial Construction (Sussex) Ltd Fundraising Auctions • Entrepreneur of the Year Sponsored by LEAP Anthony Eggleton – ProAim Performance Alison Grant - Fitzroy House, Lewes (Arts Venue) Anna Lane - Treatment Tents Samantha Revill – Sam Revill Social Media Training Kate Wood – Kate Wood Communications Ltd

• Company of the Year Sponsored by Brighton & Hove Buses Wilson Wilson & Hancock Opticians Fundraising Auctions Wave Leisure Trust Limited

• Best Independent Retailer Sponsored by Wave Leisure W. E. Clark & Son Limited Chalk Gallery Alexis Dove Jewellery Holy Cow! Ice Cream Company Ltd

• The Professional Services Award Sponsored by Yelo Architects Wilson Wilson & Hancock Opticians Mayo Wynne Baxter Oakley Property Lewes

• Small Business of the Year Sponsored by Swindells Le Magasin HuckleBerryHair Plants4Presents

• Best Independent Food or Drink Producer - Sponsored by Knill James Burning Sky Brewery Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd Ridgeview Wine Estate

• The Creative Industries Award Sponsored by UNIGLOBE Atelier Dina Malkova Design+Product Ltd Pixeldot

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www.lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk

Business Expo

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR

It was all about getting neighbourly at this year’s Manor Royal BID business expo

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anor Royal BID hosted more than 300 business representatives at its latest ‘Know Your Neighbour Expo’ at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Crawley on Tuesday 16th May. Held annually, the event provides an opportunity for all companies based on Manor Royal Business District to meet and do business with each other. As well as an exhibition, the event included speed networking and a pop-up photographic studio.

Cllr Brian Quinn (Mayor-elect for Crawley) attended the event and opened the proceedings before touring the exhibition with his wife. Among the 65 companies exhibiting at the event, were Avensys Ltd, Treetop Design & Print, NatWest and Anise Catering. The ‘Best Stand in Show’ went to The Bridgeham Clinic, who recently relocated their expanding business to County Oak Way in Manor Royal.

Lisa Stevens, Group Business Development Consultant at Go Vauxhall, whose company also had a stand at the event said: “Wow, what an event.

The buzz was incredible and there were people everywhere.”

During a seminar at the event, the Manor Royal BID leadership team spoke about plans to further improve the business district in the year ahead, including the introduction of several new BID services. The BID team is currently preparing a new business plan that reflects the priorities of businesses located on Manor Royal, which will form the basis of a further five-year BID term, proposed for 2018-2022.

Trevor Williams, Director of Thales and Chairman of Manor Royal BID said at the Expo: “This event has been a tremendous success and I would like to thank all those who participated. Manor Royal BID has an ambitious vision which relies on us harnessing the energy of businesses in our community and our partners, to tackle the challenges ahead. Events, such as Know Your Neighbour, help us to encourage local trade for the benefit of all.”

Also speaking at the event was Steve Sawyer, Executive Director of Manor Royal BID who said: “This is the fifth year that we have run this event and it just gets better every time. It is a great opportunity for local companies to learn more about each other and discover what services and products are available on their doorstep in our vibrant business neighbourhood.”

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Interview

PREPARING FOR WORK Hurstpierpoint College places great emphasis on readying students for the world of work, even if university is the chosen path. Ian Trevett spoke to Head of Careers Jan Leeper and Tania Fielden, who runs the work placement programmes and trains pupils in the vital soft skills.

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here can be few things more daunting for a young adult than going through the interview process. Hurst students are well trained for this ordeal, as many of them will have already tackled a rigorous interview - to earn a place on a two-week work experience placement.

Two weeks in a workplace may seem scant reward for all the hard work preparing for an intense interview, but for Hurst pupils the work experience process is far more important than a couple of weeks out of school.

The reason that Hurst places such emphasis on interview skills is that the careers team have a wealth of business experience - and they are used to seeing young people who are clearly not ready for the world of work.

Jan Leeper knows what to look for in a candidate as she spent eight years working in recruitment. Tania Fielden worked for GE Capital for 12 years managing the HR team.

Tania says, “I have quite a lot of experience with young people in for work experience.

I have seen many come in completely illprepared and so often they are were not engaged.”

PBM asked Tanya and Jan how the careers department can make a difference.

How do you prepare students for interviews and work experience?

Tania Fielden (TF): We have a number of work placement partners who predominantly come from our parent body and our alumni.

We advertise each work placement to the Fifth and Lower Sixth Formers. They have four weeks to put a CV and letter together, which they send to me.

I spend most of the Lent term interviewing and organising first interviews. Then they get one-on-one feedback, followed up by written feedback. In many cases, they will be offered

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a second interview or even a panel interview, before they are put forward for an interview with the client.

It’s quite a robust process for a few days work!

TF: It is, but we don’t expect them to apply without any support. We run guidance sessions before they submit their CVs and letters. I run workshops, and they can come and see me or Jan one-on-one. They’ve got ample opportunities for help.

They’re very well supported to get it right; because I have a scoring system and they know if they submit a perfect CV and letter, they will get full marks and they’re already half way to getting that job. It’s really competitive and now the programme is fully embedded,they know when we’re going to launch and they’re ready to apply.

Are you quite a harsh interviewer?

TF: Yes. I’m from HR!

I’m not vicious, I’m not unkind, but I do expect them to be fully prepared. If they come in and meet with me and they haven’t looked into the company or they can’t tell me why they’ve applied for that job, I will send them away and say: “You’re not prepared enough.

I can’t interview you if you haven’t prepared.

Come back when you have.”

They can come back and have another go, because it’s a learning exercise at the end of the day.

We want to deliver a work experience programme that’s of value so that the students walk away thinking they’ve learnt something, even if it’s “Actually, I’ve learnt I don’t want to be in this industry.” That’s as useful as anything else.

Jan Leeper (JL): Preparing the students is also important to protect the clients. If we send a client five students, who then do nothing but lurk in corners being grumpy, that’s no good for the company. Companies put in their time but they’ve still got to work.

If we don’t feel we have a student candidate

Interview

who’s right for the role, we won’t fill the role.

Aren’t most of your students planning to go to university?

JL: Work experience is also valuable in applying for university. There’s a sense now that university applicants are expected to have work experience. Some of our students are not necessarily ready for university. Some take gap years because they’re still not ready to make those hardcore decisions, and some are looking at apprenticeships, so we support them in all those avenues.

Aside from interviews, what else do you offer in careers advice JL: We hold a series of careers events. We will invite in representatives from different industries or specialities so the students can get a real feel for the possible career directions they can take. We will have a room with six representatives from an industry. Students can hear from each one of the individuals, so they get a whole spectrum of information about that industry. Any student from Year 9 upwards can attend these.

How much of your role is developing soft skills?

TF: It is about helping them to understand what is out there, what types of jobs and professions are out there and what might be available to them. But equally it’s about building their confidence and to understand what skills they currently have because quite often we hear “I can’t apply for that job because I haven’t got any experience, or, I haven’t got any skills.” We have to show them where they have those skills and how they can develop them.

We help them to identify what their strengths are and what they enjoy, and we work from there. And if they can identify those

strengths and develop the skills in those areas, and build that confidence and knowledge of how to find those opportunities, then it’s up to them.

invaluable. Our objective is that every student, whether through us or themselves, should leave Hurst with a work experience of some kind.

JL: When you look back to my father’s generation, he started in insurance and he retired from insurance and that was his career path – a job for life and you got a gold watch at the end. But that has changed. Now anybody can create a company from their living room and there’s an expectation that you will have multiple jobs in your career. So I think understanding your skill set has actually become more important

www.hppc.co.uk

This generation of students have a far greater awareness of what’s going on in the world politically, economically and everything else. And they are coming to us and they have anxieties – how are we going to find a job that will pay enough so that we can actually buy a house? I wasn’t that stressed when I was their age! They have an awareness that life is tough and a lot of them come in and say “I want a job that is going to guarantee me an income so that I can raise my family” and I’m thinking, “You’re 17! You have no children.” It’s trying to get them to perhaps focus on the smaller steps, understanding what they’re good at, understanding how you can apply those skills to one job but equally apply them to a totally different job so you could start in one industry and transfer to another. It’s giving them the confidence to know how good they are.

TF: When we ask them to complete feedback forms at the end of their work experience, one of the questions is “What has been the most challenging part of this process or your placement?” And nine times out of ten it’s using the telephone. They’re on their phones all the time but they’re not speaking on them. That comes back every time! Having to speak to customers on the telephone.

JL: The lessons they learn through applying for work experience and actually doing it, are

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Economic Forum

BUSINESS TALK Sussex economic growth, jobs and Brexit

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he Chancellor Philip Hammond recently said: “The UK should focus on protecting jobs and the economy on the eve of Brexit talks with the European Union. But it is a negotiation, and as we go into that negotiation my clear view, and I believe the view of the majority of people in Britain, is that we should prioritise protecting jobs, protecting economic growth and protecting prosperity as we enter those negotiations and take them forward.”

The Sussex Economic Forum 2017 Conference will be a strategic platform to debate and discuss Sussex’s local economic growth, the effects of Brexit and where it will take the county. The four major debates will cover subjects at the heart of local economic growth including, Economic Growth and the effect of Brexit, Rail, Road, Sea and Air infrastructure, Digital Infrastructure, and Education and Employment - all subjects that are fundamental to a sound and bright future ahead. The conference will see many high-profile keynote speakers, economists, members of the cabinet, politicians, local government bodies, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, local and international businesses, universities, and a variety of other institutions in attendance.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond

Sussex is as vibrant and dynamic as it is diverse, and it is Sussex’s economic growth and development which will be the main subject matter of the conference. With a rapidly growing population, the county offers huge business opportunities in many fields such as construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail, and tourism to name a few. The county

is also home to one of the busiest airports in the UK that at present, takes passengers to 220 destinations and smashes global record of 44 million passengers each year with its long haul services that drive its year on year growth, resulting in it being one of the largest employers in the county.

This two-day conference will open with a gala business dinner on Thursday 16th November 2017 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel. The keynote speaker will be one of the UK’s top business magnates, investors and philanthropists. Also attending the dinner will be several cabinet politicians, local MP’s, heads of the local county councils, chambers of commerce and many top local businesses. The 17th November will see the conference open officially, with up to 1250 delegates attending the Hilton Brighton Metropole.

Watch this space as in next month’s issue, we will be announcing the names of a number of the amazing keynote speakers and more.

www.sussexeconomicforum.co.uk

For more information about the conference, to book tickets or for sponsorship opportunities, please contact Faiza Shafeek on 01323 461298 / 07540 406685 or email fs@carrotevents.co.uk.

Please visit www.sussexeconomicforum.co.uk

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Run and organised by

Promotional Feature

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Or do you know someone who does?

If so, enter or nominate NOW! The Sussex Business Women Excellence Awards 2017 is preparing for a bigger and even more exciting event this year. We are already receiving many wonderful email entries and the hype on social media, and at business networking events is electric.

Remember ladies, that receiving an accolade for your outstanding work achievements brings your successes to light, and builds a positive path for other women to follow. Women have made so much progress in business over the years, and these awards have been designed to highlight and recognise their exceptional skills and talents. The awards headline sponsor, ACUMEN BUSINESS LAW, is one of the ‘Top 50 Ground-breaking and Innovative Law Firms in the UK and Europe’ (Financial Times).

Penina Shepherd, founder of the

company and multi award-winning entrepreneur, business lawyer and author of the inspirational bestseller book ‘The Freedom Revolution’, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many talented Sussex business women gaining the recognition they deserve. Celebrating the achievements of successful business women across the region is truly inspirational” The Sussex Business Women Excellence Awards will take place on the 24th November at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.

“I am often asked why should we enter awards and what are the benefits to me or my business. My reply is that winning a business or personal award will raise your profile, the profile of your company, enhance your reputation, instil trust to your customers and attract new business, which will ultimately make you more profitable.

In short, it will prove you are better than your competitors.”

Faiza Shafeek of Carrot Events, organisers of the awards

Supporting Sponsors

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Sponsors on board so far this year are:

Sponsorship opportunities are still avaiable, please contact Faiza Shafeek on 01323 461298 / 07540 406685 or email fs@carrotevents.co.uk

businesswomenexcellenceawards.co.uk

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Motoring

ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH

THE MAGIC CARPET

By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

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Motoring

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he Rolls-Royce Wraith black badge is a ground-breaking model for this most iconic of British vehicle manufacturers as, not only is it the most powerful Rolls ever produced, but it is aimed at a younger demographic, as the average age of a buyer is 43, apparently. Although the Sussex based company will not use the word supercar but prefer a debonair gentleman’s GT, this is a supercar and let there be no doubt about it.

Wraith is an old Scottish word meaning Ghost or Spirit and the first model appeared in 1938 supplied as a running chassis to independent coachbuilders at a cost of £1,700. On today’s Wraith, that might get you a wheel.

The first thing you notice is the sheer size of it. It is huge of course at 5.2mts but it is the brooding presence that makes it seem even larger. The all-steel body is spot welded in 6394 places and then hand sanded to a perfect finish before endless layers of paint and lacquer are applied. The result is as beautiful as anything you will ever see on the road – apart from another Rolls, of course. It has a

majestic quality that is as rare as hen’s teeth and, l am delighted to say, it has lost none of that unique Rolls appeal. The trademark ‘wafting’ quality is there in spades but the chassis has been retuned to offer flatter, more agile and responsive handling and that is just as well with a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 brooding under the magnificent acre long bonnet, offering 624bhp and a 0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds. That would be impressive in a supercar but in a stately home weighting in at 2.4 tonnes, it is jaw-dropping remarkable.

Handling has never really been high on the list for Rolls as it was never really designed to be a driver’s car – until now. The Wraith is the most dynamic Rolls ever produced, never feels unsettled, never waivers from the selected course and affords the driver an imperious detachment as it is controlled with fingertip sensitivity, even under hard acceleration. If this car were female, you would certainly want to take her home to meet your Mother – and she would march you up the aisle at the barrel of a Purdy 12 gauge.

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Had Lord Cardigan possessed a Wraith during the Charge of the Light Brigade, the 600 would have routed the Russians who would have fled the field in abject terror

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Motoring The eight-speed gearbox is seamless hides, superb hand stitching, lambswool The dash is superb with the classic red and has a clever little party trick. The carpets so deep that if you drop a coin you tipped instrument needles, a power reserve car constantly monitors the Satnav and might never find it again, and Canadel button rather than a rev counter and a knows what’s coming up and selects the wood panelling that would not look out of multi-function screen that can be hidden appropriate gear for the road, therefore the place on a mega yacht or a stealth bomber. from view at the touch of a button. Then car is always in the right gear for the road The laughter came when my daughter tried there is the starlight headliner. This certainly ahead. The driver has little idea any of this to get into the car and remarked ‘Daddy, divides opinion with some thinking it cool is going on but it does avoid unnecessary they have put the doors on backwards’. and others horrified. I was certainly in the kick down and ensures a smooth and linear Indeed they have but by design, of course, horrified camp but as the week drew on and progression. And whilst on the subject of as you are faced with ‘suicide doors’ hinged l drove with it on and off, l started to realise progression, this is unlike any l that without it, the roof just have experienced. Having driven looked a tad dull and with it on, The doors are huge but some of the world’s fastest you are in a mix of Arabian nights well weighted and can be closed with cars, l am not unused to rapid and Studio 54. the touch of a button as it would be acceleration but here, with The dials are not really used as unseemly to have to close one’s own 60mph coming in 4.3 seconds, it the head-up display works so very is not the speed so much but the well and can tell you everything door. manner in which it is reached. It you need to know without taking clears its throat for a second off your eyes off the road, including the line and then just charges forth with to the rear that allow ladies to exit without radio stations and all voice activated Satnav such smooth, demonic fury that had Lord flashing their knickers. The doors are instructions. The bespoke sound system is Cardigan possessed a Wraith during the huge but well weighted and can be closed particularly efficient and offers peerless Charge of the Light Brigade, the 600 would with the touch of a button as it would be sound quality. off routed the Russians who would of fled unseemly to have to close one’s own door.

The interior is sumptuous and unrivalled in the field in abject terror.

As it shuts, it hides the button for the its quality, materials and build quality.

The interior is everything one would superbly secreted monogrammed umbrella I have owned a couple of Rollers in my expect. The finest leather from cows kept in that pops out of the front wing should it time and there is just something special fields with no barbed wire lest it scars their have the temerity to rain. about them. My first was a used Silver

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TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: Wraith black badge Engine: 6.6 Twin-turbo V12 Power: 624bhp Top speed: 155mph limited Economy: 19.3mpg combined Price from: £240,768 As tested: £271,665

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Motoring Shadow and it had an unerring knack of just making me feel special every time l drove it. There was a tingle of horror as l entered the cabin of the Wraith and spotted the rotary dial - please tell me they have not placed the gearbox on a vulgar knob? Thank goodness no, it is where it should be on the steering column and even the chrome pull rods are still there to open the air vents.

Here is a car that knows it is special and is determined to remain so.

The rotary knob operates all the infotainment controls and far from vulgar, it is made of crystal cut glass and decorated with the Spirt of Ecstasy and operates with smooth precision. The 10.3in high def screen can be hidden by the touch of a button and even when using the Satnav, it can remain so as all instructions appear on the head-up display. The voice control system works brilliantly and the Bluetooth is a breeze to pair. Another party trick is that you can send your required destination to the car from your phone in advance, therefore saving time once you depart.

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The Wraith black badge is a triumph of engineering, a triumph of design and a resounding triumph in performance.

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I read some reviewers who complain that there are no paddles to change gear manually and bemoan the lack of a rev counter, but these chaps need to return to reviewing Skodas as there is absolutely no need of such things. Why on earth would you want to change gear manually and a rev counter for what? The massive V12 hardly breaks a sweat under normal driving conditions and at 100mph, it is really only just waking up. There are vast amounts of power in reserve, at all times, and watching a rev counter is to miss the theatre of everything else going on.

Driving the Wraith is an event not a chore.

The Wraith black badge is a triumph of engineering, a triumph of design and a resounding triumph in performance.

It is rather expensive but then all the best things in life are and this is one of the very best things that you could possibly bring into your life and, once in, you will never want it to leave. I still have the marks of my tears when they took it away.

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Motorshow Review

The Brighton & Hove Motorshow took place over the weekend of June 10th & 11th with thousands of visitors in the queue waiting for TV personality Bradley Walsh to cut the ribbon and get things underway. The day was packed with new and classic cars and literally, fun for all the family. On display we saw Ferrari, McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Tesla, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Red Bull F1 and many more showing their latest models along with BMW motorbikes and customs bikes from Slaughterhouse Customs.

The Amex Stadium, Brighton. June

10th & 11th 2017

The sun shone and it was a tremendous day and we are all looking forward to next year when it will be even bigger and better.

ÂŁ5

Bradley Walsh and the Red Bull team

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Platinum Publishing produced the spectacular event programme that will be the launch edition of our brand new dedicated Motoring Magazine, Platinum Power - coming soon.

Simon Cowell popped by

Motorshow Review

The Hear t FM crew

younger Porsche drivers seem to be getting

The Slaughter House crew

Bradley Walsh and River vale boss Vince Pemberton open the show

Just about every vintage Beetle in

Sussex turned up

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Motoring

THE

Ferrari LEGACY

This year Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary and what a 70 years.

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he company was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 as Auto Avio Construzioni and built their first car in 1940. However, the company’s birth was actually registered in 1947 when the first Ferrari badged car was produced, the 125S. In 2014, Ferrari was rated as the world’s most powerful brand and in 2012, the 1962 Ferrari 250GTO became the most expensive car in history, selling at auction for $38.1 million to an American businessman.

Fiat acquired 50% of the company in 1969 and in 2012, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles expanded their stake to 90% and split Ferrari into a separate company, completed in 2016. 10% of the company is still owned by Enzo’s son, Piero Ferrari.

Ferrari has a long and illustrious history in motor racing, holding the most constructors championships (16) and having produced the largest number of winning drivers (15). Even today, the 2017 Formula 1 championship is led by Sebastian Vettel in the classic red prancing horse.

To celebrate this milestone of one of the auto industry’s most illustrious marques, the company’s Tailor Made department have created 70 new liveries inspired by the most iconic Ferrari models.

With five of each, this will give the world a total of 350 new and highly unique models.

Enzo in his early racing days

These include a blue F12, called The Stirling, inspired by the 250GT SWB in which Stirling Moss won the 1961 RAC TT. A red 488 GTB called The Schumacher, inspired by one of their greatest drivers, Michael Schumacher. Two Spiders called The Green Jewel and The Spider. The later has little explanation but the former apes the 365’s raced by David Pier in the 1960’s. And a California that is identical to Steve McQueen’s classic 250GT Berlinetta Lusso.

Then we have the LaFerrari Aperta, an open-top version of the LaFerrari hybrid hypercard and a limited edition special series dedicated to Ferrari’s most loyal customers. It has the same hybrid power unit as the coupé: a 6,262cc V12 petrol engine developing 789bhp coupled with a 120 kW electric motor for a total power output of 950bhp. Few of these will ever see the light of day as, tucked away in a warm and very secret garage, it will trump any

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Motoring long-term investment imaginable.

The demand for the Aperta was at least ten times the production run.

Ferrari is one of those rare companies that does not need to sell or advertise their wares. They have but to mention a new model and the orders pile in regardless of the fact that the buyers will not have seen the car - they just know it will be beautiful, know it will drive like the wind and know that it will be worth more than they paid for it the second they drive it out of the showroom.

So, happy birthday Ferrari and long may you reign.

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Motoring

TESLA MODEL X T

he long-awaited second Tesla model is here following Tesla’s mission to change the world and l would not bet a penny against them achieving exactly that.

The X would be regarded as an SUV but comes complete with aspects of all other model sectors. It has 4-wheel drive due to the electric power being fed to all wheels, it will house up to seven passengers and hits 60mph in 4.8 seconds. Order the P100D with the ‘ludicrous speed’ update and you will hit 60 in 2.8 seconds, which puts it up there with Ferrari and McLaren. And there is no engine, no fuel tank, so servicing and no petrol costs!

So many facets of this car are unique that it would take too long to list them but one of the stand-out features would have to be the falcon wing rear doors that make entry as easy as possible and is a little bit of theatre every time you open them. We all suspected that jokers in a car park would park close enough to stop them opening but they don’t open as you expect. They essentially open in two parts whereby the top section cantilevers in if it senses an obstruction and it is a very very clever piece of kit.

That old chestnut ‘range anxiety’ raises its ugly head here and is what has stopped electric cars really taking over. The least expensive option would be the 60D with a range of 220 miles or step up to the 75D and you will achieve 259 miles.

This, like a petrol car, depends on how heavy you are with your right foot, but unlike a dinosaur fuelled car, it will take longer to charge than it takes to fill with fuel.

But that really is the only trade off. If at home, then pop it on charge and it will be ready to go every morning and if on the road, then the computer will tell you where the nearest

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charge point is and it takes 20 minutes for a half charge and a little less than an hour for a full charge. Therefore it just takes a little planning. Allow time to grab a coffee or a sandwich and you will be good to go but if you are on the road for business and plans change , then this becomes an issue as there is no engine in the car to get you out of trouble.

The elephant in the room is the price. The 75D is £71,900, the shorter range 60D is £64,100 and then up the list to the 90D at £89,300 and the range topping P90D comes in at around £100,000. There is no doubt it is a revolutionary peek into the future but this price will, l am afraid, be a barrier for many.

The killer car will be the Model 3 when it arrives as it is aimed at the mass market and, in the US, it will come in at $35,000 (£27,000). In my mind, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this car will sweep the planet and oh how our grandchildren will giggle in horrified amazement at the stories of how we used to pump fossil fuel into a hole at the back of our cars. The future is here.

TECH STUFF Model tested: 90D Power unit: 90kWh Dual Motor Power: 417bhp eqv.

Performance: 0-60mph 4.8 seconds Top speed: 155mph Price from: £89,300

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Table Talk

A month in food

By Amanda Menahem

Harbour Hotel, Brighton

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in some dining experiences, most notably at

with my head chef Johnny. This involved lots of

on page 78. It was also in Cartmel that I had

‘tasting’ of course (courtesy of the kitchens at

one of my favourite breakfast dishes of the

Etch restaurant - big thanks to Steve Edwards

year so far, at Rogan and Co - a fabulous giant

for letting us get in his way). I know I am

pulled pork scotch egg on a bok choy ‘slaw’.

biased, but wow he can cook. I’ve included a

Enough said.

his month I have mostly been immersed in the launch of Pascere Restaurant including the development of menus

Aside from all of this I managed to squeeze L’Enclume, the review for which you can read

couple of photos of what’s to come at Pascere.

I have also tasted a LOT of wine for the wine list. As I type, it’s mid-June and I have calculated that when you add up all the hours spent selecting and tasting wines for the list, we have spent three entire days on it. The wonderful Jonny Gibson of Sussex Wine School very generously gave up his time to help me do this, and we are just about there. I am really pleased with it. A few have already become my favourites (like the Barbera; luscious, complex).

My love of sparkling wine means that I just couldn’t narrow it down, with most by the glass (I shall probably regret this…). Amongst them are some new discoveries - a really great Lambrusco (who’d have thought?!) and a Ferrari (which has Maarten’s name written all over it of course).

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Scotch Egg at Rogan & Co

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My love of sparkling wine means that I just couldn’t narrow it down, with most by the glass (I shall probably regret this…)

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Table Talk Then I enjoyed a champagne set dinner at the HarBAR in the Harbour hotel, sponsored

PREVIEW DISHES AT PASCERE RESTAURANT

by Pommery champagne house. We sampled a variety of their Cru (including a Grand Cru) over a six course menu, designed to compliment the wines. This was part of the brilliant Brighton and Hove Food Festival that takes place twice a year at the end of May and August (which I have written about extensively in this publication).

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The Brighton hospitality community really are a lovely and supportive bunch, and I am looking forward to making my own contribution to that very soon.

❞

Unusually for me, this was the only festival event I have managed to get to so far this year.

Highlights were a crab benedict with a perfect hollandaise, and a quail pie that needed extra jus (but which we were given). I was surprised that Pommery allowed their champagne to be served in the hotel’s HarBAR champagne glasses, which are, frankly, weird and don’t bring out the best in the wine. Whenever I’ve visited HarBAR in the past, I’ve requested a proper wine glass for my sparkling wine, which they’ve always happily provided. Service was great.

HarBAR have recently hired Matt Denny as deputy GM, previously of Hotel Du Vin, and his warm hospitality is evident.

❝

On the current menu I am particularly fond of the poussin with black pudding rosti. It appeals to my greedy, ‘rip it apart and suck the bones’ side.

❞

Speaking of Hotel Du Vin just up the road, I have been virtually living there of late, holding all my meetings, wine tastings and working lunches/dinners there. On the current menu I

am particularly fond of the poussin with black pudding rosti. It appeals to my greedy, ‘rip it apart and suck the bones’ side. I have had it twice now when I’ve been really hungry. It’s a great comfort dish.

I can’t thank GM Ben Haynes enough for

looking after me so well during this period, and he has some real stars in the front of house team. The Brighton hospitality community really are a lovely and supportive bunch, and I am looking forward to making my own contribution to that very soon.

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Table Talk REVIEW

L‘Enclume

By Amanda Menahem

E

ver since I watched that very first episode of The Trip where Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon dined on exquisite food in beautiful surroundings, I vowed to pay a visit to L‘Enclume – a venue that has become a foodie pilgrimage. But there has always been a pretty big problem. It’s in the Lake District.

I once went to the Lake District for one of those dreadful outward bound leadership development courses when I worked for Harrods. I remember it being a bloody long way and although beautiful, the memory was somewhat marred by my being miserable on account of having to scramble up mountains in the rain. Back then the only scrambling I wanted to do was with eggs. Ironic given that I now love nothing more than hiking through the glorious English countryside. I was a different person then, turning down most activities that didn’t involve a lot of sitting down.

So when my beloved foodie stepdad suggested L‘Enclume as his birthday destination of choice, I wholeheartedly embraced the suggestion hopeful in the

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notion that I could burn off the undoubted over-indulgence with bracing and restorative country walks. These days I welcome a bit of a staycation, finding air travel too much of a faff. The train up was, of course, a bit of a faff but not too bad owing to the brilliant Virgin Train service (‘It’s because we love our jobs’ said a platform guard – Southern take note please).

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The menu is refreshingly light and delicate and well spaced, allowing for an evening of pure food delight, surprise and well, theatre

❞

Ah Cartmel – so pretty, and long known as home to the original and best sticky toffee pudding… and now L‘Enclume. Like Padstow (as in Rick Steinville), they may as well rename Cartmel to Roganville such is his dominance

over the place.

Within minutes of my arrival, I passed a L’Enclume shop (really? It’s just a bloody restaurant), Rogan and Co, the gastropub and all the L‘Enclume owned buildings comprising the ‘hotel’ aspect of the L‘Enclume offering.

Staying in one of these pretty stone buildings, I was quite impressed with the cosy country plushness. Thick carpets, fluffy robes and a nice bathroom. A homemade biscuit awaited my arrival but I didn’t want to ruin my appetite for the 19 courses that were to come.

This is one of the most famous tasting menus in the country, if not the world.

Documentaries have been made about chef proprietor Simon Rogan and this eponymous restaurant. It is famed for using only what can be grown or foraged from the immediate surroundings. Quite a feat when you think about it – this means no lemons for instance.

So they have to find creative ways to deliver the desired flavours. But don’t think for a moment that this is a gimmick or a style over substance type of place. Flavour really is

Table Talk

❝

They didn’t bat an eyelid when my dear mother asked for a dessert sherry as an aperitif (bless her), and they happily moved the angle of a spotlight that was shining right into my eyes

centre stage. And while there is the dreaded ‘molecular gastronomy’, it’s how it should be here, as a means by which to intensify and deliver extraordinary flavour (rather than just ‘show off’ as is so often the case).

Service was absolutely charming, warm and friendly, adding to the entire experience. They didn’t bat an eyelid when my dear mother asked for a dessert sherry as an aperitif (bless her), and they happily moved the angle of a spotlight that was shining right into my eyes. They seamlessly served and contributed to table conversation, often making us laugh.

And so to the food.

I don’t have the word count to describe each dish, so I’ll stick to the standouts.

❝

❞

out of some confection which I couldn’t discern (I’d had a lot of wine by then), but which tasted a bit synthetic.

Amazingly, after all 19 courses none of us were stuffed. The menu is refreshingly light and delicate and well spaced, allowing for an evening of pure food delight, surprise and well, theatre.

We enjoyed many different wines by the glass, chosen from the comprehensive list. The Sommelier was great at assisting where we needed it.

This dinner was included in a bed and breakfast deal of about £300 per person, which included breakfast and dinner the following night at their sister property, Rogan and Co. I would say this is great value for a pretty unique food experience.

Ah Cartmel, so pretty, and long known as home to the original and best sticky toffee pudding… and now L’Enclume

❞

We were off to an impressive start with the first canapé of ‘leaves’ made of paper thin caramalised pumpkin and pumpkin gel. The second canapé, ‘first tomatoes with black garlic’ were tiny semi-dried tomatoes with an exquisite intense flavour. So simple. Letting the quality of the ingredient speak for itself.

‘Broad bean tops, goats curd, apple and nasturtium’ a light, tangy, creamy dish evoking spring on a plate. ‘Asparagus, pine, hen of the woods and quail egg’ was a gorgeous foamy asparagus soup, with crispy ‘hen of the woods’ which turned out to be mushrooms that tasted of bacon! How have I not known about these before?? They were delicious and had me immediately texting my head chef who reassuringly knew exactly what they were and replied nonchalantly, “Oh yes, they’re one of my favourite things.”

Pumpkin Leaves

First Tomatoes with black garlic

The next plate was outstanding. Aged veal in coal oil, shallot and sorrel. A tiny rectangle of veal tartare with the other elements weaved throughout, and not only that, but amazing little ‘candies’ of gin and sorrel which burst open in the mouth adding an intense sweet freshness to the veal. So unusual and delicious. A unique mouthful of food.

We then moved through a series of delicate and faultless fish and meat courses and progressed to an impressive cheese board. Then finally, desserts.

I didn’t expect to like the liquorice custard and sea buckthorn as I absolutely hate liquorice, but this was a subtle and moreish dessert with the sea buckthorn made into a pleasing crumble. The colours were fabulous, a grey custard with tan crumble - adding to the novelty factor.

The final two desserts were disappointing; strawberries with a bit of jelly and ice-cream, and then a dessert where their logo had been made L’Enclume, Cavendish Street, Cartmel Nr Grange over Sands Cumbria, LA11 6PZ

Aged Veal in coal oil, shallot and sorrel Tel: 015395 36362 Email: info@lenclume.co.uk www.lenclume.co.uk

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Wines

ENGLAND ISN’T ALL ABOUT FIZZ!

by Lucy-Ann Prideaux, co-founder of Fizz on Foot

W

hilst the English sparkling wine industry has been in full swing in the last few years, quietly, in the background, winemakers have been perfecting and honing their skills in producing some excellent still wines too.

The range of still wines, and their quality, has surprised not only wine experts in England, but lay audiences too, who, generally speaking, would never think of trying an English wine, let alone buy one! Maybe you are of the same ilk? If so, allow me to enlighten you, and introduce you to some fantastic English still wines that may even rival some of your favourite Sauvignon Blancs or Pinot Grigios.

First off, I’m going to give some insight into just how successful English winemaking has become, and put this into perspective with regard the size of your industry compared to our friends across the water.

England now has over 700 registered vineyards, with the most concentrated numbers along the southern stretch of the UK - that being the counties of Sussex, Surrey, Kent and to the West, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

England produces some five million bottles of wine per year, which is a tiny amount compared to France, where around 50-60 million bottles are produced! Yet, we are consistently winning numerous, and some very coveted awards. Back in 2015, at the Decanter World Wine Awards, English

wines collected a total of 130 medals and trophies. We regularly pick up awards at other renowned wine competitions (both in the UK and abroad), with English sparkling wine now highly praised for its quality, and often beating Champagne in blind tastings. Although our still wines have taken longer to come to the fore, it was exciting to see that this year, England won a major award for a still wine, with congratulations going to a little-known vineyard, Winbirri in Norfolk (yes, you read that right!), who won a Platinum Decanter award for their Bacchus. This is the first time that an English wine has bagged this award!

Bacchus is fast-becoming the signature grape of the UK (even touted as the UK’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc), and there are other excellent examples of Bacchus, one of which is produced by Chapel Down vineyard in Kent. I mention this, as it comes highly recommended from the Fizz on Foot camp, and in truth is one of our favourite English whites.

Aside from Bacchus, England now successfully grows a wide variety of grapes, with the most popular being Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and of

course, Bacchus.

If you want to venture into the world of English stills, here are my top three suggestions. First would be the Chapel Down’s Bacchus, as previously mentioned.

Second why not opt for England’s bestselling English white wine, Denbies Surrey Gold, produced by renowned wine producers, Denbies, in Surrey.

Denbies have been producing Surrey Gold since 1990. It is a blend of Müller Thurgau, Ortega, and Bacchus, and is a cool 11.5% ABV. It has a pronounced floral, honeysuckle and peach infused nose, with citrus and stone fruit flavours on the palate.

Surrey Gold is available in Waitrose and online.

My third suggestion Chapel Down Union Red 2015 – yes, an English red! Chapel Down’s Union Red is a “light red”, and a perfect example that showcases the freshness and delicacy of fruit from English vines.

Summer is the perfect time of year to travel, so why not travel to England with your wine choices.

Tel: 01323 737271 Mobile: 07971 851777 Email: Info@fi zzonfoot.com www.fi zzonfoot.com Lucy-Ann Prideaux is co-founder of Fizz on Foot, the South East’s premier Walk and Wine Tour Company. She previously enjoyed working as a wine tour guide at two renowned wine estates here in the UK, Bolney Wine Estate in Bolney, and Denbies, in Dorking, Surrey. She’s completed the WSET Intermediate and Advanced Certificates in Wine and Wine Production, at Plumpton Agricultural College, and continues to build on her knowledge of “world wines”, viniculture and viticulture by attending tastings and wine fairs, and of course visiting many wine estates and hearing of the winemakers “little secrets”!

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Served daily between 9am and 1pm

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The Business Network

The Business Network

NETWORK REVIEW

BASEPOINT B2B NETWORKING HUB

By Emma Pearce, Marketing Consultant – marketing planning, outsourced marketing and social media training www.pearcemarketing.co.uk Emma Pearce gives a more detailed insight into the networking event held at Basepoint Newhaven.

Y

ou can genuinely enjoy a free lunch at this networking group. The Networking Hub, held at the Basepoint Business Centre in Newhaven, is free to attend and includes a buffet with good quality sandwiches and cake!

Abi Burgess, Centre Manager, said: “We want to give back to local businesses in the area by providing a networking event in one of our meeting rooms and social spaces. Our aim is to provide informative speakers and a relaxed environment for business owners to chat.”

I have been a speaker twice in recent years - most recently giving a talk on social media advertising for SME’s. The audience was B2B companies of varying sizes and industries from graphic design and travel, to a range of professional services and a manufacturer of handbags.

All Basepoint centres run a networking hub event once every two months. Typically this is a lunchtime event and speakers are recommended by other centres or local businesses, or identified by the Centre Manager’s own networking. Why not contact

your nearest Basepoint if you are interested in being a speaker?

Newhaven, Shoreham and Haywards Heath are the closest centres in Sussex, and they have great facilities for presentations.

The Networking Hub at Newhaven has been running for 10 years in November, although it recently had a break for about 12 months due to building work.

Meeting Format The agenda for each event is: • Open networking from 12noon-12.30pm • 20 minute presentation by guest speaker with Q&A

Key Facts • Location: Denton Island, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9BA • Frequency: Every other month - third Thursday typically • Size: Averaging 20 people at the moment, but will build back up to 30 people once everyone knows this event is up and running again, now that construction work has been completed • Time: 12noon-2pm • Lock out: No • USP(s): Free lunch, quality speaker, B2B • Minute round: No

• Buffet lunch with open networking 1-2pm

• Speaker slot: Yes

Abi added: “Another benefit of our group is that there is free parking and you could win a bottle of bubbly in our business card draw at the end of the event too. Rest assured we do not do any selling about Basepoint either - it’s all very relaxed!”

• Cost: Free!

For more information about the Networking Hub visit www. basepoint.co.uk/locations/ newhaven. Why not ask to go on their email list to get a reminder about their events? Talk to Abi via newhaven@basepoint.co.uk or call 01273 615250.

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ACES

BUILDING TO SUCCESS

P

arker Building Supplies is celebrating the university success of six employees. Tim Briance has passed a Builders Merchants Federation Foundation Degree with distinction and Jake Feek, Laura Pierce, Lee Church, Jamie Pierce and Dave Clark have received post-graduate diplomas in Independent Merchant Leadership and Strategy with merits. Jamie and Lee also achieved a Multi-Unit Leadership & Strategy Master’s Degree with merits.

The degrees are part of Parker Building Supplies’ Professional and Personal Development Programme, which ensures that each employee fulfils their potential.

The firm’s Training and Development Manager, Shelly Hodges, said: “We’re very proud of all the members of our team who have been awarded their degrees. It’s not easy to juggle a full time job while studying, but these employees have managed to do this to an excellent standard and we congratulate them all.”

The degrees will be awarded by the Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, at the official graduation ceremony in July.

Parker Building Supplies is one of the largest builders’ merchants in the region and has branches throughout Sussex and Kent. The firm has recently moved its head office Parker Building Supplies’ employees (l-r) Shelly Hodges Tim Briance Jake Feek Jamie Pierce Laura Pierce Sitting from Uckfield to Polegate.

Lee Church Stewart Pierce and Dave Clark

T

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

his year marks the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War and one ACES member, Con Cronin recently spoke to the Eastbourne Chamber breakfast group about his experiences.

Con joined the navy at the age of 17 and served on the flagship, HMS Hermes during the war despite being unable to swim!

CHAMBER NEWS

Hermes was attacked over 50 times during the conflict, and as the individual in charge of the mess, he took responsibility for ensuring the warship was adequately stocked and supplied. Con was aware that his role made sure everyone was kept moving and fed. Strategically, he was also in one of the main centres of the warship, and as he described, it ‘saw everything that came in and out’.

Con Cronin and Christina Ewbank with HMS Hermes

At the breakfast, Con was presented with a commemorative picture of HMS Hermes by former Past President Ian Shearer.

Con left the navy shortly after the war and after a successful career spanning multiple sectors and businesses, now runs a franchise of Pure Protection, a private health and business insurance specialist. Con offers free reviews of your current protection cover to make sure you are properly covered in case the worst happens.

Con and his work for Pure Protection was recently recognised at a national health insurance awards ceremony in London, as the runner up for the ‘Best Individual Impact by a newcomer’ with the judges commenting that: “Con showed determination to raise the importance and awareness of health insurance in general, and to explain in simple terms the specific advantages of Pure Protection”.

Con Cronin in the Navy

Battle Chamber of Commerce www.battlechamber.org.uk

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Bexhill Chamber of Commerce 01424 842892 www.bexhillchamber.co.uk

If you want to receive a free review of your current insurance cover, then get in touch with Con on 07775 924363.

Crowborough Chamber of Commerce www.crowboroughchamber.co.uk

Eastbourne UnLtd Chamber of Commerce 01323 641144 www.eastbournechamber.co.uk

East Sussex County Council 01273 481570 www.eastsussex.gov.uk

Federation of Small Businesses 01424 754686 Reg Office: 01323 482018 www.fsb.org.uk/eastsussex

Hailsham Chamber of Commerce 01323 310531 www.hailshamchamberofcommerce.co.uk

Hastings Chamber of Commerce 01424 205500 www.hastingschamber.co.uk

Heathfield Chamber of Commerce 01435 865858 www.heathfieldchamber.co.uk

ACES

THE GLITTERING SEAHAVEN BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 Businesses filled the East Brighton Masonic Lodge in Peacehaven for this year’s Seahaven Business Awards 2017 gala dinner.

N

ow in its 14th year, over 500 nominations were received for 75 companies across the Seahaven area for the seven categories. Guests enjoyed a drinks reception on arrival followed by a three course dinner supplied by David Osman Catering. The event was attended for the first time by special guest, HM The Queen’s Representative in East Sussex, The Lord Lieutenant Mr. Peter Field.

The judging panel included MPs Maria Caulfield and Simon Kirby, the Mayor of Newhaven, Councillor Steve Saunders and the Presidents of the Newhaven, Peacehaven and Seaford Chambers of Commerce. The winners of the seven categories were as follows: President’s Award (Best Business in the Community) Winner: CTLA Sponsored by Mike Shorer Fine Jewellery • Best New Business Of The Year Winner: Easytone Sponsored by Excell Design • Best Environmental Business Winner: Wave Leisure Sponsored by Meeching Estate Agents

• Business Person Of The Year Winner: Matt Chambers Sponsored by Swindells Chartered Accountants

ACE S The official magazine for the Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex

Other VIP guests included His Excellency Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao, Vietnamese Ambassador for the UK and Ireland and his wife; Mayor of Newhaven, Councillor Steve Saunders and Mayoress Sharon Bewley; Maria Caulfield MP; the Chairman of Lewes District Council and newly elected County Councillor for Peacehaven, Cllr. Nigel Enever and his wife Lynn Enever; and Deputy Leader of Lewes District Council, Cllr. Elayne Merry and Cllr.

Paul Franklin.

The awards were followed by a grand

raffle and a silent charity auction organised

by Fund Raising Auctions, the proceeds of which were donated to the Blood Runners of Sussex, SERV, who transport blood products for the NHS on motorbikes at night.

On behalf of Newhaven Chamber, I would like to say a big thank you to all our sponsors, in particular our two key sponsors Veolia and Wave Leisure. In addition, Cooperative Funeralcare, Newhaven Enterprise Centre, The Hope Inn, HM Bookkeeping and Seahaven FM and the seven sponsors of the awards, without whom this event would not be possible. We are now looking forward to the Seahaven Business Awards 2018!

For more information about Newhaven Chamber of Commerce and the Seahaven Business Awards go to www.newhavenchamber. co.uk or call 01273 517544.

We are very proud of our excellent ACES magazine. The magazine is distributed all over East Sussex.

Make sure you pick up your copy. Or click on the link at www.platinumbusinessmagazine.com.

KEEPING SAFE AT WORK THE SKILLS ISSUE BRIGHTON & HOVE MOTOR SHOW HONG KONG

The City of Life

FOCUS ON

South African Wines

GROUP

Just prior to awarding the Seahaven Business Awards trophies, Phil Merry, Vice Chairman of Peacehaven Chamber presented their annual Chairman’s Award trophy to Grahame Bannister, for his support throughout the year. Alasdair Fortune, outgoing President of Seaford Chamber awarded their Chairman’s trophy to Anne Ori.

Issue 3. 2017

Profile of BBC’s Mr Dependable

The Institute of Directors 0207 766 8866 www.iod.com

• Business Of The Year Winner: Mike Shorer Fine Jewellery Sponsored by The Sussex Sign Company

ussex

DAVID DIMBLEBY

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

The top table at the Seahaven Awards

For more information about advertising and editorial sponsorship, contact lesley@platinumbusinessmagazine.com or call Lesley Alcock on 07767 613707. We have discounted chamber members rates. The third issue is out now and in general distribution across the region.

ACES

Lewes Chamber of Commerce 07919 382316 www.leweschamber.org.uk

Locate East Sussex 0844 415 9255 www.locateeastsussex.org.uk

Newhaven Chamber of Commerce 0800 107 0709 www.newhavenchamber.co.uk

Peacehaven Chamber of Commerce 01273 586222 www.peacehavenchamber.co.uk

Seaford Chamber of Commerce 0800 881 5331 www.seafordchamber.co.uk

South East Local Enterprise Partnership 01245 431469 www.southeastlep.com

Uckfield Chamber of Commerce 01825 722607 www.uckfieldchamber.co.uk

Wealden District Council 01323 443322 www.wealden.gov.uk

CHAMBER NEWS

• Best Eatery Winner: The Bengal Palace Sponsored by Fund Raising Auctions

• Best Customer Service Winner: Seaford and Newhaven Funeral Service, Sponsored by The Hope Inn

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Accreditations

EASTBOURNE

THE BATTLE OF THE WORKPLACE

More Radio lunchtime presenter, Anna Bingham, takes us through a typical day in the studio, and how you can send your business into battle.

P

icture the scene, it’s 9.00am (or 9.04am if you’re pushing your luck), you get to the office door, take a deep breath, and get ready to give everything you have for another day at work.

For me there are a couple of things that are essential for getting through the work day. Whether it’s going to be a tough day because I’m tired, feeling challenged, restless or (woe betide) stressed, my failsafe essential is to start the working day with a large (I mean huge) mug of coffee, Winston Wolf style; lots of cream, lots of sugar.

Getting ahead and getting organised is the next step for me. I’m not prepared to spend five hours on the radio each day without planning what I’m going to talk about (as much as it may sound like it!), so I search around for some interesting topics of conversation.

Once caffeine fuelled and suitably informed, I’m good to go. The only essential thing for me now is the soundtrack.

It goes without saying that I spend my work day accompanied by brilliant music.

That’s my job. Something would be going very wrong if, as a More Radio presenter, I didn’t have tunes playing throughout my work day, but I have learnt that this is the way to keep me motivated and to keep me going. A silent room gives my brain too many opportunities to wander. Music is a distraction, a motivator and a mood lifter.

That’s why I take such pleasure in being the soundtrack to so many people at work with the No Repeat Guarantee on More Radio.

This means we will not play the same song twice between 9am and 5pm, so you can listen for longer without having to hear that number one song played every 45 minutes!

After several exhausting hours of playing great music, it’s time for a bit of fun. Battle of the Workplace is back on More Radio, with your chance to win £5,000 of free advertising on More Radio, plus the ultimate work day out! We had such fun last year and some of the local businesses who took part

included Simon Marden Estate Agents, GM Monk, A Plan Insurance, Cavendish and Co and Pennells Carpets of Heathfield.

So, if you think your workplace has what it takes and if you want to have some fun and break up the monotony of your work day, then sign up now for Battle of the Workplace at www.moreradio.online.

CHAMBER NEWS

Each week I put two businesses up against each other answering some simple general knowledge questions. The team at the end of the week with the highest score makes it through to the next round, and is one step closer to £5k of free marketing. The team will also win a day out which begins with a limo ride and some adrenaline filled fun, with zip wires and giant swings at ‘Branching Out’ in Halland. Then after you’ve built up an appetite, it’s back in the limo and off for a three course meal, plus drinks, on us!

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SUSSEX CHAMBER

THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS

by Ana Christie Chief Executive, Sussex Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER NEWS

A

s a parent myself, there is a huge concern for the future of school funding and the significant current financial difficulties that all of our schools are now facing. This will continue to worsen and the future of our next generation, our future employees and business leaders will be impacted. School funding is not the only issue affecting people’s lives but school finances are a real concern. Schools require fair and adequate funding for the children and students to be educated as this is currently under severe threat.

The Worthless Campaign, made up of 3000 head teachers across 14 counties is calling for fairer funding and has highlighted several issues and effects of funding cuts.

The Issues • £3 billion is being withdrawn from schools budgets in England.

• In real terms, per pupil funding is decreasing by approximately 8%.

• Pupil numbers are also increasing significantly.

• Recruiting teachers for specialist subjects

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such as Maths, English, Science and Computer Science is becoming increasingly difficult.

• Some schools have been asking parents for additional financial contributions.

The Effects • Without adequate funding, schools can’t employ enough high quality teachers.

Some schools are having to make teachers redundant because they can no longer afford to employ them.

• Schools are also having to make support staff redundant. These staff often work with children with additional needs. In the years ahead there is a great deal of concern that some of our most vulnerable children will not receive the support they need.

• Class sizes are increasing. This is worrying because children are less likely to get the personal attention they need from a teacher who knows them well.

• Some schools are reducing the number of subjects they teach. This means the curriculum is narrowing and individual

talents can’t be nurtured in the way of previous generations.

• Many of the extra, wider curriculum experiences are being reduced either because the school can’t subsidise them, or increased workload for staff means it is not reasonable to ask them to keep doing more.

• Some schools are struggling with poorly maintained classrooms and buildings, and in some cases unresolved health and safety issues.

Government needs to allocate funding to all schools and ensure budgets are protected for the future. The current proposals in the new National Funding Formula do not provide the necessary uplift in funding that is required, therefore schools are unable to support staffing levels, increased class sizes, or provide basic equipment.

Our children, our future employees, our business leaders of tomorrow, need to be provided with a broad curriculum, great support and enriching activities. Funding is needed to offer the best foundation in life.

WORTHING IS IT YOUR TURN TO WIN AN AWARD?

W

orthing and Adur Chamber has recently launched its highly successful WiseUp2 training sessions. The programme includes topics suggested by members and has also been expanded to delve deeper into areas of high demand such as marketing.

What is it?

• Focused session lasting two to three hours on a specific subject • Led by professional trainers who are experts in their field • Small groups of up to eight delegates guaranteeing a personalised session • Interactive session to aid learning and allowing delegates to exchange ideas

For more details and to book your place visit www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

Dates for your diary • 6 steps to business growth Thursday 29th June 9.30am-12.30pm • A little bit of marketing can go a long way Wednesday 5th July 9.30am-12.30pm • LinkedIn or left out?

Tuesday 11th July 9.30am-12.30pm • Be Excel-lent Tuesday 18th July 9.30am-12.30pm

Following a hugely successful launch event, the Adur and Worthing Business Awards are now open for entries. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your business and raise your profile to customers and suppliers.

There are 18 categories and entering is easy. Just make sure you read the criteria and choose the right category for your business plus make your entry clear and concise.

Visit www.awbawards.com for top tips and entry form.

Deadline for entries is 5pm on 11th September 2017. Start working on your applications now!

Member numbers hit a record high!

CHAMBER CONNECT

Issue 3 2017

WORTHING & ADUR

The new plans

BUSINESS AWARDS LAUNCH

Meet The nt Preside ey is elected Chris Coop

TIME TO FIX THE A27

GROUP

PLATINUM PUBLISHING

Have you seen the new Chamber Connect magazine? This was launched at the Better Business Show and the third edition is out now. Contact the office for more information on our exclusive member offers for advertising.

For information on advertising contact tracie@worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

FORTHCOMING EVENTS We have exciting events planned over the summer months. Book early to make sure you don’t miss out.

11th July

Summer Social, Worthing Golf Club

14th July

Chamber Hub FREE Networking

21st July

Networking Breakfast – Maximise the PR and marketing opportunities from Corporate Social Responsibility

2nd August

Speed Networking with Worthing and Adur, Brighton, Bognor Regis, Chichester and Sussex Chambers

22nd September

Networking Breakfast Update from Rampion Windfarm

30th November

Networking Lunch with the Bank of England

CHAMBER NEWS

Following the successful Better Business Show and the introduction of Emily McCunn in the role of Business Development, membership at Worthing and Adur Chamber has hit a record high. If you aren’t a member yet, don’t miss out on some fantastic member benefits including plenty of networking events, our highly successful Peer Mentoring programme, subsidised training and workshops and improved profile within the local business community. Often referred to as one of the most active Chambers in the area, don’t miss out, join us and be part of the local vibrant business community. For more information about membership and the benefits visit www.worthingandadurchamber.co.uk

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CHICHESTER

WHY YOU DON’T NEED A BUSINESS PLAN

by Gareth Sear, Director of Chichester Chamber of Commerce, and Business Start Up Manager at the University of Chichester Business School.

E

very business started somewhere, Amazon, from a discussion as an ‘Everything Store’. Zappos Shoes never carried any stock, and ran to the local shoe shop to fulfil the orders placed on their website; Steve Jobs created the first Apple computer in his garage, to sell to computer hobbyists to see if they liked it; and Branson ran his magazine from a telephone booth in his school, selling advertising, to fund a magazine to give young people a voice.

What these stories all have in common is there is no mention of a business plan, but always a mention of an idea and seeing if it worked. In these examples they got lucky, their businesses all worked. They only considered a problem a customer had, or an opportunity in the marketplace.

I am going to stick my neck out here and say that if you are starting a business, you do not need a business plan. And this is why: You may procrastinate over writing a business plan, delaying your start-up. Most people like doing, not writing.

You do not have any data to realistically plan with.

CHAMBER NEWS

You are likely to overestimate how well the business will do.

You could spend months developing the perfect product and plan, and find the market isn’t interested.

You follow the plan too rigidly and are not flexible to changes in the market.

However, I am not saying that you do not need to think about your business idea.

At the University of Chichester, we teach a different method, The Business Model Canvas.

The Business Model Canvas was developed by Alex Osterwalder and over 400 collaborative participants. It is designed to help you understand the nine key building blocks of business.

• Customers Segments • Value Proposition • Customer Relationships

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• Channels • Revenue Streams • Key Activities • Key Resources • Key Partners • Cost Structure These nine building blocks can really help you to understand your business model and create a hypothesis that you can then test in the market place.

They will help you understand who you are selling to and why. How you will sell to them, who you need to help you to sell to your potential customers, how they will pay you and roughly what costs you are likely to incur.

The Business Model Canvas is a visual document. The developers recommend printing it as large as you can then filling each of the building blocks with colourful sticky notes, which relate to each of the building blocks.

If you do this as a team you are creating a powerful collaborative view of the business you are creating. Assumptions can be challenged and models can be changed, quickly and easily. We all know that a startup needs to be flexible and needs to adapt to the market place when things change.

The key thing to take away with the

Business Model Canvas, is that you are creating a hypothetical model that you need to go out and test as soon as possible, and act on these changes.

If you want to know more about the Business Model Canvas have a chat with me at a Chichester Chamber of Commerce open networking event, every second Monday of the month.

JOIN CHICHESTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY FROM JUST £99 Membership benefits include: • Events and networking • Policy and public affairs • Workshops and training • Business advice and services • New business opportunities Join us now at www.chichestercci.org.uk/join

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY • 10th July - Networking Chamber Monthly Meeting • 2nd August - Speed Networking with our Neighbours

BRIGHTON AND HOVE

MY FIRST WEEK

By Amy Lishman, Membership Manager

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t the start of May, I joined Brighton Chamber as the new Membership Manager. My job as Membership Manager is to get to know Chamber members and help them make the most of their membership, and to find new businesses who want to join one of the most active and diverse Chambers of Commerce in the UK. Usually the first week of any new job is a series of inductions, getting to grips with systems and processes and finding out where the tea and coffee is. My first week was a little different thanks to the Chamber’s action packed events diary. Here’s a little flavour of my first week as Membership Manager.

The highlight of my first day was joining part of the #GoDoBootcamp, a dynamic induction process with the new intake of entrepreneurs at Entrepreneurial Spark, the world’s largest free business accelerator for early stage and growing ventures (The Chamber is based in the Brighton Hub). I love the atmosphere and spirit of community at

the hub already and it was only day one.

things differently.

Tuesday was a day of meeting Chamber members and I hosted one of our fortnightly member meet-ups for businesses. We chatted about what they do, who they’d like to meet and ways to connect with local businesses.

These sessions are a great chance for new (and not so new!) members to get together, start building their own network and to chat in a small group about the ways they can use their membership. After work we ran our New Member Welcome, kindly hosted by Heart FM, where new members come along to find out how they might use the Chamber to grow their business.

On Thursday the Chamber team were at the Let’s do Business Brighton Expo, now in its 8th year. We had a colourful stand with fresh fruit and free massages courtesy of member Back2Balance - perfect after standing on your feet all day!

It was an early start on Wednesday for our Pop Up breakfast hosted by Brighton Spiegeltent. 120 people networked and enjoyed the delicious breakfast baps from Spade and Spoon, and exhilarating performances from Head Start Acrobats, who performed a showcase from their Brighton Fringe show. It was an inspiring and energetic start to a Wednesday. It confirmed to me that Brighton Chamber likes to do

Friday was all about catching up after a busy week. There was a lot of interest in the Chamber at the Let’s Do Business Expo, so my priority was getting in touch with people who wanted to know more about membership.

I had a brilliant first week at the Chamber and the next month promises to be much of the same. If my first week is anything to go by, I can assure you it’ll be anything but dull!

To find out more about membership and how it could help your business, contact Amy on membership@businessinbrighton. org.uk or call 01273 719097 Photos by Vervate

CHAMBER NEWS

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Anger Management

ANGER MANAGEMENT

SICK AS A PARROT

by Maarten Hoffmann

I

am, like you l am sure, sick to the back teeth of politics which is the norm after a general election but more that that, l am stunned by the sheer stupidity and supreme arrogance of the Conservative Party. And l speak as someone who has voted for them for as long as l can remember - possibly out of the lack of an alternative perhaps but nevertheless.

They could not hit a barn door at fifty paces if their lives depended on it. Give them a lead and they will find a way to screw it

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up. Cameron did not need to offer a EU referendum but he did regardless. May did not need to call an election but she did regardless.

She did not need to launch her doomed Social Care reforms but she did and that lost her half the country.

If Corbyn looks like a credible alternative then it really is time to disband the Conservatives and for us all to leave the country - and the last one out should turn off the lights.

We are now faced with a ‘dead in the water’ PM who is about to begin the most important and complex negotiations this country has faced since the second world war - and that was not exactly a negotiation. We are about to partner with a bunch of homophobic Irish ‘politicians’ who will endlessly blackmail the government into a plethora of things that we will only find out about down the road. One of the sensitive items on the Brexit agenda is the open EU border in Ireland - and now we have a

Anger Management

The Prime Minster of the UK - (on the left)

bunch of Irish ‘politicians’ calling the shots, demanding an open border (how will that work?) and billions more for Ireland (how the hell will that work as we are supposed to be broke?), plus all the under the table deals that we will never find out about.

I hear that May composed her manifesto with her two ex-cohorts, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill and only revealed it to the Cabinet at the very last moment. Surely, they should work like a corporate board nothing gets released to the public until the board sign it off.

I shouted to all that would listen that, regardless of your views, give May a whopping majority so that we could get through a calm Brexit and then start fighting but no, here we have a lame duck who shot herself and we are in the weakest position possible.

It is time for a new party. A brand new party with new ideas, new policies and new faces. All must come from business - people that have run their own business and know what the real world is all about.

French President Macron seems to have the right idea as the majority of his new team have no political experience but do have huge corporate and life experience.

We need to break the Tories and smash Labour and start again. There is no other choice or we are destined for the same old crap time and time again and this great country, and still the 5th largest economy on the planet, will have all the political and economic might of the Isle of Wight?

We need a new politics, new politicians, a new structure and a totally new way of doing things.

Education is in crisis. The NHS is in crisis as no one has the cojones to state the obvious fact that it cannot remain free at the point of need.

Transport is in crisis and Failing Grayling could not even be fired as May cannot afford any enemies on the outside. Manufacturing is in crisis as we have become a service economy. The environment is screwed with Trump pulling of the Paris Agreement and Gove being put in charge of the UK environment (again, he had to come back as she needs her enemies on the inside). Then she deals with the shocking Grenfell Tower disaster in such an incompetent manner that it quite beggars belief and demonstrates in startling clear detail that politicians have very little knowledge of the real world and how to deal with all of us ‘little people’.

We need a new party and from the business world. Come on, let’s get the party started.

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Institute of Directors

STRATEGICALLY THINKING

By Dean Orgill, Chair of Sussex IoD and Chairman of Mayo Wynne Baxter www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk • www.iod.com

T

here are lots of things when thinking about businesses that provoke wildly different opinions. For each approach you can find experts proclaiming that this, or that, is the key to success. But one thing we can all agree on is that every business needs a strategy. It goes without saying does it not?

Perhaps it does, but should it?

Many businesses may feel justified in saying that what they are trying to achieve is so obvious it really does not need an ‘Away Day’ to think about it; for discussion groups to go through ideas for someone then to collate on a flip chart, and for someone else to then pull it all together in a document to be stored for the purposes of an ISO or Investors in People audit. Those businesses may feel that they exist to make profit, preferably as much as possible but at the very least “enough”, and that they will do so by selling as many products or services to as many customers as they can.

Simple is it not? So why make it any more complicated than it needs to be?

Whilst many of us can probably admit

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to some sympathy towards the process of achieving a strategy as caricatured above, in reality the need to have some form of strategy in place is unarguable.

The original strategists were military, and it could be argued that their requirements were simple too. Your army needs to survive and ideally it will defeat the opposing forces so that you either protect your lands or conquer others.

the number one in the country in our industry, or is that an aim? If you need to think how you are going to achieve what you have just set out then you are adding the strategy to the aim which you are looking to achieve.

Whilst it is very easy to over-complicate strategic issues, and the processes by which a strategy is produced, I think we should always strive to keep the results as simple as possible.

What are we looking to achieve?

Those basic aims do translate to business. A business will need to make income to survive, and to thrive and make profit it will need to establish a market share. This will mean establishing and conquering a new market or, more likely now, diverting someone else’s market to you and thus acquiring some of their “lands”.

If you can clearly answer those two questions you are on the right path, certainly not at the end but going in the right direction.

If you cannot easily answer both perhaps a re-think is required?

But of course those aims are not strategy.

They are what you want to achieve, not how you are going to achieve them. Often this is where the thinking begins to become somewhat confused. Is it a strategy to become

JUST A THOUGHT Is your aim to survive, or to conquer?

How are we going to do it?

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