PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - SURREY - ISSUE 16

The widest-read business publication in the South East

SURREY EDITION . ISSUE 16 . 2015

MOTORING

PLATINUM EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DR MALCOLM PARRY OBE SURREY RESEARCH PARK

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THE ALL-NEW MERCEDES-BENZ CLS SURREY CHAMBERS NEWS FROM LOUISE PUNTER

INTERVIEW

MICHAEL PAGE RECRUITMENT THE BIG STORY

ELIZABETH WINDSOR CEO, UKplc

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WELCOME

24

As the summer fades and the winter storm

THE BIG STORY

clouds gather, you can at least rely on a

THE QUEEN

The final quarter is nearly upon us and

The finest CEO this country has ever seen?

we have been busy interviewing some

ray of sunshine every month from Platinum Towers.

fascinating people, turfed up at some excellent events and are in receipt of some insightful and highly informative editorial from our expert contributors. The voice of

14 11 44

SURREY RESEARCH PARK

this publication IS the voice of business as,

Dr Malcolm Parry OBE of Surrey Research Park explains how it all started

from across some of the largest and most

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS Welcome to our new regular column by David Seall, the Regional Chairman of the Institute of Directors South

in the main, it is written by business leaders

influential companies in the South East.

We are passionate about the magazine and we do hope that comes across and that you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, if you have missed an issue they are archived at www.platinumbusinessmagazine.com.

ON THE RIGHT PAGE Michael Page is a global player in the recruitment sector, listed on the FTSE 250. Regional directors Stephen Howes and Matthew Jones explain why the company has succeeded

74

WE MEAN BUSINESS CROYDON

36

CORPORATE DEALS SURGE

South London’s number-one Business expo takes place at Fairfield Halls in Croydon on October 14.

Interviews with Jonathan Grant and Abigail Owen from DMH Stallard’s award-winning commercial team.

Maarten & Ian Platinum Business Magazine, Surrey September 2015 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 published and owned by Platinum Business Publications Limited.

COVER PHOTO BY: REX Shutterstock

4

Issue 16 - 2015

The Team

Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

AT A GLANCE 6 10 11 12

Jo Rogers Marketing Institute of Directors Natwest Entrepreneurship Monitor

48

Kreston Reeves Accounts

50 52

Style

55 56

Business Scene

58

Bennett Griffin Legal

59

Young Startup Talent

60 63

Teliqo - Telecoms

Anger Management Nova Direct & Volunteer Action

14

Surrey Research Park

19 20 24

Social Media

32 34

Coast to Capital

36

Interview - Jonathan Grant & Abigail Owen of DMH Stallard

65 73 74

Motoring

39

Big Beach Marketing

76

40

Gatwick Diamond Awards

Surrey Chambers of Commerce

78

43 44

The Runway Debate

Woking Means Business

79 80

Events Diary

Amanda Spicer - Senior Designer

Julia Trevett - Accounts Manager

Local News

National News The Big Story: The Queen Skerritts Investments

Interview: Steve Howes & Matt Jones of Michael Page

Caraline Brown Public Relations Kingston Awards Croydon Means Business

Secret Surrey Grafton Banks

Box Hll, Surrey Hannah Monkcom - Staff Reporter

Lauren Psyk - Staff Photographer

5

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

BAKE OFF CAUSES BUSINESSES TO BOOM Surrey Heath is one of the most baking-mad locations in Britain outside of London, according to an analysis of the country’s businesses.

There are 15 companies in Surrey Heath that make or sell baked goods - such as bread and cakes - as one of their main areas of business, according to figures from Companies House.

This is the equivalent of 17.1 baking-related businesses for every 100,000 people in the area, which is the second highest such ratio in Britain if London is excluded.

Surrey’s bakery landscape has expanded faster than well-kneaded dough since the Great British Bake Off hit our screens back in August 2010, with 46% of the area’s baking businesses starting after 2009.

There are 71 baking businesses in the county, with 33 of these having opened since the BBC’s smash hit programme began. Shame the Surrey contestant only lasted one episode!

OVERWHELMED BY AMAZON FRESH FOOD SERVICE RUMOURS APPLICANTS

Work began last summer on premises that will be co-inhabited by two stores at Basing View. The stores

Retail giant Amazon has taken over a Surrey warehouse sparking rumours it is set to launch its fresh food service in the UK. The firm took over the site in Weybridge, which was previously used by Tesco, and it is currently being converted.

The Amazon Fresh scheme allows users to buy food from local shops and restaurants and have them delivered to their home. It is already available in Seattle, California and New York.

Amazon has confirmed it is opening a distribution centre in Weybridge, which gives easy access to London via the M25, but declined to comment on the possible launch of Amazon Fresh in the UK when approached by national media outlets. Reports say 20 people will be employed directly at the site with a further 140 drivers used to deliver the produce.

will open this autumn, with a specific date yet to be announced. An overwhelming number of people have applied to work at the soon-to-arrive John Lewis at home and Waitrose stores in Basingstoke. The John Lewis store will be the closest for many shoppers in north-east Hampshire and west Surrey, with Reading, Kingston and Southampton previously the closest branches. This week, the businesses announced there had been a huge response to their recruitment drive, with more than 1,200 applications already submitted for the 369 retail roles at the two new shops. I don’t envy the person sifting through all those CV’s!

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going” 6

NEWS

“If you would like to know the value of money, try to borrow some.”

TEEN BARISTA SUCCESS A teenage barista who has always “liked the responsibility of working” has launched a coffee roasting company.

Roasting rare, green coffee beans from different corners of the world, packaging them up and selling them on is now a way of life for 14-year-old Ben Garnett, a pupil at Frensham Heights school in Farnham. “As a child your ambitions change, but I would say I’ve always had an interest in becoming an entrepreneur,” said Ben. “It’s the fact that I get the freedom to make what I want to make.”

His business, Profile Coffee Company, was born after the young entrepreneur was inspired by the partnership his school has with All Saints School in Malawi.

The African country is one of the smallest and poorest countries on the continent and is also one of the world’s smallest coffee producers, providing just 0.01% of the world’s coffee.

In a bid to help raise money for the Malawian school, as well as aiding the smaller coffee growers, the young business owner sourced some Malawi coffee beans and roasted them himself to sell.

The success meant he now sells more than 10 types of coffee, some of which are extremely rare.

NEW SURREY POINT OF SALE COMPANY three different modes of selling – traditional, kiosk or mobile. Retailers can adapt their Point of

LEGAL AND GENERAL STAFF IN LIMBO

Sale to suit their environment and can brand all surfaces in order to fit in with the look and style of

Unions

the store.

claim

Products range from traditional Chip and Pin security and mounting to mobile POS solutions.

more than

It was announced that the firm have been shortlisted for two awards in the national Payments

1,000 jobs

Awards (Innovation of the Year and Most Disruptive Payments Technology). Very technical but it

could be

sounds great, good luck Unique Secure!

lost at an

Unique Secure, based at Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford, has launched the MePOS, the world’s first ‘5-in-1’ intelligent, modular, self-diagnostic, fully brandable tablet POS, which offers retailers of all sizes the flexibility to set up their Point of Sale in five different positions. This offers

insurance firm in Kingswood, Surrey. Legal & General (L&G) is proposing to close its office there by the end of 2016, potentially putting 1,700 jobs at risk and has been accused of “misleading staff” over its future plans at its HQ. The company said it was consulting with staff via the Unite union over relocating the “vast majority” of roles at Kingswood to its Hove and Cardiff offices. However, Unite has this week called on L&G to come clean with its numbers.

The union said the company’s other offices had capacity, at best, for 400 new staff, leaving more than 1,000 roles in limbo.

7

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

OLYMPIC MEDAL WINNER ISN’T HORSING AROUND Olympic silver medal-winning equestrian Zara Philips was recently in Guildford to launch her new fashion collection at the British outdoor clothing store Musto.

The collection comprises of a variety of technical and shooting pieces, complete with weather protection.

A personal shopping service was also launched, which will run until October 3rd from 9am6pm, exclusively at the Guildford town centre store.

The collection was designed in conjunction with the Olympian and Musto country designer Louise Clinton.

“In my range, I guess my favourite piece would be the training jacket, it’s very easy to wear, lightweight, waterproof and soft,” Zara said. Equestrian turned entrepreneur turned business owner, Zara even field-tests all her own products and garments, some of which (the likes of an oiled canvas jacket) can take between 12-16 months to make! Giddy up!

CROSSRAIL 2

POUNDLAND INVASION

The government have made infrastructure high up on their list of priorities since the election in May. Crossrail 2 has at its heart the desire to free up mainline routes by creating faster and more frequent journeys into London on both Crossrail 2 and National Rail services into mainline stations.

Although the final plans are by no means settled and the government is yet to fully align itself behind the project, if it proceeds, there will be a central core between Wimbledon and Tottenham Hale / New Southgate. There is then expected to be a wider regional scheme, reaching as far as South as Guildford and Woking, the details of which are yet to be announced.

Estimates suggest that this is set to open in 2030. In the meantime that does nothing for those affected by the potential route. The only thing that seems certain is uncertainty!

New Poundland shops are set to pop up across the region after the budget chain was given the green light to forge ahead with a £55m acquisition of its rival, 99p Stores.

Poundland - whose 17 stores around Surrey and north-east Hampshire will soon become 26 - had made a move for the company previously but this was put on hold while the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) carried out an investigation into the deal.

There were concerns it could reduce competition in the market but the probe, which began in April, found no evidence of this.

The inquiry group of independent panel members stated “customers would not face a reduction in choice, value or lower-quality service as a result of the merger”.

“A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor” 8

NEWS

“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart.”

SURREY’S BID FOR NEW POWERS A bid to boost productivity and economic growth in three of England’s strongest

FSB SURREY BUSINESS AWARDS 2015

performing counties was recently submitted to Government. Surrey Chamber of Commerce was pleased to announce they are one of the partners involved in The Three Southern Counties (3SC) (East Sussex, Surrey and West Sussex) who aims to take greater control

The awards are still taking entries so this could

over their road and rail network, provide

be your chance to win a sought after accolade of

confidence in housing delivery, pioneer

achievement, an endorsement of your hard work,

new digital technology and launch

determination and enterprise in business. The

University Enterprise Zones to support

categories are; Entrepreneur of the year, Apprentice

high-tech businesses. Louise Punter,

of the Year, Best new Business, Business Innovation,

CEO of the Surrey Chamber of Commerce

Business person of the Year, Employee of the Year,

comments, “These partners are showing

Enterprising business, the Green award, Reigate and

a welcome and significant commitment to

Banstead Business of the Year, Service Excellence,

growth. Surrey is already a powerhouse

Training and Development, Young Person business

for economy for the UK but we must

of the Year, Epsom and Ewell business of the Year,

be careful that we do not just rest on

Networking group of the Year, Not for Profit Business

our reputation and continue to fulfil our

/ Organisation of the Year. Good luck and we look

potential”. Very well said Louise.

forward to seeing the finalists!

VEGAN-PRENEURS A health food company in Molesey has won big in the worldwide food and drink awards, Great Taste.

Selected from more than 10,000 products, Creative Nature’s Heavenly Cacao and Tropical Treat Detox superfood snack bars each received a gold star.

The environmentally friendly business that provides recipes and products suitable for vegetarians and vegans will now be able to carry the little gold and black Great Taste logo on its award-winning fruit bars.

Julianne Ponan, owner and CEO of Creative Nature, said: “I can’t believe that we’ve won gold stars on two separate products this year. “It’s amazing to see that the judges are choosing our truly healthy superfood snacks as winners of a taste award, breaking the stigma that healthy food tastes bad.” Congratulations and might I add I don’t think healthy food tastes bad, it’s just unhealthy food can taste a bit too good!

9

MARKETING

IT’S ABOUT EVEOLUTION NOT REVOLUTION!

By Joanne Rogers, Managing Director, Prowse & Co. www.prowse.co.uk

W

ith demands for a fairer society and a continuing focus on economic priorities, have you noticed a cultural

shift in how we do business?

Traditionally, successful business leadership has more often than not been defined by

Public Relations Marketing Events Research Economic Development

www.prowse.co.uk

to demonstrate rather than assert competence.

exploit their business potential. We also need

We tend to keep our feet too firmly on the

to encourage the next generation of women to

ground, avoiding risk and staying within

have greater aspirations and more confidence

our comfort zones. Research has shown

to succeed in their chosen career paths.

that the issues identified as holding women back include self-confidence, the need to

ambitious, strong and confident men who take calculated risks and who naturally tend to prefer those in their own image. Now, more than ever, we need more women in business (and in politics!), empowered with similar qualities, to bring the female perspective to boardroom tables.

However, having strong and confident female leadership isn’t just about equality – it’s also extremely good business sense. Companies across all sectors with the highest number of women in the boardroom significantly and consistently outperform those without female representation – by 40% in terms of return on equity, and by 56% in terms of operating results, according to McKinsey.

But, sadly, there are some attitudes that still need to be brought into the 21st century.

Today, flexible working and a better work-life balance seem to be two of the main reasons women start businesses, and digital technology

“Companies with the highest number of women in the boardroom signifi cantly and consistently outperform those without female representation”

This isn’t going to happen unless those women

is providing opportunities we’ve not had before.

The boundaries between home and work are blurring. Innovations such as The Cloud allow us to access information and software almost anywhere, liberating everyone to work in a flexible manner.

Not so long ago, I heard someone say: “Work will become what you do, not where you go.”

So, whereas in the past, women with families have had to choose to work long hours away from the home to the detriment of a fulfilled family life, or perhaps take a lower-skilled part-time role, technology is now changing to help remove a significant barrier to career progression.

We know the UK is missing out on economic benefits by not having more successful women

with the necessary qualities, personality and

in business management, and, crucially, now

self-belief push themselves forward. Even in

balance childcare with work priorities and an

is the time for women to become their own

the PR sector, where 63% of the workforce are

ambivalence towards networking.

agents of change. Business UK needs more

women, shockingly, only 13% of board positions are held by women!

Natural strengths of female leadership are becoming more important to business. For example, women’s ability and innate desire to connect with others offers many opportunities, as today’s effective leadership is as much about collaboration as it is about competition.

I often sense that too many businesswomen play down their own achievements, preferring

10

I do believe it is up to those women already

women in senior management positions in

in business management to help others to

order to create a fairer society and we need to

become more confident about themselves and

drive this change from within!

Prowse & Co. combines strategic counsel with practical support to help you effectively communicate with your target audiences. We’ll work with you to understand your business and brand and then deliver results-driven PR and marketing strategies that use the appropriate channels to reach your audiences. From one-off projects, campaigns and public consultations to a full, outsourced service - discover how we can help you achieve your business goals. www.prowse.co.uk

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS

HOT TOPICS

DAVID SEALL (Hons) CEng FRAeS MiMMM MIoD David is the Regional Chairman of IoD South. He is a former Chair of IoD Surrey and is an experienced Non-Executive Director. He is retained by DMH Stallard LLP as their Strategic Adviser Manufacturing david@davidseall.co.uk www.dmhstallard.com

W

elcome to my new column for Platinum Business Magazine. I’m very pleased to have been given the opportunity to talk to you about the issues that affect IoD members in the region and how IoD is engaging with policy makers and influencers to ensure that the business voice is heard.

There are lots of ‘hot topics’ that seem to have been bubbling away forever. Perhaps, now that we have a majority Government, we will see some direct action on those issues that have been holding business back for many years.

Of course the economy is one topic that focuses the attention. Many IoD members in Surrey and North Hampshire will have attended the quarterly inflation briefings presented by the Bank of England at the Farnham Maltings (this is open to non-members by the way).

This is always a vibrant and stimulating debate despite the early hour! I’m told that the Farnham meeting always has the most challenging questions asked of the Bank of England Agents when they make their presentations.

Having attended these events for many years it has certainly been invaluable to me to have some free guidance on the future trends in the economy across all business sectors. It’s certainly worth attending before making any important strategic decisions in your business.

It’s worth checking out the IoD Surrey website for these events.

However, perhaps the current economic

performance in the region and indeed the UK as a whole, is symptomatic of the culmination of many other factors. Some of these are more of a problem in the South East than in other regions.

Issues such as Infrastructure - including transport and housing, regulation, the EU conundrum, education and skills, youth unemployment, low productivity and unsatisfactory export performance are a few to start with. If that’s not too depressing, we have the impact of successive governments attempting to ‘rebalance’ the economy.

This, of course, is essentially Government redistributing wealth from London and the South East to our former industrial heartlands in the North.

Whilst none of us resent worthwhile activities to invest in the infrastructure and skills that are essential to enable these parts of

“If that’s not too depressing, we have the impact of successive governments attempting to ‘rebalance’ the economy.”

the country to achieve real sustainable growth, we do need to ensure that the “engine room” of the UK economy remains healthy and can continue to make its contribution.

On a lighter note, we will soon be celebrating again the success of the winners of our IoD London and South East Director of the Year 2014 awards. Those of you that attended our celebratory dinner at Pall Mall back in May, will no doubt have been impressed by the outstanding contributions that all of those shortlisted had made in their businesses. I expect it sounds predictable but every year the standard seems to get higher and as a judge it becomes ever more difficult to pick a winner.

Our winners from May are now competing in the IoD National awards to be announced in October. I’m sure that you will join me in wishing them every success. You can find out about the winners at our special awards website http://www.iod-awardssouth.co.uk .

Not only can you read about those that won the competition and read about their success, you will find that the competition is now open for the 2015 awards. We look forward to receiving nominations and please remember that the competition is not restricted to IoD members and is open to business leaders leading businesses of all sizes. There are also categories for Young Director, Leadership in Corporate responsibility and also the Public/ Third sector, which is a welcome addition that is so often forgotten within business awards.

11

FINANCE

ENTREPENEURSHIP MONITOR Tim Boag, Regional Managing Director, London & the South East, NatWest tim.boag@rbs.co.uk

N

Entrepreneurial Spark business accelerator

facilities, business advice and a supporting

hubs was launched in early September, Tim

network of mentors and enablers as well as

Boag, Regional Managing Director, London & the

links to the local business ecosystem. This will

Entrepreneurship Monitor, nearly half (46%)

South East at NatWest, said: “Despite improving

help ensure they are given the best possible

of people in the South East would prefer to be

economic condition and a widely held desire to

chance of success.”

self-employed. The data, compiled for NatWest by

be self-employed, only a very small number of

Populus, shows a record 35% also think now is a

people are actually taking the plunge.

atWest is busy launching new business hubs for thousands of entrepreneurs and according to the NatWest

To support entrepreneurs across the UK, NatWest is opening 10 Entrepreneurial Spark

good time to set up their own business. However,

“These findings show we have a nation of

just 6% of those who haven’t already done so are

potential entrepreneurs, but they are held back

its buildings across the country. This includes a

actually preparing to set out on their own.

by a lack of knowledge. NatWest wants to fill

new Hatchery at NatWest’s offices in Brighton,

In Brighton, where the first of three

that gap and are offering Entrepreneurs free

which opened recently. Together with existing

12

business accelerator hubs, or ‘Hatcheries’, in

FINANCE

“While the idea of being your own boss may sound tempting and even glamorous, the reality is that, for many people, starting out on your own and taking that leap into the unknown can be a truly daunting, and even lonely experience”

Commenting on the opening of the most recent hub in Brighton, Anna Soubry, Minister for Small Business, said: “I welcome the opening of RBS’ latest hub in Brighton and the important role it will play in promoting enterprise in the region. The launch of the Entrepreneurial Spark hub in Brighton, along with initiatives like the Government-backed Business Navigator Growth Hub, ensure businesses can access the support they need to succeed, when they need it. We will continue to back entrepreneurs across the country and promote schemes that drive innovation and create jobs for hard-working people.”

John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said: “What growing businesses need from their banks is a strong personal relationship, and RBS’ support hubs initiative does just this and more. It’s great to see the bank taking the time to get to know its customers and offering advice, mentoring and even office space.

“With this type of hands-on support, some of these new firms will go on to become tomorrow’s high-growth, medium-sized businesses and some will even become the UK’s globally renowned brands of the future, driving jobs and growth in our economy.”

hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ayrshire and

budding entrepreneurs every step of the way in

companies supported so far, £20m investment

Birmingham, the aim is to support 7000

our Hatcheries, from hands-on training at our

secured and over 1,000 new jobs created.

entrepreneurs over the next five years, in

#GoDoBootcamps and one-to-one enablement

Ian Moffatt, head of National Markets at

partnership with KPMG.

to providing them with free desk space and IT.

KPMG, said: “While the idea of being your own

The programme saw new Hatcheries open in Brighton (9th Sept), Leeds (11th Sept) and Bristol (15th Sept), with future ones to come in Manchester (Feb ‘16), Belfast (Feb ‘16), RBS’ Edinburgh HQ, (Feb ’16 – to replace existing Edinburgh hub), Cardiff (Aug ‘16), Newcastle (Aug ‘16), Milton Keynes (Aug’16) and London

We’re delighted to be powered by NatWest and look forward to working together closely to open more Hatcheries across the country over the next two years.”

Entrepreneurial Spark has already made a significant impact in Scotland, with almost 400

Bishopsgate (2017).

with NatWest and KPMG to launch ten new Hatcheries across the UK over the coming two years, the first of which launched in Birmingham in February. Starting and scaling a business can be daunting, so we support

the reality is that, for many people, starting out on your own and taking that leap into the unknown can be a truly daunting, and even lonely experience.

“Couple this with the burden posed by administrative red tape and the confusion caused by the myriad of incentives, reliefs and

Jim Duffy, founder of Entrepreneurial Spark, said: “We are delighted to be working

boss may sound tempting and even glamorous,

schemes that are available to assist small

“These findings show we have a nation of potential entrepreneurs”

companies, and it’s no small wonder that entrepreneurs consistently tell us that they need more support. This is why the support and guidance provided by Entrepreneurial Spark, with support from NatWest and KPMG, is so vital.”

13

SURREY RESEARCH PARK

FIELD OF DREAMS

Maarten Hoffmann meets Dr Malcolm Parry, CEO and MD of the Surrey Research Park.

T

he University of Surrey is one of the most successful and respected Universities in the country with a scientific and

cut in the country.

The thinking was to create a Research or

and that it would be wise to continue the links with industry to help the European centre of

Science Park that would allow the University

industry gain a competitive advantage. He was

technological base and a world-class

to forge ever stronger links with industry and

concerned that the funding for higher education

reputation for teaching and research. It came

generate income for the University itself. We

from government would dry up. He wanted

fourth in the country in the Guardian University

now see a 70-acre development, teeming with

to create an endowment for the university

Guide, second for graduate employability, fifth

companies researching and developing great

to go forth with revenue generation. He also

for student satisfaction and stimulated regional

swathes of our future. The Park is regarded as

thought that it would be useful to help raise

economic activity that generated over £1 billion

one of the most successful in Europe.

the profile of our institution. We developed

last year. And all this happens on a campus that’s teeming with activity and investment, with their new 5G Innovation Centre and School of Veterinary Medicine continuing a trend of multi-million pound developments over recent years.

One of the philosophies that sets Surrey aside is their focus on the future. Way back in 1979, there was concern that University funding from the government would dry up and they set about planning an alternative funding model.

The CEO of the Park is Dr Malcolm Parry OBE and before l met with him, l carried out the obligatory research only to find, to my dismay, that he was deceased. Upon closer inspection, it was Dr Malcolm Perry who was the attending physician when John F Kennedy was shot. I was mightily relieved that Malcolm Parry was sitting in front of me, alive and well.

I really want to know how the Park came about nearly 30 years ago?

The Vice Chancellor at that time, Professor

those objectives and he invited me to leave my academic post to work on the Park.

Was that something you’d ever thought of doing, leaving academia?

I hadn’t, but it was rather complicated because Mrs Thatcher cut the university funding very, very extensively and the department I taught, Human Physiology and Human Biology, was lost. I created a bit of a fuss. I raised £20,000 to try and save the department and I stood up in a number of

As if on cue, in 1981, Margaret Thatcher cut the

Anthony Kelly, thought it would be a good

public meetings to castigate the Vice Chancellor

funding and Surrey suffered the second worst

idea to create a Research or Science Park

for his short-sightedness in this. I got a TV

14

SURREY RESEARCH PARK

“It’s become a universal thing for undergraduates to become entrepreneurs”

crew on site (against the rules) and finally they

of the Technology Centre that should consist

decided that what I had done had some merit

of a series of cells off the central corridor with

and then suggested I might have the ability to

a reception area. We went along and sold it to

lead the development.

them and they took the idea.

It could of course have backfired?

It could have, but he asked me to do this

of Britoil. He came on board and we formed a select group. We put ourselves outside of the

rather than take the job that I had been offered

structure of the university committee system

at Roehampton. I thought I’d take a chance and

because you can’t, in a university committee

sat down and wrote out my objectives.

system, do property development. So the idea

The first was the same as the objectives

was born for a park which was going to offer

of the Borough Council; to create economic

space within the Technology Centre, which is

development because Guildford has traditionally

a business incubator, through to research and

been a professional services town and it is now

development space.

The deal was that we would put in the land, build the building, they would take the building with no obligation on them to pay us a proportion of the rent, regardless of whether the building was full. They were being very specific about nomination rights: it had to be biotech, it had to be this, it has to be that. We said, “We can’t be doing with that.” So we were guaranteed rent. Within a year, they exited and sold us the building for less than it cost to build

clearly a very strong university town. I’ve been

The idea was born to build small units

here since 1966 and even in the early 70s, and

for the start-up companies, of which there

80s, the university hadn’t really embedded itself

weren’t that many around at the time, and they

and went through all the things that we were

to the same extent as it has now.

were being asked for 25-year leases in the

strong in and we came to the conclusion

private commercial market. So the concept of

that we were strongest, at that time, in

the businesses, which we could offer a very

the Surrey Technology Centre emerged and

toxicology and chemical process engineering.

competitive advantage.

we identified by good fortune the owners of

So l got a copy of MIMS (the prescribing and

Express Dairy, who wanted to capitalise on the

clinical reference publication) and I wrote

about creating this Park. The university owned

technology and biotech technologies inside

to pharmaceutical companies and the big

a piece of farmland, farmed by a chap growing

the dairy, and build a biotech business. A chap

chemical process engineering companies. One

maize. Then the university formed an externally

from Strutt & Parker and myself sat down and

of them, BOC, said, “We want to leave Bradford.”

managed Board with the ex-Chief Executive

worked out that we should build the first phase

So they came here and we sold them the site.

The second, and most important group were

So these were the objectives, and we set

and l immediately filled it.

I went to the university with my colleagues

15

SURREY RESEARCH PARK

That was your first anchor tenant. What year was that?

We did the deal with them in 1983 and they were in by 1986. They paid us £2.56 million for the land, which was a lot of money in those days, and with that we put the road in and straightened Gill Avenue so it all worked. And so we had the Tech Centre and BOC, and with the surplus we built five further buildings at the top of the road, which we call Chancellor Court.

I was able to identify BP who wanted to come here and work at the university, as well as a company called Stratigraphic Services International were into, well mud, looking at micropaleontology. A Surrey-based company called Smith Associates, started by a very clever bloke called Bruce Smith, had pioneered system engineering as a consultancy. They decided they wanted to come here and when l mentioned it to the Chief Executive of the Borough Council, he said he wanted to visit them. l told Bruce he should get all of his staff to wear white coats when they were sitting in their office during the visit. After the meeting the Chief Planning Officer turned to everybody and said, “It’s fine, they are wearing white coats.”

I see you can’t stop smiling about it even now?

Because there’s this Hollywood concept of the boffin in a white coat which is completely ridiculous because that’s money into technology. The whole basis of everything we do is trying to get money out of technology and they had been living a childhood idea of what it is. So we’ve managed to work our way through the planning system and now have a Park which of 650,000 square feet and worth £106 million. It started out being less than £1 million worth of assets and now generates somewhere in the region of about £6.5 million from a small team of eight people

in his spare time! They needed to buy a bit of

offered by Innovate UK, which is in effect

kit which was going to be £40,000, and this

the government’s innovation agency, the

guy said, “I’ll do it, I’ll write the software that

university has an opportunity to participate

we can use to do the job.” He wrote it and it

with these companies much more effectively.

became a library of algorithms for controlling

The Technology Transfer Office in the university

games – fantastic! It was for other purposes

is building that relationship and getting in

but it was good for games and so they created

place what are known as Knowledge Transfer

a company called Criterion Software – we’re

Partnerships. So there is a stronger link but

using their RenderWare product and in fact,

it takes time. Universities are conservative

that was eventually bought by Electronic Arts.

institutions, and quite rightly so but on the

Peter Molyneux – who was the creative guy in the games business, left and started a company called Lionhead Studios on the Park.

So he started again, he came back, which is great. He built that up and eventually it was bought by Microsoft, as content for their Xbox.

And he’s now left and started another company called 22Cans.

Charles Russell Speechly is very interested in the sector because they specialised in this cluster with a division of their business into digital gaming. And we’ve got 60 studios in Guildford plus some games testing companies that have spun out of the other companies.

There is a cluster of these games companies in Guildford and in a sense the Park was party to that because it was very helpful to Peter Molyneux over the years and has done lots of things to try and promote that.

I think the 5G Centre is the next generation of mobile communications. It’s wired up the whole campus, I think it has raised over £50 million from industry. The thing now is to get somebody to champion it and drive it forward to really build “Designed in Guildford”, which is important.

Do you think the Research Park works as a commercial ear for the university in that the research is bringing things from the outside into the university?

It’s an interesting idea. I’d never really thought of it like that. But it certainly is helping the university fulfill its obligations under community development, for sure, because it has created a number of high tech jobs in Guildford. And I think it does feed back into the system because there’s a bit of an early phase idea that comes out and somebody has got to commercialise it. So I would say that you’re right, it’s a good idea. The biggest problem

So what type of companies occupy the Park now?

the university has in listening to industry, or

We have a company here called Parsortix, which is developing a system for identifying cells in body fluid that are cancerous. We had Canon Research, which is a division of the big Canon company. They had a research facility here for a number of years and they spun out a business based technology that a guy wrote

small and never have much money. The guys

16

companies, is that the companies here are here tend to be small start-ups. The small start-ups have no money, and the universities – to meet their targets in terms of their research activity – need to have big contracts with big companies and so there’s a bit of a mismatch.

I think with the new programmes being

other hand they are open to the ideas so it is growing.

And of course in terms of start-ups, Bill Gates, Google and Apple were all startups and it does change one’s point of view about a start-up.

It does. There is a change, though. When they did it, there were few other start-ups.

Today, huge amounts of money are available from the investors, everybody is interested, it’s become a universal thing for undergraduates to become an entrepreneur. We run courses in entrepreneurship, we have an Entrepreneurs Club and so it has now become the norm as opposed to the exception and so you have more competition in the marketplace. I’ve got a suspicion you won’t see many more Googles and the like, because the digital phenomenon is easily accessible to everybody.

And in terms of the local economy, I understand something like 50% of the companies that leave here remain in Guildford.

Yes, they do. There is a high proportion of companies that stick around the region. We think we’ve created about 7,000 technology jobs, we’ve had more than 500 companies through the Park. Some have been acquired, Microsoft and others; some just moved into town – Hyperion Consult is an example. They came here with three or four people and now they have got a big operation in the town, and there are others. I looked down the list of companies and it’s rewarding to see that. We’re creating the jobs, we produce the companies that together have an impact on the economy of about £500 million a year. The university also contributes about £1 billion a year, so it’s around £1.5 billion. That’s not too bad from a piece of farmland and a bunch of cows.

Dr Malcolm Parry OBE is the CEO and MD of the Surrey Research Park, appointed to the UN Economic Commission to Europe and is appointed by UNESCO as an International Expert and Consultant on Science and Technology Parks. www.surrey-research-park.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA

HOW FREE IS FACEBOOK?

By Lucy Wilkes totalsocsec@gmail.com www.totalsocialsecretary.com

O

pen up any Facebook account and you will see the strap line, “It’s free and always will be” when you sign in. Technically true, but just how is Facebook utilising your personal information, not only from its own pages, but by securing leads from across all platforms and search engines?

Most of us now turn to the internet as the first port of call when searching for new products, whether it’s a phone, washing machine, holidays, hotels... Few of us realise our everyday searches are being passed on to Facebook to add to their vast stock of individual customer data. It may seem a coincidence that a certain brand you were searching for on various sites will mysteriously appear in your Facebook timeline, advertising the very item you had been searching for. Easy to ignore or helpful advice: either way, Facebook are using information from your web browsing history to tailor ads to your profile So why is Facebook – a site used for sharing stories and photos – interested in your likes and buying choices? Facebook is, of course, a business – and as a business it needs to turn a profit. A recent Forbes article reported that Facebook “states that its revenue for the fourth quarter rose 42% from $2.5 billion to $3.54

billion in the same quarter a year earlier, ” back in April 2015.

Whereas Facebook used to store user information based solely on your likes and interactions , it is now working with third-party organisations to garner crucial stats about your preferred brand choices, which means Facebook can fine-tune the ads displayed on your timeline, giving more weight to charge businesses to promote ads on their site.

“Facebook is, of course, a business – and as a business it needs to turn a profi t.”

As the market leader, Facebook have recently announced they have 40 million active global business pages. That`s a lot of companies trying

to get noticed with their events/sales/ updates.

Any business with a company web page will have noticed over the last couple of years a drastic decline in engagement with their followers and an increase in the suggestion from Facebook to pay for their posts to be promoted. Facebook for a fee - will target and hone your business post to an audience whose personal preferences have been gleaned from third-party sourcing of web browser history. Here at Total Social Agency we do not recommend paying for or promoting ads; instead, we work on beautiful and creative content that is shared widely.

To avoid being targeted and having personal browser information being stored - and used

by Facebook as collateral for an increase in their marketing sales - there is the opportunity to opt out of tailored advertising via the Digital Advertising Alliance. There is also the site DO NOT TRACK ME, which has been devised to block tracking companies, ad networks, social networks and data collection agencies.

DoNotTrackMe claim to have blocked over 1 trillion attempts to track users’ browsing histories from sites, including Facebook.

So, initially, Facebook is “Free and Always will be” is the accurate Facebook motto – as long as you remember those terms and conditions.

19

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

STEP UP YOUR BUSINESS GAME WITH GOOGLE ANALYTICS John Hibbit (Site Visibility, Brighton) shares his ‘8 Steps to Actionable Insights’ to help your businesses online performance through use of Google Analytics (GA).

1. Create a measurement plan. Map your business plan to GA – for example, objectives, strategies and tactics, key performance indicators (KPI’s), traffic segments, and targets.

2. Set up three “views” for each property. GA creates one view called “All website data” per property. Add two more to safeguard your data: create a ‘test’ view for testing, then a copy called ‘master’. Ensure country, time and currency settings are correct.

3. Exclude internal teams and spammers from reports.

Visits from your own business teams skews data. A fixed IP address is helpful.

4. Ecommerce Tracking. If you sell directly from your website, set-up ecommerce tracking. Get a competent developer to add the code to your site.

5. Track internal site search. Customers unable to find services or products may use your internal site search giving you valuable data on customer intent. Turn on the site search setting on all views. Search Google about how to set it up.

6. Set up campaign-tracking. GA does not track all marketing channels by default. Use Google’s URL tool to create tracking links for email newsletters.

7. Set up goals. Goals are the actions customers take on their way to doing business with you e.g. a newsletter or account sign-up. Use cash values for goals to see your most valuable pages in reports.

8. Link AdWords. On the properties admin page, link any AdWords accounts for pay-per-click reporting within Google Analytics.

TRAVELATOR CIRCLE LINE It may come as no surprise to regular passengers on the London Underground’s Circle Line that a moving walkway would get them to their destination in less time.

An architecture firm has designed just that: a travelator to replace the 17-mile circuit of trains. Architects at NBBJ said they came up with the travelator in response to a challenge by a think tank to invent something to improve daily life in London. They said the travelator would not only improve journey times and increase the number of people able to travel on the line, but has an added health benefit for commuters.

“The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.”

20

NEWS

“Just because no one ever complains does not mean that all parachutes are perfect.”

5 MYTHS OF INHERITANCE TAX According to Harvey Jones (writing for theguardian.com), the myths are: Myth 1: inheritance tax raises lots of money for the government IHT is a tax that is fairly easy to avoid and which raised just £3.7bn in the 2014-15 tax year, just over 0.7% of the £513.5bn total collected by HM Revenue & Customs. VAT, by comparison, raised £111bn.

Myth 2: IHT only hits the super-rich IHT may not be immoral, but it is unfair.

The super-rich rarely pay, protecting their wealth through measures such as setting up trusts or buying assets that qualify for business property relief.

Increasingly, the burden has fallen on the middle classes.

Myth 3: I can pass on £1m free of tax The new limit of £1m will take several years to come into force. The additional allowance will only apply to family homes – it won’t cover other assets, including buy-to-let properties and second homes – and will gradually be withdrawn for estates worth more than £2m.

Myth 4: My partner will inherit everything free of IHT The rules of intestacy changed in October 2014 and are now much more in favour of the surviving spouse. But even now, where there are children, there is no guarantee that the spouse will inherit everything. The key point is that it is absolutely vital to make a will. This is particularly important for unmarried couples, especially those with children.

Myth 5: You can avoid IHT by giving all your money away You can’t simply give away all your wealth shortly before you die and escape IHT. HMRC is wise to such tricks. You have to survive at least seven years after making a gift. Until then it is known as a “potentially exempt transfer” and may fall back into your estate and be liable for IHT if your estate’s value exceeds the nil-rate band.

ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS BENEFITS NO WORKER a rate comparable to Usain Bolt coming out of the blocks in the 100 metres. The

QUIRKY WORK LOCATIONS, DO THEY HELP?

number of people on them in 2014 climbed by nearly a fifth to 744,000.

Whether it’s the constant babble of voices in your open

Their attraction to employers is obvious. They can be used to create pools of

plan office, the strip-lighting, or the claustrophobia of the

adequately skilled labour at the beck and call of the employer – labour which is

battery-cage desk formations, for a lot of us the work

free from the cost of providing for sick pay, holidays or other benefits commonly

place is not a great place to work. This TREExOFFICE

associated with full-time contracts of employment. This is an arrangement whose

idea is placed in Hoxton Square, you can rent a space

benefit is almost exclusively to the employer.

with individual wifi availability or the entire place

Its growth highlights one of the problems with the style of free-market capitalism

for meetings. “It is made of compressed paper with

we have adopted in this country: it frequently leads to power imbalances, making

see-through plastic and translucent polycarbonate,”

for markets that aren’t as free as the theory suggests. The DWP has proposed

says architect Kathryn Timmins. “This is good for the

The latest official data on Zero hour contracts suggest their use is accelerating at

calling them “flexible-hours contracts” in the same way that the “minimum wage” has become the Treasury’s “living wage”.

environment, but also helps workers feel at one with nature.”

21

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

TOP 100 UNDERGRADUATE EMPLOYERS The annual list of the Top 100 Undergraduate Employers has been published, ranking the businesses that have actively offered work experience and career guidance to young talent across the UK. The announcement comes just weeks after it was revealed that more than 50% of UK graduates are currently employed in non-graduate jobs, one of the worst rates in Europe.

Employers are paying undergraduates an average salary of £17,000 in 2015. This year sees financial giant Bank of America Merrill Lynch gain the coveted number one spot after several years of steady progress up the chart. The dominance of financial companies in the Top 100 is clear but there have also been successes in other sectors. Entertainment giant Warner Bros climbed an impressive 39 places to occupy the number three spot and Microsoft returned to number six in this year’s table. Lucy Saunders, University Recruitment Lead at Microsoft UK said: “We are going through a huge transformation at Microsoft and to have undergraduates coming to us with their fresh ideas and modern perspectives is so important to us.”

SHOCKWAVES OF NATIONAL LIVING WAGE

EVEN MORE MOBILE

The National Living Wage is also sending shockwaves through the UK labour market due to small businesses scaling back on recruitment in order to prepare for having to pay more in wages.

James Hick, UK managing director of ManpowerGroup Solutions, which surveyed 2100 employers, said, “It’s one factor that’s creating a concern about whether to take people on or not.” Mr Hick said job prospects are at their weakest since 2012 as a result.

Analysts have warned that some employers will struggle to pay the living wage of £7.20 an hour when the rules come into force in April. Retailers, care workers and cleaners are expected to be badly affected. The Office for Budget Responsibility said 60,000 people could lose their jobs. He noted that the worst affected areas are in the North. London is twice as optimistic as the national average. “It’s

Is scrolling through your apps to find the right one ever a chore? Well Jaocim Westland created a quicker way to access what he needs, and he’s called it ‘Flic’. The Swedish company has developed a silicone button the size of two two pound coins stuck together that can stick to your wall

this proliferation

/ fridge / chair, or through use of a clip to your coat / jacket / belt and it

of small

triggers specific functions on your smartphone. The button has just three

businesses in

functions but can be used in many situations, from the trivial (taking a

London that

selfie) to more serious (as a panic alarm for epileptics).

is bucking

The Flic has been developed as a bridge between the increasing number of

the trend and

functions that can be achieved on a phone – from turning on the lights and

there’s been a tech boom in London,” Mr Hick said.

the stereo to ordering a taxi – and the practicalities of everyday life, where people do not want to have to search through apps. The 60,000 preorders for the product will soon be sent out to customers. One currently costs $34 although the price reduces as the number bought increases.

“If there’s a 90% chance of failure, there’s a 10% chance of changing the world.”

22

NEWS

“Too little confidence, and you’re unable to act; too much confidence, and you’re unable to hear.”

RYAN AIR VS CHINESE HACKERS

LOOSEN THOSE PURSE STRINGS

In April, dollar funds that Ryanair

Employers who do not pay workers the

used to buy fuel were reportedly intercepted by hackers. Almost $5 million in fuel payments were frozen as Ryanair worked

national minimum wage and the National Living Wage will face tougher penalties under plans outlined by

with banks and the relevant

the government.

authorities to claw back the cash.

These include

The funds were lost during “a

doubling penalties

fraudulent electronic transfer to

for non-payment

a Chinese bank in April”, Ryanair

and disqualifying

said.

employers from being

This month Ryanair has managed to claw back $5 million from Chinese hackers.

Shares were up almost 10% in Ryanair last month after the company raised its expected profits for the year by 25%, to around $1.2 billion. A wet August, which pushed holidaymakers to take last-minute breaks abroad in search of sun, plus low fuel prices,

a company director for up to 15 years.

Employment Minister Nick Boles told the BBC the

were credited for the hike. However Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary warned against “irrational

government was “very keen to

exuberance” on the part of shareholders, saying that such favourable conditions probably

step up enforcement”. The National Living Wage of

wouldn’t last. At least some of us Brits got a cheap holiday out of it!

£7.20 an hour comes into force in April 2016.

DOES SUNDAY TRADING MEAN FUNDAY’S FADING? Asda has been lobbying nationally for changes in the Sunday trading law and it’s no surprise as to why but increased Sunday trading will inevitably lead to further erosion of shared leisure time. Businesses and community leaders have been reacting to the prospect of Sunday trading hours being extended, which came as part of Chancellor George Osborne’s recently announced Budget.

In what the Treasury called “the biggest shake-up of Sunday trading laws since the 1990s”, Mr Osborne wants to implement devolved powers to allow mayors and local councils the ability to determine what hours traders in their areas can remain open.

The current law allows smaller shops to open all day but limits those of more than 3,000 sq.ft in size - such as supermarkets - to six hours of trading.

The plans have certainly not been welcomed by all, with religious leaders particularly critical as well as locals who live near big shopping areas. We wait to see what happens!

23

THE BIG STORY

THE COUNTRY’S LEADING CEO

by Maarten Hoffmann

I

n my heart l am a republican. I cannot adhere to the world of deference through position, l cannot doff my cap to those born of supposed

high status, nor can l offer respect to any human due to the coincidence of their birth. I

cap and stroke his ego. He was probably totally correct, as God knows what l would have done to their blood line, but that was not the point.

Therefore, l regard no one to be superior to me. There are those with much more talent,

will certainly pay due respect to those with

those with much more money, those who give

talent or those who have worked their way

of themselves to worthy causes and certainly

from the bottom to the top, but because of

those with far more success, and l respect

an accident of birth? l think not.

these people hugely for their achievements,

I realised this when l was 22, met a beautiful girl at a Grosvenor House ball and we spent the next three weeks together in a haze of passion and laughter. She then revealed that she actually carried

and isn’t that the point? People should be respected for what they have achieved and what they have done in their lives rather than for the womb from which they entered this world.

the title of Lady and that her father, a very high-profile Lord, who shall remain nameless, demanded to meet me if we were to continue our affair.

The following weekend, we duly drove into the Shires and arrived at his ancestral stately pile, where l was whisked into an anteroom by an aide and was briefed on how l should

“It’s also been noted that, compared to republics, monarchies seem to perform better on the stock markets..”

address him. I was taken aback when told that l should only ever refer to

Elizabeth ll, you would have to do it over my

‘My Lord,’ and from there

dead, cold body.

on as Sir. I just couldn’t do it. I

This woman has been the Queen for as long as l have been alive, and by the looks of her

met him and stated it

glowing health, she might still be there when

was a pleasure, with no

l pop my clogs. I don’t respect and admire her

sycophantic additions or

so much for her status as monarch as for what

pre-fixes, and although

she has managed to do for this country over

he seemed to take it on

the past 63 years, seven months and two days

the chin and was quite

(at the time of writing). Duty is a word that she

charming, l was later

lives by, and duty is what she has offered for

told he was not happy

longer than l have been alive, and she has not

and that we had no

wavered in this, not once.

future. He decided his

24

But if you wanted to harm or depose Queen

him as ‘Your Lordship’ or

But apart from garden fetes, ship launches

daughter had no future

and civic centre openings, what has she really

with me based on the

done to benefit this country? Well, l believe

fact that l would not

she has attracted billions of pounds to the UK,

toe the line, doff my

forged business links where no other could

THE BIG STORY and, behind the scenes, greased the wheels of industry far better than any other person alive.

I believe she is the finest CEO the country has ever seen.

The Queen is the most prominent symbol around the world of Britain’s heritage and tradition, something that UK companies can amplify when marketing their goods and services to international markets. The Queen injects a sense of continuity and national identity in the globalised and ever-changing world we live in today. She is such a wellknown face and instantly brings a sense of history, giving British brands an edge and distinctive advantage that can be utilised.

Not only does the Queen play a large part in the annual £500 million that tourists bring to the UK, but her marketability contributes to the country’s £160 billion annual exports, especially luxury goods. When Chinese consumers were asked what words they associate with Britain, top of the list was the Queen, with 25.1% instantly thinking of her.

And when asked what are the most important factors influencing their purchase intention of luxuries, having a royal connection was in the top four with 17% alongside excellent quality, brand meaning, and status symbol.

Royal Warrants have been granted since the 15th century and it is the sense of history and tradition that the crest garners a product or service that boosts its marketability. There are around 800 holders of a Royal Warrant, which marks out the goods and services the Queen and her household use. But ultimately it signifies the desirability of British lifestyle and has come to symbolise quality and excellence. Those holding the warrant range

from individual craftsmen to multi-national companies like Kellogg’s and Unilever-owned Hellman’s mayonnaise. The Royal Warrant gives brands added value as an indicator of quality and prestige; it is a stamp of approval.

In research of international shoppers, 57% said the Royal Warrant is important or very important in increasing desirability of British lifestyle brands. The royal endorsement is particularly advantageous for companies exporting to China, the rest of Asia, the Middle East and the US. A very important factor that makes Britain stand out in the global market is that it incorporates tradition and innovation

seamlessly. A recent survey showed that, particularly among the millennials (aged 25-32), British fashion is perceived as being ‘fearless,’ with a strong individual sense of style. Put differently, Britain’s advantage lies in its so-called soft power, which is defined as the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than through coercion, and the UK’s royal heritage and Queen is a key part of that. A recent ranking called ‘The Soft Power 30’ - by PR firm Portland and compiled using digital insights from Facebook and polling by ComRes – put the UK as the world leader. The extent of the Queen’s impact on the country’s soft power is hard to measure, but the way she is used in

25

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www.krestonreeves.com

THE BIG STORY diplomatic relations emphasises the important

the midst of a severe financial crisis.

role she plays. Prince William met Chinese

The rise of far-left anti-austerity party

President Xi Jinping in March, the first royal

Podemos in the last few years has seen the

visit to China since the Queen flew there in

return of the symbol of Spanish republicanism

1986, and it coincided with the Great Festival

at a number of political rallies, and it could lead

of Creativity in Shanghai, put on by UK Trade

to republicanism gaining greater traction if

& Investment, where many British companies

economic conditions in Spain don’t show signs

were showcasing their products. As China

of significant improvement in the coming years.

promotes its own soft power, it has increasingly turned to Britain for inspiration.

Whatever the Queen wears, eats, visits or

This milestone in British history also begs the question of whether we’ll see the like again in terms of longevity for a reigning monarch.

even holds instantly increases in value, and

This is because citizens could increasingly look

it is mostly British. When it is seen on or near

to question the relevance of monarchies at a

the Queen, it is then wanted by millions around

time when budgets are under pressure and

the world. James Lock hats, Ettinger bags,

welfare costs continue to rise as governments

Rolls-Royce, Range Rover, BA have all gained in

try to ride a tide of deteriorating demographics

prestige and sales by Her Majesty using them.

as well as rising costs.

In luxury brand marketing, heritage is a critical

It’s also been noted that, compared to

resource and is perceived as a key attribute

republics, monarchies seem to perform better

of brand authenticity and brand aura – the

on the stock markets.

miasma of meaning surrounding a brand –

Across Europe we still have what are known

plus, it is a fundamental resource for retro-

as constitutional monarchies, which means

marketing and nostalgic branding. In addition,

that the reigning monarch doesn’t influence the

research on the consumer’s authenticity

politics of the state, and, by and large, citizens

evaluation of luxury brands shows that luxury

seem to prefer the option of the pomp and

brands are characterised by a founding myth,

grandeur of a monarchy over that of a republic,

history, craftsmanship and a link to the leisured

where the head of state or president gets

class, something that the Queen certainly helps

involved in the everyday, grubby and sleazy

British products embody. If a dress is worn

nature of politics, and where a lot of politicians

by royalty, 46.7% of foreign shoppers said it

are no more popular than a nasty dose of

increases the chances of them buying it.

influenza. The other monarchies in Europe

The role of the monarchy has always tended

are in Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands,

to divide opinion, especially at a time when

Norway, Spain and Sweden, and comparing the

state budgets are being squeezed and the red

economic performance of these countries since

top tabloids scream about how much she costs

1990 makes for some interesting reading.

us and why should we have to pay for her to

Michael Hewson and Colin Cieszynski, Chief

live in a selection of palaces. It is indeed hard to

Market Analysts at CMC Markets UK, recently

believe that there are some who would prefer

looked at the stock market performance

the type of state hierarchy seen in France,

of the best-performing monarchies. The

where President Francois Hollande is held in

laggards appear to be Belgium, Spain and the

such low regard.

Netherlands, all countries that have struggled

Queen Elizabeth II, and monarchs in

to escape the clutches of a financial crisis

general, have tended to be more popular than

in Europe, and also coincidentally members

politicians, though this sentiment was tested

of the Eurozone. Looking at results from

in Spain most recently, following the recent

specific countries also highlights a number of

abdication of King Juan Carlos in favour of

differences between monarchies and non-

his son, who had been pictured on a safari in

monarchies:

Botswana at a time when the country was in

British Isles: comparing the UK with

27

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THE BIG STORY Ireland (monarchy, no Eurozone vs republic, Eurozone) shows Ireland outperformed on total return but was more volatile, and UK outperformed after accounting for risk, though if you take the FTSE250, then the UK compares quite favourably.

Scandinavia: comparing Finland (republic, Eurozone) versus Norway, Sweden and Denmark (monarchy, non-Eurozone) showed that even though Finland was near the top on average return, it lagged far behind the other three on a risk-adjusted basis.

Mediterranean Countries: Spain, a monarchy, outperformed Eurozone republic neighbours Portugal, Italy and Greece by a wide margin on both average and risk-adjusted returns.

Eurozone Core Countries: monarchies The Netherlands and Belgium outperformed republican France but underperformed Germany. This survey also shows just how great the Euro project has been for Germany relative to its partners.

Outside Europe: the non-monarchy side came out on top with the US far and away the top performer adjusted for risk, while the monarchies were dragged down by Japan’s struggles. Canada and Australia (monarchies) had moderate returns but also moderate risk and were among the better performers on a risk-adjusted basis, similar to Germany and Switzerland.

“People should be respected for what they have achieved and what they have done in their lives rather than for the womb from which they entered this world. ”

English-speaking countries: The four countries with the lowest standard deviations (volatility and risk) were all English-speaking (US, UK, Canada, and Australia), and the one English-speaking country with higher risk was Ireland, also the only English-speaking Eurozone member.

Hong Kong: a special case study Having switched sides from the monarchy camp to the non-monarchy group within the last 25 years, Hong Kong provides a particularly interesting example.

Hong Kong (British Empire)

Total return 1989-1997 465.54%

Hong Kong (China)

Total return 1997-2015 42.60%

The Queen does not directly affect any of these statistics, of course, nor does she set out to market the products she uses, but after 63 years in the top job, there can be little doubt that she is fully aware of the positive effect she radiates, and capitalises on it at every opportunity to the benefit of UKPLC. Image the knowledge and insider scoop she has gained from reigning over Prime Minsters Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Not only do they inform her of the government’s intentions, but the smart one’s have asked her opinion and regarded her wise counsel on matters of state as some of the best advice they have ever received. We will never know what this advice was or details of the subjects, but the Queen has had more influence over foreign policy than any PM will ever admit.

29

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THE BIG STORY She has also held private audiences

figure of more than half a billion pounds

with US Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight

comprised celebrations and retail shopping

Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson,

at 53.3% with £271m, souvenirs at 38.6%

Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter,

with £196.7m and an extra tourist spend at

Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton,

retail of 8.1% with £41.25m. And this costs

George W Bush and Barack Obama.

the UK citizen .56p per person per year.

Just stop and imagine for a moment any

Show any accountant an annual cost of

other person on earth who has had an effect

£35m against the income from a one-off

of these political titans over a span of 63

event in that accounting period at £508m and

years. Let’s not forget that she also met six

you would see a very happy accountant and

popes and saw the fall of the Berlin Wall,

shareholders leaping for joy. But isn’t that the

the collapse of Soviet Russia, the first man

point? We are the shareholders. Look what

in space, the end of apartheid, the formation

we get in return for our 56p a year.

of the EU, the abolition of the death penalty,

Meanwhile, business improvement

the introduction of decimalisation and the

network, the New West End Company, which

invention by Brit Tim Berners-Lee of the

represents over 600 businesses around Bond

world-wide web.

Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street said London companies alone achieved £120m worth of extra sales during the celebrations

“Look what we get in return for our 56p a year.”

as more than 2m visitors from over 100 countries entered the city. And so it goes on.

Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of this Realm and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, is not going to live forever. When the inevitable happens and Queen Elizabeth shuffles off her mortal coil, we will see King Charles lll

For several decades of the Queen’s reign,

and Queen Camilla, and the republican surge

British governments saw themselves in

will resume with renewed fervour. But what

the business of “managing decline” — from

happens then?

empire and victory in World War II to the

For at least 12 days — between her

status of middling power. During this time

passing, the funeral and beyond — Britain

the influence and the symbolism of the

will grind to a halt. It’ll cost the British

crown has been all-pervasive. The Queen

economy billions in lost earnings. The stock

has not opposed change or helped Britain

markets and banks will close for an indefinite

avoid change; what she has done instead

period. And both the funeral and the

is to enable change without despair. Her

subsequent coronation will become formal

permanence has given the British the

national holidays, each with an estimated

essential self-assurance that was needed.

economic hit to GDP of between £1.2 and £6

The poet Philip Larkin caught it well:

billion, to say nothing of organisational costs.

“In times when nothing stood

But to focus on the financial disruption

But worsened, or grew strange,

doesn’t begin to describe the sheer

There was one constant good:

magnitude of it. It will be an event unlike

She did not change.”

anything Britain has ever seen before. There

The royal household is a very large

will be trivial disruptions — the BBC will

business with 1,200 employees, including

cancel all comedy shows, for example — and

catering, gardening, secretarial, media

jarring cultural changes. Prince Charles

relations, marketing, human resources, IT,

may change his name, and the words of the

property surveying and maintenance, equine

national anthem will be changed too, as will

management, retails, restoration and strategic

the bank notes, stamps and coins.

planning and research. Annual expenses were

The deaths of Princess Diana and the

put at £35.7m, with payroll alone being £18.2m

Queen Mother both brought on waves of

and property maintenance at £13.3m.

public mourning and outright hysteria.

The expenses of £35m have to be seen

But the Queen, due to her longevity and

alongside the income created by the

fundamental place atop British society, will

monarch. It is estimated that the Diamond

be on a whole new level above that.

Jubilee alone produced a net income to the

The vast majority of British people have

UK of £508.9m, according to the Centre of

simply never known life without the Queen,

Retail Research. Broken down, the impact

and l for one do not want to see it, ever.

31

COAST TO CAPITAL LEP

BUSINESS IS OUR Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is led by the region’s business community and supported by local authorities and academic institutions.

Looking back on his time as Chief Executive, Ron Crank reflects on how the LEP has benefited from the leadership input of a business-led board.

O

ne of the challenges that organisations such as Coast to Capital have is creating a robust governance structure. A key

Through necessity, Coast to Capital has developed complex management structures and processes to ensure effective consultation,

voluntary, unpaid board members, who give up their valuable time for the region’s benefit.

During my tenure at Coast to Capital, I

part of this is ensuring we have a cohesive and

co-ordination and delivery. Although

have valued the support and commitment

well-balanced board of directors who, under

sometimes frustratingly bureaucratic and

of our board members, who collectively

the guidance of our Chairman, set the strategic

slow, it is often the only way to ensure public

bring substantial business and management

direction of the LEP and monitor its progress

investment from Whitehall and Europe is used

experience, perspective and insight, both

against clear performance indicators.

wisely and appropriately. That said, Coast to

to our decision-making process and to our

Capital is run like a business rather than a

performance monitoring.

And whilst the majority of corporate governance principles are the same for most

government department. We are designed to

private, public and not-for-profit organisations,

help businesses become more competitive and

representatives, we are fortunate that our

there are, of course, subtle differences,

better able to create jobs and prosperity.

board comprises some of our region’s most

particularly in areas such as culture and

Our mission is to improve the international

As well as our local government

successful business people from the corporate

values. As is the case with all LEPs around the

competitiveness of our region’s businesses by

world and finance industry, together with

country, we have a multiplicity of stakeholders.

removing the barriers to growth. Therefore,

entrepreneurs who have built successful

Our board is collectively accountable to

it is vital our board is both business-led and

companies from scratch. This reminds me of

Government and local stakeholders alike. This

business-focused. However, like many not-for-

the quote: “if you want to get something done,

isn’t always easy!

profit organisations, we rely on the goodwill of

give it to a busy person!”

THE COAST TO CAPITAL BOARD

32

It’s our business to help your business succeed.

COAST TO CAPITAL LEP

BUSINESS A

s well as having a successful career as a Regional Director for RBS, with responsibility for corporate and commercial banking for businesses in the South East with turnover between £2-£500 million, Daryl Gayler is also an Executive Board Director of Coast to Capital.

He was keen to get involved with the LEP as it provides a logical opportunity for him to combine his business experience with his passion for the region in helping the board deliver on its ambitious agenda.

Daryl says: “Having lived and worked locally in the Coast to Capital region all my life, the success of the local business community is important to me, both professionally and personally, and the LEP has a mandate from the government to help deliver this success.”

He agrees that the involvement of business executives on the LEP board helps produce a diversity in terms of experience, background and core competence. “It helps provide a balance between the public and private sector, and, using our day-to-day contacts in the business community, we are able to work alongside our public sector colleagues to help

get things done.”

Daryl added: “I have been very impressed with the professionalism, tenacity and business acumen of the board, and I was delighted to be given the opportunity to take part. I have been involved for almost two years and the LEP is now in a really exciting phase of ‘delivery and execution’, helping to bring to life a number of very exciting projects which will make a real difference for the Coast to Capital region.”

Another board member is Mike La Rooy, who fills a demanding global Vice President role for American Express, based in Brighton.

Mike leads a team of over 500 employees across several countries and has extensive international business experience, which has proven particularly helpful in relation to the development of Coast to Capital’s international strategy. He says his motivation for joining the Coast to Capital board was a desire to understand more about how the government promotes economic development, allied with a wish to contribute to the overall well-being of his local area. He says: “I feel that, while Sussex is already hugely successful, there is

considerable untapped potential.”

Looking at things from a different perspective is board member Julie Kapsalis, Vice-Principal (commercial) of Chichester College. Julie has worked in economic development and community engagement for the past 12 years, with a particular focus on enterprise and social inclusion. She has also served as an advisor to the UK Government’s task force on women’s enterprise and has been a regular contributor to the National Business Incubation Association.

“My motivation for joining the Coast to Capital board was to contribute to the local economy by encouraging business start-up and business growth,” Julie says. “I wanted to use my experience and background in marketing and enterprise/innovation to ensure the LEP directed its funding to support pertinent business issues - including access to finance, skills and internationalisation. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to chair the Business Grants Panel, where we are able to support the growth aspirations of regional businesses.

“In 2014, thirty-nine businesses from across the Local Enterprise Partnership region were awarded a slice of £2.2m for projects to assist their expansion. It is incredibly rewarding to see how businesses such as Oyster World in Croydon have then utilised this funding to achieve significant growth and create jobs,” concludes Julie.

THE COAST TO CAPITAL BOARD

Visit www.coast2capital.org.uk to discover more.

33

INVESTMENTS

A CORRECT CORRECTION? It’s Been A Volatile Time For The Market

By Andy Merricks Head of Investments of Skerritts Wealth Management www.skerritts.co.uk Not Exactly Unexpected Well, that was exciting. There must have been some kind of record set in the last week of August as the media went into overdrive trying to find succinct ways to get the message across that the markets were acting somewhat turbulently. Black Monday was a precursor to Turnaround Tuesday, which gave way to Whiplash Wednesday, not to mention Thudding Thursday. Frenetic Friday was, thank Heavens, followed by that old favourite, Bank Holiday Weekend. The week could be summed up as being what is known in the trade as a volatile one.

34

Not that this was entirely unexpected.

Readers of our regular missive will recognise the following from August: “A Correction Is Due: A correction in the US may happen for no other reason than we have not seen one for a long time. It has been 43 months since the last fall of more than 10% on the S&P 500, the thirdlongest such streak since the 1930s,” as well as the more scientific pronouncement, “it just feels as though something nasty is due to happen.”

We are yet to find out, at the time of writing, whether our other call, that of a delay to interest rates rising in September in the US -“we appear to be a lone voice when it comes to

interest rate expectations in the US” – comes to fruition. However, weeks such as the ones just gone do raise a number of serious questions and give rise to opportunities to adjust portfolios if need be.

Time To Reflect A bout of volatility so severe that it made teatime and evening news headlines should give rise to a period of reflection over one’s investment strategy leading into, and coming out of, said bout. In the portfolios that we manage, we had raised our cash levels in anticipation of some kind of correction, yet

INVESTMENTS emerging markets’ constituents.

• If things are not better for China and the emerging markets, and China was largely held responsible for the global sell-off, why have many of the markets rebounded so solidly immediately after the main correction? Refer back to our August newsletter on the effect of China on the global economy, but in short the world continues to turn outside China. How well it turns is another question.

• Central Bank policy is data dependent, and data is backward-looking. Credit impulse is a forward-looking indicator, and the credit impulse in the Euro area and in the US has slowed. This indicates a slow down in both economic blocs which, when coupled with a Chinese slow down, is not good news.

However, the Fed uses backward-looking data in assessing the merits or otherwise of an interest rate move, so it could be that rates rise at the very time that the economy is going to slow, which could turn out to be an expensive policy mistake. This would not be good for markets. However, the Fed is in an awkward spot because, if it doesn’t raise rates, having flagged its intention to do so, the market could take fright at the reasons for not doing so. A bit of a lose-lose, really. remained invested in certain equity funds because a) we didn’t want to miss out on continuing growth if our caution was misplaced and b) market timing is an impossibility on a consistent basis, and anyone who claims to do so successfully every time is a liar (allegedly).

Now that the correction has occurred, we need to ask ourselves a number of questions, and answer them through the actions we now take.

In no particular order: • Was the correction we’ve just witnessed the main one or, like seismic activity, an indicator of worse to come? If it was the main one, are we to expect aftershocks? Always a difficult one to assess and never truly understood until hindsight has had its say, but the feeling is that in the short term that was probably it, but real risks exist in the short term in sufficient numbers to prevent us from rushing into the market again with the cash that we have sidelined.

• What has changed in a fortnight? We knew that China was slowing and that the demand for commodities had fallen off a cliff. That is why we had exited emerging markets some time ago and why we wrote about China last month. Has it all just got better for China and the emerging markets so that we can now buy them again? Not a chance. Our opinion is that things can get worse yet and that political risks are rising across many of the

“Not a single economy in the world appears to be in rude health at the moment.”

• Is the rally based upon fundamentals or technicalities? Again, a tricky one. We mentioned the phrase “groupthink” in a previous issue and the feeling is that the sell-off and snap-back is more liquiditydriven than fundamentally so. Our focus will continue to be upon those sectors (rather than geographic regions) that offer potential, regardless of wider macro influences. Will we continue to invest in healthcare and biotechnology funds, even though their valuations look toppy? Yes. We don’t think anyone’s got fundamentally healthier in the past fortnight, negating the need for medical breakthroughs. Will we continue to invest in companies who are developing security systems to protect us from the increasing threat of cyber attacks? Yes. This particular

threat doesn’t appear to be receding. Will we continue to invest in smaller companies within the UK rather than the oil, bank and mining-laden FTSE 100 index? For the time being, yes. Will we continue to be cautious in the short term? Without a doubt.

Addicted To QE Looking back, last Summer was similar to this one in that markets demanded action from the ECB by creating a riot in the latter months. When QE began, the Euro weakened, the Dollar soared, European equities rose by 25%, and by the Spring the markets looked around and asked, “Now what?” They needed a stimulus that wasn’t there any more. This is largely what has happened at various times since 2009 in the US, the UK, Japan, and to an extent, in China. Once the short term hit of the QE narcotic has worn off, a low descends as markets turn to the fundamentals for guidance.

And there’s not much there to get them excited.

Not a single economy in the world appears to be in rude health at the moment. The US are terrified of the effects of raising rates, yet “forward guidance” doesn’t seem to have worked either. Japan’s target of 2% inflation has evaporated once again. What do they do?

Unleash yet another “biggest-ever” round of QE to try to stimulate growth again? With the Greek crisis surely only on hold and the Euro rising in the past month on a weird “safe haven” status, how long before Draghi kick starts the QE engine again? The world has become QE dependent and no economy seems strong enough to stand on its own two feet without artificial help.

Is this the new normal? Probably. Most of our policy makers are graduates of the economic models that were written during the freak period of credit boom and inflationary times that typified the 1970s through to the midnoughties. That is their normal, and when you are in positions of extreme power it is very difficult to admit that you may be wrong or that the bases for everything you believe to be true have changed. This is why the world is quite a dangerous place, but it is one that we will continue to navigate in as responsible and successful a way as we are able.

These are our views and are for professional use only.

The information contained within this feature is for guidance only and is not a recommendation of any investment or a financial promotion.

Skerritt Consultants, Skerritt House, 23 Coleridge Street, Hove, BN3 5AB. Tel: 01273 204 999.

35

INTERVIEW

CORPORATE DEALS SURGE

As the South East returns to a Strong M&A Market, Platinum Business speaks to DMH Stallard’s leading Regional Corporate Team about current deal trends and how businesses are making the most of growing investor confidence.

I

n 2014 DMH Stallard won the South East Corporate Law Firm of the Year award at the prestigious South East Insider Dealmaker

send the wrong message, and your deal could

support deals, which is increasing activity in

easily be lost. Interestingly, the pressure

the market place. This is combined with greater

is now emerging from buyers to complete

interest amongst our business clients in

Awards. The accolade came off the back of a

more quickly and find ways of compromising

planning for both growth and succession.

stellar summer for the firm, when the team

commercial issues.

concluded a series of high-value M&A and financing transactions.

“There is now a good appetite amongst both debt funders and asset-based lenders to

Jonathan Grant, who heads up DMH

buyers, and especially those based in the USA.”

be confident. with a return in deal and transaction volumes to the South-East. It has been a long time coming, but we are now seeing more consistent funding, quicker deal completions and an overall increase in activity, which is great news for businesses looking to grow.

“However, deals are still not easy, and clients need experienced guidance to make quick commercial judgments without exposing themselves to undue risk. Delay too long, or

36

are looking at ways to move their businesses forward. This includes investment by foreign

Stallard’s team, now has even more reason to “We have seen a strong first half of 2015,

“We are finding that our clients do not wish to sit on their hands any more or hold back and

Abigail Owen, Corporate Partner in DMH

“I’m still amazed how often businesses expect to be able to breeze through a deal, bearing in mind how much is at stake.”

Stallard’s award winning team, agrees that the market is probably the best it has been for six or seven years, but urges caution when working with clients.

“I’m still amazed how often businesses expect to be able to breeze through a deal, bearing in mind how much is at stake. Careful preparation and long-term planning are key and can ultimately effect the sale price of a business, often by millions of pounds.

“Too many business owners leave

INTERVIEW

DMH Stallard’s Regional Deal Round-Up Brandywine Communications Acquisition of Time and Frequency Solutions

Sterling Insurance Sale to Covea

Roundstone Nurseries Restructure and merger with Newey Group

“Delay too long, or send the wrong message, and your deal could easily be lost.”

Corona Corporate Solutions Acquisition of Falcon Document Solutions

preparation for sale until it’s too late. They start the sale process only to find that they don’t have the time to reduce unnecessary costs, renegotiate inadequate contracts, re-engineer processes that a buyer would find unappealing and generally eradicate any problem areas.

Ilex Press Sale to Octopus Publishing

DMH Stallard’s Team have developed a free Value Boost Programme, which is aimed at getting businesses in the best possible shape so that when they do find a buyer, their value is maximised and the stressful sales process goes as smoothly as possible.

The team have completed nine deals in the SouthEast region during the first half of 2015, and will see other significant deals complete in the next two months.

We are also finding that more clients are receiving approaches from trade which suggests the activity will continue.

It is not just M&A activity which is positive;

Jonathan Grant

many clients are asking for help documenting new finance and investment to support growth.

This is from a variety of sources, crowd funding, family investment, wealthy private investors, VC investors and debt & asset funders. A return to fast growth in entrepreneurial

Ivy Press Sale to Quarto Publishing

Kelsey Publishing Acquisition of Future Digital Media

Coast to Capital Investment deal with Brighton i360

business will keep activity moving and increase opportunity.

Abigail Owen

For an information pack on DMH Stallard’s free Value Boost programme and how it could help your business prepare for sale, please email scott.garner@dmhstallard.com

Leumi ABL Share purchase of Nu-Tech Engineering Services 37

Sussex-based Skerritts have won the industry-recognised Citywire New Model Adviser award for the South East for the 5th successive year. The awards were presented by comedian and TV presenter Clive Anderson.

MARKETING

IT’S EVENT SEASON...

Big Beach Marketing Tel: 01273 434552 Web: www.bigbeach.co.uk

By Craig Walden Director of Big Beach Marketing

W

ith the kids back at school, it is event season once again. From the end of September to the middle of

space is on a busy walkway, ideally near the

the confidence and wherewithal to be there.

entrance so that you can catch delegates whilst

Issue a press release, post a news item on your

they are fresh and before your competitors

website and get busy on the social networks.

November, we are always busy at Big Beach

speak to them. Make sure your stand can be

Ensure you take advantage of all PR available

organising events and exhibitions for our

seen and accessed easily from both directions.

from the event organisers with a compelling

What are you there to say? Consider what

profile, logo and news items and consider the

clients. Here are my top ten tips for potential exhibitors: Choose your events wisely. Find out which

messages and graphics you want to display and how you are going to visually attract

sponsorship opportunities at most events.

Capture the contacts! Ensure you have a

events existing customers go to and there

people to your stand over any others. Keep

reason and the means to capture delegates’

is a good chance you will find similar size

your message simple, relevant and clear and

and industry prospects going there too. Try

don’t forget to ensure your staff echo this on

details on the day of the event. Offer a free trial

to avoid events where there will be half a

the day too.

dozen competitors there all offering the same products and services.

What will it cost? Understand the true

To demo…or to not demo? Decide whether you need to have live demonstrations of products on the stand or simply presentations

costs of the event and check you have the

or videos. Ensure you hire the right equipment

budget to do it justice. Take into account stand

needed, large monitors or Internet access, for

space, stand graphics, marketing material,

instance. And make sure your team know how

sponsorship opportunities, clothing for staff,

to demo, present and work the equipment.

giveaways for prize draws and possibly even accommodation for staff.

Why are you attending? Decide what the

What to ‘give away’? Decide on the marketing material you need for your stand and giveaway items which potential customers

purpose and objectives are for attending an

may just keep long enough to remember your

event or exhibition. Who are you targeting,

name, or, better still, give you a call when they

existing customers or new prospects? Are you

need something.

looking to raise awareness, generate leads or

Market your event. Send out emails or direct

reassure existing customers they are with the

mail prior to the event inviting customer and

right provider? I suspect all of the above.

prospects to visit you. They may not accept

Where is your stand? Ensure your stand

your invite but they will know that you have

or hold a prize draw. Anything that allows you to take their details, and whilst doing so, find out a bit more about them and their business.

And take pictures on the day to use afterwards when you…

Follow up after the event. Create a press release, attach a photo and talk about the success of the event. Post more news on your website and on the social networks. Collate all leads from new and existing prospects and make contact with them within at least three days of the show and add them onto you CRM system. Monitor sales that are a result of the event. It will help you decide whether to attend the event next year.

For help with any forthcoming events and exhibitions, call us on 01273 434552 or visit: www.bigbeach.co.uk.

39

BUSINESS AWARDS

GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS 2016

The Gatwick Diamond Business Awards celebrate people and businesses who have shown innovation and inspiration in their work and have demonstrated a real commitment to the sub-region.

Any business that is located in, or trades in, the Gatwick Diamond region can enter – you do not need to be a member of any particular business organisation to enter.

The awards have become one of the region’s premier business occasions celebrating the best of the best across the Gatwick Diamond.

This will be the eighth year for the Awards, and the whole event is gaining ever-increasing attention in the region. In fact, you could say this is our Centenary Year as we will be awarding our 100th Award during the course of the evening … but who will it go to?

Sanjeev Bhaskar For 2016, Sanjeev Bhaskar will be the host for the evening.

Sanjeev gained notoriety as creator and performer of the BBC hit series Goodness Gracious Me. His film roles have included It’s A Wonderful Life, London Boulevard and The Zero Theorem.

Sanjeev led the cast in the BAFTA award-winning television series Indian Doctor, which garnered record ratings and critical acclaim, and he has also appeared in the West End as King Arthur in Eric Idle’s Spamalot.

Sanjeev wrote and starred in The Kumars at No. 42, which had global success, winning two Emmys, a BAFTA nomination, a British Comedy Award and the Bronze Rose at Montreaux. The family recently returned to our screens on Sky, and featured guests include Daniel Radcliffe, Chevy Chase, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Rupert Everett, Emilia Fox, Richard E Grant, James Corden, Terry Gilliam and Twiggy.

In 2007, Sanjeev embarked on a highly personal journey through modern India with the BBC to commemorate 60 years of Indian independence. His accompanying travel book became a Sunday Times bestseller.

40

Headline Sponsors Gatwick Airport NatWest Bank Nestlé Vines BMW & Mini

Awards • Business of the Year sponsored by NatWest Bank • Business Person of the Year sponsored by KPMG • New Business of the Year sponsored by the FSB • Green Business of the Year sponsored by Crawley Borough Council • Award for Developing People for Business Success sponsored by Central Sussex College • Responsible Business of the Year sponsored by Lloyds Bank • Award for Customer Delight sponsored by Storm Creative Partnership • International Business of the Year sponsored by the Gatwick Diamond Initiative • Employer of the Year sponsored by Search Consultancy • Award for Supply Chain Excellence sponsored by Hays UK • Award for Innovation & Technology sponsored by Rawlison Butler LLP • Digital Marketing Business of the Year sponsored by Optima Systems Ltd • Professional Services Firm of the Year sponsored by Preview Visual Communications Group • Award for Place to Meet sponsored by B&CE The Peoples Pension

BUSINESS AWARDS

Quotes from the 2015 awards night David Rawlance, Senior Manager with Lloyds Bank, speaking about the entries and the judging process: “We see all sectors and all businesses applying, so it truly represents the breadth of businesses across the Gatwick Diamond.”

Rosemary French, Executive Director of the Gatwick Diamond Initiative, speaking about sponsorship: “This is a very, very effective way to market your business and to reach new customers. Why wouldn’t you do it?”

Charles Kirwan-Taylor, Corporate Affairs Director of Gatwick Airport, speaking about the Awards Ceremony: “If I was to make the case for how an airport and a vibrant business community can work together and create economic prosperity, I would look no further than this room.”

Daryl Gayler, Regional Director with RBS, speaking about the work behind the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards: “The Awards recognise the contribution of real people in real businesses, making a difference to the region in which we all work.”

Neil Madle, Corporate Communications & IR Director with Varian, speaking about the Awards Ceremony after winning: “It is a fantastically wellorganised event and we’ve had a great time tonight.”

Key Dates The Awards Entry Period opens on the 7th October, 2015 and runs through to the end of November, so now is the time to start getting ready to enter.

After judging takes place through January 2016, the three Finalists in each category are announced in February and then the Awards are presented on the 17th March, 2016.

How to Win Awards & Influence People During the autumn, Gatwick Diamond Business will be delivering a number of Seminars on “How to Win Awards and Influence People”. These seminars will be built around content from those who have won awards and from the judges to clearly relate what success looks like.

22-Sept, 2pm to 3.30pm - Canon UK & Ireland HO, Reigate 23-Sept, 9.30am to 11.00am – Nestlé HQ 29-Sept, 9.30am to 11.00am – KPMG 7-Oct, 10.3am to 12.00noon - Copthorne Hotel 20-Oct, 9.30am to 11.00am - SonyDADC in Southwater 27-Oct, 9.30am to 11.00am – Southcoast Conferences, Brighton

For more, visit gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com ◆ twitter.com/gdbizawards ◆ facebook.com/gdbizawards or call us on 01293 813888 41

Grow your Own Talent An apprentice can help you develop the specialist skills your business needs to grow, and because they are committed to a career in your industry, an apprentice can make a real contribution to your workplace.

Central Sussex College can provide all the help you need to recruit and train the right person for your business. And there’s never been a better time to take on new talent. A £1,500 grant is available to companies who employ up to 50 staff, if they have not taken on an apprentice in the previous 12 months. This can be claimed for up to five new apprentices.

Currently Recruiting?

For more info visit centralsussex. ac.uk/apprenticeships

For more info please email jobshop@centralsussex.ac.uk

Let the College’s Job Shop support your company by advertising your vacancy and helping to match the right candidate for the job.

Our Job Shop advisers will talk to you about your business needs and provide free help and advice on continuing skills training for your employees too.

Advantages for business

Testimonial

An effective way of solving a skills shortage and succession planning

Jeanie Marshal Foods UK

Apprentices are trained to industry standards Apprentices gain nationally recognised qualifications specific to your business/industry Over half the companies recruiting Apprentices believe they offer better value than university graduates (source: City & Guilds)

With a £1,500 grant available for eligible employers taking on an apprentice aged 16-24, there’s never been a better time to take on new talent

Since turning to Central Sussex College to help develop the skills of our staff members, we have seen a number of benefits to our business.

The College applies a refreshing and welcome approach to supporting our business, and by working as a team we are now celebrating a pass rate close to 100% for our staff members who have been enrolled on training programmes to date.

—

Gerry McCorriston, Culinary Manager

To find out more please call 0845 155 0043 (press 4), or email employers@centralsussex.ac.uk

Intermediate Apprenticeship Leading to nationally recognised Level 2 vocational qualifications Advanced Apprenticeship Leading to nationally recognised Level 3 vocational qualifications Higher Apprenticeship Leading to nationally recognised Level 4 or Level 5 vocational qualifications Accounting

• • •

Brickwork

• •

Business Administration

• •

Carpentry and Joinery

• •

Childcare

• •

Cleaning and Support Services

•

Customer Service

• •

Dental Nursing

•

Electrical Installation

•

Engineering

• •

Hairdressing

• •

Health and Social Care

• • •

Hospitality and Catering

• •

Human Resource Management

•

Fabrication and Welding

• •

Information Technology

• •

Logistics

•

Management and Team Leading

• •

Motor Vehicle Engineering

• •

Plumbing and Heating

• •

Procurement

•

Professional Cookery

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Retail

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Sign Making

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Supply Chain

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Supporting Teaching and Learning

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Trade Business Services

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Warehousing and Storage

• •

AIRPORT RUNWAY DEBATE

WHAT LURKS BENEATH? The projected costs of preparing the ground at Heathrow may have been significantly under-estimated, says Dan Montagnani, Managing Director Of Groundsure

W

hilst most commentators are now concentrating on what’s going on up in the skies and on the ground, Groundsure took a look at what lies beneath, examining the environmental hazards that the 573ha expansion of Heathrow could unearth.

The geology beneath the expansion area comprises superficial deposits of Shepperton Gravel Member and Taplow Gravel, amongst others. This geology meant that, historically, these areas were used for sand and gravel extraction, leaving large pits, subsequently used for waste disposal.

Initial analysis shows that approximately 27.3% of the land beneath the proposed Heathrow footprint (excluding land already developed as part of Heathrow) was formerly used as landfill, with a further 12.3% classified as active landfill. Additionally, historical land uses such as breaker’s yards, factories, transport depots, garages, old gravel pits, electro-chemical engineering works and saw pits can be found at the site, all of which may potentially have left legacies of contamination which would require some form of investigation and possible remediation. Groundsure’s historical land use database shows that approximately 22.4% of the development area was formerly used for industrial purposes.

A report commissioned by Gatwick Airport and produced by RSK Group claims that the cost of clearing these landfill sites and associated contaminated land would be an extra £500m, far more than the cost of the

cleanup of the heavily contaminated Olympic Park (c.£386m). However, given that the Olympic Park was only around 246ha in size, the per hectare cost for remediation of the Olympic Park was £1.56m, as opposed to £872,600 as an equivalent per hectare cost for Heathrow based upon RSK’s projected costs.

“It would seem that Heathrow have grossly underestimated the costs associated with land contamination”

Heathrow’s own projections show that only £130m has been set aside to mitigate all environmental concerns (including reprovision of wildlife habitat, flood mitigation and reprovision of reservoir costs). It is not clear whether this accounts for necessary environmental remediation, or whether this is accounted for in the £11bn estimate for general ‘airport infrastructure’. If the £130m does include the costs for investigation and remediation, it would seem that Heathrow have grossly underestimated the costs associated with land contamination, and will be digging

into contingency funds before a brick is laid.

In addition to the brownfield legacy of the proposed development, there is also the issue of greenbelt development, given that the vast majority (approximately 78%) of the development area lies within the London greenbelt, whilst also cutting into a small part of a designated Local Nature Reserve.

However, given that around half this greenbelt area is also brownfield land, it is not hard to imagine the arguments that could be made in favour of development, despite simplistic policy assessments in the Conservative manifesto which appear to imply that greenbelt and brownfield land are mutually exclusive entities, and also the a priori assumption that brownfield land always has a lower ecological value than greenfield sites.

Whilst the Airport Commission report is not a legally binding promise to build at Heathrow, it has added considerable weight to the proposal, and with a decision expected by the end of the year, there’s little opportunity for the issues to be buried.

Groundsure works to help solicitors, homebuyers, businesses, consultants, surveyors and lenders make more informed property-transaction decisions. Clients are offered precise, up-to-date environmentalreport data – through access to the UK’s most comprehensive contemporary and historic land-use datasets, many of them exclusive to Groundsure. www.groundsure.com

43

INTERVIEW

ON THE RIGHT PAGE FOR RECRUITMENT Steve Howes and Matt Jones

With its headquarters in Weybridge and offices across the globe, the FTSE 250-listed recruitment company Michael Page, part of PageGroup, is one of the region’s big success stories. It hasn’t forgotten its local market, as Ian Trevett discovered when he visited the regional Head Office in Guildford to meet Steve Howes, Operating Director for Michael Page Finance in the South East of England and Matt Jones, Associate Director for Guildford and Brighton.

O

ne of the perks of working for an established recruitment company is that you get to see the best vacancies before

anyone else. Recruitment has a reputation for

they aren’t the only ones; the company is listed

people are managed by leaders who have done

in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to

the job successfully themselves and secondly,

Work For. So what is the secret?

we have created a clear career path spanning

Steve Howes (SH): Our model is one of

10, 15, 20 years, not two years. It’s a real

being a tough sales environment, attracting

organic growth - 87% of our management and

testament to the company and our culture that

ambitious professionals hungry for success,

directorate team joined as consultants, as

the majority of our management team have

so when those plum job prospects appear in

Matt and I did, and have worked up through

worked for the company for over six years.

the inbox, who could blame them for taking

the ranks. I started in the Southampton office,

advantage?

where I built a practice business, and then I

meritocratic business where you can carve out

became a manager, associate director and am

your own career.

So it is quite an achievement for Michael

Matt Jones (MJ): Michael Page represents a

Page Finance to boast, quite rightly, about their

now an operating director, with a regional remit

proud record of staff retention. Matt Jones has

covering four offices in Guildford, Brighton,

of the Southern Regional offices (Guildford,

just celebrated his tenth year at the company

Southampton and Maidstone. There are two

Southampton, Brighton and Maidstone) with at

and Steve Howes is only months behind. And

main benefits of organic growth. Firstly, our

least ten years’ experience.

44

I am proud that we have managers in all

INTERVIEW

“We have the best training in the industry, bar none. It can be really hard, but it’s great fun as well.”

We have the best training in the industry, bar

commercial added-value roles. While there’s

none, which is crucial as the role can be really

always been a requirement for financial

challenging, but it’s very rewarding as well.

accountants, recently we’ve seen that

Once fully trained, our consultants are out in the market, developing their network and gaining a great insight into the local business world. You learn a lot, you get to meet many different people and get to work in a fun and fast paced team environment.

I would say that we’ve changed dramatically as a business in the last ten years. When I joined the company we were expected to work 11/12 hours a day and make a certain number of calls each week.

Our consultants now enjoy far greater autonomy in how they run their own desks which has helped them find a much more sustainable work/life balance. We’re still hard-working, but allowing this trust has paid dividends, and that is evident in both our results and our staff retention. Due to this more flexible approach, we’ve seen a significant increase in new mothers returning to their careers with us, often with flexible working arrangements.

PBM: So no more ‘lunch is for wimps,’ to quote Gordon Gekko?

SH: The business today is definitely a more sustainable, motivational and welcoming

environment. We recognise that you can’t have an organic growth model if you don’t retain top talent.

PBM: Do you specialise in any particular sector or job role?

SH: We recruit into qualified finance roles across all sectors; this varies significantly, from blue chip FTSE 100’s to promising locally-based SMEs, accountancy practices, not-for-profit and public sector organisations.

We recruit qualified finance professionals with salaries of £35,000-40,000 up to approx £90,000. We also have a dedicated executive recruitment brand, Page Executive, which recruits above this level, typically for finance director and CFO roles in companies ranging from VC backed high growth businesses to FTSE 100’s. The diversity of our client base and the subsequent roles we recruit allows us to attract a wide pool of candidates both locally and nationally and helps to strengthen our network and candidate database.

PBM: Is recruitment a barometer of the economy? What trends have you seen?

MJ: Post-credit crunch, and, for a good number of years afterward, there were fewer

businesses are looking to invest in more commercial roles, from financial business partners to senior management teams.

SH: Our biggest challenge now is finding candidates for these positions, largely due to a chronic under-investment in graduate recruitment post the 2008 downturn. This year, the demand from clients has once again increased, with top talent being snapped up quickly, leaving the market with a significant skills shortage.

As the pendulum has now swung in the candidates’ favour, we have to be very proactive in terms of identifying and attracting the people whose skills are in the greatest demand.

Companies recognise that they need to build their brand as an employer of choice and, like ourselves, work hard to attract and retain the best talent. Interestingly, SME businesses have done well in this candidate-driven market, often because of the variety in the roles they offer and the opportunity they afford candidates to actually have direct influence on a business and its key stakeholders.

While there are some fantastic roles within large organisations, a frequent objection we

45

INTERVIEW encounter is that candidates are concerned

the most productive. Ultimately it’s about

about becoming too niche in their work and

understanding what the client wants.

skill-set and thus limiting their future options.

PBM: You mentioned the credit crunch; how did that impact on your business?

SH: There’s no denying that, like all

PBM: Can you tell us more about Michael Page as a company?

SH: Michael Page is one of the world’s largest and best-known professional

businesses, the credit crunch had an impact.

recruitment consultancies. Established above

But while we did see a dip in revenues, it

a laundrette in London nearly 40 years ago, we

challenged us to improve the recruiting skills of

now span 155 offices in 35 countries, operating

our staff and made us focus on what our core

in 25 specialist disciplines. PageGroup

offering was, allowing us to take good market

consists of three core brands that all have

share. As a sector, finance was (and still is)

different recruitment service capabilities;

remarkably robust as there’s always the need

Page Executive, Michael Page and Page

for good accountants. And the diversity of the

Personnel. We operate a consultative approach

clients we recruit for certainly helped us too.

to professional recruitment combining local

MJ: It was a challenging period, but over

know-how with global expertise, to find the

the last five years we’ve increased our

best fit between client and candidate.

turnover year-on-year. We’re now launching

Michael Page Finance was our original

a second team out of Guildford covering the

brand and continues to be the largest in the

East of Surrey area to capitalise on the extra

UK business. While our regional offices are

penetration. We’re very positive about the

predominantly finance focussed at the moment,

future and the prospect of building new teams

we are looking to introduce new disciplines

in Guilford which will further increase the

in time to these offices to broaden our

visibility of the Michael Page brand .

offering to clients and candidates, mirroring

PBM: How much of the business is contract rather than permanent placements?

the multi-disciplinary model in our largest offices. Globally our strategy is the same, and

SH: Across my region, a third of the revenue

we are consistently establishing new brands

that we generate comes through our temporary

and disciplines internationally, particularly in

market, and the rest is through permanent

less developed markets where competition is

placements.

limited and fast growth is most attainable.

MJ: You can get some roles where it is

MJ: What’s exciting about our global

literally a small project for two or three weeks

expansion is the number of opportunities it

and we get other things that carry on for years.

presents for our staff at all levels. My old boss

It varies from contact to contract.

moved to Calgary, Canada to launch a specialist

PBM: How do you handle requests for very

oil & gas office and another consultant who

specialised roles, especially if you don’t have a

worked for me set up an office in India and now

candidate with the required skills?

he’s working for PageGroup in The Chrysler

MJ: We establish a list of requirements, and

Building in New York. It’s great to think that

the key is to listen to our clients and help them

several people from our Surrey and Sussex

prioritise what skills are absolutely necessary

teams have moved internationally, growing

and what would be nice to have. We will advise

their careers and having a lot of fun in the

on what is feasible and the best way to go

process. In saying that, most of our clients

about it. No two recruitment processes are

would be surprised to learn our teams are very

the same - some require advertising, others a

much run on a local basis. We have to respond

proactive search through our online databases

to and reflect the regional differences of each

or our internal network, which is quite often

market place. We are a local recruiter as much

46

as a national and international business, with the benefit of the best database, network, training and resources. The local recruiter part is something we do have to remind clients of on occasions due to the scale of our business globally.

PBM: If a candidate walked through the door now, what skills or experience would you be looking for?

SH: Right now the three roles that we are seeing time and again are financial analysts, finance business partners and newly qualified practice trained accountants. It’s such a shift from where we were two or three years ago where the demand was much more for core accounting skills. The surge has come from the need for people who can interpret data and liaise with the business to help them make decisions.

MJ: Clients always need people with good presentation skills who are able to confidently communicate with finance professionals and senior management teams, as well as operations. You often don’t know this from a CV and that can be one of the reasons people come to us.

PBM: Where do you see Michael Page in the South East in five years’ time?

SH: Although we’re established as a market leader, we want to continue to grow our core business and, above all, capitalise on the less developed and more specialised revenue streams. There’s a real desire here for us to be more active in the market and partner more with the local business community.

MJ: We have the foundation and infrastructure for this next phase of growth which will mean more opportunities for our candidates and also for our own people – there are exciting times ahead!

Stephen Howes 02380 206440 stephenhowes@michaelpage.co.uk Matthew Jones 0148 330 7607 matthewjones@michaelpage.co.uk

bennettgriffin SOLICITORS AND NOTARIES

always willing to go that extra mile*

Bennett Griffin LLP 23 Warwick Street Worthing, West Sussex BN11 3DG

Bennett Griffin LLP 11 Sea Lane, Ferring, West Sussex BN12 5DR

01903 229999

www.bennett-griffin.co.uk *The 2015 Worthing Birdman Competition. ÂŁ1045.00 raised for Guild Care presented by Rob Fawcett and Elaine Smith.

THE BUDGET

CHANGES TO NON-DOM STATUS Sati Virdee, Private Client Tax Manager at Kreston Reeves, on the pressure on the government to reducing tax breaks for non-doms

O

verseas nationals living in the UK will typically be considered to be non-UK domiciled individuals for tax purposes.

In the UK, the status of non-UK domicile brings

Changes afoot

and capital gains within the UK tax net.

These announcements will affect long-term

It is also proposed that ‘deemed domicile’

UK resident non-UK domiciles. Starting from the

status for Inheritance Tax purposes, currently

2017/18 tax year, the Government has stated that

acquired automatically after 16 years of UK

with it valuable tax benefits. Non-UK domicile

any UK residents who have resided in the UK for

residence, should be brought into line and also

individuals have access to the remittance basis of

more than 15 of the last 20 years will be deemed

acquired after 15 years.

taxation, which enables them to avoid UK tax on

to be domiciled in the UK for all UK tax purposes.

non-UK source income and gains which remain

Therefore, if a non-UK domicile comes to the UK

£90,000 remittance basis charge for individuals

offshore. However, the government has been

and remains here continuously, the remittance

who have resided in the UK for 17 of the last

under considerable pressure to take a tougher

basis of taxation will cease to be available for the

20 years will not be relevant from April 2017,

stance to reduce these tax benefits for so-called

16th and subsequent tax years, and can only be

as individuals will now be taxable on their

‘non-doms’, and the following proposed budget

re-instated after a period of absence from the UK

worldwide income and capital gains after 15

announcements highlight this trend.

of six years. This will bring their overseas income

years.

48

Within the Autumn Statement, the higher

TAX Additionally, any benefits, capital or income received from an excluded property trust will now be be taxed on a worldwide basis from April 2017.

Note that any leavers returning to the UK who then regain their UK domicile and have excluded property trusts which were set up while they were not domiciled in the UK will not benefit from any favorable tax treatment.

What scope is there for forward planning?

We do not hold sufficient details yet to draw any conclusions that would enable concrete planning decisions to be made. Furthermore, it is quite likely that changes may be made to existing proposals before legislation comes into force. Nevertheless, it is useful to consider what options may be available to non-UK domiciled individuals who are likely to be affected by the new measures.

For those individuals who are close to becoming ‘deemed’ domiciled for UK inheritance tax purposes under the existing 17-out-of-20-year rule, it is recommended that they urgently take advice in respect of their estate planning. Currently, successful tax planning, such as setting up an ‘excluded property trust’ before acquiring deemed UK domicile status, may ring fence foreign situs assets and remove them from UK inheritance tax exposure forever.

We can assist you with meeting your UK tax obligations as well as provide a wide range of general tax planning, such as ‘excluded property trust’ planning, succession planning and Inheritance Tax planning. Should you From April 2017, UK residential property,

Further measures will capture any originally

irrespective of the ownership structure or the

UK domiciled individuals who are now non-UK

domicile and residence of the beneficial owner,

domiciled. Even though they have gained

will be subject to UK inheritance tax.

a domicile of choice overseas, they will

The Chancellor had originally planned to

automatically reacquire their UK domicile

consult on a minimum claim period of three

status if they are, or if they become, resident in

years for the Remittance Basis and, in a

the UK in the future.

welcome move, has decided not to introduce

Any excluded property trusts set up by a

this minimum claim period. This means that

non-UK domiciled individual before they become

until they are deemed domiciled, non-domiciled

deemed to be UK domiciled will fortunately

individuals will continue to be able to choose

retain the current Inheritance Tax benefits

each year whether to be taxed on the Arising or

associated with an excluded property trust.

Remittance Basis.

The Budget changes will also affect

From April 2017, UK residential property, irrespective of the ownership structure or the

any individuals attempting to leave the UK

domicile and residence of the beneficial owner,

permanently and indefinitely after April 2017:

will be subject to UK inheritance tax. Historically,

Non-domiciled individuals will need to leave

non-UK domiciled individuals would structure

the UK for six tax years in order to lose their

their ownership of UK residential property

deemed tax domicile status.

through offshore companies to protect against

Any UK domiciled individuals will be subject

require a consultation to establish whether the budget changes will affect you and what options are available to you in the light of these new rules, please contact Sati Virdee, a Private Client Tax Manager within Kreston Reeves’ London office.

Sati is a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and a member of the Association of Taxation Technicians. Sati has over 16 years’ experience advising both UK and nondomiciled individuals on all aspects of their tax affairs. This includes advising on international issues such as residency, pre-arrival planning and remittance planning. Sati can be contacted on 0207 382 1853 and at sati.virdee@krestonreeves.com. www.krestonreeves.com

UK inheritance tax. This change adds further

to the same rules and will not lose their UK

complex rules to the Annual Tax on Enveloped

domiciled status until they have been non-UK

Dwelling and the recent extension of Capital

resident for six years.

Gains Tax to non-UK residents.

49

PLATINUM STYLE

style PLATINUM

IT’S IN THE BAG Y

ou’ve read it here before. Carefully chosen accessories are the key to pulling together your whole look. And one of the

most important (and most-used) accessories is your bag. Ideally, you should aspire to achieving style utopia by changing your bag to complement your business, casual or dressy style. It sounds laborious, I know, but your bag is a prominent and visible detail, one that is used regularly, and of course the details matter.

In this article I’ll share my thoughts on what

50

to look for in a bag (for both men and women), what your ‘bag wardrobe’ should ideally contain and what to invest in now.

account when choosing.

The new ‘man bags’

your lifestyle. If you work in a sharp, corporate

Where women’s fashion leads, men’s eventually follows. Did you know that the sale of men’s bags has increased by more than 25% in the past decade? And that they are now a firm fixture in every designer’s menswear collection?

When Mark Carney gave his first speech as governor of the Bank of England, he carried what most people would call a ‘man bag’. Not a standard briefcase, but a soft grey, blackleather trimmed number with long handles.

Think about it. Are you constantly stuffing keys, wallet, various bits of paper and who knows what else into your pockets? Not only does it look messy, it also ruins the line of your clothes. Or perhaps you are carrying a ‘onebag-fits all occasions’ number that has seen better days.

Let’s say you are ready to choose the right bag for you. First of all, consider your lifestyle. Where and how do you spend most of your time – in the office, out with clients, do you need to carry bulky documents, do you travel frequently – take all of these into

Once you’ve considered how and where you’ll use it, invest in one or two that work for environment, I’m guessing that you already have an appropriate leather briefcase. But there are other options too, particularly if your working life is less formal, or you are looking for something to use on casual days. These include: • Folio / Pouch: the sleekest option out there. It can have a zipper or be a simple pouch. The key is not filling it with too much, ruining its streamlined look • Crossbody / Messenger: these can be quite small zippered styles or roomier messenger bags. Both, as you’d expect, can be worn across the body, but should be carried no lower than your hip

PLATINUM STYLE sure you also choose something that works with your proportions; huge bags can swamp petite women, for example. Finally, take your commute into account. If you travel by bus, train or underground, you will want to consider the weight of your bag and how far you have to walk.

Building your bag wardrobe takes time (hence it’s better to invest in a classic first) but you should aim to include the following: • Tote: a roomy option for work, with space for your laptop and other paraphernalia.

Choose one both top-handles and a

Samantha Wilding Tel: 07833 084864 Email: Samantha@styleandgrace.eu Website: www.styleandgrace.eu Twitter: @alwayschicUK

longer shoulder strap, and make sure you check the weight when you buy.

If it’s heavy when it’s empty, imagine what it will be like when full!

• Bucket: fashionable for the past couple of seasons, the bucket shape is more casual (and more fun). This season, fringing adds interesting texture, tapping into the bohemian

• Tote: Mark Carney’s bag of choice. A roomier alternative to the briefcase, with ample space for your laptop, documents and whatever else you need that day. It encompasses a number of shapes, including shoulder bags, sports bags and bowling bags.

• Duffel / Holdall: the roomiest option of all.

This looks great in leather, but can also be found in tweed and canvas. If it’s no more than 55 x 35 x 20cm it can also serve as carry-on luggage • Backpack: self-explanatory and having a bit of a fashion moment. Best kept for casual wear.

One is never enough Now that designer handbag prices have really hit the stratosphere, it’s worth investigating mid-range options if you want to buy more than one or update each season.

And let’s face it, one bag cannot possibly cover every aspect of your life: work, family,

vibe that is so big at the moment • Clutch: if you’re a minimalist, this is the bag for you. The trick (as with the men’s folio) is not to overstuff it. They’re best carried on a night out, when all you need is your card, keys and lipstick • Crossbody: very fashionable this autumn/winter, and getting smaller in size. These are fine to carry for work if you’ve got your bulky essentials in another bag It’s always fun to play with colour and texture when choosing your accessories, and handbags are no exception.

Burgundy/claret, suede and fringing are all huge trends this autumn/winter, and will add a bit of interest to your work or play-wear.

socialising, travel. Whatever you choose, make

Top tips

sure you always buy real leather or suede – it

• Whatever you do, don’t

will look better, last much longer and keep its

overload your bag: it will

shape.

stretch and wear out the

I’m a great believer in investing in classic pieces that stand the test of time. If you’re after an elegant and sleek look for the office, for example, choose a bag that reflects this; keep bling and logos to a minimum and choose a smart, structured shape.

Think carefully when choosing your ‘everyday’ bag, and take into account your working

material, and wreak havoc on your neck and shoulders • Protect it from the elements regularly with a good spray, and store it in its dustbag • Clutches and folios look great, but can be annoying to hold for a long period of time.

Take this into consideration when choosing • Look for two straps. Many shoulder bags

lifestyle. First of all, look for a colour that works

also have smaller top-handles. It’s useful to

with the dominant palette in your wardrobe,

have the option to carry one bag two ways

including your coats (you can then add further

– and it will help preserve the line of your

bags in a range of colours and textures). Make

clothes (and your shoulder)

51

ANGER MANAGEMENT

ANGER MANAGEMENT Utterly failed by Maarten Hoffmann

THE DOOMED PROJECT? I

n my view, the European Union was created for two essential reasons: security and economic growth. After two devastating wars

The trouble here is that we are not the

the borders of successful countries, and in the

United States of America, who started with an

process they blight the economy of that country

empty country and a blank sheet of paper and

as they attempt to absorb the swarm. Now

raged across Europe within the space of one

created their union without the dichotomy of

we have a ‘biblical’ migration of citizens from

generation, slaughtering over 100 million souls,

nations that hated each other and had been

failed states across the Middle East arriving on

security was certainly a valid subject on which

ripping each others throats out for the past 500

Europe’s shores at the rate of 1,000 per day. I

our leaders should have pondered, and closer

years. Open borders sounds great on paper

union appeared to be the best route to stopping

but is failing in practise. Hordes of folk from

the madness.

basket case union countries stream across

do not at any point seek to blame the migrants themselves, as in their shoes l would be doing exactly the same thing.

“Syrians alone account for around 40% of the boat people crossing the Mediterranean.”

Europe’s leader, and the loudest voice for integration, is Germany. After taking in 800,000 migrants, they have just closed their border with Austria. This is the one supposed, immovable tenet of the Schengen agreement, that all borders must remain open. The UK have been bitching about this for years and only survived being swamped by the fact of being an island, but now that Germany is being overrun, they have decided that it is not quite

52

ANGER MANAGEMENT

“By the way, has anyone seen America in all of this mess?

They seem to be conspicuous by their absence and, totally out of character, by their silence.”

as important as they preach and promptly

will be made and the mass influx will continue

one of them. What makes people truly entitled

shut their borders. They state it is while they

unabated and grow as our elected leaders

to rescue is if their ordinary lives are made

integrate the near-million they have already

wring their hands.

impossible by violent conflict — and in the

taken in, but they ain’t seen nothing yet. It is

Unlike the euro, it would not be difficult to

current crisis, that means focusing on Syria.

estimated that with every successful migrant

put right. If you step outside the usual angry

Yes, there are other legitimate refugees on

calling home to say they are safe, there are

ding-dong, the posturing of those both pro-

those boats, but Syrians alone account for

millions making plans, and we might well see

immigrant and anti-immigrant; if you resist

around 40% of the boat people crossing the

the draining of the Middle East.

the easy option taken by the chattering classes

Mediterranean. Of Syria’s 20 million people,

who claim the moral high ground by insisting

around half are now displaced, and if you and l

It is a rare occasion when UKIP make me laugh, but l had to when l read what their

had the choice of living in a filthy refugee camp

Deputy Leader, Paul Nuttall, said: “Merkel is

or trying to get to safety in Europe, l feel we

like a misguided teenager who advertised her party on Facebook, then when everyone turns up, she panics and slams the door.” Countless other countries will now follow Germany’s lead, with Austria, Hungary and Serbia having done just that, and shut their borders, leaving the migrants we welcomed into Europe trapped in no-man’s land, and the very violence the Union

“Mass poverty has to be tackled, but the only way it can be done is for poor countries to catch up with the rich ones.”

would all take to the boats.

There is only one way to fix this crisis and that is to ensure their homelands are safe.

Morally, we are screwed, as it was the West that bombed them to hell and back and removed the very dictators, Mubarak, Gaddafi and Saddam, who kept the peace, but we have to ignore that for now and sort out Syria. It is costing billions

was formed to avoid will re-visit our shores,

to absorb the flow, with many more billions

stoke national resentment, and narrow right-

to be spent on housing, schooling and further integration. For less than half of that, we could

wing national interests will come bubbling to the surface.

It is estimated that over two million are on

on open borders, you can see that European policy is the result of moral confusion. Mass

sort out Syria.

By the way, has anyone seen America in all

their way. This is getting ridiculous. Where

poverty has to be tackled, but the only way it

of this mess? They seem to be conspicuous

on earth are they all going to go? How are we

can be done is for poor countries to catch up

by their absence, and, totally out of character,

going to pay for it all? This fabled Union is

with the rich ones. Not make the rich poorer

by their silence. News today that Russia are

falling apart as national self-interest asserts

and the poor destitute.

thought to be building an air base in Syria.

itself and, as we need the agreement of all

There are ways in which we can help that

The European Union was supposed to

leaders in the Union to make a decision, this

process, but encouraging the mass emigration

change the face of Europe, but l am not sure

is not going to happen. Therefore, no decision

of their most enterprising young people is not

this is what they had in mind.

53

Do you want to be part of a winning team?

Hastings Direct is an agile and fast moving insurance company which continues to challenge industry convention and remains one of the fastest growing insurance providers in the UK, with over 1.7 million customers. As an ambitious, industry innovator, we are seeking talented individuals to join our multi-award winning team at our head office based in Bexhill-on-Sea. In a culture which recognises achievement and actively promotes career progression, we can offer you the tools to excel and continue to grow with us in the future.

We have a variety of exciting opportunities across an array of business functions including: Senior finance business partner

Acting as an integral link between the finance department and the wider business, this role is responsible for planning, analysing and reporting on the financial and operational aspects of the company.

Insurance claims

Looking to progress your career within motor claims? Look no further! We are seeking third party property damage agents, personal injury MOJ negotiators, technical claims personal injury negotiators and senior large and complex loss handlers.

Risk Executive

Identifying potential business risks and proving departments with advice and guidance on identifying, assessing and managing risk.

Previous experience in a risk related role is essential

Supplier relationships manager

Managing 3rd party supplier relationships and working closely with the head of supplier relations to engage and ensure delivery of services & products.

Commercial Manager

Maintaining and developing relationships with our panel of ancillary partners, in order to maximise our commercial opportunities and remain an industry innovator

Commercial Executive

We are looking for someone with a panache for data and proven experience of interpreting and reporting on analytical trends

Customer representatives for sales, new business and claims

Starting salary of £15,500 with exciting and achievable career development and the opportunity to earn up to £18,500 as you progress.

Claims team leader – full time or part time

To supervise an allocated claims unit and to assist claims management in ensuring the smooth running of the claims department.

We’re on the lookout for great people, so experience is not required as we will invest lots of time up front in our fantastic training environment.

All we need from you is the flexibility to work when our customers need us and to enjoy working as part of a team. If that sounds like you and you have basic computer and communication skills, as well as the drive to really go places, we want to hear from you.

Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm.

Sat 9am to 5:30pm and Sun 10am to 5pm.

Part time opportunities are also available working evenings and weekends

If you would like to know more about us or any of the above vacancies please visit our careers site at:

www.hastings-careers.com or send us an email to: recruitmentteam@hastingsdirect.com

BUSINESS SCENE

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

THE PLATINUM BUSINESS CLUB, BRIGHTON & GATWICK The region’s premier networking group, The Platinum Business Club, now meet at the Grand Hotel in Brighton and the Hilton Hotel, Gatwick. Brighton has been running now for over 5 years and the all-new Gatwick event is going from strength to strength with over 75 guests at the last event. If you would like to join the Club and network with the leading business figures in the region, contact maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com or call 07966 244046

1. Andrew Clark (Lloyds Bank), Annabel Conn (Midnight Communications) 2. Christina Ewbank (Eastbourne Chamber), Faiza Shafeek (JP South Events) Maarten Hoffmann (Platinum) 3. Emily Wood (DMH Stallard) 4. Faiza Shakeek (JP South Events), Hannah Staunton (Gatwick Airport) 5. Gary Chown (NatWest), Zoe Rudling (Baker Tilly), Jade Hunt (Rockinghorse) 6. Jade Hunt (Rockinghorse Children’s Charity)

7.

8.

7. Kevin Duala (Overline) 8. Maarten and Ian with Caraline Brown (Midnight Communications) 9. Maarten chatting with Mark Tulley (Gemini Print) and Andy Fry (Nova Direct) 10. Nick Poyner (Teliqo), Samantha Wilding (Style & Grace) 11. Roy Whitehouse ( Risk Investigations), Paul McConalogue (NatWest Bank)

9.

10.

12. Stephanie Farr (Harvey John Recruitment), Penina Shepherd (Acumen Business Law), Russell Horscroft (Harwood’s Jaguar), Viki Faulkner (University of Brighton) 13. Tim Sadka (Rawlison Butler LLP), Michael Jenkins (Roffey Park), Tom Blower (Black Isle Group), Ken Boyle (KBA Commercial Property) 14. Tina Tilley (Worthing Chamber) 15. Tom Camp (Michael Page Recruitment), Keith

11.

12.

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14.

Fowler (Black Isle Group)

15.

55

INTERVIEW

A VOLUNTARY MERGER

When three voluntary action groups in West Sussex decided to join together to combine their services and expertise, it soon became apparent that there would be plenty of tricky hurdles to clear.

Volunteering to help a good cause or project is a rewarding exercise and it is a fantastic way for businesses to give something back while improving team-work and morale within the company itself. But how do you find a worthwhile project to support?

Voluntary action groups bring together people who want to volunteer, with the charities who need volunteers. Like most counties, West Sussex had several action groups or councils for voluntary services, offering the same services and often duplicating the efforts of each other.

Catherine Pardoe, Business Development Co-ordinator of Horsham and Mid Sussex Voluntary Action explains how CharityLine helped create a streamlined new group and ensured more money could be directed into the core services. Interviews by Ian Trevett

H

up, to grow and to thrive. We might help a small

in Horsham District, East Grinstead and Mid

organisation run by volunteers that wants to

Sussex South (covering Haywards Heath and

become constituted so they can access grants.

Burgess Hill). There has been a whole merger

organisation that sits behind local charities

Or a charity might need help with employment

process of discussion and bringing together

and community groups. These can range from

law, and we would either help or signpost them

staff, trustees, different cultures of working

volunteer-led community groups to not-for-

in the right direction.

and different geographic and demographic

orsham and Mid Sussex Voluntary Action (HAMSVA) is an infrastructure charity, which I would describe as an

profit organisations providing frontline public

Then there is discounted training in

profiles. East Grinstead is slightly different

services which have been tendered out by

areas such as health and safety, food safety,

to Mid Sussex South, which is different to

statutory bodies, for example, community

safeguarding adults and children, first aid and

Horsham. We wanted our suite of services to

transport. We work to provide all of those

trustees’ responsibilities.

be consistent across the patch but to still meet

services that they might need to set themselves

56

Until April, we were three separate charities

local need; and this includes engaging with

INTERVIEW

“We wanted our suite of services to be consistent across the patch but to still meet local need.....” the business community because we’re about community action and local businesses and employees are part of the community.

One of the big things we do is volunteering, so a community group will come to us saying, “We need volunteers for a particular project.”

And then we have businesses wanting to set up a team project, so we’re like a one-stop shop that brings people together. Until now, Mid Sussex South, East Grinstead and Horsham all had their own database of volunteers and volunteering roles or projects. They were using the same database system but all running

rather than trying to maintain three separate websites. There’s also a consistency across the design, which makes it so much easier for people using our services to recognise and identify with the brand.

and we must use our funds effectively.

CharityLine has helped us achieve this.

CharityLine is also responsive. I’ve worked with other charities where, if you wanted something done, you had to put in your request

independently without any way of co-ordinating

and brief to the marketing department six

the data. CharityLine stepped in and unpicked it

weeks beforehand and, by the time you got the

all and managed to migrate the three systems into one.

It was good to have a company come in and have an objective, expert eye. We also wanted to create a new leaflet to explain the new service. There are so many abbreviations and acronyms in the charity sector, it almost develops its own language, and sometimes you get lost in that. Having fresh wording coming in

Or a charity might need help with employment law, and we would either help or signpost them in the right direction.

three separate ones; and we have one website that we can now focus on developing further,

Another ‘plus’ from CharityLine is that they understand both the charity and business sectors. They stand with a foot in both camps and provide impartial, objective advice which is invaluable.

It is a local business in the community and they want to play their part. We would with charities all the time, we tell them how we

helped get a crystal clear message across. resources for one organisation, rather than

date anyway.

definitely recommend them and, as we deal

from outside the sector was valuable, as it has Now we can produce publicity materials and

materials, the event or news was almost out of

Currently we’re partly funded by local government and partly from member groups and donations. It is important that we’re not wasting public money or people’s donations,

have benefitted and, where applicable, signpost them to CharityLine.

www.charityline.org.uk www.hamsva.org.uk

Stuart Sutherland, Business Development Manager, CharityLine It was quite a complex merger because the three organisations had very independent systems; each one was running their own version of the same database, but the records were locked. It was more than a straightforward merge, as there were umpteen layers of information around the charities, the contacts of the charity, the different volunteers and the services.

It was quite a challenge, but there is an IT whizz here who could do it and he was able to extract the data and then blend it together.

Otherwise, the only option would have been to manually key in and rebuild all these different levels. It was quite a complex structure of interaction between different layers within the database.

Also, it’s more than just a database that holds information; it actually matches volunteers with projects.

Now that there is one database, they can match people with projects far easier.

The work HAMSVA do is important. If a firm are looking to do a community project and they say, “We’ve got 15 people we can give on 15 days of the year and we want to do something to help veterans,” then, rather than going to an obvious large national charity, HAMSVA

can say, “Did you know there’s Building Heroes in Cuckfield?” For a local charity, this help makes a massive difference.

We are proud that we could help. A good example is the leaflets we worked on together. The danger is, you can put too much information into a leaflet or into a publication, which sometimes means there’s so much text on the page that no-one reads it. There’s too much information. Sometimes, it’s a case of stripping it back to the core of the message you’re trying to deliver. In this case, it is: If you’re an individual or company looking to volunteer, or a local charity or community group who needs volunteers, then talk to us and we will put you together. It’s as simple as that.

The work we do with charities makes a difference. For example, charities often spend so much more money than they need to on their mailing, printing and distribution. We can use our machinery to fold and stuff envelopes rather than do it by hand. We can help on design and save paper and printing, and we can pre-sort post and we have the bulk mail deals. With our experience we can help charities do more, to a higher standard, in a cost-effective way. This in turn means they are making best use of their funds.

57

PROPERTY

GRADUATED OWNERSHIP – Plan B for home buyers.

Nigel Turner, Consultant Solicitor, Bennett Griffin LLP Tel: 01903 706967 Fax: 01903 229162 www.bennett-griffin.co.uk

I

have been involved with low-cost home ownership in the private sector for the last twenty years or so. Before joining Bennett

with a local connection. Prospective purchasers

involved, such a scheme is relatively low

also need to demonstrate that they can afford

risk for the buyer’s mortgagee, though only

a mortgage to acquire an initial percentage

a handful of mainstream lenders will lend

Griffin in 2014, I was company solicitor with

of the property value but equally have

on normal terms: lenders apparently have

Redrow Homes (South East) Ltd and Group

insufficient income and savings to sustain a

concerns about the small stake put into the

Legal Director of Merlion Group plc.

mortgage to buy similar properties on the open

purchase by the buyer, even though loan-to-

market at full value. Typically the purchaser

value ratios are modest and affordability (and

Shared Equity schemes A method of intermediate affordable housing delivery that usually works well is the Shared Equity scheme. As part of negotiations with the local authority for planning permission, a deal is brokered between housing provider

funds between 50% or 75% of the market value of a property with a combination of cash and first mortgage loan. There is absolutely no interest charged on the remaining 50% or 25% respectively (known as the Deferred Payment) and the provider retains a second

therefore sustainability) is demonstrably good.

In a Shared Equity scheme a special lease is not needed (although a normal lease will still be needed for flatted developments, of course) and the buyer is the absolute owner of the property, with all attendant obligations

and developer allowing the provider to acquire

charge on the title which ranks behind that

affordable housing units at a substantial

of the main mortgage lender. On disposal of

discount. The occupancy of these units is

the property, depending on agreements in place

restricted by a planning obligation, aka section

with the local authority, the provider’s second

provider usually only comes back into play if

106 agreement. Local authorities are starting

charge may be repaid or renewed in favour of

there is a resale of the property or the owner

to recognise that Shared Equity schemes are in

the next buyer.

wishes to redeem the second mortgage.

as to repair. Buyers appreciate this: they pay their mortgage, and get on with their lives. The

The main problem with Shared Equity

general more affordable to the buyer than most

In the case of Shared Equity schemes there

Shared Ownership schemes offered by a public

is no requirement for a purchaser to make

schemes – from the local authority perspective

provider, as no rent is charged on the ‘unowned

any supplemental payment within the life of

- is finding a way to ensure a property remains

share’. The properties are marketed to people

the scheme. Because of the reduced outgoings

‘affordable’ when it changes hands.

58

PROPERTY

“There is an automatic right for the Owner to buy out of the scheme by paying the Residual Value (Open Market Value less Owner’s Value) to the provider. ” Graduated Ownership – key concepts My experience leads me to suggest that a Graduated Ownership scheme (GO) would be

The Owner’s Value (which is the Owner’s Percentage plus the Increment) is capped at 77.25% of Open Market Value.

There is an automatic right for the Owner to

5. There is no rent payable on the ‘unowned share’ in a GO scheme.

6. A GO scheme may provide the home owner with an automatic bonus, i.e. the Increment

a useful tool for providers - both public and

buy out of the scheme by paying the Residual

described above, depending on the

private - allowing people who do not have the

Value (Open Market Value less Owner’s Value)

provider’s financial model.

means to buy on the open market to become

to the provider.

owners at different levels of participation. The

In line with recent Government policy

Owner’s Percentage, i.e. the initial percentage

changes, there would be an eight-week pre-

funded by the owner and his or her lender, will

emption period for the provider, which would

be set at 30%, 35%, 40% etc., right up to 75% of

cease to apply on the expiry of the Restricted

open market value, depending on affordability

Resale Period or when the owner buys out of

criteria.

the scheme.

GO is based on the owner being able to selffund a 5% deposit and borrow the remainder of the Owner’s Percentage from a High Street lender.

The GO framework is built around a Restricted Resale Period, a method frequently used in the US. The restricted resale period varies between 12 years (for a 75% scheme)

GO compared with shared ownership

Implementing GO Workability of the GO scheme is dependent upon two main points.

First, unless subsidies are available, the purchase price of the Owner’s Percentage must be sufficient to cover cost of development or acquisition of the affordable unit, as the provider has to make a reasonable profit on the initial disposal. Any receipts thereafter are a

The limitations of shared ownership

bonus, and may be used for recycling in further

schemes are well known, particularly the

schemes, dependent on what was agreed with

hybrid nature of the shared ownership tenure,

the local authority at the outset.

i.e. part-ownership and part-rent.

GO schemes may be distinguished from

Secondly, there must be a sufficient group of lenders willing to consider applications so

and 30 years (for a 30% scheme). It ensures

shared ownership schemes in several respects:

that buyers are able obtain mortgage funding

that the property remains affordable for an

1. The owner acquires the entire freehold

on usual terms. At present, the Nationwide,

appropriate length of time, subject to the

(or leasehold) estate in his home from the

Woolwich, Leeds and Halifax and a few other

owner’s right to buy out of the scheme.

provider, so the ownership itself is not

lenders are prepared to entertain applications

‘shared’.

on Shared Equity schemes. With a wider

GO may also provide an automatic bonus for the owner, in the form of a lump-sum

2. Liability for repair and decoration rests with

appreciation of the all-round benefits of GO

Increment on disposal, calculated as a

the owner, and the provider is not liable for

schemes, I would expect more lenders to be

percentage of the Owner’s Percentage. The

these.

willing to consider applications.

Increment would compensate the Owner for having to do all the repairs on the property while the provider still has an interest in the property’s growth.

3. No special lease is required for a freehold house.

4. Only a normal lease is required for a flat, not a special lease.

The GO scheme may also be attractive to private housebuilders, who, if the local authority agree, could discharge intermediate affordable housing obligations direct, without having to transfer properties to third-party providers.

I recently had the benefit of an interesting discussion with Iain Stewart MP, who initiated a debate in Parliament on expanding shared ownership last July. We hope to put GO on the agenda with housing minister Brandon Lewis before too long. Government is currently reviewing long-term shared ownership options, and developing a GO model in order to expand home ownership across private and public sectors alike would be a worthwhile Plan B. Nigel Turner is a consultant solicitor with Bennett Griffin LLP

59

ADVERTISING FEATURE

UNLOCKING THE POWER OF TELEPHONY WITH TELIQO The previous issue of Platinum Business Magazine profiled Dr Simon Hochhauser, Chairman of Teliqo – the direct hosted telephony vendor that’s on track to revolutionise the telecoms industry.

This feature explains how Teliqo is disrupting this important business sector, examines Teliqo’s proposition for business customers in more detail, and also highlights the kind of benefits already being enjoyed by organisations that have entrusted their telephony needs to Teliqo.

A

ccording to Simon Hochhauser, “Markets get disrupted when a competitor comes along and does something that’s

different and better. However, given the speed at which we as consumers have all signed up to B2C innovations such as iPhones, Facebook

can disrupt markets and delivery models,

caught on to how online retailers and service

they often cite classic B2C examples such

providers could offer more choice, better prices

as Amazon and traditional bookshops, or

and faster delivery, but perhaps the greatest

Netflix and short-lived video stores such as

benefit was that of convenience or reduced

Blockbusters,” he explains.

effort. No need to go the bookstore and find

“While the success of organisations such

that they didn’t have what you wanted, to go

many companies are reluctant to seize similar

as Amazon, Netflix, First Direct or Uber now

to the bank and find yourself at the back of a

opportunities for their own organisations.

seems obvious, it’s worth looking at why these

lengthy queue, or find yourself late because

“When people talk about how technology

shifts succeeded. Customers quickly

you couldn’t find a taxi.”

or eBay, it’s surprising how in the B2B world

60

ADVERTISING FEATURE

“...we can provide our customers with a telephony approach that really adds value to their business,” Step-change performance improvements

Getting serious about disruption So, if you’re serious about disrupting your

has enabled us to add significant value to the services we provide to our clients, giving them

sector it makes sense to have a flexible and

the resources that are usually the preserve

that Simon is hoping to achieve with Teliqo.

adaptable business telephony service that’s

of much larger companies and directly

Established in 2010, the company is committed

agile enough to work the way you need it

supporting their journey to success. We’re able

to providing a unique hosted telephony

to work. And by leaving all the third-party

to provide our clients with the communications

proposition based entirely on its own, in-

platform providers and middlemen behind

technology and facilities of much larger

house developed technology. Unlike most

with Teliqo, you’ll benefit from a completely

businesses, so they can project a professional

other telephony industry providers, Teliqo

customisable service delivered at a single low

image to customers and partners.”

was determined that it wasn’t going to resell

monthly fee per user.

Another organisation that’s already enjoying

someone else’s technology.

“By controlling the technology directly we

the benefits of a Teliqo deployment is NP

Today, after investing more than £4 million in

can provide our customers with a telephony

Group, a leading international provider of

the Teliqo platform, that’s still the case. The

approach that really adds value to their

recruitment services to the technology and

result is that Teliqo now has a highly adaptable

business,” says Simon.

It’s this kind of step-change improvement

and infinitely customisable telephony solution

“Take a simple billing system, for example.

that it can shape to meet precise customer

It’s expensive for your highly trained staff to

requirements.

exit out of their specialist application every

This contrasts directly with hosted telephony

time they need to speak to a customer about

solutions made available through the

an accounts issue; far better to have telephony

traditional reseller model. Because these

directly integrated into the application. That

firms simply resell someone else’s service,

way your employees can remain focused on the

the actual solution offered tends to be generic.

task in hand. Meanwhile, contact details and

So customers might think they’re buying into

even call recordings can be linked directly into

a next generation product, but what they’re

customer records for improved efficiency.

actually signing up for is a vanilla service that

“It’s the same in the recruitment sector, where

is essentially limited, as it’s been designed to

we’ve integrated our direct-hosted telephony

fit a one-size-fits-all reseller model.

directly into leading cloud-based recruitment

Simon Hochhauser explains that that’s the

CRM applications such as Bullhorn.

problem with hosted telephony solutions from

“This means that recruitment consultants

resellers. “Nobody sets out to be a vanilla

can significantly improve their day-to-day

business, so why should they settle for a vanilla

productivity by contacting candidates and

service? If you’re looking to deploy innovative

receiving calls without ever having to leave

communications to help you differentiate, then

their recruitment applications. However,

it’s critical for you to be able to fine-tune key

the benefits go beyond simple operational

technology elements – such as telephony - to

benefits. Recruitment consultants enjoy

meet your particular business requirements.

improved context, as they always have the

“That’s where Teliqo can help. Because our

right information instantly at hand for both

customers get to work directly with the

incoming and outgoing calls. And by extending

developers of the software, it doesn’t need to

that capability to their smartphones, we can

be complex whenever they actually want to

help bring about step-change performance

do something different,” he added. “So when

improvements – making recruiters much more

the companies we work with want to improve

accessible and more effective.”

a process, or unlock further value for their

Identifying new opportunities with Teliqo

customers, they talk directly to us and we work with them to fine-tune their telephony solution.

By creating a highly adaptable and infinitely

“This might involve making it easier for

customisable telephony solution, Teliqo can

customers to contact your business outside

work with customers to help them identify new

of office hours, supporting staff when they’re

opportunities. Take serviced office provider

mobile, working from home, working from

Mantle, for example. With Teliqo Direct,

client sites or enabling direct integration with

Mantle’s clients benefit from a ‘one number’

specialist CRM systems such as Salesforce.

solution that enables callers to reach them via

com, SugarCRM or specific line of business

desk phone, laptop or smartphone. According

solutions like Bullhorn recruitment.”

to Mantle’s Managing Director: “Teliqo Direct

communications sectors.

NP Group wanted more control over its business-critical telephony and selected Teliqo’s hosted service to deliver both the flexibility and the cost-effectiveness required.

NP Group’s IT Manager, Andrew Nice, explains: “We started seeing immediate cost benefits from day one with Teliqo. However, the real benefits come through our ability to work directly with the Teliqo team – ensuring a seamless deployment and support responses within minutes rather than the days it took for our previous indirect supplier.

“We’re also excited about the future potential of our Teliqo solution – whether it’s extending hosted telephony services to our consultants’ mobile devices, integrating with our specialist cloud-based CRM recruitment system, or unlocking further platform benefits by deploying the Teliqo platform for our international operations.”

These are just two examples of how engaging Teliqo with its direct-hosted telephony solution can deliver value for organisations across a range of sectors. “The benefits of a direct relationship means that whatever our customer’s business proposition, we can craft a solution that will work for them. In fact our customers can take advantage of over 200 different features within Teliqo, ensuring that they’re ideally placed to take advantage of whatever’s driving change in their own particular business sector,” concludes Simon.

To find out more about Teliqo and its direct-hosted telephony proposition, visit www.teliqo.com

61

Best ever A-level, AS and GCSE results in 2015

Sixth Form Open Morning Saturday 10th October To find out more or to book a place, please contact Admissions on 01273 836936 or by email registrar@hppc.co.uk

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PUBLIC RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATIONS CARALINE BROWN Managing Director, Midnight Communications, T: 01273 666200 / M: 07860 757757 E: caraline@midnight.co.uk @KariBrown @MidnightComs

Y

ou can’t change yesterday’s news, but you can have some control over tomorrow’s - if you choose the right PR agency, that is!

But what makes a good agency, and how do you choose one??

I am often asked about the quality of our press contacts. To be honest, this is no longer as important as it once was. In the old Fleet Street days, journalists and PRs would often get together for a drink or three at the Wine Press or King and Keys and one would pitch their stories in exchange for getting the hack bladdered.

“You’ll run this for me, won’t you, mate?”

“Well, what is it?”

“It’s a revolutionary nut for a tractor engine that you only need to turn twice instead of the usual four times! Brilliant invention!”

“Buy us another drink and we can talk about it.”

Nowadays, the media scene is completely different. The days of press conferences where one could meet press on a face-to-face basis are well and truly over.

Magazines which once boasted a full staff of editors, sub-eds and reporters now consist of just one editor (if the role exists at all) and they simply do not have time to leave their offices. I don’t think I have organised a press conference

for nearly ten years.

Today, most stories are pitched by email and phone. And they have to be good, and they have to be relevant. The editor can be your husband, wife or lover, but if the story’s no good, it ain’t going in.

So, how do you get your story covered in the press? Well, this is where a good PR company comes in.

There are so many different types of PR company: so-called “one-man bands”, boutique agencies of under 20 staff, the “really big agencies” and the groups. I have run or worked in all of these and can assure you that size is no indication of ability.

“Your PR company should be an extension of your team” Once a company has been around for a while, you have to credit them with survival, which has to be based on ability. Let’s presume they know how to do the basics. But what makes a PR company stand out from the rest?

Creativity and savvy: can they look at your business and find hidden gold? Can they identify those elements of your business which

you have long overlooked but the press might be interested in? Everyone has a story to tell.

My company was handling the fiftieth birthday celebrations on behalf of Crown Worldwide, one of the largest logistics groups in the world, with an 800m USD turnover and operating in some 60 countries.

We found that every year, on his birthday, the Founder completed one press-up for each year of his life, in front of his staff. Amazingly, this story had never been publicised before.

Midnight filmed the event and it went viral, scoring valuable hits on sites such as CNN.com and Yahoo! Finance, Forbes.com, CNBC.com and the Evening Standard.

Energy and enthusiasm: Always visit a PR agency in their own environment. It’s only when you walk into their office that you can get a real feel for their company “vibe”. Do they all look up and smile at you or are their eyes glued to their screens? Are the phones ringing? Are they chatting amongst themselves? Are there magazines and newspapers scattered around the room?

Your PR company should be an extension of your team. Get to know them. Befriend them. Confide in them. And always, always say thank you, the two most motivating words for any PR company.

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MOTORING

THE FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW There are a few perks to this job and one of them is driving around Europe in superb examples of the world’s finest automobiles, to visit beautiful cities to look at other superb examples of - well you get the idea. Frankfurt beckons and there really is a smorgasbord of sex on wheels and here are some highlights.

The Queen is to be the first customer to receive the new Bentley SUV, the Bentayga. Thank heavens it looks better than the original designs as this is a pretty good looking car with a slight whiff of the Audi Q5 about it. A twin turbo 6.0 lite W12 producing 600BHP and it will achieve 62mph in 4.1 seconds and looks to knock the Range Rover off the top spot. At circa £250,000, it will also knock the spots off your wallet.

Peugeot shows off its new all-wheel-drive electric sports car concept bulging with hi tech innovations such as a range of 280 miles (believe it when l see it), weighs less than a fag packet and will go to 62mph in 6.8 second. Oh la la - and l will believe it when l see it.

I licked this. I am a tad odd in that l do see some cars as lickable. I mean, so delicious, so beautiful, such a pure art form that l want to lick it. The new Rolls-Royce Dawn is stunning and at £250,000, l would be prepared to get up with the dawn chorus every day to pay for it.

Jaguar unveiled their next assault on every sector of the market with their first ever SUV, the Pace. On sale next year from £35,000, it’s quite a looker and will give Jaguar a rival to the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. However, Jaguar Land Rover CEO DR Ralf Speth is quite disparaging of the opposition.

“They might make millions of cars,” he said, “but they are the motoring equivalent of the high street megastores. Our car is for people who want something different. Something special.” Now that’s fighting talk.

How about the amazing Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile). At speeds above 50mph, the Concept IAA grows by 390mm, deploys extra flaps in the body and fins in the bumper and its wheels go from concave to flat discs to improve the Cd value from 0.25 to 0.19. It also looks fabulous, with elements of the old Gullwing in the rear three-quarter view.

Porsche are trying to give Tesla a run for their money with a 592bhp 911 and for the first time ever, the entire range will now be turbo charged. Named the Mission E, the fourseat, four-door saloon shows how Porsche see’s the future of the electric sports car.

Suicide doors and the absence of the B-pillar allow easy access to the cabin. They claim 62mph in 3.5 seconds and a 310 mile range and 80% charge in 15 minutes. I’ll believe it when l see it.

And finally, we have the bonkers Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. 1,600 bhp, to be driven by a multitude of people on the computer and probably less than 10 people in the real world.

But lickable, wouldn’t you agree?

65

MOTORING

Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann

JEEP CHEROKEE W

hen l think of the word Jeep, l tend to visualise loud American GIs, chewing gum with their packs of Marlboro rolled up in their sleeves, toting huge machine guns, rampaging across Europe in WW2, whilst ‘winning’ the war. But we have to force those thoughts to the back of our minds, not least due to the fact that the Italians now own the brand.

Parent company Chrysler is now a division of Fiat, and the architecture beneath the new Cherokee is fundamentally Italian. It has been quite a long time since Chrysler managed to give birth to a decent car, and the Jeep brand, once so dominant, has suffered badly, with shoddily built models that all seemed to be a decade or two out of date.

The first Cherokee was launched in 1974 and sold quite strongly across the pond. The second generation was the XJ, replaced by the KJ in 2002 and renamed the Liberty in the US. Here it died a death as, with so much SUV competition, it simply could not stand up to the test.

But here we have the first product of the Fiat union, and at last we have a worthy SUV that marches alongside the competition with its head held high. At entry level, the Cherokee is front-wheel drive, with optional 4x4, and is around the size of the Nissan Qashqai. The engine is Fiat’s 2.0 litre, four cylinder MultiJet diesel, offered with 138bhp and 168bhp mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or nine-speed automatic. By the end of the year we will see the launch of the 3.2 litre V6, and that should give it the poke it needs, as the Cherokee cannot be described as fast. Fast enough, though, considering what it is designed to do. Although, what is it designed to do?

If we consider this to be a compact 4x4, then it has to stand against some tough competition, such as the VW Touran, Ford Kuga and the Kia Sportage, but with less ground clearance than all of them. But l am tired of motoring wallas like me saying such and such a car is crap off-road, when we all know that 97% of us will never take it off-road, so who cares? It’s like Clarkson rubbishing a superb £100,000 car because it wont tail slide at 130mph. Who cares?

The average motorist wants to know if they can get the kids in, all the Waitrose shopping, it won’t drop half its value the day it hits the drive and can still get to town if it snows. And the answer is a resounding yes.

66

MOTORING

TECHNICAL STUFF Engine: 2.0 litre 138bhp 4x4 Performance: 0-62mph 12.0 seconds Top Speed: 117mph Economy: 50.4 mpg combined Price from: £33,810 As tested: £35,755

The interior is packed with the usual gadgets to ensure that the Cherokee is a mass-appeal car.

Great layout, decent quality build and very well bolstered seats. The problem is you could be in any of the countless SUVs cluttering our roads. Climb aboard any Land Rover, BMW or Mercedes badged SUV and you immediately know which brand you are aboard. In the Jeep, if you ignore the massive Jeep logo in the centre of the wheel, you really could be in any mass market sub-£35,000 SUV. The fit and finish are good enough but quite far from the class leader, and the price might not be the incentive either, as the best-selling Qashqai, Audi Q5 and Ford Kuga are all cheaper.

The Jeep moniker certainly has some appeal, and it had no problem at all in taking four of us to the Isle of Wight for the weekend, with full camping gear (never again, but that wasn’t the fault of the car!), so capacity is good, and l went there and back and all around the god-forsaken island on less than one tank of fuel - which is quite remarkable.

So it comes down to style choice: if you like the look of it and a bit of Yankee heritage, you would not regret buying it, and if not, then the sector is full to bursting.

67

MOTORING

MERCEDES-BENZ

CLS

pleasure of driving, then

Motoring Editor: Maarten Hoffmann

W

you need more. Plump for the CLS350 petrol as you will have a 3-litre V6 that is silent and serene, but, when urged on, it roars into life and propels you

highly desirable car. Merc’s chassis engineers

forth with very satisfying haste. The diesel is

have certainly found their mojo as the ride

highly efficient, but l hate all diesels, and the

and handling are sublime. For those who find

subsequent ‘transit van’ racket that comes

the styling. To me, it was just wrong at the

the ride a tad hard there is the option of air

with it. If, like me, you are slightly deranged,

back with the slope that looked, in Clarkson

suspension, but if you like ‘driving’, it’s about as

how about the AMG flagship model, the 63,

parlance, like the designer had lost interest

good as it gets.

which is curiously badged as it is actually the

hen Mercedes first launched the CLS back in 2004, l fought my best instincts but could not get with

or fallen asleep. I had this conversation with

Arch rivals BMW and Audi responded to the

barnstorming 5.5-litre power plant with a pair

the GM at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, Andrew

early model with the A7 and 5 Series GT, but

of turbos stoking a gloriously noisy volcanic

Mosley, who had just purchased one, and l can

l am not sure they quite hit the mark, and the

eruption? This little tyke will do 0-62 in 4.1

only compare it to having an unattractive lover.

new CLS leaves them cold.

seconds, and this is a full-size car weighting in

Great when you’re kissing, but a shock when

The CLS borrows the E-Class underpinnings,

at nearly two tonnes!

standing back. Hence, the old CLS was great

but this new body is far more attractive and l

to drive and be inside but disappointing when

do like the way the Mercs feel really planted

gear selector that harks back to the old days

you stood back. I know l stand quite lonely in

to the road. The track and body width are

and makes you wonder why they ever moved it

this regard as the previous model sold by the

unique in making it feel as one with the road.

to the centre of the car. Why? It takes up space,

bucket load.

I was disappointed when they delivered me

gets in the way and is totally superfluous in

of the CLS220CDi as, to be frank, it is a tad

an automatic. Here you are offered what you

former, which is a bonus, and now the

underpowered. Totally sufficient if you are an

need: forward, backwards and stop. Job done

designer is fully awake and has created a

A to B kinda person, but if you enjoy the sheer

and extra space between the front seats for

The new CLS is not as dramatic as the

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I am a fan of the steering column-mounted

MOTORING If this is not big enough for you, then try the CLS Shooting Brake estate that has rear haunches that are more severe than any estate on the road, and, with a maximum of 1550 litres of space, it will swallow a gargantuan load.

Drawbacks? Well, there are negatives to be found in every car and here l don’t like the 4 seat maximum in the coupe, although this can be corrected in the Shooting Brake. I sometimes wish the Comand screen would recede into the dash, and l wish it was touch screen. This is quite a short list, by anyone’s standards.

The new CLS is stylish, luxurious and refined, and when they took it away and it was replaced with a Skoda Yeti, l could literally have cried.

Stuart Head, Group Head of Fleet Sales Sandown Group Mercedes-Benz Tel: 01483 654541 Mail: stuart.head@sandown-mercedes.co.uk stuffing stuff. I also swoon over the clock in the dash. Not just

www.sandown-group.co.uk

a clock, but a beautiful time piece that, again, harks back to the time when we didn’t get all our input digitally. Mercedes calls the crease line above the front wheel arch a ‘dropping line’ and is meant to be reminiscent of the older sports models from the days before monocoque bodies. The nose is gorgeous, and if you squat and squint, it really does hark back to the beautiful 1962 300 SL. If l am going to have a prang, l would quite like to have it in this as, with nine airbags, stability control that monitors you for fatigue, active Lane-Keeping Assist and a blind spot warning system, l would only have myself to blame. My advice - they

TECHNICAL STUFF Engine: 220 CDi 2.1 litre Performance: 0-62mph 7.5seconds Top Speed: 150mph Economy: 56.5mpg Price from: £46,500

are all bloody annoying, so turn them off as the cult of ‘electro nannies’ continues unabated. But for you middle-land hoggers, dawdling meanderers and phone-using peeps out there, turn them all on as the rest of us will be a damned sight safer.

Refinement is a word that can be overused, but it is the only world that can be used for the interior. Although we have quite a bit of theft going on from the E-Class, that does not detract from the superb overall interior package. An example of how much effort has gone into thus aspect, the CLS350 measures an interior noise level of 37dB, whereby the Rolls-Royce Ghost produces 44dB. Enough said, really, about the sublime silence of the interior.

Refinement must also be used for the handling as, at motorway speed, it takes only the slightest nudge of the wheel to change lanes, and l could imagine cruising 500 miles in this without even thinking of taking a break.

After the sheer common sense of buying this car as an attractive, well-rounded cruising coupe, the next factor that supports the decision is the residual value that sits well above 40% after three years with average miles. And if you have no intention of selling, it will go round the clock a few times with ease. I bumped into the aforementioned Andrew Mosley last week when he deservedly picked up the Director of the Year Award at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards, and he mentioned that his CLS has 128,000 on the clock and still drives like new.

Mercedes-Benz of Poole

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford

Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke

Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester

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MOTORING

MANAGING YOUR FLEET M

anaging fleet operating costs is vital but luckily there are several things that can be put into place to make sure your

fleet is as cost effective as possible for your business

write down allowance compared to those of the

life costs are expressed in terms of per-mile,

higher emitting higher CO2 that can now only

per-vehicle, rounded up to a total cost over the

claim 8% each year.

vehicles life-cycle. Using these costs gives you

At Sandown Mercedes-Benz, we can take

a benchmark for your selection and can guide

advantage of the higher write-down and

you in making the right choice of vehicles for

in some circumstances, we can claim the

your fleet. Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with

guide you in the right direction for cutting costs

available 100% write-down allowance for those

automotive excellence. Our award winning

in your fleet operation; low emission vehicles.

cars emitting under 75g/km or less, like the

vehicles combine performance with class-

Benefiting from low emission, fleets come in all

C- Class C350e.

leading luxury as well as outstanding levels of

UNDERSTANDING OPERATIONAL COSTS

exceptional whole-life costs and excellent write

There’s one simple rule to follow which will

shapes and sizes

CUT DOWN ON TAX With taxation favouring lower-emitting vehicles the principle is straightforward - the

Once you have tackled the future

safety and environmental credentials, offering down values.

PREVENTING RISKS

less CO2 your vehicle emits, the less you will

development of vehicle taxation for your

be paying in tax and, with the rules set to get

fleet, the operational issues can be taken on.

unavoidable and unfortunately accidents do

tighter, it’s time to look at how cost effective

Understanding the whole life operational costs

happen, mostly small but there are occasions

your fleet is. One advantage to businesses with

of a vehicle over the typical fleet like-cycle

where these accidents are larger and can cost

a low emission fleet is being able to claim tax

can result in huge savings for your company.

your company considerably. The key here, as

relief against depreciation in relation to the

Whole-life costs should include fuel, servicing,

obvious as it may seem, is to minimise risk

CO2 emissions of the vehicle. For example,

maintenance, repairs, tyres and residual value.

within your fleet. If you are unfortunate enough

those emitting over 76 g/km and up to and

Company cars are usually based on a three

for an accident to occur we can appreciate that

including 130g/km of CO2 are eligible for 18%

year life-cycle covering 60,000 miles. Whole-

the quicker the driver and your vehicle returns

70

Costs to your fleet are sometimes

MOTORING to the road the more cost effective it is for

a non-fault accident, the Sandown Accident

your company. Looking into accident history

Management programme will supply you with

may reveal accident rate patterns and could

a like-for-like courtesy car, deal with your

open your eyes to mistakes drivers make time

insurance claims and ensure your vehicle

and time again. For example, statistics show

is looked after and back to you in next to no

high incident rates in company car parks.

time.

With the knowledge of this information you can now put into place certain procedures to reduce the likelihood of these accidents happening in the future.

When accidents do occur, dealing with third parties, organising repairs, replacement cars and of course insurance can take up your valuable time, which equates to money lost. To make this as easy as possible and to ensure you save as much money as possible, Sandown Mercedes-Benz have a Sandown Accident Management programme to ensure you are back on the road as quickly and effortlessly as possible. If you are involved in

Stuart Head

IN SUMMARY‌ Evaluating your fleet can prove savings can be made right across the board with a little diligence and care, from day-to-day maintenance through to top-line strategy and in most cases, no drastic measures are needed. There is no need for a revolution to make a big financial impact, just some careful analysis of your fleet operation and often small adjustments which can all create significant savings for your company.

www.sandown-group.co.uk

Stuart Head, Group Head of Fleet Sales, Sandown Group Mercedes-Benz Tel: 01483 654541 Mail: stuart.head@sandown-mercedes.co.uk • www.sandown-group.co.uk

Mercedes-Benz of Poole

Mercedes-Benz of Guildford

Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

Mercedes-Benz of Hindhead

Mercedes-Benz of Basingstoke

Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester

71

BUSINESS AWARDS

KINGSTON CALLING Last chance to book tickets for the big awards night.

Kingston Awards 2014

Guests can enjoy a drinks reception, followed by a threecourse meal - with half a bottle of wine followed by coffee and

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

chocolates.

Premium tickets are also available, offering champagne, additional wine and a prime position close to the stage.

Shortlists have been drawn up in 13 categories following an intensive judging process led by independent adjudicator Ross Sturley. Each of the shortlisted categories will then be presented to expert judges this month

T

ickets are going fast for the third Kingston Business Excellence Awards in association with NatWest, which takes place on Thursday, October 15.

Broadcaster and columnist Julia Hartley-Brewer will be host for the

black-tie event at the Holiday Inn Kingston South, and anyone wishing to attend the borough’s premier business celebration is being urged to act quickly.

Julia presented the afternoon show on LBC for three years and is a familiar face on television, with regular appearances on Have I Got News For You and Question Time, as well as being a pundit and commentator for the BBC, ITV and Sky.

and the individual category winners, plus an overall Business Of The Year, will be announced on the evening.

Last year’s winner was Metropolis Hairdressing, a salon in Kingston town centre.

Its founder, Robert Masciave, said: “On a day-to-day basis we work so hard and you need to feel a sense of reward, and winning the Kingston Business Excellence Awards provided that.

“That was for the team who feel proud to work for Metropolis, and it also helped to attract more business. Straight after winning the awards the phone did not stop ringing; it was fantastic.”

Three new sponsors from the local community have lent their support to this year’s Kingston Business Excellence Awards – Cattaneo

As in previous years, the awards are again being led by Kingston

Commercial, Direct Colour Ltd and New Devi Tandoori. They join John

Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Royal Borough of Kingston

Lewis, Kingston University, Kingston College, Premier Cars, Time &

and the town centre business improvement district Kingstonfirst.

Leisure Media Group, TWM Solicitors and Veolia Environmental Services.

As well as a glittering evening celebrating the best business

To keep up-to-date on the latest news from the awards, follow @

achievements in the borough, the annual event provides great

kingstonawards on Twitter. Any remaining tickets for the Gala Dinner will

networking opportunities.

be available via www.kingstonawards.co.uk

Metropolis group shot

Kingston Awards 2014

73

BUSINESS EXHIBITION

WE MEAN BUSINESS IN CROYDON

G

et your visit to the We Mean Business Expo 2015 off to a great start by booking a place at the VIP Networking Breakfast event with Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell.

More than 100 businesses from across the region will be exhibiting at South London’s number-one business expo, which takes place at Fairfield Halls in Croydon on October 14, organized by local creative, marketing and events company, White Label.

The exhibitors will cover a whole range of business sectors ranging from tech companies to multi-nationals such as HSBC. There will be a series of free business advice clinics sponsored by The Business Navigator Growth Hub, in association with Prevista and Coast2Capital. While IKEA Business is hosting the ever-popular Speed Networking sessions.

The forecourt of Fairfield Halls will be transformed into the showroom for Eco Drive 2015, a motor show designed to showcase the many fuel-efficient and ‘green’ modes of transport.

The day-long event starts with an exclusive breakfast event at which Gavin Barwell, the MP for Croydon Central, and John Allan, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, will be speaking.

Graham Tapley, Croydon Branch Secretary of the steering group for the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “We are supporting We Mean Business 2015 because it is an important showcase for local businesses to showcase themselves to each other and the wider business community.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the nation and provide the success stories of the future. Over 2.5million UK workers are self-employed and it is from these entrepreneurial beginnings that local economies thrive and flourish, providing the bedrock for the local community.

“The FSB is the voice of small businesses and, at a local level, the Croydon branch aims to provide members with regular updates on important local issues and to provide regular opportunities for business networking and educational training and support.”

Entry to the Expo is FREE. Register online to automatically be entered for a prize draw to win an iPad Mini.

Tickets for the VIP Breakfast are priced at £25, but there are discounts for FSB members and We Mean Business Expo exhibitors.

To get your discount code, email: vnewbould@wlcreative. org.uk You can book your tickets, both for the breakfast and the expo, at: www.wemeanbusinessexpo.co.uk

74

BUSINESS EXHIBITION After the success of Croydon’s very first Eco Drive Motor 2014 show, the showcase of fuelefficient and environmentallyfriendly transport is being repeated this year.

Eco Drive was a particularly popular part of last year’s We Mean Business Expo among well over 1,000 visitors on the day as exhibitors showed premium products and services to make your business more sustainable.

The sustainable transport is being highlighted on 14 premium positions on the forecourt of Fairfield Halls, and each exhibitor has a designated test bay for them to use on the day.

Business Support Navigator Service The Business Support Navigator Service will be on hand at the We Mean Business Expo to provide free help with identifying advice and support to help your business grow.

If you are looking for support to help your business develop and grow but are confused by the many schemes and providers out there and not sure which one’s for you, they can provide a solution.

Business Support Navigators serve the Coast to Capital region (Croydon, Brighton and Hove, Gatwick Diamond, East Surrey, Lewes and West Sussex) and offer the following free services: • One-to-one practical and bespoke guidance • Signpost and refer you to local and national schemes supporting business growth • Act as your direct point of contact • Connect you with appropriate business-to-business support groups and organisations This service is available to all businesses, from pre-start to large

businesses, in the Coast to Capital region.

There is also the Business Navigator Website – a web portal for businesses. It includes a searchable online directory of business support organisations and a calendar of business events in the Coast to Capital region.

At the Expo, The Business Navigator Growth Hub is holding clinic sessions offering: • Information on Business Growth Grants • A session with a Business Support Navigator, who will signpost to support available to help businesses start up, develop and grow and • Advice from UKTI and the Business Growth Service on international trade and support for fast-growing businesses

To book your appointment with one of the advisors, please contact the expo team on 020 8726 7968 or email bookings@ wemeanbusinessexpo.co.uk

Take advantage of a dynamic way of meeting potential new customers and suppliers at the We Mean Business Expo.

IKEA Speed Networking is a fast and easy way to meet new business contacts, with each session lasting just 40 minutes.

Based on the speed dating concept, Speed Networking consists of fourminute one-to-one meetings with people spanning a range of sectors and industries.

With sessions running throughout the day, there is no need to pre-book simply turn up to register 20 minutes prior to the start.

Sessions take place at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm.

75

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk There is no resting on our laurels at Surrey Chambers of Commerce. Following the holidays, we are straight back into our programme of events, delivering our services and representing businesses to government. As well as our own activities, many of our members have exciting news to share. From food festivals to Alice in Wonderland, we are never short of an opportunity to get out and about.

We are delighted to welcome our new President -

Frankie Tierney

qualities they look for when recruiting.

Louise Punter, Surrey Chambers of Commerce said:

Our first female President, Frankie is the Managing Partner of Herrington & Carmichael LLP, solicitors based in Camberley and Wokingham. Frankie also heads Herrington & Carmichael’s dispute resolution department, which deals with all sorts of disputes, both business-to-business and personal.

Her passion and dedication to the business community have been shown by her work as a Surrey Chambers board member and we look forward to working with her in her new role as President.

“If young people are to make good decisions about their future career options, they need access to relevant, complete, and engaging information - and to the real businesspeople that make these options come to life. Otherwise, the gap between young people and business will continue, as too many learners study and train in areas where there is little demand for new employees.

“To bridge this gap, we’re putting together a programme that will break down barriers

Career skills in spotlight as schools return The British Chambers of Commerce has unveiled an ambitious plan to put thousands of young people in England directly in touch with local businesses to improve the quality of careers advice they receive.

Long-term trends show A Level and GCSE results continue to improve, but youth

CHAMBER NEWS

between pupils and businesses, bringing

in Surrey which will form part of the 250

thousands of students and companies

careers events being facilitated by the

together at local events across England.

“By connecting the employees of

chamber network across the UK. These events will bring together thousands of

tomorrow with local businesses, we are

pupils, businesses, schools, colleges and

helping each to improve their understanding

training providers in order to address this

of the other. Young people will be better

issue and improve young people’s prospects

able to prepare for the careers they want

for a successful career.

– whether through an apprenticeship,

The ‘Your Future’ programme of career

further training or higher education - and

unemployment is almost three times the

events, supported by the Skills Funding

businesses will meet the talent they need to

national average – possibly highlighting a

Agency, will give 70,000 young people access

thrive and grow. This is a win-win scenario

mismatch between academic achievement

to potential employers and give businesses

and we are confident it will make a real

and work readiness.

the platform to meet the employees of

difference to young people and businesses

tomorrow and discuss the skills and

nationwide.”

Surrey Chambers of Commerce has been

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tasked to organise seven careers events

Dorking Rugby Club Networking celebrates 1st Birthday Dorking Rugby Business club celebrated their 1st birthday on 10th September, with the theme of ‘Giving and Receiving’. The event was a sell-out, with all 40 business owners enthusiastically participating and bringing a gift.

Raffle tickets were purchased to receive a gift. Everyone was a winner and could choose from a table laden with donations such as champagne, tickets to a prematch lunch and game of rugby (not the World Cup, unfortunately!) and much more. There were some very imaginative gifts, too, including 25 beautiful, handmade greeting cards and a quality bottle of wine from India.

Nicola Macdonald of Attractive Marketing and organiser of this event said, “Much of the success of this networking meeting is down to the unique format.

It’s been said that it’s a

refreshing way to network, and that’s why the number of people who attend goes from strength to strength.”

Nicola’s co-organiser, Chris Webb of Marks Howard, said, “We wanted to bring a business element to complement the sporting and social side to the rugby club.

Dorking Rugby Club is a charity and they are hugely grateful for the money that our business club raises. We owe a huge thanks to the local businesses that have supported us this past year.”

If you would like to find out what’s so ‘refreshing’ about this networking evening and sample the delicious canapés, please call Nicola Macdonald on 07565 382803 or email nicola@attractivemarketing.biz or Chris Webb on 07920 726957 or email chris@markshoward.com

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk What happens in a Business Insights Lab?

Guildford becomes Wonderland for 150th Anniversary production

This autumn The University of Surrey’s Business School is opening a brand-new kind of laboratory.

The Business Insights Lab (BiL) reaches out to businesses of all sizes and descriptions who are trying to make sense of – and prosper within – the dizzying changes brought about by the Digital Economy and our ever-changing business world.

The BiL is equipped with flexible furniture and specialist equipment for collaborative group working to create the perfect environment for running live business experiments. The work in this new space brings together businesses, students and leading academics to deliver tangible and effective solutions.

Surrey Business School’s Centre for the Digital Economy, CoDE, already have a number of agile innovation workshops lined up for the lab and it will also become the home of the school’s new Student Enterprise Programme.

If you would like to know more about the BiL and how your business can work in this space, please contact Dr Ben Shenoy, b.shenoy@surrey.ac.uk

This November marks 150 years since Alice fell down the rabbithole in Lewis Carroll’s wonderfully nonsensical creation, Alice in Wonderland.

To celebrate this and Guildford’s unique relationship with Lewis Carroll, Guildford Shakespeare Company are creating an immersive theatrical experience where audiences will join Alice on her adventures through Wonderland.

Central to GSC’s philosophy is to create performances that encourage audiences to engage with stories and venues in new and exciting ways. Alice in Wonderland will be the company’s most ambitious project yet, using three different venues to bring the story to life.

Public booking opens 8 September.

Full details at www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk

Record numbers attend star-studded Woking Food and Drink Festival The third annual Woking Food and Drink Festival attracted record crowds, who came to feast on the very best in local street food and handmade produce while being entertained and inspired by a host of celebrity chefs. An estimated 90,000 people attended the three-day event.

Leader of Woking Borough Council, Cllr John Kingsbury said: “This year’s festival delivered everything we set out to achieve and more. It drew a huge number of visitors to our refurbished town centre, who we hope liked what they found and will keep

CHAMBER NEWS

returning.

“Bigger and better each year, the festival is a joyous occasion for bringing the community together to celebrate and share its love of food. It is also educational, with free masterclasses, cookery demonstrations and an interesting array of international cuisines on offer.”

Welcoming over 300 visitors to its new town centre premises during the festival for a tour of its state-of-the-art academy, Tante Marie’s Managing Director, Andrew Maxwell, said: “This year’s festival had an amazing vibe, achieved by the diversity and number of local food and drink exhibitors in attendance, including the integration of the new market, which really embraced the event.”

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Exhibition Wednesday 7th October 9.30am – 4.30pm

SPONSORED BY:

HG Wells Conference & Events Centre, Woking

l Pre-show breakfast l 75 Exhibitors l Seminar Programme l 1-2-1 Clinics for Start-Ups l Drinks Reception

www.wokingmeansbusiness.com

CHAMBER EVENTS

DATES FOR THE DIARY For further information go to www.surrey-chambers.co.uk Tuesday 6th October Chamber Connections Mole Valley 08:00 – 09:30 Wotton House Breakfast networking Member: £12 Non member: £20 Tuesday 6th October Business Women in Surrey at Pennyhill Park 15:30 – 17:30 Pennyhill Park, Bagshot Afternoon tea and spa networking Member: £24 Non Member: £60 Tuesday 6th October Using letters of credit, drafts & bills 09:00 – 17:00 Arcom IT, Woking Member: £250 Non Member: £350 Wednesday 7th October Chamber Connections Spelthorne & Runnymede 08:00 – 09:30 Holiday Inn, Shepperton Breakfast networking Member: £12 Non Member: £20

17:30 – 20:00 Canon (UK) Reigate Member: £15 Non Member: £25 Friday 9th October Chamber Connections Woking 08:00 – 09:30 Gorse Hill, Woking Breakfast networking Member: £12 Non Member: £20 Tuesday 13th October Open 18 Hole Golf Competition at North Hants Golf Club 09:00 – 15:00 Member: £66.67 Non Member: £87.50 About the golf day. Open 18 Hole Stableford competition open to all business people. Join us as a team of 3 or 4 players and entertain your own clients or as a solo player and we will place you in a team. 08.00 hrs Coffee and bacon roll, 18 Hole Stableford competition followed by lunch and prize giving, finishing by 17.30 hrs.

Wednesday 14th October Business Advice Clinic (Woking) Venue: Surrey Chambers Offices Wednesday 14 October President’s Dinner 19:30 – 23:00 Member: £58 Non Member: £85 th

Thursday 8th October Technology Forum Intellectual Property – Generating Value at home and overseas

This is a prestigious event in the Chamber’s diary and we are absolutely thrilled to announce that our dinner is to be held at Foxhills, who will treat guests to a delicious 3 course meal as well as provide a beautiful setting for this prestigious event.

Thursday 15th October Afternoon Tea at the 16th Century Langshott Manor 15:30 – 17:00 Langshott Manor Member: £20 Non Member: £30 Tuesday 20th October Effective Digital Marketing to increase sale leads 17.30 – 19.30 Guildford College Member: £20 Non Member: £35 Tuesday 27th October Chamber Connections Surrey Heath Camberley Theatre Breakfast networking Member: £12 Non Member: £20 Thursday 29th October Members Networking Evening Kempton Park Member: Free Non member: £30

Golf in Surrey - North Downs Golf club “North Downs, Woldingham’s historic golf club and only 10 minutes from the M25. Great venue for corporate golf days, client meetings or entertaining, and off-site seminars.

Flexible corporate and personal memberships available. Check out the website www.northdownsgolfclub.co.uk or call 01883 652057 for more details.

Quote ‘Platinum’ for the best terms available.

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SECRET SURREY

GRAFTON BANKS FINANCE What’s the key to success, even during a recession?

by Hannah Monkcom

G

knowledge and understanding of the finance

Banks team realised that by sticking by their

business. They built their business on offering

plan to meet every candidate they put forward

outstanding service. Many people will hear this

to a client, and every client who would let them

during a recession but also to expand and

line from a business owner during at least one

through the doors, they had a unique insight

thrive. Their second office, based in Reigate in

stage of their business development, but with

into what made their candidates tick and what

Surrey has been open for over a year now and

this team it appears to ring very true.

clients were looking for. They quickly gained a

rafton Banks Finance is one of the few remarkable businesses that has managed not only to open and survive

I thought I would dig deeper into the world of

Alex and Nigel decided to start the business

reputation with clients for filling the unfillable

finance recruitment and ask them about the

back in September 2008, just as the world’s

jobs, and with candidates for being people

key to their success.

economy went into freefall. They had both

focussed rather than target focussed.

Grafton Banks Finance started life in Hove

worked through recessions before, so in 2009

Alex Gregory told me, “We’ve never tried to

in Sussex, founded by Nigel Jeyes and Alex

and 2010, when there were pay freezes and the

push people into making decisions they were

Gregory, both of whom had previously worked

economy was at a low, they realised what they

not comfortable with, we never use sharp sales

for big household name recruitment agencies.

needed to do to bring the clients in and, more to

practices. We are open, honest and genuine

Alex and Nigel shared a common belief that

the point, keep them loyal.

with our candidates and clients. We try and

recruitment needed more of a personal and professional touch, backed by in depth

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Despite not being an ideal time to try and forge a new business venture, the Grafton

meet everyone we work with and work hard to know them and their businesses. I think people

SECRET SURREY

“ People were actively asking to work for them, even when a job wasn’t being advertised.”

Brighton and watching it prosper over the last seven years, the team looked to expand their offering. They were increasingly being asked by clients in Surrey to recruit for them, but location became an issue. It was harder to offer that same service level without a physical presence in Surrey. In July 2014 Grafton Banks Reigate opened its doors.

Alex, manager of the Reigate office, said, “We took our experience from our years of working in the Sussex market and replicated our practices, to great success, with the team in Surrey. It’s been a hugely exciting year, and one of the highlights of the expansion is that

will always offer higher salaries, but we’re seeing an increasing number of people trying to adjust their work life balance and give up the daily commute. With plenty of employers hiring in the Surrey region, there are far more options available to candidates. Surrey offers a fantastic place for people to build a career and, more importantly, a life.”

Despite the pull of the bright lights of London, there are a growing number of finance professionals living in Surrey who would prefer to work locally. The work life balance comes into play and the higher wages of London increasingly don’t compare to the long and tiring commutes finance professionals have to do each day.

“For a recruitment agency to set up in a recession was unusual, but this dynamic duo firmly believed they had something to offer that others did not.”

For Grafton Banks the cornerstone of their business has been their own employees. They invest in experienced, personable, empathetic consultants – all of whom have the human touch which makes the difference between a good and a great recruitment consultant.

Alex and Nigel are rightly proud of their staff retention level – no one has left the team in the seven years that Grafton Banks Finance has been trading.

With their personal approach and combined professional experience, Grafton Banks are

like us for us, just average people with children, a mortgage; we don’t claim to be anything we’re not.”

Whilst Grafton Banks’ competitors at the time were losing market share due to the failing economy, Grafton Banks only had one way to go and that was up. They picked up business through their tenacity and by resolutely offering the highest level of service.

The business people of Sussex got behind

we’re now a preferred supplier to a number of larger Surrey businesses as well as some key SMEs. Being based in Surrey has allowed us to service clients in West Surrey, such as Woking, Guildford and Farnham, that were previously too far for us to be considered local. Croydon is also a growing market and having a Reigate office gives us a chance to be part of that.”

Nigel Jeyes, Co-Founder of Grafton Banks, commented: “We wanted to be part of the important and buoyant Surrey finance scene, so Reigate was a great location for us to set up a base. One year on and we’re really pleased with how exciting the move has been. In Surrey we compete against the London market, which brings advantages and disadvantages. London

well on the road to achieving their goal of being the leading finance recruiter in Sussex and Surrey. They plan to continue the success of the Sussex and Surrey office and expand the model further. All of the while Alex and Nigel are mindful of not losing that ethos that led to their success initially – providing a personal, professional and knowledgeable service to all of their clients and candidates.

We at Platinum Business certainly believe that with their exceptional tenacity and admirable approach the team at Grafton Banks will achieve their goal of being preferred recruiter across a range of businesses in Sussex and Surrey.

www.graftonbanksfinance.co.uk

the boys, backing them and using Grafton Banks on the basis that they would ‘give them a go’. Grafton Banks outperformed most of their competitors and quickly became the client and candidate agency of choice in Sussex.

After building their initial business in

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E

PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE

is now the most read, most respected and widely distributed business publication in the country.

Not only do we bring you features written by some of the leading business figures in the South East but also fascinating editorial insight, news, views and opinion and a wealth of rich content that has become essential reading for anyone doing business in the UK. The magazine is directly mailed to thousands of business owners and leaders and is widely available in locations across the region, and in addition to the hundreds of thousands reading the Surrey and Sussex printed copies, we have over 100,000 digital subscribers, making us the largest publication of its kind.

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highly readable. Please send more copies as my staff will not let go of their copies Rosemary French OBE, CEO, Gatwick Diamond Initiative

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They seem to have something for every serious business reader. After reading it, it is a must to leave it out on every business reception and coffee table in the region as the presentation and content is so professional Chris Lowsley, China Business Advisor, UK Trade and Investment, South East

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If you are wondering how to get your business featured in the magazine, contact Maarten Hoffmann at info@platinumbusinessmagazine.com or call 07966

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13 RESTAURANTS

12 CAFES

That’s right. Put them down. Now. Or you’ll spoil your enjoyment of all those foodie delights you’ll find at Gatwick. Just remember, don’t eat until you get there. And yes, that includes that chocolate you’ve been eyeing up.

South Terminal: 6 Restaurants, 6 Cafes, 1 Oyster Bar. North Terminal: 7 Restaurants, 6 Cafes, 1 Oyster Bar.

2 OYSTER BARS