Ulster Business - March 2015

MARCH 2015 Price £2.30 (€3.75)

Digital hero How eircom Business Solutions NI is ready and waiting to help you embrace the revolution

Retail rates: The revaluation winners and losers

Shifting IT: Have we the skills to keep up?

ISSN 1363-2507

9 771363 250005

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Contents 6 News

32 City meets city

62 Tax & Accounting

The latest stories from all corners of the business world

The bosses of London City and Belfast City Airports compare notes

Devolved corporation tax powers look to be on the way but are we prepared enough?

14 Cover Story

36 Retail

76 Business Breakfast

Darren Lemon from eircom Business Solutions NI on the firm’s journey

The winners and losers in the aftermath of non-domestic rates revaluation

Bill Connor from Sentinus mulls over the drive for STEM promotion, and a coffee

17 Viscount Awards

52 Tourism & Hospitality

78 Motoring

Why you should enter the Aer Lingus-sponsored competition

We find out how we go about wooing more visitors to these shores

Pat Burns keeps his foot to the floor with the best of the month’s new releases

22 IT & Technology

60 Fledgling Freelancer

90 Events

Do we have the skills to cope with the sector’s boom?

Julie Stewart celebrates a one-year milestone as her own boss

We’ve been out and about at the month’s best business events

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62 22

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

The first signs of an economic spring?

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elcome to the March edition of Ulster Business. At the time of writing the chill winds of winter are still stubbornly hanging around in the same way the full impact of public sector spending cuts in Northern Ireland has been lingering over us.

It could be said that we’ve only just started a long winter of spending cut discontent but the balmy air of an economic summer is fighting hard to overcome what has been a dark cloud hanging over business here.

The Northern Ireland economy’s own snowdrops and daffodils have arrived in the form of the growing likelihood that corporation tax will be devolved to Stormont in due course and, as importantly in the short term, that the Executive is at last agreeing on how much and where it is cutting its spending.

We power up the world of IT and technology to find out how our fastest growing sector is coping when it comes to skills, we hit the high street to find out who will be the winners and the losers after the recent revaluation of non-domestic rates and we check in with the travel, tourism and hospitality sector to find out who is visiting us on these shores.

Pat Burns fills us in on the best of the month’s new motors, our events section catches up with the best social business events of the last few weeks and Adam Maguire checks out the latest gadgets in his technology pages.

That’s key because uncertainty spells the death knell when it comes to investment by business and although many of the cuts will be unwelcome, we can at least form a plan to get over them and move on.

Enjoy the magazine and here’s hoping spring will have sprung when by the next magazine.

Publisher Greer Publications 5b Edgewater Business Park Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast BT3 9JQ www.ulsterbusiness.com Tel: 028 9078 3200

Editor David Elliott

Art Editor Stuart Gray

Manager Sonia Armstrong

Production Manager Stuart Gray

Printer W&G Baird Greystone Press, Caulside Drive, Antrim BT41 2RS www.wgbaird.com

Deputy Manager Sylvie Brando

Cover Photography PressEye

Greer Publications © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of Greer Publications.

MARCH 2015

In Ulster Business this month we’re finding out about a company which has been providing the backbone of both the public and private sector for a number of years when it comes to digital communications, eircom.

Free to download. Free to read. ulsterbusiness/app 5

NEWS

Briefs Limavady-based Northern Ceramics has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to reach new markets for its range of innovative cleaning products for internal and external flooring surfaces. The family-owned and managed company, based at Drumsurn Road used Invest NI’s successful Design Development Programme to develop a brand and marketing materials for its SurfaceFirst products.

The company has also received technical advice and support from Invest NI.

Report: Case for APD abolition hasn’t been made

Newtownabbey-based Capita Managed IT Solutions has extended its contract with Newham College, London, in a deal worth £1.95m over the next three years. The contract will see Capita provide a wide range of managed IT services, including network provision, security management, disaster recovery and help desk support.

Global biotechnology firm Randox Laboratories, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, is offering STEM and Business Management students a chance to reach the top, with a new industrial training programme. The clinical diagnostics company has kickstarted ‘Randox Apex’, a scheme which will create up to 40 opportunities each year, for full time undergraduate students at Queen’s.

FIELDMOTION, the Newry based company behind the mobile workflow management software, is rapidly expanding in the market with 25 positions created in the first two months of 2015. In the past two years the company which specialises in recording real time data for staff working away from the office has gone from five employees to more than 30 people working in sales, marketing and operations.

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bolition of airport passenger duty (APD) on Northern Ireland flights will not offer a significant boost to the economy here, according to an economic impact assessment commissioned by the enterprise and finance departments.

The report said the economic benefits of removing the £13 tax on short haul flights aren’t enough to offset the cost to the public purse.

“The most likely outcome from a reduction in APD would deliver a small positive net economic benefit (and that is based on a lower tax cost), however... a strong case for change has NOT been made,” the Northern Ireland Centre for Economic Policy (NICEP), which carried out the assessment, said.

Proponents of a removal of APD argue that Northern Ireland is losing passengers, tourism and potential business to Dublin airport, particularly after the Republic abolished the tax last year. But NICEP said the Department of Enterprise

Trade and Investment should take a different tack to boost air connectivity to and from Northern Ireland.

“DETI may wish to consider a more direct targeted intervention. One example could be a programme to stimulate route development to primarily business destinations (rather than holiday destinations).”

APD has already been abolished on long haul flights from Northern Ireland, although the only service which currently comes under that banner is the Newark service from Belfast International Airport.

Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive of George Best Belfast City Airport, said he welcomed the report as a first step to address a serious issue. “Ignoring the realities of the current situation simply isn’t an option – Northern Ireland is losing out,” he said in a statement. “I believe there is potential in both a 50% reduction in APD and an Air Route Development Fund and will be working with the Executive to explore these options further.”

NEWS

Mortgage lending jumps 40% as first-time buyers prove thirsty

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he renewed thirst to own a home saw mortgage lending in Northern Ireland jump by 40% last year, with first-time buyers leading the way, according the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

Its full year report for 2014 revealed that £1.3bn was lent for homeowner house purchase throughout the year in 13,000 separate loans.

Encouragingly for the housing market, £620m of that was to first-time home buyers – a 35% jump on 2013 – from a section of the home buying market which is said to be vital to a longer-term recovery.

That’s the highest level of borrowing from first-time buyers since 2006.

And affordability for first time buyers has also remained relatively steady with borrowers typically borrowing 2.74 times their gross income, well below the UK average of 3.38 times, on homes worth £80,955 on average. The typical gross income of a first-time buyer households here was £29,590.

MARCH 2015

As a comparison, first time buyers in London typically borrow 3.84 times their household salaries averaging £56,314.

Affordability for home movers in Northern Ireland also stayed steady at 2.43 times gross income on houses worth £105,775 on average. The typical gross household income of a home mover stood at £44,887.

Home mover affordability changed fractionally, with home movers typically borrowing 2.43 times their gross income compared 2.46 in the third quarter and to 3.03 for the UK overall.

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NEWS

A Month in Numbers 2,400 The number of full-time equivalent posts expected to be ‘suppressed’ in the Northern Ireland Civil Service as part of the current voluntary exit scheme.

House prices up 8% but still only half of 2007 peak

27,500 The number of staff currently in the NICS.

13% The percentage of the wider public sector which is made up by the NICS.

1 The number of month’s pay per year of service offered to NICS workers who take up the voluntary redundancy scheme, up to a maximum of 21 months.

400 The number of new jobs announced by IT company Kainos in February.

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he average price of a house in Northern Ireland has climbed 8% over the last year, with terraces leading the charge higher, new government data has revealed.

The jump puts the average house price here at £109,342, according to the latest Residential Property Price Index released by the Department of Finance, a record of actual sales of residential property and one of the most accurate indicators of the health of the market.

The average salary of the jobs at Kainos.

But while the prices are on the rise, there’s still a long way to go before the market has recovered the ground lost since the start of the credit crunch and subsequent recession in 2007.

306,300

Average house prices in Northern Ireland are still down 51% since the peak but are buoyed by the fact the ratio between prices and wages has come back to more normal levels.

£30,000

The number of dairy cows in Northern Ireland in 2014, an increase of 9% on 2013. They produced a total of 2.2bn litres of milk within that time.

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The ratio of average house price to average earnings now stands at 4.5, slightly higher than the last two years at 4.2% but much more sustainable than the 9.1% reached in 2007.

When it comes to house types, terraces enjoyed the biggest boost to prices during 2014 of 9% to stand at £74,185, followed closely by semi-detached houses which climbed 8% to £108,212. Detached houses and apartments both rose 7% over the year to £167,906 and £86,871 respectively.

A look at transaction data also shows a boost to the property market here, although apartments are still lagging other property types, Richard Ramsey, economist at Ulster Bank pointed out.

“When you look at actual transactions, 2014 has proven to be the best year for all property types, apart from the apartment market which suggests they remain out of favour for now.”

From a geography perspective, the west and south of Northern Ireland performed best over the last year with average house prices climbing 10% to £103,282 while those in the north of Northern Ireland climbed 9% to £101,839, in Belfast by 9% to £102,234, in outer Belfast by 9% to £125,884 and in the east of Northern Ireland by the lowest rate of 5% to £105,331.

NEWS

Tyrone construction firm creates 12 new posts

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onaghmore company QMAC Construction has created 12 new jobs after winning a number of new contracts. It’s also invested in a secondary facility in Belfast, appointed a new managing director to oversee operations and said it expects to take on more staff in the next two years.

QMAC currently employs 47 people and works across a wide range of sectors including commercial, heritage, sports and leisure, social housing, health and education and plans to expand its business both within and outside Northern Ireland.

Rhona Quinn, Chairperson of QMAC and current President of the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) in Northern Ireland, said the company has a forward-looking growth strategy.

“QMAC has maintained a steady workload over the last few years despite the severe challenges of the recession and, in 2014, we took the decision to invest in the longterm growth of the company,” she said.

Rhona Quinn

“We appointed a new managing director, Eddie O’Neill, to oversee the delivery of our new strategic plan and, with almost 40 years’ experience in the construction industry in Northern Ireland, the company is already reaping the benefits of his unrivalled knowledge, guidance and expertise.”

Rhona established QMAC in 1982 along with husband Peter and said a number of the new roles have already been filled, notably by workers who have returned to Northern Ireland having worked on major international projects such as the Shard in London and the world’s tallest building The Kingdom Tower in the Middle East.

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NEWS

London firm creates 50 highly-paid jobs

Terry Canning of FarmWizard with Alan Watts, Director of the Halo programme, and angel investor, Pat Blake.

FarmWizard casts its spell

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elfast software company FarmWizard has been bought over by the Grosvenor Estate in a deal which will see the local company expand its presence and workforce here.

Wheatsheaf Investments, part of the Grosvenor Estate led by the Duke of Westminster, has acquired a majority stake in the leading web-based livestock management business – the first ever buy out of a company invested in by business angels from Halo, the NI business angel network.

FarmWizard’s software, which is primarily used to monitor data, is utilised across the world, including America, South Africa, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Customers in the UK include suppliers for major supermarkets such as Waitrose.

The company developed the world’s first cloud-based agricultural software solution and this can be integrated with a range of farm data sources to provide a simple user platform for the farmer.

Farm Wizard will continue to be led

by Belfast man, Terry Canning, who founded the business in 2005.

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Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster and Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive, Invest NI pictured with David Webber (centre), Managing Director, Intelligent Environments Europe.

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orthern Ireland’s reputation as a hub for financial services firms has helped persuade a London company to set up a Belfast base and create 50 highly-paid jobs.

Intelligent Environments Europe has announced it is in the process of setting up a software engineering operation in the city and will be paying an average of £42,000-a-year for the posts.

The company said Belfast was chosen ahead of potential sites in the rest of the UK, in the Republic, India and Europe as “the best location for our new product development centre”.

David Webber, Intelligent Environments’ Managing Director, said Invest NI’s London team first alerted the firm to the potential of Belfast and expected the new office to play a key role in its plans for the future.

“Digital access is a necessity for financial services organisations and we believe we have the opportunity over the next few years to significantly grow our business globally,” he said. “To do this we need additional software research and development resources, as continuous product development is crucial for the future of the company.”

Intelligent Environments provides mobile and online software to providers of financial services, such as retail banks, card providers and car finance companies.

The key role of the new Belfast operation will be product development to deliver new software features for its product Interact.

It provides a ‘front end’ to information systems enabling financial institutions to engage with their customers via any digital device such as PCs, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.

Invest NI has offered the company a £500,000 employment grant as well as training support of over £76,000 through its Skills Growth Programme.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said the talent in Northern Ireland was a big draw for the company.

“Once again Northern Ireland has been chosen as the optimum location by an internationally successful IT company looking to expand. This is due to our cost-competitive, business-friendly environment, our pool of skilled IT graduates and professionals, and the support offered by Invest Northern Ireland.”

NEWS

Downpatrick company bags business in Iraq

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Downpatrick joinery company has bagged a ‘six figure contract’ to supply its bespoke furniture to a firm in Northern Iraq.

manufacture and installation of furnishings for the luxury apartment complex.

He said the development is high end. “It’s an immensely prestigious complex that along with bespoke items of furniture and joinery work has involved extensive glass and marble features. There will be benefits for another local company, Lamont Stone, which will supply the marble.”

Lignum Interiors from the town is currently fitting out a luxury apartment complex in the region for a team of architects in what is the company’s first deal in the Middle East.

“The contract at the complex is exceptionally important for us at this stage in our development as an internationally-focused supplier of bespoke joinery services,” said Ciaran McMenamin, who founded the business along with Simon McAllister.

“We secured the business on the back of the successful completion of contracts, particularly in the US, for a leading architectural practice.

Their office in the Middle East approached us to work with them on the design,

Invest NI helped the company secure the deal with advice and networking assistance.

“This is a very significant and substantial contract which will help to strengthen Lignum Interior’s position in this particular region of Iraq and, of course, the wider Middle East marketplace,” Invest NI’s trade director said. “Our marketing teams in Belfast and Dubai assisted the company with advice and very practical support on doing business especially in this area.”

Pictured (l-r) are Ciaran McMenamin, Lignum Interiors; Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI, and Simon McAllister, Lignum Interiors. Photo by Simon Graham/Harrison Photography.

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Are you aware of high net worth insurance?

By Holly Stanley, Private Clients Broker, Willis Insurance and Risk Management

courts and other features on the property. High net worth policies typically extend cover beyond the limits of a standard policy to include buildings and features ancillary to the main house.

Contents Cover Contents are generally defined as the personal property which you own. This can include furniture, furnishings, household goods and personal effects on a worldwide basis to cover multiple homes and those who may travel frequently.

Valuables Cover Insurers also offer separate valuables cover if customers have a specific list of valuables they would like to protect, such as fine art, antiques and collectibles, including extensions to cover the ‘death of an artist’.

Liabilities Cover Liabilities cover protects against liability claims related to your property or household employees. Legal expenses cover defrays the cost of pursuing claims against another party, arising from, for example, a dispute over a contract or land title.

Travel Cover

S

tandard insurance policies will meet the needs of most customers when it comes to covering everyday assets and valuables. But as you endeavour with your inevitable online comparison search and start to key in specified items, you will find most insurers will either ask you to reduce your valuation to suit their needs or they will ask you to call them. This is the moment when a broker who specialises in high net worth insurance products blossoms.

Most high net worth policies can offer a good level of annual travel insurance that covers cancellation charges, medical expenses while abroad, and costs due to delayed departure and missing luggage.

Additional Covers In addition to the preceding list, there are many more additional covers available as part of high net worth policies, such as: • Small craft • Caravans • Second homes abroad • Family protection

Who Needs It and Why? A high net worth policy benefits customers who have particularly valuable assets, such as an expensive home, a collection of fine art, high-end jewellery or motor vehicles, or perhaps your home is of non-standard construction. It might not necessarily be all of these but even one of these features may result in ineligibility for a standard policy. Standard policies may not encompass customers’ full range of assets, providing an insufficient sum insured or one that cannot account for the sheer volume of valuables. Shoe-horning your needs into a standard policy is the biggest mistake you can make.

Buildings Cover As part of a high net worth policy, ‘buildings’ is likely defined as the main dwelling, outbuildings, garages, swimming pools, tennis

By purchasing a comprehensive and bespoke high net worth policy from Willis Insurance & Risk Management, you can rest easy knowing that you have fully insured the assets which you have worked so hard to build.

For further information contact Holly Stanley on 028 9032 9042 or email: hollys@willisinsurance.co.uk

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Darren Lemon, eircom Business Solutions NI general manager.

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

The digital backbone How eircom Business Solution NI’s know-how is winning more and more fans in the private sector.

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ou might not know it, but you’ve probably already relied on the company at the centre of this interview at some stage today.

That’s because eircom Business Solutions NI is responsible for the communications and digital infrastructure of some of the biggest organisations – public and private – throughout Northern Ireland.

Perhaps you travelled to work on a bus, manufactured by Wrightbus, a train operated by Translink, or cycled a bicycle from Chain Reaction, all of whom are backed up by eircom’s communications solutions & services. If you dropped the children to school or borrowed a book from the library, you may not realise that their services are facilitated by being on eircom’s digital platform as are those of Power NI and NIE, whom we all use every day.

In fact, engage with any government department or agency over the past seven years and you will be connecting via a platform delivered by eircom.

MARCH 2015

The latter sector is one where the company has made its mark since setting up shop in Northern Ireland back in 2007, taking a major part in the ongoing government reform which has been in motion since then.

It’s also driven the digital agenda throughout Northern Ireland’s government. “By delivering and managing a single backbone wide-area network across government, including unified communications and IP Telephony, we have enabled collaboration across departments and agencies and helped deliver savings at the civil service of some 50%, equivalent to £12m,” eircom Business Solutions NI general manager Darren Lemon told Ulster Business.

Quite an achievement, one carried out without fuss or fanfare and one which is making some of the biggest and most progressive companies in Northern Ireland sit up and take notice.

The likes of the aforementioned Chain Reaction Cycles, for whom eircom’s fullymanaged resilient, high performance >

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wide-area network underpins their online trading operations; business services company Concentrix who avail of eircom’s leading contact centre technology to deliver advanced customer service; Ulster Dairy Farmers and estate agency Simon Brien whose business dependency on site-tosite data communications and connection to the internet is reassured by a managed high-performance service from eircom.

Some of these big names and many others enjoy the benefits of eircom’s fully-managed network solution, which leaves them free from worrying about core underlying networks, giving them the time and the platform to create new digital services.

The ability to provide such a service has been honed in the last eight years by the company’s experience with the public sector, but the fact it built its business from the ground up since arriving in Belfast has also been a big plus.

in Northern Ireland. All service desk agents, along with all NOC engineers, are ITIL v3 qualified, which means customers do not need to navigate through multiple layers to get speaking to the person who has the knowledge and skill needed.

“We differentiate ourselves by offering focus and attention to our customers’ businesses from right here in Northern Ireland, not from another base elsewhere in the world. Clients can come in here and meet every person they’re likely to deal with at every stage of the process. That’s a big difference to some of our competitors and a big plus for our customers.

“We also proactively manage our customers’ networks, not just the availability, but performance and the quality of that performance. We pride ourselves on our service commitment. In fact, 85% of our service desk calls are outbound.

“From day one we built a service operation centre and a network operations centre (NOC) here in Belfast and have created a business which is local and developed on the back of the talent we have here in Northern Ireland,” Darren said. “Over 40% of our workforce has been brought through the company by being promoted at least once and we’re continuing to recruit in the months ahead.”

“Also, because we’re not tied by a legacy, we can go out and listen to what a customer needs then come up with a solution which is fit for purpose and addressing those needs – now and into the future.”

That local focus means eircom is able to offer a much more personalised service, one which is staffed by experts on the ground

And the experience gained in the public sector is helping eircom shine when it works with private enterprise.

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It’s also managed to put in place what Darren describes as “the most future-proof network in Northern Ireland”, one it has tested thoroughly over the last number of years.

“We’ve gained a huge amount by working so closely with the public sector and that means we’ve a lot to give to the private sector,” he said. “To have government as a reference customer is the biggest endorsement of all because they need to be working with companies at the top of their game who are trustworthy and good at their jobs. That’s us.”

“Going forward, eircom will be offering Northern Ireland enterprise the same opportunity, freeing their IT departments of the day-to-day tasks of ‘keeping the lights on’, enabling them to embrace the digital revolution and to drive growth in the digital economy,” Darren said.

Certainly the performance over the last eight years in Northern Ireland is impressive, with the eircom Business Solutions NI office doubling staff numbers to over 50 and reaching turnover of £38m.

And with an investment of over £18m to date in the next generation IP network linking the main conurbations across Northern Ireland, the company now plans to expand its network in 2015 to a further 13 urban towns including Antrim, Armagh, Dungannon.

With such reach, such in-depth experience and a strong bent toward customer service, the sky will really be the limit for eircom in the months and years ahead.

For more information visit www.eircom.co.uk

in association with

Final call for Aer Lingus Viscount Awards entries!

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usinesses in Northern Ireland are being encouraged to enter this year’s Viscount Awards, in association with Ulster Business.

Local companies and individuals that are playing a pivotal role in the economic growth of Northern Ireland will be honoured at a gala lunch, held in the iconic Members’ Dining Room in the House of Commons.

the Aer Lingus service from George Best Belfast City Airport to London Heathrow T2.

Andrea Hunter, Business Development Manager at Aer Lingus NI said: “For Aer Lingus, it is an honour to provide the vital air connections to both London Heathrow and Gatwick for companies in Northern Ireland to do their business in Great Britain and beyond.

another tough year. Many of these companies are achieving extraordinary success in their respective fields but have so far, flown under the radar.

“We really want to highlight their achievements and emphasise the professional benchmarks they are setting for the business community in Northern Ireland around the world.

“The companies that have entered the Awards so far have a lot in common, demonstrating new innovations across different facets of their businesses, impressive business performance statistics, resilience and growth to their bottom line. We anticipate fierce competition in all of the awards categories.”

Nominations are being invited in the following categories; Best Small, Medium and Large Business, Most Innovative Company, Exporter of the Year, Business Person of the Year and the Aer Lingus Awards for Overall Excellence.

“The Viscount Awards were created to celebrate the tenacity, resilience and endeavor prevailing in the local companies that are sustaining and growing the vital economic ties between Northern Ireland, the UK and other growing markets around the world.

Seven main awards will be presented again this year, with the three shortlisted companies in each category being flown to London on

“It’s wonderful to be able to recognise and celebrate businesses that have performed incredibly well against the backdrop of

For further information visit

Case study

A specialist in supply minerals and other animal nutrition supplements for livestock, it has been well known in the agricultural world during that time but has only recently risen to prominence in wider circles.

Scooping the award for Best Medium-

Sized Business in the 2014 Aer Lingus Viscount Awards, in association with Ulster Business, helped that process.

“We were delighted to win the award and made sure we used the profile it gave us,” Patrick McLaughlin, CEO of Devenish Nutrition (GB & Ireland) said. “We have been able to send a message to our current and potential clients around the world that we have an award-winning proposition.”

Having kept a low profile, the company was careful to choose which business competition it entered. “The Viscount Awards fitted perfectly with our stage of development and came at exactly the right time for us. From a local point of view the award gave us significant profile in our home market and gave us the confidence to explore wider markets.”

Even the application was useful. “The process was thorough and hugely beneficial by allowing us to benchmark where were are as a business,” Patrick said. “I’d recommend to anyone thinking of entering to go for it.”

Devenish Nutrition is a name which has been quietly ploughing its own furrow in Northern Ireland for over 60 years.

From l-r Andrea Hunter, Aer Lingus; Patrick McLaughlin, Devenish Nutrition and Julie Davidson, Aer Lingus.

MARCH 2015

www.viscountawards.ulsterbusiness.com Closing date for 2015 entries is 12th March

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PROFILE

Leading Quality T

aking charge of one of the biggest law firms in the country might seem daunting to some, but Patrick Brown takes it in his stride.

Not only has he been operating at the top of his field of law – dispute resolution – since joining Belfast-based Tughans as a trainee, he also has a wealth of experience under his belt in the art of managing top class performance on the hockey field.

Before retiring from representative action in 2008, Patrick notched up 151 caps for Ireland, a staggering 92 of those as captain, figures he reluctantly gives up in typically modest fashion after some prodding.

It’s this experience which stands him in extremely good stead for the role of Managing Partner at Tughans, one he has grasped with both hands.

“There are some striking similarities,” Patrick told Ulster Business in the firm’s Belfast office. “As a captain of an international sports team, you’re managing elite people in every position and it’s exactly the same heading up the team here in Tughans.

Each of our Partners is recognised as a leading individual within their area of law.

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”The trick to effective management of such a group is clear communication.

“The key thing is to make sure that everyone in the firm clearly understands our values and strategy, has clarity of their role within that strategy, and how the delivery of their role contributes to the success of the firm and our clients.”

While Tughans is already a market leading practice – as the likes of the recent Experian table of the top legal advisors in the mergers and acquisition field in Northern Ireland shows – Patrick’s objective is to keep that momentum going and cement the firm’s dominant position.

“The economic climate is still difficult but despite the challenges there are plenty of opportunities.

“By listening to our clients’ needs and providing an unmatched service to them we will continue to stand out from the crowd.”

Ensuring the firm’s well equipped to do just that is the recent signing of three new partners: Maria O’Loan, David McAleese and Tim Kinney, each a specialist in a new legal area.

“We’re investing in the future and continue to recruit and develop the best people to enable us to grow and support the specialist needs of our clients, and we are making sure we’re well equipped to reach that goal.”

Helping do just that is the Tughan’s rebranding, one which sits neatly with Patrick’s move into the managing partner chair.

His tenure in the hot seat may only have been for a short time so far but it’s clear he’s relishing the challenge.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “The process of growing the business and helping develop the people in the firm is something I really enjoy and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Tughans is certainly a company Patrick knows well, having joined after completing his law degree at Queen’s University before climbing up the ranks to become partner in 2006.

For him the act of filling the managing partner role is a natural progression and while he’ll still be working closely with his clients on a day-to-day basis, there are few better equipped to take hold of the tiller and chart a course for the years ahead.

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ANALYSIS

Food and drink to go?

Is an export food marketing body for Northern Ireland on the menu, asks Peter Morrow, founder of Morrow Communications

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he argument for an exportfocused food and drink marketing body for Northern Ireland has never been stronger. We just have to look over the fence at our near neighbours in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland if we are in any doubt. Under the banner of ‘Scotland Food & Drink’, their single mindedness has paid dividends.

In 2012 the industry’s turnover hit £13.9 billion – the largest increase in turnover of all Scottish growth sectors, even out-performing oil and gas.

Our other Celtic cousins have also reaped the benefits of a focused and well-resourced marketing strategy. Bord Bia’s latest figures show a 4% increase in exports for 2014 to reach a record high of almost €10.5bn - the fifth consecutive year of export growth.

We clearly enjoy many of the same ingredients which led to that success. We too are blessed with some of the world’s most amazing natural resources. Our land, our water, our seas – all provide the raw materials necessary for quality food production. Our supply chain integrity is a key credential, as is a newfound hunger to exploit our potential.

We also have a wealth of quality food and drink producers. The success of our food companies at the recent Great Taste Awards, where 99 NI companies took 264 awards, far beyond any other UK region, proves that.

We are missing one vital ingredient however: a focused and well-resourced export food marketing strategy, delivered by a single body which can take our inherent strengths, package them and present the ‘Northern Ireland Food and Drink’ stall to global markets.

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is a major plus. The presence of major UK retailers in NI and our ability to label our products as British gives us a distinct advantage compared to EU competitors.

The developing economies – BRIC, Africa, Middle East – have a higher rate of growth with growing populations, increasing wealth and are net importers of food. Here we need to establish our supply credentials, develop the necessary market knowledge and meet the necessary import qualifications/quotas.

Even EU & USA markets still offer huge opportunities for NI producers, due to their relative affluence and cultural affinity with the island of Ireland. The development of a distinct USP to build on our reputation for quality food and drink is a must.

Peter Morrow

The Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association has long argued that an export marketing body should follow the Scottish/ Irish model and be a new NDPB funded by both government and industry to fulfil a range of tasks. These would include encouraging closer working and collaboration between the industry and government, and within the industry itself. It should also develop a more strategic approach to identifying and exploiting key markets and provide a range of services to accelerate external sales growth with specific market expertise, knowledge and access support.

That should be the final destination, even if we have to bite off a bit at a time.

Our unique geographic and political position represents a distinct advantage, but only if we play our cards right. GB is a net importer of food and our close proximity, same food standards, legislation and currency

Watch as Ireland takes advantage of its position as the first European country to be granted full access for its beef in the US market after the ban on European beef imports was lifted. Expect a significant marketing push on the benefits of premium grass-fed Irish beef. It may start niche, but a slice of the lucrative US beef market is still big business.

The Agri-Food Strategy Board has brought a renewed focus to the importance of our food and drink industry, spelling out the scale of the opportunity both home and abroad. We now need a step change in activity if we are to achieve the targets in their ‘Going for Growth’ report, specifically to raise exports by 75% and to create 15,000 new jobs. Let’s hope that the powers that be have put the creation of a ‘Northern Ireland Food and Drink’ export marketing body firmly on the menu and are prepared to pick up the tab.

Flags, firebombs & flashbacks

IT & Technology

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Breaking the skills code Jamie Stinson finds out how our universities and colleges are reacting to the huge growth in demand for skilled IT workers. Are we producing enough and the right type of workers? Are educators and industry working together to meet the changing need?

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ver the last decade the IT sector in Northern Ireland has massively expanded with both international firms moving in and making the province their home as well as indigenous firms setting up.

This rapid change can be seen in the radical transformation of the Titanic Quarter and Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP), both in Belfast, which have become the main bases for Northern Ireland’s flourishing IT sector.

Belfast has been at the forefront of this emergence, with the city having the fastest growing “knowledge economy”, according to data experts, Tech Nation. It found that Belfast now employs 32,000 people within the digital economy. NISP said the number of digital technology firms grew by 73% in Northern Ireland from 2010-2013.

While lower costs and government support play their part, the key driver of this investment has been talent.

Universities and colleges play a big role in ensuring graduates have the skills to meet the demand of the IT sector.

Fergal Downey, VP engineering at bitcoin commerce platform Bitnet Technologies Ltd, said: “I believe that we are providing a nice

MARCH 2015

balance of skills and competencies as well as a good cultural fit. The graduates are coming out with not only a good grounding in core programming languages such as java, but also with competencies in complementary skills such as the ability to turn a requirement into a working piece of software.

“Graduates coming from the Northern Ireland universities are able to demonstrate an understanding of the entire software development lifecycle and have an appreciation for agile methodologies where the emphasis is on delivering value iteratively and incrementally. I have seen graduates from Northern Ireland working alongside colleagues from “Silicon Valley” and am proud to say that we can certainly hold our own.”

The colleges and universities in Northern Ireland are working with the industry to ensure students are heading into the workplace with the skills that are needed.

Gemma O’Donnell, marketing officer at Queen’s School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science said, the university consults with businesses so that they are teaching the right skills, and they review their modules annually to keep up with the ever-changing IT industry.

“We consult with industry representatives to ensure our degree programmes take into account industry needs. We have an industrial advisory board, which meets twice a year, and is made up of staff and business representatives from the industries in software, electronics, and electrical engineering. Each year the school reviews its modules to see what new developments there are.”

“I have seen graduates from Northern Ireland working alongside colleagues from “Silicon Valley” and am proud to say that we can hold our own.”

With Northern Ireland becoming an IT hub, this has meant for students there are many firms on their doorstep, which they gain experience from and build a relationship with.

“We run lots of activities in partnership with companies during the academic year – these include allowing companies to run mock >

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interviews with our students, hackathons, guest lectures from industry,” Ms O’Donnell highlighted. “We also have students on company scholarships, where companies sponsor students through their degrees, and the student works for the company each summer and during their placement year.”

One of the attributes businesses are most impressed with is that the IT students in the province possess the skills that are most important in the workplace. Firms have stressed that graduates are able to hit the ground running when they start a new job, rather than requiring onthe-job training. One such way students have gained these skills is during their compulsory year-long work placement.

Ms O’Donnell, said: “The students spend a year’s placement in industry as part of their degree – this is compulsory for BEng/ BSc students. With lots of companies on our doorstep in Northern Ireland, it allows the students to work in real life situations for real companies and this is invaluable. They take what they learn at the university and put that into practice. As a result of this a lot of students are offered contracts or part-time work with the company after the placement.”

Mr Downey said, placement years during a degree provides a student in Northern Ireland with a competitive edge over other applicants. “Many of the graduates have also completed a placement year (equivalent to a US internship but much longer) which helps grow their understanding of working in a commercial environment. I believe this provides an edge over a graduate pool with a purely academic background.”

With the sector constantly evolving and investment increasing, Mr Downey believes, it will be a challenge for Northern Ireland to keep up with demand. “I think Northern Ireland needs to remain competitive from a cost perspective as well as continually evaluating the skills that our graduates are getting in the universities. Core skills like java programming are still valid, but we also need a focus on other things such as DevOps as well as technological advances such as the blockchain.”

To ensure graduates are being produced with the right skills, Queen’s is constantly launching new courses, Ms O’Donnell explained.

“Three years ago we launched an MSc in Software Development for non-IT graduates, in response to industry demand. This has

proven very successful and this year there are over 90 students enrolled on the course.

“Last year we also set up a masters in cyber security. We wanted to make the most of the expertise we have on our doorstep, and fill the gap on the lack of experts in the field of cyber security.”

Queen’s has invested £16m in a new computing building, double the size of its previous one, which is due to open in June 2016.

Queen’s is also working to make sure children at school are taught the right e-skills to help them going forward.

Ms O’Donnell said: “In partnership with Ulster University, and Momentum, the digital sector trade body, we launched the Bring IT On campaign several years ago. Through this we target students, from third form up, to raise awareness of the software industry in Northern Ireland. We have noticed in the past few years that there is a greater awareness of the software industry here now and lots more students are interested in programming. Programming is also now taught in many after school clubs.”

Queen’s will be opening a new computing building in June 2016 at a cost of £16m.

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EOS Systems – key for long-term growth for accountants

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he austerity of the last few years has done much to change ideas about established business paradigms. Many businesses have learned a harsh, but simple truth: competing on price is a short-cut to nowhere.

The answer? Don’t compete on price – compete on service. It’s an ethos that ICT specialists EOS Systems have successfully applied to their own business model, and which they have recently helped a local accountancy practice to roll out as well.

Technical Director Peter Brown explains: “We had been a client of McGuire & Farry Accountants for many years, so when they were reviewing their entire ICT structure with a view to improving their service levels, we were delighted to submit our ideas.

“They needed to replace all hardware and software, and introduce cloud-based systems, with a much greater degree of integration, and to create a ‘less paper’, rather than a ‘paperless’ environment. And of course the whole change-over would have to be completed seamlessly, with no disruption to their services and no loss of data. It’s the sort of challenge we relish.”

Paddy Farry, director with McGuire & Farry outlines what happened: “We’d had a long and satisfactory relationship with another IT support company, but our business was changing.

“With more and more clients in GB, we needed to move our service up to a new level, and utilise cloud platforms to deliver secure remote access for our auditing and accountancy services. We were confident EOS Systems could help us achieve this upgrade, and they did.”

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Peter Brown, (left) Technical Director of EOS Systems with Paddy Farry, Director of McGuire Farry Accountants.

“Not only did EOS Systems oversee our new hardware integration, they also managed all the dealings with the multitude of software suppliers,” explains Paddy. “This meant that the switchover was handled smoothly and with only the minimum of glitches – all of which were quickly ironed out. As a result of their expertise and professionalism, we now have an ICT platform that makes us well placed for growth – one that that not only provides added-value for our clients throughout the UK, but can also bring value and scalability to our practice.”

such as McGuire & Farry undertakes a major IT upgrade, they effectively put their entire business, and a great deal of highly important customer data, in our hands. It’s an onerous responsibility and one which we take extremely seriously.

“There is no margin for error, so we would urge any organisation thinking of undertaking a major review of their ICT to talk to us, as we have the experience and the talent to see it through successfully.”

To find out how EOS Systems can update

So what does Peter identify as the major challenges in a project such as this? “Trust is a major issue. You see, when a client

your ICT systems and infrastructure, call Peter Brown today on 028 9045 9222 or email peter@eossystems.co.uk

Acorn IT Solutions: as solid as oak Who we are?

Established in April 2002, Acorn IT Solutions are recognised by Sage as being one of the largest fully accredited Sage Business Partners. Based in Northern Ireland and deploying Sage Accounting software and CRM solutions to 300 businesses throughout the UK and Ireland. In addition to the core products, we also offer to our customers bespoke development – ensuring that their software meets all their business requirements and training and support on the full range of Sage products.

With over 20 years’ experience our dedicated team of consultants and support staff and our dedication to our customers has received recognition with the Sage channel itself, with Acorn IT being awarded the prestigious Sage ‘Circle of Excellence’ on three different occasions.

With our wealth of knowledge and experience across the Sage range of software, our customers receive the highest standard of service and communication through all levels of support.

Introducing Sage 200 v2015 One product in particular that we at Acorn IT Solutions are very

excited about this year is the launch of Sage 200 v2015. The latest release will offer its customer – both new and existing, a wide range of new and exciting features. Sage 200 v2015 promises to deliver to its users an extraordinary customer experience, as it was built in response to customer feedback. The three key themes that run from this release are: Improved Usability, Modernisation and User Flexibility.

Sage 200 software is a business-wide software solution for growing businesses. It helps customers manage their finances, sales and business insights all in one easy solution.

It is designed to help you share data easily, work smarter and ensure that your whole business works together efficiently.

Sage 200 is a full Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution and helps SMEs get full visibility of information across their entire business.

Offering its customers a wide range of choices so you can choose the modules and features that are right for your business and it’s fully customisable, so you can match the solution to the way your business works.

For more information contact: 028 7964 4975; info@acornitsolutions.com; www.acornitsolutions.com or Twitter: @Acorn_IT

IT & TECHNOLOGY

Stephen McCann, Managing Director, P2V Systems.

A

year is a long time in business but for IT provider P2V Systems, the past 12 months since Ulster Business last caught up with the Lisburn company have flown by.

It’s been busy winning new business and new customers and, as a result, turnover has jumped by over 50%.

P2V Systems managing director Stephen McCann said: “The stellar growth has been driven by the company’s focus on reliable and manageable IT solutions. We have redefined our core services to offer a complete IT support service for SMEs. “Our specialist services now comprise Managed Services, Professional Services, Cloud Solutions, Security, Business Continuity and Hardware & Software.

“Companies need a reliable IT provider who will ensure their IT infrastructure is in good health and operating efficiently and securely. Our services provide this reliability,” Stephen told Ulster Business.

With more business, came the need for more staff. The team has also grown over the last year, taking on four new staff during that time and now totals 12.

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Flying high IT services provider P2V Systems reflects on a busy year and plans for the future.

The past year has also seen the company win a number of prestigious contracts including one with the Houses of Parliament to deliver ticketing and sales solutions for commercial tours of the popular visitor attraction as of October 2014. The Westminster project saw P2V Systems design, install and provide on-going technical support of a secure server infrastructure.

P2V Systems works in tandem with the communications giant.

Becoming a fully-fledged and official supplier of BT services has also helped drive the business forward. This enviable status will present many more opportunities to work with BT and their distinguished clients.

Such growth is not without its difficulties but any growing pains are long gone as the company continues to mature and cement its reputation as one of the leading providers of SaaS (Software as a Service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and Consultancy services.

Meanwhile, the company has focused on its sales approach, and is “working smarter” by concentrating on individual sectors, as well as focusing on the art of tendering for public procurement tenders.

In addition, P2V Systems is also working in “the channel”, fostering relationships with other companies and providers such as HP, Dell and BT. “We’ve always worked well in the channel,” Stephen said. “Partners appreciate our customer focused fixed cost approach.”

BT’s customer Southern Regional College (SRC) is a good example of how

“We have been delivering the infrastructure projects on behalf of BT at SRC,” Stephen said. “SRC are very familiar with us as a BT partner and it works really well. From BT’s perspective, they get the benefits of working with a partner they can trust.”

And the future looks bright. “We’ve a lot of exciting things ahead of us for the next year,” Stephen said. “We’re hitting the ground running in the new financial year with a refreshed brand and some impressive growth plans.

We’re hoping to double turnover and increase staff numbers over the next two to three years.”

That’s quite ambitious but given the incredible growth of P2V Systems since it was founded by Stephen in 2008, such a performance is well within the company’s reach.

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RECRUITMENT

Laying down the recruitment law With a raft of official reports suggesting that the economy is back on the road to recovery, John Moore, Managing Director of Hays in Northern Ireland, sees signals from the legal sector that recovery is strongest in commercial property.

A

s well as organic growth from the top legal firms, new entrants and mergers and acquisitions, one of the key signs of an improving outlook lies within the demand for corporate and commercial property professionals within the legal sector.

But looking ahead, while it is good news that local young legal professionals do not have to venture so far afield to get top jobs, it may be that as things become busier and demand rises, the oft-mentioned skills gap which is impacting on so many sectors, will continue to grow.

Previously, Nama-related activity would have accounted for a significant element of commercial, property and banking work, with legal teams required to help compile the best possible package for buyers.

Our report, the Hays Global Skills Index, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, found that there is an increasingly acute shortage of higher level skills available in the UK labour market that could even threaten to derail economic progress.

“A renewed focus on the region from foreign investment funds means the commercial property market in particular is starting to move again.”

However, commercial activities are ‘normalising’, indicating that investors believe it is a good time to buy and also showing that retailers and other businesses are beginning to expand further.

A renewed focus on the region from foreign investment funds means the commercial property market in particular is starting

30

John Moore

to move again and demand is now very high for specialists in this area within both commercial and corporate disciplines.

In addition, foreign direct investment has had a major impact. The arrival of top legal names such as Herbert Smith Freehills, Axiom, Allen & Overy, and Baker and McKenzie means Northern Ireland is one of the top destinations in the UK for ‘near shoring’ legal services. Our cost base, highly educated workforce and strong skills base are the main reasons for our attractiveness in this area.

International law firms are not the sole drivers of growth. Local law firms are doing excellent work and gearing themselves for the lift and it seems that the Northern Ireland economy is set to benefit from this ‘clustering’.

In direct response to market demand – and the fact that Northern Ireland is clearly becoming a competitive destination for legal services – we further invested within our specialist legal recruitment business, and Hays is able to leverage its network of offices and attract legal professionals across the whole of the UK and Republic of Ireland.

We have seen a genuine requirement for candidates within key areas – particularly commercial property and corporate. Demand is increasing and it is imperative that legal firms undertake a comprehensive approach to work with key partners to attract the best candidates both locally and nationally.

For further information visit www.hays.co.uk/northernireland

announce agreement with international manufacturer Lisburn company secures distribution agreement with one of the leading manufacturers in the ID card industry Entrust Datacard.

N

TD, a premier supplier of ID to some of the largest businesses, has announced they have entered into an agreement with Entrust Datacard – the world leader in trusted identity and secure transactions solutions – to be the authorised distributor for Northern Ireland.

“We are very pleased to be a partner of Entrust Datacard as they are a known leader in the industry,” said Stephen Brown, Managing Director. “The combination of the Datacard® innovative product line and NTD’s immense experience in the ID market brings unmatched knowledge and proficiency which best serves our customers.”

Within our ID solutions there are a number of options available for the production and supply of ID, Time Management and Access control cards. From purchasing an in house printer system to our ID Bureau Service which provides the perfect solution for organisations who cannot warrant the purchase and management of an in-house system.

Using the Datacard printer, we offer the total package of card design, scanning, encoding, image capture, project management, in fact, everything needed for the production and supply of high quality ID, Access Control and Time Management cards.

We have both the capacity and experience to provide a professional, reliable service with a quick turnaround.

Not only do NTD supply businesses, they are also involved with supplying local events such as The Ulster Grand Prix.

Geoff Wilson, Marketing and Brand Director for the Ulster Grand Prix said: “We have been working with NTD for a number of years. We use their ID and card solutions for a wide range of passes for officials and fans during Bike Week. Their products have enabled the event to run smoothly in terms of ID identification for our official and fans.

NTD provide a quality product combined with excellent customer service. NTD is a partner which understands our requirements and go beyond the call of duty in terms of customer service. When we want ID card solutions, we call NTD”.

Pictured are (left to right) Stephen Brown, Managing Director of NTD; Stephen Thompson, local rider and Geoff Wilson of the Ulster Grand Prix.

TESTIMONIAL: HUGHES INSURANCE “As one of the largest insurance businesses in Northern Ireland, the physical security of our site and professionalism of our company image is paramount. We have been using NTD for over a year as they supply us with access control cards, personalised with full colour ID for over 200 of our staff. We have confidence in their products and professionalism. NTD offer exceptional value for money making every effort to ensure that we stay within our budget. Nothing seems to be too much trouble and we are impressed with their speed of delivery and quality of service.

We have no hesitation in recommending NTD”.

Mervyn Poli ICT Manager, Hughes Insurance

NTD, Northern Ireland’s leading supplier of Time Management, Access Control, ID card Solutions and Mailroom equipment.

Email: nikki.brown@ntdltd.com Web: www ntdltd.com @NorthTimeData or North Time & Data

Declan Collier, the chief executive of London City Airport, is pictured left with Brian Ambrose, the chief executive of George Best Belfast City Airport.

City meets city David Elliott sits down with the chief executives of London City Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport to find out about the challenges and opportunities of running two remarkably similar operations.

T

ight boundaries of the physical and metaphorical kind are not the friend of anyone trying to run an airport.

It’s generally held that airports need space, airports need time and airports need to be able to stretch their arms when the time comes to expand, and so-called “city” airports wouldn’t at first glance appear to be able to rely on all of those factors, all of the time.

It’s these types of issues which make a meeting of two UK airport head honchos one which should yield some good copy.

Step forward Declan Collier, chief executive of London City Airport and

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Brian Ambrose, his opposite number at George Best Belfast City Airport.

They’ve been joined by the umbilical cord of a thrice daily flight between the two airports operated by the rejuvenated Flybe, a route which plays heavily on the airline’s current advertising moniker “Fly to London. Actual London...”.

It’s a fair point and one which plays into your average – if there is such thing as an average – city airport’s greatest asset: its situation.

Mr Collier, who was previously the boss at Dublin airport, isn’t backward in coming forward about the big advantage which his airport has over its nearest – or not so near – rivals.

“If you were travelling to London City Airport and then on to a meeting in Canary Wharf, it will take you ten minutes from the airplane to get to the arrivals door and another ten minutes to get to Canary Wharf,” he told Ulster Business. “That’s 20 minutes after getting into our airport building and you could be in your meeting.

“If you arrived into Heathrow that comparable journey would take you twoand-a-half hours each way. That’s five hours in a whole working day. Business people can’t afford to waste that much time.”

While Ulster Business can confirm there are quicker ways to get from Heathrow to Canary Wharf – 15 minutes on the Heathrow express followed by 37 minutes on the Bakerloo

INTERVIEW

and Jubilee lines, according to Transport for London – Mr Collier’s point that London City sits in the shadow of Canary Wharf and also within shouting distance of The City is a valid one and one which Belfast City’s Mr Ambrose can relate to.

“Declan says London City Airport is the only airport actually based in London and we’re the only Belfast airport based in Belfast,” he said.

It’s clear the old adage of “location, location, location” holds true for airports as much as for Kirsty Alsopp, and Mr Collier believes that the location of his won’t preclude future growth.

In the past it has altered the source of the airport’s earnings, slanting the amount of money brought in from non-aeronautical sources such as parking and retail to just 20% against (80% from aeronautical) as a result of the relatively small size of the terminal building.

That’s about to change as shortly after this interview London City Airport was granted permission to launch a £200m-£250m expansion to extend its main terminal buildings, add seven new stands and create a 260-bedroom hotel.

The revenue at Belfast City Airport is more aligned with the 50/50 mix in other airports, helped by the fact its terminal building is only 10 years old against the 28 notched up by London City.

Mr Ambrose was instrumental in redeveloping the Belfast airport and even admits to borrowing some design features, such as the conference facility where the interview with the airport heads took place.

But he also made sure he didn’t run up against the same space issue which had been thwarting the growth of non-aeronautical revenue at London City by building a terminal building which could be easily extended through the addition of extra wings.

“It was built with the ability to expand to four wings but we’ve only built two of those,” he said. “We can grow up

MARCH 2015

to four million passengers with the basic facilities we have in place.”

Mr Collier, he believes the planning system can hold up development of infrastructure.

When it comes to flight restrictions, both airports are capped, London City at 120,000 “noise-factored” flights a year and Belfast City to 48,000 flights a year but neither restrictions is likely to curb either man’s future ambitions.

“My main criticism of the planning service locally is the manner in which it allows delays and postponements,” Mr Ambrose said. “It’s taken us a decade to get to a public inquiry on this issue because it’s fairly easy through judicial challenge to delay the system.”

“My main criticism of the planning service locally is the manner in which it allows delays and postponements.

It’s taken us a decade to get to a public inquiry on this issue (seats for sale) because it’s fairly easy through judicial challenge to delay the system.”

That’s because there’s plenty of growth from the former’s current level of 76,000 flights a year and the latter’s of 38,000, even with some fairly ambitious plans.

London City is this year welcoming British Airways with both Santorini and Mykonos while Belfast City sees the start of flights

by Flybe to Liverpool, KLM to Amsterdam and Vueling to Barcelona, and both are confident of adding to that list.

However, Mr Ambrose is quick to highlight the “seats for sale” restriction which limits the number of seats operators are allowed to offer for sale to two million a year from the airport, a rule which is in addition to the flight restrictions and is unique to Belfast City.

He likens it to owning a 100-bedroom hotel but only being allowed to sell 75 rooms a night.

But Mr Ambrose is hopeful a public inquiry in May will sort out that particular issue but, like

Mr Collier, although speaking just before planning permission for his own development had been granted, believes planning is leaving the private sector hamstrung.

“It’s creating uncertainty for investors and that makes them think twice about whether or not they want to make that investment. Unfortunately we have a planning system in the UK which is very slow to respond, is not easy to understand and it’s forcing us to lose opportunities.

“That’s creating a significant issue around infrastructure in London and the UK. The planning system is failing us by not providing the incentives to deliver absolutely critical infrastructure, of which airports are a part. It is a huge frustration.”

“The planning system is failing us by not providing the incentives to deliver absolutely critical infrastructure, of which airports are a part. It is a huge frustration.”

The airport chiefs obviously have a lot in common and both seem to be making considerable headway despite the margins within which they have to operate.

With a final flurry Mr Collier is off, running to catch a flight back to London, stopwatch running.

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PROFILE

Ulster University Business School

Distinguished Alumni Gerry Mallon, Chief Executive of Danske Bank UK, is the first to be profiled in the Ulster University Business School Distinguished Alumni series.

Gerry Mallon, Chief Executive, Danske Bank UK, MBA, Ulster University Business School.

What is your current role?

I am the Chief Executive of Danske Bank UK.

in a branch, but my range of experience has definitely proved beneficial in my current role.

How did you choose this career field and what has been your path?

I started my career in the civil service after joining on a fast track graduate scheme but after a number of years I decided to leave before I became institutionalised. I had always aspired to work for consultants McKinsey & Co and I got the opportunity to do that in London. That experience broadened the range of possible options open to me when my wife and I decided to come home to Northern Ireland. It would have been easy to stay in London and working for McKinsey was both challenging and rewarding, but it involved a lot of travel and wasn’t exactly conducive to a stable family life. My first job back in Belfast was with Bank of Ireland and I then got the opportunity to move on to Northern Bank. Some of my colleagues within the bank joke with me that I’ll never be a true banker because I didn’t start as a teller

What did you study at the Ulster University Business School?

I studied for an MBA in 1992/93 the year after I graduated from Cambridge. It was still a pretty tough job market at that stage so I felt it was a smart move, even though it was quite unconventional for someone to do an MBA immediately after completing their undergraduate degree. It was also an attractive option because there was European Social Fund grant aid available at that time which not only covered the cost of fees but gave me £100 a week cash in my pocket.

That was too good to turn down – I almost considered taking out a mortgage on it!

What are the key lessons you learnt whilst at the Business School?

One key lesson I learned was that it is easy to be theoretical in a classroom but you only get wisdom from trying to implement strategies in the real world. Coming to the MBA straight from university probably made it slightly harder for me. The students on the course with experience had a more rounded view of the practical applications of what we were learning.

How important are the networks you made through study to your work life now?

I tend to come into contact with a lot of people who were on a parallel degree

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to me, the International MBA. Invest NI’s predecessor, the IDB, put a lot of people through that course so as a consequence there are now a number of business leaders in influential positions who are Ulster University Business School alumni.

Do you have any current links with Ulster University Business School now and if so, how valuable are these in your day-to-day work?

My connections with the university are very strong. I have just completed 11 and a half years on the University Council and was chair of the council and pro-chancellor for five and a half years. I don’t think I would have become so closely involved in what has been an exciting time for the university had I not been a former student. During my time the new Belfast campus has been set in motion and I’m content that one of my last duties has been to lead the recruitment of the new Vice Chancellor Paddy Nixon. Given the intensive work that will be needed with a new VC it is important that a new chair has time to get established before he starts in June.

What, or who, was your most memorable time or person at Ulster University Business School?

From a teaching perspective it would be Alan Fox who was my finance professor.

He brought me on a lot in terms of my understanding of finance and the fact that I ended up in a career in finance must in part be inspired by him.

Flags, firebombs & flashbacks

Retail

Sponsored by

sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

The victors and the victims of revaluation

The revaluation of rates in Northern Ireland will have a big impact on retailers here. Jamie Stinson finds out who the winners and losers are and ask whether a rating system which is only updated every 15 years is out of synch with fast-moving high street trends.

N

ext month sees the start of the new set of rates for businesses.

The Land and Property Services (LPS), part of Department of Finance and Personnel, has revalued all of Northern Ireland’s 73,000 non-domestic properties, with the new calculations based on 2013 figures. Prior to this, properties’ rates were based on the rental values from April 2001, with the last valuation taking place in 2003.

While all places have seen change in the last 12 years, Northern Ireland has radically

36

RETAIL

Alana Coyle, associate director – head of retail at CBRE, with the ratings systems being updated there are always going to be big winners and losers. “There will always be winners and losers at revaluation, as the amount of money councils need remains fairly constant. The big winners in this revaluation are places like Donegall Place and CastleCourt in Belfast city centre, while the losers have been the out of town retail parks.”

Donegall Place is an area which has seen a lot of change over recent years, with a big turnover of retailers on the street since the financial crash, it is now seeing a big fall in its rates. “Donegall Place has seen an average fall in rates of around 50%, but the reduction is as much as 65% in some cases.” Ms Coyle said.

transformed during that time. With a major increase in overseas investment, as well as the property bubble followed by the inevitable bursting of that bubble, the province has seen sweeping changes to the retail landscape.

The opening of the Victoria Square altered the retail heart of Belfast, with surrounding areas such as Arthur Street being reborn as shoppers passed through on their way to the new shopping centre. In recent years shopper have seen the growth of aspirational stores on Arthur Street, with major UK retailers like Jack Wills, Jigsaw and Cath Kidston all moving

MARCH 2015

in. While the opening of the multi-purpose shopping centre gave a surge in popularity to some areas, it was to the detriment of others. Castlecourt, which was the main shopping centre in Belfast for almost 30 years, and Donegall Place suffered as the big multinationals moved to the new shopping district. However, with the rebalancing of the new ratings system, these areas could get a much needed boost and see a return of big chains. With the revaluation of the rates, these areas have seen a big fall in their bills, which could make them a much more appetising prospect to retailers.

“While the opening of the multi-purpose shopping centre gave a surge in popularity to some areas, it was to the detriment of others.

Castlecourt, which was the main shopping centre in Belfast for almost 30 years, and Donegall Place suffered as the big multinationals moved to the new shopping district.”

Such a big drop in the cost of occupancy on the street will give a big boost to retailers, and potentially see the area become more competitive for space.

The out-of-town retail parks and Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter and Boucher Road, are the victims of revaluation, and are set for a big rise in rates, as those areas have seen significant development and regeneration in >

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sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

the last decade. Boucher Road, which has gone from being the home of car dealerships and warehouses to being a busy shopping destination, particularly with the development of Boucher Crescent, will seen increases in their rates of around 40% on average.

Ms Coyle explained, areas which will see a sharp rise have seen their rates too low and now the market is being rebalanced and creating a fairer playing field, bringing the system back into sync. “Rateable values have been vastly out of sync with market rents since the beginning of the downturn in 2007. Area’s that have seen significant development in that period, such as Arthur Street in Belfast city centre, will now see an uplift in rates. Prime locations such as CastleCourt and Donegall Place have had it tougher and the revaluation of rates is merely the rebalancing of things.”

The big question surrounding the rates revaluation is how it will affect those areas which are seeing a big change. While the high end retailers are likely to keep

38

Victoria Square as their target, Castlecourt could see UK chains move back to the shopping centre, Ms Coyle said. “I think in terms of the higher end retail market it’s focused on Victoria Square, but we may we start to see UK multiples moving back to Castlecourt. I think they have been waiting for around the last 24 months to see what happened with the rates.”

“The big question surrounding the rates revaluation is how it will affect those areas which are seeing a big change.”

The major losers in the revaluation are the big retail parks. It is yet another blow to the large scale supermarkets, which have been the victim of changing consumer shopping habits during the financial downturn.

Consumers are no longer doing the “big shop”, but instead more inclined to do “top up” shopping at stores where convenience is a bigger factor. This is in addition to a brutal price war the high street supermarkets have become locked in with the discount stores, such as Lidl and Aldi. The popularity of the larger scale superstores is on the wane, with Northern Ireland’s two biggest supermarkets, Tesco and Sainsburys, both admitting they will have to cut their number of stores.

“We have already started to see a marked increase in demand from retail occupiers, particularly from UK multiples, it is expected that vacancy levels in these key locations will decrease significantly over the course of 2015 as the reduction in rateable value makes these locations much more affordable again,” Ms Coyle said.

However, Ms Coyle does not believe there will be big shift in opening the smallerformat stores in Northern Ireland, in the way it is happening in the rest of the UK.

RETAIL

Rateable questions

T

he revaluation of rates on non-domestic property is a complicated process. Handily, the Department of Finance and Personnel are already anticipating a few quizzical looks. Here are just a few of the questions its expecting: What is non-domestic revaluation 2015?

Revaluation is the reassessment of the rateable values of all business (nondomestic) properties in Northern Ireland.

The revaluation takes account of changes in value in the rental market, and redistributes the amount of business rates paid. The revaluation comes into effect on 1 April 2015. Rate bills issued in April 2015 will be based on the new rateable values. The last non-domestic revaluation was in 2003.

Why is there a revaluation now, in a recession?

The last revaluation was in 2003. If we continue to use rateable values based on outdated levels of rent, this undermines the value and fairness of the system.

It is not the case that valuing at a high point in the property market leads to any higher rates bills. Whether a revaluation is at a high point or low point in the economy doesn’t make any difference.

Your own rent may be different from your rateable value; that is because we look at all rents for each type of property in all locations, not just the individual rent paid on your property. Social, economic and environmental circumstances change over time and do not affect all property sectors or geographical areas in the same way.

changed much at all, you will not see much difference in your rate bill.

If my rateable value has gone up, does that mean I’ll be paying more?

Not necessarily. It depends how much your rateable value has increased compared to the average increase. In general terms, the impact on business ratepayers will depend on the relative changes in local rental values since the last non-domestic revaluation, i.e. since April 2003, not just rental changes over the last few years.

Your property has been demolished?

You should apply online now to have your current valuation reassessed.

At this stage it is reasonable to say that, all other things unchanged, if your rateable valuation has gone up, you are likely to pay more. If it has gone down you are likely to pay less. If it has not

There has been a physical change to my property, should my valuation be reassessed?

You should apply online now to have your current valuation reassessed.

Can I challenge this draft rateable value?

You cannot formally challenge the valuation until April 2015, but you may make LPS aware today of any concerns you have regarding your valuation.

How is my rate bill calculated?

Rate bills are calculated by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the rate poundage for the council area in which the property is located. Any reliefs awarded are applied after the bill is calculated.

How was my rateable value assessed?

The rateable value is an estimate of the annual rental value of the property, as at April 2013. This applies to all properties whether they are rented, owner-occupied or vacant.

Why has my valuation gone up?

The rateable value has been assessed by looking at any rent for your property and other similar rented properties in the vicinity, and making any appropriate adjustments. At each revaluation each property is valued again from scratch. LPS uses actual rental evidence gathered from occupiers and landlords.

MARCH 2015

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sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

SPAR continues to satisfy appetite for fresh in NI

W

hen TGI (Target Group Index) research was released back in 2012, it showed over half of households’ main food shoppers would only shop at supermarkets with a good quality fresh range. The team behind SPAR’s fresh offering at the Henderson Group grabbed the opportunity with both hands; it was time for convenience to lead the way in fresh food sourcing.

The “Famous for Fresh” strategy was put into place to broaden sourcing from local farmers and growers, expand work with current local suppliers and to continue to monitor how Northern Ireland’s consumers are shopping.

As part of this strategy, the group, which owns the SPAR and EUROSPAR franchises in Northern Ireland, has invested in a team which has significantly improved the fresh offering carried by its retailers across the country.

The Fresh Team was tasked with taking a holistic approach to the category, from identifying current gaps in the range to forecasting future consumption needs.

The team worked with local suppliers to develop solutions for key shopper missions that were identified, including ‘food to go’ and dinner time solutions. Over the past few years range gaps have been filled, availability improved and the team has raised the bar on quality checks.

SPAR has a proven record of supporting local suppliers, working with over 200 farmers, growers and distributers for over 50 years. The trading teams’ focus remains very much on working closely with local suppliers to improve the fresh category in range and value for shoppers.

Research from the IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) shows that the most important

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SPAR’s new Enjoy Local range will hit shelves next month.

reason to support local is that it’s perceived to be fresher. SPAR knows this to be true, but there are also other reasons why the team is committed to sourcing locally; the products boast better health benefits as there are fewer preservatives, it’s better for the environment as there are less miles for the product to travel, and it’s better for the local economy.

So, while the multiples and discounters shout about ‘local’, their profits are actually leaving the country, while revenues from family-owned, NI-based Henderson Group stay here in the local economy.

The journey to become ‘famous for fresh’ is well underway with 75% of fresh and chilled foods sourced for SPAR and EUROSPAR being picked, packed and produced on the island of Ireland.

This progress has not gone unnoticed by consumers; an independent Millward Brown Shopper Survey carried out in 2013 and again in 2014 showed that consumers have seen the quality of fruit, vegetables and meat improve in SPAR and EUROSPAR stores by 5% and 23% respectively over the year.

This change in consumer perception of the brands’ fresh range has put the wheels in motion for a new consumer facing campaign.

For some time, SPAR used its marketing space to let consumers know about its great value, range and the convenience of shopping locally. 2015 is the year where consumers will be able to find out more about the locally-sourced products and their great taste, quality and value.

This will be done under the new banner of ‘Passionate about Local’, a statement that SPAR is proud to stand over. A new TV ad made by local companies Street Monkey and Genesis Advertising will air next month. The ‘Made of Fresh’ advert tells the story of SPAR sourcing over 75% of its fresh foods from local suppliers.

On top of this, SPAR has partnered with local farmers and local producers to offer a new range that is guaranteed to be loved by all. The range, that will be aptly named ‘Enjoy Local’, consists of over 130 lines, hits shelves in April and will be sampled at the Balmoral Show in May, where SPAR will be a Platinum sponsor.

Passionate about Local We source over 75% of all fresh food locally

sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

The ‘flation transition

By Gareth Howell, Retail Director, Osborne King Commercial Property Consultants

“P

rices will rise, politicians will philander and you too will get old”, at least that’s what Baz Luhrmann tells us in his hit recording of the celebrated 1997 Chicago Tribune article/graduation day speech.

These “inalienable truths” looked fairly concrete 12 months ago when most forecasters were expecting inflation of approximately 2% and the Bank of England was considering raising interest rates to keep it under control. Roll the clock forward and here we are facing “lowflation” of around 0.3%,which many are predicting could turn into deflation, albeit temporarily, and may prompt a further adjustment to the base rate.

The fact that we have come through a period of relatively high inflation would not be a problem in itself had wage inflation kept pace, however the recession has seen wages stagnate for several years, eroding much of the consumer’s purchasing power in previous years. Conversely, deflation or falling prices are viewed by some as good for the

42

consumer and good for spending. We see falling oil prices and imports benefitting our pockets in the supermarket and at the petrol pumps and although such reductions are to be welcomed, it must be noted that these are essential goods which naturally will be prioritised by households in any given cycle.

Looking at other items of expenditure, the final quarter of 2014 revealed that initial slow sales due to the mild winter were countered by both Black Friday and Christmas, even if margins were compressed in this period.

The deflationary risk for retailers is that surplus cash in the system is not spent and that consumers actively delay expenditure, particularly on larger discretionary items, as they fear prices may continue to fall in a period of prolonged deflation. Furthermore, deflation can have an erosive impact on savings and also increase the real burden of debt on households however recent data relating to consumer confidence appears to buck this trend suggesting that overriding confidence is strong. Whilst retailers can enjoy a reduction in supply

chain cost particularly from the fall in the price of oil it can bring rigidity in the labour market and does signify a likely low-growth trading environment for retailers in the short term, however consumer confidence reports have served to boost retailer optimism.

In a landscape of already historically low interest rates, the traditional tool to temper deflation is more difficult to wield. Quantitative easing, particularly within the Eurozone, is likely to be the preferred measure and economic woes in this area could yet temper people’s positivity. Add to this a General Election in May and there are still a variety of risks pertaining to current consumer confidence.

At the last election in 2010 consumer confidence started the year on a high before steadily declining as the year progressed.

Overall we would be hopeful that if deflation is limited to the short-term then the over-arching positivity and lower unemployment in the economy will see the retail market through and we can once more take comfort in inalienable truths.

sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

Premier provider of electrical installation

P

remier Electrics is a true Irish business success story. Established 22 years ago in south Derry, Premier’s growth has been phenomenal.

From humble beginnings back in 1993, the company is now established as a leading provider of commercial electrical installation services throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Mark Scullion

“As well as delivering fast track and often complex electrical installations we have seen strong growth in demand for both proactive and reactive maintenance services – especially throughout Ireland and the UK,” says Mark.

Its development over those years has been down to a relentless commitment to quality, innovation and customer service.

“Over the past ten years in particular we have developed strong strategic relationships with several large retailers who realise when we promise to deliver we will simply never let them down,” said founder and managing director Mark Scullion.

“In the retail world especially it’s vital the supply chain has the resources and experience to meet what are often stretching deadlines.

Over the years we’re learned to do what

list of clients all of whom value having a trusted, experienced and highly skilled partner to look after their electrical needs.

it takes to get every project across the line in time and on budget. That reputation has meant our clients have taken us with them wherever they go. In recent years that has resulted in our teams working on retail projects throughout the UK and Europe in locations such as Germany, Spain, France, Portugal and Belgium.”

“Retailers, especially, cannot afford to lose business as a result of their premises having to be closed due to an electrical issue.

So as well as minimising the likelihood of that happening through our preventative maintenance programmes we also offer a rapid response service to those who need something repaired. Often our teams would work through the night to ensure trading is unaffected for our clients.”

If you would like to talk with Premier about an installation project or maintenance

Premier offers both electrical installation and maintenance services for its growing

programme call 028 7938 6849 or email: info@premierelectrics.com

A quick glance at the UK retail sector

Courtesy of the British Retail Consortium.

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International Award

sources over 75% of all fresh food locally RETAIL

The high street shuffle Seen as a blessing for some, a tax on prosperity for others, the revaluation of rates in Northern Ireland is coming. John Adgey from Lambert Smith Hampton assesses the impact.

I

t is only a matter of weeks before the revaluation of rates on nondomestic properties in Northern Ireland comes into effect on April 1.

John Adgey

For any business which hasn’t yet looked into how they will be affected, now is the time to wake up and check the Land & Property Services’ draft list to see your new rates assessment and discover whether you have potential to reduce it.

This is a significant moment for Northern Ireland, with 73,000 non-domestic properties set to be revalued and a high chance of change. In the last round of revaluations in 2003, around two thirds of businesses saw some change in the net annual value of their buildings.

The contribution of non-domestic rates to the local economy is in the region of £700m. That won’t change because it is a revenue neutral exercise. But there will be winners and losers.

Land & Property Services (LPS) have gathered rental evidence from a valuation date of 1 April 2013 to make their assessment.

That date, despite being a few years ago, marks 12 years since the previous rates revaluation based on 2001 rents.

If we think what has happened in that time it is likely the NAV in many parts of Belfast city centre will have gone up.

Since 2001, Victoria Square has been built and much of the footfall from shoppers has moved from the north part of the city centre towards Victoria Square and the reinvigorated Arthur Street. That in turn means the NAV and rates for the likes of Cornmarket and

46

city. It is perhaps not surprising that draft NAVs have rocketed there, but many bar and restaurant owners set up in the area because they were offered good deals by landlords trying to stimulate the Quarter.

We are likely to find situations where businesses are not sustainable under the new rates. Higher costs typically drive out local independent shops and bars, and open up the scope for national multiples who can potentially sustain greater occupational costs. This unfortunately drives out the local independents who have possibly given the area its character in the first instance.

Chichester Street who effectively feed-off the Victoria Square effect, will also go up.

The impact of the revaluation on some businesses could be serious. What many people outside the industry may not be aware is that rates now generally make up a bigger part of retailers’, bar owners’ and restaurateurs’ occupier costs than their rent.

“Higher costs typically drive out local independent shops and bars, and open up the scope for national multiples.”

It has been widely reported that the changes may be most keenly felt in the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast, which has been regenerated over the past decade to become a vibrant hub for nightlife in the

The biggest losers will be the big foodstore retailers operating large stores. Retail warehousing, convenience stores and petrol forecourt services with convenience stores (which weren’t exactly in vogue in 2001) will all see significant rises.

Tesco is one of the biggest rates payer in Northern Ireland and despite its recent woes, the supermarket giants are all likely to see their rates liability increase given the boom they’ve enjoyed over the past 15 years.

Away from Belfast, most provincial towns too will see reductions in NAVs. But that won’t automatically mean a cut to their rates bills. The merging of councils into the 11 new Super Councils in April could mean the actual rate in the pound charged goes up, so that even if a business sees its NAV go down, the rate it pays in the pound could rise. Current estimates, however, suggest an overall Net Annual Value up 8%, meaning in theory that rates in the pound should reduce by the same margin.

PROFILE

Raymond Morgan, Chairman of the John Morgan Group of Companies (left) with David Dunlop.

Marking 100 years in business for Morgans F

amily businesses from the early 20th century which are still in existence today are few and far between in Northern Ireland, but this year John Morgan and Sons Ltd celebrates 100 years of trading.

It’s a name which is still very much synonymous with transport in Northern Ireland today and in 2015 the company remains founded on the strong, founding family values of trust, reliability and customer service.

During the ship-building boom-time in 1915, Belfast man John Morgan established a haulage company, moving goods in and around the city on a horse and cart.

This year John Morgan & Sons marks its centenary as well as celebrating 15 years of the transformation of the core business into a storage and document security firm, a move which has seen the company develop its ‘Morgan Document Security’ brand.

John was a well-liked and familiar face around town in those days of the First World War and many of his family worked in the business with him. It was his son William and, in turn, his grandson Raymond who developed the company into the Morgan Removals brand.

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When asked to explain the secret of 100 years’ successful trading, Chairman of the John Morgan Group of Companies Raymond Morgan, the grandson of John Morgan, points to the need to constantly

re-evaluate the market and respond to the ever changing needs of customers: “My grandfather began a haulage business which developed into professional removal and storage services, both locally and internationally. We also had a large share of the commercial moving market in Northern Ireland. It was a further development of this side of the business which drew us into the records management and document storage sector in the last 15 years.

Company Director David Dunlop, a great grandson of John Morgan, said: “We were a hugely successful removals firm and, in the course of this work, we identified a gap in the market to provide professional commercial archive and document management services. We invested heavily in advanced

PROFILE

archive technology as we understood that this sector demands complete confidence in its service providers. This part of our business began to take off. It has grown steadily and is now our major focus.”

David Dunlop, Company Director and great grandson of John Morgan, at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

Morgan Document Security now offers secure document storage, document archiving and retrieval, document scanning and secure shredding in its 40,000 sq ft. depository in east Belfast, where the company has been trading for the last 30 years.

Remarking on the scale of the current operation David said: “We have hundreds of commercial customers and hundreds of thousands of physical documents.

Each single document, file and box is barcoded for complete traceability.

“We don’t have one specific type of customer.

We have sole traders with ten boxes to much larger organisations with tens of thousands of files and documents in storage.

“Obviously the nature of our business means our clients’ identities must remain confidential but we provide services across the legal, accountancy and manufacturing sectors, for example, as well as health and local government sectors.”

“We don’t have one specific type of customer. We have sole traders with ten boxes to much larger organisations with tens of thousands of files and documents in storage.”

“Some companies want documents managed by the box, some by the file, some will have deeds or confidential records to go into our vaults (which are temperature and humidity controlled and have a high-tech fire suppression system) and some have backup tapes, company hard drives etc. It’s quite a

MARCH 2015

broad range – and it’s a responsibility we never take lightly. Many of our customers trust us with information which is vital to their businesses. Every day in business we appreciate that their trust in our company name has been earned over many years of trading.

“Our clients can depend on box or file retrievals, delivered in short timeframes, and they can call on us around the clock.

Archives are kept up to date, stored securely, tracked constantly and traced from our warehouse into each client’s hands and back again, providing peace of mind.

Asked what the future holds, David said “a company’s records or a client’s personal data are fundamentally important. The ‘paperless office’ might sound ideal, but in reality, there is a continuing need to maintain and manage physical documents – e.g. patient records, confidential client files, accounting and audit paperwork, to name but a few.

“The service is an essential risk management tool used already by large numbers of successful businesses in Northern Ireland and I’m pleased to report demand for our service is still on the up.”

“With companies running big data file servers and teams of salespeople or executives who are constantly on the move, working from home or “hot-desking”, they need to know that their computer servers are also being backed up and stored safely off-site. Our vaults give this security, even for the most “virtual” offices.

Raymond Morgan, together with his son William Morgan and daughter RosemaryAnne Berryman, continue to oversee the John Morgan Group of companies. With David Dunlop (his nephew) managing Morgan Document Security and son-in-law, Nick Berryman, now managing Melville & Co, the largest independent funeral directors in Northern Ireland, the Group, which began with John Morgan & Sons in 1915, continues to be family-owned 100 years on.

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PROFILE

Connected...

with Neal Lucas

This month Neal Lucas, MD of Neal Lucas Recruitment Ltd, catches up with one of the many successful placements the business has made.

The role: Managing Director of Sales and Distribution in Ireland The company: Tata Steel The successful candidate: Chris Conway

Can you tell us how your career progressed into this current role?

I took up the role with Tata in 2008, prior to this I spent 20 years in the technology industry working in international roles for Nortel Networks and managed operations in Brazil and China. In 2000 I was appointed to the role Vice President of Operations for Nortel in Europe and also MD of Nortel (NI) Limited. I joined Tata at an exciting time, just after they acquired Corus and the focus was very much on the integration of Corus in to the Tata group, which is one of India’s largest corporations and owns brands such as Jaguar/Landrover, Tetley tea and the Taj Mahal hotels, to name a few.

What were the issues you faced making the transition across industries?

Tata already had plenty of people in the organisation who understood the steel industry and my leadership and management skills turned out to be completely transferable.

The biggest challenge was establishing a completely new network of people both internally and externally. Getting things

50

done in a large company requires the ability to influence people and know where to go and I had to build that network from scratch. Externally I also had to spend a lot of time getting to know customers and suppliers.

What has been the most enjoyable aspect of the role?

I enjoy new challenges, learning from them and also meeting new people. I enjoyed the challenge of working in a different industry but mostly I enjoyed getting to know a new team of people and the team at Tata are great to work with.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?

The biggest challenge in my career was definitely when I moved to London in the late 90’s to become marketing operations director for the International Optical Networks division at Nortel and we were given the challenge to double sales to $1bn. We achieved this after just two years.

What key experiences from your earlier career do you feel have benefitted you most in your current role?

My early experiences in product design and new product introduction taught me the importance of listening to and responding

to customer requirements. This is very important in Tata Steel as customer service is a key differentiator of the business.

Where did your ambition lie when you started your career?

I would never have considered myself as really ambitious in my early career; I just enjoyed learning new skills and being put in to challenging situations. I was incredibly lucky to have joined a company in my early career that was going through a tremendous growth phase that gave me lots of opportunities to take on challenging international roles and grow personally.

What advice would you give to any aspiring Managing Directors who are looking to acquire the right skills and experience?

Focus on developing a broad range of leadership skills and move around within your organisation, or move to another organisation, to make sure you are getting real experience of these skills in different situations. It’s also very important to develop your professional skills as a Director through the Institute of Directors.

Neal Lucas can be contacted on 028 9268 8818 connected with on LinkedIn or followed @NealLucasRec

Travel, Flags, firebombs & & Tourism flashbacks Hospitality

TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Tourism picks up but still work to be done The tourism sector is on the up but has some stiff targets to reach in the next few years.

M

ore tourists are staying the night in Northern Ireland and they are spending more money while they are here, according to the latest available statistics.

Annual tourism data produced for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment showed that 4.32m overnight trips were recorded here in the 12 months to the end of September, a 2% increase on the same time a year earlier.

The total spend on those trips, both by domestic and external tourists, reached £756m, a 3% hike which is partly accounted for by inflationary pressures.

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Given the amount of output from the Northern Ireland economy stands at £33bn a year, the amount spent on overnight trips equates to 2.5% of the total.

In employment terms, the tourism and leisure industry remains extremely important to the local economy with 56,890 people working in the industry, 8% of all employee jobs.

By far the biggest reason for visiting is for a holiday, with 47% of overnighters falling into that category, one which doesn’t include the other 38% who are visiting friends and relatives.

Only 9% are visiting Northern Ireland on

business, a factor which appears low but which can be accounted for by the large number of business day-trips.

Breaking down the origin of those people overnighting here, more than half of trips are accounted for by local residents while 27% are made up of people living in Great Britain.

Just 8%, or 400,000, people were from the Republic while the remaining 13% were from outside the UK and Republic.

Meanwhile, the number of cruise ships docking in Northern Ireland continues to expand.

TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

For the year to the end of September, 69 ships docked in ports here bringing 121,000 passengers and crew, including the first cruise ship to dock in Warrenpoint.

That’s a big jump from 2011 when only 32 ships docked here with just 58,000 crew and passengers.

But while the tourism sector is making steady headway, there is still a lot of work to be done to reach the stiff targets set by DETI. It wants to increase the number of visitors to 4.5m yearly by 2020 and increase earnings from the sector to £1bn.

To reach those targets, tourism minister Arlene Foster commissioned the Hunter Review which came up with 33 recommendations which are in the process of being acted upon.

• DETI should continue its efforts to secure improvements in air connectivity and improved visa arrangements.

• NITB should continue its work with Invest NI to develop a Northern Ireland economic development brand.

• NITB should develop a new MOU with Visit Belfast.

• Invest NI and NITB should co-locate when NITB’s current lease expires in 2016.

Meanwhile, the importance of events to the tourism and hospitality sector have not been lost on the minister.

Earlier this year she announced she has secured £1m for the tourist board’s events scheme to try and secure more large scale conferences.

They include changing the name of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to Tourism Northern Ireland as well as the following recommendations, which are just a few of the 33 set out in the report.

“This funding will help ensure events, festivals and activities that have and will inspire people to come here can continue,” she said.

International events such as Tall Ships and Giro d’Italia attract large numbers of visitors and spectators and showcase us on a global stage. However smaller events and festivals also play their part adding to the vibrancy and cultural life of Northern Ireland.”

• Northern Ireland Executive should publish an updated Strategy for Tourism.

A fillip for that strategy is the £30m extension of the Belfast Waterfront Hall,

MARCH 2015

one which is due for completion in 2016.

The development will integrate with the existing facility and see its conference facilities double in size to 7000m2.

Tourism NI held a conference in February attended by 100 delegates to give an overview of the proposed new development.

Willie Lougheed, Business to Business Manager at Tourism NI said: “Business tourism is an important high yield sector which can deliver significant economic benefits and key to its growth is the provision of quality tourism infrastructure to attract and entertain our delegates.”

And Arlene Foster is clear on the contribution the tourism sector as a whole can bring.

“Given the importance of tourism to the local economy, my priority is to ensure that we have the right structures in place to maximise the benefits this crucial sector can bring right across Northern Ireland,” she said. “Northern Ireland has seen significant growth in visitor numbers and, more importantly, in tourism revenue over the last five years. Our challenge is to maintain and build on that momentum.”

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TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Hamstrung by VAT? Glenn Breen, Partner at Shean Dickson Merrick Solicitors, looks at the impact a reduction in VAT could have on the hospitality sector. reduction applies to accommodation, food and certain tourist attractions but not beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Figures from the Irish Finance Minister suggest that the cut has created 30,000 new jobs and brought €165m into the Irish economy.

Northern Irish businesses across the hospitality trade have felt the impact of the change negatively. When tour operators are putting together packages, hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland are immediately at a disadvantage due to the higher VAT rate than in the Republic of Ireland. A tourist may well decide to spend their time in the Republic of Ireland on the basis that they can get a better deal. It is believed that every £1.00 spent on tourism creates a further £0.70 in the wider economy. Every hotel, restaurant or tourist attraction booking that is missed clearly has a significant knock-on effect in the wider economy.

It is not intended that a VAT reduction would simply be a windfall for business owners. Reducing VAT would allow business owners to reduce prices, employ more staff and improve their premises, all of which play a role in improving service. Market forces will ultimately determine that the VAT savings would be passed onto the customers.

Glenn Breen

O

ne of the main growth areas in Northern Ireland’s economy in recent times has been tourism. We have seen a number of tourism campaigns that have helped to build Northern Ireland’s brand as a leading tourist destination, including the opening of Titanic Belfast, the Giants Causeway Visitor Centre and, more recently, the promotion of Northern Ireland as the world’s putting green.

Despite having these wonderful attractions, the lower rate of VAT in the Republic of Ireland means that Northern Ireland remains the more expensive option for hospitality on the island. Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in a campaign to reduce the VAT rate in Northern Ireland to a level which can compete with that in the Republic of Ireland.

In July 2011 the Republic of Ireland reduced its VAT rate in the hospitality sector to 9%. So successful was this reduction that it has been extended indefinitely beyond the initial trial period. The

54

The campaign to change our VAT rate appears to have crossparty backing with Pubs of Ulster and Margaret Ritchie MP at the forefront of the campaign. EU law means that our VAT rate cannot be changed in isolation and any such change would have to be UK wide. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is currently resisting the change due to concerns about the loss of revenue to the public purse despite reductions in the VAT rate in the hospitality sector in 13 other EU Member States.

Those campaigning for the change however believe that the reduction in VAT would result in greater employment and therefore increased revenues from PAYE and NIC and tax from increased profits of the business owners. This position has been backed by research undertaken by Deloitte.

With the government increasingly focusing on economic growth perhaps now is the time for this reduced VAT rate change to be implemented, as a stimulus for local businesses in the hospitality trade and to ensure the work done to show Northern Ireland as a leading tourism destination is not lost.

TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Diageo Tourism and Hospitality Academy launches

T

he Diageo Tourism and Hospitality Academy has launched in Northern Ireland. Modelled on Diageo’s global Learning for Life programme, the Academy is designed and delivered by Belfast Met, supported by Diageo and Visit Belfast and is FLU funded by the Department for Employment and Learning to provide real employment opportunities in the hospitality and tourism industry for 18-24 year olds.

The City and Guilds accredited programme will help 16 individuals to develop their skills over a 16 week course involving off-site work experience. They will gain insight and experience of the hospitality and tourism industry including interview preparation, food and beverage skills, customer care and communications and computer skills. Students will also benefit from ongoing mentoring and assistance to guide them through the training and job application process. Following completion of the course participants will have three months paid placement with an industry partner.

Liam Reid, Corporate Relations Director, Diageo Ireland said: “Diageo’s Learning for Life programme will provide unemployed people with coaching, core employability skills and specialist

MARCH 2015

Pictured with Ministers Stephen Farry and Arlene Foster are Damian Duffy, Belfast Met and Liam Reid, Diageo Ireland.

bartender training; opening the door to a wide range of exciting career opportunities in the growing Northern Ireland hospitality industry. I applaud the Department of Employment and Learning and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for their support and commitment in developing this programme to finding meaningful and sustainable solutions to youth unemployment. This truly transformative global programme has the ability to change lives and I am proud that 16 young people in Northern Ireland will get this wonderful opportunity.”

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TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Experts heading to Belfast for tourism summit

T

he Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) is organising a tourism summit on 20th March 2015, in Belfast, with support from First Trust Bank to explore the economic impact of tourism and hospitality in Northern Ireland.

Mandy Patrick, MBE, NIHF President.

Mandy Patrick MBE, President, NIHF said: “Whilst we recognise the great potential for our industry to create employment and attract inward investment, we feel Northern Ireland and the UK are facing economic challenges with one hand tied behind their backs. Northern Ireland has a VAT rate 11% higher than the Republic of Ireland and we have the fourth highest VAT rate in Europe. This makes Northern Ireland an expensive destination and places us at a competitive disadvantage.

“The NIHF produced its Tourism 2020 Report in 2013 highlighting the need for leadership and action on a range of issues including the development of a tourism strategy, a long term future study of the industry, events and marketing and the creation of single skills agency. These are all important issues.

“Northern Ireland has a VAT rate 11% higher than the Republic of Ireland and we have the fourth highest VAT rate in Europe.

This makes Northern Ireland an expensive destination and places us at a competitive disadvantage.”

“In the lead up to the Westminster elections in May, the Federation is, in partnership with the British Hospitality Association and its “CUT TOURISM VAT” campaign, leading a UK wide effort to give our tourism industry the competitive edge it desperately needs. Our research shows that failure to reduce VAT could cost in excess of £114m in lost economic potential for Northern Ireland and this is something we cannot afford.

“Our Tourism Summit will challenge local politicians and Westminster candidates to state their support for this and we will be asking how they intend to show leadership and action on the other challenges facing our industry.”

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Guest speaker and award-winning travel writer Pól Ó Conghaile, Travel Editor, Independent.ie, says: “Throughout my travels I’ve gained an insight into practices and policies that have contributed to sustainable development within tourism in different jurisdictions. In the UK and Ireland significant opportunities exist for businesses to capitalise upon the natural environment and its outstanding beauty. Collectively businesses need to channel their efforts and maximise the opportunities that exist.”

Professor Heenan from Ulster University adds: “The contribution of business and conference events to the Northern Ireland Visitor Economy should not be underestimated. Business tourism operates throughout the year and brings a range of economic benefits including increased visitor spend, marketing and promotion and high value return visits.”

Brian Gillan, Head of Business Banking, First Trust Bank says: “The First Trust Bank is extremely supportive of businesses operating in the tourism sector and we also recognise the value that comes from working with sector bodies that can lobby or advocate for change which can benefit the wider local economy.”

Programme details can be found at www.tourismsummit.co.uk

TRAVEL, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Odyssey Arena continues to entertain in 2015

O

dyssey Arena is looking forward to an eventful year of high profile concerts with worldclass artists such as The Who, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon & Sting, Take That and the legendary Neil Diamond making their way to the Odyssey this year.

Commercial Executive Clare Gallagher has been helping to entertain the corporate community of Northern Ireland for many years now and can personally recommend corporate entertaining as an essential tool for any business. “Many of our clients value the opportunities that corporate entertaining brings,” Clare said. Corporate entertainment can be extremely valuable in relation to both existing and potential clients. Treating clients to an evening at Odyssey Arena is the ideal way to do this. Clients will enjoy a memorable night out and have the chance to talk business in a more informal setting.”

MARCH 2015

“Here at Odyssey Arena we offer a unique hospitality experience. Our guests are treated to a private VIP entrance, in-house catering and a dedicated team of staff to make sure your night runs smoothly. Our Clare Gallagher

corporate clients are able to enjoy world class entertainment in first class luxury suites.”

A unique attribute that Odyssey Arena provides is the ability to offer a wide variety of events. With artists from the world of rock, pop and classical music along with comedy and indoor sports, sponsors can entertain clients at a variety of events.

Odyssey Arena is home of the Belfast Giants Ice Hockey team and with a superb corporate offering combined with a thrilling game night experience, it is ideal for entertaining customers, staff and clients – especially those with young families.

For further information on annual corporate partnerships or event packages contact, Commercial Executive, Clare Gallagher on 028 9076 6000

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ANALYSIS

Planning for success April 1 is the long-anticipated date when the 11 new ‘Super Councils’ inherit the vast majority of planning powers from central government. Three members of the Planning Practice at corporate law firm A&L Goodbody’s Belfast office discuss how this major development in planning will impact our Councils across Northern Ireland.

“W

hile all ‘regionally significant’ and some ‘major’ planning applications will continue to be processed by the Department of the Environment, from 1 April 2015 local councils will have responsibility for determining the vast majority of local applications,” explains Solicitor Deirdre St John, a specialist in Planning law.

“With these new powers will come many new responsibilities for the councils and their planning teams – not least compliance with the new legislation, policies, and guidelines, which must be followed at all stages of the decision-making process. In addition to the transfer of planning powers, which also include responsibility for preparing local area plans and taking enforcement action, the new councils will have to get to grips with the introduction of a new strategic planning policy statement, which aims to consolidate over 20 pieces of existing planning policy into a single document.”

Associate Micaela Diver continues: “From a public and regulatory law point of view, the councils need to ensure that they are not only

58

complying with all of the relevant regulations, but that they follow the stringent processes that are set out in the new planning guidelines and comply with the councillors’ code of conduct. Since these new powers will give rise to a much higher level of scrutiny of council decisions and the processes followed to reach those decisions, a failure to do either could leave the council subject to judicial review.

“For councillors, this will mean having to adjust their mindset from that of a lobbyist to that of a strictly regulation-bound decision maker who will occasionally have to make decisions that may prove unpopular with their constituents and, ultimately, their voters.”

Partner Judith Corbett comments: “With 1 April fast approaching, the 11 new councils are deep in the process of preparing for

ANALYSIS

Pictured (l-r) are: Deirdre St John, Judith Corbett and Micaela Diver.

the transition to the new planning regime. For the first time since the 1970’s, councils will hold the vast majority of planning powers with responsibility not only for deciding applications but also developing area plans and enforcement. While most welcome the return of planning powers to locally accountable decision makers, the transition will not be without challenges.

“At A&L Goodbody we have invested in building a very strong team which offers great depth and breadth of knowledge and experience across planning law and complementary areas such as environmental, public and regulatory law. This multi-disciplinary approach means that we can work seamlessly with councils to advise them on all legal aspects of their new planning powers and the regulations which must be followed during the decision making process.

MARCH 2015

“Our team is currently working with a number of the new councils in advising on the processes to be implemented and the various considerations in the run up to the changeover date and in the months that follow.”

Judith concludes: “For some councils the transfer of these new powers may initially bring about a sense of ‘the great unknown’ and some early teething problems are to be expected. However, by seeking the relevant expert legal advice, our 11 new councils can ensure they remain compliant with legal requirements whilst delivering a highlyeffective and efficient planning service for their constituents.”

To contact the A&L Goodbody Planning practice, call 028 9031 4466 or email jcorbett@algoodbody.com

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FLEDGLING FREELANCER

Happy birthday to me...

By Julie Stewart

S

omeone run to Marksies. Get out the buns and the helium balloons, it’s my anniversary! A franiversary if you will, as I’ve managed a whole year as a freelancer. It seems like only yesterday I handed back my lanyard and my locker key, skipped out of the office of highly polished glass and hierarchy and launched myself into the working world alone. Totally alone. No glossy induction pack or tour round the office. I already knew where the hoover and the heating switch lived.

Farewell set hours, hello working all the hours. Even while on holiday.

As Frank Sinatra would say, it’s been a very good year. Yes, there have been times when I have doubted myself. This usually happens once a week when I accidentally see the opening credits of Jeremy Kyle and think uh oh, I don’t have a real job. Then I have a word with myself, soothing my fears with the thought that I am not actually appearing on Jeremy Kyle, things aren’t all that bad.

There have been times when I’ve worried about money, but how different is that from any other business? Even in regular employment you might not be worried about where the money going in at the end of the month is coming from, but someone in the company is. Throughout my career I have been that person. I’ve chased invoices with a cheery tone, trying not to sound like I’m begging, while the directors are in the boardroom working out how to delay paying Peter so Paul can buy some groceries. It is no fun. It is even less fun as a freelancer as you can’t say ‘the boss has asked me to give you a call’. You are the boss. Luckily I have some awesome clients. My husband is no doubt relieved that I’ve only put a hair do-on the VISA once or ‘borrowed’ a

60

little pocket money a couple of times while I wait for a text from the bank telling me it’s cool to use my card again. The FTSE may not see this as a measure of how a company is performing, but in the freelance world those are pretty good statistics.

home. Remember it is only work.

I have learnt a lot. For example people actually leave the house during the week, in daylight! Honestly, they do. They are shopping and eating, even going to the pubs and the pictures. It is easy when you’re stuck round a spider phone for three hours in a room with calming canvases of swaying dandelions to forget there is a world outside.

Stress at work hits us all at some stage, even those of us without shareholders.

Sometimes you need to take a moment and breathe. Not in a made-up mindfulness kind of way, but just to remember to be grateful for what you have achieved.

I’ve also learnt freelancing can be very lonely.

Some days the only person I talk to is the butcher, but that too is fine. He is going to Puerto Banús on his holidays apparently, and not once has he questioned my deadlines or quality of work, which is nice.

The weekend will always come, eventually.

Hug someone, maybe not in the office as that will probably land you with a disciplinary, but maybe when you go

I’m still working on this bit, especially when the words won’t come and I’m frantically trying to concoct content as I clean the kitchen, talking to myself like an eejit.

So, apart from the money, stress and loneliness it has been a really good year.

I’ve gained a lot, I’m learning not to listen to my inner critic and my washing basket is pretty empty. So as I reach this milestone, cheers to freelancing, and if you have any freelancers on your books, pay them first. They might need their hair done.

Julie Stewart is a social media consultant and copy writer and can be found at a littlesocialtlc.com

Flags, firebombs & flashbacks

Tax & Accounting

TAX & ACCOUNTING

Flood gates open: will there be a flood?

As plans to devolve corporation tax-setting powers to Stormont gather pace, John Simpson takes a look at the finer detail of a move which has been described as a game changer for the Northern Ireland economy.

M

ost Northern Ireland businesses, existing and newcomers, can now expect lower company taxation assessments from 1 April 2017. In the time scale of business planning, preparation for new investments and assessing changes in the market place, these tax changes are now firmly on the immediate strategic agenda.

The decision on the rate of corporation tax to be levied on Northern Ireland businesses is still uncertain. However, the logic of the process means that a 12.5% rate is likely. Whereas there are political opinions, suggesting other rates ranging from 10% to 15%, the easiest conclusion to sustain an understandable all-island presentation

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to external investors is that there should be implicit avoidance of marginal competitive bidding on tax rates between north and south.

Having argued that the case for devolution of the tax rate was justified because of the comparisons with the Republic of Ireland, any continuing difference risks a publicity game where the real focus on attracting competitive efficient businesses is distorted.

For Northern Ireland and the Republic, the emphasis must be on generating long-term sustainable and profitable businesses.

The north-south competition should be about the other factors making for competitive advantage. Lower corporation tax rate

TAX & ACCOUNTING

submitting their accounts for assessment, except to certify their eligibility.

That assurance is easily given but must be qualified.

First, does the business really do most of its business by trading in Northern Ireland? An important distinction is built into the legislation. Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), which usually means businesses that employ less than 250 people, face different rules that contrast with those for larger businesses.

The accounts of SMEs which can show that more than 75% of the employment they generate (either by numbers or payroll) is located in Northern Ireland will then normally be assessed at the NI rate.

Two provisos apply. First, the business should not be ineligible. Second, the tax assessment is on trading profits but does not include non-trading income as, for example, might be part of the profits from property ownership or indirect >

Corporation tax rates around the world

is one, but only one, even if important, factor in the overall equation.

Highest Position Rate (%)

Now that the legislation is finalised, there is a strong case for the Northern Ireland agencies to launch an information and promotion campaign. To be able to talk specifics about dates, conditions and exemptions is now critical for potential investors and local businesses.

Detailed advice and information from, as appropriate, the Department of Finance and Personnel, and HMRC (Revenue and Customs) is overdue. In particular, HMRC needs to explain how the procedures for corporation tax will operate to allow eligible businesses to qualify and be assessed at the changed (lower) Northern Ireland rate.

HMRC will argue that for most of the businesses that qualify for a Northern Ireland tax rate, the change will be seamless.

Many Northern Ireland businesses that do most of their business in Northern Ireland will not need to do any extra work in

MARCH 2015

Lowest Country

Position Rate (%)

Country

1

9

Montenegro

40

United Arab Emirates* United States

2

10

Bosnia & Herzegovnia, Bulgaria, Gibraltar, Macedonia, Paraguay, Qatar

3

36.64

Japan

3

12

Macau, Oman

4

35

4

12.5

Cyprus, Ireland, Liechtenstein

5 6

14 15

1

55

2

5 6

Angola, Argentina, Malta, Sudan, Zambia 34.5 St. Maarten 34 Brazil, Pakistan, Venezuela

Jordan Albania,Georgia, Iraq, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritius, Serbia

7

33.99

Belgium, India

7

16

Romania

8 9

33.33 33

France Namibia

8 9

16.5 17

Hong Kong Singapore, Slovenia, Taiwan

10

32

Mozambique

10

17.92

Switzerland 63

TAX & ACCOUNTING

financial assets. The business would be ineligible if it was a financial company, such as a bank, engaged in lending, investment and investment management, long-term insurance business or in the business of re-insurance.

SMEs will need to be aware of whether, or how, these provisos restrict their access to the new lower taxation. Probably over 80% of the businesses assessed at the NI rate will fall into this grouping.

Larger businesses trading in Northern Ireland which qualify for the NI rate will be those which employ over 250 people. The legislation introduces the concept of a NIRE: Northern Ireland Regional Establishment. For the 100+ businesses which trade in Northern Ireland but are not necessarily separately registered as a Northern Ireland company, if they wish to be assessed for the lower tax rate on NI business, then HMRC will need verifiable management accounts showing this information separately from that of the larger organisation.

In practice, branches, agencies and trading arms of national UKregistered companies can be expected to apply for a NI assessment.

In terms of the impact of the new corporate tax arrangements, one of the important unknowns in estimating the impact of taking this tax revenue out of the Block Grant is the size of profits from national or international companies that

64

will be attributed to Northern Ireland from the NIRE. As the arrangements for the separate Northern Ireland corporation tax regime settle down there will be marginal adjustments to the application of the legislation. Clearly, the Treasury and HMRC hope to avoid unwarranted distortions where the impact on the local economy is artificial or perverse.

New businesses attracted by the lower tax rate and adding to local economic activity will be the positive benefit. Nominal businesses with ‘brass nameplate’ registrations are outside the ambitions of the incentives. We can expect rules to avoid the subdividing of businesses to artificially gain a local tax advantage.

An important feature of the legislation is that the Treasury has provided specific scope to make judgements on when ‘back office’ activity will, or will not, qualify as a Northern Ireland business. Early clarity on the eligibility of existing back office establishments will be monitored with interest.

The corporation tax incentive is now entering the critical pre-test phase. HMRC will be watching carefully to detect (and block) any abuse of this new tax frontier. Corporate taxation experts will have an early learning task but it seems very much a once-only initiation.

Company finance Directors must come to terms with the changes.

TAX & ACCOUNTING

Considering incorporation?

T

here has been much debate over recent months as to whether the recently published Corporation Tax (NI) Bill, which allows our Assembly to reduce corporation tax rates for local companies, is a “silver bullet” for the Province. Currently, the tax rate for companies is 21% and expectations are that the Assembly will reduce this to 12.5% from April 2017.

There are many good reasons why businesses choose to incorporate and, whilst tax has always been a major consideration for doing so, a reduction in the tax rate of this magnitude will make this an even more attractive proposition for some businesses. So aside from tax considerations, what are the other attractions of incorporation?

By Celia Worthington

• A limited company has its own separate existence from the people who run it. This can provide protection from personal liability for company debts.

• Shares in a limited company are transferable. All the rights of the promoters are represented in the shares.

In an unincorporated business the process of divesting oneself of the business assets can be cumbersome and costly.

Incorporation can allow the free transferability of interest from one person to another.

• There can be considerable sophistication in relation to the split of ownership and the ability to bring in external financial support by the giving up of equity in your business.

are a number of owners of shares.

Such an agreement will deal with how and when shares can be transferred and new shares issued, provision of protection where appropriate or necessary for those holding less than 50% of the shares, rights to appoint directors and payment for directors, any dividend policy, how to finance the company and what happens to shares if anyone leaves the company or dies.

Having made the decision to incorporate, it is important to give thought to a shareholder’s agreement in circumstances where there

Celia Worthington, senior partner of the

It is easy to assume that nothing can go wrong in your business when you have been in business for a long time but, if it does, the absence of a shareholders agreement can cost dearly.

Commercial Department of Worthingtons Solicitors Belfast Office.

Pinnacle bags Sage award

P

innacle a market leader in providing Sage business management software, has been awarded the coveted Sage 200 Business Partner of the Year Award for 2014, while also picking up an award for Sage 200 CRM. With its head office in Belfast and 11 operations across the UK and Ireland, Pinnacle works with a variety of local and national businesses across a range of industries to establish solutions to suit their business needs, then to deliver those solutions and support them going forward.

Sage’s Business Partner of the Year programme recognises and rewards its leading business partners that have shown the highest increase in sales revenues and continue to raise the benchmark in the software industry. The awards champion the outstanding contribution made by its Business Partner community to its business.

Presenting the awards at the Sage Accelerates conference and gala dinner in London, Brendan Flattery, CEO, Sage UK and Ireland commented: “I’m delighted to present this award to Pinnacle.

Pinnacle has delivered an outstanding performance throughout 2014, providing Sage 200 solutions deployed On Cloud and On Premise, and are leading the way in their field. My congratulations go to all involved and we look forward to another year of mutual benefit and growth.”

James Spencer, Managing Director of Pinnacle said: “We are delighted to scoop two awards, ‘Sage 200 Business Partner of the Year 2014’ and ‘Sage 200 CRM Business Partner of the Year 2014’. It is

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Brendan Flattery, Sage CEO UK & Ireland; James Spencer, MD of Pinnacle; Fran McKee Marketing Director of Pinnacle; Steve Atwell, Sage MD SMB UKI.

recognition of the talented and dedicated team of people we have and testament to the continued investment we are making in our Sage 200 business.”

Sage is proud to work with an unrivalled network of Business Partners like Pinnacle. Their diverse skills, expertise and experience ensures each and every customer has a solution tailored to their specific business needs. This year’s Business Partner Conference, Sage Accelerate, and the Business Partner of the year Awards ceremony was an opportunity to bring together the Sage Partner community, discuss the themes of growth and opportunity, and celebrate some fantastic successes. (www.pinnacle-online.com)

TAX & ACCOUNTING

Invoice financing versus bank loans Deborah Archer, Director at law firm Tughans, takes a detailed look at invoice financing and how it can work for your business.

B

oth bank loans and invoice financing are favourable sources of finance for businesses but what is invoice financing and how does it differ from a bank loan?

• Bank loans are credit facilities offered by banks, with a fixed amount, usually a fixed term and repayments required on a regular basis.

• Factoring and invoice discounting have become a major source of working capital finance resulting from the credit crunch and the difficulties facing a lot of business in securing a bank loan. Capital is created out of a business’s outstanding invoices. The invoice financier essentially lends the business money against its unpaid invoices, usually an agreed percentage of the total value of the invoices.

As the customers pay their invoices, the money goes to the invoice financier, reducing the amount owed and allowing more borrowing on the invoices from new sales, again up to the percentage previously agreed.

So what are the advantages to invoice financing?

• The various forms of invoice financing allow businesses to free up capital tied up in invoices with long remittance terms.

• It can be arranged confidentially so customers won’t know what the business is borrowing against their invoices.

• Once an invoice is raised up to 90% of the invoice value could be available with 24-48 hours, funds are made available quicker when compared with bank loans.

MARCH 2015

Deborah Archer

• Better cash flow gives increased bargaining power with suppliers and less need to concede discounts to customers.

• Removal of cash flow worries allows more time to be spent developing and improving the business.

• Fewer conditional requirements.

• Comparatively, it offers a more cost-effective facility.

Are there disadvantages to invoice financing?

• Businesses lose profit from orders or services that they provide.

• Invoice financiers will usually only buy commercial invoices.

• It may affect the ability of a business to obtain other funding due to the lack of ‘book debts’ that can be offered as security for other loans.

• Once a business enters into an invoice discounting arrangement it can be difficult to leave as the business becomes reliant on the improved cash flow.

What type of businesses are best suited to invoice financing?

• Invoice financing is suitable for most business in the manufacturing, business services and distributive trade sectors in the UK selling goods and services to other businesses on normal credit terms and who are seeking short term borrowing aimed at specifically improving its working capital and cash flow position.

• The key point is that no business is excluded, even those making trade losses since the invoice financing company’s security is primarily its customers (through the invoices). Invoice financing facilities are therefore available to sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, plc’s and new start-ups.

Are there particular types of businesses which are not suitable for invoice financing?

Potential problematic areas for invoice financing are: • maintenance contracts; • stage payments; • long-term contracts and retentions.

However, even if your business does contain any of the above elements, there are specialist trade financiers who may be able to assist. It should also be borne in mind that various banks, financial institutions and invoice financiers offer a range of invoice financing products making invoice financing potentially an attractive alternative form of funding for businesses.

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ANALYSIS

BDO draws out the big business issues

A

t a recent gathering of a crosssection of BDO NI clients, we sought the views of those present on what the key issues are impacting businesses as we face 2015. The entrepreneurs who were in attendance represented business large and small, from all sectors and included some operating solely within Northern Ireland as well as businesses who are exporting services and goods outside the region.

Not surprisingly, the move towards the devolution of power over corporation tax was top of the agenda. It has been a long – very

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long – campaign to get to the stage where the political concession has been won, and after decades of slow, persistent campaigning which brought us to December 2014 and the inclusion of corporation tax within the Stormont House Agreement, the speed of progress since then has been refreshingly quick. Secretary of State Teresa Villiers has already taken the Corporation Tax (NI) Bill through its first and second readings in the House of Commons where the legislation now awaits a third reading in early March.

With continued political goodwill the bill will be enacted before the forthcoming Westminster election on the 7th May.

The case made for Northern Ireland’s special treatment, unique so far within UK regions, is based strongly on an acceptance that our economy remains unbalanced and that as long as the public sector accounts directly for two thirds of economic activity, then a major economic intervention is required. The potential benefits are clear and based on a relatively simple premise – that a reduced level of corporation tax will attract high quality foreign direct investment and the associated increase in private sector employment.

Those businesses profiled at the beginning of this piece were unanimous in their view

BDO’S Peter Burnside addressing guests at the company’s 25th anniversary at the Ulster Museum.

ANALYSIS

that a reduced business tax will provide a lift to the economy in Northern Ireland, and they were equally strong in their insistence that as a standalone measure it won’t be enough. There are associated challenges which we need to embrace.

The lessons of our near neighbours in the Republic of Ireland show that while the reduced rate gives our region a very significant marketing tool overseas, we need the people and the skills to provide a steady flow into the workforce. That requires connectivity between the workforce and our schools and colleges as well as between government departments, which has not always been evident in the past.

As the reality of what is actually possible sinks in among the political classes there is an emerging acknowledgement that we need to ensure a regionally balanced approach to attracting investment, in order to ensure that all parts of Northern Ireland

MARCH 2015

can benefit. Indeed that political point was made just last month in the Assembly and it is the case that while infrastructure is improving across Northern Ireland we need to maintain that pace of investment in physical infrastructure in the shape of roads as well as technological and communication networks.

More broadly, as a region we need to highlight the characteristics of our offering which are unique and which will act as a beacon for potential investors. That means showing the world what we have achieved in multimedia, the creative industry sectors, pharmacy and life sciences, financial services and technology. In the absence of the incentive of Corporation Tax reduction we have already made a big play in these sectors, and this new sales tool will increase our potential.

The business community is very keen to see a date for the introduction of the new

tax, and the rate at which it will be set.

Investment decisions evolve over a period of years and this ‘date and rate’ combination will be enough to allow Invest NI to take the ‘new’ Northern Ireland economic offer onto the international stage.

Increasing the impact we have on the international stage is a job not only for Invest NI but for the business community as well. We all need to relay the message that Northern Ireland is entering a new economic. Our engagement with the business community tells us that they won’t be found wanting.

What next?

Our work with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce on a Quarterly Economic Survey showed that while at the beginning of 2015 Northern Ireland’s economic recovery remains positive, caution still remained around key issues such as the cost of doing business. >

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ANALYSIS

BDO Managing Partner Peter Burnside (right) and Senior Partner Nigel Harra with Finance Minister Simon Hamilton.

The survey showed that more businesses are reporting an increase in sales, exports and employment than at this time last year.

However the manufacturing and services sectors, which are indicative of the state of play in much of the economy, continue to lag behind their counterparts in other UK regions.

One of the main barriers to further economic growth is on the cost of doing business in Northern Ireland, with energy costs, telecommunications costs and transport costs all placing a restriction on business’s ability to plan for further investment.

BDO Managing Partner Peter Burnside reflected on the mixed results of the survey: “The results of the survey show a mixed view at the beginning of 2015 and that reflects what we are hearing from our clients.

There are grounds for concern and grounds for optimism. Businesses must prepare themselves for growth, through robust planning, investment and training. At the same time there is an onus on the Executive to maintain and improve infrastructure and also to address the cost of doing business locally, particularly energy and transport costs.

Other issues facing business Corporation Tax is not the only issue where our client base has a desire to see progress in the form of devolution and ultimately a reduction. The hospitality sector has been vocal in recent years on the need for a reduction in VAT. The argument has

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a familiar ring; our pubs, restaurants and hotels are competing for tourist and local spend with competitors in the Republic of Ireland, where a lower rate of 13% has been reduced further in recent months to 9%.

The case for a reduced VAT has been made in the Assembly where there is once again cross party support and an apparent acknowledgement of the problem. However VAT is not a devolved measure and power to set, or alter, the rate lies in Westminster.

growth, support job creation and generate investment for local businesses. A similar move has been initiated, not only in the Republic of Ireland but also in 12 other EU member states. The businesses we work with who come from the hospitality trade, like the umbrella representative body Pubs of Ulster, are determined to make their case. They see the benefits the reduced tax has had in the Republic of Ireland and the advances that region has made in attracting tourists. It is an argument that will not silently be dropped.

All eyes on the budget

“At the same time there is an onus on the Executive to maintain and improve infrastructure and also to address the cost of doing business locally, particularly energy and transport costs.”

Last month Northern Ireland representatives brought the argument to the House of Commons. Perhaps knowing that a further ‘Northern Ireland only’ move was unlikely, the motion on that occasion called for a UK wide, sector-specific VAT reduction measures to help businesses in the UK in a bid to encourage

The last budget to be delivered by the outgoing coalition Government will be unveiled on March 18th. The recent upturn in the economy does not yet have the pace which the Government or indeed private sector would want to see so we are unlikely to see any significant loosening of austeritydriven fiscal policy. However, elections do strange things to politicians so we cannot rule out totally some form of public appeasement in terms of spending or tax relief. Whatever we hear on that day, the job ahead for Northern Ireland politicians and for businesses such as those with whom we work, is to continue to put economic growth at the very heart of our collective agenda.

We know the job ahead and we will shortly have more tools at our disposal to help deliver a sustainable and rebalanced economy. It’s on with the job from this point on.

“Our strategy is ambitious, that's why we need the best advisers.”

Audit | Tax | Advisory

When you need support in meeting your growth plans in Northern Ireland, choose a firm born and raised in Northern Ireland.

BDO NI: Advising Northern Ireland's most ambitious companies for over 25 years. www.bdoni.com

BDO in Northern Ireland is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority to conduct investment business.

PROFILE

The team at Solmatix during a visit from the then President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mark Nodder.

A ray of light The story so far for renewable energy company Solmatix.

B

uilding a business around the sun in Northern Ireland may seem like a far-fetched idea but Richard Bell isn’t the sort of man to be put off by popular perception.

As it turns out, science has proven Northern Ireland is ideally placed to take advantage of energy from the sun and it was the thought of making the most of this free resource which was part of Richard’s motivation for becoming interested in the installation of solar panels and for forming Solmatix.

Keen to make his and wife Norah-Anne’s own home self-sufficient of power with the help of the sun, they looked into the available options on the market and

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weren’t happy with what they found.

Richard is a highly skilled engineer of some note, one whose natural reaction when faced with what he believed to be a substandard system of attaching solar panels to roofs was to come up with his own design.

Traditionally, panels attach via a cantilever bracket which feeds underneath roof tiles before attaching to the rafter.

Solmatix’s unique selling point is a bracket which attaches directly to the rafter through a straight bracket which is drilled through the tile and waterproofed by two highly efficient and durable washers, a system which makes sure the panels are

able to withstand the worst the Northern Ireland weather can throw at it.

It also makes sure to answer another need which Richard encountered in that first venture as a customer in the solar energy world by offering a service which takes care of all aspects of the installation or, as he calls it, from “first call to last call”.

The company was founded in 2008 by Richard and former teacher Norah-Anne in a cow shed on the family farm, along with what they describe as “a lot of vision”.

Since then it has gone from strength-tostrength and to-date has completed over 2,000 installations – both photovoltaic

PROFILE

and solar water heating – across Northern Ireland and further afield, with 10% of business coming from outside these shores.

Not only does the company complete domestic solar panel installations, it’s also becoming one of the biggest players for installations into commercial premises, from offices right up to large industrial units, as well as on farms and in large housing developments.

“There’s not a factory in the country we can’t make more efficient,” Richard said. “It makes so much commercial sense in nearly every case.”

McAuley Engineering, Ballymoney

That commercial sense lies at the crux of the solar argument but on a fiveto-six year payback, there’s little doubt the technology makes sense.

In keeping with the renewable theme, Solmatix also installs biomass boilers, one of which keeps the company’s Nutts Corner offices warm.

But it’s the service which the company really prides itself on, one which makes sure installation isn’t obtrusive and is completed quickly and efficiently.

A good example of that is one of the jobs which the company is working on when Ulster Business visits.

It has a contract to install solar panel systems in primary schools throughout Northern Ireland and is currently doing so at a rate of five schools a day.

Such speed is achievable by a lot of organisation of the production process, something which has been helped by general manager Ronnie Coburn.

He worked closely with Richard at RFD, the marine survival company based in Dunmurry now owned by Survitec.

Richard had already had an interesting start to his career, taking a job at Shorts Missile division after leaving Queen’s University (a job offer for Delorean had provided the prospect of an even more

MARCH 2015

Queen’s University, Belfast

interesting first job but its demise occurred before he’d even finished university).

At Shorts he put his two-stroke engine expertise to good use before moving to RFD shortly after the takeover by Thales.

At RFD Richard came up with the idea for the world’s first “shoot life raft”, specifically designed for cruise ships which shoots four 109-person inflatable rafts and an enclosed chute for passengers to slide down into the water.

After leaving RFD, Richard’s inventing didn’t stop with one of his most famous products the Pakflatt voting booth, used at elections across the world.

But it’s in building Solmatix that his real passion lies, something which

pervades the company. It’s certainly evident in the team of senior managers at the helm.

They include New Business Development Manager Frank McCullagh, Operations Manager Jock Armstrong and Purchasing Manager Richard Barlett, all of whom have passed through the illustrious doors of the Queen’s University Product Design Course and all of whom commute a significant distance each day to help drive the company forward. In addition is Sales Manager Neville Bell who comes from a commercial electrical contracting background.

It’s a team with vast experience and one which is helping drive Solmatix into new geographical areas, take on new technology and build turnover and one which will ensure the company thrives in the years ahead.

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INTERVIEW

How do I apply?

Belfast tech business Novosco has just been listed amongst the best companies in the UK to work for by the Sunday Times for the third year in a row. Managing director Patrick McAliskey sheds some light on what makes the 100-employee firm such a great place to work.

W

hat would make the best company on earth to work for? 15 percent pay rises each year? Break-out areas with bean bags and free coffee? Gym membership and pool tables?

policy, the fact that we have women as at least 33 per cent of senior managers, our charity activities, and the fact that we encourage healthy eating. They said that long service at Novosco is also impressive, with 40 per cent of employees with more than five years’ service.

Apparently not. That’s according to research done by Gareth Jones of IE Business School and Rob Goffee of the London Business School who spent three years asking hundreds of executives all over the world this question.

They found that six qualities stood out, which they revealed in the Harvard Business Review.

For us, a key part of making Novosco a great place to work is treating every employee like an individual; knowing them by name; knowing what makes them tick; knowing what they want to achieve. Training and development is a big part of this.

Ultimately they seem to boil down to making employees feel like they’re not just mindless slaves to shareholder value.

In a nutshell, the researchers found that the ideal place to work is a company where individual differences are nurtured; information is not suppressed or spun; the company adds value to employees, rather than merely extracting it from them; the organisation stands for something meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding; and there are no stupid rules.

At Novosco, these are definitely things that we buy into.

Yes, we do things like free massages and free fruit for employees, and our team really appreciate them. But these are just the outworking of a strategy and culture that goes much deeper.

The Sunday Times highlighted leadership at Novosco as a strength, also our open door

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We provide financial support for workrelated qualifications to all employees and time off for study. We also support nonwork related training and qualifications, and provide all materials required by employees in achieving the objectives that are laid out in training plans.

We purchase licences for various e-learning tools, purchase all text books and pay for all exams. Employees sitting exams get time off work and if required designated time in the office when they can book meeting rooms and take time out to study. Every employee has a review meeting and is given a clear set of objectives for the coming year in order to encourage progression.

We also believe in leading from the front. If employees see the senior managers working with passion and integrity towards a clear goal and as part of a clear vision, it helps them buy into the company and understand that they are part of something bigger, something positive, something rewarding.

We believe that helping, motivating and indeed pushing employees to get better is a huge part of creating a great place to work.

We provide strong review meetings, with each employee having an individual score card, and where they merit it, we enable them to continually step up through the ranks.

Our charity and community work is part of our working environment too. Everyone works together to raise money for good causes like Bowel Cancer UK, and we offer a lot of work experience opportunities to students and young people. Again, this helps communicate that we’re not just about shareholder value, we’re about adding value to our employees and the community around us.

So we’ll continue offering free massages and free fruit. But we’ll continue to ensure these are part of a wider mission and culture.

And of course, we’ll also keep focused on making sure there are no stupid rules!

Novosco has been in business for more than 20 years and employs more than 100 people. It provides cloud computing and IT infrastructure services, including disaster recovery, managed services and connectivity services, to a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors.

Novosco has appeared in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For listing each of the past three years, and appeared in the Deloitte Fast 50 2014 for the 15th year in a row – the only company to be in the prestigious listing every year since it started in the year 2000.

PROFILE

Name: Jim Humphreys Position: Regional Manager Ireland, Ogilvie Fleet Ltd

A word from

The Wise How did you start out in business?

When I left school I started my working life selling shoes in a shop in Cornmarket.

Within six weeks I had been put in charge of the men’s department but my real love was cars and an opportunity to move into car insurance brokerage proved to be the springboard to a lifetime career in the motor industry. Over the last 50 years I have worked in various aspects of the car trade from insurance to asset finance followed by 16 years in car retail. My current role in contract hire and fleet management has been the best job of all because it combines everything I have done throughout my career and will see me through to the next stage of my working life when I move into part-time customer relations with Ogilvie in the autumn.

and always treated people firmly but fairly.

I like to think that whilst I may stretch my team I always treat them properly.

What did you find the most challenging during your years in business?

I have now worked through two major recessions and thankfully have survived both professionally and personally. For me, no matter how tough the challenges are, the most important thing is to keep a steady head and your integrity. There are times when it would have been easy to take business that wasn’t right for the company at the time, but I always maintained that personal reputation should never be compromised no matter what the short-term rewards could be.

How would you like your business career to be remembered?

I would like my customers to remember me for always having delivered solutions no matter how challenging the circumstances; that I took time to understand my customer’s needs and that I always conducted business professionally and in a courteous and respectful way.

How would you describe your management style?

Contract hire is a very competitive market which means there is no room for complacency. I try to instil a culture of working smart, always looking ahead and being optimistic no matter what. I also think it’s very important to lead by example.

My grandfather was a great role model in this respect. He was a building contractor

MARCH 2015

The column with an ear for experience...

What would you change if you could go back and do it all again?

I really wouldn’t change anything. There have been ups and downs but it’s all been character building and I don’t regret a minute.

Have you done it all on your own?

In every job I have always been privileged to have had a good team around me. No matter how good you are you need other people to provide context, and deliver a comprehensive package. George Best may have been a world class footballer but he needed the other 10 people on his team to make it work.

What piece of advice would you give a 20 year-old you?

Work as hard as you can and never be afraid to take on a challenge, but don’t forget to enjoy the rewards of your labours. It’s always important to keep up interests outside work which indirectly will contribute to your success at work. I still thoroughly enjoy my job but this autumn I have decided to embark on a new chapter bringing together my love of travelling with a part-time role in customer relations with Ogilvie... the ultimate career combination!

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REVIEW

Business

Breakfast

With Bill Connor, chief executive of Sentinus

The column which doesn’t have time for lunch

U

lster Business had already arranged to meet Bill Connor in Established before realising we’d already covered the achingly cool establishment in this column previously.

No matter, the date was set. You’re just going to have to put up with me relating our flat whites and homemade baked beans once again.

Except you don’t because Bill had already eaten (oatmeal, seeing as you ask) at home and Ulster Business veered away from the beans to avoid tomato sauce on the notes, instead plumping for an apple cinnamon scone (although with a flat white which remains the best I’ve tried in Northern Ireland. There, I’ve said it. Prove me wrong).

Anyway, you didn’t really read this for the deep culinary insight but to find out about Bill, the man who heads up Sentinus.

It’s the organisation which does all sorts of good work opening the eyes of Northern Ireland’s young people to the huge opportunities available in the world of STEM, an abbreviation which doesn’t in fact relate to anything in the world of botany but instead to the frankly crucial subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths.

We would, it’s fair to say, be nothing without STEM subjects.

Sentinus carries out its work by providing “a wide range of programmes designed to support the teaching and learning of these subjects particularly within a real-world context”.

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While it’s focused on whipping up interest with young people, its Northern Ireland’s engineering companies, IT companies, pharmaceutical companies etc which are the real beneficiaries and who the organisation work closely with.

no statutory requirement for young people to study science at GCSE level so there is a need to engage, with young people at an early stage to enthuse them about science and technology.”

Sentinus has certainly been busy.

When it comes to the man at the top, there can be few people more qualified to take the helm than Bill.

In the last year it’s involved 68,000 people in Northern Ireland in its programmes, helped by funding from the Department of Education.

A technology and design teacher by training, he took himself off to Australia after two years at the blackboard and upon returning to the UK ended up in the offshore oil industry where he spent the best part of a decade.

Public sector spending cuts mean that source of backing could be in jeopardy and the organisation is keen to involve private sector organisations in its fund raising program.

Combining the skills he’d learnt in both sectors – teaching and technology – Bill then took up his first post with Sentinus 22 years ago, becoming CEO only 18 months ago.

Over that time the organisation has grown exponentially and he’s determined to continue that growth, particularly because the Northern Ireland economy’s future is reliant on a steady supply of STEM-educated workers.

“The need for what we do has never been greater,” he said. “On one hand we’ve got a huge and growing demand for STEM skills and on the other we have a system which is not encouraging young people to take up STEM subjects.”

The latter point is partly due to how pupils, parents and teachers view the career potential which studying STEM offers.

“In reality science has largely disappeared from the primary classroom and there’s

Given the growing number of companies which rely on its work, it makes sense for more businesses to get involved in backing Sentinus.

By doing that the huge enthusiasm which Bill – and others in the organisation – have for enthusing young people about an essential part of the Northern Ireland economy will be allowed to flourish.

For now, our breakfast comes to an end as Bill has to rush off to ignite the STEM flame in another group of young learners. It’s been a STEM education.

David Elliott

Established, Talbot Street, Belfast 1 x Americano £2.70 1 x Flat White £2.70 1 x Apple and cinnamon scone £2.20 Total

£7.60

Flags, firebombs & flashbacks

Executive Motoring

By Pat Burns

Sponsored by

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EXECUTIVE MOTORING

Vitara celebrates 25 years with new range

E

ver since its launch, the Suzuki Vitara series has earned high acclaim for stylish, city oriented designs, compact and easy to manage dimensions, good on-road performance and genuine off-road capability.

Now, more than 25 years after the original model’s debut, the Vitara heritage is embodied in a fresh sport utility vehicle incarnation.

Specification for the new range includes seven airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, air conditioning, front and rear electric windows and projector headlamps. Prices for the range start at £13,999 for the 1.6 SZ4.

Along came a Spider

A

lfa Romeo has unveiled a Spider version of its 4C Coupe. Powered by the same, allaluminium, 240hp, 258lb.-ft., 1750 TBi engine as the Coupé, performance is on a par with the hardtop model, with a top speed of 160mph and a 0-to-60 MPH time of less than 4.5-seconds, as well as the capability to generate the same 1.1g of lateral acceleration and 1.25g of braking deceleration as the Coupé.

Due to the increased level of standard specification, prices for the new Coupé now start from £51,500 OTR while the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will be priced from £59,500.

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EXECUTIVE MOTORING

Jaguar’s new sports saloon

T

he Jaguar XE redefines the concept of the sports saloon and will be the driver’s car in its class. Its lightweight construction, streamlined styling, luxurious interior and outstanding ride and handling are testament to company founder Sir William Lyons’ vision: ‘The car is the closest thing we will ever create to something that is alive’.

The rear-drive XE is the only vehicle in its class to use an aluminium-intensive monocoque. This extremely robust yet light structure, together with double wishbone front suspension and an Integral Link rear axle, is fundamental to the XE’s innovative benchmark vehicle dynamics.

Jaguar’s world-leading expertise in aluminium structure engineering enables exceptional fuel consumption and emissions figures: with the new Ingenium diesel engines, the XE can achieve 75mpg and 99g/km CO2 – the most efficient Jaguar ever. Powered by the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine from the acclaimed Jaguar F-TYPE, the XE S is capable of 0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds.

The cabin offers outstanding levels of comfort and spaciousness.

Exquisite materials and finishes combined with Jaguar craftsmanship make this a class-beating interior that’s unlike anything else in the segment. Jaguar’s new InControl infotainment system takes centre stage: its innovative 8-inch touchscreen brings fast, intuitive access to all features and functions – and iOS and Android smartphone apps.

The XE has some of the most advanced driver assistance systems available. All Surface Progress Control (ASPC), developed through decades of Jaguar Land Rover experience in off-road traction systems, can electronically gain traction in seconds and is ideal

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for use on low-grip surfaces, such as snow-covered roads.

The XE is the stiffest, most aerodynamic Jaguar saloon car ever built. It is also the first Jaguar to be equipped with electric power steering, tuned to provide exceptional responsiveness and feel but with lower energy consumption than hydraulic systems.

The XE also offers the lowest cost of ownership and most environmentally sustainable credentials of all Jaguar models.

The Jaguar XE won’t just offer class-leading driving dynamics and drop-dead good looks, it will also offer the lowest cost of ownership of any of its premium rivals.

Industry valuation companies CAP, Kee Resources and CDL agree that the Jaguar XE will offer stronger residual values than equivalent BMW 3 Series models. In fact, the latest figures show that the majority of leading valuation companies predicts the XE will have stronger residual values than all of its premium rivals.

Over three years or 30,000 miles, CAP predicts that the XE will retain 45% per cent of its value, placing it ahead of rival models from BMW and Audi. Against the same competitor set, Kee Resources and CDL rate XE as best in class ahead of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

Thanks to the ultra-low 99g/km CO2 emissions produced by the XE’s all-new 2.0-litre 163PS Ingenium diesel engine, the XE also has lower Vehicle Excise Duty and Benefit In Kind rate than the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Audi A5 as well as better fuel economy.

The XE now completes the Jaguar saloon car range, sitting below the XF and XJ model lines.

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EXECUTIVE MOTORING

Mazda6 moves upmarket into the driver’s forward field of view. The new Integrated Navigation system offers greater accuracy, improved search features and three years of free map updates.

Sport Nav grade options now include stone leather upholstery (in lieu of black) and an evolution of the Safety Pack incorporating several new innovative technologies.

M

azda6 has made a number of styling, interior and soundproofing revisons to the Mazda6 range to move the range upmarket.

An upgraded, 28-strong, Mazda6 Saloon and Tourer line-up is now on sale priced from £19,795 to £28,795 on-the-road (OTR). It features improved standard equipment levels across the entire model range, enhanced interior and exterior design, plus improved functionality, ride comfort and quietness, and the adoption of several sophisticated new technologies in Mazda’s optional Safety Pack.

The 2015 Mazda6 model range is available in five grades; SE, SE Nav, SE-L, SE-L Nav and Sport Nav. A choice of nine diesel and seven petrol Saloon variants, and nine diesel and three petrol Tourer versions, equipped with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Eight body colours are available, including a new Sonic Silver metallic that accentuates the Mazda6’s stunning form and character lines.

Every model in the 2015 Mazda6 range features a bold new instrument panel and centre console design, revised suspension system, improved sound insulation throughout the body and a comprehensively upgraded standard equipment specification.

MARCH 2015

SE and SE-L grades now include Mazda’s first electronic parking brake, a coming/ leaving home headlamp function, the company’s Multimedia Commander with separate volume dial for safe, intuitive interactivity and infotainment control, manual driver and front passenger seat height adjustment. A new 7-inch, full-colour, centre console touch-screen incorporates DAB radio -a first for Mazda, and MZD Connect – first featured on all-new Mazda3.

Paired with a smartphone, MZD Connect makes it easier to take advantage of functions such as internet connectivity and access to social networking services.

Top-of-the-range Sport Nav models benefit from new exterior features including a re-styled front - new grille and signature wing design - incorporating powerful LED headlamps including LED daytime running lights, LED foglamps, new LED tail lamps, and new 19-inch bright alloy wheels.

On board, a six-way power adjustable front passenger seat, vinyl leather knee pads, a new head-up display and an Integrated Navigation system complete the Sport Nav’s enhanced standard equipment specification.

The Head-up Display projects the most important real-time driving data directly

Newly developed safety features include; Adaptive LED headlamps (ALH) automatically adjust the array of high beam illumination to avoid dazzling the occupants of both oncoming and preceding vehicles, without the need to switch to low beam lighting.

The Lane-keep Assist System (LAS) with Driver Alert builds on the existing Lane Departure Warning system, providing steering wheel vibration and assisted steering if the driver strays from the middle of the chosen lane.

Having first learned the owners driving style, the Driver Alert system operates at speeds of over 40mph, alerting drivers to take a break if it detects a degradation of driving style indicating fatigue.

Advanced Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert combines two systems in one for greater safety. The system’s larger detection area to the side and rear of the vehicle provides better coverage, whilst the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert employs the same system sensors to detect pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles when reversing. Rear Smart City Brake Support operates at speeds of between 2 and 5mph when reversing, automatically applying the brakes if the system detects an imminent rear impact.

With the combination of the more aggressive styling and the clasier interior, Madza has every chance of taking on the German luxury car makers.

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EXECUTIVE MOTORING

Nissan’s family fortunes into the Pulsar’s design are LED headlamps.

First introduced to the Nissan range on the Qashqai and X-Trail, the Pulsar’s distinctive LED front lights produce a crisp, white light and have the added advantage of using 50 per cent less power than conventional bulbs.

N

issan has become known as a brand that offers a different style of motoring with the Qashqai and Juke regularly featuring in the top ten sales charts. It has now returned to its roots with the launch of a new family hatchback, the Pulsar.

Combining bold design, technical innovations and interior space, the new Pulsar brings a new dimension to the C-segment, offering all the familiar Nissan qualities in a stylish new package.

The Pulsar’s introduction highlights Nissan’s ambition to deliver intelligent design and technical innovations to a wider audience.

As Nissan drivers have come to expect, the new Pulsar is packed with a range of accessible and useful technologies designed to make drivers feel more confident and comfortable. Nissan’s reputation for introducing new-to-sector technologies has been strengthened with a wide number of features usually reserved for premium or luxury models.

Nissan’s advanced Safety Shield - a

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suite of systems and technologies that combine to offer a fully comprehensive ‘safety net’ for drivers - is also fully integrated into the Pulsar’s design.

In keeping with Nissan’s approach to innovation and reduced costs for owners, the Pulsar’s all-turbocharged engine range delivers the perfect combination of performance and efficiency. The 1.2-litre DIG-T petrol unit punches above its weight with an output of 115PS, while the 1.5-litre dCi generates 110PS and 260Nm of torque. An even more powerful 190PS 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will join the range shortly.

This advanced network of usable yet highly advanced technologies help drivers to fully enjoy the potential of the new Pulsar with complete confidence.

Among the systems offered in the new Pulsar are Forward Emergency Braking, Moving Object Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning.

Continuing Nissan’s successful downsizing philosophy, the new Pulsar’s engines are high on performance and low on emissions, with CO2 outputs below 95g/ km. The Pulsar is also offered with Nissan’s advanced XTronic automatic transmission.

Engineered to deliver the best of both worlds for drivers it features ultra-smooth power delivery at low engine speeds and positive, direct shifts under heavier loads.

Nissan’s ongoing drive to deliver sectorfirst technologies mean that the Pulsar is the only car in its sector to offer Moving Object Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning as standard on at least one model in the range.

Thanks to the longest wheelbase in the class (2,700mm) and clever packaging, the Pulsar offers considerably more rear legroom and shoulder room than its sector rivals. Indeed, with 692mm of rear kneeroom, the Pulsar is more spacious than many D-segment offerings.

The Pulsar also features Nissan’s secondgeneration NissanConnect system - that comes with a range of innovative features including full smartphone integration, Google Send-to-Car and access to a wide variety of useful and informative apps.

Yet despite this it retains a compact footprint (length 4,385mm), making it easy to park in tight urban environments.

Another advanced technology integrated

It’s six years since Nissan’s last hatchback, the Almera, and the new Pulsar could well join the Qashqai and Juke on the popularity stakes.

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New seven seater from BMW

T

he new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is the first premium compact model to offer up to seven seats and meet the requirements of young families. Compact exterior dimensions go hand in hand with tremendous flexibility on the inside: a sliding second row of seats with adjustable backrest, a third row of seats that fold into the floor, and provision for up to five universal child seats are just some of the features on offer.

The 2 Series Gran Tourer is available with a choice of five turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, all sourced from BMW’s latest engine family. With either three or four-cylinders, these advanced units offer efficiency and, in the case of the 220i and 220d, a 0-62mph time as low as 7.8 seconds.

The 220d xDrive is also the only car in its class to team four-wheel drive with sevenseat capability.

The Gran Tourer is longer and higher than the Active Tourer, the longer wheelbase provides a further significant increase in space inside the vehicle. By sliding the rear seat fore or aft by 130mm, either load capacity or second row knee-room can be prioritised. The backrest can also be adjusted to improve comfort in the three rear seats or to create extra luggage space.

Useful features abound. There are lashing points in the load bay and “monorails” on the backrests of the front seats, allowing a folding table to be attached. Much thought has gone into providing numerous storage compartments and space, including room for 1.5-litre bottles in each door panel. Further travel items, such as children’s toys, can be stowed away in the hinged compartments under the front or second row seats.

MARCH 2015

All engines in the range comply with the EU6 exhaust standard. Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox; as an option, BMW offers a six-speed Steptronic transmission for the three-cylinder engines, while the fourcylinders motors can be coupled with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. All transmissions feature the Auto Start Stop function, which improves fuel economy, while the Steptronic version also offers an efficiency-boosting coasting function.

With a new, 1.5-litre, three-cylinder diesel engine, the new 216d Gran Tourer is the most efficient model in the range. It develops 116hp at 4,000rpm and 270Nm of torque from as low as 1,750rpm, taking it to a top speed of 119mph and from rest to 62mph in 11.4 seconds. With a combined fuel consumption of 68.9mpg and low CO2 emissions of 108g/km, the BMW 216d Gran Tourer is the most economical, environmentally friendly and efficient vehicle in its class.

All petrol and diesel units in the new engine family come with the latest version of BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The petrol engines feature turbocharging, direct petrol injection, variable camshaft control and fully variable valve control. The technology package for the diesel engines includes turbocharging, variable turbine geometry and common rail direct injection. These world-leading features have enabled BMW to optimise performance while ensuring high levels of efficiency.

The 218d Gran Tourer is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. It develops a maximum output of 150hp at 4,000rpm and a maximum torque of 330Nm between 1,750 and 2,750rpm, taking this Gran Tourer from standstill to 62mph in 9.5 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 127mph. Meanwhile, fuel consumption is an excellent 64.2mpg and CO2 emissions are 115g/km.

Prices for the range start at £24,175.

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APPOINTMENTS

Catriona Saunders has been appointed Finance Manager at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber). Throughout her career to date, Catriona has been responsible for the financial management of various organisations within both the private and public sectors Stephen Burns has joined ASM Chartered Accountants forensic accounting team as Senior Manager.

Stephen is a chartered accountant with over 12 years of experience.

Willowbrook Fine Foods has appointed Grace Collins as Sales Development Manager.

Tim Smith has been appointed as a trainer with Johnsons Coffee to help expand their training team.

Dr Erin Byrd has been appointed physiotherapist specialising in sports injuries with ReBound Physiotherapy Clinic. A former International gymnast and athlete herself, Erin specialises in sports physiotherapy.

Dr Katy Pedlow has been appointed physiotherapist specialising in neurological rehabilitation with ReBound Physiotherapy Clinic.

Katy holds a PhD in neurological rehabilitation.

ASM Financial Planning has appointed Lorna Donnan as Senior Advisor. She has 37 years’ experience in financial services.

ASM Financial Planning has appointed Clem Bassett as Senior Consultant. Clem has 33 years’ experience in financial services.

ASM Financial Planning has appointed Stephen McDonnell as IT Audit Manager.

He is a qualified accountant, IT auditor and project manager with 10 years’ experience.

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APPOINTMENTS

Gareth Hardy joins Alpha Office Furniture as purchasing administrator.

Gareth previously worked for Serco Integrated Services.

Ciara Kennedy has joined the sales team at 1080, the Belfast-based business interior design specialist.

Ciara has been appointed to the role of Contracts Coordinator.

Aaron Wilson is the newest junior graphic designer at Alpha Office Furniture, the Belfast-based provider of office furniture and design solutions.

Business interior specialists 1080, which is part of the Alpha Group, recently hired Denice Crozier to its growing design team. Denice joins the team as CAD Interior Designer for 1080.

John Darling is the newest sales executive at Alpha Office Furniture, the Belfast-based supplier of commercial furniture and interior design solutions, as an Internal Sales Executive.

Ulster Bank has appointed Maeve McMahon as Director of Customer Experience and Products. Maeve has a wealth of experience across markets and product types.

Elaine Smyth has been has been appointed to the role of Head of Programmes at NISP CONNECT at the Northern Ireland Science Park. Elaine has over 18 years’ experience in the science and technology industries.

Beth McMaw has been appointed Director of Forde May Consulting Limited. Beth has almost 20 years’ experience in the Northern Ireland executive recruitment sector.

Dr Joanne Stuart OBE has been appointed to the role of Director of Development at the Northern Ireland Science Park. Joanne has over 25 years’ experience working in the IT industry.

MARCH 2015

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PHOTOCALL 1. Damian McParland (far right) and Leo McAuley of Millar McCall Wylie Solicitors present Portaferry GAC’s senior hurlers (from l-r) Jason Gilmore, Eoghan Sands, Robert Magee and Conal Fitzsimmons with the club’s new shirts at Belfast City Hall.’

2. School leavers aged 1618 and their parents were invited to the launch of the 2015 Deloitte BrightStart programme last month.

Pictured at the launch (from left to right): Compere Pete Snodden who is promoting the BrightStart programme with Eimhear Carey from St. Killian’s College in Carnlough and Jackie Henry, Senior Partner of Deloitte in Belfast.

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3. Michael Chandler, left, and mortgage expert Sam Mulholland launch the rebranded MC Mortgage Choices, part of the Michael Chandler group.

4. Staff at the Wilson Group who smashed their original £10,000 target, raising £13,692 in support of their 2014 partnership with the Stroke Association charity.

They’re pictured handing the cheque over to the charity.

5. Junction One Outlet & Retail Park has entered its second decade by announcing new tenants as well as lease renewals with core tenants.

Pictured with Junction One Centre Manager Leona Barr (left) is Sandra Williams, deputy manager of Starbucks.

Starbucks’ recent relocation and expansion at Junction One means it is now the largest Starbucks store in Ireland.

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PHOTOCALL

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6. Urgent repairs to halt the deterioration of historic World War One vessel HMS Caroline have been completed making the ship safe for the next stage of a massive restoration programme. Craig McCoo (left) of Blu-Marine, which carried out the work, and Captain John Rees of HMS Caroline go over final inspections of ship repairs.

7. Six young people from across Northern Ireland have been given the chance to carve a career in the building and construction sector thanks to Newry-based Murdock Builders’ Merchants.

Each of the trainees has been offered full time employment at Murdock’s. Pictured are Kyle Wells (l) and Matthew Johnston (r) along with Martin Small (c) – Manager of Murdock’s Lisburn branch.

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8. Julie Hastings, Marketing Director of Hastings Hotels is joined by Visit Belfast’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Anne McMullan and Director of Business Tourism, Rachael Downing at the announcement that the hotel collection is to become Visit Belfast’s first corporate partner.

9. Year 11 pupil Justine Harding from Belfast Royal Academy helps Improve, the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council, to launch a new ‘Tasty Careers’ website and interactive careers map.

9 FEBRUARY 2015

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10. Final year business students are being encouraged to reveal their entrepreneurial flair as the Ulster University Business School opens entries for this year’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in partnership with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Pictured are Pauric McGowan, and Ann McGregor.

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PHOTOCALL 11. Belfast Chamber of Trade & Commerce has awarded independent jewellery retailer Argento with a President’s Recognition Award.

Pictured are: Paul McMahon, President, Belfast Chamber of Trade & Commerce and Peter Boyle, owner of Argento.

12. Bank of Ireland UK has launched new banking packages aimed at the small business growth and start-up segments of the Northern Ireland business market. Pictured are Sean Sheehan from Bank of Ireland, left, with Conor Magee from Tyreway.

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13. Belfast law firm Cleaver Fulton Rankin has raised over £22,000 for The Prince’s Trust. Pictured (l-r) are Ian Jeffers, Regional Director with The Prince’s Trust, Karen Blair, Managing Director of Cleaver Fulton Rankin and Ryan Shaw, Young Ambassador.

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14. Belfast software company Blue Zinc has received the first tranche of a £300,000 loan from the Growth Loan Fund new jobs. Kyle Lunn, Director at Blue Zinc is pictured with Neil, McCabe, Senior Investment Manager, WhiteRock Capital Partners.

15. Bavarian BMW has announced Ulster Rugby’s Ruan Pienaar as its brand ambassador. The partnership will see the motor retailer and the Springbok star work together on a range of marketing initiatives cars.

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PHOTOCALL

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16. Studio Souk, the nonprofit maker and merchandise store and studio for artists and creative, is moving to Castle Lane, Belfast. Pictured is Studio Souk founder Linzi Rooney.

17. Declan McBride, founder of Draperstown-based snack food company Só Popcorn, getting the red carpet treatment from Asda to celebrate the ‘premiere’ of their ‘Pop Notch’ range of gourmet popcorns. Pictured are Michael Heaslip and Declan McBride from Só Popcorn with Susanna Lloyd from Asda NI’s local buying team.

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18. Pinnacle has appointed Ian Hill as its 100th employee.

Ian joins a well-established team of Sage consultants who provide software support to a variety of businesses. From left are Ken Montgomery, Chairman of Pinnacle with Arlene Foster MLA and Ian Hill Sage Consultant Pinnacle.

19. The Night of Ambition was launched recently by Rían Patterson, a pupil at St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena, and Generation Innovation Programme Manager, Claire Burgoyne at ‘hackerspace’ Farset Labs.

19 MARCH 2015

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20. David Meade (left) joined FameLab trainer Malcolm Love, recently for a communication masterclass at the British Council Northern Ireland offices in Belfast recently. The masterclass was hosted ahead of the final of the global science communication competition, FameLab Northern Ireland, which is on the hunt for the next big name in science.

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EVENTS

Canapés and cocktails The cream of the last month’s business events.

National Ice Cream Competition Northern Ireland’s ice cream supremo Guido Morelli is celebrating his 80th birthday in style after winning another top ice cream award.

Guido and his family scooped their ninth win in 10 years at the National Ice Cream Competition organised by The Ice Cream Alliance – the trade body for the UK’s £1bn ice cream industry. Pictured are Guido Morelli with daughter Daniela and sons Arnaldo and Marino.

ITI ‘Funding for Growth’ A new ‘Funding for Growth’ advisory service has been introduced for SMEs by InterTradeIreland. Pictured at the launch is Charlie Kerlin, Head of Corporate Finance for Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland, who will deliver the service, Grainne Lennon, InterTradeIreland’s Funding for Growth Advisory Service Manager and Martin Cronin, Chairman of InterTradeIreland.

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Belfast Solicitors Association Former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, The Right Hon the Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore addressed members of the Belfast Solicitors Association with a lecture to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta Libertatum – “the Great Charter of the Liberties”.

Pictured (l-r) are: Olivia O’Kane, Secretary of the Belfast Solicitors Association; Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore Lord Kerr; Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is Sir Declan Morgan and Paul Dougan, Chair of the Belfast Solicitors Association. Picture by Kelvin Boyes / PressEye.

Malmaison People Awards The team from The Malmaison Hotel in Belfast at the group’s annual People Awards held in January at The Belfry. The hotel took home the top prize in recognition of their financial performance, over the last year, their consistent positive customer feedback and mystery guest scores were ahead of the pack.

EVENTS

IoD Awards

Marie-Thérèse McGivern, Director and Chief Executive of Belfast Metropolitan College receives the IoD Lunn’s Award of Excellence from Ian Sheppard, Bank of Ireland; Suzanne Lunn, Marketing Director, Lunn’s the Jewellers; Paul Terrington, Chairman IoD Northern Ireland and Alan Taylor, Arthur Cox.

It was a full house at the Europa Hotel in Belfast for the IoD Annual Dinner where Chairman Paul Terrington addressed the assembled guests. Sponsored by Bank of Ireland and Arthur Cox solicitors, the evening also honoured Northern Ireland’s leading local director. Chief Executive and Principal of Belfast Met Marie-Thérèse McGivern was announced as the winner of the 2015 Institute of Directors (IoD) Lunn’s Award of Excellence.

John McGowan and Sean Hogan.

Dr Stephen Farry MLA, Liam Daniel, Maura Quinn and Gregory Burton.

Jeremy Bickerstaff, Jill Robb, Eamon Donaghy and Frank Bryan.

Ian Sheppard, Bank of Ireland; guest speaker Fraser Doherty, SuperJam; Suzanne Lunn, Lunns Jewellers; Paul Terrington, Chairman IoD Northern Ireland and Alan Taylor, Arthur Cox.

Paul Terrington, Chairman IoD Northern Ireland; Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey and Alan Taylor, Arthur Cox.

Peter Lunn, Jenny Lunn and Mervyn McCall.

MARCH 2015

Christy Orchin and Kim Johnston.

Alan Bissett, Simon Hunter and Roisin Hunter.

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TECHNOLOGY

Listen, play, talk and click

By Adam Maguire

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless

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eadphones are a bit like mobiles – after years of aggressive miniaturisation, big is back. This trend has generally been one led by fashion too with brands like beats not exactly known for their high-end audio.

With Sennheiser, though, there has always been an eye on quality – and the company’s Momentum range has been a testament to that.

It’s latest addition – the Momentum Wireless – brings a new feature to the mix; Bluetooth connectivity. This is an obvious draw to those who listen to music on their smartphone – though it also runs the risk of hindering the quality of sound the user can receive.

Thankfully Sennheiser gets the balance right here – offering audio that is easily at the top of what has been done by other Bluetooth sets. Should you disagree, there’s even the option to plug-in a standard headphone cable for some traditional-style listening.

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless can be bought on Amazon for £380.

New Nintendo 3DS

T

his generation has not been as kind to Nintendo as the last – but its 3DS is still by far the biggest dedicated gaming handheld in the market. Its upgraded version looks to lock that advantage in.

The key selling point of the 3DS was its somewhat gimmicky capacity to deliver 3D images without the need for awkward glasses, but at the heart of the device remained a great little gaming machine.

The aim of Nintendo’s upgraded 3DS is to add to this quality without having to bring out a whole new device.

To that end all of the changes here are quite iterative – a slightly bigger screen, a faster processer, a few new buttons and automatic 3D adjustment.

This all serves to make the 3DS better without relegating users of the older versions to the digital scrapheap (both run the same games – the newest one will just do it faster).

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As a result of this compromise, there’s no reason for existing 3DS owners to upgrade, though, unless they are real die-hard Nintendo fans.

The ‘new’ Nintendo 3DS can be bought for £190.

TECHNOLOGY

Apple Watch

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pple already gave the world a peek at its entry into the smartwatch space – but customers will soon be able to decide for themselves if it’s the ‘next big thing’.

Smartwatches are not a new product category – and yet many are looking to Apple to kickstart competition in the sector and make these wearables into something people might want to own.

The whole area is being held back on a number of fronts – from short battery life to high prices – but most of all many are struggling to figure out what they might use one for.

So far nothing Apple suggests they have a solution to this problem – though many believe they will draw in clever app developers who will offer the answers themselves.

Either way it will be interesting to watch this space in the weeks and months ahead – and if you happen to have a few hundred pound going spare, you might be inclined to try to figure it out first-hand (no pun intended).

The Apple Watch is slated for an early April release, with a price-tag north of £230.

Canon EOS M3

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ith the lower end of the market under attack from smartphones, camera makers have sought the higher ground with a range of devices that blur the line between consumer and professional.

The ‘mirrorless’ camera is a good example of this – pioneered by the likes of Sony, it blends the simplicity of the ‘point-and-shoot’ camera with the customisability of high-end DSLRs. In other words, it has a relatively neat body but can play nice with swappable lenses and other attachments.

Canon came a little late to this area – partly because it has done so well in the professional market – and as a result its EOS M and M2 have not been raging successes.

With the M3 it is looking to step this up a gear, though, with a 24.2MP lens, a huge ISO range and a blisteringly-fast processer allowing for quick reaction shots.

On paper the EOS M3 ticks all the right boxes – but it is hard to know if it will do what it needs to draw in that elusive middle-ground-audience that Canon clearly desires.

The Canon EOS M3 is due to be launched in April.

MARCH 2015

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TRAVEL

The best value holiday destinations Seven destinations which won’t break the bank, according to flight booking website Skycanner.

1. Cambodia With beds for £1 and lip-smacking food for less than that, Cambodia is so cheap you often feel guilty for paying so little. Where once travellers justifably feared to tread, Cambodia is now very much on the SE Asian itinerary for many a school leaver. Perhaps the country’s biggest draw is Angkor Wat, one of the world’s most amazing historical sites.

Spiritual, sublime and yours for £3 a day… or less!

2. Vietnam Unspoilt and undeveloped, despite its rise in popularity in the last few years, Vietnam is still super cheap, as well as being a beautiful country (although ‘beautiful’ might be stretching the description of thrillingly hectic capital Hanoi). You can easily get by on £5 a day, which includes a guest house, local food, transport and a bit of drinking. Just imagine the lifestyle you could have if you stretched to £10!

3. India Of course, it is possible to do India on the not-so-cheap. A spending spree in Mumbai’s designer shops and a stay in an international hotel in Delhi is going to cost you as much as it would in Dubai, but away from these enclaves the cost of living is ridiculously low.

Even if you travel first class on the trains and take taxis everywhere, you’ll be hard pressed to spend a lot of money here. For £15 (1,100 Rupees) a day, you can live like royalty.

4. Bolivia In the heart of capital La Paz’s historic quarter, Calle Jaén, you’ll find one of the best preserved colonial streets in the whole

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Angkor Wat is one of Cambodia’s biggest draws.

of Bolivia. It definitely has style, and it also has four municipal museums. See them all for the grand total of 30p (55 cents). As if that weren’t enough (there’s more to life than museums?!), Bolivia perhaps boasts the best value for food and drink in all of South America. For example, a bottle of Paceña beer costs less than £1 ($1) and a bowl of chairo (potato soup) about the same. There: beer and soup – bases covered.

6. Honduras There’s Belize. There’s Costa Rica. There’s even Guatemala. But for real bargain-basement Central American value, plump for Honduras.

The country isn’t up there on the most-visited lists, but if you do visit you’ll discover white sand-and-palm beaches like the Maldives, diving to rival the Red Sea, and mega cheap food and drink, while spending less than £18 ($30) a day. Forget your money worries and have another cocktail!

5. Hungary Budapest, the historic Hungarian capital on the Danube, is a definite must-see on anyone’s European tour. While it isn’t quite as cheap as before the budget airlines got there, it still has prices from its days at the heart of the Ottoman Empire. Indulge in luscious cakes, get refreshed on strong liquor and sweat it out in the famous thermal spas. With meals for £2 ($5), train tickets for £1 ($4) and rooms for £10 ($20), Budapest is a beautiful bargain.

7. Bulgaria Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts have undergone a bit of a boom with British visitors in recent years, probably because they offer a total bargain compared with traditional summer sun destinations like the south of Spain. The further east you go, the cheaper it gets. If you prefer city breaking to beaches, capital Sofia offers hearty food, warm company, ‘robust’ drink and a comfy bed, which can all be yours for just £20 a day.

TRAVEL

2014 a flying success for Belfast City Airport

Stressbuster

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atest figures published by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority showed that George Best Belfast City Airport transported more than 2.5m passengers in 2014 – up 0.5% on 2013.

After an extremely successful year on the route development front, the number of passengers using the airport is likely to increase further in 2015.

The last six months have seen Flybe introduce Liverpool and London City routes and in 2015 the airport will welcome two new airlines to Northern Ireland. From May, the Spanish airline, Vueling, will operate a twice weekly service to Barcelona, and European airline KLM will commence a daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol.

Katy Best, Commercial and Marketing Director at George Best Belfast City Airport, said: “We are delighted with the latest CAA passenger figures which show a 0.5% growth at George Best Belfast City Airport in what has been a very busy 12 months. In the space of two months we announced the arrival of two major European airlines for 2015 which is really exciting and great news for both business and leisure passengers in Northern Ireland.

“Amsterdam Schiphol is one of the busiest and largest (by passenger numbers) airports in Europe providing quick and easy transfer facilities for passengers connecting to popular long haul routes such as Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Moscow, Johannesburg and Bangkok. The airline’s connectivity to many source markets will be particularly appealing to Northern Ireland for both business opportunities and tourism development.

“In addition to these new airlines, Flybe enhanced its domestic route network from Belfast City with the introduction of Liverpool and London City whilst increasing frequency on the Manchester route in response to demand.

“Due to an overall increase in customer demand all three major airlines at Belfast City have improved their load factors. Belfast City is still the only airport in Northern Ireland to facilitate a London Heathrow route, through Aer Lingus and British Airways, which continues to be extremely popular with both leisure and business passengers alike.

“We are hugely proud of our achievements within the last year and will continue to invest in our facilities to ensure the passenger journey is comfortable and seamless.”

MARCH 2015

Why getting away on holiday can improve your productivity at work, according to research carried out by Skyscanner

1. Regular breaks are best The survey revealed that half of travellers leave more than four months between holidays, with 15% waiting a massive nine months between holidays. However, it appears that regular short breaks might be a more effective way to holiday; research by behavioural economist Dan Ariely shows that the benefits of a holiday wane over time, meaning that as we adjust to the time off, we appreciate the opportunity to unwind and de-stress less.

2. Escape the Q1 stress The first quarter of the working year (Jan – March) is more stressful than any other period, according to 34% of workers questioned in Skyscanner’s survey. Easter this year is at the beginning of April so is the perfect time to get away from the stress and recharge batteries. Dr Spelman explains: “When we work too much it causes stress, which can start to interfere with everyday life. The longer this goes on for the worse it becomes for your body and mind.”

3. Beat the blues The combination of short days and cold weather over winter can have a negative psychological impact on some and so getting some guaranteed sun at this time of year can really lift spirits. Dr Spelman explains: “The short days in winter can affect our natural biorhythms and our hormone balance making some of us feel down or depressed so, by the time Easter comes around, a holiday in the sun can make a real contribution to our psychological well-being as it will boost our mood and make us feel more positive.”

4. Get a boost from a bargain Another psychological hit with an Easter break can come in the form of getting a bargain. Dr Spelman explains: “Getting a bargain has positive effects on people psychologically, it results in people feeling clever, skilled and fulfilled”.

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SPORT

NI Football League signs deal with TrackChamp

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n a first for any sport in this country, the Northern Ireland Football League have struck a five year deal with TrackChamp which has become its official data and streaming partner with fans now able to watch their team live on bwin.com and other websites.

“We recognised that our match and player data could be used by companies to facilitate in-play betting during our games and therefore had a value to it.

However, it is one thing knowing the value of something and actually having the capability of collecting and selling it,” explains Graeme Beggs, NI Football League Marketing and Communications Manager.

NI Football League’s Managing Director Andrew Johnston alongside Martin Füreder from TrackChamp.

“We entered into a worldwide tender process to help us commercialise this data and combine it with live footage to increase its value. TrackChamp were successful in this process and they have proved to be a fantastic partner for us.”

in a sports arena and turn performance data into usable information while streaming the footage in real-time.

bwin, the global online gaming company, have partnered with world leaders in data-tracking technology ChyronHego to develop the TrackChamp camera system.

TrackChamp uses unique technology to identify the position of all moving objects

“Coaches can see performance data which can give an insight into the stamina and fitness levels of each player. The cameras also have the ability to show a ‘wholepitch’ view showing team formations at various stages during the games. “Obviously

“The amount of data that the TrackChamp system collects is phenomenal,” added Beggs.

the NIFL has benefitted financially from this partnership but for us it is more about improving fan engagement, increasing our visibility around the world, and giving our clubs the opportunity to improve their coaching capability and performances on the pitch.”

Geoff runs his own Sports Consultancy, working with clients such as FIFA. He is also on the board of SportNI. You can follow Geoff on twitter @geoffwnjwilson or Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/in/geoffwnjwilson

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TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED ADVERT CONTACT ULSTER BUSINESS ON 028 9078 3200

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TECHNOLOGY

TOTAL FLEET MANAGEMENT ANY VEHICLE, ANY MANUFACTURER

Business Diary

April 2015

date

event

venue

CONTACT

01 April 09:15 - 16:30

Export Skills Workshops – Researching Your Export Markets Organiser: Invest NI

Invest NI, Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7ES Cost: £75 +VAT

For further information contact Michele Newell on michele.newell@investni.com

09 April 09.00 - 16.30

Inspirational Leadership Skills Organiser: Cosensa Learning & Development Ltd

Cosensa Head Office, Belfast BT1 2GT Cost: £390 +VAT

For further information contact 028 9043 9624

16 April 09:00 - 5:00

A Practical Guide to JCT Standard Building Contract 2011 Organiser: CEF

CEF Offices, 143 Malone Road, Belfast BT9 6SX Cost: £250 +VAT for Members £333 for Non-Members

Contact Kathryn Webb on 028 9087 7143 or email: KathrynW@cefni.co.uk

17 April 09:00 - 14.00

Leadership Day – Army Style Organiser: IoD Northern Ireland

Palace Barracks, Holywood Cost: FOC for members and their guests

To book contact IoD Northern Ireland on 028 9068 3224 or visit www.iodni.com

21 April 09:00 - 12:30

Linked In Content Management Organiser: AKU Training

The Mount Business and Conference Centre, Belfast Cost: £238.80

For more information call 028 9016 0587 or email: contact@akutraining.com

21 April

Viscount Awards Organiser: Aer Lingus in association with Ulster Business

House of Commons, Westminster Cost: FREE for shorlisted companies £150 per person (including return flights to London)

For further information call 028 9032 5533, email: rachel@baxterpr.co.uk or visit http://viscountawards.ulsterbusiness.com/

22 April 08:30 - 11:30

Inspiring Success Through Mentoring Organiser: Women In Business

Riddell Hall, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5EE Cost: £10 +VAT for Members £25 +VAT for Non-Members

For further information or to book visit www.womeninbusinessni.com/events

23 April 18:00 - 21:00

Leading Strategic Change – Interactive Session Organiser: IoD Northern Ireland

Riddell Hall, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5EE Cost: £50 +VAT for Members £100 +VAT for Non-Members

To book contact IoD Northern Ireland on 028 9068 3224 or visit www.iodni.com

If you would like to promote an event or conference please contact Sonia Armstrong (soniaarmstrong@greerpublications.com)

MY DAY

Uncovering the 9-5

their business, understanding their specific needs and ensuring we’re providing the best financial solutions; whether it’s term debt for purchasing commercial premises, commercial finance to help them achieve their growth ambitions or ensuring that their business is well protected. Whatever support my customers require it’s reassuring for them to know that I can draw on the expertise of local teams here in Bank of Ireland UK who can advise on a huge range of specialisms from foreign exchange and global markets to commercial finance and more. Occasionally I even help them move home and provide the correct mortgage solution.

The next couple of hours are dedicated to making calls to customers, completing credit applications or possibly attending one of the many networking events I’m invited to during the week. I love meeting people so it’s all part of the busy and varied day I enjoy.

1.00pm – Lunch

NAME: Tommy Doherty POSITION: Business Adviser, Bank of Ireland, University Road Branch, Belfast

I often have a working lunch and take the opportunity to meet with intermediaries such as solicitors and accountants for a bite to eat and a catch up. Intermediaries play an integral role in my customers’ business interests and it’s important I keep them up to date with any new developments. For example, we recently launched a new small business package designed for growing small businesses and start-ups which focuses on managing their costs and driving efficiency – all of which greatly benefit this sector. After lunch I’m soon back at my desk and ready for the next customer.

2.00pm – Afternoon

6.30am My day begins with the alarm clock going off at 6.30am and after a shower and a quick breakfast I’m on the road for 7.00am.

My commute down the M2 to Bank of Ireland University Road Branch allows me to think about my priorities for the day ahead as well as giving me the chance to listen to the radio and catch up on all the local business issues and news stories.

I usually meet another customer after lunch. I really enjoy the diversity of businesses I support. As a business adviser it’s so important to get under the skin of the business, to understand the day to day challenges and opportunities and to provide help with everything from cashflow to funding growth, new markets, networking opportunities and so on. I work in a fast paced environment which requires planning and being able to work to tight and sometimes challenging deadlines, and I pride myself in providing a first class service. My afternoon finishes with checking off my to-do list and clearing my desk so I am ready for the next day.

8.00am I start the day with a coffee at my desk while I pick up voicemails, check emails, run through my diary and prepare my ‘to-do‘ list for the day. I look after a growing portfolio of business customers across a variety of industry and commercial sectors. It’s my job to provide local expertise with speedy and efficient decision making that allows my customers to optimise growth opportunities and help them overcome any challenges. With at least two customer meetings every day which take place either at the customer’s premises or in the branch, then now is a good time to finalise prep for those.

9.30am – Morning I’m usually meeting my first customer at 9.30am. It’s important for me to spend time with my customers discussing all aspects of

6.00pm In the evening if I’m not meeting customers or attending a networking event I spend time with my family. I have two young boys aged two and five so I enjoy some playtime with them before bathing them and putting them down to bed for the night.

7.30pm I am very active in the community, and a keen sports enthusiast and play Gaelic football for the local club. Most evenings I unwind by heading out to training which will consist of some strength and conditioning exercises, before high and low intensity training and a practise game. I head home shortly after 9.00pm and have a small snack and watch some TV before heading off to bed.

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