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DEMAND FOR QUALITY WORKSPACE INCREASES AS BUSINESSES EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT AT BRUNTWOOD WORKS’ 127 PORTLAND STREET

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13/02/2023

DEMAND FOR QUALITY WORKSPACE INCREASES AS BUSINESSES EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT AT BRUNTWOOD WORKS’ 127 PORTLAND STREET

Leading property company Bruntwood Works has aided a flurry of businesses as they grow their footprint at 127 Portland Street in Manchester city centre, following a high demand for a creative workspace.

Summize, Design Fire Consultants (DFC) and Embryo have collectively taken over 10,000 sq ft of flexible workspace across three office suites.

Situated in Manchester city centre, 127 Portland Street is part of Bruntwood Works’ ‘West Village’ campus, a destination filled with creatively-minded businesses within a cluster of four Grade II listed Victorian warehouses.

Summize, the Manchester-based contract lifecycle management disruptor, has relocated to 127 Portland Street doubling the size of its headquarters, to facilitate further growth. The company is targeting a planned increase in headcount of 133 percent by 2025.

Fire safety engineering specialists, Design Fire Consultants (DFC), has also joined the community at 127 Portland Street, as it looks to grow its relationships with new clients and architects, and serve its existing projects in the North West.

As a longstanding Bruntwood Works customer, award-winning digital marketing agency Embryo has doubled the size of its Manchester headquarters already based at 127 Portland Street. This follows a period of impressive growth, with the business experiencing a year-on-year increase in headcount of 170 per cent, and a series of new client wins.

MCCProperties July2022 JodyHartley HiRes 121 1

Josh Hancock, head of commercial at Bruntwood Works, said: “Positioned at the bustling heart of the city centre, 127 Portland Street is a true magnet for creative, innovative and growing businesses. The building’s impressive original features and wealth of amenities harness creativity, and mean it is a perfect hive of collaboration. With connections to retail and hospitality offerings, such as a Ditto flagship coffee shop, it is a unique space for businesses to develop their industry contacts, build relationships and grow.

“We’re proud to support Embryo, Summize and DFC as they expand their presence in the North West, and welcome them to our ever-growing community at Bruntwood Works.”

Tom Dunlop, CEO and co-founder at Summize, said: “While many businesses are scaling back their physical offices, we see it as ever more important to foster collaboration and learning, with more emphasis on different zones to meet different ways of working.

“I’m really proud of the new office space, it’s deliberately different, just like our product offering, and perfectly reflects our fun and ambitious culture. I am really looking forward to seeing what our fantastic team continues to achieve as we settle in.”

As part of the West Village community, 127 Portland Street has its own dedicated community manager focused on curating social, health and wellbeing events and business support. The building is due to undergo refurbishment to provide a range of high-quality amenities, including new toilets, showers and a cycle store. Situated at the gateway to the Oxford Road Corridor, a minute from St Peter’s Square, 127 Portland Street is within walking distance of the city centre’s retail shops, bars, and restaurants.

IT Apprenticeship company helps fill vacancies in the tech industry across the UK

Olivia McHugh

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13/02/2023

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IT Apprenticeship company helps fill vacancies in the tech industry across the UK

GK Apprenticeships reveal that Manchester is ranked as the second most tech city in the UK in 2022, the heart of the North West’s hub for tech and IT.

Manchester, the centre of the tech community in the North West, continues in 2023 to attract tech talent for a variety of reasons: amazing career opportunities, access to leading universities and a supportive business culture that hosts strong fintech and SaaS industry connections.

For the 12 months from Aug 2021-Aug 2022, 63,000 tech roles were advertised, with such numbers predicted to rise in 2023.

However, tech companies are facing increasing challenges in filling vital tech vacancies, and in tooling up with the digital skills required to compete. The IT industry is reporting;

69% of employers face IT/Digital skills gaps
78% need a larger pool of digital talent to support productivity demand
63% of employers feel they don’t have the right digital skills

For the tech sector to grow at the rate required to support productivity demand it is essential to facilitate pathways into the sector for talent not yet working in tech.

GK Apprenticeships, who specialise in IT and Digital Apprenticeships, help businesses who find themselves in the position of needing to fill tech vacancies attract new talent, as well as developing the talent of the existing workforce, helping them gain the digital skills required for the job. Such opportunity is provided through the funded IT/Digital Apprenticeships GK Apprenticeships’ have to offer.

Employers seeking staff can get funding from the government to help pay for apprenticeship training. With government funding of 95%, never has there been a better time to take on an apprentice.

If interested in wanting GK Apprenticeships’ help with the recruitment of talented staff within the tech industry, click here to apply to hear more information from the team, or reply to enquiries@ins.gk-apprenticeships.co.uk to schedule a call.

Government funding support to help parents and carers in the North and the Midlands to return to STEM

Olivia McHugh

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13/02/2023

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<strong>Government funding support to help parents and carers in the North and the Midlands to return to STEM</strong>

In the Midlands and North of England, Women Returners and STEM Returners have been awarded UK Government funding to assist parents and carers with returning to work, tackling the difficulty returning workers face on the open job market.

Women Returners, in partnership with STEM Returners and funded by the Government Equality Hub, will deliver the STEM ReCharge pilot over the next 18 months. The initiative will provide free-of-charge return to work career coaching, job skills training and sector-specific upskilling and mentoring to 100 returners with tech or engineering experience who have taken career breaks over a year or more.

Parents and carers typically face an uphill battle when trying to return to professional-level work, with a range of challenges from reduced professional self-confidence to widespread recruiter bias against people without recent experience.

The STEM ReCharge career coaching and job skills training will address these practical and psychological barriers, providing support to rebuild confidence, balance work and caring, write a back to work CV and hone interview skills. Small group sessions will encourage motivating return-to-work support networks.

Participants will also benefit from 1:1 mentoring, a tech or engineering ReFresh Week with updating sessions from industry experts to prepare them for interviews, and ongoing support with finding suitable work opportunities and reintegrating into the workforce.

The programme will also provide free training and support for 30 STEM employers in the regions, to enable them to better recruit and retain this talent pool who are so often overlooked.

Employer training sessions will aim to improve recruitment processes and the onboarding experience for returners and will inform about best practice in creating inclusive returner programmes. Employer engagement events will take place in hub cities including Birmingham and Leeds in late April for local organisations to find out more about the training and learn from the experience of successful returner employers.

STEM ReCharge is being targeted at the West and East Midlands, the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West, after new analysis carried out by Women Returners and STEM Returners showed these areas have far fewer returner programmes than southern areas. From 2020 to 2022 there were 1.6 returner programmes per million people in the Midlands, 2.3 programmes in the North East and Yorkshire and 2.5 programmes in the North West, compared with 7.8 programmes in London and 5.3 programmes in the South West.

The Government Equality Hub estimates there are currently 75,000 people (the majority women) who are economically inactive due to caring responsibilities, who have not worked for at least 12 months, who had a STEM occupation before their career break and who would like to return to work in the future. There are many more STEM professionals working at a lower skill level around their family, who will also be eligible to benefit from the programme.

Women Returners and STEM Returners are the two leading organisations in the UK in STEM returner programmes and supportive returner network communities. More than 600 experienced STEM professionals have returned to work through their returner programmes.

Julianne Miles, CEO of Women Returners, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Government Equality Hub and STEM Returners to launch the innovative STEM ReCharge programme in the Midlands and the North of England.

“There is a pressing need in these regions to provide this job-readiness support tailored to parents and carers returning to STEM, together with training for STEM employers to create more supported routes back to work for career returners. We’re confident that this comprehensive programme of support will help to accelerate the removal of the career break penalty in the UK.”

Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Government Equality Hub in increasing the opportunity for returners in STEM and lowering the barriers they face when they try to resume their careers.

“There is a perception that a career break automatically leads to a deterioration of skills. But the reality is, that many people on a career break keep themselves up to date with their industry, can refresh their skills easily when back in work and have developed new transferable skills that would actually benefit their employers.

“This programme will allow us to continue our mission to help create a diverse, inclusive and equitable STEM sector. We are especially delighted to be collaborating on this project with Women Returners, as working together we can achieve more.”

On launch of the initiative, Minister for Women and Equalities, and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch MP, said: “I learned how to code at the age of seven and trained as an engineer, so I know the importance of science to our economy.

“In the last decade we have seen more girls studying STEM subjects at school and university, but we know that too many women later drop out of those careers because they need to care for children or elderly relatives.

“We are investing in returners so we can plug the STEM gap, increase workplace equality, and boost our economy. That’s good business sense.”

Minister for Women, Maria Caulfield MP, said: “STEM jobs make up a large proportion of our economy, but there is a shortage in STEM employees and 75,000 STEM returners who want to get back to work. We know there are women across the country who have left their jobs to care for elderly relatives or children, and want to return to work.

“This pilot will help organisations to recruit those who are too often overlooked because of a gap on their CV.”

Applications for STEM ReCharge will open in March. For more information visit https://womenreturners.com/stem-recharge/ or https://www.stemreturners.com/stem-recharge/

Employer events will be held for employers during April. Employers can register interest on stemrecharge@womenreturners.com

More information will be available at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-equalities-office and https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-equality-hub

Things You Should Do During A Workplace Office Renovation

Blog

Claire James

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10/02/2023

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Things You Should Do During A Workplace Office Renovation

A workplace renovation is an amazing time of company transformation. The decisions you make here could benefit your business for a long time.

These windows of opportunity don’t come around too often either. So, when they do arrive, it’s important to pre-plan the effort so you can be certain you’re making the most of it. But what are the types of things you should pay heed to here?

You should try to do many things during a workplace renovation. Keep reading for a quick list of them.

Make Sustainability a Priority

The world is becoming more eco-conscious. If your business misses out on green opportunities, it can reflect poorly on your firm’s judgement and ethics.

Therefore, a workplace renovation is a great chance to double down on eco-friendly measures. While all businesses must meet sustainable targets today, going beyond the bare minimum efforts is a good way to put your company on the map. As a result of going the extra mile, your enterprise might be seen as a leader rather than a follower.

You could install solar panels on the roof. Alternatively, you could implement sensors that will switch lights off after a set time has elapsed in unused rooms. Smart energy meters might give you more accurate insights into your firm’s energy consumption and associated bills. Any addition that supports paperless processes could also be efficient.

There’s more than your firm’s infrastructure to consider too. Try to work with entities that prioritise sustainable construction methods. Ideally, they will source their goods ethically and responsibly, work with eco-friendly suppliers, and utilise recyclable and reusable materials. Do your due diligence when researching who to work with.

Work with Local Businesses

Another great way to promote sustainability in your commercial renovation is by working with local businesses. Closer firms will generate fewer emissions.

There are more perks to working with nearby services. They’re more easily found and engaged with, your personal network may be able to recommend them more readily, and you can be confident that your firm is playing a role in feeding the local economy. There’s a friendlier and more upbeat side to these arrangements. If you and local services enjoy working together, you can do so again in the future. Strong links can be established.

Moreover, instead of endlessly using search engines to find plasterers near you, you can instead use the resources from MyBuilder to find the perfect service more promptly. Post your job on their website, and vetted local plasterers will reach out to you with the option of discussing the requirements further. Before choosing whether to respond, you can browse their work profiles and customer reviews to ensure they’re the right company for you. You can do the same with painters, builders, electricians, plumbers, and many other tradespeople on the platform.

Temporarily Relocate

You can’t always carry out the most ambitious commercial property renovations if you attempt to work through them business as usual. Temporarily relocating is often the answer to these problems. As such, workers won’t need to contend with loud and disruptive noises while performing their duties. Hiring out another office space or implementing remote working might seem disruptive and less than ideal, but it’s a short-term compromise that will pay off in the long run. When you and your workers inevitably return, you will do so to a fully transformed workplace and more likely to create a more impactful first impression.

These measures can be appreciated by the construction crews too. After all, if they’re carrying out a renovation, the last thing they will need is to be concerned about your employees. They may worry about bothering them, their safety, or being disrupted by them, so it’s best to give each other enough space so that all parties can produce their best work.

Feedback with Employees

Not every personal request during a workplace renovation can be honoured. Still, your employees should be consulted.

After all, demand for UK office space is shrinking as WFH schemes continue to amass popularity. Obviously, it doesn’t really make sense to pull out all the stops when renovating a commercial workplace if it’s seldom used. You must ensure that whatever changes you make draw people in, not push them further away. Getting your money’s worth out of the investment is key.

What would employees like to see from the renovation? Are they content with the size and offering of breakrooms? Do they feel the plans will encourage collaboration between themselves and their coworkers? Will renovation works disrupt their working lives, and are there any workarounds to ensure productivity isn’t stalled as a result? Each of these matters should be freely discussed.

Conclusion

There are many moving parts to a successful workplace renovation. You can promote your firm’s values with sustainability, establish stronger ties with local businesses, temporarily relocate for smoother workflows, and ensure your employees are happier with the work being carried out. It can be a milestone for your company, a turning point for brighter days and better prospects, rather than just a quick makeover.

How to Give Your New Company the Start It Deserves

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Claire James

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10/02/2023

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<strong>How to Give Your New Company the Start It Deserves</strong>

It comes as no surprise that managing a new business can translate to sleepless, stressful nights. It’s undoubtedly a challenge to manage a startup and keep it afloat, especially when you consider all the other ambitious new company owners fighting for the limelight.

While startup management is not for the faint of heart, there’s no need to resign yourself to stress and anxiety. You can develop a robust foundation by pacing yourself, ensuring you give your company the opportunity it needs to thrive. Here are some tips to give your new business the start it deserves.

Take the time to find the best marketing agency for your business

There’s no denying that marketing will play a crucial role when managing your business. After all, what’s the point of running a company if no one knows how to reach you? If you don’t use marketing tactics as early as possible, you’ll end up left behind by more ambitious startups.

Fortunately, when you get the help of search engine optimisation, it becomes much easier to run a business. An SEO agency such as Ocere can help spread the word and increase brand awareness for your new company. After all, SEO is all about taking advantage of search engine algorithms to help expose your company to your target demographic. SEO is also best handled sooner rather than later, as it’s a slow process to gain an organic relationship with your marketing audience.

Get a fantastic start by setting the foundation for your company

It isn’t necessarily just about a great idea, though that undoubtedly plays a part. Sometimes, something as simple as developing a top-quality website for your company can result in standout success, as where do you think people will go when they click on your marketing links? They’ll be on your landing page, and if your website doesn’t impress, people are likely to leave and get the help of a competitor.

Build the necessary foundation through web optimisation and gather as many links as possible through tactics such as guest posting and the aforementioned search engine optimisation. Only then will your startup be ready to realise its full potential.

Foster loyalty to your brand

Fostering loyalty to your brand isn’t just a matter of marketing and customer service. Taking care of your employees is crucial if you want to outpace the competition and stay on top. If you aren’t taking care of your employees, it’s only a matter of time before your business suffers. Therefore, it’s crucial to put your employees first as early as now, as they are the ones who will ensure your clients are happy. From incentives to proper onboarding tactics, foster loyalty to your brand, and take things slow if you must.

As a startup, it can feel like you’re in a race against time no matter what you do. However, it’s not worth stressing yourself over, especially since companies rarely do well when rushed. The above tips will help your startup flourish in a competitive industry. Even if you have to take things one step at a time, it’s worth it as long as you move forward.

Alliance Investments strengthen Manchester development sales portfolio with Berkeley Square

Olivia McHugh

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10/02/2023

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Alliance Investments strengthen Manchester development sales portfolio with Berkeley Square

Alliance Investments have revealed the official sales launch of their sixth development in Manchester, Berkeley Square, situated between Manchester City Centre and MediaCityUK.

The Manchester based property investment company has launched the sales of the latest luxury Manchester development, Berkeley Square – which will see the construction of 500 one-, two- and three-bed apartments.

Main contractor HG Developments announced this week it has commenced construction on The Heaton Group’s luxury residential scheme, situated between Manchester City Centre and MediaCity, designed by award-winning architects Fletcher Rae.

With a forecasted completion date of December 2025 for Block 1 and June 2026 for Block 2, this is another significant development for Manchester to meet the incredibly high demands for living space in the area.

Berkeley Square is a superior collection of luxury apartments perfectly located between Manchester City Centre and MediaCityUK, within a secure community suitable for professionals, families and first-time buyers.

The modern homes will offer both connectivity and an enviable lifestyle in a stylish, luxury package, with open communal spaces for relaxing with friends, resident events, co-working and exercise classes – all planned to improve residents’ living environment.

bs living space 2 — Berkeley Square Living Space.

All apartments Berkeley Square will be available for sale through Alliance Investments from February 2023, with
properties available from £199k.

Ronald Garrett, Managing Director of Alliance Investments states:

“Our team are delighted to be partnering with The Heaton Group on the sale of apartments within Berkeley Square – our third project with them.”

“We have aligned our reputations for excellence, local knowledge and proven track record, and are confident of another successful project within Manchester”

John Heaton, Managing Director of The Heaton Group commented:

“Launching Berkeley Square with Alliance Investments leading the sales, marks the culmination of success across our previous projects with their sales and marketing teams, who have decades’ of experience across the UK’s residential market, we are confident they will again harness their knowledge to market our development to the correct home buyers and investors”

To find out more about investing in Manchester or purchasing a home within Berkeley Square, please contact Alliance Investments here: https://alliance-investments.com/manchester/.

bs living space 1 — Berkeley Square Living Space.

BOILERPLATE:

As part of Property Alliance Group, the Alliance Investments team has a proven track record of marketing, selling and exchanging off-plan properties within several of the group’s landmark buildings, as well as carefully selected new- build housing projects from other partner developers.

Headquartered in Manchester, Alliance Investments has established a reputation as a key contributor to the growth of the UK’s top property location, a status that has given us the credibility to move into other key cities, all while maintaining the same high levels of quality that have become our trademark – both for people looking to purchase a home and those looking for off-plan investment.

To find out more about our latest UK property opportunities please get in touch with our team:
+44 (0)161 6750 300
info@alliance-investments.com
https://alliance-investments.com/contact

Bury pub reaches finals of Community Pub Hero Awards

Olivia McHugh

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10/02/2023

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Bury pub reaches finals of Community Pub Hero Awards

The Two Tubs in Bury is one of just 15 pubs from across the country to reach the finals of the Community Pub Hero Awards, organised by PubAid and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and sponsored by Matthew Clark.

Nationwide, 200 pubs entered the Community Pub Hero Awards, including 70 nominated by their local MP. Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts and the overall winners will be announced in March, with all finalists invited to a presentation at the House of Commons.

The competition first ran in 2018 and has been expanded this year to offer two categories for pubs: Community Support Hero or Charity Fundraising Hero, and a new Community Regular Hero where pubs nominated a supportive customer.

A Thwaites pub, and the oldest in Bury, The Two Tubs started their community support with Military Mondays, a weekly get-together for veterans and serving soldiers in support of the armed forces. Everyone was given a free hot meal and a shot of port and the meetings provided much needed support. Since then, the pub has started monthly Coffee and Conversation mornings to help bring about positive change to the local community whilst raising money for local charities through selling sweet treats. Other recent projects include ‘£1 OnePots’ where the pub serves ‘one-pot’ meals for just £1 from Wednesday-Sunday to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis.

PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “Our heartfelt congratulations go to The Two Tubs. Choosing the finalists from a very strong set of entries was a real challenge and those pubs who have reached the shortlist should be very proud of their achievement.”

“Judges were hugely impressed by the stories from so many pubs, who have raised astonishing sums for charities, or provided incredible support for local people. The awards demonstrate, once again, that pubs are a force for good in their communities.”

John Steele, Trade Marketing Director, Matthew Clark added: “We were delighted to support this competition again and pleased to see an increase in the number of entries over last year. It is wonderful to hear about the great work done by licensees and their teams and we’re happy to be giving them well-deserved recognition.”

The pub was nominated by James Daly MP, who said: “I’m delighted to see that The Two Tubs has reached the finals of this national competition. Leah, Stewart and the team do such fantastic work and are a real hub of support for the community.”

DETAILS OF PUB:

The Two Tubs, 19, The Wylde, Bury, Manchester BL9 0LA

Licensee: Leah Towers

Pub Company: Thwaites

Contact: 01617 631745

Apprenticeship Week kept Rolling by one Lancashire Business

Olivia McHugh

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10/02/2023

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Apprenticeship Week kept Rolling by one Lancashire Business

In its most recent promotional bus tour, Blackpool-based Roadshow Promotions helped young people access apprenticeships, skills, and training.

Commissioned by Runway Training, who provide apprenticeships, traineeships and adult numeracy and literacy, Roadshow Promotions has converted one of its single-decker buses to allow the firm to deliver training and education services across multiple locations.

The bus is being used this week to raise awareness of services during National Apprenticeship Week (6-12 Feb 23). They will meet young people and their parents to offer advice and information on the various apprenticeship opportunities available.

The promotional bus has been equipped with 8 workstations and a separate meeting room to allow the team to offer advice and information in a comfortable and functional space.

The bus will then go on a tour of rural communities providing a mobile location to enable the training firm to help people of all ages with bespoke training and soft skills

Thomas Harrison, Head of Resources at Runway Training, said: “It’s important to us to enable everyone to access the same education and skills opportunities, so using a bus is a great addition to our service.”

“The bus will allow us to reach and upskill communities that are otherwise hard to reach in rural areas.”

Speaking on Roadshow Promotions and their support during the campaign, Thomas continued, “Stuart and the team were extremely helpful, listening to our needs and making suggestions on the best use of the space.”

For more information, visit https://roadshowpromotions.co.uk/

Inspiring Leader – Brendan McNulty – Vice President of Chubb Fire & Security Group

Olivia McHugh

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10/02/2023

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Inspiring Leader – Brendan McNulty – Vice President of Chubb Fire & Security Group

Linda Walmsley is a professional interviewer and business owner of UK executive and management recruitment firm, Walmsley Wilkinson. Through 2023, she will continue interviewing Business Leaders who have excelled in their fields and deserve the description of inspirational leaders.

Profile

Brendan is married to Louise, lives in Solihull and they have 3 grown up boys.

Brendan has 36 years’ experience working in the Building Technology space starting his career as an apprentice engineer and progressing to hold various local and international senior leadership roles. He has built diverse knowledge and interest across the HVAC, Industrial Refrigeration & Building Management Systems markets before joining Chubb Fire & Security Systems in 2019. Over the 36 years he considers himself very fortunate to have travelled to over 50 countries, met some great people, and developed great relationships through his time with Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric and now Chubb.

Outside of work Brendan likes to spend time with his family and friends, socializing, traveling, taking their 2 dogs for long walks, and occasionally attempting to play golf… not very well!

Interview

What were your career aspirations when you were younger?

When I was a kid, it was probably to be a racing car driver, either a rally driver or a formula one driver. I’ve always liked cars and still do, but I soon realised that I was more likely to become a mechanic which is probably why I started my career as apprentice HVAC engineer.

What was your first job?

I had a paper round when I was eleven, earning £5 a week and I really enjoyed it, except for Sundays because the supplements were so heavy. I actually used to time myself to see if I could do it quicker each day, so I guess I’ve always had a bit of a competitive streak in me.

Who or what, has inspired you in your life and career?

There’s been a few. I was really inspired by people I worked with on a daily basis. I started life as a technician and worked with a number of peers, who I saw progress from the same grass roots level to be very successful business leaders. That’s what gave me the drive in life, to achieve like them and make a success of every opportunity that came my way. When I started my career as an apprentice, the guy that interviewed me, had also started out as an apprentice. He was interviewing me at the time, in his then role, as Managing Director of the UK & Ireland business. He was certainly one individual who inspired me. There have since been multiple others who I’ve worked with over the years that have followed the same career path. When given opportunities, you grab them and make the most of them.

What words best describe you?

Common-sense, determined – I do like winning, I’m very sociable and my wife, particularly will tell you that I’m a bit stubborn.

Do you have a favourite saying or quote?

Yes, it’s very simple – you get out what you put in.

Is there a particular technology you are passionate about?

As I’ve worked in the building technologies space all my life, theoretically I should be passionate about technology but actually I’m not. What I’ve learned over the years is that it’s people that make the difference and not the technology. If you look at our industry, the real difference is in how you design and engineer a system leveraging the most suitable product for the specific application. You need to work in conjunction with product technology but it’s actually the human element that’s the differentiator.

How should the Human Resources function operate within any business?

HR is key and must be embedded in an organisation. I’ve already talked about my passion for people being the biggest differentiator. HR have to work closely with and support the business to be in tune with the changing dynamics of the market. Change happens on an ongoing basis, not just in our business but also in customers’ businesses and in the employment market. We see different generations having different expectations from their employers and we have to keep pace with that, recognise and move with the times. It’s about staying in tune, being ahead of the curve and making sure that you keep current, so that you can retain your people and attract the best talent into your business. HR play an integral part in supporting that activity. Chubb has recently appointed in our UK & Ireland business, a Head of People Strategy, to focus on the lifecycle of our employees. It’s important that we continue to attract the right people in, give them the opportunity to progress their careers and develop them in tune with developing the business.

Has workplace diversity and inclusion now become embedded or is there still much more to do?

I think we’re still on the journey. There is certainly a far better understanding of the value of what diverse teams and opinions can bring to a business. We work hard to re-address the balance within the engineering industry. It’s challenging as historically it’s been dominated by males. Unfortunately, diversity and inclusion plans are often seen as a top-down corporate initiative. Whilst it also needs to be driven from the exec teams, I believe that bottom up is a far more productive approach, as it can become embedded in your culture more quickly, empowering people to make a difference on a daily basis. This is the approach that we have taken at Chubb, we have D&I work councils, which are also sponsored by the exec teams to try and accelerate diversity and inclusion throughout.

What legislation would you amend or implement to support UK business?

I find legislation and politics an arena in which there are too many polarised opinions and agendas and it’s too slow to move and change. Unfortunately, that just doesn’t fit with my profile. I therefore rely on much smarter people than me to influence where we need to be from a market perspective when it comes to things like legislation and any shift in government policy. I understand the need for us to engage but let’s just say it’s probably not my area of strength.

In your opinion what elements are key to being a successful CEO?

I think they are the same for a people leader at any level of an organisation. As a leader of people, it’s really important it’s viewed as a privilege and an obligation. Be open and transparent, communicate consistently whether the news be good or bad, be active and visible in the business, engage with your people, empower them as they often know best, create a healthy culture in the organisation, a place where people feel comfortable to give their opinions, know what’s going on in the market and your business, linked to that in my opinion and in my experience, too may leaders spend too much time in their office and they don’t really know what’s going on in their business. I think it’s really important that you’re prepared to roll your sleeves up and get out there to really understand what’s going on.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Hopefully what I’ve just described – I just believe in being open and honest. It’s important to be engaging and inclusive with people. I often say that you’re only as good as the people around you so building strong teams has definitely been one of my strengths. The team will tell you that one of my favourite sayings is celebrate success and there is nothing wrong with having a bit of fun along the way – I really believe in that. You spend so much time at work, you have to enjoy it.

What is your biggest career highlight or achievement to date?

I don’t really think about one single achievement, it’s about doing the job and delivering on expectations. If I had to give an answer to that I’d probably say going from being an HVAC engineer to running a pretty large European organisation is probably my career highlight albeit it took years to get there. I actually get the most satisfaction from seeing others achieve because if they’re achieving, then the organisation wins as well. I’ve said many a time, probably the most satisfaction I’ve had from leading people is seeing them grow, develop and be successful. That’s the best satisfaction in my career, being able to say that I helped that person when you see them having achieved. It links back to the ability to build teams and deliver through people.

What’s next for you and Chubb Fire & Security?

What’s next for me, who knows. I’m not the kind of person who focuses on that all the time. I just grab opportunities as they come along and make the most of them. For me the most important thing is actually enjoying what I’m doing. It’s important to me that I enjoy going to work. In terms of Chubb, now that would be telling. What I will say is that under, our new owners APi, it’s exciting times and in the most simple but true terms, Chubb Fire & Security will only become bigger and better.

A CELEBRATION OF MANCHESTER PAST AND PRESENT

Olivia McHugh

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10/02/2023

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A CELEBRATION OF MANCHESTER PAST AND PRESENT

A NEW, ENORMOUS PIECE OF PUBLIC ART IS ANNOUNCED

Alex Sylt, based in Hope Mill, is the artist who has been chosen to create an artwork 215m which will be permanently on display within the Pumpyard at Printworks for all of Manchester to enjoy.

Alex, age 32, is a screen printer who is creating a stunning, intricate piece which celebrates Manchester past and present.

The piece is based on a giant architectural structure which contains symbols of Manchester including the suffragette movement, the LGBTQ+ community as well as sport and music icons.

Alex has been screen printing for over 10 years and this method of creating art has influenced his design for Printworks.

He explains: “With screen printing you have solid blocks of colour, there are no gradients or shading and this approach lends itself very well to intricate, large scale designs. I am very inspired by architecture and contrasting this with softer shapes that are found within nature.”

His design plays on perspective as it will be viewed on a corner of the building and this central corner acts as a statue which is being held up by the hands of the people of Manchester, which will represent the diversity of the city. Surrounding this column are many hidden gems and imagery to represent various groups, moments in history and the style of Manchester. A lot of this is represented by flowers and different colours. The idea is that every time someone looks at the piece, they will spot something new, and the perspective will change from the direction it’s viewed.

Alex was chosen from five shortlisted artists as the winner of the BIG art competition by a public vote and also a highly esteemed panel of judges including Norman Cook (also known as Fatboy Slim), the legendary DJ and music producer, Ben Reed, the creative director of Wild in Art (who also brought us Bee in the City), Jason Shay, Printworks centre director, Gwen Youlden, Head of Destination Marketing at Cushman & Wakefield and David Fraser, from Harrison Fraser brands specialists.

Alex said: “I researched the architecture of the area surrounding the Printworks and its history as well as looking at the city as a whole. When I submitted my original design I didn’t expect to win as the other finalists are amazing and their work is such a high standard. I’m absolutely over the moon to be chosen and can’t wait to show my friends and family my artwork on this scale. It’s not something I have done before and I hope that the public think I have done our amazing city justice with the piece.”

The artwork is one element of the refurbishment of Printworks which is currently being undertaken and, when complete, will bring to life Manchester’s soul and pride for the spirit of our city. The artwork reflects the Printworks’ core values – vitality and energy, being connected to one another, a focus on ethics, honest, trust and escape.

Jason Shay, centre director of Printworks, comments: “It was such a hard decision to choose just five artists for the shortlist so we’re very grateful to have the public’s help to choose our winner. We’re working closely with Alex over the coming months to finesse and add to his design and ensure that we have all elements of the city represented. When it is installed, it will be a striking piece which millions of people will see every year and we fully expect it to stop people in their tracks.”

Ben Reed, creative director of Wild in Art, added: “Public art is hugely important and Manchester especially is a city packed full with it. This latest piece is so personal to the city and is a true celebration of people, place and the history of Manchester.”

Alex will spend the coming months finalising his design before it is sent to print on three giant banners. These will be installed by a specialist team before it’s unveiled and ready for the public to enjoy later this year.

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