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www.bristolpost.co.uk

MAKING AGOOD EXIT

PLANNING AHEAD

How to end on a high note by preparingyour business for the end game – p6&7

BOOK YOUR PLACES

Lord Mayor’s dinner will be thecharity event of the year – page 3

GO FOR GLORY

Celebrate your success at ourBusiness Awards – pages 8&9

WORLD FAMOUS

Bristol’s tech industry hasglobal renown, says report – p5

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2 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 3We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children AppealOffice development

Expansion plan Ryanair aiming tobe city airport’s biggest carrier

LOW-cost airline Ryanair islooking to cast off its budgetimage as it reveals ambitionsto become the biggest carrierflying out of Bristol.

The firm’s marketing directorKenny Jacobs told Business that thecity’s airport was an important baseand one it hoped to grow.

“The only problem we have is thenumber of aircraft,” he said. “Wehave 300 aircraft on order. Our cur-rent fleet is about 200 so having thebig number of aircraft coming in willgive us the option to deploy moreaircraft here in Bristol to serve moreleisure routes and more businessroutes too.”

The airline has been flying to andfrom Bristol for 18 years and has hada base at here for eight, with fourplanes currently stationed at the air-port. It employs around 250 peopledirectly and supports another 1,400jobs at the airport.

As the number of flights and air-craft grow, so too will those figures.

“Bristol is a big base for us,” saidKenny. “It’s a very large catchmentarea with eight million people within

two hours’ drive of Bristol Airport.”The airline has announced its sum-

mer schedule with 28 routes in total,adding extra flights to and from Bud-ap e s t .

It will have 97 weekly return flightsthroughout the season and fly 1.4million passengers in or out of Bristolover the year.

With the addition of a secondcarry-on bag and allocated seating,

Kenny said Ryanair had taken stepsto improve its service and was nowtargeting the “s av v y ” business cus-t o m e r.

“We will always strive for the low-est fare and keep costs down – we havebecome the number one airline inEurope by having the lowest fares forour customers,” he said. “But we dowant to improve the experience.

“We want to be the smart choice for

business travellers who don’t wantthe usual trappings of businesslounges and free peanuts but want tomake the savvy choice.”

The firm’s customers are stillmostly leisure travellers but it doeshave some popular business routesfrom Bristol such as those to Dublin,Milan and Warsaw. And it hopes toadd more in future years, once thosenew Boeing 737s land.

Landmark for 66 Queen Square

Web help to go green� BUSINESSES are beingencouraged to go green as one ofthe key planks of the Bristol 2015programme was launchedy e s t e rd a y.

Chairman Andrew Garrad said:“We want to ensure that everybusiness in the region has thechance to benefit from theawareness created by the EuropeanGreen Capital award. We want tocelebrate the success of ourgreenest companies, but alsoencourage many more to seize thisopportunity to become greener,save money and find newcustomers.”� The Go Green tool can be foundat www.gogreenbusiness.co.uk.

E nv i ro n m e n t

Charity gala dinnerDon’t miss the bigevent of the year

THE building of a new office de-velopment has reached a high point –the highest point in the constructionp ro c e s s.

Skanska held a reception to markthe topping out at 66 Queen Square,one of the first speculative office de-velopments in Bristol since the re-cession.

The city’s mayor and Mike Putnam,Skanska UK President and CEO,tightened the last bolts in the steelframe of what will be Skanska’s firstcommercial office development inthe UK in recent years.

The event brought together manyof Skanska’s clients, partners andemployees, including representativesfrom KPMG, which has taken a15-year lease on 85 per cent of the61,000sqft (5,667m²) building.Skanska and KPMG also used the

event to highlight their partnerstatus with Bristol 2015 for the city’syear as European Green Capital.

Mike said: “We ’re very proud thatour 66 Queen Square development ishelping to restore a beautiful, his-toric part of Bristol. The award-win-ning building will also providemodern, energy-saving measures toincrease sustainability and cut car-bon, helping Bristol to become aneven greener city.”

Mayor George Ferguson added:“This development is an excellentexample of what can be achievedwhen the city and a conscientiousbusiness work collaboratively. Bris-tol will have a great new office space,which makes a positive contributionto the local environment.”

Phil Cotton, Bristol office seniorpartner at KPMG, said: “We want to

reduce the impact we have on theenvironment as a business, and ourproperty portfolio plays a leadingrole in this. The sustainable featuresat Queen Square will help us to re-duce our energy consumption andCO2 emissions, and provide a fant-astic environment for our staff in theheart of the city. We are delighted totake one step closer to moving intothis iconic building.”

The building incorporates sustain-able features for long-term energyefficiency, including photovoltaicpanels, LED lighting and water-sav-ing fittings to meet the BREEAMExcellent standard and an EPC Ar at i n g .

Alder King and JLL are lettingagents for the development with 9,000square feet still available in threeu n i t s.

Firms warned ofcyber attack threat� SMALL businesses run the riskof cyber attacks if they continueto run one of the world’s mostpopular computer operatingsystems after 14 July this year.

The warning comes from datacentre operatorNextGenerationData (NGD,whichstates thatM i c ro s o f tplans tostopsupportingits Windows2003 andSmall BusinessServer software on that date.

That means there will be nomore software security updates.

Steve Davis, NGD’s channelsales director, said: “Based onpast experiences those who don’ttake action now will be highlyexposed and targeted by cybercriminals – it’s not a case of if youget targeted, it is a case of when.

“If your organisation operatesunder regulations concerningsecurity and privacy of data thenyou could also risk penalties fornon-compliance.”

Steve added it when upgradingsoftware it was a good time toconsider where data is stored.

“You may well decide the officepremises are no longer suitable forhosting today’s sophisticatedservers,” he said. “A dedicatedco-location data centre willminimise the risk of unplanneddowntime and disruption.”

Te c h

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

F i n a n ce

Funding platform eyes global expansion

Trave l

� The topping out ceremony for new office block 66 Queen Square Pictures: Jon Kent

� Mayor George Ferguson, Mike Putnam (CEO Skansa UK) and Phil Cotton(KPMG)

� Steve Haslewood, Chris Hayes and Ben Wielgus TICKETS are now on sale for what willbe one of the not-to-be-missed busi-ness events of 2015 – The LordM ayo r ’s Charity Gala Dinner. Thedinner, which is being supported by

the Bristol Post, takes place on Thursday,April 30, at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotelin aid of The Lord Mayor of Bristol’s ChildrenAp p e a l .

It is being targeted at the South West’sbusiness community and the city’s moversand shakers. The event includes a drinksreception and three-course dinner, with am o n e y - c a n’t-buy and high-value auction,plus raffle prizes, and world-class live en-ter tainment.

The event is one of the many activitiestaking place throughout the year to raiseenough money for 1,650 disadvantaged chil-d re n .

Each child receives a £20 voucher for foodand a £20 voucher for clothing and a gift atChristmas. Volunteers work with the city’ssocial workers to ensure children who aremost in need receive the vouchers.

Celebrity and VIP guests will be an-nounced closer to the night.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol Alastair Watsonsaid: “The dinner is going to be a greatevening. It offers an excellent opportunity toentertain clients and to network in the know-ledge you are supporting a local charity tohelp the city’s most disadvantaged chil-d re n . ”

Jamie Breese, director of Business Show-

case South West and volunteer on the char-ity’s events committee, is approachingbusinesses to secure sponsorship, table salesand donations for the auction.

Jamie, who stars in the TV series Au c t i o nKings, said: “We want this to be one of thenot-to-be-missed events of the year, if not theevent of the year.

“There is already excitement in businesscircles about the dinner. The business com-munity is getting behind the event and I havealready had considerable interest in spon-sorship packages, and offers of high-value orm o n e y - c a n’t-buy prizes.”

He added: “People care about the citywhere they work and live. They want to helpsupport local charities such as The LordMayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal.”

Chairman of the appeal Bruce Simmondssaid: “Business people have supported thecharity, and its work, since it was foundedalmost a century ago.

“We are grateful to everyone who has givenand to all who support this event, by vo-lunteering, through sponsorship, auctionand raffle donations and ticket purchases.

“They are all making a real difference tochildren in need at Christmas.”

To secure your tickets at the early birdprice of £55 each, or £515 for a table of 10,please go to galadinner2015.e v entbrite.co.uk.

Companies and organisations interestedin sponsorship packages or donatinghigh-value or money-can’t-buy prizes shouldemail i n fo @ ga l a d i n n e r 2 0 1 5 . c o m .

� A PLATFORM inspired by a Bristolcompany has helped 2,500 small andmedium sized businesses findlenders other than banks.

The alter nativebusinessfunding.co.uk portal came aboutthanks to pensionledfunding.com chairman Adam Tavener.

It offers a one-stop shop forbusinesses to access to range ofpotential lenders and has wonplaudits from Government. Thefunders on the portal have nowcollectively provided around £2.7 billion in

SME funding and seven new fundersrecently joined. Now the platform is

considering moving into overseasterritories. Adam said: “Since the

launch of the ABF portal we haveseen a very strong demand forfunding from small businessesof all sizes. Finding fundingsolutions for around 2,500businesses in our first year is

testament to the speed andsimplicity with which business

owners can get an indication of thefunding options open to them.”

� JamieBreese, directorof BusinessShowcaseSouth West,Lady MayoressSarah Watson,Lord MayorAlastair Watson,chairman of TheLord Mayor ofBristol’sChildren AppealBruceSimmonds andBristol Posteditor MikeNorton at theMarriott Royal

Pic: Dan Regan

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2 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 3We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children AppealOffice development

Expansion plan Ryanair aiming tobe city airport’s biggest carrier

LOW-cost airline Ryanair islooking to cast off its budgetimage as it reveals ambitionsto become the biggest carrierflying out of Bristol.

The firm’s marketing directorKenny Jacobs told Business that thecity’s airport was an important baseand one it hoped to grow.

“The only problem we have is thenumber of aircraft,” he said. “Wehave 300 aircraft on order. Our cur-rent fleet is about 200 so having thebig number of aircraft coming in willgive us the option to deploy moreaircraft here in Bristol to serve moreleisure routes and more businessroutes too.”

The airline has been flying to andfrom Bristol for 18 years and has hada base at here for eight, with fourplanes currently stationed at the air-port. It employs around 250 peopledirectly and supports another 1,400jobs at the airport.

As the number of flights and air-craft grow, so too will those figures.

“Bristol is a big base for us,” saidKenny. “It’s a very large catchmentarea with eight million people within

two hours’ drive of Bristol Airport.”The airline has announced its sum-

mer schedule with 28 routes in total,adding extra flights to and from Bud-ap e s t .

It will have 97 weekly return flightsthroughout the season and fly 1.4million passengers in or out of Bristolover the year.

With the addition of a secondcarry-on bag and allocated seating,

Kenny said Ryanair had taken stepsto improve its service and was nowtargeting the “s av v y ” business cus-t o m e r.

“We will always strive for the low-est fare and keep costs down – we havebecome the number one airline inEurope by having the lowest fares forour customers,” he said. “But we dowant to improve the experience.

“We want to be the smart choice for

business travellers who don’t wantthe usual trappings of businesslounges and free peanuts but want tomake the savvy choice.”

The firm’s customers are stillmostly leisure travellers but it doeshave some popular business routesfrom Bristol such as those to Dublin,Milan and Warsaw. And it hopes toadd more in future years, once thosenew Boeing 737s land.

Landmark for 66 Queen Square

Web help to go green� BUSINESSES are beingencouraged to go green as one ofthe key planks of the Bristol 2015programme was launchedy e s t e rd a y.

Chairman Andrew Garrad said:“We want to ensure that everybusiness in the region has thechance to benefit from theawareness created by the EuropeanGreen Capital award. We want tocelebrate the success of ourgreenest companies, but alsoencourage many more to seize thisopportunity to become greener,save money and find newcustomers.”� The Go Green tool can be foundat www.gogreenbusiness.co.uk.

E nv i ro n m e n t

Charity gala dinnerDon’t miss the bigevent of the year

THE building of a new office de-velopment has reached a high point –the highest point in the constructionp ro c e s s.

Skanska held a reception to markthe topping out at 66 Queen Square,one of the first speculative office de-velopments in Bristol since the re-cession.

The city’s mayor and Mike Putnam,Skanska UK President and CEO,tightened the last bolts in the steelframe of what will be Skanska’s firstcommercial office development inthe UK in recent years.

The event brought together manyof Skanska’s clients, partners andemployees, including representativesfrom KPMG, which has taken a15-year lease on 85 per cent of the61,000sqft (5,667m²) building.Skanska and KPMG also used the

event to highlight their partnerstatus with Bristol 2015 for the city’syear as European Green Capital.

Mike said: “We ’re very proud thatour 66 Queen Square development ishelping to restore a beautiful, his-toric part of Bristol. The award-win-ning building will also providemodern, energy-saving measures toincrease sustainability and cut car-bon, helping Bristol to become aneven greener city.”

Mayor George Ferguson added:“This development is an excellentexample of what can be achievedwhen the city and a conscientiousbusiness work collaboratively. Bris-tol will have a great new office space,which makes a positive contributionto the local environment.”

Phil Cotton, Bristol office seniorpartner at KPMG, said: “We want to

reduce the impact we have on theenvironment as a business, and ourproperty portfolio plays a leadingrole in this. The sustainable featuresat Queen Square will help us to re-duce our energy consumption andCO2 emissions, and provide a fant-astic environment for our staff in theheart of the city. We are delighted totake one step closer to moving intothis iconic building.”

The building incorporates sustain-able features for long-term energyefficiency, including photovoltaicpanels, LED lighting and water-sav-ing fittings to meet the BREEAMExcellent standard and an EPC Ar at i n g .

Alder King and JLL are lettingagents for the development with 9,000square feet still available in threeu n i t s.

Firms warned ofcyber attack threat� SMALL businesses run the riskof cyber attacks if they continueto run one of the world’s mostpopular computer operatingsystems after 14 July this year.

The warning comes from datacentre operatorNextGenerationData (NGD,whichstates thatM i c ro s o f tplans tostopsupportingits Windows2003 andSmall BusinessServer software on that date.

That means there will be nomore software security updates.

Steve Davis, NGD’s channelsales director, said: “Based onpast experiences those who don’ttake action now will be highlyexposed and targeted by cybercriminals – it’s not a case of if youget targeted, it is a case of when.

“If your organisation operatesunder regulations concerningsecurity and privacy of data thenyou could also risk penalties fornon-compliance.”

Steve added it when upgradingsoftware it was a good time toconsider where data is stored.

“You may well decide the officepremises are no longer suitable forhosting today’s sophisticatedservers,” he said. “A dedicatedco-location data centre willminimise the risk of unplanneddowntime and disruption.”

Te c h

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

F i n a n ce

Funding platform eyes global expansion

Trave l

� The topping out ceremony for new office block 66 Queen Square Pictures: Jon Kent

� Mayor George Ferguson, Mike Putnam (CEO Skansa UK) and Phil Cotton(KPMG)

� Steve Haslewood, Chris Hayes and Ben Wielgus TICKETS are now on sale for what willbe one of the not-to-be-missed busi-ness events of 2015 – The LordM ayo r ’s Charity Gala Dinner. Thedinner, which is being supported by

the Bristol Post, takes place on Thursday,April 30, at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotelin aid of The Lord Mayor of Bristol’s ChildrenAp p e a l .

It is being targeted at the South West’sbusiness community and the city’s moversand shakers. The event includes a drinksreception and three-course dinner, with am o n e y - c a n’t-buy and high-value auction,plus raffle prizes, and world-class live en-ter tainment.

The event is one of the many activitiestaking place throughout the year to raiseenough money for 1,650 disadvantaged chil-d re n .

Each child receives a £20 voucher for foodand a £20 voucher for clothing and a gift atChristmas. Volunteers work with the city’ssocial workers to ensure children who aremost in need receive the vouchers.

Celebrity and VIP guests will be an-nounced closer to the night.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol Alastair Watsonsaid: “The dinner is going to be a greatevening. It offers an excellent opportunity toentertain clients and to network in the know-ledge you are supporting a local charity tohelp the city’s most disadvantaged chil-d re n . ”

Jamie Breese, director of Business Show-

case South West and volunteer on the char-ity’s events committee, is approachingbusinesses to secure sponsorship, table salesand donations for the auction.

Jamie, who stars in the TV series Au c t i o nKings, said: “We want this to be one of thenot-to-be-missed events of the year, if not theevent of the year.

“There is already excitement in businesscircles about the dinner. The business com-munity is getting behind the event and I havealready had considerable interest in spon-sorship packages, and offers of high-value orm o n e y - c a n’t-buy prizes.”

He added: “People care about the citywhere they work and live. They want to helpsupport local charities such as The LordMayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal.”

Chairman of the appeal Bruce Simmondssaid: “Business people have supported thecharity, and its work, since it was foundedalmost a century ago.

“We are grateful to everyone who has givenand to all who support this event, by vo-lunteering, through sponsorship, auctionand raffle donations and ticket purchases.

“They are all making a real difference tochildren in need at Christmas.”

To secure your tickets at the early birdprice of £55 each, or £515 for a table of 10,please go to galadinner2015.e v entbrite.co.uk.

Companies and organisations interestedin sponsorship packages or donatinghigh-value or money-can’t-buy prizes shouldemail i n fo @ ga l a d i n n e r 2 0 1 5 . c o m .

� A PLATFORM inspired by a Bristolcompany has helped 2,500 small andmedium sized businesses findlenders other than banks.

The alter nativebusinessfunding.co.uk portal came aboutthanks to pensionledfunding.com chairman Adam Tavener.

It offers a one-stop shop forbusinesses to access to range ofpotential lenders and has wonplaudits from Government. Thefunders on the portal have nowcollectively provided around £2.7 billion in

SME funding and seven new fundersrecently joined. Now the platform is

considering moving into overseasterritories. Adam said: “Since the

launch of the ABF portal we haveseen a very strong demand forfunding from small businessesof all sizes. Finding fundingsolutions for around 2,500businesses in our first year is

testament to the speed andsimplicity with which business

owners can get an indication of thefunding options open to them.”

� JamieBreese, directorof BusinessShowcaseSouth West,Lady MayoressSarah Watson,Lord MayorAlastair Watson,chairman of TheLord Mayor ofBristol’sChildren AppealBruceSimmonds andBristol Posteditor MikeNorton at theMarriott Royal

Pic: Dan Regan

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4 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 5We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

A FORMER detective believesmore businesswomen shouldbe on the case when it comesto awards. Jenny Williamshas become a finalist in the

Bristol and Bath Women in BusinessAwards in the Women in the Work-place category.

Mum Jenny combined her exper-ience and knowledge of scenes ofcrime methodology with her exper-ience as a parent to her children, nowaged 12 and 13, to devise the eventbusiness which launched in June2010.

Aiming to spark an interest in sci-ence and give participants the op-portunity to experience ‘h a n d s - o n’challenges in crime scene investig-ation The Detective Project offers funscience-based events based on sceneof crime analysis in the form of de-tective birthday parties, educationalworkshops and corporate events.

Those taking part in events get todress up as a Scenes of Crime Officer,confront a “crime scene” with skel-etons and clues and are encouragedto use real life 21st century invest-igation techniques and cutting-edge

forensic science theory and practiceto solve the mystery.

The business has grown into a na-tional franchise and Jenny believesprevious awards success has helped.

She’s a former a runner up in theBristol Post Business Awardsstart-up category and has severalother awards to her name.

The Detective Project has seen ayear of continuous growth withturnover rising by 50 per cent in thelast 12 months, partly, Jenny believes,as a result of the awards success.

The business itself has also ex-panded from its Bristol base withfranchise operations run by formerpolice officers opening in North EastSurrey in 2013 and South Essex inApril 2014.

“Sometimes it’s difficult for busi-

ness owners – especially home-basedbusiness owners – to feel comfortablepromoting our achievements,” saidJe n ny.

“Talking to people about our suc-cesses and milestones doesn’t alwayscome naturally. However, with 2.9 mil-lion home-based businesses in the UKcontributing £300 billion to the eco-nomy, we really should be proud of

Get on the case‘Awards helpedbuild business’

Tech cities Thriving digital firmsemploy 61,000 in Bristol and Bath

MORE people work in thedigital technology in-dustry in the Bristol areathan anywhere else out-side London.

The figures, revealed in a detailedreport called Tech Nation, back upthe region’s status as a globally re-cognised technology cluster.

It finds that 61,653 people work inthe sector in Bristol and Bath – al-though it somewhat stretches thedefinition of the region to includeGloucestershire and Wiltshire.Greater Manchester was next with56,145 jobs.

The report finds Bristol’s strengthsare in data management and ana-lytics, software development and edu-cation technology.

It picks out global leaders basedlocally including Aardman Anima-tion, IMDB and Hewlett Packard andsays the area’s rich heritage inaerospace and engineering hashelped the sector to grow. It alsohighlights the companies at thesharp end of innovation, workingin future technology, such as Ul-trahaptics, which uses soundwaves to create touch controls,and Open Bionics, 3D printingrobot hands for amputees.

The right environment for busi-ness is key and the Engine Shedbusiness hub at Temple Meads andBristol & Bath Science Park in Emer-s o n’s Green are featured, along withorganisations such as inward invest-ment agency Invest Bristol & Bath,Bristol Games Hub, WebStart Bristol,TechSPARK which support growingtech companies. Indeed, 79 per cent ofbusiness said being part of such so-cial networks was a key benefit of thecluster. Half cited access to talent inthe area as crucial.

Bonnie Dean, chief executive ofBristol & Bath Science Park and headof the Tech City Cluster Alliance inBristol & Bath, welcomed the find-i n g s.

She said: “Tech Nation shows thatdigital businesses are driving theeconomic growth of Bristol & Bath.

“Our specialisms in network in-frastructure and systems design aredeveloping a reputation for digitalexcellence that is attracting talentand finance to the area.

“The combined support of estab-lished digital companies, local aca-demic institutions and localgovernment will ensure growth con-tinues in our cluster for years toc o m e. ”

Nick Davies, founder and CEO, ofsocial network neighbourly, based atthe Engine Shed, added: “Wo rk i n g

closely among Bristol & Bath’s com-munity of digital companies hashugely benefited neighbourly.com.

“As a company dedicated to com-munity action, we welcomed the op-portunity to work with like-mindedlocal digital businesses and to shareexpertise, ideas and contacts. Bristol& Bath is rightly being recognised forthe opportunities it offers local di-gital entrepreneurs.”

Prime Minister David Cameronsaid: “The digital sector has been atthe heart of Britain’s economic

AIRBUS is making a major invest-ment into research and training,backed by the Government.

The plane maker announced£39 million for research projects intothree areas – electric powered planes,landing gear technology and futurewing development.

It’s good news for the firm’s Filtonsite, near Bristol, where nearly 4,000employees design wings and landingg ear.

The research projects will be led byAirbus working with the governmentDepartment for Business, Innovationand Skills under the umbrella of theAerospace Technology Institute.

Airbus chief operating officer TomWilliams said: “The aerospace sector

provides a huge boost to the nationaleconomy and this latest announce-ment of investment is excellent newsfor the UK and its aerospace sector,which is the largest in Europe andsecond largest in the world.

“The projects will be led by Airbusand will see our Filton facility furtherdevelop expertise, allowing the UK tobe play a major role in producingaircraft which embrace the latesttechnologies. It also follows a similarannouncement of major ATI invest-ment made by the Prime Minister inNovember last year, which includedresearch and manufacturing facilit-i e s. ”

At the same time, the company isleading a £20 million training project

called the Employer Ownership ofSkills Pilot, which will see majoraerospace companies working togeth-er to inspire and train the next gen-eration of engineers.

Employers from across the in-dustry will design and develop newapprenticeship programmes aimed atequipping people with the skills andqualities needed to compete in a glob-al market.

Six new Master’s degree coursesare also planned aimed at providingexisting aerospace employees withhigh-level technical skills allowingthem to progress.

Airbus HR director and UK generalmanager Mark Stewart said: “T hisinitiative will see employers leading

£39m investment in research

Food producer Tulipcreates 145 new jobs� FOOD producer Tulip is lookingto recruit 145 people for itsWesterleigh production facilityafter completing a £16 millionexpansion.

The investment at the SouthGloucestershire site has upgradedthe abattoir to become one of themost advanced in the UK.

It will enable Tulip to grow bothits home market as well asincrease its capacity to exportproducts around the worldincluding the growing Chinesemarket.

The firm has also created a newfacility to produce and cure jointsfor the UK’s retail market.

HR director Kirsty Wilkins said:“This is a very exciting time in thedevelopment of our Westerleighoperation as we have investedheavily to enable it to become aworld-class production facilityready to meet the increasingdemand for our range of qualityfood products, both here at home,and for export all around theworld.”

The firm is owned by the DanishCrown Group and employs 7,500people across 16 UK sites.

g rowth.“Tech Nation demonstrates the

growth of digital businesses in all ofour major cities and consolidates Bri-t a i n’s position as a world-leading des-tination for technology.

“The combination of governmentsupport and a genuinely thriving en-trepreneurial spirit has created aUK-wide success story of which weshould be hugely proud of as a na-tion.”

The report was compiled by TechCity UK and DueDil.

Vacancies grow asaerospace takes off� THE number of job vacancies isgrowing fast – driven byinvestment in the aerospacei n d u s t r y.

The January South WestRecruitment Index registered a 49per cent month-on-month increasein job availability, up to 838 from563 in December.

It attributes the surge in demandfor professional talent over aperiod traditionally affect byseasonal hiring blips to a thrivingaerospace industry.

Sundeep Bakshi, associatedirector of Venn Group’s Bristoloffice, said: “The South West hashistorically been at the centre ofthe UK’s aerospace industry, withConcorde, Rolls-Royce and Airbusall creating jobs in the region.

“Recent reports that SouthWest-based aerospace companiesare to receive a share of £100million funding – from a £2 billionpot committed jointly by industryand the Government – indicatethat job creation in this area is onlyset to continue.”

LAST year’s inauguralWomen in BusinessAwards were a hugesuccess, highlight-ing and paying

tribute to those helping tomake a real difference inthe business world.

Across the region thereare thousands of women ex-celling in their fields, setting apositive example to their peersand helping to ensure that Bath andBristol are firmly on the map when itcomes to trailblazing businesses.

This year the awards will onceagain profile women across a widescope of sectors, from businesseslarge and small, highlighting the roles

of women at all levels of business.The businesses and individuals re-

cognised by this year’s awards willserve as an example to others, helpingto promote and maintain the aspir-ational business culture of the regionand inspiring women to succeed at alll eve l s.

Debbie Aplin, managing director ofCrest Nicholson Regeneration, said,“By supporting these awards we areshowing our commitment to recog-nising the work of women across allindustries in the area.

“We very much hope that theseawards will serve as an inspiration tomany to strive for excellence, and torealise that gender need not be a bar-rier to career aspirations.”

Awards hail inspirational women

Women in Business

Sponsor profile

Ae ros pa ce

Re c r u i t m e n t

E x pa n s i o nGlobal recognition

the development of skills for UKaerospace and it will benefit the mul-titude of companies and their supplychains working across the sector.

“It has been a fantastic team effortby a cross section of companies and

the Regional Trade Associations. Air-bus is proud to be leading this majorinvestment between government andbusiness and our continuing supportof the Aerospace Growth Partner-s h i p. ”

Airbus chiefoperating officerTom Williams

“Thea e ro s p a c esectorprovides ahuge boostto thenationaleconomy

� The report highlights globalleaders based locally includingAardman Animation, makers ofthe Wallace and Gromit films;IMDB, founded by ColNeedham of Stoke Gifford; andHewlett Packard

WOMEN INBUSINESSAWARDS

SPONSOREDBY

in association with

in association with

what we bring to the table.“Being recognised in awards helps

you appreciate how far you havecome and offers huge encouragementfor the future. It’s also a fantasticreassurance to people who are in-terested in your services.

“It’s made a significant differenceto helping us build our business andas we approach our fifth anniversary

in 2015, we hope this will in turninspire other businesses to staketheir claim in regional and nationalaward success.”

The business attributes its successto date to its innovative business idea,its ability to work flexibly and keepcosts low and the opportunity it offersfranchisees to work from home andrun their own exciting business.

� Jenny Williams, who has entered the Women in Business Awards

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

� Debby Aplin,managingdirector ofC re s tNicholsonRegeneration

Celebrating Bristol’s best andmost innovative companies.

Celebrate your success

ENTER NOWbristolpost.co.uk/businessawards

#PostBizAwards

Entries close17/04/2015

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4 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 5We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

A FORMER detective believesmore businesswomen shouldbe on the case when it comesto awards. Jenny Williamshas become a finalist in the

Bristol and Bath Women in BusinessAwards in the Women in the Work-place category.

Mum Jenny combined her exper-ience and knowledge of scenes ofcrime methodology with her exper-ience as a parent to her children, nowaged 12 and 13, to devise the eventbusiness which launched in June2010.

Aiming to spark an interest in sci-ence and give participants the op-portunity to experience ‘h a n d s - o n’challenges in crime scene investig-ation The Detective Project offers funscience-based events based on sceneof crime analysis in the form of de-tective birthday parties, educationalworkshops and corporate events.

Those taking part in events get todress up as a Scenes of Crime Officer,confront a “crime scene” with skel-etons and clues and are encouragedto use real life 21st century invest-igation techniques and cutting-edge

forensic science theory and practiceto solve the mystery.

The business has grown into a na-tional franchise and Jenny believesprevious awards success has helped.

She’s a former a runner up in theBristol Post Business Awardsstart-up category and has severalother awards to her name.

The Detective Project has seen ayear of continuous growth withturnover rising by 50 per cent in thelast 12 months, partly, Jenny believes,as a result of the awards success.

The business itself has also ex-panded from its Bristol base withfranchise operations run by formerpolice officers opening in North EastSurrey in 2013 and South Essex inApril 2014.

“Sometimes it’s difficult for busi-

ness owners – especially home-basedbusiness owners – to feel comfortablepromoting our achievements,” saidJe n ny.

“Talking to people about our suc-cesses and milestones doesn’t alwayscome naturally. However, with 2.9 mil-lion home-based businesses in the UKcontributing £300 billion to the eco-nomy, we really should be proud of

Get on the case‘Awards helpedbuild business’

Tech cities Thriving digital firmsemploy 61,000 in Bristol and Bath

MORE people work in thedigital technology in-dustry in the Bristol areathan anywhere else out-side London.

The figures, revealed in a detailedreport called Tech Nation, back upthe region’s status as a globally re-cognised technology cluster.

It finds that 61,653 people work inthe sector in Bristol and Bath – al-though it somewhat stretches thedefinition of the region to includeGloucestershire and Wiltshire.Greater Manchester was next with56,145 jobs.

The report finds Bristol’s strengthsare in data management and ana-lytics, software development and edu-cation technology.

It picks out global leaders basedlocally including Aardman Anima-tion, IMDB and Hewlett Packard andsays the area’s rich heritage inaerospace and engineering hashelped the sector to grow. It alsohighlights the companies at thesharp end of innovation, workingin future technology, such as Ul-trahaptics, which uses soundwaves to create touch controls,and Open Bionics, 3D printingrobot hands for amputees.

The right environment for busi-ness is key and the Engine Shedbusiness hub at Temple Meads andBristol & Bath Science Park in Emer-s o n’s Green are featured, along withorganisations such as inward invest-ment agency Invest Bristol & Bath,Bristol Games Hub, WebStart Bristol,TechSPARK which support growingtech companies. Indeed, 79 per cent ofbusiness said being part of such so-cial networks was a key benefit of thecluster. Half cited access to talent inthe area as crucial.

Bonnie Dean, chief executive ofBristol & Bath Science Park and headof the Tech City Cluster Alliance inBristol & Bath, welcomed the find-i n g s.

She said: “Tech Nation shows thatdigital businesses are driving theeconomic growth of Bristol & Bath.

“Our specialisms in network in-frastructure and systems design aredeveloping a reputation for digitalexcellence that is attracting talentand finance to the area.

“The combined support of estab-lished digital companies, local aca-demic institutions and localgovernment will ensure growth con-tinues in our cluster for years toc o m e. ”

Nick Davies, founder and CEO, ofsocial network neighbourly, based atthe Engine Shed, added: “Wo rk i n g

closely among Bristol & Bath’s com-munity of digital companies hashugely benefited neighbourly.com.

“As a company dedicated to com-munity action, we welcomed the op-portunity to work with like-mindedlocal digital businesses and to shareexpertise, ideas and contacts. Bristol& Bath is rightly being recognised forthe opportunities it offers local di-gital entrepreneurs.”

Prime Minister David Cameronsaid: “The digital sector has been atthe heart of Britain’s economic

AIRBUS is making a major invest-ment into research and training,backed by the Government.

The plane maker announced£39 million for research projects intothree areas – electric powered planes,landing gear technology and futurewing development.

It’s good news for the firm’s Filtonsite, near Bristol, where nearly 4,000employees design wings and landingg ear.

The research projects will be led byAirbus working with the governmentDepartment for Business, Innovationand Skills under the umbrella of theAerospace Technology Institute.

Airbus chief operating officer TomWilliams said: “The aerospace sector

provides a huge boost to the nationaleconomy and this latest announce-ment of investment is excellent newsfor the UK and its aerospace sector,which is the largest in Europe andsecond largest in the world.

“The projects will be led by Airbusand will see our Filton facility furtherdevelop expertise, allowing the UK tobe play a major role in producingaircraft which embrace the latesttechnologies. It also follows a similarannouncement of major ATI invest-ment made by the Prime Minister inNovember last year, which includedresearch and manufacturing facilit-i e s. ”

At the same time, the company isleading a £20 million training project

called the Employer Ownership ofSkills Pilot, which will see majoraerospace companies working togeth-er to inspire and train the next gen-eration of engineers.

Employers from across the in-dustry will design and develop newapprenticeship programmes aimed atequipping people with the skills andqualities needed to compete in a glob-al market.

Six new Master’s degree coursesare also planned aimed at providingexisting aerospace employees withhigh-level technical skills allowingthem to progress.

Airbus HR director and UK generalmanager Mark Stewart said: “T hisinitiative will see employers leading

£39m investment in research

Food producer Tulipcreates 145 new jobs� FOOD producer Tulip is lookingto recruit 145 people for itsWesterleigh production facilityafter completing a £16 millionexpansion.

The investment at the SouthGloucestershire site has upgradedthe abattoir to become one of themost advanced in the UK.

It will enable Tulip to grow bothits home market as well asincrease its capacity to exportproducts around the worldincluding the growing Chinesemarket.

The firm has also created a newfacility to produce and cure jointsfor the UK’s retail market.

HR director Kirsty Wilkins said:“This is a very exciting time in thedevelopment of our Westerleighoperation as we have investedheavily to enable it to become aworld-class production facilityready to meet the increasingdemand for our range of qualityfood products, both here at home,and for export all around theworld.”

The firm is owned by the DanishCrown Group and employs 7,500people across 16 UK sites.

g rowth.“Tech Nation demonstrates the

growth of digital businesses in all ofour major cities and consolidates Bri-t a i n’s position as a world-leading des-tination for technology.

“The combination of governmentsupport and a genuinely thriving en-trepreneurial spirit has created aUK-wide success story of which weshould be hugely proud of as a na-tion.”

The report was compiled by TechCity UK and DueDil.

Vacancies grow asaerospace takes off� THE number of job vacancies isgrowing fast – driven byinvestment in the aerospacei n d u s t r y.

The January South WestRecruitment Index registered a 49per cent month-on-month increasein job availability, up to 838 from563 in December.

It attributes the surge in demandfor professional talent over aperiod traditionally affect byseasonal hiring blips to a thrivingaerospace industry.

Sundeep Bakshi, associatedirector of Venn Group’s Bristoloffice, said: “The South West hashistorically been at the centre ofthe UK’s aerospace industry, withConcorde, Rolls-Royce and Airbusall creating jobs in the region.

“Recent reports that SouthWest-based aerospace companiesare to receive a share of £100million funding – from a £2 billionpot committed jointly by industryand the Government – indicatethat job creation in this area is onlyset to continue.”

LAST year’s inauguralWomen in BusinessAwards were a hugesuccess, highlight-ing and paying

tribute to those helping tomake a real difference inthe business world.

Across the region thereare thousands of women ex-celling in their fields, setting apositive example to their peersand helping to ensure that Bath andBristol are firmly on the map when itcomes to trailblazing businesses.

This year the awards will onceagain profile women across a widescope of sectors, from businesseslarge and small, highlighting the roles

of women at all levels of business.The businesses and individuals re-

cognised by this year’s awards willserve as an example to others, helpingto promote and maintain the aspir-ational business culture of the regionand inspiring women to succeed at alll eve l s.

Debbie Aplin, managing director ofCrest Nicholson Regeneration, said,“By supporting these awards we areshowing our commitment to recog-nising the work of women across allindustries in the area.

“We very much hope that theseawards will serve as an inspiration tomany to strive for excellence, and torealise that gender need not be a bar-rier to career aspirations.”

Awards hail inspirational women

Women in Business

Sponsor profile

Ae ros pa ce

Re c r u i t m e n t

E x pa n s i o nGlobal recognition

the development of skills for UKaerospace and it will benefit the mul-titude of companies and their supplychains working across the sector.

“It has been a fantastic team effortby a cross section of companies and

the Regional Trade Associations. Air-bus is proud to be leading this majorinvestment between government andbusiness and our continuing supportof the Aerospace Growth Partner-s h i p. ”

Airbus chiefoperating officerTom Williams

“Thea e ro s p a c esectorprovides ahuge boostto thenationaleconomy

� The report highlights globalleaders based locally includingAardman Animation, makers ofthe Wallace and Gromit films;IMDB, founded by ColNeedham of Stoke Gifford; andHewlett Packard

WOMEN INBUSINESSAWARDS

SPONSOREDBY

in association with

in association with

what we bring to the table.“Being recognised in awards helps

you appreciate how far you havecome and offers huge encouragementfor the future. It’s also a fantasticreassurance to people who are in-terested in your services.

“It’s made a significant differenceto helping us build our business andas we approach our fifth anniversary

in 2015, we hope this will in turninspire other businesses to staketheir claim in regional and nationalaward success.”

The business attributes its successto date to its innovative business idea,its ability to work flexibly and keepcosts low and the opportunity it offersfranchisees to work from home andrun their own exciting business.

� Jenny Williams, who has entered the Women in Business Awards

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

Gavin ThompsonAssistant Editor (Business)gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk

� Debby Aplin,managingdirector ofC re s tNicholsonRegeneration

Celebrating Bristol’s best andmost innovative companies.

Celebrate your success

ENTER NOWbristolpost.co.uk/businessawards

#PostBizAwards

Entries close17/04/2015

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6 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 7We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Most business people focuson right now and maybe the12 months ahead. Some evenhave a five year plan. But asRupert Janisch reports, youalso need to consider howand when to get out

FEW companies start off withan end game in mind, cer-tainly not if those who aresetting up in business aredoing so for the first time.

Among the South West’s biggestbusinesses, Renishaw Plc was set upby David McMurtry in a garage and abedroom in a house in Chepstow.

Surely he could not have expectedthe company to develop as dramat-ically as it has over the past 42ye a r s.

The story of Renishaw shows how,in time, businesses can develop andchange beyond all recognition. So toocan personal fortunes.

And although Sir David is stillheavily involved in the company, thenatural development of a business, orsimply fate, can result in those who

started it wanting to pass the runningof it on to someone else.

Serial entrepreneurs may do thisseveral times in a lifetime. For otherbusiness owners, it may happen onlyonce. Whatever the circumstances,there are several principles, optionsand strategies available to companyowners looking to exit their busi-n e s s e s.

As you might expect, the main con-siderations for handing over a busi-ness to someone else are legal andfinancial.

Those who anticipate the sale oftheir business and plan ahead will bebest prepared to do so, and be likely tofind the most lucrative solution.

Grant McCall, right, director andcommercial solicitor at AMD Soli-citors in Whiteladies Road, said: “Aseller will need to ensure the businessis ready to comply with the disclosureprocess and attract a potentialbu ye r.

“In most cases the owners will needto ensure that the management struc-ture, commercial contracts, employ-ment contracts, accounting history,client lists, strategy for growth, mar-keting plans and all handbooks,policies and procedures are geared inreadiness for a sale.

“If a business is not properly pre-

pared for a sale this could mean that abuyer is only prepared to offer stagedpayments, which are dependent onthe future performance of the busi-ness, rather than the full price oncompletion.”

Tax planning is a major issue forcompany owners looking to sell abu s i n e s s.

Stephen Maggs, senior tax man-ager at the Bristol office of SMEaccountancy specialists MooreStephens, said: “Tax is a significantconsideration when it comes to exitstrategies, and planning for the exit.

Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.

Given the potential tax liabilities atstake for vendor shareholdersor owners, the implicationsshould mean that the tax isconsidered to be as im-portant as the othercommercial considera-tions associated with anexit.

“My practical experi-ence relates to advisingshareholder groups at allpoints during the life-cycle ofthe business, and at all of thesepoints the future of the business

should be considered. Clearly, thisincludes thoughts around an

exit, and all things that en-compass this line of

thought such as timing,likely method of exit,and so on.

“As with any taxplanning, shareholdergroups and business

owners put themselvesin a significantly advant-

ageous position by seekingadvice from an experienced tax

professional at an early stage. Many

� AS established companiesemerge from the recession, a trendis developing for youngmanagement teams to move in andtake over from an older generationof business owners.

One example is city centreinsurance broker Hayes Parsons,which has just been through amanagement buyout led by33-year-old James Woollam.

The business, based in ColstonTower, is 50 years old has aninsurance premium turnover of £11million.

The recent deal means that formerdirectors George Hayes and ArnoldGreenwood can stand down.

Accountancy firm CorriganAssociates, of Lower Park Row,along with John Dalby and MartiBurgess of Gregg Latchamssolicitors, completed the deal inJ a n u a r y.

Edward Corrigan, of CorriganAssociates, said potential buyoutsand succession issues are top of theagenda for many privatebusinesses: “In the last five yearswe have seen very few deals andmanagement buyouts in the area as

Case study:Hayes Parsons

Trend for youngmanagers tostage buyout

Focus: Exit strategy

H O W T O P R E P A R E YOUR BUSINESS SO YOU C A N ENSURE H A P P Y ENDING

of the tax planning strategies to makethe exit as tax efficient as possibleneed to be implemented a while be-fore the exit is envisaged.”

There are several tax considera-tions for business owners looking toexit, ranging from maximising theavailability of reliefs such as En-tre preneurs’ Relief, to checkingwhether the disposal of a sharehold-ing will be chargeable to capital gainstax or income tax.

Tax considerations apply tovendors and purchasers, both beforeand after sale, so accountants such as

Mr Maggs can and will be integral tothe process of transferring respons-ibility for running a company.

Aside from the tax planning, thereare many things which a companyowner, or owners, can do to make thebusiness as attractive for sale as pos-s i bl e.

Excessive expenses can negativelydistort the value of a business. Profitsand revenues should show steady in-c re a s e.

Companies should be well posi-tioned in a growing market, withbarriers against competition andwith a strong brand identity.

The ideal scenario is achieving astrategic premium, which can sig-nificantly influence the price buyersare willing to pay.

To reach this position, companiesneed to dominate their geographicalterritory or market segment, withstrong brand recognition, a strongand loyal management structure, andwith key customers locked in by con-tracts or key service delivery.

One of the most common chal-lenges facing smaller companies isthat their owners are an integral partof the business.

David Roper, far right, a partner inthe Bristol office of accountancy andinvestment management groupSmith & Williamson, said: “The busi-ness owner is often the person whomakes all the decisions and has thestrongest customer relationships.

“Buyers will understandably wantthe previous owner to remain in thebusiness to ensure continuity andstability, at least in the short term.

“For these businesses, the most

common sale scenario is a cash pay-ment up front followed by an earn outperiod of several years, over whichtime the remainder of the sale price ispaid in instalments, provided keytargets are met.

“For those business owners look-

ing to make a clean break and struc-ture a different type of deal, they willneed to ensure they are disposableand can demonstrate a sustainablebusiness. This may mean investing inautomated processes or empoweringmanagers to take over the running of

Grant McCall

“ If a business is notproperly prepared for asale this could mean thata buyer is only preparedto offer stagedpayments, which aredependent on the futureperformance of thebusiness, rather than thefull price on completion.

the business. While this is notwithout its risks, it may pay di-vidends particularly if owners candemonstrate that their salary andother costs will be added back ontothe bottom line, once they leave.”

Mr McCall said that recent eco-nomic difficulties have left businessowners struggling to attract fullvalue on a business sale, forcing are-think their exit strategies by ex-ploring other options, such as man-agement buyouts and employee shares ch e m e s.

But he said that, for SMEs at least,things were starting to look up:“The early signs in 2015 sug-gest there is more optimismin the SME market.

“With people takingmore chances to buy intocompanies, this opensdoors for business own-ers considering or act-ively looking to sell.”

What is crucial, said MrMcCall, is for business own-ers to plan ahead, making sureall their ducks are in a row. Doing sowill make the business a much moreattractive proposition and increasethe value of the company being sold.

“Some businesses,” he said, “willhave a plan to sell as soon as theycreate the business, for example tosell within a short term period of fiveye a r s.

“In which case, their exit strategystarts from day one and all the pro-cedures, policies and managementissues of the business will be mappedout so that a prospective buyer cantake over the business operations

� FASHIONISTA and entrepreneurGrazziella Pinto has been boughtout of her business after just fouryears.

She said it wasn’t somethingthat she had in mind when shestarted designer fashion resalewebsite Fashion Bloodhound in2011, but is delighted with theoutcome.

Grazziella began talks with

market leader Covetique inOctober and has now sold someof the assets for an undisclosedsum.

Resale clients of FashionBloodhound will now be handledby Covetique, current listed itemswill transfer too and theFashionBloodhound.com domainwill automatically redirect toCovetique.com.

straight away.“At the other end of the spectrum

would be a business that has de-veloped and grown but has not con-sidered an exit strategy.

“In this situation, an exit strategymay be forced through a change inwork circumstances or the ownersmay be looking to retire and theyhave decided to sell.

“With an unplanned exit, a sellermay have to agree a reduced price tosell it quickly, sell dependent on fu-ture performance, be required to re-main within the business for a few

years after completion or startworking with their account-

ant and legal advisers toget the business readyfor sale.

“This means the ac-counts, commercialcontracts, terms andconditions, retainer

contracts, employeecontracts, policies and

handbooks all need to bereviewed, or put into place.”

Mr McCall also advised the se-curing of intellectual property rights,an appreciation of the time necessaryto complete a sale, and suggestedbusiness owners should give suffi-cient thought to any commercialleases which may affect the possib-ility of a business passing seamlesslyfrom one owner to another.

In general, then, think ahead, planahead and keep your house in goodorder. You never know what might bearound the corner but there’s noharm in thinking about what couldbe coming.

‘I am leaving the business in anabsolutely ideal situation’

All future sales will be passed toCovetique’s website viaFashionBloodhound.com.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and amvery proud of how far we’ve comein such a short space of time,”said Grazziella.

“I exit the business in anabsolutely ideal situation and I’mso excited by the future.

“We entered discussions withCovetique in October 2014 andafter reviewing many options formy business with Acuity Advisors,the offer was one that was idealfor me and the business.

“I couldn’t be more pleased withthe outcome.”

The sales means the youngentrepreneur can look to newventures, but not straight away.

“I am in a very fortunate positionthat I can take some time off toconsider what to do next,” shesaid. “I’ve been speaking to somevery exciting businesses about myfuture career and can’t wait to getstuck in to working to buildsuccess in another business.”

First up, though, she’ll be joiningthe Bristol Fashion Week judgingpanel next month.

business owners have beenconcentrating on surviving therecession and securing the future.

“We now have a large number ofwell-established and excellentbusinesses across the Bristol areathat are owned and run by people intheir late 50s, 60s and 70s, who nowwant to relax a little more.

“Many of these directors andowners want to plan for retirement,or want to work less hours.

“That fact, combined with theincreasing use of technology andnew ways of doing business utilisingthe power of the internet and socialmedia means there is a bubble ofactivity about to happen.”

Stephen Maggs

“Tax is a significantconsiderationwhen it comes toexit strategies,and planning forthe exit.

� James Woollam led a management buyout at Hayes Parsons, based at Colston Tower, above right

� Grazziella Pinto is looking forward to the future after being bought out of her business, designer fashion resale website Fashion Bloodhound

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6 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 7We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Most business people focuson right now and maybe the12 months ahead. Some evenhave a five year plan. But asRupert Janisch reports, youalso need to consider howand when to get out

FEW companies start off withan end game in mind, cer-tainly not if those who aresetting up in business aredoing so for the first time.

Among the South West’s biggestbusinesses, Renishaw Plc was set upby David McMurtry in a garage and abedroom in a house in Chepstow.

Surely he could not have expectedthe company to develop as dramat-ically as it has over the past 42ye a r s.

The story of Renishaw shows how,in time, businesses can develop andchange beyond all recognition. So toocan personal fortunes.

And although Sir David is stillheavily involved in the company, thenatural development of a business, orsimply fate, can result in those who

started it wanting to pass the runningof it on to someone else.

Serial entrepreneurs may do thisseveral times in a lifetime. For otherbusiness owners, it may happen onlyonce. Whatever the circumstances,there are several principles, optionsand strategies available to companyowners looking to exit their busi-n e s s e s.

As you might expect, the main con-siderations for handing over a busi-ness to someone else are legal andfinancial.

Those who anticipate the sale oftheir business and plan ahead will bebest prepared to do so, and be likely tofind the most lucrative solution.

Grant McCall, right, director andcommercial solicitor at AMD Soli-citors in Whiteladies Road, said: “Aseller will need to ensure the businessis ready to comply with the disclosureprocess and attract a potentialbu ye r.

“In most cases the owners will needto ensure that the management struc-ture, commercial contracts, employ-ment contracts, accounting history,client lists, strategy for growth, mar-keting plans and all handbooks,policies and procedures are geared inreadiness for a sale.

“If a business is not properly pre-

pared for a sale this could mean that abuyer is only prepared to offer stagedpayments, which are dependent onthe future performance of the busi-ness, rather than the full price oncompletion.”

Tax planning is a major issue forcompany owners looking to sell abu s i n e s s.

Stephen Maggs, senior tax man-ager at the Bristol office of SMEaccountancy specialists MooreStephens, said: “Tax is a significantconsideration when it comes to exitstrategies, and planning for the exit.

Focus on start-ups | Sponsored by THEME SPONSOR’S NAME HERE.

Given the potential tax liabilities atstake for vendor shareholdersor owners, the implicationsshould mean that the tax isconsidered to be as im-portant as the othercommercial considera-tions associated with anexit.

“My practical experi-ence relates to advisingshareholder groups at allpoints during the life-cycle ofthe business, and at all of thesepoints the future of the business

should be considered. Clearly, thisincludes thoughts around an

exit, and all things that en-compass this line of

thought such as timing,likely method of exit,and so on.

“As with any taxplanning, shareholdergroups and business

owners put themselvesin a significantly advant-

ageous position by seekingadvice from an experienced tax

professional at an early stage. Many

� AS established companiesemerge from the recession, a trendis developing for youngmanagement teams to move in andtake over from an older generationof business owners.

One example is city centreinsurance broker Hayes Parsons,which has just been through amanagement buyout led by33-year-old James Woollam.

The business, based in ColstonTower, is 50 years old has aninsurance premium turnover of £11million.

The recent deal means that formerdirectors George Hayes and ArnoldGreenwood can stand down.

Accountancy firm CorriganAssociates, of Lower Park Row,along with John Dalby and MartiBurgess of Gregg Latchamssolicitors, completed the deal inJ a n u a r y.

Edward Corrigan, of CorriganAssociates, said potential buyoutsand succession issues are top of theagenda for many privatebusinesses: “In the last five yearswe have seen very few deals andmanagement buyouts in the area as

Case study:Hayes Parsons

Trend for youngmanagers tostage buyout

Focus: Exit strategy

H O W T O P R E P A R E YOUR BUSINESS SO YOU C A N ENSURE H A P P Y ENDING

of the tax planning strategies to makethe exit as tax efficient as possibleneed to be implemented a while be-fore the exit is envisaged.”

There are several tax considera-tions for business owners looking toexit, ranging from maximising theavailability of reliefs such as En-tre preneurs’ Relief, to checkingwhether the disposal of a sharehold-ing will be chargeable to capital gainstax or income tax.

Tax considerations apply tovendors and purchasers, both beforeand after sale, so accountants such as

Mr Maggs can and will be integral tothe process of transferring respons-ibility for running a company.

Aside from the tax planning, thereare many things which a companyowner, or owners, can do to make thebusiness as attractive for sale as pos-s i bl e.

Excessive expenses can negativelydistort the value of a business. Profitsand revenues should show steady in-c re a s e.

Companies should be well posi-tioned in a growing market, withbarriers against competition andwith a strong brand identity.

The ideal scenario is achieving astrategic premium, which can sig-nificantly influence the price buyersare willing to pay.

To reach this position, companiesneed to dominate their geographicalterritory or market segment, withstrong brand recognition, a strongand loyal management structure, andwith key customers locked in by con-tracts or key service delivery.

One of the most common chal-lenges facing smaller companies isthat their owners are an integral partof the business.

David Roper, far right, a partner inthe Bristol office of accountancy andinvestment management groupSmith & Williamson, said: “The busi-ness owner is often the person whomakes all the decisions and has thestrongest customer relationships.

“Buyers will understandably wantthe previous owner to remain in thebusiness to ensure continuity andstability, at least in the short term.

“For these businesses, the most

common sale scenario is a cash pay-ment up front followed by an earn outperiod of several years, over whichtime the remainder of the sale price ispaid in instalments, provided keytargets are met.

“For those business owners look-

ing to make a clean break and struc-ture a different type of deal, they willneed to ensure they are disposableand can demonstrate a sustainablebusiness. This may mean investing inautomated processes or empoweringmanagers to take over the running of

Grant McCall

“ If a business is notproperly prepared for asale this could mean thata buyer is only preparedto offer stagedpayments, which aredependent on the futureperformance of thebusiness, rather than thefull price on completion.

the business. While this is notwithout its risks, it may pay di-vidends particularly if owners candemonstrate that their salary andother costs will be added back ontothe bottom line, once they leave.”

Mr McCall said that recent eco-nomic difficulties have left businessowners struggling to attract fullvalue on a business sale, forcing are-think their exit strategies by ex-ploring other options, such as man-agement buyouts and employee shares ch e m e s.

But he said that, for SMEs at least,things were starting to look up:“The early signs in 2015 sug-gest there is more optimismin the SME market.

“With people takingmore chances to buy intocompanies, this opensdoors for business own-ers considering or act-ively looking to sell.”

What is crucial, said MrMcCall, is for business own-ers to plan ahead, making sureall their ducks are in a row. Doing sowill make the business a much moreattractive proposition and increasethe value of the company being sold.

“Some businesses,” he said, “willhave a plan to sell as soon as theycreate the business, for example tosell within a short term period of fiveye a r s.

“In which case, their exit strategystarts from day one and all the pro-cedures, policies and managementissues of the business will be mappedout so that a prospective buyer cantake over the business operations

� FASHIONISTA and entrepreneurGrazziella Pinto has been boughtout of her business after just fouryears.

She said it wasn’t somethingthat she had in mind when shestarted designer fashion resalewebsite Fashion Bloodhound in2011, but is delighted with theoutcome.

Grazziella began talks with

market leader Covetique inOctober and has now sold someof the assets for an undisclosedsum.

Resale clients of FashionBloodhound will now be handledby Covetique, current listed itemswill transfer too and theFashionBloodhound.com domainwill automatically redirect toCovetique.com.

straight away.“At the other end of the spectrum

would be a business that has de-veloped and grown but has not con-sidered an exit strategy.

“In this situation, an exit strategymay be forced through a change inwork circumstances or the ownersmay be looking to retire and theyhave decided to sell.

“With an unplanned exit, a sellermay have to agree a reduced price tosell it quickly, sell dependent on fu-ture performance, be required to re-main within the business for a few

years after completion or startworking with their account-

ant and legal advisers toget the business readyfor sale.

“This means the ac-counts, commercialcontracts, terms andconditions, retainer

contracts, employeecontracts, policies and

handbooks all need to bereviewed, or put into place.”

Mr McCall also advised the se-curing of intellectual property rights,an appreciation of the time necessaryto complete a sale, and suggestedbusiness owners should give suffi-cient thought to any commercialleases which may affect the possib-ility of a business passing seamlesslyfrom one owner to another.

In general, then, think ahead, planahead and keep your house in goodorder. You never know what might bearound the corner but there’s noharm in thinking about what couldbe coming.

‘I am leaving the business in anabsolutely ideal situation’

All future sales will be passed toCovetique’s website viaFashionBloodhound.com.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and amvery proud of how far we’ve comein such a short space of time,”said Grazziella.

“I exit the business in anabsolutely ideal situation and I’mso excited by the future.

“We entered discussions withCovetique in October 2014 andafter reviewing many options formy business with Acuity Advisors,the offer was one that was idealfor me and the business.

“I couldn’t be more pleased withthe outcome.”

The sales means the youngentrepreneur can look to newventures, but not straight away.

“I am in a very fortunate positionthat I can take some time off toconsider what to do next,” shesaid. “I’ve been speaking to somevery exciting businesses about myfuture career and can’t wait to getstuck in to working to buildsuccess in another business.”

First up, though, she’ll be joiningthe Bristol Fashion Week judgingpanel next month.

business owners have beenconcentrating on surviving therecession and securing the future.

“We now have a large number ofwell-established and excellentbusinesses across the Bristol areathat are owned and run by people intheir late 50s, 60s and 70s, who nowwant to relax a little more.

“Many of these directors andowners want to plan for retirement,or want to work less hours.

“That fact, combined with theincreasing use of technology andnew ways of doing business utilisingthe power of the internet and socialmedia means there is a bubble ofactivity about to happen.”

Stephen Maggs

“Tax is a significantconsiderationwhen it comes toexit strategies,and planning forthe exit.

� James Woollam led a management buyout at Hayes Parsons, based at Colston Tower, above right

� Grazziella Pinto is looking forward to the future after being bought out of her business, designer fashion resale website Fashion Bloodhound

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8 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 9We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Ad v i ceBristol Post Business Awards 2015

IF YOU need a touch of inspir-ation as a Bristol business, thenlook no further than HargreavesLansdown. The so-called invest-ment supermarket has gone

from a back bedroom in Clifton to aFTSE 100 company with more than800 employees in 34 years. And cru-cially, it’s done so in Bristol.

So the firm’s offices in Anchor Roadon the city’s Harbourside providedthe perfect spot to launch this year’sBristol Post Business Awards, held inassociation with UWE Bristol, with arallying call for local companies totake their chance for the spotlight byputting themselves forward.

Bristol Post editor Mike Nortonsaid: “The Bristol Post is very proudof the role it plays at the centre of thebusiness community. For example, welaunched a business rates campaignto try to get a better deal for localfir ms.

“These awards are a huge part ofour commitment to the business com-munity. We feature many of the com-panies who enter because that is whatthe event is really about – a showcaseto celebrate the achievement of localbu s i n e s s. ”

Last year Williams Automobileswon four prizes including the covetedoverall Business of the Year awardafter completely changing its busi-ness model from traditional dealer-ship to British sports car specialist.

Chairman Richard Williams toldthe launch event what that had mean

to the more than 100 yearold family firm.

“To win lastyear after four

generations ofthe businesswas quite in-c re d i bl e, ” hesaid. “I must

admit I hadtears in my eyes

as I want up to col-lect the award.”

Professor Jane Har-rington, p i c t u re d , deputy vice chan-cellor at UWE Bristol, took theopportunity to highlight the insti-t u t i o n’s goals to support business.

“We aim to produce what I callwork-ready graduates,” she said.“They should be ready to enter theworkplace and have the knowledgeand skills to be valuable to their em-ployer from day one.”

Jane highlighted the university’sTeam Entrepreneurship course,where students don’t attend lecturesbut instead “learn by doing” and setup their own businesses as well as theBristol Robotics Laboratory, which iscarrying out research that couldchange the future of sectors such ashealthcare and transport.

She said that the university, whichhas 27,000 students, supported smallbusinesses with 74 per cent of itssupplies being SMEs.

And Jane added: “We are reallyproud to be the headline sponsor ofthe Bristol Post Business Awards.”

Check out w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t . c o m /businessawards for all the details.

S T E P INTO T H E S P O T L I G H T AT THISAGOOD business model is more import-

ant that a good idea or product if youwant your company to be a success.T hat’s according to one expert in thefield, who says too many people have

good ideas but fail to find the right businessmodel.

Professor Charles Baden-Fuller, p i c t u re d ,said: “If you have a good product with a badbusiness model then the company is a failure.But if you have mediocre product and a won-derful business model the company is a suc-c e s s.

“The better business model beats the betterproduct every day.”

Charles believes every businessneeds to define its model before itcan succeed.

“The business model is a mech-anism which identifies who areyour customers, how you engagewith them and how you delivervalue to that customer,” he said.

“Too many companies are in-ternally focused and don’t thinkenough about whether what they doreally satisfies the customer, whether theyhave the right customer and whether, at the endof the day, anyone will pay anything for it.”

Among Bristol’s digital businesses, Charlesbelieves this is particularly important.

“You might have a very good product but it’snot usable for your target audience or they areused to getting it for free that’s no good,” he said.“The business model identifies the fact that theapparent customer may not be the customerwho pays. From a business point of view, the onewho pays is the real customer.

“In a technology-based company, the digital

economy is changing the way the businessmodel works in most SMEs. It’s allowing newways of working together globally and changinghe way that consumers view the value of yourp ro d u c t s. ”

He said the computer games industry was agood example. If a company designs a game thatwill be given away for free but paid for byadvertising, it should be designed differentlythan a game which someone pays to play.

“It’s shouldn’t be the same game with ad-ver ts,” he said. “It’s a different experience and adifferent focus. It’s really important to knowwhich is your business model because mixing

them up can be a disaster.”Charles will be one of the speakers atan event about creating successful

business models hosted by UWEBristol next month.

Organiser Professor NicholasO’Regan, associate dean for re-search and innovation at UWE,said: “Recent events such as the

collapse of well-known UK HighStreet names such as Comet and

Jessops show the importance of havinga business model that is capable of both

creating and capturing value.”The Business Models and Structural Choices

event, part of the ESRC Research SeminarSeries, takes place at the UWE Bristol FrenchayCampus on March 4 from 9-5pm. Book or findout more under “business events” atw w w. u w e . a c . u k . The event is sponsored byESRC, BAM and the British Library, with anominal charge of £25. It is followed that even-ing by the latest in the Bristol DistinguishedAddress Series, featuring Timpson chief ex-ecutive James Timpson.

‘A better business model willalways beat a better product’YEAR’S AWARDS

� Richard Williams, also inset, chairman of Williams Automobiles which won four titles at last year’s Bristol Post Business Awards, addresses guests at the launch

� Sian Morse, Centreplate UK, Samantha Clark, Anything Goes Lifestyle, Stephanie Clark, Anything Goes Lifestyle, and Lizzie Archer, Gloucestershire County Council

� Merilyn Parker Armitage, The S.H.E Factor, Dan Slater, Barclays, and Sally Tullett, BarclaysPictures: Michael Lloyd

� Beth Williams and Haas Jahangir ofThe Learning Expedition Company� Grace Kingsley, makeup and nail artist� Martino Burgess, Greg Latchams

� Phil Smith, Business West, Dave Canning, IntoHeat and Craig Timbrell, IntoHeat

Part of the Local World group

We supply a glossy setting worthy of any awardwinner. From staging and set design, to an assortmentof lighting from LED’s to gobos. We provide all thenecessary services and equipment you would needto make your awards evening the one to remember.

Staging your Awards doesn’thave to cost a fortune...

Presentation Production

Live Camera Relay

Pyrotechnics

Call us on: 01684 575832Email us at: enquiries@aneventservices.co.ukVisit us at : www.aneventservices.co.uk

EPB-E01-S3

EPB-

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8 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 9We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/businessw w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

Ad v i ceBristol Post Business Awards 2015

IF YOU need a touch of inspir-ation as a Bristol business, thenlook no further than HargreavesLansdown. The so-called invest-ment supermarket has gone

from a back bedroom in Clifton to aFTSE 100 company with more than800 employees in 34 years. And cru-cially, it’s done so in Bristol.

So the firm’s offices in Anchor Roadon the city’s Harbourside providedthe perfect spot to launch this year’sBristol Post Business Awards, held inassociation with UWE Bristol, with arallying call for local companies totake their chance for the spotlight byputting themselves forward.

Bristol Post editor Mike Nortonsaid: “The Bristol Post is very proudof the role it plays at the centre of thebusiness community. For example, welaunched a business rates campaignto try to get a better deal for localfir ms.

“These awards are a huge part ofour commitment to the business com-munity. We feature many of the com-panies who enter because that is whatthe event is really about – a showcaseto celebrate the achievement of localbu s i n e s s. ”

Last year Williams Automobileswon four prizes including the covetedoverall Business of the Year awardafter completely changing its busi-ness model from traditional dealer-ship to British sports car specialist.

Chairman Richard Williams toldthe launch event what that had mean

to the more than 100 yearold family firm.

“To win lastyear after four

generations ofthe businesswas quite in-c re d i bl e, ” hesaid. “I must

admit I hadtears in my eyes

as I want up to col-lect the award.”

Professor Jane Har-rington, p i c t u re d , deputy vice chan-cellor at UWE Bristol, took theopportunity to highlight the insti-t u t i o n’s goals to support business.

“We aim to produce what I callwork-ready graduates,” she said.“They should be ready to enter theworkplace and have the knowledgeand skills to be valuable to their em-ployer from day one.”

Jane highlighted the university’sTeam Entrepreneurship course,where students don’t attend lecturesbut instead “learn by doing” and setup their own businesses as well as theBristol Robotics Laboratory, which iscarrying out research that couldchange the future of sectors such ashealthcare and transport.

She said that the university, whichhas 27,000 students, supported smallbusinesses with 74 per cent of itssupplies being SMEs.

And Jane added: “We are reallyproud to be the headline sponsor ofthe Bristol Post Business Awards.”

Check out w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t . c o m /businessawards for all the details.

S T E P INTO T H E S P O T L I G H T AT THISAGOOD business model is more import-

ant that a good idea or product if youwant your company to be a success.T hat’s according to one expert in thefield, who says too many people have

good ideas but fail to find the right businessmodel.

Professor Charles Baden-Fuller, p i c t u re d ,said: “If you have a good product with a badbusiness model then the company is a failure.But if you have mediocre product and a won-derful business model the company is a suc-c e s s.

“The better business model beats the betterproduct every day.”

Charles believes every businessneeds to define its model before itcan succeed.

“The business model is a mech-anism which identifies who areyour customers, how you engagewith them and how you delivervalue to that customer,” he said.

“Too many companies are in-ternally focused and don’t thinkenough about whether what they doreally satisfies the customer, whether theyhave the right customer and whether, at the endof the day, anyone will pay anything for it.”

Among Bristol’s digital businesses, Charlesbelieves this is particularly important.

“You might have a very good product but it’snot usable for your target audience or they areused to getting it for free that’s no good,” he said.“The business model identifies the fact that theapparent customer may not be the customerwho pays. From a business point of view, the onewho pays is the real customer.

“In a technology-based company, the digital

economy is changing the way the businessmodel works in most SMEs. It’s allowing newways of working together globally and changinghe way that consumers view the value of yourp ro d u c t s. ”

He said the computer games industry was agood example. If a company designs a game thatwill be given away for free but paid for byadvertising, it should be designed differentlythan a game which someone pays to play.

“It’s shouldn’t be the same game with ad-ver ts,” he said. “It’s a different experience and adifferent focus. It’s really important to knowwhich is your business model because mixing

them up can be a disaster.”Charles will be one of the speakers atan event about creating successful

business models hosted by UWEBristol next month.

Organiser Professor NicholasO’Regan, associate dean for re-search and innovation at UWE,said: “Recent events such as the

collapse of well-known UK HighStreet names such as Comet and

Jessops show the importance of havinga business model that is capable of both

creating and capturing value.”The Business Models and Structural Choices

event, part of the ESRC Research SeminarSeries, takes place at the UWE Bristol FrenchayCampus on March 4 from 9-5pm. Book or findout more under “business events” atw w w. u w e . a c . u k . The event is sponsored byESRC, BAM and the British Library, with anominal charge of £25. It is followed that even-ing by the latest in the Bristol DistinguishedAddress Series, featuring Timpson chief ex-ecutive James Timpson.

‘A better business model willalways beat a better product’YEAR’S AWARDS

� Richard Williams, also inset, chairman of Williams Automobiles which won four titles at last year’s Bristol Post Business Awards, addresses guests at the launch

� Sian Morse, Centreplate UK, Samantha Clark, Anything Goes Lifestyle, Stephanie Clark, Anything Goes Lifestyle, and Lizzie Archer, Gloucestershire County Council

� Merilyn Parker Armitage, The S.H.E Factor, Dan Slater, Barclays, and Sally Tullett, BarclaysPictures: Michael Lloyd

� Beth Williams and Haas Jahangir ofThe Learning Expedition Company� Grace Kingsley, makeup and nail artist� Martino Burgess, Greg Latchams

� Phil Smith, Business West, Dave Canning, IntoHeat and Craig Timbrell, IntoHeat

Part of the Local World group

We supply a glossy setting worthy of any awardwinner. From staging and set design, to an assortmentof lighting from LED’s to gobos. We provide all thenecessary services and equipment you would needto make your awards evening the one to remember.

Staging your Awards doesn’thave to cost a fortune...

Presentation Production

Live Camera Relay

Pyrotechnics

Call us on: 01684 575832Email us at: enquiries@aneventservices.co.ukVisit us at : www.aneventservices.co.uk

EPB-

E01-

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10 11We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. bristolpost.co.uk

Business diary

Email your business events togavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk.Events are sometimescancelled without us beingnotified so please check withorganisers before travelling.

Bristol Distinguished AddressSeries – Peter Mather: BP’sgroup regional vice president,Europe and head of country, UK,delivers the latest in the addressseries supported by the BristolPost. From 6pm tonight at theGlendinning Lecture Theatre,Frenchay Campus, UWE.

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February12. Free to pre-start businessesand those trading less than ayear, £40 including VAT for thosetrading over a year. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

Families in Business Insight:Bristol’s family businesses canexperience a taste of the supportavailable from specialist advisersat the first of a new InsightGroup pioneered byFamilies inBusiness. It launches with a freehalf-day taster session onThursday February 12 at CloseBrothers Asset Management’soffices in Queen Street. EmailJ e n n e t t e @ f i b c o m m u n i t y. c o m .

Social Enterprise Advice:Owners or those thinking ofstarting a social enterprise orcommunity interest company tobook a 45-minute appointmentwith North Somerset’s specialistadvisor at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February13. Free for North Somersetresidents. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

Construction contractorsseminar: LHC holds pre-tenderseminar for Bristol-basedcontractors interested inapplying to a third workstream ofits offsite New Homesframework – constructionservices. The public sectorprocurement specialist is lookingfor suitable contractors to tenderfor a number of regionalopportunities. Feb 19. Registerat www.lhc.gov.uk/ events

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February19. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

South West VR Conference:Organised by OpposableGames, shining spotlight onvirtual reality industry, At-Bristol,February 24.w w w. s o u t h w e s t v r. c o m .

The Lord Mayor’s CharityDinner: Enjoy a drinks receptionfollowed by a sumptuousthree-course dinner, liveentertainment and auction, in aidof The Lord Mayor of Bristol’sChildren Appeal on April 30 atthe Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel.Book tickets through Eventbrite.Email info@galadinner2015.comfor sponsorship opportunities.

N etwa l k i n g The step to success

In pictures Bristol Post’s Bristol Connected

BUSINESS people ought to getout and walk to solve prob-lems and come up with cre-ative ideas. That was themessage from Rosalind

Turner to the first Bristol Post Bris-tol Connected event of 2015.

Rosalind set up Netwalking in 2012and organises walks for individualsand groups.

She said: “We should be puttingwalking on a business footing. If wed o n’t pay attention to our health wesuffer. We should take walking moreseriously against a backdrop of ourincreasing reliance on technology.”

Rosalind said so many people inbusiness tend to lead static lives but ifthey walk and talk their health wouldbenefit.

And she said as people walked theycould come up with solutions to busi-ness challenges.

She encouraged everyone at theBristol Connected event held at theBristol Hotel in Prince Street to con-

sider walking more. You can find outmore about Netwalking by going tonetw alkingsouthwest.co.uk.

Earlier the evening attended bymore than 75 people heard about amuch faster mode of transport fromJules Tipler and Kim Watts of theBloodound project.

The Bloodhound is a supersoniccar being built at Avonmouth whichaims to set a new world land speedrecord in South Africa next year.

It will involve the jet powered carracing across a stretch of desert atmore than 1,000 mph.

Jules, communications manager

with Bloodhound, said there hadbeen a lot of interest from companiesat the Bristol Connected event.

He said: “It’s been fantastic meet-ing such a diverse range of people.

“Everyone has been massively in-terested in this project. There hasbeen a lot of interest from peoplewanting to find out more and whetherthey can support us.

“Face-to-face meetings like this areso much better than facelesse m a i l s. ”

For more details about the Blood-hound project go to w w w. bl o o d -houndssc.com.

SSAE 16Type II Audited

Formerly SAS 70

ISAE 3402Type II Audited

DSS Compliance

Your local world class data centre Whether you’re growing, an established business, or a service provider, NGD’s purpose-built high security data centre can cost-effectively support all your data and cloud computing requirements - large or small:

l Resilient: Tier 3+ electrical and cooling infrastructure for total

resilience

l Secure: triple skinned walls, bomb proof glass, prison grade

perimeter fencing, anti-ram bollards, military trained security

personnel; ISO 27001, IL3+ and PCI DSS certified

l Connected: choice of high speed carrier connectivity offering

millisecond latency

l Powerful: unique direct to National SuperGrid connection

providing up to 180 MVA supply for meeting high density rack

requirements

l Green: 100 % renewable energy and efficiency commitment

allows lower cost power and carbon tax exemption

l Scalable: Flexible accommodation in shared or private data

halls and pods allows room for future expansion

l Responsive: on-site engineering and sales support for server

and network installation, 24/7 technical assistance,

l Convenient: close to Bristol and M4

Tel: +44 (0)1633 674 518

Email: info@ngd.co.uk

Web: www.ngd.co.uk

Rob StokesDeputy editorrob.stokes@b-nm.co.uk

� Fran Hope, of Design & Co Ltd, Dagmar Smeed of Dagmar Smeed Consultancy and SamanthaBarber of Design & Co Ltd Pics: Michael Lloyd � Rosalind Turner, Networking South West

� Mike Goodbourn and Patrick Lincoln, both of Solution IP � Elizabeth Elliott of Paragon Costs and Helen Paull of Metcalfes

� Suzan Uzel, of Spirit PR, Tracy Lewis of Holiday Inn and Margaret Coffeyof Holiday Inn � Guests networking at the event at Bristol Hotel

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10 11We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015 w w w. bristolpost.co.uk

Business diary

Email your business events togavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk.Events are sometimescancelled without us beingnotified so please check withorganisers before travelling.

Bristol Distinguished AddressSeries – Peter Mather: BP’sgroup regional vice president,Europe and head of country, UK,delivers the latest in the addressseries supported by the BristolPost. From 6pm tonight at theGlendinning Lecture Theatre,Frenchay Campus, UWE.

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February12. Free to pre-start businessesand those trading less than ayear, £40 including VAT for thosetrading over a year. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

Families in Business Insight:Bristol’s family businesses canexperience a taste of the supportavailable from specialist advisersat the first of a new InsightGroup pioneered byFamilies inBusiness. It launches with a freehalf-day taster session onThursday February 12 at CloseBrothers Asset Management’soffices in Queen Street. EmailJ e n n e t t e @ f i b c o m m u n i t y. c o m .

Social Enterprise Advice:Owners or those thinking ofstarting a social enterprise orcommunity interest company tobook a 45-minute appointmentwith North Somerset’s specialistadvisor at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February13. Free for North Somersetresidents. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

Construction contractorsseminar: LHC holds pre-tenderseminar for Bristol-basedcontractors interested inapplying to a third workstream ofits offsite New Homesframework – constructionservices. The public sectorprocurement specialist is lookingfor suitable contractors to tenderfor a number of regionalopportunities. Feb 19. Registerat www.lhc.gov.uk/ events

Financial Planning Clinic:One-to-one advice on financialissues and questions fromchartered accountant TonyJames at The Hive,Weston-super-Mare on February19. Register atw w w. n o r t h s o m e r s e t e n t e r p r i s ea g e n c y. c o . u k .

South West VR Conference:Organised by OpposableGames, shining spotlight onvirtual reality industry, At-Bristol,February 24.w w w. s o u t h w e s t v r. c o m .

The Lord Mayor’s CharityDinner: Enjoy a drinks receptionfollowed by a sumptuousthree-course dinner, liveentertainment and auction, in aidof The Lord Mayor of Bristol’sChildren Appeal on April 30 atthe Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel.Book tickets through Eventbrite.Email info@galadinner2015.comfor sponsorship opportunities.

N etwa l k i n g The step to success

In pictures Bristol Post’s Bristol Connected

BUSINESS people ought to getout and walk to solve prob-lems and come up with cre-ative ideas. That was themessage from Rosalind

Turner to the first Bristol Post Bris-tol Connected event of 2015.

Rosalind set up Netwalking in 2012and organises walks for individualsand groups.

She said: “We should be puttingwalking on a business footing. If wed o n’t pay attention to our health wesuffer. We should take walking moreseriously against a backdrop of ourincreasing reliance on technology.”

Rosalind said so many people inbusiness tend to lead static lives but ifthey walk and talk their health wouldbenefit.

And she said as people walked theycould come up with solutions to busi-ness challenges.

She encouraged everyone at theBristol Connected event held at theBristol Hotel in Prince Street to con-

sider walking more. You can find outmore about Netwalking by going tonetw alkingsouthwest.co.uk.

Earlier the evening attended bymore than 75 people heard about amuch faster mode of transport fromJules Tipler and Kim Watts of theBloodound project.

The Bloodhound is a supersoniccar being built at Avonmouth whichaims to set a new world land speedrecord in South Africa next year.

It will involve the jet powered carracing across a stretch of desert atmore than 1,000 mph.

Jules, communications manager

with Bloodhound, said there hadbeen a lot of interest from companiesat the Bristol Connected event.

He said: “It’s been fantastic meet-ing such a diverse range of people.

“Everyone has been massively in-terested in this project. There hasbeen a lot of interest from peoplewanting to find out more and whetherthey can support us.

“Face-to-face meetings like this areso much better than facelesse m a i l s. ”

For more details about the Blood-hound project go to w w w. bl o o d -houndssc.com.

SSAE 16Type II Audited

Formerly SAS 70

ISAE 3402Type II Audited

DSS Compliance

Your local world class data centre Whether you’re growing, an established business, or a service provider, NGD’s purpose-built high security data centre can cost-effectively support all your data and cloud computing requirements - large or small:

l Resilient: Tier 3+ electrical and cooling infrastructure for total

resilience

l Secure: triple skinned walls, bomb proof glass, prison grade

perimeter fencing, anti-ram bollards, military trained security

personnel; ISO 27001, IL3+ and PCI DSS certified

l Connected: choice of high speed carrier connectivity offering

millisecond latency

l Powerful: unique direct to National SuperGrid connection

providing up to 180 MVA supply for meeting high density rack

requirements

l Green: 100 % renewable energy and efficiency commitment

allows lower cost power and carbon tax exemption

l Scalable: Flexible accommodation in shared or private data

halls and pods allows room for future expansion

l Responsive: on-site engineering and sales support for server

and network installation, 24/7 technical assistance,

l Convenient: close to Bristol and M4

Tel: +44 (0)1633 674 518

Email: info@ngd.co.uk

Web: www.ngd.co.uk

Rob StokesDeputy editorrob.stokes@b-nm.co.uk

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12 We d n e s d a y, February 11, 2015w w w. b r i s t o l p o s t .co.uk/business

The back pagePe o p l e� Bristol-based charity the StMonica Trust has appointed DavidWilliams as its chief executive,Business can reveal.

Established in 1925 by Henry andMary Monica Wills, the Trustprovides accommodation, care andsupport for more than 1,000 olderpeople in Bristol and NorthSomerset.

Taking up his new role in April,David joins from the Accord Groupwhere he was executive director forcare and support.

David said he was delighted tohave been chosen to lead the trust.

He said: “Although the health,housing and social care sector hasnever been more challenging than itis today, I look forward to workingwith everyone at the trust tocontinue to position the charity asthe provider of choice for olderpeople in the region.”

Trust president Trevor Smallwoodsaid: “The board of trustees arepleased to welcome David as thenew chief executive. He brings withhim a wealth of experience and welook forward to continuing the trust’spioneering work under hisleadership.”

David will be taking up the reinsfrom retiring Gerald Lee, who hasled the trust for 15 years.

� KPMG has appointed David Pikeas head of restructuring in the SouthWest of England and South Wales.

David has 15 years’ experienceadvising under-performing andstressed companies, helpingbusiness owners to overcomefinancial and operational problems.

He joined KPMG’s restructuringteam in 1999 and was previouslybased in the firm’s London officebefore relocating to Bristol.

David said: “The UK has beenthrough a prolonged period ofunusual economic conditions andmany businesses now need toaddress the legacy this may haveleft. As we start 2015, leaders mustwork out how to seize growthopportunities and operate profitablyat all turnover levels, even thoseperhaps lower than originallyenvisaged.

“I am looking forward to rolling upmy sleeves and helping companiesin the region, alongside theirstakeholders, tackle these issues

and find solutions so they canmaximise the value in theirbusinesses.”

� Ultimate Finance Group, whichprovides cash flow solutions toSMEs, has welcomed back MarkBennett to its Bristol head office.

Mark returns as a regional directorhaving left the company in January2010 to join a rival. With almost 20years’ experience in the industry hespecialises in factoring, invoicediscounting and export funding.

Although workingout of the Bristoloffice he will beresponsible forgrowing thebusiness in SouthWales. He hasalready arrangedfunding for twobusinesses totalling£250,000 in his firstfew weeks.

Mark’s move coincides with

We need high-speed rail to rival other regionsPeter Musgrove, director ofoffice agency at LambertSmith Hampton (LSH) inBristol, explores whether ahigh-speed rail linkcould create a SouthWest ‘powerhouse’to rival the northand the Midlands

DELIVERY of a high-speed rail linkbetween London and the South Westto drive the economy and balancenational growth should be a keyagenda item in this election year.

A “HS4” route from London couldsee Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff,Southampton and Bournemouth

linked, forming a network of eco-nomies to rival the northern “p owe r -house” and the Midlands.

Along with colleagues here at LSH,I am calling on the Government tomake a commitment to extending thehigh-speed rail network to our re-gion, or risk seeing it get left behindin the race for investment and jobs. Itcould open up key areas of Devon,Cornwall and parts of Somerset.

The Government is committed tohigh speed rail networks deliveringeconomic benefits. Through HS2 andHS3, Birmingham and key northerncities will be better connected, in-creasing business efficiency and re-gional competitiveness.

Our concern is that without HS4the South West will be disadvantaged– and given the development times-cales associated with HS2 and HS3

Opinion

the effects could be long lasting.I am staggered that they don’t ap-

pear to be looking at Bristol, one ofthe UK’s major cities. Perhaps as weapproach the election businesses willbe considering each political party’seconomic strategies and consideringthe implications of ignoring the fu-ture needs of Bristol and other SouthWest and South Wales cities.

No matter what happens with theother high-speed links, it is going tohave an impact on Bristol, with othercities becoming much more appeal-ing to occupiers. There is potentiallya massive impact on the city.

Bristol, Exeter and Cardiff arethree strong economies with real po-tential, while some northern citiesassociated with HS3 are failing eco-nomies. Plymouth is a city in need ofmajor investment, which could be

encouraged by improved links.HS4 would increase our capacity

for freight and logistics, connect cit-ies and create jobs. It would also havea positive environmental impact.

However, we need to think carefullyabout what we are trying to achieve.

Are we trying to get our region’scities to link better together or is itthe link to London we are trying toimprove? If we do that, do we riskbecoming just another spoke of thewheel and would it have a detriment-al effect, sucking people out of ourregion and into London?

On balance, I believe HS4 wouldhave a major, positive impact on ourcity and the South West in general.

I s n’t it time we got a campaign forhigh-speed rail on track before com-petition from other regions threatensto derail our economy?

impressive growth for UltimateFinance over the last 12 monthswith loans up by 60 per cent and theclient base expanding across allfunding types by 36 per cent.

Mark said: “The ‘can-do’ attitudeof the group provides a greatopportunity for new business and Ifeel energised by the challenge.”

� Investment and financial planningfirm Tilney Bestinvest has appointedRichard Stones as financial planningdirector to cover a number of

locations across theM4 corridor.

Richard has 20years’ experience inthe financial servicesindustry and is achartered financialp l a n n e r.

He joins from Towrywhere he advisedhigh-net-worth

individuals. Richard will head up thefirm’s established financial planning

team in the South West and Wales.His new boss Richard Dawes,

managing director financialplanning, said: “In light of the raft ofpension changes, we believe theneed for clients to receive expertfinancial advice has never beengreater in order for them to realisetheir lifetime goals.

“R i c h a rd ’s skills and experiencewill be crucial in driving forward ourbusiness. His addition to our40-strong financial planning team isa further step in the growth of ourregional footprint.”

P l a ces� The freehold of the B&Q store inYate town centre has been sold for£6.78 million.

Hartnell Taylor Cook acting forCo-operative Estates sold thefreehold interest to Helix PropertyAdvisors on behalf of HarmsworthPooled Property Unit Trustrepresented by Macarthur Wilson.

The sum reflects a net initial yieldof 6.75 per cent. The 37,000 sq ftstandalone store is let to B&Q on a35-year lease to expire in August2021, rented at £484,396 a year.

� A Bristol office built by developerStoford is a finalist in the BritishCouncil for Offices’ (BC) awards.

The 62,275 sq ft development,built on behalf of healthcareinsurance provider Simplyhealth, isvying for the crown in the corporateworkplace category. Winners will beannounced at the awards dinner inthe city in May.

Stoford completed SimplyhealthHouse, left, in Clifton, last year. Ithouses 402 staff on what isconsidered a gateway site in theconservation area on WhiteladiesRoad. The building had long beenleft derelict. The ground floor slaband basement car parking wereretained and much of the demolitionmaterials recycled.

Stoford director David Brown saidthe BREEAM Excellent schemerepresented a statement building;light, airy and with a clear, open planworking environment.

“We are delighted to be finalists,”he said. “The development wasprogressed with great considerationfor the surrounding area, but with aclear vision on creating a strikinglyattractive workplace withsustainability at its core.”

Your digest of the week in business

In numbers

Business currentaccounts

Petrol prices

1.01%£10,000 deposit

0.25%£1 deposit

State Bankof India

Corporation tax

21 %20 %Main rate

Small profitsrate – below

£300,000

107 .0 1Unleaded

113 . 87Diesel

117 .1 5 pSuperunleaded

61 .23pLPG

Source: PetrolPrices.com

Business savingsaccounts

1.49%£10,000 deposit

1.41%£1,000 deposit

State Bankof India

Inflation (CPI)

0.5 %

Weekly earnings

1.7 %Base interest rate

0.5 %Ave mortgage rate

3.99 %

S o u rc e :

NationalCounties BS

Inflation (RPI)

1.6 %� Richard Stones � Mark Bennett

� David Pike� David Williams