National law firm Shoosmiths is celebrating 10 years of legal excellence in Manchester this month.

The milestone anniversary was marked with a special event at the firm’s XYZ office in Spinningfields to celebrate its first decade in the city, which has seen the office’s income grow from circa £1 million in 2009/10 to circa £20 million in the last financial year.

Over the last 10 years Shoosmiths has advised on some of the most high-profile real estate deals that have transformed Manchester’s skyline, including the £200 million sale of Allied London’s No 1 Spinningfields development in 2017 (one of the largest single-asset trades ever recorded in the city), the £300 million funding partnership between Allied London and Aviva Investors to create Enterprise City and several high profile acquisitions for Select Property Group including Circle Square at the former BBC site on Oxford Road and Vita Student on First Street. Shoosmiths has also advised Renaker on key developments including the sale of Exchange Court, Greengate and the next phase of Great Jackson Street, the huge development set to change the skyline of Manchester.

The firm’s active corporate team has advised on major deals, such as advising Altrincham based Matillion, a fast-growing provider of disruptive cloud-based integration software, on its Series B fundraise of $20m from Silicon Valley, the £60m sale of North West-based specialist motorbike insurer Carole Nash and AIM-listed financial services provider ThinkSmart’s sale of 90% of ClearPay Finance in Old Trafford to Australian giant Afterpay Touch Group. Commercial team highlights include advising four of the big mobile phone telecoms providers on the roll out of revolutionary new handset propositions, positioning Shoosmiths as market leaders in the space.

The firm first opened office in Manchester in 2009 with a team of 27 employees, moving into Allied London’s 3 Hardman Street development and taking 10,000 sq. ft of space.

The office expanded rapidly during this time, meaning that new and larger premises were necessary to support the firm’s growth over the next few years. After a series of temporary moves, in 2017, the Manchester team moved into its current home at The XYZ Building in Spinningfields.

Shoosmiths’ award-winning Manchester office occupies 32,000 sq. ft. of workspace at XYZ and is designed to promote an agile working environment and workstyle for employees.

Head of office at Shoosmiths Manchester, Wayne Nash, believes the firm’s success over the last ten years can largely be attributed to the firm’s people-centred culture. He said: “It comes down to our core values. Our business is about working with people and it always will be, and building strong relationships that place people first has been instilled in the foundations of our Manchester team since the very beginning.

“When we moved to XYZ in 2017, we really broke the mould in terms of law firms. It gave us the opportunity to do something that hadn’t been seen before in the legal sector, where the building itself positively contributes to our business and way of working. The environment that we’ve created brings out the best in people and makes people want to be here. If people are happy in work and they feel engaged, motivated and energised, then they’re going to want to do well.  And if they do well, the clients are happy, so it’s a virtuous circle and it all comes back to the people-first culture.”

Shoosmiths Manchester now employs 212 people, including 32 partners – 14 of whom are women (44%). The office is home to the largest legal real estate team in Manchester and operates leading corporate and commercial practices.

The office has been widely recognised for its achievements over the last decade, winning ‘Law Firm of the Year’ at the Manchester Legal Awards in 2017 and more recently being crowned the ‘Legal Team of the Year’ at the Estate Gazette awards.

Wayne added: “We’re incredibly proud to be celebrating 10 years in business in Manchester. The pace of development taking place across the city is astonishing and we’re honoured to have played a role in securing some of the major deals that acted as a catalyst for this transformation. It’s been an incredibly exciting journey so far and looking ahead to the next decade we will continue our ambitious growth plans, particularly in our corporate and commercial divisions, delivering a superb client experience until we are the No.1 law firm across every division in Manchester.”

Communications agency Higginson Strategy is set to expand its Northern operations.

The move follows shortly after Higginson was named Boutique Agency of the Year at the 2019 PR Moment Awards.

The agency hopes its new Manchester bureau will see it capitalise on the wealth of opportunities created by the Northern Powerhouse agenda.

Founded in February 2017, Higginson has also been appointed to manage communications for Wirral-based manufacturer Heap & Partners. Heaps is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and distributors of fluid control equipment. Higginson will work with Heaps to develop its global profile in the UK and international press.

Higginson Strategy Managing Director John Higginson, said: “Manchester is one of Europe’s most exciting and fastest-growing cities, we’d be mad not to be a part of it. It is where the magic happens.

“In Heap & Partners we are working with one of the great success stories of the Northern Powerhouse. The firm is exporting hi-tech goods around the world and is exactly the kind of forward-thinking business that will thrive into the 2020s and beyond.”

Heap & Partners Managing Director, David Millar, added: “Higginson are a perfect fit for us. They know how to get the right press at the right time.

“In a world where you are bombarded with messages 24/7 the firm knows how to communicate in a way that truly resonates with the people you want to speak to.”

Coding bootcamp Northcoders is partnering with global technology consultancy ThoughtWorks to offer four fully funded scholarships to help underrepresented women and gender minorities, people who identify as non-binary, transgender or intersex find a career in the tech industry.

This is the second time they have worked together on a scholarship programme.

The successful applicants will have the option of studying for the full time 12-week coding course at one of Northcoders’ campuses – either in Manchester (Federation House) or in Leeds (Platform). The scholarships will be awarded in July and the course will begin in August or September.  Each one will be fully-funded by ThoughtWorks, covering the £6,000 course costs plus an extra £2,000 bursary is available to help with living costs.

The courses aims to give graduates the opportunity to learn coding to an industry-standard level and to ensure they have skills, initiative and attitude well beyond what is usually expected for an entry-level software developer.  After graduating, Northcoders will support each scholar in finding a job as a software developer.

To date, 35 cohorts – with a total of 350 students – have graduated from Northcoders. The team offers an industry-led curriculum which is constantly in review against its hiring partners’ needs.

ThoughtWorks is a global software company and community of passionate, purpose-led individuals. It thinks disruptively to deliver software, products and consultancy services to address its clients’ toughest challenges, all while seeking to revolutionise the IT industry and create positive social change.

Amul Batra, Director of Northcoders, said: “Diversity and inclusion are close to our hearts at Northcoders. It’s fantastic that ThoughtWorks shares our commitment to creating routes into tech for people from diverse walks of life and for those who are underrepresented in the industry. These four scholarships will be a springboard to a fulfilling career and will, I’m sure, help the recipients reach their full potential.”

Amy Lynch, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Thoughtworks, added: “Technology plays a huge part in our world – it underpins how we learn, how we live and how we interact with one another. We believe it’s crucial that the people creating this technology reflect the whole of society.

“That’s why ThoughtWorks is offering four fully-funded scholarships to women and gender minority people who want to kick-start their careers in tech. The scholarships will offer financial and mentoring support, as well as the opportunity to progress into a role at ThoughtWorks.”

A thriving North West IT consultancy, Mason Advisory, is celebrating five years in business and a five times increase in turnover.

Based at MediaCityUK, Mason Advisory has a growing reputation in the UK and globally as an IT specialist, renowned for its high quality consultants, specialist skills, and support through digital transformation projects and partnerships. It counts many well-known brands as customers, from sectors such as finance, life sciences, retail, FMCG, emergency services, health, energy, water, education, government and transport.

Earlier this year, the company was recognised by the Financial Times as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe, and one of the leading management consultancies in the UK. It was awarded the Queen’s award for Enterprise in the international trade category, and was also recognised by Great Place to Work as a centre of Excellence in Wellbeing.

Steve Watmough, CEO at Mason Advisory, said: “In the last five years, we have grown from a specialist player to a leading IT advisory company, competing with the industry heavyweights in the £8.2 billion UK management consultancy sector.We have grown revenue five times over and our success has been recognised with the landmark awards and accolades we have received. We are now looking to build on this success and strengthen our position and reputation in the marketplace.

“We’ve got exciting expansion plans, including a recruitment drive for consultants in the UK to support global clients. Skill requirements are becoming more complex and challenging and we are able to guide our clients through the digitalisation process, align ourselves with their business culture and deliver results that allow organisations to fast-track their digital transformation initiatives, and operate in a more agile manner to ultimately enhance customer and staff experiences.”

Fiona Czerniawska is founder and director at Source Global Research and one of the world’s leading commentators on the management consulting industry.

She said: “Digital transformation has been the main driver of growth in the IT services and consulting industry over recent years. Clients are increasingly keen to work with smaller, more specialised firms, such as Mason Advisory, that have deeper expertise than the bigger players, and can bridge the gap between technology and business. These firms find it easier to fit in within the client’s organisation in cultural terms. The clients’ main focus is to make sure that concrete results are delivered.”

Steve concluded: “Despite the uncertain, disruptive times we are in, I’m proud of the outstanding results our team has delivered and their hard work behind this achievement. Our success is down to the high calibre of consultants on the team and our shared desire to bring digital transformation and technological innovation to our customers around the world.”

Manchester tech scale-up, Broadstone, is celebrating unprecedented growth as it reports a 300% increase in revenue in the past five months and a 700% increase in its user community in the past six months. The firm predicts that transactions via their platform will be in excess of £1m per month by 2020.

As a result, the firm is looking to expand its headcount by 50% over the next three months, as it enters a period of major fundraising and active investment. To support its rapid growth and enable further scalability, Broadstone is also moving to new, state-of-the-art premises at The Garages in Allied London’s XYZ building in Spinningfields, Manchester.

Tom Pickersgill, founder and CEO, said: “Since we launched just over 12 months ago, we’ve experienced incredible success, from securing contracts with some of the UK’s major corporations to growing month-on-month in every aspect of our business. And our future plans are even more ambitious, as we look to undertake a Series A fundraise later in the year to accelerate our growth strategy both here in the UK.

“Moving to The Garages at XYZ will ensure we are well positioned to continue to grow at pace, while providing a high spec environment for our valued team. Being part of the Allied London portfolio provides the flexibility we need as a high growth scale up, and means we are able to double or even triple headcount without any major disruption to our office space.”

Tom added: “The worker landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. More people are looking for work that fits around their life, yet traditional recruiters and bricks and mortar staffing agencies have not adapted to this and tech giants like Uber and Deliveroo are reaping the rewards of engaging with these labour pools as a result.

“Our unique labour-as-a-service approach is democratising recruitment; providing companies with much needed instant access to a pool of verified and vetted workers, and providing candidates with access to fair and flexible temporary work, resulting in a fast and highly streamlined process.”

North West serviced office provider W_RKSPACE has continued to grow its portfolio of flexible commercial spaces with the acquisition of its fourth property, with support from a six-figure funding package from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

W­­­­­_RKSPACE already owns three serviced office blocks in Preston and has now made its first move into Bolton with a deal to buy Hamill House on Chorley New Road.

With the site already approaching full occupancy, the new property is expected to boost W_RKSPACE’s turnover by 25 per cent. Hamill House includes 25 modern offices with suites accommodating start-ups and SMEs of up to 20 employees.

Founded two years ago, W_RKSPACE is set to further expand its portfolio of flexible work spaces in the region and is seeking additional investment opportunities in Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

Its portfolio in Preston includes The Watermark, The Old Docks House and Preston Enterprise Centre.

W_RKSPACE managing director Rizwan Seth, said: “Hamill House is already a well-established serviced office in the heart of Bolton’s professional district. With 95 per cent occupancy, it presents an ideal growth opportunity for our brand.

“We’re looking to continue building the W_RKSPACE portfolio by adding another two or three centres in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, which we’ll do in a sustainable way with the right fit for the group.

“Lloyds Bank has supported us since the beginning and we have an excellent long-term relationship with the team there.”

Johnathon Townsend, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “This latest acquisition is a great move for W_RKSPACE and the group’s growth reflects the growing popularity of serviced offices, which offer tenants a great deal of flexibility.

“We’ve pledged to lend up to £1.3 billion to North West firms like W_RKSPACE in 2019 to help them make key investments for growth, such as carrying out acquisitions. It’s just one part of our commitment to helping Britain prosper.”

Manchester’s Tarsier Gin has brought a taste of the North West to new international buyers at Asia’s leading food and hospitality exhibition, HOFEX, in Hong Kong.

HOFEX attracts more than 42,000 visitors and 2,800 exhibitors annually. Tarsier Gin showcased its range of traditionally made gins at a dedicated Food is GREAT Gin Bar.

The Food is GREAT campaign is a cross-departmental initiative between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). The campaign aims to showcase UK food and drink overseas, and to help businesses export. 

Tarsier Gin was created in 2018 after co-founder, Tim Driver, was inspired by the flavours he discovered during a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia four years ago. He spent the next three years developing the gin’s recipe with his business partner at his kitchen table before producing the brand’s website and labelling bottles. 

Several other Northern Powerhouse gin brands were also introduced to China’s growing cohort of UK gin lovers this month. Slingsby Gin and Noveltea were just some of the gins showcased at the SIAL trade show in Shanghai, which took place the week after HOFEX. At the event, John Edwards, British Consul-General of Shanghai, gave key industry attendees a tour of the UK Pavilion to allow them to get a taste of British gins. The tours were also streamed live on WeChat to 9,000,000 consumers across China,  the country’s most popular messaging and lifestyle app.

Paul Stowers, Head of Region, North West at DIT, said: “The gin industry in the UK is booming. In 2018 alone, exports of UK gin hit a record £614m, up 15% on the previous year.

“Supporting businesses from the North West during trade shows like HOFEX provides companies with the opportunity to meet people face-to-face and start to build relationships. Tarsier Gin is a great example of a firm from the region doing just this by showcasing what it has to offer on an international platform and meeting potential buyers. 

“North West businesses looking to start exporting or enter new markets should get in touch with us today to find out how we can support them on similar trade missions. We have a team of International Trade Advisers across the region ready to support each stage of the exporting journey. From labelling on products to the logistics of trading with new markets, we’re here to help businesses make the most of the exporting opportunities available.”