PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - ISSUE 21 - SURREY EDITION

The widest-read business publication in the South East

SURREY EDITION ISSUE 21 . 2016

BUSINESS TRAVEL

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Wonderful Copenhagen

LUXURY LINER The BMW 7-Series

GATWICK DIAMOND Finalists announced

ANGER MANAGEMENT

Every little helps... Tesco

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Exclusive Interview:

SANJEEV BHASKAR THE BIG STORY

DAVID CAMERON The Cunard Man

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Corporate & Commercial Banking

That’s not just a £300,000 investment, that’s an extra 60,000 units a week.

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Search: NatWest Commercial Banking Call: 0800 529 8091 Text relay: 18001 0800 529 8091 Open Mon-Fri 9am to 5.30pm

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BMW Business Partnership

THE NEW BMW 7 SERIES. DRIVING LUXURY.

The new BMW 7 Series incorporates exquisitely crafted design, enhanced levels of comfort and an extensive range of pioneering technology, which have all led to it being hailed as the most innovative car in its class.

With CO2 emissions on the BMW 730d model from just 124g/km and fuel economy of up to 60.1mpg (combined), this model offers attainable luxury for your fleet.

Business rates available for the new BMW 7 Series. For more information, contact us on 01293 831 347 or www.vinesofgatwickbmw.co.uk

VINES OF GATWICK

Stephenson Way Three Bridges RH10 1TN Official fuel economy figures for the new BMW 7 Series Saloon range: Urban 24.8-51.4mpg (11.4-5.5l/100km).

Extra Urban 45.6-67.3mpg (6.2-4.2l/100km). Combined 34.9-60.1mpg (8.1-4.7l/100km). CO2 emissions 189-124g/km.

Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

WELCOME

24

THE BIG STORY DAVID CAMERON Too posh to care?

10

36

NATWEST

GATWICK DIAMOND Finalists announced

SANJEEV BHASKAR Talks Exclusively to PBM

We offer an intriguing profile of David Cameron, DMH Stallard sweep the board and we have just signed to sponsor the Lewes and District Business Awards. We make that a clean sweep now of all business award events across the region. We signed the Sussex Business Awards and the Brighton & Hove Business Awards last month and are proud sponsors of the award for Young Surrey Businesswoman of the Year. We announce the finalists of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards and will announce the winners when we rrecover from the JT after after show party on March 17th.

The NatWest/KPMG Entrepreneurial Spark hatchery is perfectly pitched and on song for tremendous success and Kreston Reeves discuss inheritance and Generation Y. Anger Management has it in for Tesco for shafting our local suppliers As usual, all the Chamber News and lots more so we hope you enjoy and good read.

Maarten & Ian

Platinum Business Magazine, Surrey March 2016

64

THE MAGNIFICENT 7

50

THE AMERICAN DREAM

BMW’s new luxury liner

PBM joins new exporters in a trip to New York

4

As a rolling stone gathers no moss, we are flying into our exciting new Food and Drink Feature that launches next month with our new F&B Editor, Amanda Menahem, and she tells you all about it in this issue. Jonny Gibson of the Sussex Wine School talks wine and we sponsor the largest food festival in the country. This month she discovers a secret at Victoria station.

Cars are coming think and fast and we review the new Jaguar XE and the luxurious new BMW 7-Series. We even found time to fit in a boy racer in the shape of the Peugeot 208GTi for the your delight and delectation.

Apprenticeship News

18

As 2016 gathers pace, we have been busy. The new Travel Feature has been very well received and we have exclusive interviews coming up with Surinder Arora, CEO of Arora Hotels and Amy McPherson, President of Marriott Hotels. This month, Rose Dykins shakes hands in Copenhagen, Global Travel Management give their view on the environment and we were invited to an event with Prince Andrew to launch a new hotel. We also discover how a group of small companies fared on a UKTI trip to New York.

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.

Issue 21 - 2016

The Team

Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

AT A GLANCE 6

Local News

41

10

NatWest Bank – National Apprenticeship Week

42 Travel: Greener State of Mind

44 Travel: Shake hands

12

A Heathrow Renaissance

13

Double Award Win for DMH Stallard

56 Dining Out –

14

Carpenter Box – There is an Alternative!

58 Anger Management –

16

Croydon Food Festival 2016

61

17

Business Expo – Spring Forward

62 Motoring –

Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2016 – The Finalists

64 Motoring –

18 Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

Travel News

19

The Art of Surviving a Crisis

20 National News

in Copenhagen

50 The American Dream Iberica, Victoria The Market Mafia Lewes District Business Awards Peugeot 208 Gti Sport The Magnificent Seven

66 Motoring – The Kitchen Sink

68 Motoring – A Star is Born

24 The Big Story – Port Out, 70 Cranleigh Chamber Starboard Home

32 Introducing our New Amanda Spicer Senior Designer

Nick Hall Sales Director

nick@ platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Feature – Food and Drink

33 Have you Signed up to G-Cloud?

34 Generation Y: Reading to download their inheritance App?

36 Goodness Gracious Gatwick

71

Croydon Chamber

72 Croydon Regeneration 75 Surrey Chamber Events 76

Surrey Chamber

78 Platinum Style – First Impressions Count

80 The Cow Parade 82 Institute of Directors – A Taxing Issue

QUOTE OF THE MONTH Amanda Menahem Food & Drink Editor

Hannah Monkcom Staff Reporter

❝

I must say that the magazine is really smashing. Please send more next month.

❞

Rosemary French OBE Exec. Director, Gatwick Diamond Initiative Rose Dykins Travel Editor

Lauren Psyk Event Photographer

5

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

SOUTH EAST ON TOP

SPA IN NEW HANDS

Surrey and Sussex’s mid-market companies have made significant progress in global markets, reporting international turnover growth of 14% and 40% respectively in the last year, according to new research from accountants and business advisers BDO LLP. Collectively the 552 medium-sized companies, with a turnover of £10m - £300m, have disclosed international sales of £2.9 billion, with 30 companies alone contributing £475m or 16%.

Top performing companies include Nutfield Holdings Limited and Custom Healthcare Limited. The former, a distributor of canned foods and ambient high quality seafood, fruit and vegetable products has reported a compound annual growth rate, over the last two years, of 129%. Custom Healthcare, a contract manufacturer and packager, has reported a compound annual growth rate of 93% over the same period.

BDO’s Best in Business research continues to highlight the importance of Surrey and Sussex’s mid-market businesses to their local economies and of entering international markets.

Lythe Hill Hotel

Knight Frank has sold the & Spa in Surrey on behalf of a private vendor to Eagle Resorts. Eagle Resorts have added the property to their growing portfolio of high-end country house hotels, which includes, The Old Thorns Hotel, Tracy Park, and Castlemartyr in Ireland. They have considerable plans for the hotel and are committed to a substantial investment programme.

The popular country house hotel, set within 16 acres of Surrey countryside, is approximately 1.8 miles from Haslemere, a historic market town with transport links just 46 miles from London. The AA four star rated hotel offers 44 en suite letting bedrooms, self-contained garden suites, extensive conference facilities, six meeting rooms, an extensive spa and gym as well as 70 car parking spaces.

The two AA Rosette restaurant offers picturesque views over expansive well-presented gardens which include a tennis court, grass helipad and croquet lawn, as well as an exclusive open air venue located on the edge of a lake, which seats up to 128 guests and overlooks a wedding pavilion, fishing lake and extensive woodlands. Henry Jackson, partner in the Knight Frank hotels team, said: “The hotel market continues to improve and demand for high quality hotels in prime Home County locations is strong. We expect the market conditions to remain positive for 2016 as hotel trading performance continues to grow and purchasers are prepared to pay higher prices.”

REIGATE GUILD NEW CHAIRWOMAN Members voted Philippa Ratcliffe, organiser of the town’s Street Eats food festival, as new chairwoman earlier this month.

Miss Ratcliffe, of West Street, Reigate, commented: “Obviously I’m delighted and very proud to be in this position. The first thing that I want to look at is the proposed town centre car parking increases.”

There had been proposed ideas to increase parking charges including higher rates on Sundays; the ideas have been postponed for now.

Miss Ratcliffe said: “They have only postponed it for three weeks again. It just needs to be longer to allow more people to have their say. Personally, my biggest concern is the Sunday parking. We want to encourage families to come to the town on Sunday and spend time in the parks and in the restaurants and cafes.”

Miss Ratcliffe has lived in Reigate for five years. As well as organising the Street Eats festival, she runs an events company and has a background in public relations, media and broadcasting. She added: “The other thing I want to do is to make it so that the guild is more public facing. There should be more information out there on the website and from the end of February there will be regular updates about what we are doing.”

Other plans currently being looked at include a proposal to hold a public event celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday later this year.

Miss Ratcliffe said: “We are planning to do something. What that will be we can’t say at the moment but we are planning to do something that is open for the public that everyone can join in with. The role of the guild is to support the fantastic businesses we have, that make Reigate the wonderful, vibrant and desirable town it is.”

Any Reigate business wishing to join the guild should go to www.reigatebusinessguild.co.uk

“Better days are coming. They are called Saturday and Sunday.”

6

NEWS

“Money is like manure. Leave it in a pile and it stinks but spread it around and it does some good.”

SURREY’S THE BEST Four Surrey companies were honoured at the European Business Awards at the London Stock Exchange, sponsored by RSM. Explore Learning and Diamond Logistics (both Guildford), Gibbs-S3 (Wallington) and Travel Republic (Kingston) were among 54 companies from across the UK chosen by a panel of independent judges, including senior business and academic leaders.

At the event, attendees had the chance to speak to leading businesses in their field and hear from guest speakers including Adrian Tripp, CEO, European Business Awards; Jean Stephens, CEO, RSM International; and Umerah Akram, Senior Manager Primary Markets, from the London Stock Exchange.

Martin Rossiter, Office Managing Partner for RSM in Guildford said ‘It’s fantastic that we have four companies representing Surrey as part of the European Business Awards. They will now go through to the next stage of public voting.’

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM International, said: “The UK is home to some truly exciting and entrepreneurial businesses, which we are delighted to champion and support. We wish the National Champions in every country every success for their businesses in the future.”

The European Business Awards engaged with over 32,000 companies from 33 countries this year, a 33% increase from last year, and a recordbreaking number for the competition now in its 9th year.

The next round of the competition has required the National Champions to make a presentation video, telling their unique story and explaining their business success. The judges will award the best of this group the coveted ‘Ruban d’Honneur’ status. Ruban d’Honneur recipients will then go on be part of the grand finale in June 2016.

CENTRE OF THE SPACE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR

ASHBURTON LIBRARY REGENERATION Croydon Council has announced it is seeking leasing partners as it looks to renovate local landmark Ashburton Library.

The council hopes to lease all or part of the listed-building, which has been out of use since 2006 and is located in Ashburton Park and totals 6,222 sq ft.

Croydon Council attracted controversy and faced local opposition when it tried,

Global space technology is a fast growing industry and

and failed, to dispose of the building at a knockdown price of £85,000 in 2014 just

is set to expand even further to reach the Government’s

before local elections.

target. The target is to expand Britain’s share of the

The now Labour-run council hopes to get the site back into use and, in a statement,

expected £40 billion space-enabled market to 10% by 2030.

outlined how any new initiative must include ‘a predominant area’ that is to be ‘utilised for community use’.

Chris Cairns, Partner at Alliotts Accountants, specialising

New uses for the building that would be considered include a cafe, restaurant and

in the technology sector, has been working closely with the

nursery, as well as educational, sports, performance and health care purposes.

space technology industry over the past two years and has seen a huge growth in the sector in the UK. Chris is based

Nigel Evans, Partner at Stiles Harold Williams, the property agent who is assisting the council, said: “Croydon Council is keen to bring this important locally listed building back into use. At this stage we have been instructed to seek expressions

at Alliotts Accountants in Guildford – a space technology

of interest from parties who are keen to occupy all or part of the space. There is

hub – and also has a satellite office at Harwell Campus in

an open mind to alternative uses but there must be some community element

Oxfordshire, a world leading technology hub, home to 200

within the building. The building can be let either as one or in separate tenancies.

organisations in the technology sector.

Expressions of interest from parties are being invited by 30 April.

7

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

NEW ENTREPRENEUR BOARD The Academy for Chief Executives is to launch a new Entrepreneur Board group in Surrey, which aims to support senior business leaders and entrepreneurs in the county.

Entrepreneur Board 8 will launch next month and will consist of non-competing businesses and leaders in the Kingston, Twickenham, Walton, Woking and Guildford areas in Surrey and be run by Associate Chair and former construction chief Paul Adlam.

It aims to support local businesses leaders and help them reach their full potential by offering advice and sharing knowledge amongst the Surrey business community.

The Academy for Chief Executives, which was formed in 1995, utilises its community of 450 business leaders across the UK to help inspire and mentor Chief Executives, Managing Directors and Directors across the country.

Speaking following the announcement, Paul Adlam said: “The launch of the new Entrepreneur Board 8 is an exciting opportunity for Surrey entrepreneurs to grow and develop their businesses. I have been a member of the Academy for Chief Executives for over six years and in that time the Academy has helped me achieve some of my dreams and lead a more fulfilling and rewarding life, including successfully moving out of my business and exploring other ventures. Now it’s time for me to give something back and I’m very much looking forward to working with the most dynamic business owners and senior executives in the region.“

STUDIO FOR SALE?

MONEY FOR ROADS

The future of Shepperton Studios is uncertain after the company which owns the world famous film set launched a major review of its business.

One option for the Pinewood Group may include selling assets such as the Surrey-based venue which filmed Hollywood blockbusters such as Gravity, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Guardians of Galaxy.

Pinewood has revealed it has appointed advisers for the purpose of “leading a strategic view of its capital base and structure” after its ambitious plans were slowed down.

Its global network also includes studios in Buckinghamshire, Wales and buildings in countries like Canada and the Dominican Republic.

The company has explained that despite successfully raising funds for its expansion last year, it hasn’t gained enough new investors or diversified its shareholder base.

Property and construction group Kier are set to deliver a further £160m worth of highways maintenance and improvements in Surrey.

The group, which is headquartered in Bedfordshire, has been awarded the contract

by Surrey County Council as an extension to its current agreement that began in 2011.

This new four-year agreement will run from April 2017 to March 2021 and will see Kier complement its current maintenance work with the development of a Surrey Highway skill centre to provide training and apprenticeships.

Kier has worked with the council since 2013 after it acquired services firm May Gurney, who were awarded the highways contract originally.

Haydn Mursell, Kier’s Chief Executive, commented: “Kier has forged a strong working relationship with Surrey County Council over the past five years. This contract reinforces Kier’s presence in the local authority market and further demonstrates the benefits of recent acquisitions, which have strengthened the Group’s highways services and maintenance offering and helped to establish Kier as the market leader in this sector.

These awards further underpin the strength of the combined Construction and Services order book which currently stands at approximately £9bn.”

“When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye” 8

NEWS

“I always wanted to be somebody, but now l realise l should have been more specific”

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY Vehicle glass repair and replacement giant Belron, parent company of Autoglass, has launched a new start-up accelerator in conjunction with investor and innovation partner L Marks.

The new initiative, dubbed ‘Drive’, will see the Surrey-headquartered firm invite applications from innovative start-ups who can improve Belron’s operations.

Along with a 12-week programme, participating companies will be offered desk space in Belron’s head office at Egham and receive a share of a £200,000 investment fund. One start-up will also be chosen at the end of the programme to receive a further £100,000 in follow-on funding.

In particular, Belron and L Marks are looking for start-ups with innovative ideas in the following areas: Knowledge and insight, Improving service and the customer experience, Improving productivity and efficiency, Delivering additional services and Engagement with field employees.

Following the launch of the programme, Nick Burton, Head of Digital & Innovative Technology at Belron, commented: “We’re thrilled to be launching Drive. Our team is looking forward to learning how entrepreneurs think and approach problem solving, which will challenge us to think and act differently. And by giving these start-ups unparalleled access to our brands around the world, along with education and investment support, we can help them accelerate their businesses too.“

HORLEY BUSINESS FEARS Fears about the proposed Horley Business Park’s viability have emerged at a council meeting.

Although the 172-acre industrial estate either side of Balcombe Road could be a decade away, objections have poured in.

More than 2,700 people have signed the Keep Horley Green petition and some specific concerns were raised at Thursday’s meeting of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council.

Joanna Barnett, who lives in Smallfield but grew up on the outskirts of the site, said that the nearby Manor Royal Business Park in Crawley had suffered high vacancy rates and stagnant rental levels in recent years. She asked councillors: “How can the council justify a proposal for a massive business park in the rural surrounds of Horley, which is contrary to many planning policies?”

In response Natalie Bramhall, the borough councillor responsible for property and regeneration, said Manor Royal had picked up in recent years and had very little vacant space nowadays.

She added: “Manor Royal is very different to the proposed high-quality state-of-the-art business park envisaged in Horley. It will bring jobs and opportunities for the borough’s residents.”

NEW LANGUAGE LEARNING BUSINESS Swapping a highpowered job in the city for her own business, one mother from Redhill is pursuing her dream of teaching languages.

Daniela Florio, of Ridgeway Road, is opening up a language school in Reigate next month for anyone who wants to learn French or Italian.

Ms Florio, 45, said: “I have always wanted to become a teacher. Before I was working in an investment bank and I asked myself, ‘was this really what I wanted to do?’ Teaching is something that I really enjoy and I’ve always wanted to help make learning languages fun.”

Ms Florio has said she plans to host parties and take students to the French consulate in London to practice with native speakers.

She expects students to range from retired couples and families going on holiday to professionals who want to communicate with their colleagues overseas.To join contact Ms Florio on languageforfundani@gmail.com or call 07934 525030.

9

NATWEST BANK

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 14-18 March 2016

Peter Quilter ACIB MCIBS Chartered Banker.

Director, Corporate and Commercial Coverage: 2nd Floor G3, 2 Cathedral Hill, Guildford GU1 3ZR. Peter.Quilter@natwest.com As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week this month, NatWest’s Peter Quilter looks at how Surrey businesses can benefit from taking on an apprentice…

O

ver the last few years more and more employers across Surrey have turned to apprenticeships to fill the skills gaps

option, particularly for small to medium-sized

understanding of your company from the roots

companies. Not only do you receive a lot of

up. What’s more, having been with you from

support through the recruitment process via

an early stage of their career, apprentices are

in their businesses; 2015 alone saw 5,710

various government grants, apprenticeships

even more likely to be loyal and committed to

apprenticeship placements across the county.

also give you the opportunity to train and

your business.

Apprenticeships are a great recruitment

develop someone who will possess an innate

Another interesting stat from 2015’s apprenticeship figures is the age ranges of those placed into work. One common misconception is that apprenticeships are just for school leavers, but that’s not the case anyone can be an apprentice. It could easily be someone who is already working in your business and who would benefit from access to training and in achieving a formal qualification.

Across the country, approximately 42% of apprenticeships were filled by people over the age of 25 which marked a significant increase on the 35% of places filled by over-25s during the previous year.

In August last year the Rt. Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills, announced his desire to increase the number of apprenticeships across the UK,

10

NATWEST BANK

“One common misconception is that apprenticeships are just for school leavers, but that’s not the case anyone can be an apprentice.”

committing the country to increasing the quality and quantity of apprenticeships while delivering three million new starts over the next five years.

We are fortunate to have some great resources available in Surrey with many great providers and trainers supporting the apprenticeship process. Surrey County Council’s website has really helpful sections both for local employers looking for more information about recruiting apprentices and for people searching for available apprenticeships across the county.

During National Apprenticeship Week in March (see www. gov.uk/government/topical-events/national-apprenticeshipweek-2016 for further details) NatWest will also be working with the National Skills Agency to run a series of events for employers exploring how apprenticeships could work for their business.

Overall, apprenticeships provide skilled, loyal employees for companies of all types and there is a raft of support and funding out there for businesses looking to develop and implement their own programmes. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that apprenticeships should never be seen as something you should do but rather as an integral component of any successful business.

In January, NatWest’s London & South East corporate and commercial team hosted an event to celebrate the more than 50 apprentices currently going through the bank’s apprenticeship scheme in the region. During the day, the apprentices were told about some of the various brands that make up the wider NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland family, how they help customers and the career opportunities they provide. These sessions were given by senior leaders from Coutts, Invoice Finance and Lombard, and were followed by interactive breakout sessions, before entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Mark Rhodes concluded the day’s activities.

NatWest’s Peter Quilter commented, “We have benefitted greatly from having such a talented array of young people join us who have brought with them their passion, fresh ideas and fresh thinking into our commercial banking offices in the capital and across the South East. I hope that giving them the opportunity to see the various brands and different types of customers we work with will get them even more excited for a long and diverse career at NatWest.”

NatWest’s commercial banking apprentice scheme focuses on young people who have left school and colleges and have joined the bank to build a career rather than go to college or university.

The scheme lasts 18 months and the apprentices will learn the wide ranging skills of the bank’s customer relationship teams as well as working towards an NVQ level 3 qualification as part of a structured learning programme.

To find out more about NatWest’s programmes for apprentices, interns and graduates, visit the bank’s Early Careers website at yourpassionyourpotential.rbs.com

11

HOTEL NEWS

A HEATHROW RENAISSANCE The Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel Completes £20million Renovation

T

he relaunched Renaissance London Heathrow, owned and operated by UK hotel management company Arora Hotels, was unveiled by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, after an extensive £20million renovation. The refurbishment extends to all areas of the hotel, including upgrading the exterior with new lighting and signage, reconfiguring the public areas to introduce a new Market Garden restaurant, Bar Eleven and lobby lounge, revamping all meeting spaces, including 17 function suites and 5 breakout rooms and adding 61 new, stylish guestrooms, bringing the total count to 710 rooms and suites, 97 executive rooms and the hotel’s signature Renaissance Executive Lounge boast impressive, uninterrupted views of the runway, with space to work, entertain and relax.

Vincent Madden, Director of Operations at Arora Hotels, commented: “I am delighted to relaunch the 4-star Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel after such an extensive and careful programme of renovation, designed to put the hotel firmly back on the map.

“The hotel has been resident at the airport for over 40 years, and having stripped it back and completely overhauled all guest rooms and public areas, we’re proud to now provide our discerning guests and meeting delegates with an all-new premium hotel product, coupled with our commitment to deliver first-class service, to ensure the entire guest experience is fully reflective of the upscale-lifestyle Renaissance brand.”

Located on the main perimeter road, the Renaissance London Heathrow is the closest hotel to the airport’s central terminals and offers 700 resurfaced parking spaces onsite, providing frequent business travellers and leisure guests with fast, regular access to the airport via shuttle or the convenience of a park-and-fly option.

Additional facilities at the new Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel include a Health Club, Room Service, Concierge, Bureau de Change, ATM and Gift Shop.

Surinder Arora

Stephen Clayton - GM

HRH The Duke of York

12

Surinder Arora, Amy McPherson, HRH The Duke of York

BUSINESS AWARDS

DOUBLE AWARD WIN FOR DMH STALLARD It has been an exciting start to the year for DMH Stallard, who has picked up a remarkable two awards at Insider’s South East Dealmakers Awards 2016. of our highly skilled corporate team.

“I’d like to congratulate Jonathan Grant, Abigail Owen, Gwen Godfrey, John Yates and all those involved for these fantastic The prestigious awards ceremony at the Copthorne Hotel, Effingham Park, Crawley.

L

ast month, the leading law firm, with four offices in the South East of England, was announced Corporate Law Firm of the

Year at the prestigious awards ceremony at the Copthorne Hotel, Effingham Park, Crawley

illustrated books which was sold to Quarto

Small Batch Coffee Company, and, of course,

Publishing, part of The Quarto Group, the

the award-winning sale of Ivy Press to Quarto

world’s leading illustrated book publisher.

Publishing.

Richard Pollins, Managing Partner at DMH Stallard, commented: “I am absolutely

region’s top corporate finance professionals.

delighted that our firm has won the award for Corporate Law Firm of the Year 2016, which

for Deal of the Year for transactions under

certainly reinforces our reputation for being the

£10m for the sale of Lewes-based Ivy Press to

leading law firm in the South East region. This

Quarto Publishing, which the firm led with EMC

is now the third time since 2012 that we have

Corporate Finance.

been winners of this prestigious award.

The judging panel praised DMH Stallard

Ivy Press is an award-winning creator of

Newbury Investments, the MBO and sale of

in front of a crowd of more than 370 of the In addition, DMH Stallard won the award

achievements.”

“To pick up a second top prize in the same

for having “another stellar year,” with deal

year for our Ivy Press deal is a true honour and

highlights including the sale of Takbro to

demonstrates the hard work and commitment

The team at DMH Stallard approached the deal in their usual collaborative style, providing commercial advice on non-contentious issues that others would have fought to defend for no other reason than point scoring, whilst resolving issues in a commercial manner and, where necessary, protecting the legal position of the shareholders.

The judges were impressed with the fact that this was a truly transformational deal for Ivy Press, which has been able to retain 50 talented staff and strengthens the creative offering in Brighton.

The Insider’s South East Dealmakers Awards are partly awarded based on voting, but were supported this year by selection from among those involved in deals and able to apply some quality judgement.

Philip Cunliffe, Regional Business Editor at Insider, said: “It’s been another highly successful year for the corporate finance community. There is no doubt the firms that were up for awards this year were the very cream of the crop!”

DMH Stallard has enjoyed previous successes at the South East Dealmakers Awards. Last year, Partner Jonathan Grant won Corporate Lawyer of the Year, which was won

by Partner Abigail Owen in 2014 and 2013. This year also marks the third year since 2012 that

The DMH Stallard team collecting their two awards (front row, from left to right): Jay Barnett, John Yates, Abigail Owen, Jonathan Grant, Gwen Godfrey and Anjli Majevadia (back row) sponsor representative from Search Legal.

DMH Stallard has been named Corporate Law Firm of the Year.

www.dmhstallard.com

13

ALTERNATIVE FINANCE

THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE!

Over 130 people gathered recently at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley to discuss the many alternative funding options available to businesses of all shapes and sizes. The high-profile panel event was hosted by Sussex-based chartered accountants and business advisers Carpenter Box. Tony Summers, the Partner at Carpenter Box who came up with the idea, gives an overview of the event, which left many of the attendees amazed at just how many options were available to them.

W

e know that 80% of all business funding requests in the UK initially end up at the door of the four largest

High Street banks. That said, we decided to

to the event who we knew could bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussions, given their various areas of alternative funding expertise.

Audience members included those from local

next five to ten years?

• Which funder is best at filling the so-called Equity Gap - the long-term funding for SME businesses of between £250k and £2m?

stage the Alternative Funding event because

start-ups right through to large international

recent reports in the media suggest that in the

corporations. With such a wide spectrum of

South East alone the banks rejected almost

topics to cover, my colleague and Carpenter

£400 million worth of credit applications for

Box Partner, Chris Coopey, chaired the event,

SMEs during the first half of 2015. Talking to

directing pre-submitted questions from the

clients, and bearing this data in mind, it was

audience to the panel looking to the appropriate

obvious to us that there was a significant need

expert to comment before opening the subject

to signpost alternative sources of finance to the

to all of the panel. Amongst the questions were:

our bank, which we dip into now and then,

many businesses whose aim is to grow.

• What innovations in the alternative funding

which means we don’t think we get great

We invited eight high-profile panel members

14

arena can the panel see developing over the

• When should a business consider crowdfunding a suitable choice to finance business growth?

• What are the costs, the timescales involved and the security needed for a business to raise £1m?

• We have an invoice-discounting facility with

value for money. Is there a better way?

ALTERNATIVE FINANCE

PANEL MEMBERS Marcus Stuttard – Head of AIM & UK primary markets at the London Stock Exchange Chris then opened the floor up to

As the London Stock Exchange’s growth market, AIM has become the world’s most successful

questions from the audience, which

market for small and medium-sized enterprises, raising over £4 billion worth of funds in 2015.

ranged from what the panel thought of

Since its launch in 1995, over 3,000 companies across the globe, with turnover from £5 million

the European Horizon 2020 scheme –

to billions, have chosen to join AIM. Marcus provided an insight into the role AIM has to play

the biggest EU Research and Innovation

raising finance for a business set on a growth trajectory and why AIM has remained relevant

programme ever, with 80 billion euros

in today’s world as well as the less well known world of Retail Bonds.

of funding available over seven years

Andy Davies – Author of ‘Beyond the Banks’

(2014 – 2020) - to specific questions about

Andy’s book focuses on innovative ways to finance SME businesses. His vast financial

crowdfunding and possible regulation.

knowledge has been gained from his experience as a journalist at the Financial Times and

Overall, the panel provided a fascinating

former editor of FT Weekend. He is a frequent commentator on SME access to funding and

insight to the audience as to what funding

was a witness for the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards sub-committee,

streams were suitable for which purpose.

discussing SME experience of banks. Andy now works at Informed Funding, a company that

The panel’s knowledge of what was

advises businesses on the best routes to funding. He impressed the audience with his in-depth

available was pretty comprehensive.

and objective knowledge on many of the areas of alternative finance, which included a

Whether it was an occasional shot in the

realistic appreciation of the fact that all investments carry risk.

cash-flow arm from invoice financing to

Andrew Rutherford – Commercial Director for the Southern Region of

private equity, or venture capital investment,

Shawbrook Business Credit

to larger, asset-based lending, or the

Shawbrook specialises in bespoke asset-based lending solutions for SME businesses. Andrew

possibility of raising funding by floating on

gave a number of real-life scenarios, where he had been able to provide credit lines to

the AIM – the Alternative Investment Market.

businesses using a variety of solutions to suit the circumstance, with more flexibility than a

After the main event, guests had the opportunity to chat with the panel members about their individual funding requirements, as well as network with other businesses.

Many delegates we spoke to were unaware of and astonished by the range of alternative funding opportunitiesthat

traditional bank might be able to offer.

James Bryant – MarketInvoice A rapidly growing invoice finance provider, MarketInvoice can factor any number of sales invoices – even just one, with no contract, as and when required, and with no ongoing costs, so providing a pay-as-you-go service. MarketInvoice is part of a growing number of financial technology companies who fall into the category of peer-to-peer lending.

might be available to their companies, with

Stuart Noakes – Head of Tax at Carpenter Box

many commenting that they would need

Stuart highlighted the extremely advantageous tax reliefs that companies can gain under

guidance from a specialist before venturing

the Government’s Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), as well as the tax breaks offered by the

too far down any particular route. From

Government’s Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). Other tax breaks, such as Research

the discussions it was very clear that there

& Development Tax Credits, were also signposted.

were numerous considerations, such as

Steven Renwick – Founder and CEO of Satago

how much money was required, what it

Satago is a new funding platform that enables companies to have their sales invoices paid

was required for, over what period, what

when they are due, making cash flow more predictable, as well as providing bad debt

security (if any) was available, what is the

protection if a customer defaults or becomes insolvent. It also provides detailed credit reports

size of the company, how established is

on customers or potential customers. As well as talking about invoice payments, Steven was

the company and its product range, and

also able to offer terrific insight into the practicalities of crowdfunding. Satago has already

what options for alternative funding are

gone through one round of crowdfunding and is about to embark on another.

available to a particular company. Of course,

James Livingston – Director at Foresight Group

once the right option is selected, many

Foresight provides both tailored Private Equity and Venture Capital suited to particular

companies then need help from a specialist

investment opportunities. James was able to compare and contrast the relative merits of PE or

in progressing the right solution for their

VC capital against other funding options, explaining where each of the models best fit.

needs.

If you need to raise funds for your company and would like to discuss what funding options – traditional and alternative - are open to you, please contact Carpenter Box on 01903 234094 or 01293 227670.

www.carpenterbox.com

Martin Coomber - Senior Fund Manager at The FSE Group FSE manages the funding escalator loan scheme and equity fund provided by the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership. Coast to Capital has committed £5 million of capital to create the scheme, which is designed to help ambitious SME-based businesses in Surrey or Sussex. Martin commented on the ability of businesses in the region to access grant funding and government loans.

15

FOOD & DRINK

CROYDON FOOD FESTIVAL 2016 A new look and new name for the popular foodie event

T

he Croydon Food Festival - the biggest foodie event in London’s biggest borough - will be back with a new name and an even more ambitious programme for 2016.

Ten thousand people flocked to the famous South Croydon Restaurant Quarter in South End last summer to enjoy a delicious smorgasbord of food, fun, live music and entertainment, served up by a record number of over 70 traders.

This year, to better reflect the growing popularity and importance of the event across the borough, it is being renamed from the South End Food Festival to the Croydon Food Festival. And the organisers, the South Croydon Business Association (SCBA), say there are many unique opportunities for sponsors to support this premier local event.

“The festival is now the biggest food event in Croydon, attracting businesses and foodies to the Restaurant Quarter from right across the borough and beyond,” said Linda Arthur, Chairperson of the SCBA. “So we felt the time was right to change its name to reflect this, and to acknowledge the increasing support we receive from many food related companies across the borough, who all benefit from the business opportunity the event creates.”

Linda, owner of South End cocktail bar, Bar Txt, added: “The 2015 food festival was such a fantastic success, thanks to the support of the public, the traders and our wonderful sponsors from right across the borough, who helped to make the day so special.

“We are already planning the 2016 event, which is set to be bigger and better than ever.

There are amazing opportunities for businesses to sponsor the festival. So I would urge you to get in touch now if you want to be involved in one of the biggest events in Croydon in 2016.”

The major sponsors for 2015 included Bagatti’s Restaurant, Barratt Homes, London Borough of Croydon and Croydon Partnership, Malcolm John Restaurants, Lidl, Quantum, and Veolia Environmental Services.

Many of the record number of 74 traders – including top South End restaurants like Bagatti’s and Brasserie Vacherin - either sold out or reported record trade on a fabulous sunny festival day last June.

Visitors to the 2016 festival will once again be able to enjoy al fresco dining and quality international cuisine, summer cocktails and dancing to live music across two stages, plus fabulous street entertainment, and, of course, the famous cookery demos on the Kitchen Theatre Stage.

One of the highlights of the 2015 event was the ‘Battle of the Malcolms’ on the Kitchen Theatre stage, with Chef-Patron Malcolm John of Brasserie Vacherin and Malcolm Ozwaldo, Head Chef of Peter Bagatti’s Italian Restaurant, competing in a ‘cook-off.’

Malcolm John, a SCBA committee member, said the success of the food festival proved beyond doubt that Croydon has “brilliant restaurants with amazing food.”

The 2015 Festival was formally opened

by Mayor of Croydon Patricia Hay-Justice.

Demonstrations on the fully equipped Kitchen Theatre Stage were hosted by restaurants: Brasserie Vacherin, Olde Goa, Jam ‘N’ Jerk, Uncle Lim’s Kitchen and Quantum with Peter Bagatti. The live music line-up included Da Groovestation, Meyers Jazz Quartet, and Celtic folk rockers Homebrood.

Run by SCBA, the other major sponsors include Bagatti’s Restaurant, Barratt Homes, London Borough of Croydon and Croydon Partnership, Malcolm John Restaurants, Lidl, Quantum, and Veolia Environmental Services.

For more information about the 2016 Croydon Food Festival – including sponsorship opportunities – contact Katharine Glass at kglass@wlcreative.org.uk or call 020 87265 7968.

www.croydonrestaurantquarter.co.uk

16

BUSINESS EXPO

SPRING FORWARD

South London’s biggest business event moves to May, with a new look for 2016

T

he annual We Mean Business Expo and Croydon Ecodrive Motorshow is moving from autumn to spring in 2016 to give participating firms a major boost.

South London’s largest business market, which allows firms to network and showcase their products and services, will be staged at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls on Wednesday, 18th May in 2016 to give companies the opportunity to boost their sales earlier in the year.

Previously held in October, the WMB Expo is designed to support the lifeblood of the south London economy and provide businesses of all types and sizes a unique opportunity to network and make valuable connections.

More than 1,000 visitors and 120 exhibitors hailed last year’s event as a huge success. But organisers White Label Creative say staging it in May this year will allow companies to boost their sales earlier in the business year.

White Label Managing Director Katharine Glass said: “We had terrific feedback from last October’s event, which was a sell-out for exhibitors – and the 2016 event is shaping up to be even bigger.

“Holding the Expo in May will allow firms to make the most of all the business opportunities on offer at an earlier point in the year. It will also enable us to expand the outdoor Ecodrive: Croydon Motor Show, which attracted a huge amount of interest last year.”

Ecodrive will showcase the latest ‘green energy’ transport on the Fairfield Halls forecourt, with a wide range of fuel-efficient “green energy” cars and electric bikes from leading manufacturers.

The Expo will feature a full programme of events, including a VIP Networking Breakfast sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses plus business advice seminars and workshops, and a series of speednetworking sessions. Last year’s exhibitors covered a range of business sectors, from innovative technology companies to multi-nationals such as HSBC. The 2015 Expo was praised by everyone, including Mayor of Croydon Patricia Hay-Justice and Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell, who opened the event.

For information call 020 8726 7968.

www.wemeanbusinessexpo.co.uk

17

BUSINESS AWARDS

GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS 2016 The Finalists

T

he Finalists in each of the categories for the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2016 were announced at a celebration breakfast of the judges and sponsors, hosted by the Awards Venue Partner Copthorne Hotel London Gatwick.

The winners will be presented by the well-known TV comedian and actor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards Dinner,

on the 17th March at the Effingham Park Hotel. The headline sponsors are Gatwick Airport, NatWest, Nestle and Vines BMW & Mini.

The evening starts with a pre-dinner reception sponsored by Thomas Eggar, and the evening is rounded off with the now highly anticipated after-show party, sponsored by Heart Sussex & Surrey.

THE FINALISTS: Green Business of the Year – sponsored by Crawley Borough Council

The Award for Innovation and Technology – sponsored by Rawlison Butler LLP

Baystar Energy Denbies Wine Estate Ltd Hilton London Gatwick Airport

MAS Technical Group (International) Ltd / MAS Design Ltd Richard Allitt Associates VAT International

Responsible Business of the Year – sponsored by Lloyds Bank

Digital Marketing Business of the Year – sponsored by Optima Systems Ltd

Basepoint Centres Ltd Clear Computing Ltd IT First

Cobb Digital Purple Rose Digital RocketMill Ltd

International Business of the Year – sponsored by the Gatwick Diamond Initiative

Professional Services Firm of the Year – sponsored by PVL UK Ltd

Akixi Ltd Frontier Pitts Ltd Metricell Ltd

Assurity Consulting K2 Consultancy Group Vail Williams LLP

The Award for Customer Delight – sponsored by Storm Creative

The Award for Supply-Chain Excellence – sponsored by Hays Specialist Recruitment

Cleankill Environmental Services Club Class Chauffeurs Sofitel London Gatwick

Acro Aircraft Seating Energy & Carbon Management Hilton London Gatwick Airport

The Award for Place to Meet – sponsored by B&CE The Peoples Pension

New Business of the Year – sponsored by The Federation of Small Business; West Sussex

Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa East Sussex National Hilton London Gatwick Airport

3F EV Ltd First Hand Recruitment Ltd IT Document Solutions Ltd

Employer of the Year – sponsored by Search Consultancy

Business Person of the Year – sponsored by KPMG

1st Central Creative Assembly RocketMill Ltd

Penina Shepherd – Acumen Business Law Christopher Meeking – Avtura Ltd Simon Pringle – Red River Software Ltd

The Award for Developing People for Business Success – sponsored by Central Sussex College

Business of the Year – sponsored by NatWest

1st Central Chemigraphic Ltd Extech Ltd

Acumen Business Law Denbies Wine Estate Hilton London Gatwick Airport

Find out what is happening by visiting www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com or follow @gdbizawards on Twitter for real-time updates on the night.

18

DISASTER RECOVERY

THE ART OF SURVIVING A CRISIS

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

Public Relations Marketing Events Research Economic Development

www.prowse.co.uk

Does your company or organisation have a crisis response plan in place? Do you know what tactics to use to protect your reputation online? In this month’s article, I’m considering why it’s important to prepare a crisis response plan, which considers both operational and communication responses...

A

crisis is any unplanned event, occurrence or sequence of events that has a specific, undesirable

wildfire. Defensive and even argumentative approaches can amplify the whole situation and only make things worse, so good internal

• Effectively co-ordinate activities among

consequence. Environmental pollution,

and external communications are vital, and

accidents and data security breaches are but a

everyone involved in the crisis should receive

few examples of potential crisis situations that

the same information.

face companies.

The most effective crisis management

The introduction of a Crisis Management strategy enables a company to:

It is very important that the organisation has its story and strategy straight—no matter

those with a management or response role • Activate prepared instructions to all concerned if a crisis occurs • Communicate effectively to all stakeholders, quickly and in the right order • Ensure continuity of business operations

occurs when situations are detected and dealt

who is speaking. To avoid any misconceptions

with quickly, before they can impact upon the

or incorrect interpretations by others, your

business. In those instances, they never come

company should use all means at its disposal

to the attention of customers or the general

to communicate what has happened and what

we work with them to define the necessary

public. But those which do escalate often

you’re doing about it.

actions for each type of crisis situation and

share several common characteristics. They are nearly always harmful and distract from important daily tasks. They create negative

This includes using your social media pages, website, company blog and media releases.

As speed is the critical factor, we

during and immediately after the crisis When assisting companies drafting a plan,

make recommendations for the allocation of tasks. This includes providing guidance on internal and external communication

feelings among employees and can cast doubt

recommend that companies and organisations

requirements, preparing communications

over the company’s credibility, particularly in

invest a small amount of time and money

templates for statements, social media posts

these days of real-time social media, where

to plan for potential crisis situations. This

and the like.

anyone’s voice can be heard.

means developing a crisis response plan so

Online social and web search means bad news travels faster and further than ever, and it is vitally important to act with honesty and

Also important is identifying the corporate

that designated employees have the essential

information required for a crisis manual and

information they need should a crisis occur.

preparing relevant checklists, worksheets and

These plans should integrate the operational

other materials that will be utilised in crisis situations.

speed to inform employees and customers

and communications response to ensure a

of the problem and explain how it’s being

coordinated effort and minimize any chance

addressed.

of misinformation. Operational response is

with the management team to make any text or

The next stage will be to review the plan

essential as it can save lives, property and

procedural changes. Once approved, this Crisis

will manage the crisis, rather than allowing it

other assets. Effective communication is also

Response Plan should become an integral part

to control the company. The first step is to get

important, as it saves the business.

of the overall business continuity planning.

The attitude should be that your company

the real story and understand the elements of the crisis. Then, move as fast as possible, rather than waiting for more information to come in before you act.

These days, news of incidents spreads like

Prowse & Co. combines strategic counsel with practical support to help you effectively communicate with your target audiences. If you would like to discuss how we might help your company or organisation prepare a crisis management plan, just give me a call on 01372 363386 or visit www.prowse.co.uk.

19

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

FINANCIAL CRIME

Financial crime has a total cost to the UK economy of £52 billion, according to Special Inspector James Phipson, Commercial Director of the Economic Crime Directorate, at City of London Police. Speaking this month at the Wealth Management Association’s financial crime conference, SI Phipson highlighted that only 12% of cybercrime is ever actually reported.

SI Phipson continued that even though police forces across the country had spent 34% more of their time last year than previously on investigating fraud, they were still only inspecting a small number of the total estimate. The UK is considered the financial capital of Europe, it makes an appealing target and decision makers need to be more alert to the seriousness of this threat. Surprisingly most fraud attacks are likely to come from Spain, this unexpected epicentre indicates that much more understanding of the considerable threat to the economy is required.

David Little, Head of Money Laundering and Corruption Threat Desk at the NCA, was quick to point out that the economic threat was a very serious issue with regards to national security, “yet only recently has it started to be taken seriously.”

The NCA has set up a Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce (JMLIT), headed up by Chris Bostock. JMLIT is there to share intelligence between the police and financial services institutions, with both sides bringing their expertise to the table to combat the threat of financial crime.

PROPERTY PRICES CONSISTENT

SOUTH EAST FRAUDSTERS Financial institutions across London and the South East were hit hard by fraudsters over the last 12 months with over £157 million being defrauded by criminals, a whopping increase of 779% on last year.

KPMG’s Fraud Barometer, which measures fraud cases with losses of £100,000 or more reaching the UK courts, shows that overall the total value of fraud prosecuted in the region in 2015 fell by 21% to over £380 million but still accounted for over half of all fraud taking place in the UK. There was a marked increase in the value of frauds being committed by managers and employees, which were up by 153% on 2014 figures. In one case a mother of two from Surrey stole £1.75 million from the family business that she worked for as bookkeeper. Unbeknownst to the

Average business property prices in all sectors once again increased in 2015 according to Business Outlook 2016 – the annual state of the markets report from property specialists Christie & Co. The increase in average prices across all sectors, which is weighted by sector according to transaction volume, was an encouraging 9.0% and Christie & Co predicts that the value of businesses across the medium term will continue to rise and outstrip pre-recession levels, in line with any increase in their profitability.

Chris Day, Global Managing Director of Christie & Co, says: “Throughout 2015, activity continued at a consistent pace, particularly in terms of value, with prices still moving forward albeit not at the same speed as 12 months ago, particularly within the Hotel market. Though we expect values to rise in the medium term, there are still areas of uncertainty in several of our sectors caused by factors such as the National Living Wage. The Care market in particular is exhibiting some caution due to this announcement.”

The largest increase was seen in the Retail sector where the convenience retail property market was resurgent, particularly in the forecourt sector where a severe lack of supply heavily impacted.

Multiple offers on each sale were almost expected, resulting in robust pricing

business when they recruited her she had previously been

and Christie & Co

convicted of benefits fraud and 10 counts of fraud against

expects this to

a former employer. There needs to be a database!

continue.

“Change is not a four letter word - but often your reaction is.”

20

NEWS

“My therapist told me the way to true inner peace is always to finish what l start. So far l’ve finished a chocolate cake and a bottle of Chablis, I feel better already.”

JOINING FORCES

Small business support group Enterprise Nation is set to join forces with leading UK professional services firm KPMG to support the fast-growing number of small businesses looking to enter international markets.

The collaboration is a response to UKTI’s announcement that it is to re-focus its efforts to concentrate on priority markets and sectors. The private sector firms aim to develop an intense 12-month programme of subsidised international trade missions and support in a bid to fill the gap.

With a first mission planned to Dublin in March, further trade delegations will explore export opportunities in Germany, the US, South Africa and Asia.

It has also announced it is to examine the export landscape in a detailed study that will unlock the ambition of small British businesses overseas.

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, said: “Small businesses are going global faster than ever before. With a website and British made/ design products, small businesses are starting on a Monday and trading with the world by Wednesday. What they need is advice on how to export, connections to advisers, and access to opportunities to build confidence and sales. Two successful missions we took to New York and China have resulted in over £6 million worth of new business for small firms. So we know this alliance is going to work.”

Alongside missions and UK based events, KPMG and Enterprise Nation intend to develop new products to support SMEs achieve greater internationalisation. This builds upon the existing alliance between Enterprise Nation and KPMG Small Business Accounting, launched in March 2015, which already offers a package of accounting services, digital toolkits and events aimed at supporting SMEs at the very start of their growth journey.

CONTROVERSIAL COMPANIES OF 2015 RepRisk, the leading provider of dynamic business intelligence on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks, has released the sixth edition of its Most Controversial Companies Report (MCC 2015), which focuses on the companies that were most exposed to ESG risks in 2015.

Severe ESG risks in 2015 led to reputational, compliance and financial risks – including major falls in stock prices, substantial product recalls and record fines, and in some cases, the removal of a company’s senior executives.

RepRisk’s MCC 2015 Report spotlights ESG issues faced by globally active companies, and was developed as part of RepRisk’s commitment to providing transparency on ESG risks and encouraging companies to systematically take into account such risks in their strategies and processes.

The companies included in the report are headquartered in countries around the world, including Brazil, China, Japan, the UK, and the US, and span various sectors including banking, mining, industrial transportation, food & beverage – and notably, the automotive sector, which has four companies in the ranking.

Four of the companies made the ranking due to a major scandal or disaster that took place in 2015. Three of the companies – Takata, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and Uber Technologies – were already included on RepRisk’s MCC 2014 list, and have again earned a place in the MCC 2015 due to their systematic and on-going risk exposure.

DRONES THREAT

Drones flown by the general public are “a real and growing threat” to civilian aircraft, the head of aviation trade body IATA has warned. Tony Tyler called for drone regulations to be put in place before any serious accidents occur. He said the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles is still evolving. “I am as excited as you are about the prospect of having pizza delivered by a drone,” he told a conference in Singapore. “But we cannot allow drones to be a hindrance or safety threat to commercial aviation,” said Mr Tyler, director-general of the International Air Transport Association.

“The issue is real. We have plenty of pilot reports of drones where they were not expected, particularly at low altitudes around airports,” he added.

“There is no denying that there is a real and growing threat to the safety of civilian aircraft [coming from drones].

“We need a sensible approach to regulation and a pragmatic method of enforcement for those who disregard rules and regulations and put others in danger.”

Drones were recently involved in four serious near-misses at UK airports, the UK Air Proximity Board said in January. IATA’s primary concern is drones flying at low altitudes near airports that could threaten planes taking off or landing, Rob Eagles said. Convenient name really as the latest rouse is to use Eagles to catch them in mid air.

Aviation regulators also want to make sure that the radio spectrum used to control the drones does not interfere with air traffic control systems, he said. In December the US government set up a registration system for Americans who own drones. Anyone who has a drone must register with the Federal Aviation Administration before the device takes its first flight.

21

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

FUNDING GRANT FROM LLOYDS

Lloyds Bank and the School for Social Entrepreneurs are calling out to motivated entrepreneurs with a desire to inspire social change to realise their dream by offering them a funding grant, business mentorship and year-long training programme.

The Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme comprises of practical facilitated learning in addition to financial grants provided on behalf of Big Lottery Fund to help Start Up entrepreneurs develop their social enterprise idea. The Start Up programme offers a £4,000 grant, a year of dedicated training and assigned ‘business mentor’ to aspiring entrepreneurs. While the Scale Up programme provides a £15,000 grant in addition to learning support and business mentorship to existing social entrepreneurs aiming to expand their enterprise.

Throughout March the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme will host taster sessions across the country to showcase the opportunities on offer to aspiring and existing social entrepreneurs. The taster sessions will give you a practical understanding of how the Programme works and if it’s right for you. If you would like to attend a taster session, visit www.yourideastartshere.co.uk where you can find your nearest location and the relevant dates. Individuals are welcome to attend taster sessions and/or apply to any location. The Scale-up Programme is available in London and Liverpool.

FALLING FROM THE NEST? Revenues for the whole of 2015 were

BREXIT REFERENDUM

up 58% to £1.5bn representing what the company called “another very strong year for Twitter”. But investors were instead focused on the number of active users of the site. The total number of these was flat compared to the previous quarter but according to Twitter’s own preferred underlying measure it fell. Shares slumped by as much as 14% before recovering the losses to leave the price flat.

It follows a catastrophic three months in which the company has lost half its value.

Twitter has been making changes to the way it works but is lagging behind market leader Facebook on a number of fronts including earnings and user numbers.

In its latest results the company said: “We saw a decline in monthly active usage in Q4, but we’ve already seen January monthly actives bounce back to Q3 levels. We’re confident that, with disciplined execution, this growth trend will continue over time.”

Total monthly active users (MAUs) were 320 million for the quarter, lower than expected and unchanged from the previous period. It was the first flat quarter-on-quarter performance since the company floated on the stock market in 2013.

But stripping out SMS fast followers - people who sign up and access Twitter entirely using text messages - the figure was 305 million, down from 307 million in the third quarter.

These SMS users are seen as hard to make money from. Twitter habitually makes losses and it was in the red by £62m in the fourth quarter, though this was 28% down year-onyear. For the full year, losses narrowed by 10% to £359m.

Stuart Gulliver, HSBC’s chief executive, said the forthcoming referendum on Brexit was not a decisive factor in determining the future location of the bank’s holding company headquarters following their decision to remain in the UK. The suggestion that as many as 1,000 London-based jobs might move to a rival European financial centre such as Paris - where HSBC owns Credit Commercial de France - adds a further twist to the debate about Brexit. Since HSBC announced that it was not to move its headquarters, George Osborne has confirmed a series of tax changes that should reduce the medium-term tax bill of Europe’s biggest lender. Another corporate tax bill to blow up in six months?

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” 22

NEWS

“The problem with being a leader is that you’re never sure if you’re being followed or chased.”

BRITAIN PREPARING TO LEAVE EU Most major British firms are seriously considering the risk of Britain leaving the European Union and many are making contingency plans, according to the head of the Confederation of British Industry.

Speaking to reporters at a briefing, CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn said the prospect of a British referendum around the middle of the year on whether to leave the EU was a growing concern for business.

Prime Minister David Cameron has reached a deal to reform our relationship with the EU and this will be put to the vote on June 23rd 2016.

Recent opinion polls have shown a narrow but growing lead for campaigners who want to leave the EU. “You are now seeing a number of companies recently that have had contingency plans (and) are debating important questions of what it means for their suppliers and their exports and so on,” Fairbairn said.

“I would say it is most, now, that have given the issue serious thought,” she added, based on having met almost 100 businesses since she took the CBI’s helm in November.

The Bank of England has confirmed that it has looked at what might happen if Britain voted to leave the EU, although Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has said the government is wholly focused on ensuring reform of the bloc.

The CBI said most of its members wanted to stay in a reformed EU, and it has generally pointed to the benefits of staying in, drawing criticism from ‘leave’ campaigners.

ALDI TO OPEN 80 NEW STORES

SEALED DEAL

Royal Dutch Shell recently sealed the £36 billion acquisition of British rival BG

Aldi has

Group to form the world’s

announced

top liquefied natural gas company, even as slumping

it will hire

oil prices cast a shadow

5,000 more

on the upcoming years of

staff in the UK this year and plans to open 80 new stores. The expansion will take the discount supermarket to 700 shops and more than 32,000 employees in the UK. The German-owned company was the UK’s sixth-

transition.

The success or otherwise of the complex merger will define the legacy of Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden, seeking to transform Shell into a more specialised group focussed on the rapidly growing LNG market and deepwater oil production.

“We will now be able to shape a simpler, leaner, more competitive company,

biggest supermarket with a 5.6% market share in the 12

focussing on our core expertise in deep water and LNG,” van Beurden said in a

months to January 31 2016, according to analysts at Kantar

statement. In 2014, Shell acquired Repsol’s LNG business.

Worldpanel.

Van Beurden’s vision won overwhelming support from shareholders, though

Along with fellow German retailer Lidl, the company has

a number of major investors had voiced concerns that the forecast slow

doubled its market share in the last three years and forced

recovery in oil prices would strain Shell’s financials and risk its growth plans.

the “big four” supermarkets - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and

The deal, announced 10 months ago, creates a combined group which will

Morrisons - to slash prices.

leapfrog Chevron to become the world’s second-largest public oil and gas

Ruth Doyle, Aldi’s regional managing director, said the new

company by market value behind Exxon Mobil Corp.

staff would “support our continued expansion and the ongoing

BG shareholders largely opted to receive shares rather than cash under

performance of our existing stores”.

the proposed mix and match deal, according to a statement. BG becomes a

However, UK supermarket investors were calm about Aldi’s

wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell and will be headed by Dutchman Huibert

move. Tesco shares rose 1% in morning trading, while Sainsbury’s and Morrisons were both up almost 3%. UK supermarkets’ share of grocery market are as follows, Tesco 28.5%, Sainsbury’s 16.8%, Asda 16.2%, Morrisons 10.8%, The Co-op 5.9%, Aldi 5.6%, Waitrose 5.2% and Lidl 4.2%.

Vigeveno, who has headed the integration planning team and will oversee its implementation.

Shell has said it will cut thousands of jobs from the combined group and sell $30 billion of assets over the next three years in order to finance the deal, buy back shares and support dividends, which it has vowed to maintain or increase.

23

THE BIG STORY

PORT OUT, STARBOARD HOME

by Maarten Hoffmann

24

THE BIG STORY

D

avid William Donald Cameron was born in 1966, and during his tenure as Prime Minister, has long suffered from the ‘posh’ label.

The word posh was originally derived from the Cunard Shipping

Line, when wealthy passengers would insist upon their staterooms being on the port side of the vessel on the way to New York but on the starboard side on the return leg to ensure they always got the best of the sun. Port out, starboard home developed into the acronym POSH on the Cunard paperwork, and the word has stuck to this day.

“Port out, starboard home develop into the acronym POSH on the Cunard paperwork and the word has stuck to this day. ” This is no idle media tag as it cannot be denied that he fits the title.

Born to Ian Cameron, his mother was Mary Fleur, a retired JP and daughter of Sir William Mount. Sir William’s other daughter, Cecilia, married Sir William Dugdale, who was the chairman of Aston Villa Football Club. Cameron went on to marry Samantha Gwendoline Sheffield, the daughter of Sir Reginald Sheffield, a landowner descended from King Charles ll, whose sister Emily married William Waldorf Astor lll.

By any stretch of the imagination, l think they could be regarded as posh, but this is not a moniker that should hold him back, unless it means that he has no ability to empathise with the working men and women of the country he governs.

At the age of 13, Cameron was sent to Eton, following his grandfather,

would be integrating them with the way the British political system

father and brother, and six weeks before taking his O-Levels, he was

is put together. He could have lectured me on it, and I would have sat

caught smoking cannabis and fined, prevented from leaving school

there and taken notes.” When commenting in 2006 on his former pupil’s

grounds and was given a ‘Georgic’, a punishment that involved copying

ideas about a Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act, however,

500 lines of Latin text. He then went onto study philosophy, politics

Professor Bogdanor, himself a Liberal Democrat, said, “I think he is very

and economics at Brasenose College Oxford where his tutor, Professor

confused. I’ve read his speech, and it’s filled with contradictions. There

Vernon Bogdanor, described him as ‘one of the ablest students l have

are one or two good things in it, but one glimpses them, as it were,

taught, with moderate and sensible conservative values”.

through a mist of misunderstanding.”

Guy Spier, who shared tutorials with him, remembers him as an

Whilst at Oxford, Cameron was a member of the student dining society,

outstanding student: “We were doing our best to grasp basic economic

the Bullingdon Club, alongside Boris Johnson and George Osborne, which

concepts. David – there was nobody else who came even close. He

had a reputation for an outlandish drinking culture associated with boorish behaviour and the damaging of property. Cameron’s period in the Bullingdon Club was examined in a Channel 4 docu-drama, When Boris Met Dave. Cameron graduated in 1988 with a first-class honours degree.

A Conservative through and through, Cameron’s first perch in Westminster was as a member of the ‘brat pack,’ or young thrusters, who were thought to be destined for high office.

He spent time working with PM John Major, preparing him for the weekly question time in the House. He also worked with Norman Lamont at the time of ‘Black Wednesday,’ when currency speculators forced sterling out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, and with Michael Howard as a special adviser before realising that getting up at 4.00am each morning and working a 20-hour day did not really fit with his lifestyle. He decided to leave politics and join Carlton Communications, where he became Director of Corporate Affairs.

25

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THE BIG STORY Carlton was led by Michael Green and was listed on the Stock Exchange until 1983, when it was purchased by Granada Television, which then morphed into ITV. Cameron learnt a lot from Green, who was known for his ‘buccaneering style and ability to get the deal done,’ and it was widely known that he exerted considerable influence over Margaret Thatcher’s 1990 decision to de-regulate British television, which then enabled him to acquire

“Norman Tebbit, former Chairman of the Conservative Party, likened Cameron to Pol Pot.”

a raft of regional television franchises prior to the formation of ITV, a deal that would have done his bank balance no harm whatsoever.

front cover, with the caption ‘World’s first face transplant a success.’ On the left, the New Statesman unfavourably likened his ‘new style of politics’ to Tony Blair’s early leadership years. Cameron was accused of paying excessive attention to broadcast footage from the 2006 Conservative Party Conference in Bournemouth, showing him wearing four different sets of clothes within a few hours.

Cameron was characterised in a Labour Party political broadcast as ‘Dave the Chameleon,’

Communications, Andy Coulson.

A perfect example of the media craft he

who would change what he said to match the expectations of his audience. Cameron later

Therefore, it was at Green’s side that Cameron

absorbed at Carlton was his attempt to become

claimed that the broadcast had become his

learnt the power of the media, the power of

Conservative Party leader in 2005, following

daughter’s favourite video. He has also been

corporate money and the power of having

the resignation of Michael Howard. Although

described by comedy writer and broadcaster

friends in the right places.

he was backed by Boris Johnson, George

Charlie Brooker as being ‘like a hollow Easter

Osborne, Oliver Letwin and William Hague,

egg with no bag of sweets inside’ in his

daughter of Sir Isaac Wolfson, founder of Great

there was little appetite for him amongst the

Guardian column.

Universal Stores, who was recommended

rank and file until his 2005 Party Conference

to hire Cameron by her good friend, and

speech. Superbly rehearsed and delivered

Chairman of the Conservative Party, likened

Cameron’s soon-to-be mother-in-law, Lady

without notes, he spoke passionately of his

Cameron to Pol Pot, ‘intent on purging even

Astor, proving the adage that it’s not what you

determination to make people ‘feel good about

the memory of Thatcherism before building a

know, but who you know.

being Conservative’ and said that ‘he intended

New Modern Compassionate Green Globally

to switch on a whole new generation.’ The

Aware Party’. Quentin Davies MP, who defected

Cameron gained the vital experience required

Telegraph reported that his speech ‘showed

from the Conservatives to Labour in 2007,

to know how to play the ‘game’ - that of using

a sureness and a confidence that is greatly to

branded him ‘superficial, unreliable and with

influence to make change at every level of

his credit.’ The party faithful agreed, and on the

an apparent lack of any clear convictions’ and

government, and, as far as the public are

final ballot for leadership he soundly thrashed

stated that David Cameron had turned the

concerned, it is not what you do, it is what

David Davies and became Conservative Party

Conservative Party’s mission into a PR agenda.

it looks like you do. One’s public persona is

Leader on December 6th, 2005. He owed this

Traditionalist conservative columnist and

everything, and he came to understand that the

win in no small part to his media-savvy friends,

author Peter Hitchens has written, ‘Mr Cameron

media holds the key to such spin. So keen was

the lessons he learnt at Carlton and his ability

has abandoned the last significant difference

he to learn this trade that after he resigned

of be whatever one wanted him to be. And it

between his party and the established left by

from Carlton to run for Parliament in 1997,

is this last facet that has got him into trouble

embracing social liberalism.’ Daily Telegraph

and failed, he returned to Carlton for a further

throughout his premiership.

correspondent and blogger Gerald Warner has

It helped that Green was married to the

It was during his tenure at Carlton that

On the right, Norman Tebbit, former

five years before successfully running again

Cameron’s relative youth and inexperience

as an MP whilst remaining on Greens payroll

before becoming leader have invited satirical

leadership, arguing that it is alienating

as a consultant. It was during this tenure that

comparison with Tony Blair. Private Eye soon

traditionalist conservative elements from the

he met his ill-fated and soon-to-be Director of

published a picture of both leaders on its

Conservative Party.

been particularly scathing about Cameron’s

“Cameron’s Achilles heel might well be his cosy relationship with big business, a relationship nurtured during his time at Carlton where they were ‘clients’. ” 27

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THE BIG STORY Despite his ‘Chameleon’ nickname, and let’s face it, which PM in living memory has not attempted to be all things to all men (and women) - it’s in their DNA. He has some significant achievements to his name: he is the youngest Prime Minster since Lord Liverpool in 1812; he formed a coalition for the first time since 1939 and was the first PM to lose a foreign policy vote in the House of Commons, regarding the Syrian war, in over 100 years. Forming the first Conservative majority government since 1992, David Cameron became the first Prime Minister to be re-elected immediately after a full term with a larger popular vote share since 1900, and the only Prime Minister, other than Margaret Thatcher, to be re-elected immediately after a full term with a greater number of seats.

“The one aspect he does seem to share with Blair is the ‘teflon’ reference that nothing ever seems to stick. ” He is also the first premier to discover a note left by the outgoing Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Liam Byrne, stating ‘I’m afraid there is no money left,’ in reference to the disastrous previous Labour government of Gordon Brown - a man Cameron once described as ‘an analogue politician in a digital age.’ This insulting and plainly stupid and childish act by Byrne just goes to show why the Conservatives got into government; Labour was not really capable of running a fish and chip shop, and although Cameron has often been referred to as the ‘heir to Blair’, this might be in reference to his style of governing rather than his politics.

The one aspect he does seem to share with Blair is the ‘teflon’ reference that nothing ever seems to stick. Take the vicious and nasty book written by former ‘friend’, and party chairman, Lord Ashcroft. ‘Call me Dave’ is one of the most clear-cut cases of revenge ever seen and was a childish attempt to damage Cameron with unsubstantiated stories of parts of his private anatomy being lowered into a pig during his time at university, and other such tosh, written by a hurt man who clearly thought he should have been offered a job in Cameron’s new government.

29

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THE BIG STORY Ashcroft subsequently admitted that the initiation allegations ‘may have been a case of mistaken identity’ and has admitted that he has a personal beef with Cameron. Cameron later went on to deny these allegations and stated that Ashcroft’s reasons for writing the book were clear and the public could see clearly through it. To be fair, the image of Cameron, drunk and stoned, putting his willy into a pigs mouth at a party just seems to have endeared him to the British public rather than damaged him. I mean, who among us has not done that at a party?

“Such crass insensitivity does the Conservative Party no good at all and widens the gulf between the working man and the Eton boys at the top.”

Cameron’s Achilles heel might well be his cosy relationship with big business, a relationship nurtured during his time at Carlton, where they were clients.’ Once in power, it became difficult to change this view and they seem to be getting away with murder. The recent tax scandal involving Google, Facebook, Starbucks and the like is indicative of a man awed by money and power and a little afraid of upsetting them. A clear demonstration of his top team not understanding what the public really feel about this issue was demonstrated by George Osborne, in the midst of the scandal, jetting off to the US with his son, courtesy of Google, to watch the 2016 Superbowl. Such crass insensitivity does the Conservative Party no good at all and widens the gulf between the working man and the Eton boys at the top.

The larger problem here is that Cameron has absolutely no opposition. With Jeremy Corbyn in charge of the warring kindergarten that is today’s Labour Party, thus ensuring that they are unelectable for the next decade or two, there is no one else to vote for if you don’t like the blues. This might lead Cameron and Co into believing they can get away with whatever they like and that, as history has shown time and time again, will be their downfall unless they are very, very careful.

The one he cannot get away with is the promise of a Euro referendum offered in the Tory manifesto when they thought they had no hope of winning the last election. Now, hoisted by his own petard, David Cameron will go to the country on June 23rd to decide the UK’s fate and, possibly, his own. If he loses the vote there are many that say he will not survive as PM and worse still, if Boris leads the out campaign that he could be the next PM. Imagine if you will, Boris Johnson running the UK and Donald Trump running the US! Perhaps this is why all the billionaires l profile are racing to conquer other planets.

Beam me up Scotty.

31

Introducing our Brand New Feature

R

TABLE TALK

egular readers will know that Platinum Business magazine has long provided you with restaurant reviews across

the region and this is a popular section of the magazine. As a passionate (obsessed) foodie and famously fussy (in a good way!) I have been writing the reviews for the last few months. Since taking this on I am often asked where Id recommend for certain experiences

Each month I will also feature product reviews,

and what’s happening in the world of local

foodie news, local producer profiles and l’ll be

BAR FLY

food and wine – it seems that our readers are

talking to the top chefs in our region.

For aspiring wine buffs and frankly those of us

a bunch of foodies too.

I can talk endlessly about food and wine and

How lucky we are to live in Sussex and Surrey,

I love hearing others views so please do get in

a region known for excellent local food and

touch, let me know what you think and what

wine production, a fantastic and diverse

else you’d like to read about. Look out for the

dining scene, and the best independent food

launch of this exciting new feature next month.

festival in the country. I know from talking

If you’re involved in the hospitality

to you that you want to know more about

industry as a producer, chef,

what’s going on, where to go, what to drink

restaurateur, sommelier or more, and

and buy and what’s coming up on the foodie

you’d like to get involved with this

calendar. So I’m delighted to announce that we are launching an entire section devoted

section please do contact me.

to all things food and wine. I’ll do my best

That’s it for now… I need to eat something.

to keep you up to date and provide regular

(Editors note: She means drink something)

commentary and reviews but what else can

Contact: Amanda Menahem amanda@ platinumbusinessmagazine.com

you expect?

As the official media sponsors for the Brighton and Hove Food Festival and the Sussex Wine School, we will be providing full details of what’s coming up in the region as well as covering all the key events. Nick Moseley the Managing Director of the Brighton festival will be a regular contributor to the section and in this issue you can read more about him, this important venture, and the benefits of investing.

32

that just love a tipple (or 3), Jonny Gibson of Sussex Wine School will be providing a regular wine column featuring mini master classes and recommendations on what to buy based on your tastes and what to look out for.

THE CLOUD

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP TO G-CLOUD?

by Lisa Downs, Partner, Commercial Rawlison Butler Tel: 01293 558593 E: ldowns@rawlisonbutler.com

F

or many companies, the time and money needed to tender for public sector work has often proved to be a considerable

barrier for many years. With €425bn being spent on public contracts each year in 2011 the

suppliers (95% are SMEs), 28,080 services and

• Once they have a list of potential suppliers

(as at 2 November 2015) £903m in sales – 51%

who can provide what they want, they will

of total sales by value and 61% by volume have

evaluate the shortlisted suppliers tenders

been awarded to SMEs.

but they will only contact you to confirm if

All round benefits of G-Cloud include:

EU decided that reform was needed to ensure

• Scalability and elastic services

that all sizes of companies had a better chance

• More time and cost-effective buying process

at winning a slice of this spend.

What did the EU want?

Less red tape was one of the key aims – “Simpler and more effective rules … to benefit both public authorities and firms, in particular SMEs, so that public funds are

• Access to innovation • Agility.

To ensure that these benefits are maintained, the G-Cloud framework is refreshed every 6 months. There have been 7 iterations since

you have the resource capabilities to meet their timescales. Again, you will not be able to revise your original tender • If you’re short-listed, they will evaluate your original tender but will not contact you and you will not be able to revise your tender beforehand • Unless they have contacted you to confirm

2012 – G-Cloud 6 and 7 being the current

resource capabilities, the first time you are

versions – (G-Cloud 8 is expected to be

likely to know that you’ve been selected will

used as efficiently as possible to provide high

advertised a few months before G-Cloud 6

be when they contact you to tell you! Your

quality public services to users”. Revised EU

expires (on 1 August 2016)).

original tender will then form the basis of the

procurement rules mean:

For SMEs familiar with, and new to, G-Cloud,

contract.

• Less paperwork

it can be a daunting process. There are various

• Shorter procedural deadlines

procedures and hoops to go through to win

services, being a supplier on G-Cloud is an

• Greater use of electronic communication

a place on G-Cloud, and with the substantial

opportunity not to miss. If you would like

• Greater freedom to negotiate

number of suppliers now participating and

help tendering for G-Cloud 8, or if you would like

• Simplified publication obligations.

the way in which public sector bodies procure

help with tendering generally, please contact Lisa

Welcome to G-Cloud

services via G-Cloud, it is vital that your tender

Downs by emailing Lisa at

If you are a supplier of commoditised cloud

is detailed, accurate and water-tight.

ldowns@rawlisonbutler.com or by calling her on

UK Government decided to make it simpler for

Why?

TenderQA and ProcureONE services.

Government departments to procure certain

• The tender you submit to get onto g-cloud

commoditised services. In 2012 G-Cloud was

will sit within an online catalogue which

born.

public sector bodies will search to find the

Hot on the heels of the 2011 EU reforms, the

In its first year, it had over 700 suppliers

service they want – they’ll input certain key

– 80%+ were SMEs – and £18.2m in sales.

words to find what they want, but will not

Now in its 4th year, it currently has over 2,500

contact you at this stage

+44 (0)1293 558593 to discuss our In2G-Cloud,

This document is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this document.

33

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

GENERATION Y:

Ready to download their inheritance App?

by Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner, Kreston Reeves andrew.griggs@krestonreeves.com 0330 124 1399 www.krestonreeves.com

G

eneration Y are getting close to the reins of owner-managed businesses, as the last baby boomers (those born between

1946 to 1964) bow out over the next decade.

But are Millennials, as those who arrived in

economic upheaval and domestic UK policy

have to argue to be the next in line to run a

unsettling retirement options.

firm, and to prove their competence more than

Certainties are no longer there for either Boomers or Millennials. Many of the former will

they might have needed to in the past.

How handovers happen over the next few

find their pension funds shrunken when the

years is important, as is understanding the

the twenty years to 2000 are also known, ready,

time comes to retire, which will force them to

motivations of those in line to receive.

interested or even likely to inherit?

rely further on the businesses they own. They

Many may find themselves excluded as succession planning in family firms goes through its own turmoil, thanks to global

34

‘Gen Y’ will be half the global workforce by

may even be best advised to cash in their firms

2020, far outnumbering their predecessors in

and reinvest entirely.

Generation X. It is already 25 per cent of the US

The Millennials could therefore find that they

workforce

BUSINESS SUCCESSION

“Boomers may not be in a position to simply pass on the baton, however impatient the increasingly dominant ‘Gen Y’ are to receive it.”

view of the world dazzles with its technological

and new taxes on buy-to-let property portfolios.

grasp and graft. We owe them a lot of respect

Both have been traditional mainstays for

already.

modern retirement planning.

What we do know from surveys is that

prefer otherwise, may need to keep an

personal over corporate loyalties; technology

involvement in their businesses, perhaps

and looser - but some - workplace structures; and they set great store by corporate social responsibility.

Many would also prefer, according to one piece of research, an electronic conversation to a real one at work (41 per cent).

Boomers, by contrast, expect hierarchies

generational tensions are a real risk.

Y worry We should not underestimate the challenges ahead in meeting the needs of these two quite different generations, particularly when set against wider economic uncertainties.

by position, perks and prestige, accepting long working weeks and defining themselves by their work accomplishments. They are often independent and self-reliant, goal-oriented and competitive.

Boomers or bust But the gap may be more apparent than real.

Millennials are also emerging as evidently

Generation X - those born roughly between 1966 and 1976 - is a smaller demographic, easy to understand. But firms are wary of Millennials, wrong-footed by the first generation to have a better grasp of a key business tool, in this case the internet, than their elders.

But that discomfort should not mean fullblown scepticism about the group one might also call ‘Clevers’ either.

A generation that appears to have a more inclusive, social and - perhaps - consensual

back is not the same as walking away, so inter-

‘disruptive’ was a bad word in the business They were brought up in a world motivated

The generation game

taking a regular shareholder dividend. Stepping

and eyeball-to-eyeball contact. For them, lexicon, not the admired one it is today.

The Y inheritors certainly view the world differently to their immediate predecessors.

But perhaps we should not be blinded too much by style and surface.

This means Boomers, even if they would

Millennials value feedback, variety and

ambitious, and want the fruits of their labours faster than their parents or X-ers found them available.

This is the point at which they may hit a

But there are steps to take to ease any difficulties. Boomers need to be alert to the largely behavioural differences that exist.

Above all, they need to create an environment in which Millennials, this singular, and very powerful, demographic is able to flourish.

In the context of the wider UK economy, with skill shortages, it is even more important the Boomers get it right, irrespective of how imminent their retirement plans may be. The Millennials are coming, whether anybody is ready or not.

Andrew Griggs is a Senior Partner of Kreston

rude reality: Boomers may not be in a position

Reeves and an experienced audit, advisory and

to simply pass on the baton, however

corporate finance partner. He has particular

impatient the increasingly dominant ‘Gen Y’

sector experience in property and construction,

are to receive it.

manufacturing, distribution, and technology, as

Tensions may emerge. Gen Y-ers, who are

well as motor dealerships.

already adjusting to a world where owning property and its route to capital growth is no longer an easy option, may feel that most of what they get will only ever come from inheritance.

Yet, for those in a position to bequeath, we are entering a period of uncertainty for pension schemes, thanks in part to Government caps,

35

INTERVIEW

GOODNESS GRACIOUS GATWICK Actor, comedian, writer and Chancellor of the University of Sussex, Sanjeev Bhaskar is also this year’s host of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.

Sanjeev tells Ian Trevett about the impact of Goodness Gracious Me and why his dream was to play an ancient king.

“W

e just wanted to write something that will make people laugh. We had no idea that it would have such an impact.”

Few comedies can honestly be described as groundbreaking, but it was certainly true in the case of Goodness Gracious Me, which first aired in 1998.

The sketch show was created by four friends (Sanjeev, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal and Nina Wadia) who shared a love of comedy, but of course, what made it different was that the four friends were young British Indians, who daringly poked fun at the differences (and similarities) and stereotypes of the two cultures.

“You never make something to be groundbreaking,” says Sanjeev. “Other people may think it is, but it is not the objective. From our point of view, we didn’t want to make political points, we just wanted it to be funny.

“We all grew up here and we have the same references and find the same things funny. It is actually very British. Even now you still see tweets about the ‘blandest thing on the menu’.”

The ‘blandest’ line came from the ‘Going for an English’ sketch, which was voted the sixth all-time best comedy sketch on a Channel 4 Top 50 show. It was an inspired reversal of roles, with four Indians behaving in a suitably appalling way in an English restaurant, cluelessly ordering 12 bread rolls and 24 plates of chips. Who knows how many people blushed with embarrassed recognition watching that sketch.

The show also had a mixed reaction from the Asian community, remembers Sanjeev: “Younger people got what we were doing, but some of the older generation were embarrassed.

“At one event, an older Indian guy asked me: “Why

36

INTERVIEW

“To present the awards at graduation ceremonies is a privilege and I get to meet all these wonderful, inspiring people. To be in the room with so much potential, hope and energy is very powerful.”

are you washing our dirty linen in public?”

“I said, ‘Aren’t you pleased that the linen is being washed? Don’t you get your linen washed?’

“He paused and then said: ‘I love the show!’

“I do understand what he meant. Our parents’ generation did have a view that you had to keep your head down and not be a target. It wasn’t so easy for them, with the likes of Enoch Powell and the National Front. As a generation, they were quite nervy, but we were born here, and this is our country. All we know is the UK, and we speak with British accents.

When a racist told me to go home, I’d just be confused: ‘What, to Ealing?’”

“When Sanjeev told his parents he wanted to be an actor, his dad replied, “It is pronounced doctor.”

A few years later, Sanjeev and Meera Syal created an unusual chat show called The Kumars at No. 42. Sanjeev explained the concept: “The inspiration for the series was an embarrassing evening when I took a girlfriend to meet my parents. They asked her such awkward questions that I wondered how they would react if I invited a famous person home.

“The show travelled further round the world than Goodness Gracious Me, as it was very much seen as a British comedy. It was only here that it was seen as an Asian comedy. One of the things I liked about doing the Kumars was that we could ask very personal questions, because they were asked by the ‘family’, usually by the nan. We could get away with asking things that I, as a male presenter, would never have been able to.”

The show captures the awkwardness of Sanjeev’s character trying to impress the celebrity guest while apologising for the absurd interventions of his family, not least the indiscreet grandmother, played by Meera Syal. Clearly, the prospect of seeing what his partner might look like in the future didn’t deter Sanjeev from marrying Meera in 2005.

“I’m certainly not in charge!” replies Sanjeev when asked how two comedians get on as husband and wife. “We are just a normal couple. We don’t perform at home - we’d both agree that we aren’t the funniest people in the family. We enjoy the same things. But it is nice to have a sounding board when you are writing.

Trying to think of something that people will laugh at is very difficult.”

The difficulty level is surely enhanced at a corporate or awards event, seeing as the host has to maintain the attention of a crowd who have usually just demolished several glasses of wine over dinner.

“To be honest, when I present the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards, I don’t really see my role as being a comedian. My focus is to make sure that the night is all about the people who are nominated. It is their night. I am there to make sure it all goes smoothly; it’s about not getting in the way of what is important on the night.

“The audience want to find out who has won the awards, and it’s about recognising achievements. I have seen some hosts insult and harangue the crowd, but that’s not the way I like to do it. I worked in marketing for nine years, so I have been on the other side at corporate events.

“I didn’t do corporate events for a long time.

I had a bad experience about ten years ago.

The audience were so drunk that they weren’t listening to a word - which is okay. But what made it really bad was someone spiked my drink. I was ill for about four hours. It was memorable for all the wrong reasons and it put me off for quite a while. I don’t think the crowd even noticed, and if they did they would probably have forgotten by the morning as they were so drunk.

37

INTERVIEW “Another time I was going round some tables saying hello, and a woman said: “On TV you’re quite funny sometimes. Tonight you’re shite!”

“You do get some strange ones. I recall hosting the parking awards, which included the best municipal car parks. It was actually great fun.”

The business awards recognise entrepreneurial spirit, which is something that is important to Sanjeev, as he has been raised to appreciate hard work and taking opportunities.

“My parents were economic migrants; they came to Britain to improve their lot. That generation had an incredible work ethic and they came here to work. My father had a job in a factory and he bought a launderette, so he was working factory shifts, then coming home to run the launderette. I saw how hard he worked and his dedication, and it had a big influence on me.

“We missed out on holidays and all of the kids had jobs to do in the business, but it shaped me and ensured that I had a work ethic too. In order to achieve you have to work. I’m not sure the current generation has that. They see the lottery or The X-Factor as a career plan.

“The work ethic is a cultural thing. I remember when I was filming in India with Richard E Grant, who had never been there before. I asked what his first impressions were, and he said, “Everyone is always on the move.

No-one ever seems to just stand or sit around.”

This is what India is like. You have to work hard because there is no social security net to look after you.

“In Britain there is an embarrassment about earned money; it is almost seen as being vulgar. You don’t have this in India. During the Diwali Festival of Lights, you pray for money.

Probably the difference is that receiving money is seen as being a communal benefit. A windfall

means the family eats well and can get a good education.

“If you start a business, it is not unusual that everyone chips in, and eventually everyone benefits. In my dad’s time, brothers and sisters would pool together to buy a house for a family, and then everyone would save up to get another house. It is very much a sense of community.”

Another British-Indian trait (which is often parodied in Goodness Gracious Me) is the keen ambition parents have for their children. When Sanjeev told his parents he wanted to be an actor, his dad replied, “It is pronounced doctor.”

His uncle also warned Sanjeev: “Very few people make it as an actor – only Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.”

Sanjeev never became a doctor, but he has achieved enough to make any parent proud.

He was awarded an OBE in 2005 and he is the Chancellor at one of the UK’s leading universities.

“Becoming the Chancellor of Sussex University came out of the blue,” recalls Sanjeev. Lord Attenborough was the Chancellor at the time when I had a call telling me I was being considered, and asking if I was interested. I met with the Vice-Chancellor and the committee and I asked why they were considering me. They said they had been following my career and they thought I would be a good fit with the students.

“It was an honour to be considered, but I had no expectation of being offered the role.

When they offered me the position it was a bolt out of the blue. I actually knew Richard Attenborough’s son, Michael, so I sent Richard a letter asking for some advice and tips. His were impossible shoes to fill as he was so well-loved. I met him soon after and he was such a warm person.

“My first graduation ceremony was nerve-

wracking as there were thousands of people and it was such an important day for the graduates and their families. I decided that I wanted to make it as special as possible for each graduating student. My graduation ceremony was just so dull, and it had nothing to do with me. I wanted to make the ceremonies more fun.

“Importantly, I address each graduate by their name and I am there to connect. Who knows, it might not be long before the awards are done digitally and the human aspect is lost. Some want to hug me, so I hug them back; I want to be as warm and personable as possible. I have had students doing press-ups on stage, which is always worrying. Others have done the splits on stage, but there was no way I was trying that!

“To present the awards at graduation ceremonies is a privilege and I get to meet all these wonderful, inspiring people. To be in the room with so much potential, hope and energy is very powerful. I have been doing it for seven years and I love it. There are two ceremonies every year, plus there are other events, such as conferences. It is a purely honorary position and I have no power. Mind you, it’s just the same at home.”

From growing up above a launderette to becoming a University Chancellor must be a dream come true, but actually, this wasn’t Sanjeev’s proudest moment.

“I was the last King Arthur in the West End production of Spamalot before it went on tour. It was the best job I have ever had; it was a huge production. I grew up loving Monty Python; they were heroes of mine, and I had a Life of Brian poster on my wall. I appeared in Eric Idle’s show and got to meet the Pythons. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

www.sussex.ac.uk www.gatwickdiamondbusinessawards.com

“Our parents’ generation did have a view that you had to keep your head down and not be a target.”

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TRAVEL SUPPLEMENT

PLATINUM

Welcome to our Business Travel Feature with sector leader Global Travel Management, discussing MICE travel (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), our Travel Editor whisks us off to a special destination for an in-depth look at what business can get out of the City and we bring you all the latest news to help your travels.

sponsored by

PLATINUM THIS MONTH:

COPENHAGEN

Opening a world of business opportunities With over 40 airlines and more than 200 destinations, London Gatwick is better connected

To find out more, visit gatwickairport.com

TRAVEL NEWS

Travel

NEW PIER Gatwick airport has opened the redeveloped Pier 5 following an £80 million project.

The works have added a second level to the pier, allowing the facility to offer vertically separated arrival and departure routes for passengers, which the airport says “smooths passenger journeys and creates a more flexible and efficient operation for passengers and airlines”.

Stands have been redesigned and modernised, allowing the pier to accommodate up to seven large aircraft and 12 smaller aircraft, or a combination of both, and all gate rooms now have a Londonthemed design.The redesign means the pier will be able to handle an additional 30 flights per day, equating to around 4,200 passengers.

Launching the new facility Gatwick’s CEO Stewart Wingate said: “Today, 40 million people choose Gatwick each year and we have achieved 34 successive months of growth. To keep pace with this unprecedented growth, we need to be smart about how we work with our existing infrastructure while we wait for a Government decision on airport expansion. Our investment programme is all about driving that growth, and Pier 5 will be a significant contributor, allowing us to handle greater volumes of aircraft and passengers.”

The £80 million project is part of Gatwick’s £2 billion transformation programme.

ELECTROSTAR The first of 27 new Electrostar trains for Gatwick Express will go into service at the end of this month, operator GTR has announced.

On February 29, the first new Electrostar unit will begin revenue service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, allowing GTR to start phasing out the current Class 442 fleet.

In total, GTR, which took over the airport link service last year, has procured 108 new carriages.

Gatwick Express’ passenger services director, Angie Doll, said: “We’re really excited about the news that the first new Gatwick Express train will be landing at Gatwick Airport station.

HOTEL EXPANSION InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the signing of a dual branded hotel development near Heathrow Airport, London.

The two hotels Holiday Inn London Heathrow Bath Road and Staybridge Suites London - Heathrow Bath Road will operate under a franchise agreement with Bathroad Corp Sarl.

Due to open in 2018, the 190 room Staybridge Suites property will be built alongside a new 433 room Holiday Inn hotel.

Located on Bath Road, the hotels are close to the main entrances to Terminals 1,2&3 of Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s major international airports, serving 75 million air passengers annually.

VISA NIGHTMARE Controversial anti-terror measure bars dual nationals of Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan from visa waiver program and European countries may take reciprocal steps Visitors to the US who are citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan or who have visited those countries recently face new travel restrictions.

The Obama administration has tightened travel terms regarding Iran, Iraq, Syria and Sudan, under rules that will also make travel to the US harder for some Europeans.

The rules, which took effect in February, create new visa requirements for dual nationals and anyone who has travelled to those countries in the last five years. Many Europeans enjoy visa-free travel to the US. Should they have dual citizenship or have traveled to Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan, they will require new permits.

Recently, a British-Iranian journalist working for the BBC was kept from boarding a plane when the US denied her visa waiver.

NORWEGIAN GROWTH Europe’s third largest low-cost airline, Norwegian, made a strong start to 2016, achieving 9% growth, a higher load factor and more than 1.7 million passengers in the traditionally quiet month of January.

In January, Norwegian carried 1,756,656 passengers.

Norwegian’s long-haul network, including low-cost flights to the US from London Gatwick, continues to play a central role in the airline’s passenger growth, with January traffic also boosted by new domestic routes in Spain.

Norwegian chief executive Bjørn Kjos said: “We are very pleased that we have attracted more passengers and achieved a higher load factor in a traditionally slower month. The growth is primarily due to international expansion, with continued UK growth at our London Gatwick base, along with new domestic flights in Spain.”

41

Travel GREENER STATE OF MIND

Global Travel Management Managing Director Scott Pawley highlights initiatives to achieve a sustainable and greener approach to business travel

T

here was a time when protecting the environment was almost an exercise that organisations, state or private, might

Conference in Paris (COP21) last November

villain of the piece, responsible for a large

was actually able to agree to a legally binding

degree of the problem. Aviation in particular is

climate deal, underlined the urgency and

held to ransom on this front.

assign to their public relations departments.

seriousness of the situation. The aim is to hold

However, as year after year we see the

global temperatures to a maximum rise of 1.5C

aviation facts. Aviation accounts for only 12%

impact climate change is having on nations

above pre-industrial levels, which it is hoped

of all transport emissions and since 2005 the

around the world, irrespective of wealth or

will hold off the worst effects of catastrophic

International Air Transport Association’s (IATA)

power, it is no surprise that the issue is no

global warming.

Green Teams have saved some 39 million

longer considered window dressing.

The very fact that the UN Climate Change

42

So where does business travel sit in all of this? Well most frequently it is seen as the

Well, let’s start by highlighting some

tonnes of CO2 by advising airlines on fuel efficiency methods.

Travel “Most frequently it is seen as the villain of the piece, responsible for a large degree of the problem. Aviation in particular is held to ransom on this front.”

spending in the five Western European countries

Ask most individuals these days and you’ll

– the US, the UK, Germany, France and Spain – is

be hard pressed to find a single one who does

expected to rise by over 6% in 2016, according

not care about the effects we are all having

to a Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)

on the world we live and work in. Sadly, I have

study. That will take the market to $210.6 billion

to conclude that whether people admit it or

in 2016, up from $186.3 billion in 2014. The UK

not, the environment has been playing second

alone represents the second highest level of

fiddle to profit. However, sustainability is well

spending on business travel in the region with a

and truly back on the agenda and not just

spend of £27.5 billion in 2014 and an expected

because the economy appears to be bouncing

rise of 6.2% this year.

back – it has become a necessity. Which is why

I, and many of my peers, have given

making it harder for public and private sector

their Corporate Social Responsibility policies

bodies to ignore.

and programmes. This includes looking for non-stop flights where possible and desired and access to detailed analysis of their travel

simply a nice thing to do. It’s worth sitting down

and its impact on the environment.

with specialists such as a Travel Management areas such as CO2 emissions, booking options

Copenhagen is an outstanding example of an

and payments, to develop a strategy that

environmentally friendly nation and clients like

delivers measurable and achievable results

the fact that they can park their conscience at

based on goals and objectives in line with your

the airport when they choose this country for

company’s current environment policy. One

very air the Danes seem to live and breathe with effortless efficiency and they make an excellent role model.

It’s all part of work by the travel industry to reduce the carbon footprint it generates.

Developments such as eco-efficient airplane design and manufacture, use of alternative

that I feel that many assumptions are due to

fuels or better use of infrastructure and

a lack of information, as well as misinformed

operations, are happening without the

biased perspectives. However, it’s clear I have

travelling public realising it. Other initiatives

a vested interest so I’m not about to get on a

are at their fingertips, such as greater access

soapbox. At the same time, I also don’t think

to more sustainable options and information,

anything is achieved in putting our collective

and yet there is still lethargy in implementing

heads in the sand and ignoring the fact that

these options.

As someone who has run a Travel

Of course there are a number of companies that operate very proactive CSR policies and in

Management Company for almost 20 years,

many of these cases we have accommodated

I am well aware of the fact that travel is an

this with the bespoke online self-booking tools

inescapable fact of life for businesses. What’s

we have provided. Yet there are still a large

more, business today is global so there is in

number of organisations that choose not to pick

fact a rising need for people in all sectors to

up on the specialist software now available

travel more.

based on widespread calls on the industry

Certainly we saw reduced spending on

Company’s advisors to collate relevant data on

hotels, meeting and event venue options.

conferences or events. Being Green is in the

travel as a whole impacts the environment.

Therefore, a sustainable travel programme for business travel and meetings is no longer

It also includes access to green

On that basis you won’t be surprised to learn

government legislation in the UK and Europe is

businesses the opportunity to accommodate

to take more responsibility for the effect it

business travel as a result of the financial

was having on the environment. Were these

downturn but it bounced back in 2014 and

demands just ‘greenwashing’?

simple measure is to use an option such as using a GHG Emissions Report that’s part of the Global Travel Management Report suite.

That doesn’t mean a draconian line: the greenest option to cut all travel and rely on technology and virtual meetings to communicate. We all know that option only works up to a limited point, in business there are times when nothing beats the face-to-face and shaking hands with the person you’re working with. This is even more relevant as businesses strive to overcome any language and cultural barriers.

I would recommend that as a business community we accept that going green is no longer an option. It’s time to use the support, information, and resources that already exist to enable your commitment to look after the world we live in.

Global Travel Management Kingsway House, 123-125 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6LR T: 01483 747321 W: www.gtm.uk.com M: sayhello@gtm.uk.com 43

Travel Shake hands in...

COPENHAGEN

by Rose Dykins

Want to ignite your company’s creative spark? Inspiring cultural values and Michelin-starred brain food await you in the Danish capital.

A

mere 13-minute metro ride from Copenhagen Airport whisks me into Copenhagen’s central square, Kongens Nytorv. And it’s not long before my suitcase is balanced on the child seat on the back of my Danish companion’s bike, and we’re tucking into moreish organic hot dogs from a stand set amid the the gentle buzz of Old Town’s cobbled shopping streets.

Then I climb the winding, sloped staircase of the 42-metre-high Rundetaarn – a 17th-century cylindrical stone observation tower – and am rewarded with a sunny glimpse of snow-dusted spires and topaz waters that circle the Medieval centre.

Unpretentious, charming – and officially the most punctual meetings destination in

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the world for air travel last year – the Danish capital has to be one to the easiest places on the planet to do business. “It’s a sophisticated, relaxed destination with an industry-leading commitment to sustainability, and is perfect for event attendees seeking a fairy-tale setting,” says Scott Pawley, Managing Director of Global Travel Management (GTM). “The quality and general availability of the city’s hotels are very high. The airlinks to Copenhagen Airport from around the UK and Europe are also very good, as SAS has one of it’s two airport hubs there.”

When it comes to meetings, Copenhagen likes to do things differently. A stand-out feature is its “Meetovation” concept, a programme “designed to engage, incite and encourage,” that turns the traditional meetings set-up on its head.

“We believe the product offers delegates an experience where the return on investment

is the focus,” says Jonas Wilstrup, Convention Director at Wonderful Copenhagen. “Meetovation is about having a conversation early on with the client about what the meeting objectives are and trying to bring in Copenhagen’s values – from the design of the physical set-up to the local environment. For example, Copenhagen is a bicycle city, so can you do a meeting where you cycle somewhere together, taking things outside the traditional meeting room?”

Meetovation in practice could be anything from placing delegates in a blank room and asking each of them to present their vision for the future of the company, to having a canal-side meeting on a summer’s day, so delegates can dip their toes in the water while they brainstorm.

“It tends to inspire enthusiasm and motivation and gets participants full of ideas,” says GTM’s Pawley. “We arranged an English Fashion House meeting in Copenhagen, where participants were handed an outfit from a Danish designer to wear for the day. They also did a treasure hunt on Segways, with clues linked to the local fashion industry, met with Danish designers and carried out street fashion interviews in central Copenhagen as part of the group work we assigned them.”

Known for topping the World’s Most Liveable City indexes, Copenhagen’s appealing lifestyle, with a focus on outdoors time and well-being, is a key part of its allure. Its culinary scene also reflects these values, with a strong focus on healthy, organic food, embodied by the locally sourced, fresh ingredients that go into New Nordic cuisine.

Many will have heard of Noma, which was crowned the best restaurant in the world in 2010. Its legacy lives on, and spreads across the city, as its Michelin-starred staff use their expertise to open new eateries in the city – such as Bror, Manfreds and Bæst. Currently, the city boasts 18 Michelin stars, shared between 15 restaurants, as well as the world’s only organic Michelin-starred restaurant, Geranium. For a highend group dinner with the right amount of edge, there’s the Meatpacking District. Though the industrial-chic bars housed in the sombre, disused meat-industry buildings are a hipster haven, there are plenty of refined restaurants that will hit the right note with professionals looking to let their hair down.

Despite the city’s modest size, it can host events with a maximum capacity of 20,000 attendees. The AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen is the largest venue available, with 43 meeting rooms and cutting-edge design

Travel AC Hotel Bella Sky

features that set the scene for impressive conferences.

And, for a design-led event, you’re in the right place. Those seeking wow-factor should check out the Palm Court Atrium at the five-star hotel D’angleterre, with the largest glass mosaic roof in Europe (it seats 120 for dinner). Or the harbour views and 200 year-old Pomeranian pine beams that dominate the Copenhagen Admiral Hotel, which can host a waterfront reception for 500. And finally, there’s the jaw-droppingly beautiful Rotunden room at the Nimb hotel, with a midnight-blue ceiling

45

Travel

Meetovation paired with Scandi-style white-washed floorboards and Mooresque details, which can cater for 80 guests.

Housed in a Victorian Arabesque palace, similar in style to Brighton’s Pavilion, the Nimb Hotel is part of Tivoli Gardens, an iconic amusement park that opened in 1843, complete with a swing carousel, a ferris wheel with hot air balloon-shaped pods and one of the oldest rollercoasters in the world (launched in 1914). Besides being the most-visited attraction in Denmark, Tivoli is a cultural monument which Copenhagen’s citizens hold dear to their hearts. “My grandparents went on dates in Tivoli in the early 1920s, and I still have the pictures at home on my dining room wall of the silhouettes they had cut out there,” says Ellen Dahl, Communications Consultant for Tivoli Gardens. “Tivoli plays a part in many people’s history, and Danes have many fond memories of Tivoli visits. We know our history is an asset, and we are different from your regular amusement park in that there is an equal focus on scenery, rides culture, entertainment, and food and drink.”

Nearby, the Tivoli Hotel and Congress Centre’s colourful design pays tribute to the institution, with spectacular funfair elements incorporated into the rooms and flexible event spaces. Think harlequin patterns, a model replica of Tivoli’s ferris wheel in the lobby and a general sense of fun.

A final important point to make about Copenhagen is it’s profile as one of the most environmentally-conscious meeting destinations globally.

It has a legacy of hosting large eco-friendly events (such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2009), and while its current green credentials are impressive, it has plans to become a carbon-neutral city by 2025.

“The city has set some very ambitious goals in how it is to develop sustainably, so when you incorporate the local MICE industry, it’s an easier job,” says Wilstrup. “One of the very important aspects around sustainability in the meetings sector is that it can really save you money, so we really use big events to push this agenda forward.”

Sustainability runs through the veins of Copenhagen: almost 80% of the city’s hotels are eco-certified, and venues are stringent with their

46

Hotel D’Angleterre

Travel

Nimb Hotel eco-friendly policies. Tivoli Gardens, for example, only serves drinks in reusable cups, for which customers pay a 5dkr (50p) deposit. The fee is returned to them at the end of their visit if they return the cup, and the system eliminates the demand for a million disposable cups per year. To expose delegates to sustainable strategies like these is to present them with the opportunity to soak up inspiration from the city and, potentially, to equip them with some game-changing ideas for their own businesses.

Kryddersild Fru Nim

Tivoli Gardens

SPARE TIME DINE: Choose Gorilla to experience the buzz of the Meatpacking District, Salt at the Copenhagen Admiral Hotel for sleek Nordic sharing plates, and Restaurant Tårnet for arresting city views from the tower of the Danish Parliament building. And if you have the chance, grab an organic hot dog and a famous chocolate milk from one of Døp’s hot dog stands dotted around the city centre.

DRINK: Go to Ruby for atmospheric cocktails, the bar at Sticks ’n’ Sushi restaurant at the Tivoli Hotel and Congress Centre for views, and, on a sunny evening, go open-air bar-hopping around Nyhavn.

DO: Visit Christiana – a Bohemian tax-free settlement, a “free city” within the city – and get a tour guide from a local. Assistens Kirkegård, a verdant 18th-century cemetery, is a popular picnic space among locals, and a great place for a stroll. And the Viking remains preserved by bogs Ruby Cocktail Bar at the National Museum of Denmark are fascinating.

47

Travel COPENHAGEN TEN TOP INCENTIVES

Copenhagen Street Food – fashion shows and drinks receptions can be incorporated into the atmosphere of this lively market on Paper Island, with 35 food stalls and trucks.

Tivoli Gardens – guided tours that reveal the amusement park’s importance for Copenhagen’s citizens, team-building activities, concerts, or simply letting delegates loose to ride the rollercoasters are all possibilities.

Lunch at Fru Nimb – pair a Tivoli incentive with a meal at the Nimb hotel’s elegant open sandwich restaurant, so guests can sample a fresh local speciality with a beer while enjoying views of the amusement park.

Canal boat tour – a visit to the city isn’t complete without one, and it’s a relaxing way to see the main sights in one swoop (including the Little Mermaid).

Wallmanns Circus – this historic, circular 19th-century Circus Building, built to host circuses in 1886, now hosts four-course dinner shows for 1000 people, with eclectic entertainment, including acrobatics and singing.

BeeSustain – delegates can support Copenhagen’s bee-friendly initiative by planting fruit trees or flowers. They can also take part in honey tasting of the urban apiaries set up by businesses across the city.

Bike treasure hunts – embrace the Danish cycling culture and encourage delegates to use pedal power to find clues hidden around the city.

Royal Opera House – the stunning Henning Larsen-designed building has space for receptions with canal views, to be followed up with a concert.

Inner city swimming – the super-clean water of Copenhagen’s harbour can be enjoyed at one of four outdoor pools in the summer, and the white sand of Amager Beach Park can be reached via a short metro ride.

Schooner sailing – a hands-on team-building activity with a healthy dose of sea air, with the option to serve a gourmet meal on deck.

48

Travel

THE AMERICAN DREAM

Ten small South East companies travelled to New York to explore the possibilities of exporting to America. Ian Trevett joined them on their business adventure

E

xporting is Great! That’s the message from the Government and its UK Trade & Investment department (UKTI). Quite right, too. If the world doesn’t buy our goods and services, then UK plc will soon go bankrupt. We have always been a trading nation, but we can’t rest on our reputation alone. Over the last few years there has been an explosion of new start-ups; the question is how do we get them to think about selling their services abroad, especially in a market as daunting as the United States?

One of the recent initiatives by UKTI South East, in partnership with Norwegian (low-cost airline), was to launch a competition for SMEs who make and sell UK-designed homeware, giftware or lifestyle products. The prize, for ten lucky companies, was a five-day trip to New York, with free entrance to NY NOW, the leading tradeshow for this sector in the US, plus seminars on exporting at the New York base of the UKTI. After a smooth Saturday evening flight across the Atlantic on one of Norwegian’s remarkably quiet new Dreamliner planes, the hotel bar at the New Yorker Wyndham Hotel was beckoning. Except, there was a delay upon arrival at New York JFK. Our group of SMEs, business journalists and representatives from UKTI and the airline were stuck in the arrivals hall of JFK Airport, waiting for news. With meetings lined up at the NY NOW trade show, the businesses had packed suitcases of samples to show prospective US buyers.

The trouble was, for two of our group, that the only Americans to show any interest in their wares so far were some particularly officious customs officers.

After a long, tense stand-off, amid threats of confiscations or sabotage to the products to make them unsellable, the customs officials finally relented and allowed everyone through with their luggage, but it was an emotional and stressful entry to the States. Lesson number one learnt: have you checked what you can bring into the country; have you filled in the correct forms?

Fortunately, the baptism of fire failed to deter our band of companies as they set off on their journey of discovery, with some returning home with career-changing deals in the bag.

A week earlier a terrific storm had dumped two feet of snow across the city, bringing virtually the whole of the East Coast to a standstill. We were greeted by spring-like weather, and I took the opportunity to explore this fantastic city. Meanwhile, the ten SMEs were locked in a series of meetings, negotiations and seminars. Ranging from start-ups on a fact-finding mission to established firms who are already exporting, the companies bonded together and shared knowledge and information. Vital knowledge was also shared by the New York office of the UKTI, and aptly, one of the speakers was an expert on how to deal with US customs. It was very informative, but for some of our party it came a few days too late!

A trip to New York is always an enjoyable experience - but did it actually help our group of companies? Some of the travellers reflected on their experience in the US. Here are their stories:

Tony Brown - Sportpax Limited Sportpax creates sports-themed backpacks for kids, with fun designs in the shape of sports balls.

“I won a GB design award for creating a product suitable for the American market.

By winning a place on this competition organised by Norwegian and the UKTI, I could justify going to America; I wouldn’t have done so otherwise. The trip has opened my eyes to trade shows and has taught me to be targeted.

“The opportunity has been fantastic. I had a great experience in Bloomingdales.

I visited the children’s department, but was unable to find the buyer. Having left my business card, I bumped into one of the senior managers as I was leaving. He didn’t recognise the backpacks and asked where they were I found the bags. I left there with a black book of contacts and the possibility of a meeting.” www.sportpax.co.uk

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Travel Jin Designs Limited - Jinny Ursell Jin Designs make high-quality home and giftware, using clean, simple designs.

“As a start-up business, the aim for me was to gain a greater understanding of doing business in the US - how to find buyers, how to price products, how to exhibit, how to sell and how to distribute. If there were to be any orders during the short space of time that I was there, then that would have been an added bonus.”

“I spent time at NY Now Trade Show talking to British and American businesses about exhibiting at the show - everything from how to ship products over there, to how to set up the stand, the costs involved etc. This kind of knowledge from those already exhibiting was invaluable.

“It was also inspirational. I have a range of designs that are really different. I could definitely see a place for my home and giftware amongst the other brands there. And I know the demand would be there.”

“The UKTI did a fantastic job of organising events on the trip, so we made the best use of our time. The trip to the British Consulate was a chance to listen to a variety of speakers about trading with the US, in terms of distribution and finance. It was also a great opportunity to network with other businesses.

“One of the most valuable parts of the trade mission was travelling with 10 other businesses, spending time with them and talking and learning from each other. It was a highly useful networking opportunity, and I’m sure a lot of us will keep in touch, and, where possible, help each other along the way.”

“Jin Designs is in a much stronger position - not just in terms of knowledge, but in terms of contacts made. I’m currently following up several leads with smaller independent US stores.

Hopefully, over the course of this year, with the support of the UKTI, Jin Designs will be going global.”

“One of the outcomes of the trip was realising how much support there is from the UKTI. It’s just a question of using the resources that are available.” www.jindesigns.com

SOAK Yourself Limited - Jackie Hope Soak Yourself creates luxury handmade bath products, with a choice of seven different bath kits, each one created to provide a desired outcome.

“As a result of the trip, I now know exactly what is required to launch SOAK Yourself products in the US. We are in a strong position, knowing what preparation is needed for a successful launch in such a diverse market.”

“The support of UKTI has been incredible. Physically being in New York, and exploring the market there provided some valuable contacts. Spending a day at the British Consulate listening to seminars, and visiting potential stockists, means I have come away very much fired-up and motivated.“ “On this trip I learned that exporting to the US is complex, and not to be taken lightly, and I also learned that travelling Premium Class (thanks Norwegian) is something I now aspire to. I’ve certainly come back feeling motivated!”

“As a small business owner, exploring overseas markets can be daunting, but travelling as part of a group of businesses is inspiring, and offers unexpected support.”

“I made some fantastic contacts, and have been nurturing these since returning.

I’m really excited by the possibilities.”www.soakyourself.co.uk

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Travel Josephine Home - Stephanie Betts Josephine Home is the go-to destination for top interior designers worldwide and five star hotels for the finest linen and throws.

“The trip to the US enabled us to be ready to seize any opportunity in the US market at short notice as there is a lot of preparation work which can really only be done on the ground before launching into such a significant territory - from determining the optimal retail partners and locations to choosing the right warehouse and fulfilment systems, to knowing that you will need a US bank account in order to make life easier for the US buyers.

“It also highlighted the bias of the US market for convenience, efficiency and value (where other markets like Japan will be more focused on design or provenance).

“We made contact with our key target accounts in the US as well as selected press – another key element for a successful launch – and PR agents.

“Although we did not get an immediate contract, we are in a better position to win business and will be able to execute profitably when we do.

“Good planning is key and this is really what it came down to. I met recently with a former key executive of Dyson, and his best advice was “plan, plan, plan”. It certainly worked for them.

“We had meetings, set up by the UKTI New York, with executives from freight, fulfilment companies, US banks etc., but also with key executives within the government, such as the Vice Consul, Victoria Harman, who was very proactive and contacted key accounts directly for us.

“Oddly, one of the biggest commercial opportunities which came out of the trip for us was in Japan – with an offer to distribute our products in 150 outlets through Japan and Asia – and we were able to leverage our connection with the UKTI, thanks to this trip, to connect with UKTI Tokyo to start getting organised on the ground, thanks to immediate access to local expertise.

“One of the best things to come out of the trip was perhaps the connections with the other businesses we travelled with. We all had different strengths, so pooling our knowledge and access made a big difference.

“Although we already have a store in store at Harrods and building presence in Asia, I certainly want to get us up the curve to exporting a lot faster and on a bigger scale as I can see it is possible with the right tools and with appropriate planning. A bit like setting up a business, the first step is the hardest but when you see the potential. It keeps you motivated!” www.josephinehome.co.uk

Alice Foxx - Ann Saunders Alice Foxx produce hand-crafted luxury leads, collars, coats and bags for dogs.

“The trip was useful in ways I never expected. As well as researching the market, it was very helpful meeting the other winners and learning from their experiences and advice. I never expected that to happen; they were all so open and willing to share contacts.

“One thing I learnt was that you always need to carry a sample or a visual, such as postcards, as you never know when you will met a contact or a buyer.

“It inspired me be ambitious as the positive reaction to my products showed that buyers wanted high-quality products.” www.alicefoxx.com

51

Travel Amulette Limited - Lisa Harris Colour, movement and nature come together in original jewellery designs curated by founder and award-winning jewellery designer, Lisa Harris.

“Meeting other individuals from varying sectors with a shared goal of exporting to the USA was very interesting. It was great to be travelling with the other delegates with experience in exporting and learning from like-minded individuals sharing the same ambition.

“It was great to visit the NY NOW exhibition and research the opportunities for our designs within the US market place. It has been our ambition for Amulette to showcase at the event, so the trip gave us an underpinning knowledge on how to make this achievable.

“We scored some fantastic business leads, so we will be visiting NY again in August 2016 and hope to have our first stockist in the USA by March 2016.

“Our product has a unique design concept, which made us confident that we have a unique offering. The US is a huge market place and one we are very excited to be stepping into.” www.amulette.co.uk

MOJO Skin & Haircare Limited - Paul Adrian Mojo is a premium hair styling and grooming range for men that fuses pro-salon product styling performance with a signature luxury fragrance.

“The trip made a big difference to the business as I met with a potential distributor of the brand who has a real understanding and experience of the men’s grooming sector, and, one week since returning, I have agreed a distribution deal and secured two substantial orders for the business. This is great as two previous attempts to secure distribution in the USA had fallen through, so I guess its third time lucky!

The trip was great for networking with new contacts in the USA, the UKTI in the USA, meeting and discussing the business with journalists, and sharing ideas with the other winners on the trip.

“I also made some marketing and PR contacts who can help the brand in the US and contacts from Germany and the UAE.” “This was my third visit to the USA in the past six months. It’s a huge market, and it’s difficult to navigate without the right contacts/ partners. We had orders from retailers, consumers and salons but were looking for a distribution link to ensure that orders were delivered successfully. One of my key learnings was that whilst you may have a great British product, Americans like to buy from Americans. What this means is that you need to get your product on the ground in the USA, either setting up your company or working with a partner or distributor, as this buys trust and speed to market for the end consumer.

“Our business was set up with a global vision from day one (we launch in India in February with a distribution partner), and now, with a distributor on board, we can focus on scaling the business in the world’s biggest market. I can’t tell you how exciting that is! Now that the commercials are in place, we will adjust our focus to support the brand with marketing and PR in the USA. In addition, the first orders have been agreed on payments in advance, so it aids the cash flow of the business, which is one the key fundamentals of successful exporting.” www.mojo-style.com

52

Travel NORWEGIAN

T

he UKTI partnered with Norwegian, who kindly donated the flights to New York in their premium economy class. You feel the difference as soon as you reach the Airport, with priority check-in lines and the use of the plush air-side lounges, complete with complementary drinks. Away from hustle and bustle of busy airports, the premium lounges offer a much more relaxed way to prepare for a flight. The only issue is to avoid getting too comfortable and missing your call to embark.

There’s only one way to turn as you board a plane - and that’s to the left! On most trans-Atlantic flights you can get a most civilised business or first-class experience, but you have to pay for it, and it is quite a hit. Norwegian’s low-cost offering extends to the premium service, which effectively means you get extra comfort, benefits and exceptional service without an enormous bill.

The comfy seats recline enough for you to sleep soundly. With the return flight leaving New York just before 11pm, this is an important consideration. It is safe to say I don’t remember too much about the return journey.

Outbound was all about meeting new friends and enjoying the in-flight services. The boxed meals were surprisingly good quality (I say surprisingly as in-flight meals can be rather ‘interesting’), with the nice touch of each box featuring an profile of an iconic Norwegian personality. As it is a Scandinavian service, great service is a given and the in-flight crew were very attentive and friendly. Adding in the good selection of movies on the personal TV screens, the flight was a pleasure.

Most striking for me was the noise of the flight - or rather the lack of noise. With a new fleet of Dreamliner aircraft, the Norwegian planes were smooth and quiet, which makes the journeys quite difficult to describe, as they are reassuringly uneventful.

I was very impressed with the package, and the level of service for a New York service is just right. There’s little need to pay the extra cost of first-class service if you are travelling to America’s East Coast. You can get good food and grab some sleep and you are there, refreshed and raring to go.

As for New York - it doesn’t need me to tell you what a fantastic city this is.

With my check-list of must-sees already set in my mind, the CityPass (kindly donated by New York Tourism Board (NYC & Company) was essential. The discounted book of vouchers allows access to the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Museum, a boat trip to the Statue of Liberty and a selection of the city’s finest galleries, museums and attractions. I didn’t get halfway through the book - but I will be back!

Norwegian Facts • Voted Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe and World’s Best LowCost Long-Haul Airline at the 2015 SkyTrax Airline Awards by passengers • 3rd-largest low-cost airline in Europe • The only airline to offer free inflight WiFi and live TV on all flights from the UK to more than 30 European destinations • Norwegian has grown to become the third-largest airline at London Gatwick, with over 130 pilots and nearly 300 cabin crew.

• Ranked most fuel-efficient transatlantic airline by The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)

Behind the Scenes Trips like this don’t just happen. The amount of background work that goes into this is immense, and it usually goes unrecognised.

Our hosts from Norwegian and the UKTI set up some fascinating interviews, which will appear in the next issue, but when I asked for their personal quotes on the trip, they all declined, insisting that their job was just to facilitate the trip and the story wasn’t about them.

Actually, a big part of the story was about them.

Many of the companies had life-changing trips and they deserve their share of the credit.

So, a big thank-you to Norwegian PR Manager (UK) Chase Burns, and the Market Visit Leaders and International Trade Advisers from UKTI, Laurie Spicer and Tracy Masters.

www.norwegian.com/uk www.gov.uk/ukti.

53

EVERYONE GETS A WINDOW SEAT AT HILTON. Whether flying from Gatwick Airport to your holiday destination or planning a London city break, we are the best hotel for your stay.

Book one of our contemporary designed Executive rooms with modern décor and start your holiday the right way: relaxing at Hilton London Gatwick Airport.

Our Executive rooms offer access to our fully refurbished Executive Lounge, with free continental breakfast, drinks and canapés served between 6:30pm and 8:30pm and complimentary Wi-Fi access.

Contact our Reservations Team at london.gatwick@hilton.com or call us on +44 (0) 1293 518 080

South Terminal Gatwick Airport | Gatwick | | RH6 0LL | UK ©2014 Hilton Worldwide

HOTELS

EASTER HOLIDAYS recommendations, read guide books and enjoy the all-important good night’s sleep. This will all add up to stress-free travel to your chosen destination. Booking into a hotel that is on site and preferably connected to the terminal is an invaluable advantage, whether you are travelling alone or with family. There is a world to enjoy out there but the entire holiday can be spoilt if it sets off on a shaky start - so relax and start your holiday the night before.

If you are driving and parking at the airport or at a hotel on site, this is usually another challenge and in most cases expensive. Some hotels offer packages which include parking with a night’s stay. If you choose wisely, a well located and comfortable hotel will make your departure easy and hassle-free.

Some hotels offer flexible dining options for

N

ow the festive season is over, many families are planning for the summer holidays and many more are planning

their next break. A well planned spring break can re-charge your batteries after this unseasonal wet winter and although the daffodils may not be fully open across UK, things are warming up and blooming nicely in southern Europe.

March and April are excellent months for picking up good value, last minute travel. As schools break for Easter, the Mediterranean region starts to open up; planes tend to fly half empty and ski resorts are still open but without

families where children can eat for free. For holiday. The curse of many holiday flights is that they leave so early. With check-in times two hours ahead of departure, an early morning flight will likely require you to be at the airport as early as 5am. Even if you live less than an hour away, that’s bad news enough for adults but with young children it can be an extremely daunting prospect.

The best preparation for the entire holiday and to avoid this stressful time, is to find a place to stay close to the airport the night before you fly. This will not only alleviate a last minute rush but it provides valuable time to relax and browse the internet for

couples or single travellers who are looking for a great gastronomic experience, extraordinary service with the best tastes from all over the world; an exceptional fine dining restaurant is the best choice.

Whether you are planning a taste of warm spring air or a last minute ski break, spring is the nicest season of the year to fly away and enjoy time without the crowds.

Hilton London Gatwick Airport offers parking packages and is located a 3 minute under cover walk from the South Terminal.

Gatwick.hilton.com

the crowds. All this means that some of the best rates of the year are there for the taking!

However, Easter is a bank holiday throughout Europe and many other parts of the world too, so there is still a strong demand for flights and bed spaces. Hotels are prepared for those who travel at this time and, if you choose wisely, you can catch some great Easter promotions.

Travel industry experts claim that the UK economy was set to outgrow the rest of Europe last year and this is what has probably led to some very competitive prices now. As the UK saw a good summer in 2015, tour operators will be keen to offload inventory. Therefore, planning overseas holidays will mean you can take advantage of keen pricing and early-bird specials during Easter.

Plans start with the journey to the airport and this is often the most stressful part of any

55

DINING OUT

IBERICA, Victoria

by Amanda Menahem

N

ow, I could be accused of being a bit London centric at the moment since this will be my third London review in a row but lets face it – so many of us Sussex and Surrey dwellers find ourselves there either because of Londoner friends or for work. I adore nights out in London but there’s always that point in the evening where I start to get twitchy looking at my watch conscious of the train times to get me home and having to factor in time to get to Victoria station.

The combination of an unpredictable London black cab system and endless and varied road works at any given point in London, make this a somewhat imprecise task. So when arranging to meet a business associate recently, I hit

56

upon the highly successful and popular Iberica Restaurant that has recently opened a branch in Victoria, moments from the station. Ideal?

I had recalled an ex-boyfriend raving about the first Iberica Restaurant on Portland Street almost a decade ago. This, their sixth restaurant, is conveniently located on the ground floor of the Zig Zag Building, near House of Fraser. This area of London feels a bit soulless so it was a relief to find a thriving and warm environment amongst the glass jungle.

Ibérica Restaurant is overseen by Executive Head Chef Nacho Manzano, who holds 3 Michelin stars in his native Spain. The restaurant takes pride in using only the highest quality ingredients imported from carefully

selected Spanish producers. Clearly they have stood the test of time.

There is a comprehensive drinks menu with interesting cocktails, beers, cider, sangria and of course sherry. I was pleased to discover an extensive gin list and a virtual bible of Spanish wine including a whole page devoted to Cava.

These days Cava seems to have fallen in popularity in favour of Prosecco. I don’t know why. Unlike Prosecco, Cava is made using the ‘traditional method’ in the same way as Champagne, which produces a more refined and complex sparkling wine. For now I started with a Gin Mare. This Spanish gin is one of my favourites with rosemary, thyme, olives and basil used within the botanicals. Here it comes

DINING OUT

“I was pleased to discover an extensive gin list and a virtual bible of Spanish wine including a whole page devoted to Cava.” served with sprigs of thyme and rosemary and a couple of olives. The glass is filled to the brim with ice. It’s perfectly made.

This is a very good start. My guests arrived and we ordered some tapas to get us going. Serano ham croquettes and padron peppers. Both arrived quickly and were good accompaniments to our drinks. The croquettes crisp on the outside with molten melting cheese within. What’s not to like? I couldn’t detect much ham flavour but they were delicious nevertheless. The Padron peppers were as expected, these being ubiquitous on any tapas menu. We moved to our table for dinner upstairs. This area is not as cosy as the downstairs bar and feels less intimate. It is more of a smart space, which while lacking in authenticity provides a sense of occasion.

We ordered the trio of Iberico hams, two specials of the day; suckling pig and quail, fried squid with Aioli, Creamy black rice with squid, prawns & aioli sauce, fried chorizo lollipops, toasted bread with tomato, Asparagus, manchego, onion confit & truffle oil toast and finally rib eye steak. Phew! They also have larger dishes such as a range of Paella but we chose to stick to the tapas.

The suckling pig came served in neat squares, the meat delicate and meltingly soft from slow cooking. The quail had been pressed into another square. Pleasingly the flavour of the quail was allowed to shine unencumbered but I would have preferred it on the bone. The toasted bread with tomato was not particularly toasted but tasted fresh and enhanced by good olive oil. We needed this dish to cut through the richness of some of the other plates. The squid was standard fair – deep fried in batter until crisp with very good Aioli. I found the chorizo lollipops too much. Chorizo is already very rich and to deep fry it in batter was overkill but my dining partner loved them, so there you go!

For me the stand out dishes were the steak – cooked to perfection with liberal salt flakes bringing out the flavour of the meat, and the black rice; rich, filling and deeply savoury (but could have done with more of the seafood). The suckling pig was also a highlight but this was ruined when we realised that these tiny squares had cost us £24! We had not been told when the waiter had promoted this special dish of the day. The prices of the rest ranged from £4-£9 much more reasonable.

To drink we started with Illo Perelada Brut NV Reserva D.O. Cava - delicious, both fruity and biscuity and inexpensive for a Cava of this quality at £28. The wine list is helpfully divided by style and next I chose a bottle of Les Pusses; a Merlot and Syrah blend D.O. Ca from Priorat – a key region in Spain for quality wine. The blend of Merlot and Syrah providing a good balance of ripe fruit, spice and toasty creaminess. You can order by the glass, carafe or bottle and this was a reasonable £22 for 500ml carafe.

The service was spot on – neither too attentive nor neglectful. After four hours of decent food, excellent wine and good conversation, my eyes were on my watch – it was time to get the train. I balked at the £100 a head bill but this was because we had chosen the eye wateringly expensive specials without having realised the consequences. If you stick to the menu you’ll be fine here.

The best thing about this place is the wine list and proximity to Victoria. The food is fine. You can probably get better elsewhere in London (Barrafina, Pisarro) but Iberica restaurant Victoria is perfect for a quick drink and bite after work before getting a train home or for a long lingering dinner such as we enjoyed on this night. This could become my new regular haunt, minus the pig.

57

ANGER MANAGEMENT

ANGER MANAGEMENT

by Maarten Hoffmann

THE MARKET MAFIA I

n 2008, we came to question what the ‘experts’ really know about the economy of this country and rapidly realised that they

lead to jail terms for the worst offenders. And isn’t it about time we jailed these bastards?

the people, for the people.

The Grocery Code Adjudicator, Christine

The Libor rigging debacle saw the culprits get

Tacon, said the supermarket seriously

didn’t have a clue, as we were plunged into

away with a slap on the wrist, Fred Goodwin

breached the industry’s code of conduct to

the depths of a recession which seemed to

still has his million-pound house and plays golf

protect grocery suppliers. She found extensive

be as much of a surprise to them as it was

all day, and those in the States who sold toxic

evidence that Tesco had acted unreasonably

to us. Businesses wiped out, balance sheets

mortgage debt again and again are all in Belize

when delaying payments to suppliers.

slaughtered and the occasional corporate

or the Cayman Islands - with their money.

suicide was the price we paid, and we are still

In September 2014 a £250 million black hole

Tesco apologised for the practices, saying they had harmed its suppliers.

not back to the level of growth and success that

was found in Tesco’s accounts - a sum later

Tesco remains under investigation by

we had eight years ago.

revised up to £326m. This was all concocted

the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) for alleged

by booking income in a ‘creative’ manner and,

accounting irregularities.

Now we must consider what the large corporates are doing behind our backs, as

in short, screwing their suppliers, who were

once we had ultimate faith in their fairness and

too terrified, or too in debt, to complain. Tesco

sound dealings, and we all wanted them as

knew this and traded on the pain and suffering

clients. Tesco have put paid to that dream with

of said suppliers whilst projecting the image to

their appalling behaviour that, rightfully, could

consumers that they were the supermarket of

Tesco have apologised. Well, that’s OK then. Well, no, it is not. The thousands of suppliers who kept their part of the bargain and supplied the freshest produce on time were screwed. Some waited over two years for payment so that Tesco could show the cash on the balance sheet and make everything look kosher. But these suppliers are people with families, mortgages and bills like the rest of us, and Tesco has shown exactly what they think of these people. There was one particularly ingenious scam that was related to me by a supplier in the South East. They supplied the contract and then had to wait over nine months to be told that they needed a newfangled purchase order, and that this could be downloaded once they had the website code. Tesco then made them wait another nine months for the code that eventually arrived but was incorrect. Another code was sent, three months later, by which time their access to the site had timed out and they had to start the process all over again. This led to horrendous

58

ANGER MANAGEMENT

“Some waited over two years for payment so that Tesco could show the cash on the balance sheet and make everything look kosher. ”

pain and suffering to the supplier and, eventually, bankruptcy.

Business Minister Anna Soubry said the

Such a convoluted process - using a company’s legal department to raise concerns rather than going directly to executives or the

that as the end of each half year approached, heads of division would put out a call. “‘Find me £30m’ would be the message,” the

adjudicator had conducted a thorough and

board - is thought by some to reveal a business

former executive said. “That would cascade

fearless investigation into a “scandalous

where trust is not much evident.

down to the buyers, and they would demand

situation.”

“Tesco say they have changed their

The file highlighted worrying discrepancies between when profits from deals with

more and more from suppliers.”

It seems that, as Tesco’s trading position

practices, and I very much hope they have.

suppliers were accounted for and when costs

deteriorated, actions became more and more

Paying smaller suppliers on time and treating

were paid. One senior figure very close to Tesco

desperate.

them fairly is good and proper business.

said that the “whistle blower” had become

It is high time that a jail term was offered

Late payment can hinder the growth and

concerned that the numbers he was being

in return for such fraud. If the SFO find that

productivity of these suppliers and can

sent on supplier income did not have the “full

accounting fraud took place, and it looks

threaten their existence,” she said. The sharp

documentation that I needed.”

glaringly obvious to me, then the culprits

fall in Tesco’s share price that resulted from

Was someone trying to cover something up?

the accounting scandal has prompted legal

One former senior Tesco executive, who was

action by a number of institutions and other

head of a large number of supply chains, said

should be arrested and committed for trial.

The ‘Every Little Helps’ slogan has morphed into ‘Every Little Helps Tesco.’

investors in the retailer.

The trouble with government is that they are supposed to act, not react. They have known for years about this sharp practise of delaying payments and have done nothing about it, then act indignant that such a large company could have done such a terrible thing.

The first Dave Lewis, Tesco’s new Chief Executive, and Sir Richard Broadbent, the Chairman, knew about the problem in Tesco’s account was, allegedly, on Friday, September 19th. Mr Lewis and Sir Richard were given a file

by Tesco’s General Counsel, Adrian Morris. He had been handed it by a lawyer - who had been given it by a senior member of the finance team.

59

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BUSINESS AWARDS

DISTRICT DIAMONDS

The Lewes District Business Awards Return for a Third Year

L

ewes District Council has announced the return of the Lewes District Business Awards, launching 3 March 2016. Celebrating excellence amongst the District’s business community, the Awards are free to enter and open to organisations of all sizes and sectors.

The Awards create a fantastic opportunity for many different types of businesses to come together and celebrate the success of the District’s business talent and achievement.

Last year’s event provided a huge success, with Richard Soan Roofing Services taking home the main accolade.

Other highlights included The Charleston Trust collecting Best Visitor Attraction, Gerri Ori of Brooklyn Hyundai being named as the District’s Businessperson of the Year, The Runaway winning Business in the Community - and Union Music Store clinching the Best Independent Retailer title.

Businesses can enter up to three categories, and the deadline for submissions is 4 May 2016.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 14 July 2016 at the Lewes Town Hall.

Around 200 of the District’s leading business people, sponsors and judges are expected to attend, giving guests the perfect opportunity to network with peers, celebrate with colleagues and find out those allimportant results!

www.lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk

61

MOTORING

PEUGEOT 208 GTi SPORT something that l have not experienced for years. Power into a tight bend and you can even make the back wheel cock its leg up just like in ye olde days.

After all this excitement, you then encounter the French penchant for going their own way, for refusing to toe the line and taking pride in being different. All good if your way of doing things is right, or cute, but alas, we encounter the opposite.

Take the dash. Was there not a French designer somewhere who might have noticed that you cannot see it? No matter what you do

I

with the rake of the steering wheel, it hides the dash. Isn’t this basic car design? The centre

f you still hanker after that youthful joy of a hot hatch having spent fun summer days with the 205 GTi, then you are in for a treat.

little pocket rocket that goes like a scalded cat

screen seems a tad of an afterthought and the

when pushed. It handles well, is built well and

dash display tells you whenever you turn the

The 205GTi was credited with the turnaround

deals with the vagaries of British roads, which

wipers on or off - l know, l can see them. Big

of the French manufacturer’s fortunes,

is not something that Peugeot’s are particularly

black things going back and forth - l really don’t

following their habit of producing large saloons

known for.

need to be told. Then there’s the high beam.

such as the 504 and 505. Big lumbering

Wait no longer, as the 208 GTi is a cracking

You can rev the boots off this thing and it will

Flash someone out of a side turning and the

nightmares that seemed, and indeed were,

really fly. With beefed-up anti-roll bars, bigger

high beam comes on - and stays on until you

from a bygone age. The genesis of the 205 lay

brakes, taut dampers, roof spoiler and sports

notice it, having infuriated all oncoming cars.

within Peugeot’s 1978 takeover of Chrysler’s

springs, it also manages to stop and go round

These little foibles are not cute; they are just

European division Simca and the former Rootes

corners without feeling that you are about to

bloody annoying.

Group, which had the necessary expertise in

meet your maker. Fun is the best word to use.

making small cars, including the Hillman Imp.

As with all fast front-wheel-drive cars, you

The 205 went on to be hailed as the Car of the

get that horrible wheel spin when you try to

Decade in 1990.

accelerate and corner at the same time, and

But it has been a long wait.

TECHNICAL STUFF Model Tested: 208GTi Sport Engine: 1600cc Power: 208 bhp Performance: 0-62 6.5 seconds Top Speed: 143 mph Economy: 52.3 mpg Price: £21,940.00

62

you need to fight the torque steer, which is

That said, it is a rapid wasp of a car that can be great fun to drive, will nip round town with ease or blast up the motorway at speed. Fun. Welcome back, Peugeot. You’ve been gone a while.

MINI Business Partnership

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Extra Urban 54.3-91.1 mpg (5.2-3.1 l/100km). Combined 42.2-83.1 mpg (6.7-3.4 l/100km).

CO2 Emissions 155-89 g/km. Fuel Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

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Offers available to business users only. *Plus £894 initial rental. Price shown excludes VAT at 20% and is for a 36 month Contract Hire agreement for a MINI Cooper 3-door Hatch, with a contract mileage of 30,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 5.90p per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 January and 31 March 2016 and registered by 30 June 2016 (subject to availability). At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle. Excess mileage, vehicle condition and other charges may be payable. Available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. The amount of VAT you can reclaim depends on your business VAT status. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Group Corporate Finance. BMW Group Corporate Finance is a trading style of Alphabet (GB) Limited, Europa House, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UF. †Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.

MOTORING

THE MAGNIFICENT

SEVEN T

he battle at the top of the sub-£100,000 luxury car tree has always been between the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW

7-Series, with continuous one-upmanship as each company produces the next generation of

By Senior Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

this tech has visited the 7. They have trimmed

problem of body roll in fast corners, but thanks

40kg off the chassis by adding carbon fibre for

to the lightness of the chassis and the optional

strength, and if you factor in all the changes, it

Executive Drive Pro, you get a pair of anti-roll

is some 200kg lighter than its predecessor.

bars and all-wheel steering. Allied to GPS, and

The key to any executive cruiser is the quality

with more cameras than the BBC, the 7 will

the model. It’s great for the consumer, as we

of the cabin, and here we have total isolation

anticipate the road ahead more effectively than

just continue to be delighted with innovations

from the world outside. It’s as if you are sitting

a fortune teller on Eastbourne pier.

and new techie bits, and it is always a treat to

in an air lock, assaulted by the glorious smell

see what goodies they have come up with.

of premium leather and quality carpet, with AC

Performance Control, armed with data from

Well, now it is BMW’s turn to have a crack at

The new Adaptive mode on the Drive

controlling the temp and a magnificent Bowers

the sat-nav, a stereo camera and analysis of

domination with the latest 7-Series executive

& Wilkins sound system wafting Pavarotti over

your driving style, keeps the 7 Series’ ride as

limo. It is all about weight-saving at the

you. It is a rather lovely place to be.

smooth as possible on a predictive basis.

moment, and although there is little external

The drive is superb too, as it soaks up the

Many a 7 will be chauffeur driven. Therefore,

difference between the old and new 7s, the

bumps from our brilliantly maintained British

the rear passenger experience is equally as

news is under the skin. BMW have been busy

roads (not), and, with air suspension and active

important as the driving experience, and two

with radical hi-tech design since they starting

dampers as standard, you will want for very

options are key to maximising the richness

production of the i3 and i8 models, and some of

little. Large cars have always suffered from the

of your passenger experience: BMW’s

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MOTORING

TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: 740Li Saloon Engine: 2,995cc Power: 326 bhp Performance: 0-62mph 5.4 seconds Top Speed: 155mph Economy: 41mpg combined Price: £72,060.00

Executive Package (£2850) and the Rear Seat Comfort Package (£4815). My test car had both, and therefore came with heated and massaging comfort seats, multimedia screens hanging from both front seat backs and a tablet PC with which to control just about everything you might want to control from the back seat: from the fierceness of your seat massage to changing the channel of the in-car digital television that also doubles as a web browser.

They have gone to town on the multimedia system, and finally we have touch control in addition to the i-drive knob, and, as if that were not enough, we have gesture control. This system recognises up to six gestures, such as twirling your index finger to lower the volume or stabbing your finger at the screen to answer a call. Not only is this great fun to play with, but it really does work, thus enabling the driver to keep both eyes on the road. The trouble is that my kids now have a whole new range of less-than-desirable finger gestures The engine is as you would expect – quiet and smooth, with grunt to spare. At idle, you really would not know the car is running at all.

Be gentle, and it will smoothly pull away with a whisper, but get all Sterling Moss, and the hidden depths are found, and the power plant roars into life and rockets you up the road like a very large scalded cat. BMW has always been promoted as the drivers’ car, and there is little to argue here.

I was sent the 740Li Saloon, delivering 326bhp while still managing around 40mpg, which is quite remarkable, and that just goes to show that all that weight-saving pays off in more ways than one.

Not only great mpg, but when you fully attack a corner, it feels quite nimble and light. The all-wheel steering also shortens the turning circle, which came as quite a surprise, as you allow an acre and manage the turn in an incredibly short space.

This is a car designed equally for driver or passenger, is superbly built, well designed and crammed with hi-tech gizmos that, l would venture, will have us all taking them for granted in a decade. But for now, cracking.

Vines of Gatwick Vines of Redhill

Vines of Guildford

Contact: Dean Eaton T: 0800 915 4700 E: dean@vinescorporate.co.uk

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MOTORING

THE KITCHEN SINK

By Senior Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

I

t is rare that the launch of a car has so much riding on its success. The Jaguar XE is one such car, and the company has thrown the

kitchen sink at ensuring it is a huge success.

as the F-Type, XF and XJ, all barnstorming

The Jaguar website allows you to play around

success stories, and we have the new, much-

with the colours, and l think you might agree

anticipated F-Pace SUV to come.

with my assertion.

Design-wise, l was not too concerned when

Driving it is, again, happily a joy. Much of

Its previous shot at this market was the X-Type,

it arrived on my drive as Jaguar have an eye

this is down to the new aluminium chassis and

which, unfortunately, was a Ford Mondeo in a

for a sexy car, and l was not to be disappointed.

suspension that afford it a crisp, light drive. Fit

party frock.

It has an intrinsic style that we, happily, have

the right engine, and it will fly along without

come to expect from the re-incarnation of this

killing your wallet. I would recommend the

stuffed with great cars, so the kitchen sink was

famous old British marque, although I would

S, with its super-charged 335bhp 3.0 litre, as

required, along with the fridge, stove and every

say the body is colour-sensitive: in great

used in the V6 F-Type, that will see 0-62 in 4.9

other appliance they could get their hands on.

colours it looks tremendous, and in others, not

seconds and still return a combined mpg of

But this risk is mitigated by the quality and

so much. In red, black, grey and racing green, it

34.9. Due to the lovely, light balance of the car,

panache of the company’s recent models, such

looks fantastic and you cannot fail in bright red.

fit this engine and you will want for nothing. I

The compact sports saloon market is

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MOTORING TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: XE R-Sport 2.0 Engine: 2.0 litre Turbocharged diesel Power: 177bhp Performance: 0-62mph 7.4 seconds Top Speed: 140mph Economy: 67.3 mpg combined Price: 34,775.00 As tested: £42,220.00 was sad to see that my friends at Jaguar had sent me the R-Sport 2.0litre diesel (yes, diesel), and although l am sure it will suit many a folk, for me it needed more guts, but it did achieve an impressive 67.3mpg and will whip to 62 mph in 7.4 seconds, but then, so will a topspec Mondeo. There is a good range of engine options, so finding the one you like will not be a chore.

Internally, we can see that consumers are finally tired of cluttered cabins, and the XE reflects this, with relative simplicity that is very appealing. The central touch screen, so much faster to use than a dial, works superbly with clear dials, a minimum range of knobs and a very satisfying seating position. The auto gear selector rises like a theatre organist to add a

touch of flair, and moving the heater controls from the central display to their own panel is very smart, as they are so much easier to access and control whilst keeping your eyes on the road.

I popped into my local showroom and borrowed a model with a manual box, and although it works well enough, consider upgrading from the 6-speed manual to the 8-speed auto as it is a totally different experience. There is a lovely balance to the steering. Not too heavy, not too light, and progressive as you power through bends, and with such a well-balanced chassis, this really is a great package.

Every XE comes with a forward collisionassist system that can automatically apply

the brakes if it senses an impending impact with the vehicle in front, as well as road-sign recognition that displays the current speed limit to the driver, and lane-departure warning. The XE is also the first car available with All Surface Progress Control, an advanced traction-and stability-control system that can help the car maintain a constant speed on slippery surfaces.

I am not alone in my opinion, as the XE has just won the Euro NCAP ‘Best in Class of 2015’ award, named the ‘Most Beautiful Car of 2014’ at the Festival Automobile International in Paris, Auto Express 2015 ‘Compact Executive Car of the Year’ award and ‘Business Car of the Year’ award at the 2016 business car awards.

We can’t all be wrong - go drive it.

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MOTORING

A STAR IS B RN The History of Mercedes-Benz

O

h Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? That’s the opening line of “Mercedes-Benz,” a song most famously recorded by Janis Joplin in the early 1970s. The tune gently poked fun at materialism and our desire for the finer things in life. It’s fitting that the renowned German marque figures prominently in the lyric. MercedesBenz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasise luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and achievement.

It was in 1886 that Karl Benz unveiled the world’s first automobile, a three-wheeled vehicle with the catchy name of the Benz Patent Motor Car. A few months later, Gottlieb Daimler and his chief engineer Wilhelm Maybach rolled out a four-wheeled vehicle powered by his Daimler engine. The first Mercedes was crafted in 1901, shortly after Daimler’s death. Built by Maybach, the car was commissioned by Emil Jellinek, one of Daimler’s primary distributors, and was ultimately named after Jellinek’s daughter, Mercedes.

The 1886 Benz Patent Motor Car

The original Mercedes

In 1926, the companies founded by Daimler and Benz merged to form Daimler-Benz AG, and the Mercedes-Benz brand was born. The company’s insignia was a three-pointed star wreathed in a laurel; the star was dreamed up by Daimler years earlier, and its three points signified the fact that his engines were for use in vehicles that travelled by land, air and sea. Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz name was synonymous with automotive excellence. One of the automaker’s earliest vehicles, the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 170, distinguished itself as the world’s first production car to offer a technology that was nothing short of extraordinary for the day: four-wheel independent suspension.

They then went on to invent the first carburettor, the first passenger car with brakes, the first diesel engine, first traction control system, first ABS, first airbags, first seven-speed auto transmission, and so it goes on. Mercedes have innovated without pause, and continue to do so right up to the current day, in their cars, trucks and vans.

The ‘30s and ‘40s saw Mercedes establishing itself as the brand of choice for car buyers seeking the ultimate in luxury, thanks to coveted cruisers like the 380 and 540K. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

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

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MOTORING The 1950s witnessed the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing,” a sports car that has been described as being the world’s first supercar, now valued at over £1.5 million. With its dramatic styling and race-bred technology, the 300 SL reigns today as a classic coveted by collectors worldwide. The decade also saw Daimler-Benz making strides in the area of safety technology. The company’s Mercedes-Benz 220 sedans were the first vehicles to incorporate its patented “crumple zone” body design, created to absorb impact in the event of a crash.

In 1963, the company cemented its reputation as the home of automotive luxury with the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 600. The elegant, luxurious sedan was also available as a limousine and featured an ahead-of-its-time air suspension system and a V8 engine that boasted 300 horsepower. The decade also saw the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. This full-size sedan went from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, distinguishing itself as the quickest luxury car of its day. The 1970s saw the birth of the brand’s ubiquitous S-Class line of vehicles, opulent sedans and coupes that coddled passengers with powerful engines and a long list of luxury features. The decade also saw Mercedes continuing on the cutting edge of safety technology by being the first to offer antilock brakes in its vehicles.

with driver Juan Manuel Fangio, and swept the board. History repeats itself today as the Mercedes AMG Petronas team, consisting of World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. They won 16 out of 19 races, and the constructors championship in 2014, with an identical score in 2015. It was as if the other teams were driving a longer circuit.

Formula 1 Champions

The company’s current line-up is the most comprehensive in its history. With a variety of sedans, coupes, SUVs and roadsters filling Mercedes showrooms, and the future seems assured if we look at this futuristic concept car revealed in Japan last year.

The stalwart S-Class

Daimler-Benz’s safety advancements continued in the 1980s. Its cars were the first to offer airbags and traction control. The manufacturer also raised the bar in terms of ride comfort and handling when it introduced multilink rear suspension. The technology debuted on the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 E, and it remains a vital component of the company’s chassis engineering to this day. Mercedes-Benz vehicles got an extra dose of power and performance in the 1990s, thanks to the manufacturer’s partnership with AMG, a performance and tuning shop that was eventually purchased by the company, to help produce high-performance versions of some of its vehicles. The first AMG model offered in the U.S. was the sporty C36 AMG in 1995; since then, Mercedes has gone on to offer an AMG-tuned version of almost all of its vehicles.

To prove a point, the company got involved in Formula 1 in 1954

The future of Mercedes-Benz?

Surely, the fact that Janis Joplin’s song holds as much relevance today as it did more than three decades ago is a strong indicator that the brand’s premier status is still very much intact.

The barnstorming SL65 AMG

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CRANLEIGH

The Year Ahead...

Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce has a busy programme of events planned for the year ahead, says Martin Bamford

CHAMBER NEWS

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ur monthly networking breakfasts start in February with a presentation by Jim Smith of Shopper Anonymous, the UK’s leading customer feedback organisation. Since 1998, they have specialised in producing the highest-quality feedback through our mystery shopping and customer feedback solutions. They conduct thousands of quality projects each month across a range of sectors.

In addition to mystery shopping, Shopper Anonymous specialise in customer and staff surveys, focus groups, team training and oneto-one mentoring. Chamber members will learn how to measure and improve customer service and have the opportunity to consider a proposal to implement a village-wide customer service initiative.

Our second networking breakfast of the year, on 16th March, features Detective Constable Dave Hull of the Cyber Crime Unit at Surrey Police. Dave will be speaking about the cyber crime risks faced by businesses and how we can stay safe online. The crime rate for England and Wales doubled last year due to the inclusion for the first time of an estimated 5.1m online fraud incidents and 2.5m cyber crime offences. A recent survey found that cyber crime will be the main issue vexing global business this year.

Ahead of that breakfast, Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce committee member Rosemary French OBE is hosting an event for women in business.

Taking place on 7th March, the day before International Women’s Day, the event is for those women who have already started their own businesses, are considering doing so or have reached a crossroads in life and are in need of inspiration regarding what to do next. It will present an opportunity to listen to women in business tell their

stories, inspire you and help you to succeed. It is also an opportunity to network.

Confirmed speakers for the event are Just Jhoom! founder Shalini Bhalla, Vice Principal of Chichester College Julie Kapsalis, international events organiser Christine Martin of Travel Retail Training and newly started business founders Klara Akerstrom and Mel Booth.

The Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce AGM and Annual Dinner is taking place this year at Cranleigh Golf & Country Club on 19th April, where the committee aim to attract 100 guests and will be confirming an inspirational speaker for the evening.

Plans are already being formulated for a series of events in Cranleigh this year, starting with two summer festivals in July and August. Saturday, 24th September has been chosen for the second annual Cranleigh Food & Music Festival. Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce will also be organising the always-popular Christmas Lights Switch-On event, which will take place on Saturday, 19th November.

With a doubling of membership last year, committee members are excited about the year ahead and aim to add another 40 members to the Chamber, reaching a total of at least 150 business members by the end of the year.

There are plenty of changes taking place in Cranleigh at the moment, with several housing developments recently approved or seeking approval shortly. Chambers of Commerce have an important positive voice to shape the future of the local economy and secure the best outcomes for all local businesses.

cranleighbiz.co.uk

CROYDON

TAKE NOTE OF BIG EMPLOYMENT LAW CHANGES IN 2016

Croydon Chamber of Commerce member Fintan O’Toole, Director, HR Dept, shares his expertise on employment issues that will affect all businesses in 2016

S

MEs in Surrey need to be aware of the big employment law changes that come into effect for them in 2016.

The big new thing for 2016 is the introduction of the National Living Wage. The other change which will start to impact upon many of the region’s SMEs this year is Auto-enrolment.

The National Living Wage comes into play in April 2016, starting at a minimum of £7.20 for over-25s. It will rise progressively to £9 by 2020.

For businesses who currently employ people below this rate, it has the potential to have quite an impact. So we would advise preparing for it as soon as possible - if you haven’t already done so.

There are various things to consider, including the age profile of your workforce (under-25s are exempt from Living Wage rules), the impact up the pay bands and the knock-on effects on other parts of remuneration packages. There could be complexities at every turn.

Auto-enrolment has been introduced in stages, based upon the size of a company’s payroll scheme, and is affecting SMEs now. Each company is issued with a staging date for when their auto-enrolment obligations come into force. If you don’t know yours, you can find it on The Pensions Regulator website. Knowing this should be a priority, as you will need to make preparations before this date, including

If you would like to learn more about how Croydon Chamber of Commerce can help your business, please do contact us: T: +44 (0)20 7556 2390 E: info@croydonchamber.org.uk • W: croydonchamber.org.uk

CHAMBER NEWS

selecting a pension scheme, adjusting payroll and communicating with employees.

Missing your staging date and failing to comply with auto-enrolment rules will have repercussions, ranging from informal warnings to fines and penalties. So do not delay!

Working Time Directive: last year The European Court of Justice ruled that travel time to and from the first and last appointments of the day counts as working time under the Working Time Directive.

This ruling could have significant implications for companies that employ mobile workers who spend a lot of time travelling between appointments.

The judgement covered workers who do not have a fixed or habitual place of work and ruled that the time spent by those workers travelling each day between their homes and the premises of the first and last customers constitutes ‘working time’ under the directive.

This has huge implications for employers, both in terms of managing working hours of their staff, and for pay and holiday pay.

• Counting travel to and from the first and last appointment of the day, employees could easily exceed the 48 hour weekly maximum (under the directive) and employers could soon find that they are operating illegally and at risk of claims and fines.

• If the time counts as working time, it counts as time employees should be paid for, too!

• Employers need to check that the increased hours do not bring the total pay under the National Minimum Wage rates.

• These extra hours will mean extra holiday pay, and employers will need to budget for this and ensure their staff are allocated the correct statutory holiday pay.

• The Working Time Directive falls under Health and Safety regulations, so employees do not need to have two years’ employment to take a case to tribunal.

Please get in touch with The HR Dept in South London to review how this impacts on your business. The HR Dept is on hand to help businesses navigate the complex world of employment law and can offer advice, guidance and solutions to companies grappling with the National Living Wage and auto-enrolment. W: hrdept.co.uk

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REGENERATION

REACH FOR THE SKIES Mark Waterstone, Managing Director of Rosepride Ltd, on creating a holistic vision for Croydon’s regeneration.

W

ith the transformation of Croydon’s skyline continuing at break-neck pace, the most striking development will be the iconic One Lansdowne Road skyscraper. The project, which will form one of the tallest residential towers in the UK upon completion in 2021, will turn a forgotten part of town into a thriving Covent Garden-style events space.

With more than 1,000 new homes, 190,000sq ft of Grade A offices and huge public realm enhancements in the pipeline, Guildhouse

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Rosepride are ready to begin work on a series of initiatives which will enhance Croydon as a place people choose to live, work and spend their leisure time.

“Everyone in Croydon will benefit,” said Mark Waterstone, Managing Director of Rosepride Ltd. “Our relationship with Croydon is longstanding – we have been here for more than a decade and have always believed Croydon has an exciting future.”

Having identified the potential of the site at One Lansdowne Road, Guildhouse and

Rosepride teamed up in 2005 and brought forward the vision of renowned architect Piers Gough of CZWG Architects to secure planning permission for a tower on the site in 2012.

Following an introduction from the London & Partners’ initiative, the Mayor’s promotional vehicle, the developers have now enlisted the expertise of China Building Technique Group Company (CBTGC) as tower construction experts, facilitating increased height in the scheme, which now has two towers, peaking at 69 and 39 storeys, respectively.

REGENERATION

“CBTGC will bring their expertise both in the design and construction of the towers to create the most dramatic, iconic new development in London,” said David Hudson, Chief Executive of Guildhouse UK Ltd. “Alongside the new Westfield shopping centre, it is going to be a world-class building which people are going to want to visit.”

The revised planning application for 917 apartments has also been amended to incorporate 25,000 sq ft of retail space, a skyline bar and restaurant, plus a glass-bottomed swimming pool linking the two towers at the 11th floor as part of the partnership’s commitment to creating a sense of place to all of their schemes.

Another addition is the 190,000 sq ft net Grade A office element which will include three floors with 30,000 sq ft floor plates at the lower floors of the building, and which will be a unique offering to the big names currently circling Croydon in the search for cost-effective solutions.

“Our previous plan was to amend our consented scheme to an allresidential scheme, but we have now incorporated office space, because that is also an essential part of making Croydon work,” added Mr Waterstone.

And making Croydon work is a recurring theme in Guildhouse Rosepride’s initiatives in Croydon. Having last year completed 11 LivinHomes in Crystal Palace, a prototype scheme for sustainable living, the developers have just secured planning permission for 113 apartments in Cairo New Road, a 14-storey scheme designed to complement the character of the surrounding conservation area and historic buildings in Croydon Old Town.

That scheme will also include a new plaza as well as constructing a new pedestrian link towards both the new shopping centre and East Croydon station in one direction and Wandle Park in the other.

Placemaking is also key to Guildhouse Rosepride’s plans for Exchange Square, which include bringing the historic former Pump House back to life as a tech hub.

There will be a partly-covered space for activities, with the aim of bringing a Pop-Up Brixton-style buzz to Croydon’s Old Town, with bar and food outlets and small shop units which will help to fill some of the void and create an alternative destination, complementing Surrey Street Market, while Westfield and Hammerson’s £1billion scheme is being built.

“Bringing this area back to life is so important, because the Pump House is a fantastic building,” said Mr Hudson. “We want to bring activity to the area, because there are all these offices and apartments being built in Croydon and the occupiers will want somewhere to go and eat and be entertained.

And while some of the initiatives are futuristic, Guildhouse Rosepride are ready to crack on with all of their schemes this year. “We are keen to do everything we can to make Croydon a highly desirable place to live and work,” added Mr Hudson.

“It will overtake a lot of places in London – and I would include the likes of Clapham in that – because there is going to be so much here, such as an upmarket Westfield shopping centre and One Lansdowne Road, both of which will bring a whole range of people that wouldn’t otherwise come to Croydon.

“There will be another 10-20,000 new dwellings in the centre of Croydon, and with all of the new people and the vibrancy they bring, you have got to have the new facilities: the bars, retaurants and fun places to go.

“Our commitment is about providing all of those various elements – new homes, offices, restaurants and improved public spaces – which will transform Croydon over the next few years.”

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Direct Debit Processing Donor Development Campaign Planning Marketing Resources

www.charityline.org.uk

Call us on: 0800 368 9701 or email: info@charityline.org.uk

CHAMBER EVENTS

DATES FOR THE DIARY For further information go to www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

Wednesday 2nd March Chamber Connections Weybridge Venue: Brooklands Hotel, Weybridge Member: £14, Non-Member: £22

Wednesday 9th March Chamber Connections Reigate Venue: Reigate Heath Golf Club Member: £14, Non-Member: £22

Wednesday 2nd March Your Future Careers Fair (Nescot) Venue: Nescot College, Epsom Member: Free, Non-Member: Free

Thursday 10th March 1-2-1 Start-Up Business Growth Review Venue: Basepoint Centre Ltd, Camberley Member: Free, Non-Member: Free

Thursday 3rd March BCC Annual Conference 2016 Venue: Queen Elizabeth II, London Member: £130.00, Non-Member: £240.00

Thursday 10th March Badminton Networking Event Venue: Lightwater Leisure Centre Member: £12, Non-Member: £17

Tuesday 8th March Business Women in Surrey International Women’s Day Celebration Venue: Something Big, Woking Member: £25, Non-Member: £35

Wednesday 9th March Chamber Connections Leatherhead Venue: Leatherhead Golf Club Member: £14, Non-Member: £22

Tuesday 8th March Inward Processing Relief – IPR Training Course Venue: Arcom IT, Woking Member: £150, Non-Member: £200

Monday 14th March BizOpps Europe 2016 Venue: Surrey National Gold Club, Nr Caterham Member: £12.50, Non-Member: £12.50 Tuesday 15th March Have your cake & eat it! Afternoon Networking

Venue: Sentinel House, Fleet Member: £8.33, Non-Member: £12.50 Wednesday 16th March Members’ Networking Evening Venue: Frimley Hall Hotel Member: Free, Non-Member: £20 Thursday 17th March Business Breakfast at The Bulldog Venue: The Bulldog, Ashford Member: £5, Non-Member: £5 Thursday 17th March Chamber Connections Guildford Venue: Radisson Blu Edwardian, Guildford Member: £14, Non-Member: £22 Thursday 17th March Your Future Careers Fair (Woking) Venue: HG Wells Conference & Events Centre, Woking Member: Free, Non-Member: Free Wednesday 22nd March Open 18 Hole Golf Competition Venue: West Hill Golf Club Member: £68, Non-Member: £90

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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SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

AWARDS SEASON HERE IN SURREY!

by Louise Punter, CEO Surrey Chambers of Commerce

F

ollowing on from the inaugural success of the Business Women in Surrey Top 50 list in 2015, we have been looking for nominations to highlight the impressive and varied talent prevalent in young (under 30) businesswomen across the county. Success can be defined in a multitude of ways, so we’re encouraging nominations that cover all walks of life, from young entrepreneurs to graduates and young achievers across the business world to those who relentlessly give back to the community. We already have, Louise Punter amongst others, a fantastic list of engineers, teachers, event planners, marketing experts, fundraisers and can’t wait to meet them all in March and announce the top 10 who will have been voted for by the local business community.

We have been receiving entries for The Surrey Advertiser Toast of Surrey Awards, which recognise great businesses in Surrey and culminates in one of the most prestigious events on the Surrey business calendar. By entering the awards and reaching the shortlist, a business has the chance to benefit from extensive PR leading up to the awards, at the gala awards evening itself in April - and in a special post-awards supplement. There are several different categories, and it gives companies the chance to share success and widen their network.

As well as these exciting awards, the National CSR awards are just around the corner. The National CSR Awards isn’t just about recognising big business for responsible and sustainable practices. It is about rewarding change; building platforms to learn, share and progress ideas; and encouraging the development of engaged and ethical business practices. Make sure you get your entries in before 12th March and be recognised for the fantastic work you are achieving.

This applies to ALL organisations, large and small: Corporates, SMEs, NGOs, Community and local initiatives. The Awards aim to recognise ANY organisation that puts Social Responsibility and CSR at its core, demonstrating its commitment to change.

No matter how small your organisation or your project, together we can strive towards ‘Rewarding new Standards in Sustainability’.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce can be reached on 01483 735540, info@surrey-chambers.co.uk, @surreychambers

WINNERS TRAIN LIKE THEY ARE SECOND BEST!

Former world record holder for javelin Steve Backley OBE inspired Surrey businesses at Reigate Manor Hotel’s first sports business breakfast on Tuesday, 19th January.

The lively and motivational breakfast session showed Steve providing top tips on enhancing business performance and motivation. So, what did it take to motivate an Olympic athlete to become a world record holder, winning four gold medals at

CHAMBER NEWS

the European Championships, three Commonwealth Games gold

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medals, two silvers and a bronze at the Olympic Games, and two silvers at the World Championships.?

Simple, winners train like they’re second best, take P.R.I.D.E Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence, and you can only control the controllable.

“We are so pleased to be able to support this event. Steve is a generous speaker and invested lots of time in the audience, Reigate Manor Hotel is an exemplary venue that always delivers, and a great crowd of Surrey businesses created a wonderful event,” said Carol Squires, Head of Development. “I have learned so much.”

Backley was a firm fixture in the British national athletics team for over fifteen years and is the only British track and field competitor to win medals at three different Olympic Games.

Giles Thomas, General Manager at Reigate Manor Hotel, said:

prime location in Surrey for any business meeting, conference, wedding reception, civil marriage, birthday party, dinner dance, or simply an opportunity to enjoy our renowned Sunday carvery or afternoon tea in the restaurant or lounge.

With 50 bedrooms, the hotel can offer every comfort, and the

“From our first discussions about the event to the time Steve

conference and banqueting facilities are able to cater for a wide

arrived at the hotel at 6.30am, Steve’s professional and passionate

variety of functions - for up to 200 guests.

attitude ensured that the event was a success. A true ambassador

If you would like to attend any of Reigate Manor Hotel’s future

for England and British Athletics.”

meetings, please contact Giles Thomas, 01737240125 or

About Reigate Manor Hotel: The Reigate Manor Hotel offers a

functios@reigatemanor.co.uk.

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

CAREERS FAIR OPENS STUDENTS’ EYES TO FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

O

n Wednesday, 20 January, in a joint initiative

with Surrey Chamber of Commerce, Hinchley Wood School hosted a Careers Fair which saw nearly 1,000 students aged between 14 and 18 years talking to nearly 40 different

Mclaren Hinchley Wood School

businesses and organisations.

A total of 250 ‘Your Future Careers Fairs’ are being organised

by British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) branches all over the UK between September 2015 and March 2016, the funding for which is provided by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).

Throughout the day Hinchley Wood students were given the chance to interact with businesses and find out first-hand the activities associated with working in that industry. They were able to talk to employed young people and discover different career paths and employment opportunities available, both in the local area as well as further afield.

There was a wide and diverse range of businesses and organisations at the Hinchley Wood fair, including well-known names such as McLaren Automotive, Fulham Football Club, Surrey Police and IBM, as well as representatives from accountancy, photography, veterinary services, banking, beauty, hotel and catering, child care plus higher and further education providers like Surrey University and Brooklands College.

Morgan James, a Year 12 student, said: “I still don’t know what I want to do in the future, so the fair has been really useful in giving me some ideas of what is out there.”

Cormack Power and Nat David, also both in Year 12, agreed: “It’s been very helpful to be able to talk to so many different types of businesses all in one place. It was interesting to hear what it’s really like working as a policeman, very different from what we see on the television!”

Past Hinchley Wood student Tim Haines, now working for McLaren Automotive, said it had been “An interesting and rewarding day being both inspired by, and hopefully inspiring, the engineers and designers of the future.”

Chief Executive Officer of Surrey Chamber of Commerce, Louise Punter, comments: “It has been very pleasing to see so many young people engaging so enthusiastically with everyone here. We hope they have gone away with a better idea of the wide range of options open to them in the future and, ideally, with increased ability to make a more informed decision on a possible career path.”

JEREMY CORBYN JOINS LINE-UP OF TOP SPEAKERS AT SURREY CHAMBERS BCC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016:

A senior cabinet minister and Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn MP will join other politicians and business leaders at the upcoming British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference, titled Decision Time: New Politics, New Economy, New Britain?

Coming months before a highly anticipated EU referendum, the conference will also feature a senior European politician and a debate between leading business figures from both sides.

Speakers and panellists will focus on addressing businesscritical themes, including Europe, infrastructure, and both current and future economic prospects for the UK. Sponsored by American Express, Facebook, BT Business, and Smart Energy, the conference will also bring together hundreds of business people from a range of industries, and from across the UK.

Speakers include: • • • •

Senior cabinet minister confirmed Senior European political speaker confirmed Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Opposition Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills • Angel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD • Lord Rose, Chairman, Britain Stronger in Europe • Jon Moynihan, Spokesman, Vote Leave • Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP • Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman, Network Rail • John Longworth, BCC Director General Commenting ahead of the Annual Conference, Carol Squires, Head of Business Development, said, “With increasing global uncertainty and a once-in-a-generation EU referendum campaign set to dominate the business headlines in 2016, our Annual Conference offers senior politicians and business leaders the opportunity to debate the big business issues and to engage with businesses from all parts of the UK. We look forward to welcoming all our speakers to the Conference, as we look to maintain and improve the UK’s position in the global economy.”

To book visit: www.bccconference.co.uk/attend/

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PLATINUM STYLE

style PLATINUM

FIRST

IMPRESSIONS COUNT A merican columnist Will Rogers once said ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’, and he was right.

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

Research tells us that when you meet

someone for the first time, your eyes, your hair

First impressions count. Especially these days,

and your smile are the things they notice first.

when everything is so instant and image driven.

But they also notice your clothes. What you

Did you know that you only get about three

wear conveys specific messages about your

seconds to make that impression? That’s how

lifestyle, status and personal style preferences.

long it takes for people to make a judgement

How you wear it says a lot about how you feel –

about you, based on what you look like and

for example, if you wear clothing that is too big

what you’re wearing.

and baggy, it may be that you are lacking body

Now, I know that you want that judgment to be as favourable as possible whether you are

78

First impressions and confidence

confidence and want to hide yourself.

Taking pride in your appearance and

heading to an important meeting, networking

dressing well does not mean that you are vain

event, job interview or meeting your future in-

or shallow. It means that you care about how

laws. So what are the things you should think

you present yourself to the world. Dressing

about?

well not only enables you to alter your

PLATINUM STYLE

appearance, it also improves your mood and boosts your confidence,

• Dress as you, for you. Don’t try and be

which is, of course, vital to making a good first impression. Dressing well

someone else or what you think others

will help boost your confidence on the less-than-good days, and will give

expect. Ladies, if you never wear heels,

you something less to worry about on the great days. If you know you are

don’t wear towering stilettos – you will

wearing a fantastic outfit that fits, suits your shape and is comfortable to

feel (and look) very uncomfortable. Guys,

wear, this gives you the freedom to focus on other things.

if you feel most comfortable in a suit

Is it easier for women?

but are going to a smart casual event

You may think that it’s easier for women, as we have a myriad of

and don’t want to look out of place, keep

clothing choices available. I would argue that it’s easier in terms of

it smart with dark jeans or chinos and a blazer.

dressing for social occasions, but dressing for work can be a real minefield. Women tread a fine line between wanting to look smart and

• Pay attention to the details. It goes

professional without having to look like one of the boys, or undermining

without saying, really, but it’s

our professionalism by looking too ‘girlie’ or ‘sexy’. It’s a question of

surprising the number

balance, and it’s tricky. My three golden rules?

of people who

1. Check your hemlines. Depending on your age (and the state of your

neglect the small

legs) two to three inches above the knee is the shortest you should

details. Clean

go;

teeth, hair and

2. Nothing should be too tight or revealing if you want to be taken

nails, please.

seriously;

Enough said.

3. Make sure your workwear fits your office culture.

Prepare, be yourself, and check the details Whatever the occasion, and whether you are male or female, make

Keep these points in mind and you’ll be

sure you have thought about the following:

sure to make

• Preparation is everything. I’ve said this before. Please don’t leave

a great

it to the last minute to decide what to wear to an important meeting

impression,

or event. Nothing is more panic inducing than discovering a broken

every time.

zipper, missing button or not having the right socks/jumper/bag etc.

Let me

Try your full outfit on in advance – this will give you time for any last

know how

minute cleaning or repairs

you get on!

MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION Maintaining your clothes regularly will mean no last minute panics or a pile of repairs. Make sure you: • Check your clothes regularly: heels should not be worn down, hems should not be frayed or falling, buttons should not be missing, tights should not be laddered • Invest in these four: shoes, coats, watches and bags. These are the pieces that everyone notices • Keep it clean: clean and polish your shoes regularly and check clothes for stains • Pay attention to fit: ill-fitting clothing makes you look sloppy 79

SURREY HILLS

THE COW PARADE

Sean Kelly, Managing Director of Vines Group BMW and MINI and Cathy Parsons, Vines Group Marketing and CRM Manager present CowParade Leader Tim Metson with the keys to the especially branded BMW X5

Supported by some of the county’s leading business figures, Surrey Hills Enterprise has launched a novel promotional campaign to broaden awareness of its work aimed at bringing the beauty of the Surrey Hills to a larger audience.

S

urrey Hills CowParade 2016 is based around a concept originally introduced in Switzerland in 1998. It has since been staged in more than 80 cities and towns worldwide with over 3,000 cows decorated by more than 5,000 artists.

The New York CowParade had 450 cows on exhibition across the Big Apple and was seen worldwide by 45 million people.

Surrey Hills Enterprises hopes that during 2016 more than 200 colourful cows will decorate the hills, farms, towns, schools and popular landmarks across the county to increase awareness of everything Surrey has to offer in terms of business and tourism, and also to raise as much money as possible for good causes.

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Andrew Shaw, Director of Surrey Hills and former Global Leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal which has over 2,000 lawyers operating across 80 countries, says: “CSR is important to all organisations these days and in most businesses it is normally driven by the Human Resources departments. It’s all about companies doing something for the community and putting something back. We hope that businesses across Surrey will see the benefits of supporting this fantastic event as a really novel way for companies to support their CSR and raise funds for either local good causes or national charities.”

CSR is one of the key motivators for Vines Group BMW and MINI who have become one of

the sponsors of Surrey Hills CowParade.

Managing Director Sean Kelly says: “CSR is a topic that over the last 10 years has become more and more important for all businesses, not only from the point of view of being seen to do the right thing but actually contributing to doing the right thing as well. A lot of people feel that big businesses are just focused on the bottom line and are mainly concerned about shareholder return. But businesses, through their CSR related activities, can demonstrate in a tangible way that they are giving something positive back to the community.

“Of course it’s not purely altruistic. Naturally there is a marketing benefit that comes with CSR projects which are a good vehicle to get our name and brand out there for wider

SURREY HILLS

recognition. We have got companies that buy fleets of vehicles from us and they only choose to deal with us because of our CSR approach, along with the efficiency and economy of the BMW product as well. There is a local company that bought 100 vehicles from us because of the CO2 emissions from the vehicles and SURRE Y thinking about that wider environmental impact.”

He adds: “We are the last family-owned have been crazy not to be part of it.” company for BMW in Surrey and Sussex so it Vines Group, which has showrooms in is really close to our heart that we have got Guildford, Redhill and Gatwick, supports a the opportunity to try and do things a little diff erent charity at each of its sites with staff outside of the norm. Surrey Hills is an area of engaged in a variety of fund-raising events and outstanding natural beauty. You can look out of the company off ering practical help to their the showroom today to see green fields and it E Y charities.

H R I L R L chosen These S include Dream Flight, is part of our heritage.

SU which sends children on holidays; Taylan’s “The CowParade is really quirky and I’m a Project, which fund’s the fight against brain quirky type of person, so it certainly appealed tumours and Us in a Bus where volunteers give to me personally. There are two key things: It up their time to drive special needs children. is a cross-Surrey event and we are a Surrey Says Sean: “Vines Group through our CSR is business, so there is a nice natural geographic very active in the charity sector.

It’s not only link there. Secondly, it is about the moving of good for the business, it is good for the staff – the cows which seemed to be perfect fodder people feel good about working for a company (if you will forgive the pun) for us to supply the that is looking after other people. organisers with a vehicle to help them move “BMW are of course synonymous with their cows around. Surrey is hosting a massive precision engineering technology which can event that has been well received around the be a little clinical. Therefore for over 20 years world over recent years. Frankly, we would

EY HILLS

H I LLS

R R EY

LLS

BMW have been doing those marvellous art cars to show off their creative side. Art cars fit in perfectly with the idea of painting the cows in the CowParade scenario, another good reason for us to be involved. It really is a brilliant concept and I would recommend other businesses to join this novel event as part of their CSR activities.”

The painted cows will be auctioned at the end of the CowParade season with proceeds shared between Surrey Hills Trust Fund and the cow sponsors chosen charity.

Vines Group BMW and MINI is sponsoring the Surrey Hills CowParade by providing organisers with an especially branded BMW X5 vehicle to promote the initiative. Vines Group will also have a decorated cow that will auctioned for good causes. To find out how your business can join in visit: www.surreyhillscowparade.com or call the Surrey Hills CowParade team on 01483 661150

SUR R EY H I L L S SURREY HILLS

©Copyright: These designs remain the property of The Opcyon Design Company Limited. It is not sold or given but loaned by said & subject to recall. It must not be traced nor reproduced in any matter nor shall it be submitted to third parties for examination without consent. It shall be used only as a means of any information therein except for the purpose for which they were provided. It shall be read in conjunction with accompanying literature, where provided. The reader shall ensure that full details have been provided and that no part of the documents are missing before commencement of works.

Under starters orders. Jockeys Richard Johnson (left) and Sam Twiston-Davies launch Surrey Hills CowParade 2016

81

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS

A TAXING ISSUE DAVID SEALL 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 www.davidseall.co.uk ∕ www.dmhstallard.com

T

he recent furore over Google’s settlement of its corporation tax payments in the UK have highlighted the

way that the public’s perception of a powerful nation state is just no longer the case.

The rise of truly global corporations, providing services rather than physical products, sometimes delivering them through

they become intertwined with their daily lives,

control on these companies perhaps more

for example most teenagers in the UK watch

joined up thinking in the trading blocks helps.

online video content in preference to live TV.

Large corporations do sit up and listen when

The rapid rise of these businesses and the

the EU or USA take them to task, which may be

acceptance and usage of their products seems

the case with tax regimes shortly. Anti-trust or

to grow exponentially. Amazingly it’s only 9 years since Apple announced the iPhone.

This pace of change as well as feeding the

anti competition legislation can certainly hurt and some will remember the “Bundled Internet Explorer v Netscape” legislation which stopped

third parties and aided by communications

growth and power of these companies is also

technologies that no longer recognise national

their Achilles heel. Much of the debate in 2016

borders, has meant that individual countries

will be whether the Apple growth miracle has

are now impotent in taming or indeed even

reached its zenith. I must admit I was surprised

economy the consumer decides the fate of

influencing these companies. Companies such

how dependent Apple is on iPhone sales

these mega-corporations. The consumer will

as Apple, Amazon, the large coffee retailers

contributing over 60% of revenues. One can see

look at price, value and quality of service. More

and Google have wealth exceeding that of a

how the introduction of new products is key

importantly they will also look at the values

whole host of countries, which in itself creates

to their future. With Amazon making drones

of these corporations and decide where they

a new paradigm.

and rockets and Tesla making rockets and

wish to spend their money. One looks at the VW

rapid transit “tubes”, there are lots of rumours

scandal and now the revelations of how Tesco

pander to public opinion and yet do everything

around an Apple car becoming a reality. It’s

they can to attract inward investment from

interesting how these businesses are moving

has treated its supply chain, charging fees to

these companies, including a race to the

back toward physical products.

Additionally, countries claim indignation and

bottom in corporation tax rates to compete

Of course these businesses can decline

the then all-conquering Microsoft in its tracks.

Of course in a really competitive market

suppliers just to be “in the game”, to see how this influences consumer choice.

I suspect that these companies are well

with their neighbours. Indeed as Google says,

as fast as they can grow. There are many

“Governments make tax law, the tax authorities

businesses of the new age that have come

independently enforce the law and Google

along, achieved market dominance and then

complies with the law,” so one can hardly

almost disappeared without trace. The recent

agenda, so perhaps we will see some different

blame them for finding the most efficient

closure of “Friends Reunited” was an example

approaches in the not too distant future and

solution and providing the best shareholder

of this. A company basically obliterated by

fewer negative headlines. If not, there are

value. Alongside this, the public at large

Facebook.

bound to be some very aggressive challengers

clamour for these products and services as

82

For nation states to gain some grip and

aware of the importance of their brand and have risk management of it at the top of their

after their business.

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