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K7 MEDIA STRENGTHENS ASIA PACIFIC PRESENCE

Creative

Sam Whitear

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12/05/2020

K7 MEDIA STRENGTHENS ASIA PACIFIC PRESENCE

ALLRITES IS THE LATEST ORGANISATION IN THE REGION TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BESPOKE MEDIA INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

Singapore-based allrites has enlisted K7 Media to provide expert insights and opinion led research on the latest TV and video trends from across the globe.

The TV sales platform distributes the best of Asian and global programming and has hired K7 Media to work alongside its inhouse team to help build exposure, share knowledge and provide additional industry insights.

An online marketplace, allrites offers the opportunity to discover, buy and sell film, TV and sports programming rights without having to travel to trade fairs or have face to face meetings.

Discussing allrites’ decision to work with K7 Media, Founder & CEO, Riaz Mehta, said: “Straight away K7 understood our requirements, providing bespoke data and insights that I’m certain are going to help our business grow.

“We very quickly started to view K7 Media as a true partner; their can-do attitude and willingness to go above and beyond makes them the perfect addition to our team.”

K7 Media Founder & CEO, Keri Lewis Brown, added: “It is great to announce the expansion of our Asia Pacific client base, over the last few years we have seen formats from the region taking centre stage and we are really proud to do our part championing this.

“We are really excited to be working with allrites; the ability to buy and sell formats remotely has never been more important and they are proving that distribution can be effectively carried out remotely. We hope with our insights and expertise we will be able to help the business continue to grow and develop.”

The deal was brokered by K7 Media’s Asia Pacific Consultant, Victoria de Kerdrel, following the opening of K7’s Singapore base earlier in the year, and substantial investment in the business’s Asia Pacific division.
Offering bespoke research and media consulting services to broadcasters, streaming platforms, distributors and production companies, across the globe; K7 Media continues to expand its current range of client services, while maintaining the delivery of highly sought-after media reports.

Quinta appoint development director

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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12/05/2020

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Altrincham based privately owned property company, Quinta Group, has appointed a development director.

Neal Hunter has joined from Liverpool based Great George Street Developments with experience in a range of residential and mixed use developments. He will be assisting with the delivery of the company’s current £20m development pipeline along with identifying new opportunities across the North West and Midlands.

Neal Hunter, said: “It is certainly a new experience to start a job in Lockdown mode but I am really looking forward to returning to Altrincham having previously spent 10 years at Merepark Developments.

“This is an exciting new challenge and one in which I will be using all my skills working with key consultants to nurture projects through the design and development process along with securing new opportunities for the company to develop.”

Managing director Alexander Clarke, said: “The company was formed in 2016 and has grown at a steady pace. We needed someone with Neal’s expertise in the sector, particularly with his architectural and design background to oversee the development of sites and properties as we take on more schemes”.

Quinta Group focuses on property development and development management. In Altrincham it sold 39 Stamford New Road, a mixed residential and retail scheme and is currently working on revitalising several other properties and sites in the town, St Johns Medical Centre, Old Market Place and Stamford Brook Road as well as on-going developments in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Madeley Heath. The company is looking for further development opportunities in its own right or as joint venture partnerships.

Growth Company captures in-depth insight into impact of coronavirus on UK businesses and helps plot course for recovery

Business support

Sam Whitear

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07/05/2020

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Growth Company captures in-depth insight into impact of coronavirus on UK businesses and helps plot course for recovery

The Growth Company (GC) today provided the first economic insights from what is believed to be most in-depth live survey to date of the impact of coronavirus on UK SMEs.

The weekly rolling Growth Company Covid-19 Impact Survey provides an invaluable measure of the sentiment of almost 2,000 Greater Manchester companies to date, capturing a mix of resilience, optimism and concern among UK employers.

The UK’s biggest city-region survey will provide vital intelligence to help firms to prepare for the economic recovery and growth that will follow the crisis.

Findings are reported to the Greater Manchester Resilience Forum and are already supporting the GC Business Growth Hub in delivering its Covid-19 #HereforBusiness campaign. The survey will also inform the thinking and insight of the new GC Consultancy division, which will share policy best practice with clients across the country.

Download the full GC C19 Survey May 5

Key findings from the Growth Company Covid-19 Impact Survey to date*, show that:

Nearly every business (91%) regardless of sector or size is now impacted by CV19 and this has steadily increased over time (starting at 35% in first week March).
Staff on furlough is now substantial with around half businesses in the last week utilising the scheme; and of these 62% had furloughed at least half their staff (54% across all respondents since the survey began). These findings echo the 6 million employees currently furloughed across the UK.
Income and cash are the biggest impact with the latest figures showing over three quarters (76%) of those impacted experiencing a decline in sales and almost 40% have resulting cash-flow problems
Cash reserves are now also under severe pressure, with over a quarter (27.5%) of businesses no more than three months’ supply; and worryingly, a further 20% – this week – who are unsure of their cashflow timeframe.
Major supply chain issues are now affecting over one in ten (12%) businesses, concentrated in Retail/Wholesale (30%) and Manufacturing (20%); and worryingly in Life Sciences (29%).
Just under two-fifths (39%) of businesses are seeking some form of government loan or grant support, and correspondingly – in terms of support requested by businesses, over 50% of businesses to date (43% in the last week) are seeking financial support/advice, and rising numbers of firms are seeking support for business planning (up to 43% of firms this week).

However, despite severe impacts, the survey reveals business resilience:

Very few businesses are reporting they have, or plan to make redundancies. Less than 3% of all respondents said they had made redundancies, but with a further 15% in the last week said they are likely to have this issue on their future agenda.

Alongside major challenges facing business, some firms have reported rising sales. 7% of firms in the last week reported growth, this has remained at the same level since the initial survey week. This would suggest a steady core of firms experiencing some form of growth/rising sales.
By sector, more than 20% of businesses in Life Sciences, and over 25% in Agriculture have experienced increasing sales, along with Education (15%), and Manufacturing (10%).

Alongside providing advice and support, the Growth Company is supporting businesses by signposting the financial support available, including the £3m Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for Greater Manchester administered by GC Business Finance and the £629m in grants available from Local Authorities in Greater Manchester. ItsEmploy GM campaign with GMCA and delivery partners is helping to connect employers and people looking for work.

Mark Hughes, Chief Executive of the Growth Company, said: “The purpose of our #HereForBusiness campaign is to ensure that we are offering the support and advice companies need to continue operating safely and safeguard future jobs.

“We are now also starting to plan support for the businesses who will lead our economic recovery and it is heartening to see that their remains significant optimism among survey respondents.

“The depth of our relationship with the business community, combined with our skills and experience, means that we are perfectly placed to guide companies through this crisis and into economic recovery

“The results of our rolling survey provide reasons for both optimism and concern, but we are now at least armed with information to support our efforts on behalf of employers. We are ready to share the benefits of our insight, expertise and skills with partners and colleagues as we prepare for economic recovery and growth.”

Visit https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus/business-survey for the latest weekly update from the Growth Company Covid-19 Impact Survey.

Businesses looking for support can visit the GC Business Growth Hub Coronavirus microsite atwww.businessgrowthhub.com/Coronavirus or get in touch for more advice and support by emailing BGH@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4127. Opening hours have been extended to Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am – 1pm to support businesses.

*The live Growth Company Covid-19 Impact Survey has been updated since 12 March. Press release data shows aggregate findings up to May 4. 86 per cent of respondents are businesses based within Greater Manchester.

FRP BOLSTERS CORPORATE FINANCE TEAM WITH PARTNER HIRE

Appointments

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07/05/2020

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FRP BOLSTERS CORPORATE FINANCE TEAM WITH PARTNER HIRE

Specialist business advisory firm FRP has appointed Heath Snyder as a partner to its Manchester corporate finance team.

With more than 25 years’ industry experience, Heath has spent two decades at the Big Four, having held senior roles at PWC and Deloitte. He joins FRP from Shore Capital, where he was a director in the corporate broking and advisory division, and previously held roles at Cenkos Securities and as managing director of private equity at Babcock Brown Asia.
Heath specialises in advising owner-managers, private equity-backed and listed companies. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, management buyouts, strategic options reviews, debt and equity fund raisings. His private equity focus has seen him work as an investor in a private equity fund and sit on the boards of PE-backed companies.

With broad sector expertise, Heath’s specialisms include consumer products, retail, e-commerce, digital, fintech and medtech. Notable past deals include advising on the buy-out of Quorn-producer Marlow Foods from Astra Zeneca; the public to private de-listing of Stirling Group PLC, manufacturer of M&S lingerie, and the $200m sale of medtech cable and sensors business LHI to Carlisle Inc, on behalf of 3i.

Heath joins the corporate finance team at FRP in Manchester and will focus on growing the team’s mid-market corporate finance practice in the region.

Commenting on the appointment, Ben Woolrych, partner at FRP in Manchester, said: “Heath joins us during unprecedented times, but his deep industry insight will be invaluable in helping drive growth and an upswing in regional activity as the market recovers.

“We’re committed to growing our North West footprint and developing one of the most agile and experienced practices in the region. Heath is a highly regarded specialist and is well connected in the market, and his private equity background gives him a unique perspective to advise owner-managers on their strategic options. His expertise will add considerable emphasis to our existing Manchester team alongside corporate finance specialist Adrian Gare.”
Heath Snyder, partner at FRP, added: “FRP stands apart from the crowd given its broad advisory skillset across a company’s lifecycle, which will be invaluable in these challenging times for businesses in the region. The firm is an ambitious, entrepreneurial practice with a great culture and a commitment to growth in the region.

“The North West is the second largest private equity market in Europe, and its pool of innovation, talent and established global connectivity make it a focal point for investment. It’s clear the team recognises there is a real opportunity for growth here in the medium term, and I look forward to returning to my corporate finance roots and helping to strengthen the team’s regional presence.”

NPIF continues to lend despite UK uncertainty – generating over £320m of investment in the North’s small businesses to date

Finance

Sam Whitear

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07/05/2020

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NPIF continues to lend despite UK uncertainty – generating over £320m of investment in the North’s small businesses to date

The £400m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) has remained active despite nationwide uncertainty, completing 61 deals worth over £14m since the beginning of 2020.

The Fund, which provides a mix of debt, equity and microfinance up to £2m, has continued to invest in small businesses across the north of England and is still very much open for business

NPIF’s Microfinance fund managers which include GC Business Finance, MSIF, Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) and Finance For Enterprise are all accredited lenders of the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) with a number of loans already being approved. This includes a £100k loan to support Altrincham-based Consensus Workspace and a £100k loan to enable Scarborough based Spectrum Cleaning Solutions to diversify its offer by launching a new ecommerce platform.

These deals build on the significant impact that NPIF has already had on ambitious companies to date across 10 northern LEP areas. Since its launch in March 2017, fund managers have invested over £162m into 601 businesses, bringing in an additional £167m from the private sector.

The sectors seeing the most impact from NPIF are manufacturing, tech, digital, creative and life sciences.

Roger Marsh, OBE DL, Chairman of NPIF Strategic Oversight Board, Chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Chair of the NP11, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has radically altered the world in which businesses operate and targeted financial support has never been more important to ensure those companies, especially SMEs, which are the lifeblood of our economy, survive and thrive.

“Now is a time of exceptional challenge to businesses, with access to finance and cashflow among the chief concerns many businesses have. I’m pleased to see the positive impact that NPIF is continuing to have across the North and encourage companies looking to innovate, diversify or scale-up – particularly to support the UK’s response to Covid-19 – to explore the support available.”

Ken Cooper, Managing Director at British Business Bank, said: “Small businesses are facing unprecedented economic circumstances, so it is great to see that our fund is stepping up to the challenge of supporting them during this difficult time. We have been impressed by the response from all of our Fund Managers who are working hard to ensure local businesses can access vital funding, including from the CBILS, whilst also helping those companies that have already had NPIF funding.

“Although we’re now in a very different business environment, NPIF remains open for business, and will continue to make investments.”

The £400m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund was launched in 2017 by the British Business Bank using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), HM Government and the European Investment Bank. NPIF forms a key part of the British Business Banks’ objective to help reduce regional funding disparities and encourage economic prosperity in the North of England.

NPIF works with 10 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Combined Authorities and fund managers to provide microfinance, debt and equity finance to businesses across the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley regions.

The funding options include microfinance between £25,000 and £100,000, debt finance between £100,000 and £750,000 and equity finance up to £2m.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

For more information about Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, please visit www.npif.co.uk.

INVESTMENT IN GREATER MANCHESTER SUSTAINED DESPITE CHALLENGING YEAR

Finance

Sam Whitear

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07/05/2020

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INVESTMENT IN GREATER MANCHESTER SUSTAINED DESPITE CHALLENGING YEAR

Figures just released by MIDAS, Greater Manchester’s inward investment agency, show they supported the creation of 3,458 jobs across the city region in the last financial year, generating £231m GVA.

More than half (58%) of successful investment projects in 19/20 were from companies that are new to Greater Manchester – a 48% increase from 18/19. The remaining projects and associated jobs created were expansions of existing business operations.

Of the total project volume, 75% (60) were from foreign-owned companies, accounting for 2,793 jobs – the two highest numbers for foreign direct investment (FDI) projects and jobs in MIDAS’ history. The majority of FDI projects were from companies headquartered in USA, Germany and India.

MIDAS, part of The Growth Company, works on behalf of the ten local authorities of Greater Manchester and is responsible for attracting investment to the city region that ultimately creates jobs.

MIDAS attracted investment to Greater Manchester from innovative companies and global brands across all the city region’s key sectors – creative digital and technology, financial and professional services, advanced manufacturing, and life science and healthcare.

The financial, professional and business services sector performed strongest in terms of job numbers, accounting for 37% (1,292) of the annual figure – a 34% increase on the year previous. Firms expanding or setting up in Greater Manchester include Fitch Ratings, Slalom and Interactive Investor. There was an even split of new to the city region and expansion projects within the sector.

The highest number of projects (30) came from the advanced manufacturing industry, a sector that 34% (1,173) of total jobs were created within. Key new to Greater Manchester projects include Sampa Automotive and Smart Yarn from Turkey as well as USA low carbon firm Ameresco. Numerous companies already operating within Greater Manchester’s advanced manufacturing industry, such as Saica and Hilti, also expanded their operations, reinforcing their commitment to the city region.

The creative, digital and technology (CDT) sector accounted for a third of projects (26) and 24% (830) of jobs created, with investors including BAE Systems AI, Huawei and Altus Group amongst those creating the highest volume of jobs. Another 23 CDT firms invested in the city region during the period, including Black Nova, Thirteenthfloor and Invisible Systems, firms that will leverage Greater Manchester’s strengths in digital technologies. Overall, the majority (77%) of successful CDT investment projects were from companies that are new to Greater Manchester.

Similarly, 83% of successful life science and healthcare projects were from companies that did not already have a presence in the city region. The sector saw a 50% increase in the number of investment projects closed, including LumiraDx, McCann Health and Marion Surgical, and the city region’s strengths in precision medicine helped secure investment from Affinity Biomarkers – contributing to the creation of a total 163 new jobs within the sector.

Tim Newns, CEO of MIDAS, said: “Due to the investment and support from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and MIDAS’ private sector developer partners, we have been able to proactively stimulate an increasingly volatile market and retain significant levels of investment into the city region.

“The uncertainty of Brexit and the general election resulted in low investor sentiment towards the UK last year, which delayed the progression of numerous projects, but after market confidence returned briefly following the December election, MIDAS closed 46% of its annual investment projects in the final quarter of 19/20.

“This could have been even higher but for the COVID-19 crisis, which caused a little more caution in the scale of job creation forecast by some new investors in the final quarter compared to earlier in the year as well as the delaying of a few larger projects in to the 20/21 financial year. We could have seen an additional 1,000 jobs created but we still hope to capture the majority of these over the longer term.

“COVID-19 is changing the world as we know it, including the investment landscape, and we have redirected our efforts to ensure we support the city region’s recovery. Looking ahead, although we face challenging times, we are primed to leverage Greater Manchester’s strengths in sectors that have risen in prominence as a result of the situation; such as cyber security, eCommerce, life sciences, low carbon and digital technologies, to ensure Greater Manchester retains its status as a leading destination for high-value inward investment.”

Cllr Elise Wilson, Greater Manchester Portfolio Lead for Business and Economy and Leader of Stockport Council, said: “Greater Manchester has developed a strong global reputation as a leading business location and MIDAS’ performance is really promising, considering the economic uncertainty of the last financial year.

“The agency has done a fantastic job of attracting more businesses to the region, supporting the expansion of existing operations, as well as creating new jobs. Their role will be crucial in supporting Greater Manchester’s economic recovery in relation to COVID-19. “

Throughout the financial year, the agency also safeguarded 1,622 jobs, the second highest number on record, across 15 projects.

Manchester welcomes a new Strategic Director of Growth and Development

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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06/05/2020

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Manchester welcomes a new Strategic Director of Growth and Development

Louise Wyman has been confirmed as Manchester’s new Strategic Director, taking up the mantle from Eddie Smith following his retirement from the City Council after 20 years of service to the city.

Louise will provide strategic direction for development across the city, along with oversight of the Local Planning Authority, housing strategy, work and skills, and driving forward growth and economic recovery following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Louise joins Manchester City Council following previous roles as Director of Design and Inclusive Growth at the West Midlands Combined Authority and as Director of Strategy & Engagement at Homes England. She was central to Sir Edward Lister’s team that established the government’s housing agency.

Throughout Louise’s career she’s been involved in major projects both in the UK and in America. She undertook her Masters studies at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and spent time at Harvard as an Instructor for their Career Discovery Programme. She led urban renewal projects in San Francisco following the 1989 earthquake and has been a member of the Planning Committee for London Legacy Development Corporation with responsibility for developing London’s 2012 Olympic Park.

Louise is a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Design Group, established to embed great design and environmental responsibility in future infrastructure projects of national significance. She has also held positions as Director of Strategy at Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and was responsible for founding the Garden Towns & Villages programme across government.

Louise is a high profile speaker, author and inclusion advocate. She will take up the Strategic Director of Development role on 22 June 2020.

Louise said:

“Manchester is a progressive global city of cultural leaders, businesses, citizens and educators whose influence reaches well beyond the city boundary. I’m really delighted to bring my passion for inclusive growth and designing a decarbonised future to Manchester and playing my part in developing the city’s future.

“In the moment of a global health crisis, civic leadership matters more than ever. The health and wellbeing of Manchester’s communities will be at the heart of our development plans. There’s so much talent in Manchester’s Universities, research institutions, businesses and creative industries. I’m really looking forward to engaging these organisations, Manchester’s diverse communities and the construction sector in shaping Manchester’s growth.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “It goes without saying that this is one of the most demanding roles in local government, in one of the fastest growing and exciting cities in Europe. But Louise’s previous experience working with both Homes England and the West Midlands Combined Authority puts her in the upper echelons of strategic development in the UK. I look forward to working with her and seeing what she brings to Manchester.”

Mason Advisory recognised as one of the UK’s best workplaces

Property

Sam Whitear

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06/05/2020

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Mason Advisory recognised as one of the UK’s best workplaces

Mason Advisory, independent IT consultancy, has been recognised by Great Place to Work UK ®as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces 2020.

Based at MediaCityUK in Salford, the company placed 22nd in the ‘small business category’ (up to 50 employees), which highlights it as having a high-trust, high-engagement workplace culture.

The Best Workplaces™ awards represent the largest survey of workplace cultures and people practices, and the methodology behind the rankings is one of the most rigorous and highly regarded in the UK. The opinion of employees is key, as staff feedback makes up the results of the Trust Index, and a separate Culture Audit survey analyses and evaluates the company’s HR, leadership practices, policies and culture.

The report is determined via a thorough evaluation process based on employee experience and feedback on credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie within their workplace.

Mason Advisory is continually investing in and implementing improvements in workplace culture, employee wellbeing, career development, recognition and innovation.

Steve Watmough, Mason Advisory CEO, says: “It’s a great accolade to receive and is certainly a morale-booster for our whole team under these circumstances. We’re proud to have received this recognition as understanding how our employees feel about our business is key to building a successful working environment. It highlights our commitment to putting employees at the heart of our business.

“This is our highest ranking to date, as in 2018 we achieved 23rdplace, so we’re delighted to move up a position. The results give us insight into our team culture, engagement, and satisfaction and we thank all our employees for their commitment, enthusiasm and sheer hard work.”

With offices at MediaCityUK, Salford, and London, Mason Advisory provides IT consultancy and advisory services, solving complex business challenges through the intelligent use of IT resources including IT strategy and transformation, sourcing, architecture, cybersecurity and IT delivery. It operates in sectors such as emergency services, education, retail, finance and banking, health, insurance, government, not for profit, and private security.

This is the third time Great Place to Work has recognised Mason Advisory; in 2019 it was awarded an Excellence in Wellbeing award. Earlier this year, Mason Advisory was also listed in the Financial Times’ Leading Management Consultancies 2020 report.

Hundreds of free Huawei tablets for care homes and hospitals

CSR

Sam Whitear

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06/05/2020

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Hundreds of free Huawei tablets for care homes and hospitals

AJ Bell is making hundreds of Huawei tablets freely available to care homes and hospitals to help residents and patients stay in contact with their families and loved ones during the COVID-19 crisis.

It is the second initiative to be funded by the AJ Bell Wage War on COVID Fund which was launched at the beginning of April under the umbrella of the AJ Bell Trust, a UK registered charity. Staff at AJ Bell have donated all or part of their wages for April, May and June to the fund and further donations have been made by customers, financial advisers, the AJ Bell Trust and members of the public.

Over £150,000 has been raised so far in the first month. All funds raised will go directly to charities or other causes supporting people affected by COVID-19. More details of the initiative can be found here.

Care homes and hospitals can now apply to receive a free tablet via a simple form on the AJ Bell website and members of the public can also nominate a care home or hospital they think would benefit from a free tablet. AJ Bell will simply require a main point of contact at the care home or hospital who is happy to take delivery of the tablet.

The tablets will have popular communications apps such as Zoom, Houseparty and Skype preloaded by AJ Bell’s technology team with instructions enclosed, making it as easy as possible for care home and hospital staff to use with those in their care.

AJ Bell has been trialling the initiative with four care homes and hospitals in and around Manchester over the past two weeks. Staff at the care homes and hospitals are finding them invaluable as a way of connecting residents and patients with their loved ones that are not able to visit them due to the nationwide lockdown.

Andy Bell, chief executive for AJ Bell, says:

“Many people feel disconnected from their loved ones during the lockdown and technology is often the only way people in care homes or hospitals can communicate with their families and friends. We are providing devices to care homes and hospitals with apps like Zoom, Houseparty and Skype pre-loaded on them to give people the opportunity to see and speak to the people they are missing and hopefully bring some joy at an otherwise difficult time.

“Our Wage War on COVID fund was initially set up by staff who wanted to donate part of their wages to help people affected by the coronavirus crisis but it has also received amazing support from our customers, financial advisers and the public. It’s one of many examples of people coming together in desperate times to help those in need and anyone can now nominate a care home or hospital to benefit from this community spirit.”

Manchester based Code Nation partners with City of Bristol College to further their nationwide growth

Digital

Sam Whitear

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06/05/2020

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Manchester based Code Nation partners with City of Bristol College to further their nationwide growth

Digital education providers and apprenticeship specialists Code Nation announced their partnership with The City of Bristol College this week, expanding their reach into the UK’s booming South West.

Code Nation, head-quartered in Manchester’s city centre, provides Software Development Apprenticeships and private training courses – in their physical campuses and virtual learning environment – to create a viable solution to the digital skills gap; business-ready digital talent.

Having harnessed funding from the Apprenticeship Levy and the Adult Education Budget, Code Nation can provide training in software development free of charge to their students – and have created great coding careers for their graduates, 89% of whom had no prior experience in the field.

Co-founders Andy Lord (CEO) and (Chairman) David Muir are bringing their innovative approach to creating employable tech talent to the region, creating further employment opportunities for residents and providing employers with access to software developers at no cost.

The region boasted a number of impressive statistics last year, receiving the third-most investment of all UK cities, with only Manchester and London raising more, according to the Digital Economy Council.

The growth of technology and digital in the region saw over 30,000 digital jobs created and over £8bn digital-tech turnover.

Bristol is also home to notable employers such as Hewlett Packard, EE, and Just East, a growing tech community with meetups like Techspark and Venturefest,, and leading digital gaming company SG Digital, who are already creating their new software developers through Code Nation’s apprenticeship programme.

Having trained over 900 students in campuses based in Manchester, Trafford, Chester, Ellesmere Port and Cambridge since their inception in 2018, Code Nation is already the UK’s fastest growing Software Development Apprenticeship provider.

Working directly with employers with requirements for software developers, Code Nation engineer their training courses around the skills that modern businesses look for – problem solving, communication skills, commercial awareness, and of course, full-stack technical knowledge.

Paul Rogers, City of Bristol College’s Head of Business Partnerships said: “The College welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with Code Nation in the rapidly growing Bristol tech community. It will enable the college to continue to raise the aspirations for all learners with higher level, well-paid apprenticeship opportunities”.

“The partnership will create an innovative way of establishing a long-term career pathway in one of the areas that is guaranteed to show huge growth for new talent. Bristol will be at the forefront of digital activity with many global brands establishing a base here, so whether you are starting your career or looking for a career change – becoming a software developer could be just the answer”.

Having harnessed funding from leading sector organisations through the apprenticeship levy and local funding streams, the partnership will provide training in software development.

The partnership between Code Nation and City of Bristol College comes after months of planning following the region’s status as one of Europe’s booming tech hubs, and Code Nation’s CEO is very pleased with their latest venture.

Andy Lord of Code Nation comments, “we’ve always had the South West on our radar and we’re delighted to have partnered with City of Bristol College to create a space to train the region’s next generation of digital talent. Bristol sees more and more individuals moving here to find work with their impressive digital employers – as well as being home to two billion-dollar tech firms”.

The CEO continues, “ Despite the current circumstances, we have the ability to run our courses for Bristol’s residence in the next few weeks thanks to our E-Learning platform. We’re proud to be able to bring our outreach programme here, running our 3-week course at no cost to those who are unemployed, or earning £16k or less. For many it’ll be the first step in finding a career in the digital sector – and what better place to look for their first role.

“We’ll also be hosting our free 1 and 2 day introductory courses for people who want to give coding a try. Next on the list will be our 12 week coding bootcamp and our apprenticeship programme delivered through the fantastic facilities in City of Bristol College – or our state of the art virtual learning environment.”

Bristol is leading the way in the development of robotics and autonomous vehicles – what many describe as the future of technology – and is home to two tech unicorns; tech-enabled energy provider ‘OVO’, utilising software engineers to develop their proprietary technology platform, and artificial intelligence specialists ‘Graphcore’, using machine learning to help innovators in the sector achieve important breakthroughs.

Code Nation’s partnership with City of Bristol College will enable the residents of the region to access the transformational training needed to access roles with leading employers, starting future-proof careers in the fastest growing industry in the world thanks to their business-led programme.

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