MARRIAGE VS. COHABITATION WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE LEGALLY? Words by Advocate Rose Colley, Family Law Partner, Viberts Page 13
Reputation: Your most valuable business asset Words by Nichole Culverwell ACIPR, Director, Black Vanilla Page 7
The Journal ISSUE TWO
BUSINESS • FINANCE • LAW • RECRUITMENT
FLUX INTRODUCE THE WORLD’S FIRST MIXED REALITY ART EXHIBITION Business
FLUX, a new venture that combines cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technologies with the creative arts, has announced details of its first pop-up event, FLUX ZERO, which will take place at Liberty Wharf on 16th September 2017. Harnessing the power of VR, FLUX invites members of the public to view art like never before. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore VR environments created by some of Jersey’s best artistic talents and immerse themselves in worlds where the only limit is the artist’s imagination. The event has been organised by FLUX, a new partnership formed by members of two of Jersey’s up-andcoming digital start-ups, Snap.je and Virtual Reality Jersey. To develop the exhibition, FLUX invited 10 local artists to VR workshops providing them with the knowledge and skills to begin creating art in VR. The free public exhibition will run from 10 am until 4 pm.
The big interview
SANNE SHORTLISTED SKIPTON LAUNCH IN CITYWEALTH FUTURE LEADING OFFSHORE LEADERS AWARDS SAVINGS BOND Two of SANNE’s Jersey staff have been shortlisted in Citywealth’s ‘Future Leaders’ awards – which identifies rising stars in the UK financial services sector. The award is open to professionals under the age of 40 in the wealth sector. Full story on page 2
Skipton International has launched a threeyear fixed rate savings bond with a marketleading interest rate of 1.50% AER. Full story on page 4
Claire Boscq-Scott, AKA, The Busy Queen Bee talks to Eliot Lincoln, President of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Adam Vibert, chairman of Chamber Connection. Page 8
APPOINTMENT FOR ROSSBOROUGH PROFESSIONAL RISKS
A highly experienced financial risks broker has joined Rossborough as professional risks practice leader, to help drive forward its specialist broking service for financial institutions. Tim Mitchell has an extensive background in insurance solutions. Full story on page 5
RAVENSCROFT APPOINT TRAINEE STOCKBROKERS Ashley Correia and Tom Nuth have joined the Jersey office, which has seen its team more than double in size in a year. ‘The last year has been a very busy one for Ravenscroft.” Full story on page 6
Do you want to be involved? Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact Mark on 07829 838844 or email contact@jerseypages.info
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THE JOURNAL NEWS
SANNE Jersey staff shortlisted in Citywealth Future Leaders Awards Business
John Le Breton
Two of SANNE’s Jersey staff have been shortlisted in Citywealth’s ‘Future Leaders’ awards – which identifies rising stars in the UK financial services sector. The award is open to professionals under the age of 40 in the wealth sector, and SANNE’s Daniel Pringle and John Le Breton have been named as finalists for the prestigious honour following a submission process. Mr Le Breton joined SANNE as a graduate trainee and is now a senior manager within the company’s Private Client business. He has been shortlisted for Trustee of the Year Large/Institutional in Citywealth’s third Future Leaders Award. As part of his work, the 30-year-old has played an instrumental role in a Fintech start-up going live – which supports SMEs across the UK. Mr Pringle has been shortlisted in the Business Development Initiative of the Year category. The 37-year-old is a director in SANNE’s Private Client business after being promoted to the role earlier this year. Mr Pringle helped develop and lead the implementation of SANNE’s response to regulations emerging from the global Common Reporting Standard and US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA). ‘To be named on the shortlist for this prestigious Citywealth award is in itself an achievement, and reflects the depth of expertise and experience that both John and Daniel have built
up in their careers already. I want to congratulate them and urge our clients and the wider community to place their vote,’ said Phil Le Vesconte, Head of Private Client at SANNE. ‘These nominations also show the strength of talent that we have in Jersey, and the wider Channel Islands, when it comes to developing and offering best-inclass services to our clients across the globe.’ Mr Le Vesconte added: ‘SANNE is committed to continually improving the services that we provide whether that’s in private client, corporate or alternative asset administration and reporting services. We do that by identifying first class people and nurturing that talent, from graduate trainees to more senior levels, to deliver a depth of expertise and skills that benefits our clients.’ The final winners will be announced in November, with the judging panel drawn from highly recommended young professionals in private wealth management. An online public vote will also be taken
into consideration by the judges when they make their final decisions. Voting is open until 15th October, and you can vote here: www. citywealthmag.com/awards/futureleaders-awards/voting. The latest awards shortlisting for SANNE comes after the Jerseyheadquartered company was named as a finalist in the ‘Trust Company of the Year’ category at the annual STEP Private Client Awards, with the winner being announced at a dinner in London on 6th September 2017.
our Supervision division, fraudsters tried to extort more than £450,000 in an attempt to impersonate a local company, but fortunately this was detected. JFSC Director General John Harris commented: “We are asking local companies and Islanders to be extra vigilant. We are aware that this is not an isolated incident and that cybercriminals have purchased several domain names that are similar to local companies’ domain names with the intention of conducting fraudulent activities. Verifying the authenticity of any unexpected emails requesting funds is key to avoid falling victim to this type of cyber-crime.” JFSC Cyber Security Senior Manager Davey Sandiford added: “This type of attack relies on social-
engineering to deceive its targets. In this case the domain name used by the criminals appeared to be the same as the local company’s but had an extra letter which could easily have been overlooked by the recipient on first glance. If you receive an email from a domain that appears to be slightly different to the norm then check the request immediately with the organisation it’s claiming to come from, making sure that you use official contact details rather than those in the email.” If you fall victim to cyber fraud or you identify an attempt on your organisation, you should immediately report this to the States of Jersey Police by emailing scams500@police. je with full details of the fraud as well as contacting your JFSC supervisor.
Daniel Pringle
JFSC warning following £450k targeted cyber fraud attempt Business
The Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) has issued a warning to local businesses following a series of targeted attempts to defraud Jersey companies and their clients. We are aware of at least three cases where locally registered companies have been the subject of an attempted ‘impersonation attack’ whereby fraudsters have registered a domain name that is almost identical to the organisation’s domain and then sent bogus emails to the firm’s customers requesting large sums of money. The fraudulent emails also include legitimate signatures to make them appear more authentic. In one of the cases reported to
THE JOURNAL NEWS
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UK Government First Names Group has furthers Brexit appointed Stacy Withe as Client Services Director engagement Business
The Government of Jersey acknowledges the positive commitment made by the UK Government to engage the Crown Dependencies in their Brexit position paper ‘Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK.’ The paper recognises that the Crown Dependencies are constitutionally separate from the UK and have distinct interests, and it undertakes that the UK ‘will fully engage with their respective governments to ensure their priorities on these issues are taken into account. Future regulation of goods The position paper sets out the UK Government’s proposals for the future regulation of goods to guarantee the availability of those goods on the date Britain withdraws from the EU, as well measures to minimise disruption to citizens, consumers and businesses. The paper also acknowledges
the extensive trade in agricultural products and food between the UK and EU, and aims to avoid any changes to current controls and procedures that would have a detrimental effect on the trade and availability of food and produce. The Government of Jersey has set out, as a key priority of its Brexit engagement, to achieve access to EU goods markets, including for agriculture and fisheries products, on terms no less favourable than the United Kingdom’s. This objective will ensure the continued availability of goods on the Island and positive trade with the UK and EU, both during the transition period and after Brexit. Ongoing engagement Officials have spoken with colleagues at the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) on the paper, and through ongoing discussions, at an official and Ministerial level, will ensure that the UK Government takes the Island’s position into account as the Brexit negotiations continue.
07829 838844
Recruitment
First Names Group has appointed Stacy Withe as Client Services Director in its Jersey office. With over 20 years of industry experience Stacy has enjoyed a successful career within financial services, having already held a director level position for the last seven years. Prior to joining First Names Group, Stacy worked with an independent trust company where she focused on client relationship management and service delivery for Ultra High Net Worth clients. Throughout her career Stacy has developed an in-depth technical knowledge of trust and corporate administration, compensation strategies, compliance and restructuring. She holds an ICSA Certificate in Offshore Administration, ICSA Diploma in Offshore Finance and is currently studying towards completion of the Chartered Secretaries Qualifying Scheme. In her role at First Names Group
Stacy will oversee a client administration team comprising a portfolio of private clients with complex multi asset holding structures across various jurisdictions.
Speaking about her appointment Stacy commented: “First Names Group has an excellent reputation for putting people first which aligns perfectly to my own vision. I’m really looking forward to being part of a team which shares this approach and I can’t wait to continue to develop the great level of client service they are already offering.”
Ben Newman, Managing Director of the Jersey office, said: “I am delighted to welcome Stacy to our team. Her dedication to
building strong client relationships and delivering high quality service makes Stacy a great additional asset to our business. Her recruitment further highlights our commitment to hiring the very best people so that we can continue to deliver superior client service.”
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THE JOURNAL NEWS
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Skipton International has launched leading offshore savings bond Finance
Skipton International (Skipton) has launched a new three-year fixed rate savings bond with a market-leading interest rate of 1.50% AER. The bond, which matures 30 September 2020, pays annual interest on balances between £10,000 and £5 million. Earlier this year Skipton won the Moneyfacts Best Offshore Savings Provider 2017 – a recognition of the Guernsey regulated bank’s competitive rates and excellent customer service. This is the 4th time Skipton has won a Moneyfacts Award – one of the most prestigious awards in the finance industry. The Moneyfacts Awards involve an independent assessment of personal
Planning Committee Decisions Business
Approval for hotel to selfcatering conversion A guesthouse owner has been given permission to convert their accommodation into self-catering units. Ocean Walk Guest House on La Route de la Haule, St Brelade applied to turn twenty existing bedrooms into 12 self-catering apartments, adding another storey on to the original building. The property is within the Built-Up Area where there is a general presumption in favour of development. Parking concerns were raised in six letters of objection to the plans, but the applicants argued the cut in the number of accommodation units would reduce pressure on parking spaces.
Cider Processing Unit Approved The owners of La Petite Robeline, La Verte Rue, St Ouen, applied to build a shed for processing cider as part of their business which has been in operation since 2005. The Committee approved a timber shed to consolidate the existing business, from three sites onto one, supporting this rural enterprise.
finance products with input from IFAs. Skipton has been commended, highly commended or won an award for the past eight years. Jim Coupe, Managing Director, Skipton International, said: “Competitive interest rates and great customer service are an important part of our offering. Skipton consistently offers leading market rates on offshore savings accounts for British expats and Crown Dependency residents, while our great customer service has also been independently recognised by Feefo, winning their Gold Trusted Service award.” Skipton offers a range of offshore savings accounts including a 200day notice account, paying 1.00% on balances over £10,000, and an easy access account paying 0.50% on balances over £10,000.
Jim Coupe, Managing Director, Skipton International
Population office statistics released Business
The latest statistics from Jersey's Population Office show that new measures to reduce the number of employment permissions for newer migrants have led to 283 permanent registered permissions being revoked in the past six months. This compares with 47 such permissions revoked in the first six months of 2016. The figures also show that in the past six months 161 seasonal permissions have been granted for recent migrants. This reflects the government’s continued support for the traditional industries of hospitality and agriculture. The sectors that hold the most registered permissions are hospitality, agriculture and fishing, and financial and legal. The new measures were announced in January as part of an initiative to focus migration on delivering the greatest social and economic value, and to allocate permissions more fairly across businesses. Assistant Chief Minister, Senator Paul Routier, said: “The decision to remove permanent permissions from businesses that hold more than the average for their industry, while also granting retail, agriculture and hospitality
industries more seasonal work permissions, is part of a wider population policy to enhance our migration controls. “Unemployment is at its lowest level for more than seven years, and this does make recruitment more difficult. However, islanders are concerned at the level of migration, which has been higher than we would like.” This year has seen a drop in the number of newly arrived people applying for registration cards. The number for the first six months of 2017 is 16 per cent, down on the same time last year from 1,902 to 1,595. These figures are for new registrations and exclude Jersey born people and resident under-18s registering for the first time. A draft Population Policy is being finalised, which will continue to enhance migration controls. As well as the work already begun on removing permissions, increasing fees and investing in skills, the policy explores the selective use of work permits, criminal record checks for all new migrants, and photographs on new registration cards. The States Assembly is due to debate the policy in the autumn.
Sandpiper buys Apple Premium Reseller Business
Retail group SandpiperCI has reached agreement to buy iQ, the only Apple Authorised Premium Reseller and official Apple Service Provider in the Channel Islands. Sandpiper says the acquisition is part of the group's strategy to develop its business through new partners and brands. Its CEO, Tony O’Neill, commented: “This is another milestone for Sandpiper and a move into the technology market. We’re intending to build on IQ’s success by investing in additional marketing and resources, particularly around business-tobusiness areas." iQ has stores in both Jersey and Guernsey. There will be no redundancies, but Sandpiper expects to be recruit more staff as the business develops.
HR BUSINESS MANAGER FOR LAW AT WORK Recruitment
Law At Work (“LAW”) - the Channel Islands’ leading human resources, employee relations and health and safety specialist - has appointed Pete Sims as HR Business Manager. Pete joins the team following a successful career working as HR Manager in a large Jersey-based hospitality business. With HR experience covering a wide range of industries, including insurance, fulfilment, retail and hospitality, he brings a strong commercial understanding to the business and will provide clients with a realistic and functional approach to dealing with HR issues. Pete holds a Level 5 Certificate in Human Resource Management and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He has sat on the committee of the CIPD Jersey Branch for the past seven years. Pete said: “I have known most of the LAW team for several years through my work with the local Jersey branch of CIPD and I’ve also benefited from the quality of their work as a client.
The expertise, support and advice that LAW provides is second to none and it’s exciting to be joining such a professional and forward-thinking business. I’m looking forward to getting to know clients, building strong working relationships and helping to build our client base and reputation in the future.” LAW’s Managing Director Kelly Flageul said: “I’ve known Pete for some time and have always enjoyed working with him for his knowledge, attitude and common-sense approach. It’s a pleasure to welcome him to the team as LAW continues to grow and develop new services.”
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Jersey issue statement on exchange and protection of personal data Business
The Government of Jersey has re-confirmed its commitment to meeting international standards for data protection, following publication of the UK government’s Brexit policy paper, The exchange and protection of personal data. Jersey’s data protection regime currently has a third country ‘adequacy’ decision from the EU, meaning it is deemed to provide equivalent standards of protection for personal data to the EU’s. The Government of Jersey is working to ensure adequacy is maintained under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and new Law Enforcement Directive when they become enforceable next year, to ensure the continued free flow of data to and from the island. As the UK considers its own options for maintaining the free flow of data between the UK and EU, it is vital for Jersey to ensure it is aligned with both parties and avoid the creation of
barriers to the transfer of data. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Department said: “It will be very important post-Brexit that data can continue to flow freely between the Jersey and the UK, as well as Europe, and we have been working closely with the UK government and the EU to that end. “We are committed to meeting high international standards for the protection of personal data, not only to protect people living and working in Jersey, but also to ensure that the island’s financial services and digital sectors are well placed to benefit from the many opportunities that will come from being able to use and share data in the future.” Communications is one of the priority workstreams established by the Government of Jersey to prepare for Brexit, and the government has welcomed the commitment by the UK within the policy paper to work with the Crown Dependencies on the details of UK proposals that will affect the island’s interests.
Specialist appointment to drive forward Rossborough Professional Risks Recruitment
A highly experienced financial risks broker has joined Rossborough as professional risks practice leader, to help drive forward its specialist broking service for financial institutions. Tim Mitchell has an extensive background in providing insurance solutions to manage professional indemnity, directors’ and officers’, crime and other risks faced by the financial services industry. ‘Rossborough Professional Risks is a dynamic, niche part of the business which is growing its market share. I am looking forward to working with a multi-national insurance broker that has access to a wider range of insurance products,’ said Mr Mitchell, who has more than 19 years’ experience trading in the Jersey and international insurance industry.
His appointment creates an even greater depth of knowledge and expertise in a growing area of the business. John Lowery, head of professional risks at Rossborough, said the company was working closely with a growing number of financial institutions on insurance solutions for their own, and their clients’ needs. ‘We are able to provide bespoke and market-leading insurance protection using our considerable London market experience and the expertise of our parent, Arthur J Gallagher,’ said Mr Lowery. ‘The financial services sector is complex and ever-evolving, requiring a wide range of diverse solutions. With Tim on board we are able to further extend our offering and strengthen our local expertise to drive forward this area of the Rossborough business.’
JERSEY FINANCE
APPOINT NEW DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Recruitment
Jersey Finance has appointed Amy Bryant as Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO). In taking on her new role, which also sees her being appointed to the Board of Jersey Finance, Amy will extend her existing responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Head of Strategic Projects for Jersey Finance to include CEO deputising responsibilities across the entire organisation. Having joined Jersey Finance in 2011, Amy, who was born in Jersey, has been COO since 2014 and also leads its Strategic Projects function, which undertakes initiatives to help develop aspects of the finance industry. Prior to that, she was a Tax Manager with PwC in the Channel Islands where she specialised in the taxation of offshore funds and Jersey corporate vehicles and provided international structuring advice to a global client base. She is qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor and a Chartered Accountant. Geoff Cook, CEO, Jersey Finance, said: “Amy moving into this role reflects the importance to the organisation of having clarity around leadership and representation in the absence of the CEO as well as a strong, robust internal operational capability and her promotion is fully deserved. Amy’s considerable experience at Jersey Finance and her understanding of all corners of Jersey’s finance industry will ensure that Jersey Finance can call on the highest calibre of leadership as we continue to represent and help grow the Island’s finance industry.”
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THE JOURNAL NEWS
RAVENSCROFT APPOINT TRAINEE STOCKBROKERS Recruitment
Ashley Correia and Tom Nuth have joined the Jersey office, which has seen its team more than double in size in a year. ‘The last year has been a very busy one for Ravenscroft, with lots of new business, which in turn has led to a number of high profile appointments. We pride ourselves in not only having the highest quality stockbrokers, but also developing young talent and investing in our, and their, future,’ said Haydn Taylor, managing director of Ravenscroft in Jersey. ‘Both Ashley and Tom have the drive and ambition that we like to nurture at Ravenscroft and I have every confidence that they will become very able stockbrokers.’ Mr Nuth was educated at De La Salle College and studied business and finance at Buckinghamshire
New University. He joins Ravenscroft having previously worked as a trust administrator. ‘I have always been fascinated by the financial markets and I am
very excited to be working with such an experienced team. In time, I hope to establish myself and work towards building some strong client relationships,’ said Mr Nuth.
COUNSEL KATHERINE NEAL SHORTLISTED FOR POWERWOMEN AWARD Business
Counsel Katherine Neal has been shortlisted for a Citywealth Powerwomen award in the "Woman of the Year – Business Growth" category. Now in its sixth year, the prestigious Powerwomen Awards recognise individuals and companies who maximise the potential of women in wealth. Katherine is counsel in Ogier's Private Client and Trust team. Described by clients as "affable and conscientious, with a strong intellectual ability combined with a commercial pragmatism" and recognised by Citywealth in the 2015 Power Women Top 200 as "a first rate lawyer", Katherine has worked on a number of high profile deals including the successful AIM listing of Boohoo.com and the listing of Cinven & Partnership on the London Stock Exchange. She also provides industry thought leadership on Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs), among other areas. Sally Edwards, Global Head of Ogier's Private Client and Trusts Team, said: "I'm very pleased that Katherine, who is a key member of Ogier's
Private Client and Trusts team, has been nominated for a Powerwomen award. It is a well-deserved piece of industry recognition for Katherine whose work is consistently first class." The awards will be partly determined by popular vote. Follow
the link below to vote for Katherine in the Woman of the Year - Business Growth category, noting that you cannot vote for a colleague working for the same company. The awards ceremony will be held on 22 February 2018, time and venue to be announced.
Miss Correia was also educated in Jersey and studied dance at college in London before returning to the island to take up a position at RBSI as an assistant relationship manager. She then became an international advisor, working on a portfolio of international clients. ‘I can’t wait to have my own portfolio of clients who I can build a personal relationship with and give advice to. I am also very excited by Ravenscroft’s potential. As we have just launched a UK range of our funds it’s giving us the opportunity to expand our client base even further. It’s an amazing time for the company and I’m very pleased to be a part of this process and look forward to seeing where it takes us.’ Miss Correia and Mr Nuth are studying for their Level 4 Investment Advice Diploma, which in time will enable them to provide advice to Ravenscroft’s growing client base.
Vistra acquires Total Solutions Middle East Business
Jersey-based corporate service provider Vistra has acquired Total Solutions Middle East (TSME), which operates within the Dubai International Financial Centre and Abu Dhabi Global Markets providing governance, risk, compliance and human resources services. TSME has more than a decade of experience in the UAE, starting in Dubai in 2004 and opening another office in 2016 in Abu Dhabi. Its team of 26 is led by CEO Jurry de Vries, based in Dubai, with Partner and Director Nico van Bockstal leading the Governance, Risk and Compliance Division, and Managing Partner Stewart Adams running the office in Abu Dhabi. This TSME team will continue within Vistra, with Jurry assuming the role of Managing Director Vistra for the Middle East. The current Vistra Dubai team is led by Barbara Neuerburg, Managing Director, Country Manager GCC.
Sanne has appointed managaing director Recruitment
SANNE has appointed a new Managing Director to lead its AsiaPacific and Mauritius regional business. As a leading global provider of alternative asset and corporate administration services, SANNE is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Law to the newly created role of Managing Director, Alternative Assets for the Asia-Pacific and Mauritius region with immediate effect. Based in Hong Kong and a member of SANNE’s leadership team, Mark’s primary focus will be on expanding SANNE’s alternative asset capabilities across the Asia-Pacific and Mauritian networks and target client markets. This will include delivering initiatives to develop an Asia specific service platform with multi-jurisdictional capabilities to further enhance SANNE’s brand and bespoke specialist solutions to the region’s leading asset managers, banks and financial institutions. Mark is an experienced business leader, having held senior management roles across the financial services industry. Most recently he heading up the custody, clearing fund administration and securities lending business for Deutsche Bank’s AsiaPacific region. During this time, Mark was responsible for 12 jurisdictions in the region. Prior to that Mark worked in Tokyo and Mauritius within Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Trust
business heading up the Institutional Cash Management and Fund Services businesses respectively. Phil Godley, Senior Managing Director at SANNE, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Mark to the SANNE leadership team. With over 14 years’ experience in the Asia-Pacific and Mauritius region, we will benefit from Marks industry knowledge and experience in the alternative asset space. This will enable us to further enhance and strengthen SANNE’s reputation as a leading global provider of global administration services.’ Mark brings great technical insights and has vast industry networks to help drive growth in SANNE’s specialist administration capabilities across the Asia-Pacific and Mauritius alternative asset market. Mark is a qualified FCA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and holds an Oriental Studies Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s from Oxford University.
THE JOURNAL BUSINESS
Reputation:
7
What makes
you tick?
Your most valuable business asset Words by Nichole Culverwell ACIPR, Director, Black Vanilla
Unlike the tangible worth of a business, impalpable assets such as goodwill and brand recognition are hard to quantify. However, in our increasingly transparent world, intangible assets have a greater than ever impact on your business and its bottom line. The spotlight on a company’s reputation is shining brighter than ever. Establishing, maintaining and possibly defending that reputation in times of crisis falls to the expertise of public relations and goes way beyond simple media relations tactics. Thought leadership, executive profiling, brand ambassador engagement, corporate social responsibility, issues planning and online word of mouth are all strategies that will help to establish a good reputation. Remember, PR is not spin. To have a good reputation your business must truly ‘walk the walk’. Corporate social responsibility Depending on the funds and time available, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme could range from creating a large-scale sustainability vision to simply supporting smallerscale projects. Ideally, social responsibility should be woven into the very thread of a business and, by identifying common interests, a meaningful and authentic relationship can be built.
Thought leadership Thought leadership offers organisations, and their key personnel, the opportunity to position themselves as leaders in their field. Making your perspective and approach known
in this way increases the visibility of your organisation and offers your voice as a trusted adviser with a valid opinion on the topics that matter within your field. Thought leadership includes research and analysis on your industry, such as the Frank Knight Wealth Report; pieces of original research which help to set and shape the news agenda. Just as valid are opinion pieces, along with carefully considered commentary and analysis about the topics and upcoming trends within your industry. Brand ambassadors and influencers Brand ambassadors are people of influence who are prepared to speak positively about or represent your brand or organisation. Brand ambassadors are external to your organisation and, unlike influencers, are usually paid for their engagement. It’s vital that any brand ambassador is authentic, relevant and influential within your target audience, so research and close working with the individual beforehand is a vital part of the process. On the other hand, influencers are usually aspirational figures and typically are active online and on social media. A significant percentage of consumers are likely to purchase an item based on social media referrals, and the explosion of influencer marketing reflects this trend.
Issues planning and management Conversely, the potential for negative comment and the lightning speed of social media’s impact during a crisis means that
“A significant percentage of consumers are likely to purchase an item based on social media referrals, and the explosion of influencer marketing reflects this trend.”
Who? David Spiller, Carpenter and Joiner
How long have you been in business? I’ve been in Jersey for 26 years and set up on my own 20 years ago.
What made you start up on your own? It’s more of a passion than a job, I love what I do. I’ve been a carpenter since I left school 38 years ago so it just seemed like a good step to take. I love seeing the joy on a customer’s face when I’ve completed a custom made piece. Has much changed since starting your own business? A lot of people now go to the internet to find a tradesman, however, we do still get a lot of custom through word of mouth. Most of the tools are now electric so life is so much easier - when I was 16 all screws were put in by hand, nails were put in with a hammer, most timbers were cut by hand - I had arms like Popeye within a few weeks!
How do you relax? I like watching the discovery channel, and of course, the red wine helps a lot!
a robust communications strategy must be considered and be ready to protect your brand. It’s our job as communications specialists to look at the kind of issues that could arise and work very closely with organisations to plan communications which will navigate through issues while maintaining integrity and authenticity. Depending on the need, issues planning ranges from a simple set of documents to a full-scale escalation plan backed up by a crisis training scenario. For some organisations a simple response
Q&A and statements library should suffice; these will address the most likely issues and identify the most relevant spokesperson for each topic. Business sectors that have more inherent risk require more planning and training, and of course industry-wide issues, such as cyber security risk, cannot be ignored. For more information about establishing, maintaining and defending your organisation’s reputation, please email nichole@ black-vanilla.gg
Where’s your favourite holiday destination? The Caribbean - great scuba diving.
What makes you tick? A challenge. When somebody says “Is it possible to make this” I love it. Being around nice people is great too, I meet a variety of people and build great relationships as I only work in homes, no building sites!
THE JOURNAL BIG INTERVIEW
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An interview with the experts
Claire Boscq-Scott, AKA, The Busy Queen Bee talks to Eliot Lincoln, President of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Adam Vibert, chairman of Chamber Connection
CBS: Hello Eliot and Adam! Eliot you are the new President of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, when did you become President? EL: I started in May as our Chamber years run from May to May, I will have two years as president. I have just done two years as vice president working with Kristina Le Feuvre, who was fantastic and really inspirational. Kristina also runs The Amazing Adventure Park and is involved in lots of other things. CBS: How is it going? It must have been a bit daunting taking over? EL: Before I started my vice presidency I knew very little about Chamber so having had that two years was vital to understand the role of Chamber. To a lot of people Chamber is mainly about the lunches, so on a monthly basis we have around 200 people coming for lunch and listening to interesting speakers from Jersey and further afield, it’s all about networking, interacting and that is the main monthly event of the business calendar. But there is so much more that Chamber do, first of all, there are 7 committees: Retail, Construction, HR, Digital, Transport & Tourism, Finance and now we have the Chamber Connection, which is where Adam comes in - that’s now the committee who represent 1835 year old’s in the workplace. We do a lot of work lobbying with the government, we look at government decisions, what is happening, we listen to our membership and work out the angle they want to take and use that information to help lobby our elected representatives. CBS: What are the benefits of becoming a Chamber of Commerce member? EL: Any business who becomes a member will have a reduced price on the monthly lunches, you get your
details on our website, you would be able to add events onto our calendar, regular mailings on local issues and so on. CBS: Yes that’s right! I have actually had my Speed Networking events promoted on the event page actually. EL: It’s about being part of a community and having your voice represented by a bigger organisation. We currently have 550 members and represent 29,000 employees, which is half of the working population in Jersey. We took a real hard position recently with the liquid waste charge because we don’t think it had been thought through properly. The fact that further discussion has been delayed until the autumn means that people locally are having their views represented. CBS: You have been doing some member to member offers too, haven’t you? EL: Absolutely, we are starting to reach many more people in our member’s businesses locally. We are in the process of making it a lot clearer what benefits that Chamber offers to our members and their employees – our website currently shows 18 different member to member offers! CBS: What are you objectives for the next couple of years? EL: One of my key pledges that I made is looking at education, looking at what we are doing in Jersey. You may not see any change in the next couple of years, but in 10, 15, 20 years you will see a massive difference. It’s one of the best returns on investment you can ever make in any jurisdiction. Those who are going through their GCSE/ A-Levels at the moment are the business leaders of tomorrow. I want to make sure that Chamber is being seen helping young people to have the best start in their commercial career.
“We have the Chamber Connection, that’s the committee who represent 18-35 year old’s in the workplace.”
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L-R: Jonathan Channing, Adam Vibert, James Linder, Caroline Dutot, Jacqui Patton
We don’t discuss it too much, but Jersey is a net-exporter of talent between 18-25, some of our young people finish their A-Levels and go studying in the UK, which is brilliant and should absolutely happen, but one of the challenges we face is that we don’t back-fill those individuals so we have a big deficit of 18-25 years old. I want Jersey to become a destination for those students looking at Highlands or JIBS or other organisations, and potentially attract some individuals off island with the view that those talents might stay in Jersey. CBS: So how are you going to do that? Tell me about Chamber Connection? EL: A long time ago I was a part of young person’s organisation called “Rotaract” which is the young version of the Rotary Club, I was the past president at the time and I saw how important the club was because as a young person I had two social groups; my friends and family and then the people I worked with there was nowhere for people with a like-mind to get together and share experiences and interests. I think a group of people who aren’t necessarily in the same industry, or haven’t grown up together are a really interesting mix of people that we could reach, I know relationships formed
between the ages of 18-35 will last throughout their professional careers and nurture those connections, which is why it’s called Chamber Connection. Finding a committee was one of the first things I wanted to do. We now have 6 exciting and interesting individuals who are part of this committee that Adam is chairing. CBS: Adam, how old are you and how long have you been a consultant at BDO Greenlight? AV: I am a 23 year old Jersey boy and I’ve been at BDO Greenlight for two years since I graduated from Highlands. CBS: You are now the Chairman for Chamber Connection, what can we expect from the committee? AV: It’s been kind of a soft launch so far, we are now setting our goals and there have been mentions in the Chamber lunches, at the last one we had a table to highlight our committee, let people know we are here and what we want to do. Our mission is to be the voice of 18-35 year old’s in Jersey, we want to provide opportunities for development and networking but also political engagement. We have 3 main objectives, organising networking events, liaising with the government and to bring people on-board and bring people into Chamber as our
“I think a group of people who aren’t necessarily in the same industry, or haven’t grown up together are a really interesting mix of people.” generation don’t necessarily know what Chamber is and its benefits. CBS: Would you have to become a chamber member or do you have individual memberships? EL: Both can happen, the chances are the organisation will already be a member so in that case there is nothing the person need to do they can join any of the events. If not we obviously recommend that their employer does become a member, but there is also an opportunity to become an individual member for a small fee. CBS: Very exciting, well done! I’m really looking forward to seeing what you do, I have heard a lot about it already, so I am buzzing! One last question for you Eliot, and that’s with my Customer
Service hat on; what can local businesses do to have a more thriving business and how can Chamber help? EL: We have a very active retail committee which is headed by Mark Cox, my vice president. Retail isn’t an easy industry to be in at the moment, it’s quite difficult to fill vacancies, retail isn’t perceived in the same way as our high flying finance industry. Retail is changing. 10 years ago, people would invariably journey to town for shopping on Saturday’s but shopping habits have changed, people are now also likely to be buying between 5-9pm online. How do you differentiate yourself? That’s what people want, a personal service. It’s about experience, Jersey is unique and we have a great number
of shops, we may find it difficult to compete on price but those retailers who give you the personal service will really stand out, anybody who goes into a shop who doesn’t get good service are unlikely to go back. From a Chamber point of view, we need to ensure that our retailers are aware of the things that are available. We did an event during Enterprise week on technology, Chamber can help educate and highlight how other jurisdictions or organisations are doing and help our members to get the best out of what they’ve got. CBS: Thank you so much to you both for joining me today, I am so looking forward to hearing more about Chamber Connection in the next few months, please do keep us posted!
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THE JOURNAL FINANCE
Tupper Loan Co (TLC) fast, friendly and flexible TLC provides financial solutions for ordinary people and businesses who need money. If you need a personal loan, a business loan or are making plans for your future, TLC offers a range of products to suit your financial needs. The Tupper Loan Co was set up in 2014, has everything gone according to plan since the business launched?
The Business has grown at a faster pace than was planned or expected however we consider ourselves to be a boutique lending solution company and do not wish to become too impersonal or structured through becoming too large an organisation.
their requirements in a way that is understandable and makes sense to them as individuals. I know it is a cliché but we genuinely don’t treat our customers as numbers just rolling off a conveyer belt! We have often known them for many years and are treated very much as partners in the lending process. Our coffee is also a lot better than the Banks or other lending institutions.
Does it work out more expensive using a loan Your team has grown company such as TLC quickly with ‘Georgina when applying for a Diniz’ being the latest business loan? addition to the team, In general no but it does depend on the type of loan required, the what aspects of the business situation and its overall industry does Georgina needs. As a broker, we will always advise the best and most cost bring to the business? effective option. Georgina brings many years of additional experience of business and consumer lending to our business which in turn leads to a better understanding of customer and business needs which she is always very determined to fulfil.
You’ve grown quickly and now even have two offices, how can you help other businesses with their own growth and aspirations?
I don’t think the Jersey business community is yet fully aware of our potential to meet their varied requirements. Our rates are just as competitive as main stream lenders, we have access to extremely flexible Invoice discounting services, we can provide flexible asset finance facilities as well as short and longerterm cash flow loans. Therefore, if you need finance for say office refurbishments, commercial vehicles of whatever size, machinery, sheds or even boats please call us for a quote and/or advice as to how best your business can attain its goals with the use of our flexible but affordable finance.
It can be quite daunting and time consuming visiting the bank for finance, how is it different visiting TLC?
We like to put our customers at ease with cannabis whilst we discuss
There are a wide range of loans available from TLC, tell us about the various options…
There are many, including Marine finance, Residential and commercial Mortgages, Peer to Peer secured lending, Car finance, Professional indemnity insurance, Home improvement loans, consolidation loans, bridging loans, Interest only loans, and Cash flow loans but if your product need is not on this list please ask us and if it’s on the market we will find it.
If I was to contact TLC for a Loan, how quickly could you have the finance ready?
Again, it does depend on your requirements however if it is a straight forward personal loan (up to say £30,000) or car loan it is possible to turn it round within 24 hours. We are aware that speed of decision making is very important to customers and do react accordingly however we do need their cooperation with providing any information requested. 17 New North Quay, St Helier 01534 724 552 | www.tupper.je
*We don’t really offer our customers cannabis L-R: Steve Moore, Les Ainscough, David Tupper, David Rive and Georgina Diniz
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THE JOURNAL LAW
Mourant Ozannes leads Who's Who: Private Funds in Channel Islands Law
Nine Mourant Ozannes lawyers across the Channel Islands have been recognised in the Who's Who Legal: Private Funds 2018 guide, a comprehensive guide of the leading professionals across the globe who specialise in private funds work. Mourant Ozannes had more Channel Islands lawyers named in the guide than any other firm, and lawyers in the wider Mourant Ozannes global funds team in the Cayman Islands, BVI and London were also recognised. Funds Partner, Ben Robins, said: "This kind of acknowledgement is particularly pleasing because it shows that our clients and peers recognise the strength of our leading funds lawyers
New guidelines from CICRA Law
The Channel Islands Competition & Regulatory Authorities (CICRA) have issued new guidelines on the approval process for notifiable transactions in Jersey and Guernsey. Where previously applicants were only expected to meet with CICRA before filing applications for transactions which could raise material competition concerns, CICRA is now actively encouraging all applicants to meet with CICRA to discuss the transaction before submitting a draft application for review. Another key development is the "state of play" meeting between CICRA and the applicants which has been introduced specifically for cases where there is a realistic chance of the transaction either not being approved during the first detailed review stage or being conditionally approved. It is clear that CICRA have taken a pragmatic approach to the process and have sought, through the issue of the new guidelines, to formally achieve a more collaborative and cooperative application process between CICRA and applicants, which is welcomed.
globally, and their commitment to providing the outstanding levels of client service our team is known for. We are consistently instructed to work on complex and high profile global funds matters and, with nine lawyers named in the guide, we had more Channel Islands experts listed than any other offshore firm, which is testament to our ability to field the best professionals in this sector." The 13th edition of Who's Who Legal: Private Funds 2018 guide is based on nominations from peers and clients within and outside their own jurisdictions. An extensive research process is undertaken and the individuals are selected by private practitioners and corporate counsel with a specific interest in the field.
Collas Crill advises in £300m mobile group acquisition Law
Collas Crill acted as BVI legal advisers to Britain's fourth largest mobile group, Three UK, on its £300million acquisition of Transvision Investments Limited. Owned by CK Hutchinson, Three UK purchased the company from Seamless Industries Limited, owned by PCCW Limited. The deal marked Three UK's first step into the home broadband market and will give it additional mobile spectrum which can be used for any future launch of 5G services. Transvision is the parent company of UK Broadband Limited, which delivers broadband services in London through its fixed wireless network, operating under the brand 'Relish'. UK Broadband's principal assets are its spectrum licences, wireless network and customers. The purchase price comprises £250million in cash plus £50million in wholesale credit on the Three UK's
network. The Collas Crill team included group partners Mike Williams and Ian Montgomery who acted alongside Linklaters, Three UK's
Mike Williams and Ian Montgomery
English legal advisers. Mike said: "This was an interesting deal to be involved with, working alongside the team at Linklaters as UK counsel to provide a detailed understanding of the BVI elements of this high value transaction."
THE JOURNAL LAW
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MARRIAGE VS. COHABITATION - WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE LEGALLY? Law
More and more couples are deciding to cohabit (live together) rather than get married or enter into a civil partnership. But does this make any difference as far as legal rights are concerned? Simply put, yes. There is a huge difference in the legal rights of married couples and civil partners compared with couples who choose to cohabit. Viberts’ family law team is frequently asked the following questions by people cohabiting in Jersey. Is ‘common law marriage’ a legal concept? Contrary to popular belief, no. Unless you have entered into a valid marriage or civil partnership, the best way to deal with the rights and responsibilities relating to your cohabitation is to enter into a cohabitation agreement. What rights do I have in respect of my children? If you are an unmarried father and
you have a child you will not have parental responsibility (PR) unless your name is on the birth certificate and your child was born on or after the 2nd December 2016. This means that most unmarried fathers will not automatically have PR. Not having PR could have a huge impact on your right to be involved in big decisions about your child. If you are married to the child’s mother then you will automatically have PR. This is a key difference. What happens if we buy a property together without being married or in a civil partnership? You need to be very careful. If the relationship breaks down, your rights will depend on whether or not you hold the property jointly. If the property is in the sole name of one partner and you do not have a cohabitation agreement then you need to obtain urgent legal advice. Whereas if you are married the property will form part of the matrimonial pot for division whether you are a joint owner or not.
What is the position if one of us pays more towards the deposit and/or the on-going mortgage payments? If you are cohabiting, your contributions need to be outlined in the cohabitation agreement. If you are married, such payments will form part of the list of considerations for dividing the matrimonial pot. If I separate from my partner can I claim maintenance for me and/or the children? If you are married, spousal maintenance and child maintenance will form part of the discussions during divorce or dissolution of the civil partnership. If you are cohabiting you are still able to claim child maintenance but cannot claim maintenance for yourself. Will inheritance rights differ between married and unmarried partners? The answer again is yes, your rights will be very different. If you are married or in a civil partnership and your partner dies you will have legal protection, but if you are cohabiting you won’t unless death has been
covered in a cohabitation agreement. In either case you must get legal advice urgently.
Conclusion If you are not married to your partner (or in a civil partnership) your rights are very different and more limited. We would strongly advise you to see a family lawyer to draw up a cohabitation agreement. If you are married, you have many more legal rights which may turn into advantages (but sometimes disadvantages) if you separate. Again you should obtain legal advice before
Di orce no hidden costs, no nasty surprises Thinking about getting divorced but not sure where to start? Worried about the costs, the process and your assets? Viberts are specialists in family law. We provide our clients with a transparent guide to the divorce process and fees, so they know where they stand and what to expect from the outset. No hidden costs, no nasty surprises. 888666 family@viberts.com
To get a clear picture of what your divorce might cost, contact us.
www.viberts.com
Viberts family law - we’re on your side
taking any steps to end your marriage or civil partnership to find out where you stand. Words by Advocate Rose Colley, Family Law Partner, Viberts
THE JOURNAL TECH
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EMPOWERING WOMEN TO TAKE ON TECH Words by Anna Milon, Senior Consultant, c5 Alliance
I recently had the opportunity to speak to girls and women across the Channel Islands as part of a series of talks at the Digital Jersey Hub, Beaulieu School, Ladies College Guernsey, and St Sampson’s High School. As a result we have had two female IT students join us for work experience. These events gave me a chance to really think about my own IT career and what can be done to encourage more girls and women to consider a career in our local industry. I have been fortunate enough to have had a very positive experience working in IT. Most of the individuals I’ve encountered throughout my career have been supportive and open-minded, providing me with opportunities to progress my knowledge and career – and I want other women to have similar experiences. Despite this, it is no secret that the digital sector is currently dominated by men. The latest stats from Digital Jersey reveal that only 15% of tech roles are held by women. This puts us behind the UK and other developed nations by a whole 10%. While this stat may be low, the events we talked at were well attended, and everyone generally showed an interest in what we had to say. We even received several work experience applications from girls on both Islands following the events. This said, it was clear that many of the attendees were not aware of the broad range of options available to them through technology, or don’t have the confidence to pursue a tech career. It is my belief that the tech industry, which is based upon innovation and forward-thinking, should also work towards innovative and forwardthinking values that promote diversity and equal opportunities. There are clear benefits to encouraging more women to consider digital roles, beyond improving diversity in our industry; women could even be the answer to our digital skills gap. Here are my thoughts on women in
technology in 2017, reflecting on the events.
We must encourage girls from an early age Many believe the true reason why most women do not consider IT as a viable career path is because of a culturally ingrained stereotype that IT is a ‘boys only club’ – which in 2017, should not be the case. Society does appear to be addressing these stereotypes, and now even Barbie is a Game Developer! Locally, schools on both Islands are investing in girl’s digital skills, with some even dedicating entire weeks to learning about tech, which is a positive step in the right direction. However, I think that to spark young girl’s imaginations early on, we must
show them how technology can tie in to their passions and hobbies. Whether they’re into fashion, animals, cars or cooking, kids coding tools like Tynker can show the limitlessness and simplicity of app development, creating a fun approach for engaging with younger girls.
You’re not always expected to know it all There is a misconception that if you are interested in a technical role, to get a foot in the door of the IT industry you must have already developed tech skills. While this of course helps, it’s not actually essential. At C5, we often employ individuals based on their enthusiasm for IT and willingness to learn. We then provide them with
“It is no secret that the digital sector is currently dominated by men. The latest stats from Digital Jersey reveal that only 15% of tech roles are held by women.”
the skills they need. My career is a good example of this. While I have had previous technical experience, for the last few years I have worked in a training role. I proactively expressed my interest in progressing my technical knowledge and asked for advice on how to achieve my goals. This interest resulted in me being offered a more technical role, supported with training – and I haven’t looked back since. It’s not all about the technical side While it would be nice to see more women taking on coding and developer roles, some tech industry jobs do not require digital skills. For example, our Project Management and Support Team roles often lend focus to interpersonal, communication, organisational skills, and other ‘soft skills’ that can be learned through everyday experiences. Asking women to consider what they’re already good at is a great way of showing how they can carve their own path in the technology industry.
Highlighting strong female leaders According to research, only 22% of students can name a famous female working in technology – it’s clear that we need to be highlighting women in senior leadership roles to show women what can be achieved by working in technology. There are so many inspirational women in tech: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, HP CEO Meg Whitman, Apple Senior VP Angela Ahrendts – I could go on! C5 recently appointed several women to director roles, which I hope will prove to women that it is possible for local women to find success and fulfilment in our industry too. The Women in Tech group is also doing a great job of offering support to women and I’d encourage women to attend the group’s monthly meetings for digital career advice. I’m happy to provide guidance for women with an interest in a career in technology. Please get in touch anna. milon@c5alliance.com
THE JOURNAL TECH
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10 minutes with... ...Tom Le Sueur We met up with Tom Le Sueur, one of the founders of Flux, to find out more about the virtual reality event. Hi Tom, it’s a very exciting time for you at the moment, but before we talk about your new business ventures (Snap and Flux), why don’t you start by telling us a bit about yourself? Jersey born and bred, went to Plat Douet School before going to Victoria College in my early years. After completing my A-levels I couldn’t decide on what path to take next, work or university? So I took a gap year where I did some travelling and worked selling electronic goods to save money to help fund my degree. I went to Bournemouth University to study Leisure Marketing, this course involved learning a broad skill set including Event management, Business, Finance, Marketing, Advertising and Leisure. I particularly enjoyed the Events and Marketing elements of the course and went on to do a 60 week placement at Fort Regent as part of my 3rd year at Uni. During my placement I helped move the business into the digital age. I facilitated the integration of an online ticketing system for the events and pushed them to build a dedicated website and set up their social media accounts. After graduating there were very limited opportunities in Jersey for Events and Marketing graduates. I was very close to taking a job as a trainee accountant before securing a job back at Fort Regent as an Events and Marketing Administrator. I guess my hard work during my placement paid off! At Fort Regent I worked my way up to a full time Events Manager. As I was the only member in the Events team for most of my time at the Fort I was able to undertake all aspects of Event Management from Contracts, Licensing and Planning to setting budgets, creating marketing plans. I planned and coordinated in excess of 200 events during my time at Fort Regent so I managed to meet some great people and work on some incredible events including: Dance World Cup, Island Games, various Comedians, Musical events, Banquets and Conferences. After five years plus at the mighty Fort Regent I decided it was time to go self employed so I could have more freedom to exercise my creativity and work on more of my own projects. I had been running my own marketing/ design company in my spare time so I already had a client base before I made the decision to go it alone. So what is Snap and where did the idea come from? Snap.je is a Marketing and Events
agency that specialises in Branding, Digital, Creative Concepts and Event Management. From gnarly designs to comprehensive campaigns Snap combines creative flair with laser focused strategy to deliver consistent results. I have always wanted to run my own Creative agency inspired by the likes of Apple and the Google. I know it’s still early days but only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible, and my dreams are now starting to become my reality.
Is there anybody else involved in Snap? Whilst working at Fort Regent, the venue hosted an art exhibition where I was charmed by the work of artist Sam Bullock. I spoke to Sam after the event and discovered we shared a similar mindset and outlook towards art and more broader aspects of life. This sparked a deadly collaboration on a few projects and Sam started doing much of my design work for clients as a freelancer. After working together over a period of time we saw a bigger opportunity to join forces and that’s how Snap.je was born. How is Snap different to other design agencies? Snap.je guarantees results and collaborates with the best freelancers out there to ensure all client objectives are not only delivered but exceeded. We believe that a head full of fears has no space for dreams, Snap loves delivering results for clients, as well as working on weird and wonderful projects of our own. So watch this space! Snap welcomes all clients and collaborations with other local businesses. We don’t believe we have competitors, just other creatives operating in the same industry, so we encourage collaboration and sharing information. At Snap we don’t need a reason to be nice, our motto is to stay humble, work hard, be kind and let the good vibes flow.
Did you have any worries before starting your own business and is it something you have always wanted to do? It was one of the hardest decisions of my life to leave a place I loved working and was very passionate about. Although I had a good regular income and worked with some great people my creative flair was suppressed and I was working in a system where there is no reward/ recognition for over-achievement. I realised it’s not about the money
it’s about the freedom and you have to be brave and bold to achieve your dreams. I’ve always been highly ambitious and driven and believe you should never settle for less than you deserve. Starting my own business is certainly something I’ve always dreamt of. If I could give any advice to someone thinking of doing it I would say ‘Dream big. Start small. Begin Now.’
You’ve also just partnered with Virtual Reality Jersey to form FLUX, this sounds like a very interesting new start-up, tell us a about FLUX… FLUX has to be the most creative and cutting edge event project I’ve worked on to date. FLUX is a new venture that combines cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technologies with the creative arts. The first pop-up event, FLUX ZERO, takes place at Liberty Wharf on 16th September 2017. Harnessing the power of VR, FLUX invites members of the public to view art like never before. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore VR environments created by some of Jersey’s best artistic talents and immerse themselves in
worlds where the only limit is the artist’s imagination. Have you always been interested in virtual reality or is it something that caught your attention recently? I have always been a bit of a tech geek. A lot of this was influenced by selling electrical goods in my teenage years. I have always liked the concept of Virtual Reality and it was always part of Snap’s plans to integrate tech into some of our events. Advancements in technology have propelled VR from a fun gimmick to a serious concept that is transforming the way we approach entertainment, art, and even business.
Your first pop-up event FLUX ZERO is coming up on 16th September, what can visitors expect to find at the exhibition? For our first event, FLUX ZERO, we aim to create a dialogue around the endless possibilities of VR in a way that is fun, immersive and provides some exposure to our local art community. Through FLUX ZERO, our artists have been able to explore brand new approaches to art, creating entire worlds that attendees can step into. It is these kinds of new possibilities
that I’d like our guests to think about. What can be achieved with VR, even beyond art? The free public exhibition will run from 10am - 4pm. Tickets can also be purchased for the full FLUX ZERO experience, which will run from 8 pm till late. Tickets will give you access to FLUX ZERO complete with a futuristic bar, DJ, projection show and the opportunity to experience art like never before.
How can the public purchase tickets for the FLUX ZERO event? Tickets can be purchased via flux.je for just £32. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of tickets available for FLUX ZERO, so keep an eye on our facebook page for the chance to win a pair of tickets facebook.com/flux.je.
What are your future plans for both Snap and FLUX? At Snap and FLUX, we have absolutely no desire to be normal! We love being weird and we embrace it, so expect a lot more peculiar activity in the future. We have some incredibly exciting projects coming up so follow us on social media to be the first to find out about them.
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