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Business Merseyside launched today

Business support

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29/01/2018

The Samuel James Group is proud to announce Business Merseyside as its latest regionally focused good news business website and weekly newsletter. It will join its existing brands of Business Lancashire and Business Manchester.

Commented Andy Mann, Editor, Business Merseyside: “Following the success of Business Lancashire and Business Manchester, we have received many requests to launch Business Merseyside. Until now we have resisted, but we can no longer delay!! Today, we have launched our third regional business website and weekly newsletter – Business Merseyside.

“With a collective audience reach to date of over one million, our channels are undoubtedly a success. We now want to share this free to register channel concept with the business community of Merseyside.”

Added Sam Whitear, Director, The Samuel James Group: “It is a proud day for us, with the launch of Business Merseyside. I am particularly pleased that we will be working with the Shout Network to help raise the new channel’s profile, on a day to day basis in Merseyside.

“This new channel will complement the existing North-West business channels to ensure that the business community’s voice is heard and to highlight the numerous positive business stories that we hear about, but which may not be so widely known.

“If you have a Merseyside related good news business story, please send the story plus an image to editor@businessmerseyside.co.uk or ring me on 07951 731722.

“Also, please sign up for our weekly newsletter (www.businessmerseyside.co.uk) and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter (Biz_Merseyside). You won’t regret it!!!!“

VST Enterprises codes a brighter economic future for Zimbabwe

Blog

Sam Whitear

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29/01/2018

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VST Enterprises codes a brighter economic future for Zimbabwe

To support the rebuilding of the Zimbabwean economy, Manchester-based consumer technology and security company, VST Enterprises, is working with the nation’s authorities and other international partners to develop innovative new uses for its cutting-edge authentication technology, VCode®.

VCode® is a scannable technology that allows users to securely access personalised information no matter where they are, through a mobile phone or similar device. Each code is unique and matched to pre-set security parameters that can vary the level of access and information per user. The information can be set and tracked with real-time analytics in the VPlatform – a secure, cloud-based tracking portal – by the organisation. The technology can be used in a wide variety of consumer, business and government applications, providing a secure means of verifying information.

VST Enterprises has already devised a number of uses for VCode in Zimbabwe, designed to address key economic challenges, including tackling currency counterfeiting, illegal mining of minerals, counterfeit and smuggled high-value goods, and national identity card security.

Speaking about the collaboration between the Zimbabwean authorities and international partners, Louis-James Davis, founder and CEO of VST Enterprises, explained: “The new government in Zimbabwe has already made positive steps towards embarking on a new era of international cooperation in trade and other areas but, in order to achieve this goal, the nation needs to have the technological infrastructure in place to ensure traceability and prevent crimes like smuggling and counterfeiting.

“With the support of VST Enterprises and other international partners, Zimbabwe can address underlying issues in its economy and lay the foundations for a more prosperous future for its people.”

Christopher Mutsvangwa, special advisor to the President and minister of information, added: “A new day has dawned for the Zimbabwean economy. By implementing VSTE’s revolutionary technology, we’re going to put a stop to real and prevailing issues of counterfeiting and traceability in our country.

“The new partnership will do more than simply help us improve security and government oversight of the economy, we expect VSTE’s technology to have an enormous positive impact on our society and on people’s livelihoods. This is a historic moment, not just for Zimbabwe but for the whole of Africa.”

Following a successful collaboration with the UK’s National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester, VST Enterprises has developed a method to etch micron-level VCodes onto minerals. This can be used by Zimbabwean authorities to tag minerals mined in the country to optimise traceability, ensuring both that they can be correctly taxed and to help the government tackle the pressing issue of illegal mining. Furthermore, this allows consumers to check that what they are purchasing is conflict free and manage ownership of the items via the VPlatform’s ledger system.

Working with Zimbabwean authorities, VST Enterprises is also finalising plans to prevent both product counterfeiting and the smuggling of tobacco, alcohol and other high-value imports. Under the proposals, VCodes will be printed on the packaging of genuine products. When scanned, this will confirm the provenance of the item, the authenticity of the item and whether excise duty has been paid. The scanned results are protected by the VPlatform’s security parameters which contain geo-fences, user permissions and timestamps, ensuring every interaction is logged and can report any attempts to interfere with the supply chain back to the owner. With this information, retailers can be confident that the products they are stocking are genuine, and authorities can ensure that all imported goods are correctly taxed.

In addition to these important trade initiatives, VST Enterprises is supporting the Zimbabwean government in tackling the urgent issue of currency counterfeiting, working with it to create new bank notes that include an unforgeable VCode to verify their authenticity. A similar solution is being devised for a new national ID card system for the country.

Entries for Greater China Awards open

Awards

Sam Whitear

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29/01/2018

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Businesses across the North West can now apply for the 2018 Greater China Awards.

The Greater China Awards are open to companies or organisations in the North West of England which have made a significant contribution to developing business or collaborative innovation / partnership with mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and / or Taiwan during 2017. This may include bi-lateral trade or investment, education and community sectors.

Three awards are up for grabs; the Business Award, for Businesses with links of over three years with Greater China.

The Rising Star Award, for businesses with less than three years of links with Greater China.

The Educations Links Award, for educational establishments or businesses that have links with Greater China.

The winner will be announced on 23 February 2018 at a Chinese New Year celebratory Dinner, held at The Lowry, Salford Quays. Deadline for awards entry is Monday 5 February. If you would like to apply for the awards or attend the dinner please visit https://gca2018.eventbrite.co.uk

Children’s specialist shoe shop changes hands through Christie & Co

Business support

Sam Whitear

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29/01/2018

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Children’s specialist shoe shop changes hands through Christie & Co

A well established children’s shoe shop situated in Stockport, Greater Manchester has changed hands through specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co.

The long-standing Hands shoe shop was first established 40 years ago by a local gentleman called Brian Hand. Over the years it has become synonymous as the ‘only place to go’ in the wider Stockport and Manchester region for children’s school shoes. Located just outside the town centre at Great Moor, the business is built on exceptional customer service and specialist fitting coupled with fantastic quality.

Ashley Cobban, Business Agent at Christie & Co’s Manchester office who handled the sale commented: “Selling a specialist children’s shoe shop was a first for myself, however having grown up in the local area and having first-hand experience as a child and adult at this store and knowing its glowing reputation, I wanted to be a part of the success story.”

Former owner, Peter Elliot who is now pursuing a well-earned retirement said: “I tried to sell my business through a local business transfer agent for five years and then solely through a well-known web site without success. Christie & Co found me a buyer within ten days and they received extraordinary interest in my business.

“Ashley Cobban was very professional from the beginning until completion. I found that Christie & Co was very transparent with their fees and charges and would have no hesitation in recommending this company to any business owners wanting to find a buyer.”

Ashley added: “Since coming to the open market, Christie & Co had received unprecedented amount of interest for the business. The shop will be continuing as ‘Hands’ shoe shop and we wish the new operator every success moving forward.”

Manchester Airport launches £5 million media campaign to profile Northern regions

Blog

Sam Whitear

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26/01/2018

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Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry, today visited Manchester Airport as it kicked off a £5 million drive to boost the international profile of the North.

The UK’s third largest airport is searching for the people, businesses, attractions and other assets that make the North a great place to trade with, invest in and visit.

It plans to showcase these success stories to the 27.8m passengers who pass through its terminals each year, travelling to locations ranging from Boston to Beijing, Houston to Hong Kong and Singapore to San Francisco.

Worth an estimated £5 million, over the course of the next year, the campaign will see the airport work with leaders in each of the Northern regions to identify the things that best represent their global strengths. Every month new images and artwork from different areas across the North will be added to new sites across the airport.

As well as being displayed across the Manchester Airport campus, the stories will be promoted via a tailor-made social media campaign, both in the UK and around the world.

The commitment was made during a visit to the airport by Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry, who was joined by Manchester Airport CEO Andrew Cowan, as they took the wraps off an eye-catching collection of Northern Powerhouse images that celebrate the North’s strengths in a range of fields, from sport and natural beauty to its world class universities and exporting businesses.

The Minister also met with a series of leaders from across the North to find out more about their international exploits. This included exporting businesses, tourist attractions, retailers and universities.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry, said: “We are proud to work hand-in-hand with Manchester Airport to open a new frontier for the Northern Powerhouse. The success of the Manchester–Beijing route, and the new direct flights to Seattle opening up later this year, reinforces our shared vision of having a super-connected global North bringing the Northern Powerhouse to the world and the world to the Northern Powerhouse.”

Manchester Airport CEO Andrew Cowan said: “Manchester Airport has a critical role to play in driving growth across the North by connecting it to the world’s most important markets.

“It is this connectivity that will enable businesses to export their products and services to economies in all corners of the globe, and that will bring tourists, investors and students to our Northern towns and cities.

“As well as providing direct access to more than 210 international destinations, we are always eager to promote the collective strengths of the North to those travelling through the airport, whether that be for business of leisure.

“That is why I am looking forward to working with our colleagues across the North to showcase the things that combine to make this a world class place to visit and do business with.”

The Minister unveiled images showcasing some of the North’s leading universities and sites of natural beauty, such as the Lake District. Others pointed to the £54.5 billion of exports done by Northern businesses each year and images linking the likes of Bradford to Beijing, Liverpool to Los Angeles, Manchester to Madrid and Teesside to Texas.

During the coming months, the Airport will work worth each Northern Powerhouse region to select a series of images relating to that part of the world to go on display.

The first will be revealed during a week of international-themed activity across the North in February.

Lynda Shillaw joins Crown Estate Board

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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26/01/2018

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Leading UK real estate business, The Crown Estate, has announced today that Lynda Shillaw has been appointed to its Board.

Lynda has broad experience from managing a range of different property estates. She is currently Divisional CEO for Property for Manchester Airports Group where she is responsible for its investment and development portfolio across its three airports as well as its interest in the 3.5m sq ft Airport City Manchester Development. This, combined with her previous roles managing the property portfolios at the Co-operative Group and BT, has given her a range of experience relevant to The Crown Estate, including offices, retail, farmland and cabling. She lives in Leeds and much of her career has been outside of London.

The Crown Estate manages a £13bn real estate portfolio and specialises in commercial property in central London; prime retail across the country; and offshore wind, in its capacity as manager of the seabed around most of the UK. It also has significant rural and coastal assets. Established as an independent commercial business by Act of Parliament, The Crown Estate returns all of its profit to the Treasury. This totalled nearly £330m in 2017 and £2.6bn over the last ten years.

Robin Budenberg, Chairman of The Crown Estate, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lynda to the Board. She brings a diversity of experience from managing multi-faceted property estates across different regions of the UK and different asset classes, including office, retail and farmland. She has a deep interest in sustainable placemaking, focussing on nurturing a sense of community in both urban and rural environments. This unusual diversity of experience will be invaluable to The Crown Estate as it seeks to create brilliant places and deliver a strong return to the nation’s finances.”

Lynda Shillaw said: “I am honoured to be joining The Crown Estate’s Board. It is a business which thinks long-term about how it creates value to deliver a positive impact for its customers, partners, and the communities where it operates. I very much look forward to working with Robin and the Board, including Alison Nimmo and her talented team, to ensure it remains an outstanding UK success story.”

The recruitment of the Lynda Shillaw was made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and the position is appointed by the Queen under Royal Warrant.

MMU to tackle the North West’s digital skills gap as part of £40m Institute of Coding, announced today by the Prime Minister

Blog

Sam Whitear

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25/01/2018

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MMU to tackle the North West’s digital skills gap as part of £40m Institute of Coding, announced today by the Prime Minister

Manchester Metropolitan University will be leading the charge to train the North West’s future digital workforce as part of the new £40 million national Institute of Coding.

Launched today (January 25) by Prime Minister Theresa May at the World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos, the Institute of Coding (IoC) brings together universities, large corporations, SMEs and industry groups to tackle the shortfall in the digital sector – the digital skills gap.

The University will spearhead the development of the IoC locally, backed by a £3m portion of the overall £40m funding, and deliver industry-focused education in strategically important areas: data science, artificial intelligence and cyber security.

According to the IPPR North, the region has the biggest digital skills gap across the North.

The IoC is aligned to Manchester Metropolitan’s vision to make the North West a leader in ‘industrial digitalisation’ by transforming traditional manufacturing into a bespoke industry capable of tailor-made products at the click of a button.

The aim is to ensure graduates are equipped for tomorrow’s digital challenges so the UK remains a world leader in computer science, cyber security, software development and data analysis.

Funding will develop new undergraduate and postgraduate courses, attract new staffing talent to the University, encourage more women into the sector, address challenges experienced by mature students and students from ethnic minorities, create new pathways to transfer knowledge to industry and inspire a new generation of tech leaders through community outreach.

Professor Malcolm Press, Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “The North West has a proud tradition as a place of innovation and a cradle of the original Industrial Revolution.

“We want to make sure it remains at the cutting edge of technological developments, aided by our education provision. Here at Manchester Metropolitan, we are ideally placed to deliver the greatest possible impact; engaging with employers through our existing networks and delivering industry-relevant education.

“The IoC is a logical solution to the digital skills gap conundrum and it will mean that our graduates remain ready for the modern digital workplace, while North West firms will have the skills they need to continue the region’s rich history in technological innovation.”

The University will build upon its existing structures, such as the Degree Apprenticeship in Digital and Technology Solutions and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) – working with outside businesses to build and develop new products.

Manchester Metropolitan was one of the first in the country to introduce Degree Apprenticeships and already has partnerships with leading employers such as AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, Thales and the BBC.

Additionally, it offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science, Computer Forensics and Security, Software Engineering, Computer Games Technology, and Computer Animation and Visual Effects, among others.

Dr Darren Dancey, Acting Head of the School of Computing, Mathematics and Digital Technology at Manchester Metropolitan, added: “A skills gap in digital has been identified by a number of government reports. At Manchester Metropolitan, we are at the vanguard in creating productive and multifaceted partnerships in the digital and technology sectors, as demonstrated by our KTP partnerships and sector-leading Degree Apprenticeships, to address the skills gap.

“We stand at the start of a new industrial revolution, a revolution in industrial digitalisation. Digital technology will infuse all parts of industry, from manufacturing to the service sector. We want the North West’s companies and our graduates to be ready to excel in this future.”

Half of the funding for the IoC comes from government, via the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and the other half is matched by partners.

Professor Madeleine Atkins, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said: “The benefits to students from the Institute of Coding are clear: exciting courses designed to meet the needs of employers; exposure to leading research; and increased work experience to support the development of their employability skills and transition to work.

“I am delighted that the Institute also aims to encourage more women into the digital sector.”

The University will receive half of the funding from HEFCE and will match the other half. Development of the IoC at Manchester Metropolitan runs over four years.

Nationally, more than 20 universities and employer networks are involved with the consortium, which is led by the University of Bath.

Absurd kicks off 2018 with Non-Exec hire

Blog

Sam Whitear

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25/01/2018

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Absurd kicks off 2018 with Non-Exec hire

Absurd, the Manchester based digital studio, has kicked off 2018 with the appointment of a Non-Executive Director, Rob Noble.

Rob Noble was Founder and CEO of Great Fridays prior to its acquisition by EPAM Systems in October 2014, where he held the role of Vice President until June of 2017.

Since its launch last year by co-founders Oli Taylor, Sam Gooch and Oliver Bailey, Absurd has grown rapidly. Having been colleagues at some of the UK’s leading agencies during the past eight years, the three made the decision to combine their respective skill sets – design, technology and client services – to create Absurd, focusing on delivering outstanding service and differentiating itself via the use of service design to create compelling customer experiences.

Noble joins Absurd as strategic advisor to the Board – as a founder of Great Fridays, a core service design agency, his knowledge and experience will be invaluable to the business as it continues to grow. Great Fridays, while headquartered in Manchester, serviced a global client base, with offices in San Francisco, New York and London and counted the likes of MasterCard, Vodafone, PayPal and McLaren among its clients. With the Absurd team delivering predominantly international briefs, his experience in building a global agency along with his proven service design background will be invaluable.

The past six months have seen Absurd build an impressive client base that includes the likes of WALO, one of the largest privately owned companies in Switzerland, and Electrical Safety First, for which the consultancy handles a complete digital brief comprising content strategy and creation through to its website. December also saw Absurd appointed by Brother Europe on a pan-European brief, with the consultancy now handling a number of projects.

Noble said: “The vision Oli, Sam and Oliver have for Absurd very much aligns with the experiences I had building my own companies. The loyalty, authenticity and courage they possess will serve them very well and I’m looking forward to using my 20 years’ experience to support Absurd as the business grows.”

Oli Taylor, co-founder of Absurd, said: “2017 was an incredible first year – we’ve brought on board a host of great clients with really forward-thinking briefs that have challenged the team and allowed us to deliver excellent solutions. One of the things that differentiates Absurd is the integration of service design within our offer – over the past year we’ve had massive success through the continual enhancement of our client’s products and services and we will be working closely with Rob in the coming months to integrate service design further within our core services.”

£400k investment in Sea Life Manchester & Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester

Blog
Finance

Sam Whitear

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25/01/2018

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£400k investment in Sea Life Manchester & Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester

Further to significant work and the development of an entirely new area, a visually compelling 360 degree experience ‘The Lair of the Giant Crab’ will be unveiled at Sea Life Manchester.

The breath-taking attraction will see two new unearthly sea creatures introduced to the centre – a giant Japanese Spider Crab, which can grow to up to 18 feet from claw to claw, and a Giant Pacific Octopus, nicknamed the ‘Einstein of the Ocean’ owing to its highly intelligent brain powers.

It is the first time either creature has been available to see in the North West and will see visitors invited to learn about what it means to survive in the extraordinary underwater world of the Pacific Ocean. The new additions join over 5,000 creatures at Sea Life Manchester.

Additionally, Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester visitors will be treated to an all-new interactive experience, ‘Space Mission’.

The intergalactic adventure will provide aspiring space stars with the opportunity to build their own Lego® rockets and explore weird and wonderful alien landscapes, before taking command at Lego’s mission control base and blasting a shuttle into space.

The feature replaces ‘City Builder’ which will remain on display until the end of February.

The two new features, due to launch ahead of the Easter break, are the latest in a string of developments at the family-friendly attractions and sees over £400k invested.

Speaking on the announcement Jenn McDonough, General Manager Manchester Cluster, Merlin Entertainments, said: “Sea Life Manchester and Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester are two of our leading attractions and have been inspiring, exciting and educating families for over seven years.

“We’re committed to delivering new experiences for both first-time visitors and returning guests and promise the features will bring something incredible to the North West.”

RSM named most active North West M&A advisers for the second year

Awards

Sam Whitear

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24/01/2018

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RSM named most active North West M&A advisers for the second year

Leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, with bases in Manchester and Preston, has been named the most active M&A financial advisers in the North West in 2017– maintaining the top spot for a second year running.

In total, RSM’s corporate finance team in the North West has helped to close 25 deals in 2017 including the sales of MESM to VWR, Boweld Truck Bodies, further consolidation in the veterinary sector and several cash out transactions.

RSM also took the second-place ranking in the national league table which is the firm’s highest position to date. In total, RSM advised on 145 deals in 2017, a 10 per cent rise on the previous year.

In the UK regions, RSM was also recognised as the most active adviser in the South East and the firm clinched the third spot in Scotland and in the Midlands where it climbed from fourth place last year.

According to the Experian report, the level of merger and acquisition activity in the North West held up well in 2017. In total, there were 753 transactions recorded during the year, representing a 13.8 per cent decrease in volume but a record deal value at £19.6bn which equals a 41 per cent increase on 2016.

Ian Latham, RSM’s Head of Corporate Finance in the North West, said: “Despite the perceived uncertainty, which may have impacted transaction volumes, our deal activity has remained strong in 2017. Focussed advice, an understanding of market sectors, and well-presented businesses can unlock transactions. Investors continue to chase down deals for quality businesses and we’re seeing good valuations – highlighting the strength of the market for the right businesses.”

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