PLATINUM BUSINESS MAGAZINE - ISSUE 22 - SURREY by Platinum Business

The widest-read business publication in the South East

PLATINUM

SURREY EDITION . ISSUE 22 . 2016

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

SURINDER ARORA BUSINESS TRAVEL Shake hands in... Dubai

DMH STALLARD CSR at its best

PLATINUM

GATWICK DIAMOND BUSINESS AWARDS The results are in

THE BIG STORY

TABLE TALK

New Surrey Food and Drink Feature Wining & Dining across the region

BARACK OBAMA

Yesterday’s Man?

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Corporate & Commercial Banking

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BMW Business Partnership

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VINES OF GATWICK

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WELCOME

THE BIG STORY BARACK OBAMA Do nice guys finish last?

10 71 44 50

GRAY MATTERS Interview with the MD of NatWest Commercial Banking

TABLE TALK Food and Drink across the region

BUSINESS TRAVEL Shake hands in ….Dubai

Spring is in the air as is the Project Fear referendum but we will keep our powder dry on that until next month when we will bring you a major feature with comment and opinion from across the spectrum and across the region. Leading CEO’s will give their opinion and effectively vote in our next issue. In this issue we launch our brand new Food and Drink section entitled Table Talk. For those with a thirst there is Bar Fly, with news on wines and Champagnes from leading experts. We chat with one of our leading vineyard owners, profile an award winning chef and review restaurants and hotels. We have only just got started but we hope you enjoy it. But upwards and onwards with another spectacular issue of news and views: Andy Gray, Managing Director of Commercial Banking at NatWest and RBS, chats about the size of the job and the possible effects of the referendum, Kreston Reeves discuss outsourcing your accounts and DMH Stallard offer a view into their CSR activities. The Business Travel Section continues apace with a focus on Dubai, Global Travel Management bring you news on the accessibility of private jets and we have an exclusive interview with hotel magnate, Surinder Arora. Not only hotels but now the redevelopment of central Crawley. Anger Management warns about bears and our intrepid motoring editor puts himself out again, howling around the region in a variety of automobiles and scaring small children. Our Big Story this month brings you a profile on President Obama as he nears retirement. As we go to print we have just returned, somewhat groggy, from the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards night, a splendidly organised black tie event, and we have all the results with the images of the evening. There is so much more that we think at this point you should start reading.

Maarten & Ian ARORA HOTELS Interview with CEO Surinder Arora

Platinum Business Magazine, Surrey April 2016 All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. The publisher reserves the right to change or amend any competitions or prizes offered. No part of this publication may

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MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER The world’s greenest SUV?

these materials whilst in transit.

Platinum Business Magazine is published and owned by Platinum Business Publications Limited.

Issue 22 - 2016

The Team

AT A GLANCE 6

Local News

NatWest – Gray Matters

Toast the Success of Croydon’s Businesses

14 Maarten Hoffmann – Director maarten@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07966 244046

Responsibility – Breaking Down the Barriers

56 Beacon - A Beacon of Security

Surrey Chambers of Commerce

Kingston Kick Off

Croydon Chamber of Commerce

54 Corporate Social

Cranleigh Chamber of

58 Carpenter Box – Accountants in the Cloud...?

60 Anger Management – Beware the Bear

62 Motoring – The 86th

Commerce

19 Ian Trevett – Director ian@platinumbusinessmagazine.com 07989 970804

Prowse – Take Time for some R&R

20 National News 24 The Big Story – Barack Obama

32 Kreston Reeves – A Calculated Outsourcing of Amanda Spicer Senior Designer

Nick Hall Sales Director

nick@ platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Accounts

34 Lloyds Bank – Lloyds Help Production

36 Gatwick Diamond Business Awards – The results are In!

41 Amanda Menahem Food & Drink Editor

Hannah Monkcom Staff Reporter

Travel News

42 Global Travel Management – Flights of Fancy

44 Shake Hands in.... Dubai

50 Interview – A very successful mistake – Rose Dykins Travel Editor

Lauren Psyk Event Photographer

Surinder Arora

Geneva International Motor Show

64 Motoring – Peugeot 508 SW GT

65 Motoring – Audi S1 66 Motoring – Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

68 Motoring – Meet the Sandown Team

70 Meet Yourself Healthy 71 Introducing Table Talk 72 Table Talk Review – The Kensington

Table Talk Chef Profile – Steven Edwards

77 Bar Fly – Wine School 78 Table Talk Events – Croydon Food Festival

79 Table Talk Producer Profile – Denbies Wine Estate

80 Secret Surrey – Be in the Kitchen

82 Institute of Directors – Director of the Year 5

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS COACHING FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

ROCKETDESK HUB OPENS DOORS

Executive coaching and

A new digital hub aimed

mentoring organisation

at supporting independent

the Academy for Chief

game developers has

Executives has announced

opened in Guildford.

the launch of its new group

The brainchild of

in London and the South

entrepreneurs Ben

East. The new group, which will host monthly forums for business leaders and senior executives, is to be chaired by Harry Wyndham, former Managing Director of Bolton-based CLP Envirogas. The Academy, which is celebrating its 21st birthday this year, aims to promote business excellence among its community of UK businesses leaders through shared learning and advice. Consisting of non-competing businesses and leaders, the group will provide London and the South Easts business leaders with a peer-topeer learning environment in which they can share their experience and expertise.

Ward and Neil Johnston, Rocketdesk has been set up to provide digital professionals, including game developers, composers, designers, web developers and video editors with flexible workspace at the Surrey Technology Centre. The space will also provide a place for creative professionals to network and exchange ideas, as well as hosting game jams and talks by gaming professionals. Ben Ward commenting on the pairs motivations said: “When I was

Wyndham, commenting on the launch of the new group, said: “The launch

studying and looking at the games industry it was completely

of the South East London Group is an exciting opportunity for business

inaccessible. You needed amazing degrees and demos, and it wasn’t

leaders and entrepreneurs to grow and develop their businesses.

obvious where the barrier was to joining the industry. I thought I was

“I’m looking forward to working with the most dynamic business owners

pretty good at uni, then I joined the industry and realised I didn’t know

and senior executives in the region and unlocking their growth potential

anything. We are providing a space where students can rent a desk,

along the way. My group will give people the opportunity to achieve a

hang out, come to events, and realise you need to be really good to work

healthier, wealthier balanced life alongside like-minded peers."

in the games industry. I hope that we will be encouraging for them. This

The news follows the launch of an entrepreneur board in Surrey by the

is something for everyone, not just people in part of our space. Major

Academy for Chief Executives.

studios can use this as a talent ground to find new talent.”

TOAST OF SURREY UPDATE The Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is again proud to sponsor the Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Toast of Surrey Business Awards. This is open to any Surrey business that can demonstrate how it offers continued support to its staff, reduces work-related stress and promotes good emotional health and wellbeing in the workplace. As the leading provider of mental health, drug and alcohol and learning disability services in southern England, the trust is encouraging Surrey businesses to make mental health awareness a priority in the workplace. There is a direct link between unemployment, poverty and poor mental health outcomes for people. The Centre for Mental Health estimates that the total annual cost of absences, reduced productivity and compensation claims related to mental health problems at work is more than £30 billion, so there is a sound economic argument for businesses to promote good mental health in the workplace. The companies and employers who acknowledge this and actively support staff, play an important part in a person’s recovery. Remaining in work and staying connected with colleagues is key in helping people to experience good health. There are many Surrey employers doing some great work to support the wellbeing of their employees and to cultivate open and positive work environments, so now is the time to celebrate success.

“The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.” 6

NEWS

“I’m a leader not a follower. Unless it’s a dark place, then you are going first.”

£1.5M CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN One of Dragon’s Den’s biggest success stories, GripIt Fixings, has launched a £1.5m crowd funding campaign on Crowdcube to help fuel its international expansion. The DIY firm, which manufactures universal plasterboard fixings, is headed by 20-year old entrepreneur Jordan Daykin who, along with his grandfather, patented the idea when he was just 14 years old. Following a successful appearance on Dragon’s Den, which saw him seal an initial £80,000 of investment from Deborah Meaden and then a further £900,000 from the investor since then, the company’s products are now available in 33 countries. Launching the crowdfunding effort on London-based Crowdcube, Jordan hopes to invest in industrial machinery to keep up with international demand, with the US and Australia seeing particularly large orders. Investor and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden added: “GripIt is a rare combination of a great solution-led product driven by a truly smart entrepreneur. I am not surprised by the success but the speed at which the market has adopted GripIt speaks volumes about the opportunity for further growth.”

TAXIS TO GO TEAL

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

Taxi drivers are considering taking legal action over a council’s decision to force them to change the colour of cars. Guildford

To help celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, NatWest, Bryden

Borough Council said the teal colour would make it easier for

Johnson, Chequers and Croydon College hosted “Apprenticeships –

passengers to identify licensed cabs. Cabbies will also have to take

Adding Value to Your Business” at Croydon College in March. During the

a professional qualification to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.

event, each of the organisations shared their experiences of employing

The Guildford Hackney Association described the change as “costly

apprentices to demonstrate how they can add value to local businesses.

and unnecessary”.

Mark Burgess, Director for NatWest Corporate & Commercial Banking,

The first teal taxis are now operating in Guildford but drivers have

said: “We’ve benefitted greatly from the hundreds of apprentices who

until the end of next year to comply with the new regulations. The council has agreed to pay 25% of the cost of getting vehicles “wrapped” in the new colour until July.

are working for NatWest. They bring with them a fresh perspective and together with their enthusiasm, they have really made a huge contribution

Mark Rostrum, secretary of the association, said he felt “confident”

to our business. I’ve had many conversations with our customers who

the matter could be taken to a judicial review.

either don’t understand what apprentices can add or how they go about

“Guildford council wants us to spend £1,500 to £2,000 per taxi to

deploying an apprenticeship programme so it’s great that we can share

livery our cars and that cost is sooner or later going to get passed on to taxi users in the form of higher fares.” Councillor Graham Ellwood said the council wanted taxis and

our experience with a number of local businesses.” Jackie Wilding, a partner at Bryden Johnson, added: “I believe that

private hire vehicles to be easily identifiable for vulnerable people,

apprentices have an important part to play in the future success of

including those leaving nightclubs.

our clients’ businesses as they bring energy and commitment to the

“We want to be absolutely sure they get into a cab that is clearly

workplace. Giving younger people the opportunity to start working also

identifiable and driven by someone who is now going to do extra qualifications,” he said.

brings a positive dynamic to their workforce.”

NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

TOP BUSINESSWOMEN LIST Surrey Chambers Business Women in Surrey (BWiS) revealed the top 50 women on its 2016 businesswomen list at a special flagship event to celebrate International Women’s Day. Held in Woking at the offices of local marketing agency Something Big, around 100 attendees listened to inspiring words from guest speakers Julianne Ponan of Creative Nature, Annabel Jones from ADP UK, Pathfinder’s Jessica Van Thiel, and Robyn Dunwoodie of Miller Brands. The top 50 BWiS Rising Stars Young Business Women in Surrey 2016 list was then revealed, which this year focused on the county’s younger (aged under 30) businesswomen. Certificates and flowers for those who made the top 10 were presented by Surrey Chambers chief executive Louise Punter, and BWiS co-chairs Sally Pritchett, director, Something Big, and Claire Dee, director, Claire Dee Communications. Louise Punter, chief executive, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, said: “It was a fabulous evening with everyone in the room keen to recognise the talented young businesswomen we have here in Surrey. Those who made the top 50 Rising Stars list came from all sectors of the business world, from large corporates to creative small businesses and everything in-between. Congratulations to them all and we wish them every success in their careers.” In alphabetical order by surname, the top 10 2016 BWiS Rising Stars are: • Emily Bollon – Motivation by Music • Yvonne Bryce – The Knights Group • Emily Chalkley – Charles Russell Speechleys • Jessica Edgar – Stars Performing Arts • Laura Goodridge – McLaren Automotive • Jade Hibbins – Bam Nuttall • Cheri Howieson – ADP UK • Hannah Johnson – McLaren Automotive • Katelyn Silver – Charles Russell Speechleys • Alexandra Trebilco – McLaren Automotive

SURREY SUPER GROWTH Leading regional law firm, asb law LLP has teamed up with Lloyds Bank and accountancy firm, RSM to create Surrey Super Growth – a definitive listing of the county’s best performing companies. With rigorous criteria for companies with more than a £2 million turnover, and achieving sustained growth over the past 3 years, Surrey Super Growth is all about celebrating wealth-creating, job-generating success. Surrey Super Growth gives these businesses the recognition they deserve and the opportunity to join other businesses in celebrating their success. The Surrey Super Growth team is analysing financial information filed at Companies House and creating an index of the 60 fastest growing businesses across the region. The Surrey region is a significant and growing contributor to the national economy with sector strengths in manufacturing, advanced engineering, digital technologies, professional services and pharmaceuticals. Over 60,000 active businesses contribute to a regional economy worth over £30 billion, employing more than half a million people. Russell Harvey, Mid-Markets Area Director, at Lloyds Commercial Banking, commented: “Despite the economic challenges, it is great to see so many Surrey-based companies across all sectors achieving strong profitable growth. The launch of Surrey Super Growth provides a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the success of these businesses and their talented management teams.” The Surrey Super Growth analysis is currently underway and meetings with shortlisted finalists will be contacted soon. The winners will be announced at a special awards breakfast taking place at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge on Friday, 1st July 2016.

“Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.” 8

NEWS

“The question who ought to be boss is like who ought to be the tenor in the quartet? Obviously, the man who can sing tenor.”

MCLAREN AUTOMOTIVE’S £1BN EXPANSION PLAN The six-year strategy aims to produce 15 new cars or derivatives of existing models and lift annual sales to as much as 5,000 cars, from the current 1,600. At least half of the cars will have hybrid engine technology. McLaren Automotive, which draws on technology used by the F1 racing team, was launched just six years ago. Mike Flewitt, McLaren Automotive’s chief executive said: “This business plan confirms that McLaren Automotive will remain proudly and fiercely independent by continuing to build the world’s finest two-seater sports and supercars.” But he added that plan, called Track 22, was also about broadening the UK supercar maker’s customer base with a new range of cars more attractive to the rich - rather than just the super-rich. The company is responsible for supercars including the £1m petrol-electric hybrid McLaren P1, but has already started introducing cheaper models. This includes the launch at the Geneva Motor Show of the £150,000plus 570GT, which is pitched at some rival cars produced by Ferrari and Porsche. Rather than being a racing machine, Mr Flewitt says the 570GT is designed to give a more relaxed drive, and has been designed with a more comfortable suspension. It also has more luggage capacity. About a quarter of the new £1bn investment will go directly into research and development, Mr Flewitt said. This will include work on an all-electric prototype. Electric sportscar technology is advancing fast, led by the likes of Tesla.

DUNSFOLD PARK Eleven parish councils have sent a letter to the Secretary of State for

ALDI TAKEOVER Firms are preparing to leave a business centre in Chertsey and dozens of

Communities and

comments

Local Government

objecting to Aldi’s

(SoS), requesting

plans to set up

he calls-in

shop have been

the 1,800-

submitted to the

home “new

council.

town” application

The German discount store wants to open in Chertsey Business Centre,

at Dunsfold Park.

between Gogmore Lane and Guildford Street, with the entrance and exit

Within the letter to the SoS, MP Greg Clark, the parish councils have

in Gogmore Lane.

said the application “breaches policies of the expectant local plan”

Mike Horrell, a Riversdell Close resident, said the development would

and “flies in the face of previous decisions that Dunsfold Airfield is an

‘result in an enormous increase’ in traffic along a residential road, and

isolated and unsustainable site”.

noted the ‘obvious noise and safety implications’ at the site.

The SoS has the power to call in a planning application to be referred to

“There will be a significant increase in the volume of commercial

him for determination after a public inquiry, instead of being dealt with

vehicles, including articulated HGVs, to deliver supplies to the proposed

by the local authority.

development,” he said. Although a date for a planning meeting is yet to

Once called in, referred to the SoS and agreed upon, he may inform

be announced, businesses are beginning to leave the Chertsey Business

Waverley that, if they are minded to approve the application, they

Centre, ahead of any decision.

cannot grant the permission without his consent. The 11 councils are also supported by Guildford district committees, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and by Protect Our Waverley campaign body. Dunsfold Park has been contacted for a comment.

Alistair Stewart, who runs Fat Al’s Gym in Chertsey Business Centre, will shortly be shutting up shop and moving to pastures new following the submission of the planning application. He said he and other occupants at the Gogmore Lane site were told by the landlord they would have to leave by the end of May.

INTERVIEW

GRAY MATTERS

Andy Gray

Andy Gray, Managing Director, Head of Corporate and Commercial Coverage for NatWest and RBS, on the state of UK business, the referendum, and the resurrection of Williams & Glyn. Your remit is for the UK. How do you manage such a diverse collection of regions each with their own individual issues? My business covers the commercial and corporate segments across the UK, from Orkney and Shetland down to Devon and

and colour. I’ve got a very big business in Manchester, which has different needs to the North East or the South West of England, so I’m interested in the whole of the UK performing well. Aberdeen is having a tough time because of oil and gas, and the Northern Irish economy is structurally quite different in terms of public sector and agriculture and food processing

Cornwall and across to Northern Ireland. I

being the dominant elements. So you get some

have six Regional Managing Directors who

regional differences, but my business wants

are very senior bankers in their territories. I

and needs to see business succeeding across

spend a lot of time travelling around, trying to

the whole of the UK.

In general, how is UK business faring? We’ve had a decent couple of years in terms of growth, seeing business invest a bit more – that manifests for us in terms of lending growth. We’ve worked hard to generate that appetite for getting people back investing and growing, which clearly is one of the wider challenges for the UK economy. I think times are uncertain at the moment, and getting on with running a business, and with investing are challenges for some people just now.

see what we’re doing well, what we could do

The South East is pretty resilient. Being

better and how the business is performing.

so close to London has its downside, but on

Clearly, there are some big regional differences

balance the access to a huge and vibrant

in terms of the makeup of the local economy

market, and the trickle-down from that, is

and prosperity. But we’re the market leader in

very helpful. You get the benefit from a highly

most areas, and with that market share comes

educated population; it’s a place to which

both opportunity and an obligation to support

people will happily migrate, either domestically

that this is a political decision and we are not

business.

or internationally, because the quality of life is

taking a campaigning position. Our number

good.

one priority is to support our customers

I’m always interested in local dynamics

Do you see the referendum on 23rd June as one of those uncertainties? Where do you stand on the debate? Certainly. As an organisation we recognise

INTERVIEW

irrespective of the outcome of the vote. However, from what many analysts are saying, if the UK votes to leave, there would be a detrimental economic impact, at least in the immediate years following such a vote. Clearly as the biggest bank for business, this is significant. What we’ve said is that we haven’t seen any evidence that shows there would be any economic benefits in the short to medium term. So while we are not seeking to influence how people plan to vote, we are and will continue to contribute to the debate and highlight some of the implications and economic impacts for our business and our customers. But obviously this is just one issue out of many that people will be considering before taking a position.

Are British companies exporting enough? Is that something you’re looking to encourage more of? We’ve got good capability around financing export and educating companies around

Gary Chown speaking at the Connecting for Growth lunch said that the UK has got this cracked. We are seeing lending growth and we are

exports. I think if you look at the UK

seeing a lot of start-up activity, but it’s still hard

economy since the financial crisis, there

to see what the trajectory will be. Post-financial

have been some really good stories of

crisis there definitely was a big increase in

exporting and innovations, but I think there’s

lifestyle start-ups, with the mind-set: “I’ve got

a whole lot more we can do and need to do. There are long-term issues in terms of the human capital and the skills base we have, particularly for high-value, high-technology manufacturing. There are concerns about whether we have sufficient people with the capability to drive that growth. I think there have been some really good initiatives around that but there is more to do. This gets us critically into the productivity challenge. I see manufacturing as an engine of growth, and the multiplier effect from manufacturing fuels into exports. We do have some fantastic natural competitive advantages in areas like financial and professional services and we should continue to support and develop these. There are various uncertainties at the

a skills set and I’m going to employ myself and maybe one or two people, but am not aspiring for huge growth. I’ll stay where I am because I can manage that risk; that’s not risking my future.” One of the challenges for the economy was that risk aversion; we need to be in a place where people are prepared to take the bolder, braver entrepreneurial decision, the investment decision.

The Entrepreneurial Spark programme tackles some of these issues... The support in Entrepreneurial Spark is critical. In lots of walks of life you don’t expect people to do something the first time and to do it brilliantly, so we are putting in some

moment that create natural risk aversion.

investment, but critically we give access to

Small companies can think, “We’re doing okay

an awful lot of people who can help these

by selling within the UK. Exporting is a bit

entrepreneurs succeed.

risky.” It’s a natural constraining force. Part of

The unintended benefit has been our staff

our role, along with other professional services

getting involved and actually seeing what

such as the Chambers and the UKTI, is to try

it’s like to be a start-up. Our employees now

and break down the barriers and tackle the

think a bit more entrepreneurially about every

uncertainty. It’s not fixed yet; I’d be deluded if I

opportunity.

What’s the future for the bank over the next couple of years? From my perspective the key challenges are supporting our customers through lending and being relevant and proactive and having insightful, quality conversations. Our size means that we see a lot of things; we have a great deal of information and we’ve been working hard over the last year or so to deploy that quicker and better to our relationship bankers so that they can then share insight, share understanding and ask the probing questions of our customers. Poor lending and slack criteria is what got us into the financial crisis, or it certainly was a big contributor to the financial crisis and subsequent economic recession. So I would strongly resist the idea that banks should not have clear and disciplined criteria for how they lend. I think inevitably there will be situations where potential customers want to borrow money from us but don’t meet our criteria, and I think that will always be the case. The issue we have been dealing with is customers coming to the conclusion that there was no point in asking because banks didn’t lend, before they even asked the question. There was a very unhelpful macro narrative saying that “Banks don’t lend,” and therefore businesses stopped asking. We’ve worked hard over the last two to three years to change our mind-set to one of “We want you out there

INTERVIEW lending money, seeking opportunities.” Last year my business issued 12,500 customers with statements of appetite – that is, for non-borrowers, an appetite to lend to them if they want to borrow, or the offer of a significant increase in the amount we would lend them over and above what they currently borrow. We’ve got some great stories of relationship managers going out to customers and saying, “Here is a statement of appetite for £1 million. What would you do if you could borrow this? What difference would it make to your business, to your plans, to your growth in terms of productivity, in terms of growth, in terms of efficiency if you could invest £1 million?” It is part of our role in the economic ecosystem to make sure that we are deploying our capital effectively and using that to create prosperity for our customers and the wider community.

RBS was required by the EU to divest a portion of its business, which will now become Williams & Glyn. How is this process progressing? We have a legal obligation, based on the EU ruling from a number of years ago, to divest ourselves of the Williams & Glyn franchise. RBS remains committed to full divestment by the end of 2017, although it continues to face significant challenges and risks in separating the Williams & Glyn business, some of which may only emerge as various separation process phases are progressed. We are working through the technology changes to make it a vibrant and effective competitor. We’ve always said that the separation timetable should allow us to be absolutely sure that all of our systems and processes are thoroughly tested and robust. We will only complete separation when we know we’re ready to do so for our customers. As a bank, we are spending a lot of time making sure we execute and deliver on that. I work pretty closely with Jim Brown, who is the CEO of Williams & Glyn, and his team to make sure we are doing what is necessary and appropriate to deliver a divested Williams & Glyn. We’ve made good progress to date. We submitted our banking licence application and we continue to work with the PRA and FCA towards obtaining this banking licence and separating from RBS. We need to be fully focused on our customers and on delivering our strategy for RBS and NatWest to become the UK’s favourite Retail and Commercial bank by running, simplifying and separating the bank. It’s very much about continuing to put our customers first.

CONNECTING FOR GROWTH

Above and right, pictures from the Connecting for Growth lunch

Andy Gray was the headline speaker at a Connecting for Growth lunch held at the Long Room at Sussex County Cricket Club. Organised by Gary Chown, NatWest Director of Corporate & Commercial Banking, the event brought together business leaders, charities and politicians to discuss ways in which business growth can be encouraged and facilitated.

BUSINESS AWARDS

TOAST THE SUCCESS OF CROYDON’S BUSINESSES

Croydon’s biggest awards programme is returning for 2016 with a celebration of the borough’s business success stories.

ollowing the success of the inaugural Croydon Business Excellence Awards last year, organisers White Label Creative are promising an even bigger and better event this year, which will also provide local charities with a valuable boost by raising funds for the Mayor of Croydon’s charities. More than 300 people attended last year’s gala dinner and charity ball and the 2016 event, being held in association with London Gatwick, got off to a glittering start with a launch party held at Impact House, which will shortly be transformed into residential accommodation by Inspired Homes. Councillor Toni Letts, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for the economy and jobs, told assembled guests: “This is Croydon’s time – with 11 cranes swinging on the skyline in this

wonderful city of ours you can almost taste the success. “One of the things I am most proud of is that we now have 14,815 businesses operating in Croydon – and that is a 9.1 per cent increase over the past two years. That is giving employment to 187,000 people and providing prosperity for Croydon residents and contributing to the economic success of this great place.” Some of last year’s winners joined forces to urge businesses to get involved and enjoy the kind of benefits they enjoyed from being recognised as a Croydon Business Excellence Award winner. Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison, founder of the RISEgallery which was named Business of the Year at last year’s event, said: “When you start a business you feel very alone

but when you enter awards like this and win that award it’s such an amazing thing to be recognised for. Get involved – the Croydon Business Excellence Awards are amazing.” The closing date for entries this year is May 6 and the gala dinner and awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 6, with funds going to the Mayor of Croydon’s charities. As well as London Gatwick, partners of this year’s awards are: Allianz Global Assistance, London Borough of Croydon, Wing Yip, Croydon Business Venture, Sussex Innovation Centre, the Croydon Partnership, the Croydon Advertiser, Platinum Business Magazine and Croydon Chamber of Commerce.

For more details about how to enter and the awards process visit www. croydonawards.co.uk

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk

EU REFERENDUM

by Louise Punter, CEO Surrey Chambers of Commerce

hambers has recently been highly featured in the news, with our Director General resigning. The British Chambers of Commerce listened to the businesses around the country and decided not to campaign for either side ahead of the European referendum. The BCC neutrality in the debate reflects the real divisions that exist in business communities across the UK and Surrey. A great deal more information is needed before the vote in June. Our former DG, John Longworth, shared his personal view on the referendum, Louise Punter which has created confusion regarding the BCC’s neutral stance. In light of this, John decided to step down. No politician or interest group had any influence on the BCC Board decision to initially suspend Mr Longworth. His subsequent resignation was agreed mutually between him and the BCC Board, and there were no external factors involved. The only views taken into account were those of the BCC Board and the BCC’s owners, the UK-accredited Chamber Network, of which Surrey Chambers is a member. We will continue to reflect the varied views of our membership, articulate their concerns, and seek greater clarity and information from both sides.

RAISING CAREER ASPIRATIONS OF YOUNG WOMEN

CHAMBER NEWS

t was no coincidence that BCC published their report on “Raising career aspirations of young women to achieve gender parity” on International Women’s Day. A project was run jointly with the Government Equalities Office (GEO), aimed at boosting the number of young women entering well-paid science and technology jobs, and the findings were based on working with more than 1,400 female pupils, 38 businesses and 37 schools across England. By inspiring young women to take up highly-paid STEM careers, we can look to narrow the gender pay gap, and businesses support this. However, to truly achieve this, we need to start in the classroom. Young people, especially young women, often have deep-rooted preconceptions about certain job roles. The failure to consider prospects in science and technology-related sectors causes many to opt for other careers, sometimes at lower pay levels. We need to change these perceptions if we are to use the nation’s talents and skills more effectively. Science-related sectors need access to all the country’s talent, not just half of it, if we are to be at the forefront of innovation. We need to tackle this urgently by increasing the interaction between education and business, and inspire young people to see all the career options open to them.

Surrey Chambers of Commerce can be reached on 01483 735540, info@surrey-chambers.co.uk, @ surreychambers

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE REVEALS 2016 TOP BUSINESS WOMEN LIST

urrey Chambers Business Women in Surrey (BWiS) revealed the top 50 women

on its 2016 business women list last night (8 March) at a special flagship event to celebrate International Women’s Day. Held in Woking at the offices of local marketing agency Something Big, around 100 attendees listened to inspiring words from guest speakers Julianne Ponan of Creative Nature, Annabel Jones from ADP UK, Pathfinder’s Jessica Van Thiel, and Robyn Dunwoodie of Miller Brands. Each shared their career journeys and attributed much of their success to strong role models – from mums and dads to bosses and colleagues – and sheer determination. Key messages from the evening included: don’t let fear stop you, go for your goals, and embrace change. The top 50 BWiS Rising Stars Young Business Women in Surrey 2016 list was then revealed, which this year focused on the county’s younger (aged under 30) business women. Louise Punter, Chief Executive, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, said: “It was a fabulous evening, with everyone in the room keen to recognise the talented young business women we have here in Surrey. The top 50 Rising Stars list came from all sectors of the business world, from large corporates to creative small businesses and everything in between. Congratulations to them all, and we wish them every success in their careers.” In alphabetical order, the top 10 2016 BWiS Rising Stars are: • Emily Bollon – Motivation by Music • Yvonne Bryce – The Knights Group • Emily Chalkley – Charles Russell Speechleys • Jessica Edgar – Stars Performing Arts • Laura Goodridge – McLaren Automotive • Jade Hibbins – Bam Nuttall • Cheri Howieson – ADP UK • Hannah Johnson – McLaren Automotive • Katelyn Silver – Charles Russell Speechleys • Alexandra Trebilco – McLaren Automotive

SURREY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE www.surrey-chambers.co.uk HEATHROW FIRM WELCOMES THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, PHILIP HAMMOND MP, TO RELAUNCH EVENT Top-20 accountancy firm, Wilkins Kennedy’s Heathrow office in Egham, was pleased to welcome the Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, to their office relaunch event following a major refurbishment. Mr Hammond addressed the room with an insightful speech about his early career and the local business community before touching briefly upon the issues surrounding Europe. He then spoke with guests and answered questions across a broad spectrum of European and business issues. Kevin Walmsley, partner at Wilkins Kennedy Heathrow, said: “It was our pleasure to welcome Rt Hon Philip Hammond, the Mayor of Runnymede and all of our guests to our newly refurbished offices. As an active member

REIGATE MANOR HOTEL PRESENTS BUSINESS AND THE MEDIA: JUST HOW DRAMATIC CAN THE CHANGES GET?

of the business community here in Egham, alongside our patrons at the Surrey Chambers, Wilkins Kennedy couldn’t have asked for a better fit for the occasion, than Philip Hammond who, as well as being Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, is also the member of Parliament for Runnymede and has a key understanding of businesses from his own successful business career before entering Government. Feedback was extremely positive and we’d like to thank all our guests for attending.” Philip Hammond commented: “It was good to have the chance to see Kevin, Matt and the Wilkins Kennedy team again, and I was delighted to be able to officially re-open their newly-refurbished offices.”

THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY CONTINUES TO BUILD ON ITS SUCCESS AND HAS CEMENTED ITS POSITION AS A TOP-TEN UNIVERSITY IN ALL THREE MAJOR LEAGUE TABLES IN 2016. A core component of this success has been Surrey Business School, where students get hands-on experience of real business problems and businesses get access to the ideas and ideals of future leaders. Surrey Business School focuses on practice and how business is done, principles which underpin the Surrey MBA. Undertaking the Surrey MBA is not just about the modules you study, the lessons you learn or the people you meet; it’s about the range of added benefits that come with our MBA programme. Alongside the practical career support offered throughout our MBA, a range of workshops has been designed to help you develop personally and professionally. With subjects ranging from strategic leadership to negotiation skills, you can expect to increase your self-confidence, discover new strengths and develop personal resilience. University of Surrey are proud to provide their students with access and genuine personal and professional insight in to the business world by formally connecting them with our alumni and business partners through the Surrey Connect Mentoring Programme. Students are matched to a mentor from a broad spectrum of industries, with roles from CEO’s to directors. It offers benefits like a fresh perspective, a personal insight, and a behind-the-scenes look at specific job roles and career paths, another way in which the Surrey MBA strives to connect students with practical applications in the wider world. If you’re interested in working with SBS as a mentor or business partner, please contact Abi Bradbeer, 01483 68 8621 a.bradbeer@surrey.ac.uk. To find out more about developing your leadership skills through the Surrey MBA programme, come along to one of our Open Events – Tuesday, 19th April 2016, Tuesday, 14th June 2016 - and find out more about our business consultancy and scholarship opportunities on our website surrey.ac.uk/mba Twitter: @sbsatsurrey, Facebook: sbsatsurrey

here’s no one more qualified than local Reigate resident Nicholas Owen to consider the dramatic changes businesses have experienced during the past five decades from his vantage point within the British media. Nicholas began his journalistic career very close to home at the Surrey Mirror in 1964 before moving to Fleet Street in 1968, working for the Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph then the Financial Times. In 1981 he switched to television reporting, joining the BBC covering news and current affairs programmes. At ITN Nicholas was a regular contributor to Budget programmes as Channel Four News’ Business and Economics Correspondent. Why not join us for Breakfast with Nicholas Owen and be inspired by his extraordinary stories during this period, and well….just how dramatic can the changes get!

When...... Tuesday, 26 April 2016 from 07:30 to 09:30hrs

Where...... BEST WESTERN Reigate Manor Hotel - Reigate Hill, Reigate RH2 9PF, United Kingdom

To book contact Kimberley.quester@ surrey-chambers.co.uk 15

BUSINESS AWARDS

KINGSTON KICK-OFF Kingston Business Excellence Awards 2016 launch in April

he NatWest-sponsored Kingston Business Excellence Awards are back! The campaign to champion the best of the borough’s businesses will be launched on April 13 at Glenmore House with a sparkling

showcase. Canapes, drinks and inspirational speeches on how the awards celebrate those companies that bring prosperity to the Royal Borough will feature in the event, which runs from 6 to 8 pm. The launch will throw open the door to entries from businesses in 13 categories, with another category, Business of the Year, which is currently held by Genuine Solutions, being determined by judges. The competition not only attracts prestigious entries but also sponsors, and so far this year they include headline sponsor NatWest, Antoinette Hotels, GSUK, GSL, Kingston University, TaxAssist Accountants, Kingston Council, Kingstonfirst and Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Launch sponsor Glenmore House won Best Business for Leisure and Entertainment at the 2015 awards. Managing Director Robert Dobbie said: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the whole Kingston Business Excellence Awards experience for the past couple of years and we are thrilled that Glenmore House is participating from the very beginning this time. “I really look forward to wowing all the attendees at the event on April 13th with our spectacular room, amazing canapes, and generosity contributing to a successful launch of such a great scheme.” The Awards are a collaboration between Kingston Council, Kingstonfirst and Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Kingston Council’s Lead Officer Business Community Andrew Sherville said: “The Awards are now in their fourth year and the foundations for their success are well laid. We are proud to support our entrepreneurial talent and believe the recognition of their success and efforts leads to greater innovation and prosperity within our borough.” Kingston Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Jerry Irving added: “At a time when growth and major development are gathering pace across the borough and opportunities are arising for local companies, there has never been a better time to showcase the innovation and ideas of our businesses.” The full list of categories is Business of the Year, Commitment to the Community, Best Business for Customer Service, Best Start-Up Business (under 18months), Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Business for Food, Hospitality and Leisure, Independent Retailer of the Year, Best SME Business, Best Business for Staff Training and Development, Best Apprenticeship Employer of the Year, Best Charity or Social Enterprise, Best Creative and Media Sector Business, Tech Innovation of the Year and Best Business for Marketing and Social Media Kingstonfirst is sponsoring the Independent Retailer of the Year. Chief executive Ros Morgan said: “We are delighted to once again sponsor this category, which celebrates excellence in our diverse and unique range of independent businesses. These firms underpin Kingston’s nationallyrecognised retail offering and are among the pull factors for shoppers returning time and time again.”

If you would like to sponsor a category or attend the launch at the Elizabethan suite, Glenmore House, 6 The Crescent, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 4BN, e-mail Vivien Newbould at Vivien.Newbould@ kingstonawards.co.uk

Some of last year’s winners: Top and middle Genuine Solutions, bottom Glenmore House Staff

CROYDON

CUSTOMER RESEARCH – THE KEY TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS Croydon Chamber of Commerce member Mike Herd, Executive Director of Sussex Innovation Croydon, shares his expertise:

If you would like to learn more about how Croydon Chamber of Commerce can help your business, please do contact us: T: +44 (0)20 7556 2390 E: info@croydonchamber.org.uk W: croydonchamber.org.uk

These ‘customer mentors’ can provide you with anything from a simple, informal chat and sounding board, right up to in-depth insight interviews. The trick with this latter approach is not to lead the conversation by telling people about your product straight away. Instead, you want to ask open questions that really get under the skin of who they are and what makes them tick – the problems and frustrations they encounter on a day-to-day basis. How do they currently get around the problems you are going to solve? Is the problem so great that they are actively looking for a better solution? When you design a product or service with this kind of feedback at the front of your mind, you can take it to market and start shouting about it with complete assurance, because you already know that it meets your ideal clients’ needs. Not only that, but you’ve already found your first customer, having built a relationship with them by involving them early on. If that doesn’t arm you with the confidence to grow your business, nothing will. Sussex Innovation – Croydon is an incubator for innovative and highgrowth businesses, offering a range of strategic and practical support as well as access to an extensive network of academic, public and private organisations, investors and advisors. Find out more: www.sinc.co.uk / 0203 828 1300

CHAMBER NEWS

f starting and running a business successfully is about one thing more than any other, it’s about confidence. The confidence to bring an idea to fruition, confidence in the team you’ve assembled around you to help realise the company’s vision, and most importantly, confidence that you are creating something that your market wants and needs. Establishing that confidence in your core idea is why customer insight and market research should be the key starting point for all businesses working with new, disruptive or innovative ideas. Good customer research helps businesses to gain an objective understanding of their customers’ needs and values, and redefine both their offering and how they deliver it. When you’re creating something which is innovative, it also means implicitly that you’re creating something which is untried and untested. It’s unfamiliar to the market, and as a consequence it can be hard to know for sure how customers will react to it. If you’re designing a product to be used by, say, a large corporate client, or a public body, you want to gain a deeper understanding of the people who are going to be using it every day (as well as the people who hold the purse strings!). You need to confirm that it’s definitely something they want, and even more importantly, that they’ll be prepared to buy it. Customer-led design is a mantra that many leading digital businesses have adhered to in recent years. Companies will release a small-scale product into the marketplace and redesign successive iterations of that product after receiving customer feedback about what features they would like to see integrated into its design. It’s why massive technology companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple continually release updates and patches for their products, feeding in a stream of new features that their most valuable customer segments are asking for. This process is often known as ‘lean development,’ and although it’s particularly suited to the digital industries, it’s a crucial process to bear in mind, no matter what sector you work in. If there’s an opportunity to test an idea before spending any money, seize it. Take every opportunity to network with and speak to your potential customers, explaining to them that you’re looking for their advice to help you develop a product that will make their lives easier. You’d be surprised how many valuable people are prepared to lend half an hour of their time to discuss their experiences and how they view the sector they work in.

CRANLEIGH

Glass Ceiling? Just Break It! Cranleigh Women in Business celebrate their achievements Rosemary French, Shalini Bhalla, Julie Kapsalis, Mel Booth, Klara Akerstrom and Christine Martin.

CHAMBER NEWS

‘D

o what you love! Don’t be afraid of change! Look after yourself!’ were the three messages from Shalini Bhalla of Just Jhoom! to an audience of more than 40 aspiring, early-stage and established business women who met to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event, at Cranleigh Arts Centre, was organised by Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce, which brought together five female speakers at different stages of their business development. They talked about their achievements and their challenges, but most of all, they celebrated the dynamic female-led business community in Cranleigh, which is often hidden because many women run very successful businesses from their homes. The event was hosted by Rosemary French, who received an OBE for services to women in business in 2014. She introduced the second speaker, a senior business woman living in Cranleigh, Julie Kapsalis, Vice Principal of Chichester College, responsible for 15,000 students. Julie talked about the challenges of moving up the corporate ladder while bringing up young children, a sentiment echoed by both the speakers and most of the audience. Julie said, “The UK economy would be transformed if only the same number of women as men started and led businesses.” She lamented the significant cost of child care when Scandinavian countries have a much higher percentage of women-led businesses and women in senior corporate positions because their child care is subsidised. Julie finished by saying, “What glass ceiling? Just break through it!” The most recent business owners to speak were Klara Akerstrom and Mel booth from Admin Lab, which started to trade only four months ago. They talked about the difficulties in receiving advice on setting up in business and how helpful their accountant had

been. Klara said, “We realised early on how important networking would be to growing our business, and we have picked up clients from the regular Chamber of Commerce breakfasts, more so than we expected.” Mel agreed and reminded the audience, “Do not underestimate the power of good planning.” Last to speak was Christine Martin, Founder and MD of 20-yearold business Travel Trade Training, a truly international company trading from her home in Cranleigh. She has worked with hundreds of airlines throughout the world, training their duty free staff and organising the International Sales Person of the Year (ISPY) Awards. She has expanded into Russia already, and Singapore is on the cards for 2017, followed by China. Christine said, “I am passionate about my business, as are my colleagues. We enjoy our roles, we have fun, and, most of all, our customers are happy. Cranleigh is a great place to run my business, being ideally located between Gatwick and Heathrow.” A question-panel session with all speakers completed the morning. One aspiring start-up in the audience was looking for help and several other women immediately offered up their skills and knowledge. Another question which provoked some discussion was what success looked like? There was general agreement that “enjoying what you do” is the best ingredient for a successful business. The event was so well-liked by the women businesses that it was agreed that a networking sub group of the Chamber of Commerce would be set up. With that decision made, the 40 business women networked over lunch and developed business partnerships.

www.cranleighbiz.co.uk

RESEARCH

TAKE TIME FOR SOME R&R: Research and Reflection!

By Joanne Rogers, Managing Director, Prowse & Co. www.prowse.co.uk

Public Relations Marketing Events Research Economic Development

www.prowse.co.uk

It’s that time of year when we’ve seen increased demand for our research services, often from companies seeking to gain insight to inform their business plans, or from organisations needing to establish benchmarks for future programmes.

xperience has shown us that rigorous research and market insight should be at the heart of any operation, enabling

companies and organisations to anticipate

leader in the digital space by consumers and trade”. A big ambition for a small, but successful, global brand. Our social media audit provided them with

establish a content plan or measure ROI! Research still has much value in traditional areas too. For example, with audiences becoming ever more influenced by their

the issues facing their clients and employees.

the information they needed to help make their

customer experiences, it is hugely important

From identifying a gap in the market to

goal a reality here in the UK market – and no,

for companies to understand how to deliver an

effective campaign management, research may

that didn’t mean drinking copious amounts of

excellent personalised service. The availability

be designed to enhance competitiveness and

their wines! We showed them how to increase

of online survey systems means that we can

achieve business objectives.

brand awareness and engagement in order to

now measure responses in real-time – there

attract, acquire and connect with their target

is no need to wait for an annual ‘super-survey’.

goes to those companies with the best

audiences online. The end result extended

However, the ability to identify trends still

research: those who make the most important

the effectiveness of their sales and marketing

applies as a key skill!

discoveries and those who exploit their ideas

activities, ultimately boosting sales.

In summary, here are three questions to consider:

It’s no surprise that success generally

most effectively. These companies drive progress, consistently applying innovation that results from research that’s designed to help develop new products and services. Unfortunately, we don’t all have the luxury of R&D departments, but at a very practical level, research is becoming increasingly social, making real-time business intelligence accessible for firms of all sizes. Successful marketing is dependent upon preparation and forward thinking. By utilising all available tools, companies can prioritise resource in areas of growth. For example, we recently conducted research for a wine brand whose digital vision

This type of research can be effective in any industry and in any geographic market. A social media audit can identify who and where your customers and prospects are online and what they are talking about. It also helps to create a content strategy which communicates stories

• Do I know how my customers feel about my products and services? • Is our team fully engaged with our company’s vision and goals? • Do I have an effective method for measuring

and messages that are relevant and engaging

social media success, so that I can

to your target audiences.

understand which channels are working and

I still find it interesting how many companies embark on social media programmes without really taking the time to consider their goals,

which aren’t? If you don’t know the answers, perhaps it’s time for some R&R!

Prowse & Co. uses a variety of research methodologies, from focus groups to online surveys and social media audits. If you need to find insights to drive your business success, give us a call on 01372 363386 or email joanne@prowse.co.uk

was to be recognised “as the wine industry

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

Compiled by Hannah Monkcom

THE AA’S NEW B2B PARTNERSHIP The AA has signed a major new B2B partnership contract to provide roadside assistance to Lex Autolease, the London-based fleet management and fleet funding specialist. The new three-year contract with the UK’s largest breakdown service will support Lex Autolease’s services, which it provides to around 300,000 vehicles. Service in the UK will be provided by the AA’s 3,000 plus patrols and includes roadside assistance, recovery, incident management and European cover. Bob Mackenzie, AA Executive Chairman, says: “Lex Autolease is the market leader in fleet management and is a fleet funding specialist, offering vehicle leasing for fleets of all sizes, and it is our job to help keep it that way. We are delighted to be providing its valued customers with year round peace of mind at the roadside. We have invested and continue to invest heavily in our business to provide state of the art dedicated operational support in the UK.” The Lex Autolease contract win will add to the AA’s B2B business which serves approximately ten million customers in total. Aside from fleet, leasing and hire companies, the B2B business covers three other categories. One is an important relationship with Lex Autolease’s parent company Lloyds Banking Group to offer breakdown cover to added value account holders across the bank’s brands, including Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland. In addition, the AA also serves automotive manufacturers representing close to 70% of the UK’s new car sales market, and also provides breakdown cover to insurance companies who offer the service in addition to the core insurance offer to customers.

HIGHEST RANKING BILLIONAIRES Bill Gates was once again on top as the world’s richest person on

HAILO BUSINESS CAB Hailo, The Taxi App is

already used by business travellers in over 90% of FTSE100 companies. The company recently

FORBES’ 30th annual ranking of the world’s billionaires; the technology

announced it has

guru has topped the list for 17 of the last 22 years, with a current

experienced year-on-year

net worth of $75 billion, down from $79.2 billion in 2015. The Top 20

growth in excess of 200%

billionaires have a combined net worth of $826.5 billion, down from $899 billion in 2015 and this is who they are:

as it continues to innovate ground transportation across Europe with a raft of new features in its free to use platform. Hailo for Business has cut the cost of thousands of business journeys, by helping travellers and their companies avoid hidden administration charges and booking fees typically incurred through other firms. Andrew Pinnington, CEO at Hailo said “Ground transportation in business is all about trust, reliability and control which can now be delivered through innovative use of technology. Customers need to know they can get from A to B as efficiently, safely and cost effectively as possible. Our Hailo for Business service is proving time and time again that our technology platform combined with the experience and professionalism of licensed taxi drivers delivers on all those measures. Hailo gives business customers control and complete visibility of their ground transportation costs.” Fundamentally, unlike private hire vehicle (PHV) providers, Hailo’s costs are completely transparent to companies, with no set-up, account, booking, or “run-in” charges. The cost of a trip is just that - it can make for significant savings and a huge difference to managing and predicting the cost of ground transportation for any business.

“A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands up for everyone else.” 20

NEWS

“Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.”

£1M BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMME

The Co-operative Bank and Co-operatives UK announce the launch of ‘The Hive’, a new business support programme for people wanting to start or grow co-operative or community enterprises, using a mix of online resources, training and advice. The programme is designed to enhance the development and growth of co-operative and community enterprises, a sector that is currently worth £37bn to the UK economy. Over the next three years, The Hive, the first co-operative development programme of its kind in the UK and powered by £1m funding from The Bank, will support the development of the existing 7,000 independent cooperative businesses across the UK alongside helping new co-operatives and community businesses starting up. The Hive offers comprehensive online business advice and guidance, alongside one-to-one support, peer mentoring and group training sessions, covering key issues such as registration, membership development, and co-operative finance. An online co-operative community launching in April will unite member-owned businesses across the country, creating networking and business development opportunities.

MORRISONS ON AMAZON Morrisons products will soon be available on Amazon, after the retailers joined forces in a new supply deal. Hundreds of Morrisons’ fresh and frozen goods will be available for Amazon Pantry and Amazon Prime customers, who pay a £79 annual subscription fee. Morrisons shares were up more than 4% after the announcement. Amazon Pantry, the company’s food offering, was launched in the UK last year, but did not offer fresh food. The extended service is expected to begin later this year. Morrisons’ chief executive David Potts said: “Today’s agreement is built on Morrisons’ unique strengths as a food maker. The combination of our fresh food expertise with Amazon’s online and logistics capabilities is compelling.” The fourth-biggest supermarket in the UK also announced it was extending its partnership with delivery service Ocado. Morrisons will use space in Ocado’s new “customer fulfilment centre” in Erith, and Ocado will supply software to fulfil online orders. “When implemented, this would enable Morrisons.com, working with Ocado, to sell to customers all over Great Britain,” Morrisons said. Competition is fierce in the supermarket industry, with the big four retailers - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons - slashing prices as they struggle to win back customers from discount supermarkets Lidl and Aldi. Amazon’s deal with Morrisons will place even more pressure on the sector. Sainsbury’s offered £1.3bn for Argos’ owner Home Retail Group, in a bid to expand its retail offering and challenge the likes of John Lewis and Amazon UK.

CONTACTLESS OR CONTACT-MORE?

Just over one billion contactless transactions were completed in 2015, the UK Cards Association said. More was spent using this technology last year than during the previous seven years combined. About half of all debit and credit cards are fitted with contactless capability. This allows shoppers to spend up to £30 on their card by placing it next to a sensor in a shop, without the need to enter a four-digit Pin. One in 13 purchases was on contactless during the whole year, but use grew to one in eight by December. One of the most common ways to use the technology is on the London Underground network, where more than a million journeys a day are paid for by placing credit and debit cards next to sensors when entering and exiting stations. Transport for London said it was the first integrated transport authority to introduce contactless ticketing. Concerns have been raised in the past over security of contactless cards, although the industry said that fraud levels on contactless payments were low. Every contactless card has an in-built security check which requires a Pin to be entered after a number of consecutive contactless payments, to verify the genuine cardholder.

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS IS BARCLAYS LEAVING AFRICA?

Barclays has had a presence in Africa since 1925, now there is speculation that Barclays could be withdrawing from Africa. Barclays Africa was created just three years ago under a deal in which the British bank handed over ownership of its businesses in eight African countries to its South African subsidiary in exchange for a 62.3% stake in the new entity. The British bank said its board was evaluating strategic options for its 62.3% stake in the African business, a holding worth about £7 billion. The review comes within months of Jes Staley taking over as chief executive of the British lender, at a time when it is required by regulators at home to hold more liquid assets to shore up defences against any future financial crises. Once at the heart of executives’ expansion plans, Africa’s growth prospects were dealt a blow in mid 2014 when prices of oil and other commodities - export mainstays of many economies - dived, partly due to a slowdown in leading consumer China. While the African company accounted for 13% of Barclays’ core profit in the first nine months of 2015, its earnings growth was the slowest among the British lender’s main businesses in that period. “Barclays could not have picked the worse time to sell. Apart from the standard discount the sale of major stakes, they will struggle to find buyers,” said a Johannesburg-based banker. The company makes most of its profit and revenue in South Africa and also operates in Kenya, Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Uganda and Tanzania. Barclays also has small businesses in Egypt and Zimbabwe which are not part of Barclays Africa; it tried to sell them to Barclays Africa after the 2013 deal, but talks fell through due to disagreements about the price.

PENSION PLAN DOWN THE PAN Thousands of workers who have been encouraged by the government to take out pension plans could be at risk of losing their savings. It follows fears that dozens of companies providing auto enrolment pensions are too small to survive. Employers and workers are being deliberately misled by some providers. Independent experts claim the problem could affect up to a quarter of a million people a year who are putting their savings into so-called master trust pensions. Such schemes are popular with the 1.8 million small employers with fewer than 30 staff who are currently signing up under the auto enrolment programme. “There is a risk of these schemes falling over; there is a risk that members might lose their money,” said Andrew Warwick Thompson, executive director for regulatory policy at the Pensions Regulator. However, he said scheme assets invested through asset managers regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) would be safe. This will be “the vast majority of cases”, he said. At least one master trust appears to be providing misleading information online. On its website, My WorkPlace Pension claims to have £50m of pensions under management, handled by the respected city firm Old Mutual, though when asked, My WorkPlace admitted to not having any such assets. Old Mutual have also said they aren’t affiliated in any way with the company. The government said it was aware of the issue, and was planning to take action.

OFCOM DEMANDS

Communications watchdog Ofcom has said BT must open up its cable network to allow competition to improve UK internet connections and has so far stopped short of demanding a complete break-up of BT, but said this was still an option. BT welcomed the report and said it was happy to let other companies use its network if they were keen to invest. Ofcom also said there was a digital divide in the UK between those with the latest technologies, and those without. It has proposed that decent, affordable broadband should be a universal right. Rivals had called for a split between BT and its Openreach operation, which runs its cables, fibre and network infrastructure. Companies such as Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk, who pay to use the network, say that BT underinvested in Openreach, leading to a poor service with interruptions and slow speeds. Now BT will be told to allow easier access for rivals to lay their own fibre cables along Openreach’s telegraph poles and in its underground cable ducts. Ofcom also says it intends to introduce tougher rules on BT’s faults, repairs and installations. It says Openreach should be governed at arm’s length from BT, with greater independence in taking its own decisions on budget, investment and strategy. It adds that a complete split between Openreach and BT “remains an option”.

“The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.” 22

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THE BIG STORY

NICE GUYS FINISH LAST By Maarten Hoffmann

A black President with a muslim name was thought to be a significant step towards making peace across the middle east, but nothing could be further from the truth.

s Barack Hussein Obama reaches the twilight of his second presidential term, he would appear to be a disillusioned and unfulfilled man. Upon his inauguration, he seemed to be a man that might change the world; a man who was full of promise; a man who had grand plans to actually change the way the USA was run. He then encountered the deadly jungle of American politics and found that just because his plans made economic and moral sense, that was no key to getting things changed. At every turn he seems to have been thwarted, rejected and disappointed. Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961, became the 44th President of the United States on January 20th, 2009 and is the only African-American to ever hold that exalted post. His American mother, Stanley Ann Durham, and father, from Nyang’oma Kogelo in Kenya, met at a Russian language course in Hawaii and married in 1961. Following their divorce in 1964, his father returned to Kenya and died in a car accident in 1982, when Obama was 21 years old. In 1963, his mother met Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian graduate student in geography at the University of Hawaii, and the couple were married on Molokai on March 15, 1965. Lolo returned to Indonesia in 1966, followed by his wife and stepson in 1967, with the family initially living in a district of Jakarta. From ages six to ten, Obama attended local Indonesian-language schools: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School for two years and Besuki Public School for one and a half years, supplemented by English-language Calvert School homeschooling by his mother. Obama returned to Honolulu in 1971 to

live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Dunham, and with the aid of a scholarship attended Punahou School, a private college preparatory school, from fifth grade until his graduation from high school in 1979. Obama lived with his mother and sister in Hawaii for three years from 1972 to 1975

while his mother was a graduate student in anthropology at the University of Hawaii and chose to stay in Hawaii with his grandparents for high school when his mother and sister returned to Indonesia in 1975 before dying in 1995 in Hawaii following treatment for ovarian cancer.

“That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk—barely registered in my mind.”

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THE BIG STORY Of his early childhood, Obama recalled, “That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk— barely registered in my mind.” He described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage. Reflecting later on his years in Honolulu, Obama wrote: “The opportunity that Hawaii offered—to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect—became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear.” Obama has also written and talked about using alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine during his teenage years to “push questions of who I was out of my mind,” and he was a member of the ‘choom gang’, a self-named group of friends who spent time together smoking marijuana and, no doubt, discovering themselves. Two years after graduating, Obama was hired in Chicago as director of the Developing Communities Project, a church-based community organisation originally comprising eight Catholic parishes on Chicago’s South Side. He worked there as a community organiser from 1985 to1988 and helped set up a job training programme, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants’ rights organisation. Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, a community organising institute. In 1988, he travelled for the first time in Europe for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his paternal relatives for the first time. He returned to Kenya in 1992 with his fiancée Michelle and his half-sister Auma, and again in August 2006 for a visit to his father’s birthplace, a village near Kisumu in rural western Kenya.

“Obama has also been called the food stamp President, with the number on food stamps increasing during his Administration to an alltime record high of 47.7 million, up 80% over the past 5 years. ” Obama entered Harvard Law School in the fall of 1988 and was selected as an editor of the Harvard Law Review at the end of his first year, president of the journal in his second year, and research assistant to the constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe while at Harvard. During his summers, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as an associate at the law firms of Sidley Austin in 1989 and Hopkins & Sutter in 1990. After graduating with a JD degree magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago. Obama’s election as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review gained national media attention and led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations, which evolved into a personal memoir. The manuscript was published in mid-1995 as Dreams From My Father. Obamas election brought with it hope of change, not only within the black community, but within the white middle class. However, time has shown that he has, to all intents and purposes, failed. Under his Presidency, the middle class have lost a month’s pay per year due to failed economic policies. In 2009, he pushed through the Stimulus Bill against which the country borrowed a trillion dollars to supply millions of ‘shovel-ready jobs’ in re-building the county’s infrastructure. This produced very few jobs. Meanwhile, electricity prices have soared to all-time highs and are 20% higher than when he came to office. Those skyrocketing electricity prices are another loss for the poor, too. Under the ultra-liberal Barack Obama and his “progressive” Democrats, poverty has soared, now affecting nearly 50 million Americans, more than at any other time in the more than 50 years that the Census Bureau has been tracking

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THE BIG STORY poverty. The poverty rate has also jumped by over 30% to 16.1%, about the same as when the War on Poverty started, $5 trillion and almost 50 years later. Obama has also been called the food stamp President, with the number on food stamps increasing during his Administration to an all-time record high of 47.7 million, up 80% over the past 5 years. Unemployment has increased and has still not recovered from the pre- recession numbers, and in November 2013, jobs were still down 1.5 million from when the recession started. In November 2013, black unemployment was still 12.5%, after 5 years under President Obama. The Hispanic, or Latino, unemployment rate was still 8.7%. The teenage unemployment rate, reflecting Obama Democrat experiments with the minimum wage, was 20.8%. The black teenage unemployment rate was 35.8%. One of Obama’s greatest failures was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obama Care. He proposed a laudable expansion of health insurance coverage to cover the uninsured, to cap premium increases, and to allow people to retain their coverage when they leave or change jobs. His proposal was to spend $900 billion over 10 years and include a government insurance plan, also known as the public option, to compete with the corporate insurance sector as a main component to lowering costs and improving quality of health care. It would also make it illegal for insurers to drop sick people or deny them coverage for pre-existing conditions, and require every American to carry health coverage. In 2009, a health care bill was passed after gargantuan battles, and in 2010, he signed the bill into law. In 2016, only 15% of Americans feel they have benefited from the new law and 56% of people feel it has hurt them rather than helped them.

“But Obamacare’s ‘free’ benefit mandates and overregulation have only resulted in sharply increasing health insurance costs, more than doubling premiums in many cases. ” Obama also promised that Obamacare would reduce health insurance costs by $2,500 a year per family. But Obamacare’s ‘free’ benefit mandates and overregulation have only resulted in sharply increasing health insurance costs, more than doubling premiums in many cases. Another Obama failure might be yet to come. Obama told us that nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran’s terrorist government would be “unacceptable” and he would stop it by any means necessary, with all options now on the table. But the flowerchild Obama/Kerry nuclear negotiations now actually seem resigned to only trying to contain what Reagan defence expert Frank Gaffney is now calling the Iranian “Obamabomb,” to echo the Obamacare failure. But this is the one failure that can prove far more deadly to millions of Americans than even Obamacare. The Obama administration’s greatest failure in many eyes, including my own, is within foreign policy - or lack of any foreign policy. Removing Osama bin Laden was seen as a tremendous coup, along with the removal of Colonel Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, Saddam Hussein and the attempted removal of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. Admittedly, George Bush and Tony ‘Bliar’ started this debacle, but Obama showed no tendency to stop ‘regime change,’ which, in many peoples eyes, was the start of the rot and slow death of great swathes of the middle east. Dictators are bad, and of that there can be little argument, but there is also the pragmatic view that certain parts of the world benefit from having a strong man in charge. If we take Egypt, where I lived for six years under Mubarak’s regime, there were certainly human rights abuses, torture and imprisonment without trial, but it affected less than 2% of the population, whilst the economy grew, tourism flourished and peace reigned. In the main, the average Egyptian was happy, outward-looking and cosmopolitan. There was creativity, freedom and prosperity. With Mubarak’s removal in the so-called ‘Arab Spring’, we have all-out war, many

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THE BIG STORY

“Dictators are bad, and of that there can be little argument, but there is also the pragmatic view that certain parts of the world benefit from having a strong man in charge. ” A black President with a muslim name was thought to be a significant step toward bringing peace across the middle east, but nothing could be further from the truth. His foreign policy seems to be ‘leave well alone,’ but with America having acted as the world’s police force for so long, it is earth-shattering to see them simply remove themselves from the arena. The trouble here is that Arab nations tend to respond to strength and power and not good words. Discussing what should be done is fine, but unless he is prepared to back it up with military might, it’s water off a duck’s back and has been roundly ignored, as his ‘red lines’ seem to be just so much hot air. Isis are here because there are no strong regional leaders to stop them, and the US, under Obama, has shown a distinct

thousands dead, the economy in tatters, tourism is all but dead, 85% of the precious historical Egyptian artefacts have been looted, trade has all but ceased and terrorism is growing at a terrifying rate right across the region. Iraq is in tatters, Afghanistan a basket case, Libya is un-governable, Jordan, Turkey and Europe are crippled by millions of fleeing refugees, Yemen and Somalia are lawless and Syria is in the midst of all-out civil war and mass civilian starvation. The rise of Isis can be directly attributed to American foreign policy.

reluctance to get involved. This has given the religious lunatics free reign to rampage across the region, killing everyone as they go, blowing up European capitals and enslaving entire populations. Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, is another man who only respects strength, and with a US vacuum in that area, has felt free to assume the mantle of superpower, annex Crimea and partner with Assad in the destruction of anti-Assad forces. And who is stopping him? Absolutely no one. We once had Dictators that were known, in security circles, as ‘terrorist killers’ as they savagely put down such activities in their countries before they got out of hand. The West then killed or deposed these Dictators and that removed the only barrier to the terrorists worldwide rampage. The IS intentions to create a caliphate across the Middle East is down, exclusively, to there being no strong regional leader to stop them. It has to be said that he took office at the height of the financial crisis when millions of Americans were losing their homes and the banking system was in the worst trauma seen for a generation. This was a huge weight to carry so early in his term and there can be little doubt that this steered him away from the course he might of intended. President Barack Obama is well-meaning, highly intelligent and has a strong and admirable moral compass, and, of all past US Presidents, is the one l would most like to have dinner with, but America and the world are worse places for his Presidency, and it seems to reinforce the old adage that nice guys finish last. In this case, it would appear to be prophetic.

ACCOUNTANCY

A CALCULATED OUTSOURCING OF ACCOUNTS

Why is an increasing number of businesses outsourcing their finance function? asks Michael O’Brien, Partner at Kreston Reeves www.krestonreeves.com

ost has historically been the main catalyst that instigates discussions about outsourcing. However, a more recent

their businesses forward and utilise the

and the latest software in a remote, but fully

external expertise available to them.

functioning, finance team. It also provides a

Following the advent of online accounting,

dedicated finance team to provide a client

development highlights the trend toward

accountancy and finance practices have

with support and advice relevant to them and

improving overall business performance

adapted and can now deliver virtual finance

their business needs. This team of advisors

becoming the main initiating focus for

teams. These teams benefit clients by providing

will have access to all relevant business data

outsourcing. Business owners want to drive

access to a range of highly skilled experts

in “real time”, enabling them to take an active,

ACCOUNTANCY

“All businesses are unique and have different needs. Outsourcing, especially in conjunction with online accounting, gives each business considerable flexibility in tailoring the service delivered to them.”

consistent role within the client’s business. This arrangement creates a collaborative relationship between clients and their professional advisors, generating opportunities for greater flexibility and a genuinely bespoke service. All businesses are unique and have different needs. Outsourcing, especially in conjunction with online accounting, gives each business considerable flexibility in tailoring the service delivered to them.

The benefits Improved business focus You can leave the numbers to the experts! This enables the team to provide robust management information needed to accurately assist with business decisions. Virtual finance teams will install the right systems, processes and financial infrastructure to allow each client to focus on developing their business while removing unnecessary worries and restrictions. Using these improved processes not only drives business performance forward, it also brings in a wide skill set that will increase the overall efficiency of every business. All clients have to lose is the burden of red tape from compliance issues as a dedicated team keep a step ahead of business trends and individual needs – and to react accordingly with both accuracy and care.

Adaptability Outsourcing the accounts function removes the stress and rigmarole of hiring and training new team members. An outsourcing firm has the ability to react instantly to changes within their client’s business and take action as appropriate. Outsourcing often uses real-time data, which means that up-to-date information is instantly available. This data will be presented to a client in a way which suits them, from instant reports to longer, more detailed analysis and KPI reviews.

The adoption of online accounting also allows roles to be truly shared, which means clients may choose to outsource certain elements

Ready access to experience and expertise Outsourcing accounting functions allows

of the accounting and finance function rather

each business the opportunity to gain access

than the whole area. For example, a business

to a whole new skill set; it allows businesses

may retain control of the sales function and outsource other areas. As no two businesses are the same this flexibility is vital. Using online software enables this service to be absolutely tailored to individual needs.

Cash flow

to scale up (or down)to meet each business need - without having to recruit especially or to increase salary liabilities. Each client, and their business, will have access to expertise in a wealth of areas which can be called upon regularly - or as and when needed.

It is often onerous for owner-managed businesses to stay on top of finances and pay creditors on time, particularly with the trend toward shorter payment terms. Nevertheless, the importance of observing these payment terms is vital: failing to do so may have a negative impact on credit ratings. Similarly, chasing payment from debtors often becomes time-consuming but is essential for cash flow. Both these areas can be successfully outsourced to a virtual finance team, who will efficiently manage debtors and creditors and ensure optimal cash flow for each client. They

Outsourcing firms offer a comprehensive range of services, in-depth expertise and have considerable, wide-ranging industry knowledge at their fingertips. So, rather than just having the skills of an in-house finance team, your outsourced firm could have experts who are skilled in a spectrum of financial and tax specialisms from VAT and Duty to Employee Benefits, and International Tax to Payroll. Using an outsourced finance function enables clients to lower costs, broaden their expertise and take

will also help forecast cash flow management,

advantage of the wealth of reliable, business-

highlighting impending shortfalls and ensuring

focused experiences available to them. This

the business moves forward in the most

also brings not only a more efficiently run

effective way.

business but greater peace of mind for the

The relationship each business has with their

client.

bank can be one of their greatest working

Michael O’Brien is a Partner at Kreston Reeves

assets. Outsourcing teams already have close

and leads its outsourced finance function. If

relationships with all major banks and newly

you’d like to know more about outsourcing and

emerging finance sources which may prove

whether it’s right for your business, please call

invaluable to clients – so, by outsourcing the

or email him on 0330 124 1399 or email via

finance function to dedicated professionals, this

Michael.obrien@krestonreeves.com

relationship can be enhanced.

Fraud prevention Segregating financial duties is fundamental to make sure you minimise exposure to internal fraud. Outsourcing teams already have procedures to deal with this and also monitor real-time information closely, so any suspicious behavior is identified promptly.

FINANCE

LLOYDS HELP PRODUCTION

Paul Green Senior Relationship Manager, Manufacturing, South East SME Banking Food manufacturer invests in new production lines with Lloyds Bank support

food manufacturer based in St Leonards-on-Sea has purchased two new production lines to increase its capacity and service more orders, with the support of a £240k facility from Lloyds Bank. BD Foods makes sauces, dressings and other condiments for clients operating in the aviation, hospitality, leisure and retail sectors. With the support of a hire purchase facility from long-term banking provider Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, the business bought two new filling lines. This funding means that the company can spread the cost of the machinery over an agreed time period so that it doesn’t affect its working capital. The first new production line fills sauce and dressing bottles for airlines such as British Airways. The new machinery means the

“We have worked with Lloyds Bank for a number of years, and their support of our plans and understanding of the logistics involved when purchasing European machinery has been instrumental in the smooth implementation of our new facilities.”

business can integrate the filling, capping and labelling process in one go, doubling the speed at which it can complete orders. The second new line fills larger product lines including yoghurt, table sauces and peri dip for clients including Center Parcs, Waitrose and Marriott. The new equipment can fill six bottles at once where the older machinery was only able to do one at a time. The business’ investment has already enabled it to secure a new contract with hospitality business Whitbread, and it is looking to build on this expansion with a factory extension later in the year. This will create up to 40 new job roles, growing its existing workforce of 84 employees. Established in 2001, the business achieved year-on-year growth of 24%, and has an annual

FINANCE

“Established in 2001, the business achieved yearon-year growth of 24%, and has an annual turnover of £8.8million.”

From left to right: Darren Lansley Lloyds HP & Leasing, Paul Green, Lloyds Manufacturing Relationship Manager, John Davis, Director BD Foods Ltd. turnover of £8.8million. In line with its on-going expansion strategy the business is hoping to achieve similar growth in the next 12 months. John Davis, Managing Director at BD Foods, said: “Businesses want to provide their customers with the highest quality condiments, and this is something that we can deliver. Due to the demand for our products, we recognised a need to invest in our infrastructure to move the business into its next phase of growth. “We have worked with Lloyds Bank for a

number of years, and their support of our plans and understanding of the logistics involved when purchasing European machinery has been instrumental in the smooth implementation of our new facilities.” Darren Lansley, Regional Manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, said: “BD Foods has established a reputation within the food industry as one of the leading suppliers of condiment products. The business’ expansive client portfolio allows it to enhance its product

line to cater to different audiences and stay competitive. “By using a hire purchase facility to fund its new machinery, the business has avoided a large one-off payment and is able to spread the cost of the kit. We’re looking forward to working with the management team as the business continues to accelerate its growth plans.”

LLOYDS BANK COMMERCIAL BANKING Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking provides comprehensive expert financial services to businesses of all sizes, from start-ups, through to small businesses, mid-sized businesses and multinational corporations. These corporate clients range from privatelyowned firms to FTSE 100 PLCs, multinational corporations and financial institutions. Maintaining a network of relationship teams across the UK, as well as internationally, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking delivers the mix of local understanding and global expertise necessary to provide long-term support and advice to its clients. Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking offers a broad range of finance beyond just term lending and this spans import and export trade finance, structured and asset finance, securitisation facilities and capital market funding. Its product specialists provide bespoke financial services and solutions including tailored cash management, international trade, treasury and risk management services. Its heritage means it has an unrivalled understanding of business needs and a proven track record of supporting businesses across the sectors and regions. Taking a relationship approach, it provides support to its clients throughout the economic cycle. Lloyds Bank has been voted Bank of the Year for an unprecedented eleven consecutive years at the FDs’ Excellence Awards in association with ICAEW and supported by the CBI & Real Business. www.lloydsbank-commercialbanking.com/

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PLATINUM

Welcome to our Business Travel Feature. The sector leader in business travel, Global Travel Management, bring us all the news about the accessibility of private jets, travel editor Rose Dykins flies off to Dubai to find out what the country offers for exhibitions, meetings and conferences and we bring you an exclusive Platinum interview with hotel magnate Surinder Arora.

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THE LONG GRASS BECKONS The current Conservative government will abandon plans to expand Heathrow, a senior minister has claimed. International development secretary, Justine Greening, said the government will decide against a third runway at the west London hub. Greening, who is MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, also called for a new “long term airport strategy” so the UK can create a “sensible” policy for future UK aviation growth. “I don’t believe that this government will proceed with a third runway decision,” she told The Telegraph. “I just don’t think it is a smart decision. “Trying to expand Heathrow is like trying to build an eight bedroom mansion on the site of a terraced house. It is a hub airport that is just simply in the wrong place. “The sooner that we can move onto working out a long term airport strategy for Britain the better,” she said. Greening also believed other ministers would “reach the same conclusion”.

APPLE APARTMENTS Apple Apartments has introduced a new online booking system to allow clients to check availability and get access to their exclusive rates. The London-based serviced apartment operator’s new system allows customers access to both private and public rates, as well as offering the ability to make special requests. Apple said the integrated service meant that clients could now make bookings without having to speak to their account manager. The company, which launched in 2012, now offers more than 200 apartments in properties in London, Belfast, Aberdeen and Liverpool. Apple recently launched a new initiative, Apple 21 Club, aimed at attracting customers in the SME market.

GATWICK DISTILLERY London Gatwick Airport and The Restaurant Group have today announced the opening of The Nicolas Culpeper the world’s first airport gin distillery - following a surge in the popularity of premium gins. The distillery is now open, coinciding with launch of a unique gin called ‘The Nicholas Culpeper London Dry Gin’. Named for the famous botanist, it is distilled from an exotic blend of ingredients, including Chinese Cassia Bark and Angelica root from India. Serving both food and drink, customers of The Nicolas Culpeper are able to pop in for a pre-holiday cocktail or a bite to eat against the backdrop of the functioning gin still, which produces up to 12 litres of gin per batch. Gatwick and The Restaurant Group teamed up to create the gin after seeing a significant jump in the sales of premium gin over the last five years. Premium gins now account for 40% of all Gatwick’s gin sales, compared to 10% of sales in 2011.

RYAN JET CHARTER Ryanair is launching a new private jet charter service for corporate clients. The low-cost airline said it would be using a Boeing 737-700 for corporate or group hire. The aircraft will feature 60 business class seats in a 2x2 configuration with a 48-inch seat pitch, and will be able to fly journeys of up to six hours. The jet will be staffed by Ryanair pilots and cabin crew and the airline is promising that “fine dining” catering will also be available to clients. Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said: “We are pleased to launch our corporate jet hire service with our newly customised Boeing 737-700, seating up to 60 passengers, on business class, reclining, leather seats, crewed by Ryanair’s industry leading pilot and cabin crew professionals.” The airline said that it already catered for around 25 million business travellers per year and has now set up a dedicated corporate jet team at its home base in Dublin. “Now, business and group travellers can also enjoy the benefits of Ryanair’s corporate jet service, as we offer a customised Ryanair Boeing 737-700 for private charter,” added Kiely.

ALL CHANGE AT MARRIOTT Despite word that China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co. has put forth a competing $12.8 billion offer to buy Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International is still on track to acquire Starwood, Marriott announced Monday. Starwood notified Marriott of the bid from a consortium of investors led by Anbang on March 11. Starwood has until March 17 to consider the offer but stated its board of directors so far hasn’t altered its recommendation in support of the company’s merger with Marriott. Shareholders from Starwood and Marriott will vote on the merger on March 28. Recently, Reuters reported Anbang agreed to acquire Strategic Hotels & Resorts, which has a portfolio of 16 upscale, luxury properties, from the Blackstone Group for $6.5 billion. Anbang also acquired the Waldorf Astoria New York for $1.95 billion last year.

Travel

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Global Travel Management Managing Director Scott Pawley gives an insight into how the ultimate in first class flying can provide a viable option

f you’re interested in reading about beating budget airlines on price I suggest you look away now. For those of you still in the loop,

chartering an aircraft. For example, a group from an investment bank had meetings in Belgium and Germany on

the sky for team discussions – and they didn’t have to consider an overnight stay at a hotel and dinner.

you might be interested to know that, in this

the same day and were unable to meet all their

In a year when a number of forecasts have

time-poor world, chartering a private jet is

deadlines using scheduled flights or trains. The

warned business travellers that although lower

an option businesses and individuals are

private jet was a no-brainer. It took them from

fuel costs might mean only slightly higher

increasingly turning to.

their nearest airport, Luton, at 6.30am. They

price increases in the cost of airfares, they can

The reason is simple as there are only so

got to Brussels in time for their 9am meeting,

expect to see a global rise in hotel and dining

many hours in a day and when you need to get

the jet then took them to Frankfurt for a lunch

rates.

a team to one or more destinations as quickly

meeting at 12.30pm with a 2.50pm departure

as possible without affecting productivity

that returned them to Luton at 3.20pm. The day

new perspective. You have the advantages of

there are suddenly a number of advantages to

was productive – including a meeting room in

shorter check-ins, you can choose departure

All this puts chartering a private jet into a

Travel “You might be interested to know that, in this time-poor world, chartering a private jet is an option businesses and individuals are increasingly turning to. ”

times as well as departure and arrival locations. You can choose your in-flight options such as beds, boardroom and meeting facilities, Wi-Fi and catering whether it’s a particular cuisine or from a certain restaurant or caterer, even if that’s just burgers and chips! Private charter jets also open a wider choice of airports at either end of your journey that includes small local airports. Even if passengers choose a busy hub airport, they use a small facility called a Fixed Base of Operation, or FBO. This cuts out all of the chaos of a commercial terminal. In the UK the choice includes RAF bases as long as we receive prior permission from the base. Another time-saver is the luxury of being able to drive to the aircraft as a lot of the time they get free clearance on immigration while any immigration checks at your destination are done pre-flight so that on landing passengers are pre-cleared by immigration, especially if they have a British passport. When it comes to passengers travelling by private charter to Dubai they are saved from

be on stage in time for their second gig. However, private charter also became a

For example, if you as Client A are interested in flying from Nice to Luton, a search by your

the queue at immigration and are whisked

viable option for a less glamorous business

aviation consultant might track down an

through to a waiting car, unless you are like one

group of six who wanted to attend an event at

aircraft leased by Client B to fly him to Nice that

client whom we flew into Dubai International

Leeds Conference Centre. They were able to fly

day. Client B has already paid for the hours and

Airport: he was then taken across to a waiting

from a small nearby airport, close to Epping

for the aircraft to fly back empty to it’s base

helicopter which took him straight to the

Forest, with the option to get back the same

in Luton. The aircraft owner/operator having

landing pad on the Burj Al Arab. Another

day without paying overnight hotel costs. The

already collected the cost from Client B will

advantage when flying privately into Dubai is

overall cost return was about £4,000.

then happily sell the now empty leg from Nice

that you can choose either Dubai International

The possible downside of ad hoc

back to Luton to Client A for a fraction of the

Airport (DXB) or the newer Al Maktoum airport,

chartering is that if you decide to charter an

normal price of a private jet flight so that the

Dubai World Central (DWC). Al Maktoum takes

aircraft for a return flight and need to be at

aircraft can return to Luton with added revenue

you nearer to Jumeirah and the Palm which are

a destination for a week you get charged for

for them and, of course, for a bargain price to

both good facilities avoiding the often heavy

every day that aircraft is on the ground waiting

Dubai traffic. Choosing Dubai International

for you. On the other hand you might just want

places you nearer to the centre of town and is

to use some of your hours to do a one-way

the one usually used by commercial flights.

journey and then the leasing company might

You may think that charter flights are more

take another client on rather than wait for you.

likely to be an option for people who need to

In that case you don’t pay for the positioning,

be in two locations within a short timescale

you’re just paying for the number of hours you

such as those in the entertainment industry

fly. Both chartered and leased jets would work

or football managers. To a large extent you’d

out cheaper than fractional ownership of a jet.

be right, such as one internationally-known

One further alternative that you might also

group of recording artists who had two gigs in

consider: it’s known as an empty leg flight

one day. As soon as they’d finished their first

and the opportunity is something you might

gig in Exeter we had to fly them and all their

ask your aviation consultant to check on their

instruments to Carlisle and they were able to

database.

Client A. A one-way business class seat on a commercial British Airways Nice to London flight might cost £700 to £800 but an empty leg flight might actually work out less than that! The luxury of flying on a private plane is convenience and efficiency, the real advantage is saving time – that equates to saving money.

Global Travel Management Kingsway House, 123-125 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6LR T: 01483 747321 W: www.gtm.uk.com M: sayhello@gtm.uk.com 43

Travel Shake hands in...

DUBAI

by Rose Dykins

Wanting to wow your employees with a wealth of superlatives and inspire them to aim high? The UAE capital holds the key.

ubai certainly talks the talk. Its penchant for promising to build the biggest, boldest and most bizarre is well-known,

and architectural firms are constantly conjuring up blueprints that, if they materialise, will add

staging Expo 2020 are well underway, and it

and the extravagance you would expect from

has successfully secured bids to hold more

such a fabulous location. Every small detail

than 100 conferences over the next few years.

is taken care of and events have a high

Dubai has built, and the people are coming.

profile feel.”

If you’re looking for a destination with

Hosting large-scale gatherings are perhaps

to the city’s “space-age playground” vibe. Just a

a permanent buzz, superb international

what Dubai does best, and grand, carpeted

few of the latest include an underwater tennis

connections and all manner of unashamedly

ballrooms are ten-a-penny. The sprawling

stadium, the world’s first fully rotational sky

decadent experiences, the emirate cannot be

Dubai World Trade Centre boasts 93,000 sqm

tower and the world’s longest indoor ski slope.

outdone. “Dubai has a definite elegance about

of meeting and exhibition space spread across

it,” says Scott Pawley, Managing Director of

17 meeting halls and one ballroom - making it

Global Travel Management. “It offers good value

the largest venue in the Middle East. And the

for money, great service, the finest of venues,

72-floor JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the tallest

But Dubai also walks the walk, and its ambitious vision of attracting 20 million annual visitors by the year 2020 has almost been realised, as it welcomed 14 million of them last year. The emirate has tripled the number of annual conferences and conventions it hosts over the past decade, its pioneering plans for

Travel

Palm Jumeirah

hotel in the world, offers two sizeable ballrooms (1391 sqm and 1192

the ones to keep an eye on for corporate getaways are the new Starwood

sqm) as well as 32 other meeting rooms. So, capacity really

properties opening up in quick succession on the man-made Palm

isn’t a problem.

Jumeirah Island, with its mid-market Aloft and glitzy W brands coming

But Dubai can do intimate too. “The One and Only Dubai works well for small meetings, and the Madinat Jumeirah feels so private,” says Pawley. The former is nestled on a tranquil sandy peninsula on Palm

next year, and a five-star St. Regis set to debut in 2018 - the latter will have the world’s highest swimming pool (213 metres above street level). And British institution, Dukes Hotel has chosen Dubai as the perfect

Island, while the Madinat Jumeirah comprises two hotels, 29 summer

place to launch its second ever property in September. “There has

houses and seven villas dispersed along 3km of winding waterways and

always been a strong British community in the UAE, and elsewhere in

lush gardens – a Middle Eastern Little Venice of sorts.

the region, and we feel now is the time for Dukes to partake in this,” says

There are too many new hotels springing up to name them all. Among

Debrah Dhugga, Managing Director of Dukes London and Dubai.

Travel Clé food

Dubai Opera House

Clé food

Dukes Dubai will recreate the James Bondstyle gentleman’s club glamour the Mayfair hotel is famed for, offering seven meeting spaces, a cigar lounge and, of course, the brand’s signature martinis. Aside from hotels, there are some staggering new meeting spaces on the horizon. Last month, the first ever opera house in the UAE was set to open. The Zaha Hadid-designed Dubai Opera House mimics a traditional dhow fishing boat in shape, and the floor of its “transformable” concert hall can be flattened, creating a banquet space for 1000 people. And the immense Expo 2020 site - covering 438 hectares - is intended to remain as a networking and innovation space long after the

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers - Deluxe King Room

25 million visitors have come and gone over the the six-month global exchange of ideas. The ever-expanding Dubai International Airport has recently opened a new concourse, boosting its capacity from 75 million to 90 million, making it even better equipped to handle its impressive global flight network, and further improving the passenger experience. Last month, flagship carrier Emirates unveiled its brand new business class seat “inspired by the interior of a modern sports car”, which will launch in November on its B777-300ER - and the airline is also developing a new first class suite, which will imitate the feel of a “private bedroom on a luxury yacht,” (although, this might be pushing your budget, even if your employees have worked really hard…) Dubai’s incredible connectivity and location at the centre of Europe and Asia makes it ideal if you’re planning an intercontinental get-

Jumeirah Emirates Towers - Mosaico Terrace

Travel

together, and the sheer range of facilities and

experiences on offer mean there is something to suit all tastes. “With a combination of traditional Arabic heritage and a surge of modernity with the best urban luxuries, Dubai is fast becoming an important destination for business,” says a spokesperson from the five-star Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, a secluded five-star retreat set amid the sloping sand dunes of the 225 sq km Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. “Apart from business meetings, a cultural offering is key to a successful MICE itinerary. At Al Maha, guests enjoy an unmatched experience of Arabian heritage, as the entire resort is styled as luxury Bedouin tents and suites. At the same time, they are offered fivestar services, exciting adventure activities and

One and Only Royal Mirage

a fabulous culinary experience.”

Madinat Jumeirah - Dar Al Masyaf

Atlantis, The Palm

Burj Al Arab - Royal Suite

Burj Al Arab

Travel

DUBAI

TEN TOP INCENTIVES • DUBAI AUTODROME – corporate days involve competing in a series of hot laps, drag races and pit stop challenges, with the option of a trophy ceremony for the winners.

• SUNSET DRINKS AT THE BURJ KHALIFA – Atmosphere Lounge, the highest restaurant and lounge on earth, can be hired exclusively for 130 people.

• SELF-GUIDED DESERT DRIVES – in teams, delegates can navigate the UAE desert by Jeep, culminating in an evening around a campfire with folk music and shisha pipes.

• BEACH PARTY AT NIKKI BEACH CLUB RESORT AND SPA – the hedonistic beach hotel brand has just made its Dubai debut, complete with a swim-up bar and a four-tier VIP terrace.

• GUIDED MANGROVE KAYAK TOUR – a chance for delegates to spot some flamingos in the wild, and learn about the rich ecosystem of Abu Dhabi’s mangrove forests (a one-hour and 40-minute drive from Dubai’s centre).

Burj Al Arab Skyview Bar

• XCLUSIVE YACHTS – inviting 200 people to glide around the Arabian Gulf on a sleek super yacht would certainly make a memorable product launch.

• RECEPTION AT CHILLOUT – surprise delegates with drinks at the only sub-zero bar in the Middle East, with stunning sculptures, chandeliers and furniture fashioned from ice.

• AL MAHA DESERT RESORT AND SPA – Camel rides, falcon shows and sundowners in the the resort’s desert event site can all be arranged.

• CAMEL RACING – treat your employees to hospitality at races, Dubaistyle – where camels are ridden by robot jockeys.

• DINNER AT OSSIANO, ATLANTIS THE PALM – a one-off seafood restaurant,

Camel Racing

where guests are surrounded by viewing walls into the venue’s aquarium, home to 65,000 marine creatures.

Ossiano, Atlantis, The Palm

SPARE TIME DINE: For a popular local experience, there’s Bu Qtair, which serves freshly-caught, South Indian-style seafood from a humble portacabin. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Clé, with modern Middle Eastern fare served in a VIP setting. Techfanatics should check out Ebony, where diners order African and Arabic dishes with interactive touchscreen tables – you can even watch your food being prepared via a real-time video stream. DRINK: Go to Cave at the Conrad Dubai for a cosy, wine cellar with “daybeds”. For decadence, it has to be Skyview Bar at the seven-star Burj Al Arab – with glittering sea views from the hotel’s 27th floor, diamond encrusted champagne flutes, and a minimum spend of £67 per person. And for pure novelty, stop in at Mcgettigans Irish pub before your flight home – its exterior a even has cobblestones and a flock of Cave at the Conrad Dubai confused-looking ducks. DO: Head to the western Al Quoz neighbourhood for eclectic art exhibitions and a decent cup of coffee (try Cafe Rider and Tom&Serg). Stroll down JBR Walk for a California-like vibe, and reserve your place at a hosted Emirati breakfast at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, where you’re invited to ask locals questions you may have about UAE’s cultural and religious values.

MEET WELL CONFERENCES

EAT WELL • FEEL WELL • THINK WELL • MEET WELL Trade in the hustle and bustle, dark stuffy meeting rooms and heavy food for sea air, green open spaces, energy boosting cuisine and wellbeing activities with our brand new Meet Well conference package.

From

£50*

per delegate

Wellbeing extras include: • Delicious yet nutritionally balanced lunch options • Healthy snacking choices that are not packed with sugar and aim to boost energy • Wellbeing activities for your breaks or after conferencing – from mini massages, yoga & zumba classes to power walking trails in stunning Richmond Park*. • Energy booster box in your meeting room for your delegates to enjoy during breaks

97-99 King’s Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2FW www.grandbrighton.co.uk 01273 224300

TheGrandHotelBrighton

@GrandBrighton

144-150 Richmond Hill, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW10 6RW www.richmondhill-hotel.co.uk 020 8940 2247

Richmond Hill Hotel

@rhillhotel

Rate featured above is ex VAT. Package and rate is subject to availability and is flexible according to seasonality. Rates will vary across the two hotels. *Supplements apply for activities and choices vary across the two hotels, please enquire at time of booking.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

A VERY SUCCESSFUL MISTAKE

Surinder Arora was a bit of a surprise for his parents, and he has continued to surprise with his incredible rise to become one of the best-known hoteliers and businessmen in the UK. Surinder told his fascinating story to PBM...

As you enter his office, your attention is

ruffian from India who was going off the rails.

ike the boy who grows up and buys the biggest train set in the world, Surinder Arora has made it. For Surinder, it was

immediately drawn to the procession of planes rising off the tarmac, soaring skywards on their

but fate intervened: “I was born back in India

planes rather trains that stirred his passion,

journeys to all corners of the globe. If it wasn’t

in 1958, and when I was growing up I was

and his plush office overlooks the runway of

for his exhausting work ethic, there’s no doubt

told that I was a mistake. I was born after a

Britain’s busiest airport. His company, the

that Surinder would happily sit at his desk

10-year gap: three siblings, and then I came

Arora Group, now owns a stunning collection

admiring the view. And if he tired of this, there’s

out of nowhere. As my parents already had

of hotels at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester

always the option of nipping up to the roof top,

three kids, I was adopted by my mum’s younger

airports, as well as a portfolio of office and

with its added benefit of the accompanying

sister when I was two weeks old. Growing

property, as part of its UK-focused group of

soundtrack of ferocious engines driving these

up, I knew my uncle and aunt as my parents,

private companies.

metallic monsters forward. Not bad for a young

and I referred to my real parents as uncle and

There really should be no Surinder Arora,

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

“I am very passionate about my people in the company and I always say, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re a director in the company or you’re a porter, a maid or a receptionist, you’re just as important.’”

auntie. In the mid-1960s my real parents came

our house or do whatever it takes,’ but I didn’t

job.’ I joined Abbey Life in September 1982 and

here to the UK, and every time they’d go back

want them to do that. I joined British Airways

married Sunita in October.

and they’d bring a lot of toys and clothing and

as a junior clerk in 1977, earning £34 a week. It

stuff, and I used to say to my other nieces and

was just over £20 an hour to learn to fly, which

from 6.30 am to 2.30 pm, then went to the

nephews: ‘That auntie from England, why does

meant I could only have one lesson per week.”

Abbey office to catch up on admin work and

she love me more than you guys?’ “In 1971 my mum came back to India to

Surinder also worked as a waiter at the

“At BA I flipped onto early shifts, worked

saw clients in the evenings. An average day

Penta Hotel. Now it is the Renaissance, a hotel

wouldn’t finish until about 11 pm. I was also

marry off my eldest brother and sister and

he owns under the Arora Group Portfolio.

flying, and I used to referee three football

she realised that I was turning out to be a real

However, after the recession of the early 1980s,

matches each week.

gangster. I was 12 or 13, I was carrying a knife,

hotel work was hard to come by, so he found a

I wasn’t studying, I’d smoke, I’d do all the wrong

new opportunity.

things. So my real mum said to my parents over in India, ‘Look, with him being your only son, you’ve spoilt him. You need to send him to London. Let me knock him into shape. After his studies you can have him back.’ “In April 1972 I landed at Heathrow thinking I was going to my uncle and aunt, until three days later, at the dining table, they said to me: ‘We’ve got something to tell you.’ It was a shock,

“After a few months Sunita and I went to our first-ever Abbey Christmas party and, as

“The financial adviser from Abbey Life

I was new, we were shoved right at the back

used to come and try to flog me policies. He’d

of the room. In the distance I could see the top

come to the front door and I’d leave out of the

table with the top financial adviser, the branch

back door. My dear mum said to him, ‘He’s not

manager, the sales director and the MD. I said

going to buy any products, but if you’d got any

to my newly-wed wife: ‘Next year I want to sit at

part-time jobs, he’d be interested.’ In those

the top table.’ And sure enough, for the next six

days it was a lot easier and there was no FSA,

years I was number one salesman, apart from

so he said, ‘Yes, of course, we can give him a

one year when I was second.

but I actually thought I was lucky as I could have two mums and two dads.” Surinder may have felt lucky, but his ‘new’ mum was more demanding than he was used to. “Mum was very tough. I’d only been at school

“I said to my newly-wed wife: “Next year I want to sit at the top table.””

in Acton for a couple of months and a friend said, ‘Let’s bunk school this afternoon and go swimming. No-one will miss us.’ As I’d only been in the country a few weeks, the school rang my parents and said, ‘Your son’s missing.’ When I got home, my parents asked where I had been. I said, ‘School.’ And that was lesson number one: I got a bit of a bashing, a few smacks and was told ‘Don’t lie to me again or you’re out of the door. Tell me the truth and I’ll forgive you.’ “When I first came I didn’t even know the alphabet, so school was a struggle. The best grade I got was an O Level in Hindi. Because I couldn’t go into further education, I said to my parents ‘I think I’m going to be a policeman.’ Asian families always want their kids to be doctors, accountants and pilots, so a family friend took me to Elstree and said, ‘No, don’t be a policeman. Here, let me pay for the first lesson – why don’t you become a pilot?’ “I took my first lesson at Elstree London School of Flying and loved it. My parents said, ‘If that’s what you want to do, we’ll mortgage

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

“My boss in Abbey Life used to say: ‘Surinder,

to be in the office, I was self-employed. I didn’t

Airways Crew Centre and a lot of the crew from

you’re mad. You’re earning over £100K and

get paid if I didn’t work, but at least I could be

BA would come and talk to me and say, ‘We

you’re earning £20K a year in BA. What’s wrong

my own boss.

love New York but we hate Heathrow. In New

with you, why don’t you give BA up?’ And I said,

“Around this time I was driving past

York the hotel is run by BA, no-one else stays in

‘No, boss, I enjoy it. It keeps my brain ticking.’ I

Heathrow and I saw four derelict houses for

the hotel, we get good security, good service. At

did the two jobs and then I started dabbling in

sale. I went to the auction and bought them for

Heathrow we stay in different hotel rooms, we

property, buying the odd house, flat and shop,

£161,000, £40,000 each. The gardens were so

don’t get nice rooms, we get treated like cattle

renting and selling, so I was doing three jobs,

overgrown, I didn’t realise there were a couple

class.’

working seven days a week.

of garages hidden in the growth.

“By 1988 I realised that it was all taking

“I didn’t know what to do with them, so

“I wrote to BA, even though I had no contacts in the company. When I finally got a response,

its toll. I remember saying to my wife and my

I decided I’d renovate them and open up a

I was told, ‘Surinder, we’ll only deal with you

mum: ‘My body take it anymore, I can’t do this.’

B&B. I didn’t know what to call it, so I thought

if you bring in one of the big hotel chains like

Typically, they both said, ‘Don’t give up British

I’d call it HSA. Some friends said ‘HSA?

Hilton or Marriott as you have no experience.

Airways, you get free flights!’

House of Surinder Arora? Hospital for Sick

If the hotel is not built to the right spec, or if

Animals?’ It was actually Heathrow Standby

it’s not run properly, our crews don’t sleep and

and that year I finished number four in the

Accommodation. It went really well, and then I

we end up cancelling all our flights. Its too big

whole country out of about 4,500 salespeople,

started buying the adjoining properties: a few

a risk.’

and I took home over £200K – a decent number

more houses, an old Avis HQ and an old petrol

in 1988. In 1989 I became a sales manager;

station, to create the Arora Hotel.”

“I did leave BA and went full time at Abbey,

a year later, in 1990, I became the youngest branch manager in Abbey.

New to the hotel game, Surinder went

“It took me a good 20 months to struggle through planning and to convince British Airways and then to get the funding. My own

into the business with a can-do attitude and

bank manager said, ‘I think you’re mad. Why the

refused to countenance anyone telling him that

hell don’t you sell the land with the planning

cancer and I then resigned from my branch

something was not possible. This mindset led

permission for a few good millions, and you

management and went back to being a sales

to a fruitful relationship with British Airways.

can walk away and retire or do something else?

“In 1993 my dear mum fell seriously ill with

advisor, because as sales advisor I didn’t have

“The hotel was right opposite the British

Construction can go horribly wrong. It can run

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

“How can I offer a 4-star product with 5-star service at 3.5-star prices? How can I look after my staff as family and my guests like royalty?”

over time, over budget and you could end up in

“About ten weeks later he came back and said,

a council house.’ But to me it was a challenge.

‘Surinder, I’ve been sending mystery guests to

“We built the hotel in 1999, and within six

your properties. I really like the way you run

months BA asked for more rooms at Heathrow

your operation. I’ve been to the main board in

and then asked if we would do the same at

Paris. We’ll make an exception and give you a

Gatwick, and they also promised to bring in

franchise.’ So we did that, and we won the bid

business from America. So we built a second

against Marriott. We now have 14 hotels, of

hotel in Heathrow and one in Crawley, but

which seven we both own and operate.”

within seven weeks of opening the hotel in

The Arora Group is best known for its

Crawley, 9/11 happened and the whole world

collection of airport hotels, but this is only part

collapsed. I had to get other carriers and

of its story. It is the only company to which

the public in. I bought my fourth hotel from

IHG has franchised its luxury InterContinental

receivership in Manchester in 2004. Then in

brand to in the UK, with the new hotel adjacent

2005 I started dreaming about T5.

to the 02 Arena. He is also about to remove

“I approached BAA and said: ‘I’ve been

a huge blot from Crawley town centre by

told that you’re going to tender. Will you

developing the hideous Overline House, which

consider me as one of the tenders?’ When

dominates the entrance to the railway station.

I said the company was Arora, the MD said

“I got a call in 2012 from my General

‘No, thank you, Mister Arora. We’re building

Manager at Arora Gatwick saying that Overline

a £4.5 billion terminal and it’s going to be a

House was up for sale. We have been talking to

5-star international brand. So I’m sorry, we

the council about Overline House, and they are

won’t even consider you.’ I started talking to

keen for residential, but, importantly, it needs

all the big chains and said ‘Will you give me a

to be a nice building because of its location. It is

franchise for your 5-star brand?’ All the hotel

a gateway to Crawley.

companies had the same view: ‘No, we don’t

“Employment in Crawley has always been

give franchises on our top brand. We want to

pretty good, in the top quarter of the country,

protect our brand. Surinder, you can build it,

and more housing is needed in the town

but we must manage it.’ To me this was never

centre. We’re looking at developing studios,

an option.

one-and two-bedroom apartments - aimed at

“I went to Accor, the group that owns many

young professionals or married couples. We

hotel brands, and the MD said the same thing:

have listened to the local councillors, local

‘You can have the franchise for Novotel or

businesses and the local neighbourhood, so

Ibis, but never Sofitel (the premium brand).’ I

people don’t find surprises.”

didn’t give up, I called their CEO, showed him

The development will be a popular change to

round Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester, but

the Crawley town centre, and will benefit from

they insisted Sofitel wouldn’t be franchised.

the experience of the construction arm of the

company. With all he has achieved, we asked what business initiative has made Surinder the most proud? “When I was opening the first hotel I always said to my senior team, ‘I want this to be different from other hotel companies. I don’t want this to be known as just as another hotel company.’ So my dream has always been: How can I offer a 4-star product with 5-star service at 3.5-star prices? How can I look after my staff as family and my guests like royalty? “I always say to newcomers who start in the company that life is two-way traffic. You will be my family after you join the Arora company, but only if you give me 100%. If you don’t give me 100%, you can’t be family.” It is, perhaps, this ‘DNA mindset’ that ensures the Arora Group is a hallmark for reliable end-to-end delivery of excellence in delivery and service in everything it does. “Building the first hotel was a real challenge, because I knew nothing, but you always learn. Winning the bid for T5 was the proudest moment, one that I’ll never forget. It was an achievement to be shortlisted as one of the final two bids – and then everyone in the market place said ‘Arora? No chance. It’s Marriott.’ I was in Scotland when I got the news, and my reaction was: ‘Wow, we’ve done it!’ “Now, my wife will say to me, ‘So, when are you going to retire? What are we going to do?’ and I say ‘I enjoy work, I never want to retire,’ because I do love working, but just taking life a little easier. I’ve got a fantastic team around me, a great board, I can start stepping back and let them get on with it. “I am very passionate about my people in the company and I always say, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re a director in the company or you’re a porter, a maid or a receptionist, you’re just as important.’ I hate people calling me ‘Mister Arora’ or ‘Sir.’ Please call me Surinder. And if I turn up at a hotel the same time as a guest, open the door for him, because he’s going to pay the bill, I’m not. I also take great pride in helping raise funds at a charity event, and we have run events for Cancer Research and the LILY Foundation, which helps in the fight against young girls getting sold for trafficking. In one evening we raised £760,000, and I have said to the team that we must now do better than this. This is now my ambition” Judging by Surinder’s determination and drive, we wouldn’t bet against him beating that target with ease.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS How an education charity is paving the way into university for children of all backgrounds Nana, Mentee IntoUniversity Hammersmith

Sam, Mentee IntoUniversity Hammersmith

Interview with Lizzie Boyce, Corporate Partnerships Officer at IntoUniversity. Feature sponsored by DMH Stallard What does IntoUniversity do?

most effective ways to increase young people’s

became an independent charity. Now we have

Lizzie Boyce (LB): IntoUniversity is an

aspirations is through early intervention. We

21 centres in seven cities, and we’re working

education charity which runs a network of

take the children to universities when they’re

towards a goal of 33 centres in ten UK cities.

local learning centres based in underprivileged

in primary school, helping them to learn about

communities. Through the centres we support

different careers, what careers you would need

disadvantaged young people to reach their full

a degree for, what careers you would not, so

potential and raise their aspirations. We do

that at a really early age they are starting to

that through our innovative programme, which

understand what university is and why people

gaps in attainment between schools and many

consists of three strands: academic support,

go. Going to a university allows them see it for

students we work might not speak English at

mentoring and the FOCUS programme that we

themselves, and they can see that it’s actually

home. Just living in a home where there is no

run closely with local partner schools.

just a normal place where anyone can go if they

knowledge of university can be a barrier; a lot

want to study for a degree. It normalises that

of the young people we work with don’t know

aspiration for them.

anybody, apart from their teacher and their

As your name suggests, is the target to get young people into university? LB: We recognise that in the United Kingdom

How did it start? LB: We have two founders, Dr Rachel Carr and

What are the main barriers to inclusion? LB: It’s a mixture of things. There are big

doctor, who’ve been to university. They might not know anyone particularly close to them who actually works. In a more middle-class

going to university opens a lot of doors for

Dr Hugh Rayment-Pickard; in 2002 Rachel and

family the parents are talking to children about

people and we believe this opportunity should

Hugh were both involved in a local community

university and about what they do for their

be available to everyone who has the ability to

project in North Kensington, an area of social

careers from a young age.

succeed in Higher Education, whatever their

and economic extremes. They noticed that there

background. Our centres support students to

were a lot of wealthy people with skills and

learn about what university is, why someone

professional expertise, and there were children

would go and what the benefits are. If they

living on that side of the street whose future

decide to not go to university, we want it to

outcomes looked completely different to those

the most unlikely to reach their full potential,

be because they decide that it’s not the right

growing up on the other side of the street. They

and we do that through working with young

choice for them, and not because they think

put the two together and ran a homework club at

people who meet certain criteria. If a student

that it’s an option that is not available to them.

The Clement James Centre, where the students

is on free school meals or they’re living in

from the local estate could come and receive

council housing, that gives an indicator of the

support, and it spiralled from there. In 2007 we

income of the family. Our other main criteria

We start working with students at the age of seven. There is evidence showing one of the

How do you decide which pupils need help? LB: We target students in the UK who are

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY is if they are a looked-after child. These are all strong indicators that a child is at risk of not achieving what they are truly capable. We also have secondary criteria, such as English as an additional language, challenging behaviour at school or special educational needs.

Do you have any centres in the South East outside of London? LB: The Brighton centre, based in Moulsecoomb, partners with the University of Sussex, who are the main funder of the centre, and provide mentors and volunteers.

How much impact has the charity made? LB: We collect data from all our students centrally and we can assess whether the students know more about university, whether they have improved their teamwork and their confidence. In 2014 79% of IntoUniversity school leavers progressed to Higher Education. Nationally, it was 23% for students on free school meals. There are more people from different backgrounds going to university, but in the UK we still have one of the widest achievement gaps in the developed world.

How can companies get involved? LB: One way is through our Corporate Mentoring Scheme, which is matching students in their final year of education, who are applying to university, with a volunteer from one of our partner organisations. Ideally, it will be someone who has been through university and has now entered the professions and can discuss the transition.

One company who has embraced this scheme is the legal ﬁrm, DMH Stallard. PBM asked Partner, Simon Elcock why DMH decided to get involved? Simon Elcock: As a firm, we have been reasonably good at getting involved in various ad hoc Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives but we didn’t have any joined up projects. I was keen to change this, partly because we ought to have more of a focus on our local environment and people and partly, from a commercial point of view, because this is something that our corporate clients expect from us.

Gwen Godfrey, our Head of Banking and Finance, knew of a scheme at Oxford University where she studied and that eventually led to us Lizzie at IntoUniversity. Lizzie came to give us a talk and there was clearly a lot of interest in the firm with around 50 people coming to that first meeting. So far, we have been involved in the Corporate Mentoring Scheme and have 12 of our people currently mentoring IntoUniversity students. It’s been valuable and educational for us; I think everyone involved has really enjoyed the experience. We have a wide range of people involved, from senior partners to more junior paralegals and I think it’s fair to say that everyone has something to offer and a great deal to gain from this project. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I have spent with my mentee. He’s a really interesting and talented guy with a huge amount to offer but, not surprisingly in view of his background, the idea of leaving home and going to university is pretty daunting. So, we’ve been looking at loads of aspects around his chosen universities, for example around funding, student loans, obtaining bursaries and so on. We’ve also been looking at the merits of a London university against a regional university, whether he might continue to live at home if he chose a London university etc. I know that others here have done things like setting up mock interviews with their mentees to help them with university interviews and a whole range of other things. Really, what we are trying to do is to work out what help or guidance our mentees need and then tailor what we do to match those needs. We have really enjoyed partnering with IntoUniversity and we are going to get involved in more projects with them going forward. Those will include talking to students about legal careers and doing workshops with students in our offices. I’m sure these will be rewarding for us and, more importantly, I hope they will be of real value to the students.

QUICK FACTS: • Among the UK’s poorest families, only 1 in 40 students will progress to a top university compared with 1 in 4 students from the UK’s wealthiest families. • Children from disadvantaged areas perform far less well in school and are 3 times less likely to go university. • More than 1 in 4 young people growing up in poverty in the UK believe that few, or none, of their career goals are achievable.

Academic Support

Corporate Mentoring Pair

Haringey Academic Support

How can our readers ﬁnd out more? LB: Just contact us. There are lots of different ways that people can be involved. Volunteering can be a great place to start but there are many different ways in which companies can support us.

Corporate Mentoring Pair

intouniversity.org lizzie.boyce@intouniversity.org

www.dmhstallard.com Primary Academic Support

INTERVIEW

A BEACON OF SECURITY Most companies spend almost all their efforts on the quality of their service and generating new business. No-one really wants to spend too long on examining what might go wrong, as the more you think about the threats to the business, the scarier it gets. Fortunately, Beacon Facilities Management can do the worrying for you and ensure your company can continue, even if the worst case scenario unfolds. Interview by Ian Trevett.

have to admit that organisation is not my strongest point. I try to pretend (to myself) that I have some form of system, but having met the brother and sister team behind Beacon, I can pretend no longer - I live in chaos. Though, to be fair, compared to Matt and Natalie Robinson, I think virtually everyone would feel at least slightly disorganised. The company can reel off lists of all kinds of accreditations, with all manner of acronyms, including SIA ACS and CSAS, which stand for Security Industry Authority Approved Contractor Scheme and Community Safety Accreditation Scheme respectively. Beacon has a vetting system, which borders on the obsessive, checking all employees to British Standard 7858:2012. And quite right, too. Security, and indeed facilities management, are areas where any short cuts can lead to devastating consequences. Beacon was originally formed as a security company, but now offers a full facilities management package, including cleaning, property maintenance and event management, whilst still maintaining and expanding on their security side; providing security officers, mobile patrols, key holding and business resilience services including business

continuity consultancy. What is unique, is that they still think like a security company, and, if you think about it, this offers a huge benefit. Take cleaning. Your office is full of expensive equipment and even more valuable data. But in the evening, a cleaner you perhaps hardly know is alone in your premises. “We had the systems to vet security officers,” explains Matt, “So when we started taking on cleaners, we applied the same meticulous procedures, so that everyone on our books is required to have a five-year work history check, proof of the right to work, references, and a credit check. It is quite unusual to go into this detail with cleaning staff.” “We’ve got all our vetting online now,” adds Natalie. “When you go to our website there’s an online portal where you log on and fill out the application form. It doesn’t matter if you’ve only been in this country for six months, we still go back five years. We’ve had responses back from countries all over the world.” “We won’t take on anyone who has an unexplained gap of 31 days between jobs, which allows us to discover if anyone has been imprisoned for a period of time. Cleaners don’t need to have a licence, so it is possible

to take on someone who has spent three years in prison for theft, and then put them in someone’s home or business. If they tell us they have been travelling for three months, we want to see plane tickets or evidence such as visas on their passport.” There are certainly no 31-day gaps in Matt and Natalie’s careers as they have worked tirelessly since founding the company in 2003: “I had been in security for a long time, mainly working in nightclubs in Brighton” Matt says “I then went into events, working for a company based in Brighton. I became a director, though not a shareholder, and when the owners were discussing that they were going to shut the business, I left and Natalie and I started Beacon.” “Our first client was the Sussex University Student Union, and they are still a client of ours today. They had a night club, bars and they organise large events, and there is an emphasis on keeping everyone safe. Ultimately, they are young people who have just moved away from home; we make sure they’re not passing out in a bush and they get back to their students’ hall, liaising with the campus security to make sure they’re safe. “

INTERVIEW

“We were early in using online advertising, and signed up to Yell.com. At this time, Waitrose had just taken on the Safeway store in Lewes, and their building contractor were looking to secure the building site when they converted the shop. They had been let down by their previous security provider and found us on Yell. They were impressed with our service, and it led to Beacon being taken on as the security of all their refurbishments nationwide. It was this partnership that really started to grow the business.” It was the obsessive nature of Matt and Natalie that made an impression on both the client and the contractors (though the manner of the impression varied sharply!), as Natalie reveals: “We were providing construction security, but we also monitored the contractors coming in and out, sending the client daily records. The contractors had written time sheets on which they would sign whatever time they were supposed to be in, not necessarily when they actually were in. We brought in microchipped tags with smart devices that went on their hard hats and they were scanned in and out. It did make an impact on their time sheets!” “We do things a bit differently to make ourselves indispensable for the client, though I’m not sure the contractors were so keen.” The company grew as opportunities presented themselves. Matt recalls, “I remember one instance when a manager at a company in Crawley was leaving for the night, went to turn the light off and the light switches went due to a leak. As we were on site for security, we arranged for one of our approved plumbers and an electrician to attend and fix the problem, we then arranged for a cleaning team to visit and clean the area. In the end we evolved into a full facilities management company. “We provide key holding and alarm response to many business and residential customers. If the intruder or fire alarm in your premises activates, one of our mobile response team attends your premises and investigates. Usually, it is a member of staff or the company owner doing this, which is dangerous. If a member of staff gets a phone call at 3 o’clock in the morning, do you really want them going to

an empty office, not knowing who is in there? “Our guys are trained and we have lone worker monitoring in place. All our forms are electronic, so the patrol officer fills out a report on a hand-held device and it’s emailed to the customer. So if the alarm goes off on a Saturday night, when the manager comes in on a Monday morning there’s an alarm report waiting for them which tells them that we’ve been there and what’s happened. “A lot of people don’t know the service exists, and it’s relatively low cost. It’s £300 a year plus VAT and £25 if we’re called out, this includes up to an hour on site checking the reason for the activation. We have spoken to companies who have had alarms go off on the weekend and the key holder has had a few drinks and just assumed it’s a false alarm. They have gone in to work on a Monday morning to find that the alarm was activated due to a burglary” Such a reaction is common, and when asked if companies take their security seriously, Matt is quick to answer: “After something happens, always!” “It’s like business continuity,” he continues. “We’re heavy on our business continuity because our customers rely on us, and we need to be able to respond 24 hours a day. All our phone lines can be diverted quickly so that if something happened here such as a fire or

there was an unexploded WW2 bomb and our office was unreachable, we can set up another office straight away and carry on delivering our services.” “If there’s one message I want to get across to people it would be: Spend some time to review your security procedures. What happens on the business continuity side if your phone lines go down? What happens if your alarm goes off on a Saturday night? Have you got an alarm? Has it been serviced? “Just spending an hour or two looking at security can save you a lot of hassle. Often places have been broken into and the alarm hadn’t been serviced or is no longer working. Is a working alarm a condition of your insurance? These things should be reviewed regularly, and it’s really simple. We come across so many cases where people have never got around to looking at their security - and then it was too late.” Matthew is also a qualified Security and Risk Management consultant and is currently studying for an MBA “we can consult on business continuity including running table top exercises, they are really interesting to run and the learnings and actions which come out when the continuity plan is completed, can really help ensure that our customers can continue to support their customers, no matter what.”

www.beacon-services.co.uk

ACCOUNTANCY

ACCOUNTANTS IN THE CLOUD…?

Carpenter Box becomes Xero’s national Accounting Partner of the Year Chris Coopey, Partner at Carpenter Box, celebrates the firm’s recent success at the Xerocon Awards in London and takes a look at the impact the internet – and ‘the cloud’ – is having on business today.

ove it or loathe it, the internet and ‘the cloud’ - that intangible space the internet occupies - is now inescapable. Almost certainly, your business will have a website and your main means of communication will be email. You may even be into e-commerce – something that in the UK in 2015 accounted for over £60 billion in value, or around 15% of total retail sales (according to emarketer.com). What, though (you may ask), has this got to do with accountancy? Well, here at Carpenter Box we spotted the potential of the cloud in accounting terms years ago. It struck us that rather than having a local installation of an accounts package in a business (usually on a PC that can suddenly cease to co-operate, is usually tied to one location and is full of critical and sensitive data that needs to be backed up but seldom is), wouldn’t it be a good idea to have something sitting securely in the cloud, remote from the business and accessible from any internet-linked location - and these days, from almost any device.

ACCOUNTANCY

As usual with new technology, it all takes a bit of time to fall into place, but there are now some fantastic products out there which can help revolutionise the way in which a business can manage its finances, and Xero is one of our favourites (which is why almost 700 of our clients use it already). From invoicing to automatic bank feeds, or from management information to business-specific add-ins such as EPOS, or property management software, we can give our clients a great cloud solution. Importantly, from our point of view, a good cloud accounting package such as Xero means that we can spend more time giving business consultancy and adding value to our clients’ businesses, and less time being a number organiser and accounts compiler. The result? The client gets a cost-effective, secure and always up-to-date piece of software which can help organise their business finances in a logical and efficient way, whilst we get the information we need to do a better job – helping businesses grow and become more profitable.

National recognition

business community we serve, we showcased Xero with an event called BITE – Business, Innovation, Technology and Efficiency attracting more than 200 visitors to the AMEX Stadium in Brighton in October 2015. Our national award was won on the basis that we delivered the best value-added services to clients who use Xero software. Carpenter Box was cited to have helped to change the landscape for accountants across the UK. Through its regular seminar programme and BITE, the firm demonstrated the benefits of Xero accounting software to many small business clients, backed up by a regular flow of information through social media and e-news. I spoke to my colleague and Carpenter Box Partner, Nathan Keeley, who has championed the firm’s Xero programme over the years. He was, of course, thrilled with the award, commenting: “This is an excellent result for Carpenter Box and its clients, 688 of whom now use Xero, making us one of the largest providers of the software in the UK. “Showing the benefits of moving to Xero

and cloud accounting has been a huge part of our plans for adding value to the work we do for our clients. Taking the focus away from compliance and moving towards a model where we look to help clients to become more profitable and tax-efficient is a large part of our future strategy. “Our aim is to train even more of our 140-strong team to Xero certification standard during 2016. We increased the number of certified staff from 24 to 40 during 2015 and our target is to reach 60 certified Xero users by the end of 2016.” The shift to the cloud, and the rise of the ‘Internet of Things’ will herald immense changes in the way businesses operate, with the direction of travel already apparent now. The trick for us is finding the right approach for the particular business in question, helping them to make the transition early enough to gain some commercial advantage by staying ahead of the pack. How does it work in practice? Nigel Mathews of Games Quest talks about the benefits of cloud accounting to his business at carpenterbox.com/cloud

So, we’re chuffed to be able to say that we were recently named UK Accounting Partner of the Year at the high-profile Xerocon Awards in London. Xerocon is the annual conference hosted by Xero which looks at the way the software is developing and gives an opportunity for Xero users and the add-in community (the apps that work with Xero) to get together. This year Xerocon attracted more than 1,300 national leaders and innovators in cloud technology and accounting, with the awards being the highlight of the two-day conference. Carpenter Box first used Xero back in 2010 and two years later became a Xero Gold Partner. The business continued to push for growth, becoming a Xero Platinum Partner in 2014 – one of only eight companies in the UK at that time to be awarded this status. As part of the programme to add value to the

ANGER MANAGEMENT

ANGER MANAGEMENT by Maarten Hoffmann

BEWARE THE BEAR W

e are being inundated with views, opinions and fear regarding the European referendum and we will be

It has worked a treat. Instead of discussing

and customs and were now suffering the

Crimea or Putin’s actions in Ukraine and

consequences. And what do the pygmy leaders

Syria, Europe’s great and mighty leaders are

of Europe do? They have now turned to Russia

covering the subject in depth in our next issue,

swimming in a sea of incompetence and an

for help!

but there is a larger issue here that l fear many

ever-increasing flow of human misery. Russian

have overlooked. Russia is weaponising the migrant crisis

immigration chief Konstantin Romodanovsky said “multiculturalism has failed because

and, many feel, is actually inflaming the

the EU was caught unprepared by the lack

situation in any attempt to cripple Europe. If

of a common vision for integrating arrivals.”

that is the case, then we should all applaud

He claimed that Europe had wilfully ignored

Vladimir Putin on an excellent job well done.

differences in culture, religious traditions

Despite numerous warnings, not least from the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Philip Breedlove, that Putin is “weaponising” the crisis to “overwhelm” and “break” Europe by the constant bombing of Syria and fuelling the flow of refugees, they ask for his help. Following the Ukraine fighting in 2014, Russia took in 600,000 refugees, whom they forced to integrate. Along with 338 temporary accommodation centres, they refused aid payments and demanded full integration into Russian life - work, school and language. They have not been allowed to join together in ghettos, soak the state for handouts or walk around assaulting their women. “Integrate or get out” might seem a tad harsh, but it is the only way to make it work. The other way, the European model, breaks the host country’s economy, destroying centuries of law and order, greatly lowers the living standards of its citizens and breeds mistrust and hatred. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Mr Romodanovsky said, “The EU lacks a comprehensive policy for registering arrivals or deporting illegal immigrants. Note the immigrants’ defiant behaviour and their growing claims and demands. The sex attacks in Cologne on New Year’s Eve are a striking example of this failure.” There is another answer to this crisis, in the eyes of Europe’s leader, and that is to talk

ANGER MANAGEMENT

“Putin hates Erdogan and is revelling in watching Europe rip itself apart whilst fuelling Turkey’s own problems with the Kurds....”

with Turkey and ensure they stop letting every

the entire newspaper under state control. Gay

won and will be unstoppable, and his desire to

man and his dog into Europe. So great are the

rights have all but disappeared and rape of

be seen as a great Russian Tsar reuniting the

negotiating skills of the EU leaders and their

prostitutes or homosexuals is ignored by the

old Soviet Union will come to fruition.

astute understanding of Turkish history, that

police and the courts.

their solution is to throw vast buckets of money

If we allow Turkey membership of the EU,

Now we see Putin claiming the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria and a halt to the

at the Turkish Dictator Recep Tayyip Erdogan,

Europe will border Syria, Iran, Iraq, Georgia and

bombing but you can bet your bottom dollar

£4.7 billion at last count, and incredibly, grant

Armenia, and with a population estimated to

there are hundreds still there fighting guerrilla

European visa-free travel to 77 million Turks

reach 91 million by 2050, they will be Europe’s

warfare, and Turkey has just suffered a major

and rush through their membership of the EU.

largest member. The country’s wealth is very

So, let me see if l have got this right? We

unevenly spread, so their poorest 30 million

terrorist bomb blast that has given Erdogan an

stop the flow of migrants, primarily caused by

would head for mainland Europe within days.

Russian bombing, by asking Russia for their benevolent assistance. Then we try to stem the influx of 3 million

Putin hates Erdogan and is revelling in watching Europe rip itself apart whilst fuelling Turkey’s own problems with the Kurds by

refugees by granting free travel to 77 million

driving migrants across its borders and

Turks.

encouraging the Kurds to take up arms against

The United Nations human rights chief

Turkey. Erdogan thinks

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the plan “raises a

that he will get one over

number of very serious concerns.” You don’t

on Putin by joining Europe.

say!!

He won’t. It will play into

This would all be painfully funny if it were

further swamp Europe in

part of Europe. That means that we are part of

a crisis that makes the

this insane decision-making process and we

current problem look like

will have to live with the consequences. As will

a hiccup.

Turkey has a human rights record that

I was determined to resist any comment on the referendum, but after researching this missive, l cannot. The ONLY sane way for the UK to maintain sovereignty, protect its borders and remain one step away from this total and utter madness is to get out of Europe. NOW.

Putins hands as it will

not for the fact that the UK is, supposedly, a

our children. And our children’s children.

excuse to intensify the bombing of the Kurds.

All the while, Putin is playing a deadly game

makes Saudi Arabia look liberal. A recent

in the background whilst

example is their largest national newspaper,

Europe implodes, and if

Zaman, that was recently critical of the

the US votes in Donald

government - a basic right in most democratic

Trump and closes its

countries, where we cherish a free press. The

borders in a xenophobic

government raided their offices and placed

suicide action, he will have

MOTORING

86th AUDI Audi can’t stop with their Q series and here we have the Q2. It is a hugely successful range and comes with a virtual cockpit and head-up display. I will let you know what a ‘virtual cockpit’ is when l get my hands on it.

MASERATI Maserati have launched their new Levante, which is, apparently, a warm mediterranean wind. Up to 430bhp, all-wheel drive and 0-62 in 5.2 seconds and further news from me when l get my hands on it.

BMW The all new M760li x Drive was showcased with the first ever Hybrid M Performance Twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine that will sprint to 62mph in 3.7 seconds which for a plug-in Hybrid is not too shabby.

ASTON MARTIN This gorgeous new DB11 saw the light for the first time and with their in-house designed 5.2 litre twin-turbo V12 housed in a new aluminum shell, if it goes as good as it looks, and it looks stunning, it will be a sell-out.

FERRARI The new Ferrari GTC4 Lusso is Maranello’s latest four-seater incarnation with a naturally-aspirated V12 and with a sprint to 62mph taking only 3.4 seconds, you can expect a waiting list.

HONDA The legend returns in the shape of the new NSX. A low volume car with outstanding looks and if it half as good as the first incarnation, then even at £130,000, it will fly out of showrooms.

BENTLEY If you have delusions of grandeur, and a chauffeur, then perhaps the new Mulsanne Grand Limo is for you. At the flick of a switch the glass partition between you and the driver can go from clear to opaque so he can’t see what you are getting up to in the back.

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV GX4h

£299 PER MONTH 1

PLUS INITIAL RENTAL AND VAT AT 20%

With luxuriously smooth driving dynamics, the intelligent Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV decides when it’s more efficient to use petrol or electricity, giving it the ability to deliver a staggering 156mpg2. And with ultra-low CO2 emissions, the Outlander PHEV is exempt from Road Tax and the London Congestion Charge3. Numbers never looked this good. We call this Intelligent Motion.

UP TO 32 MILES EV RANGE

4WD

156 MPG COMBINED

ULTRA-LOW COMPANY CAR TAX

CONTRACT HIRE FOR BUSINESS USERS ONLY

BIRCHWOOD MITSUBISHI Acts as a credit broker and not a lender

Birch Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QA 01323 407526 www.birchwoodmitsubishi.co.uk

Book a test drive

Model shown is a 16 MY Outlander PHEV GX4h 2.0 petrol hybrid automatic at £33,899 including the £2,500 Government Plug-in Car Grant. For more information about the Government Plug-in Car Grant please visit www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants. The Government Plug-in Car Grant is subject to change at any time, without prior notice. 1. The Contract Hire Finance Plan shown is applicable to UK resident business users only and is subject to status via Mitsubishi Contract Motoring (MCM) Watermoor, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 1LF (part of the official Mitsubishi Motors distribution in the UK). The rental is based on an initial rental repayment equal to 12 months’ rental plus VAT at 20%, followed by 35 monthly rental in arrears, and based on an annual mileage of 10,000 miles and are non-maintained. Excess mileage will be charged for. The offer rental is valid between 30th December 2015 and 29th March 2016 and is subject to change without notice, other terms and mileages are available upon request, available at participating dealers in the UK (excludes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & I.O.M). Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. We may receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to MCM. 2. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. 3. Congestion Charge application required, subject to administrative fee. Birchwood Motor Group Ltd trades as BIRCHWOOD MITSUBISHI.

Outlander PHEV range fuel consumption in mpg (ltrs/100km): Full Battery Charge: no fuel used, Depleted Battery Charge: 51.4mpg (5.5), Weighted Average: 156.9mpg (1.8), CO2 emissions: 42 g/km.

MOTORING

PEUGEOT 508 SW GT By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

driving position that was not the most comfortable for me but it does swallow the miles with little effort and around town, it has plenty of poke and is a breeze to park. Its main competitors would be the Mondeo, Passat and Skoda Superb and l would take it over all of them with a slight nod to the Mondeo. The Mondeo is a more supple car with better resale value and the Passat doesn’t handle as well, so bravo Peugeot. I quite like the look of it too - it certainly has a presence but as with all D-sector cars, it is very colour sensitive. Looks great in some and nondescript

ell, well, well. Peugeot seem to have done it again. The brand that most of us wrote off a few years back have

offers a form of four-wheel drive and a zillion mpg if you drive like a vicar. The interior is full of soft plastics and nice

and boring in others. This car is aimed squarely at the company car market and it makes a damn good fist of it. But one would have to say that they seem to

thrown their hat into the ring with a competent

design details and nothing too annoying.

and well built estate car - or Tourer and many

have got the seating position right in all their

The French, bless em, have a habit of adding

others models so why not in this very, very

superfluous bits and pieces that are just

important car for the manufacturer.

would have us call them. As you might recall, l reviewed the 308GTi last issue and had great fun with it. The arrival of a 508 estate did not exactly fill me with the joys of Spring but it is a really good drive, soaks up the bumps and swallow the the miles. For the money, they are closing the gap on their German rivals. Still in a totally different class but as l say, for the money, a sterling effort. The engine range is good and the 2.0 litre and 2.2 litre are the pick of the bunch and there is a hybrid available that locates the electric motor over the back wheels and therefore

TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: 508 SW GT Line BlueHDi150 Engine: 2.0 litre Power: 150 bhp Performance: 0-62 10 seconds Top Speed: 130 mph Economy: 72.4 mpg combined Price: £28,445.00

annoying but not here. The one thing the French were rightly

It is great to have the French back on-side with the creation of highly efficient, good

famous for was really good ride quality and

looking useable cars. When they can crack the

they don’t disappoint here. It has a high set

resale value, they will have it made.

MOTORING

AUDI S1 By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: S1 2.0 litre TFSI Quattro Engine: 2.0 litre turbo Power: 231 bhp Performance: 0-62 5.8 seconds Top Speed: 155 mph Economy: 40 mpg Price: £26,330.00

etrol heads might recall the phenomenal Sport Quattro S1, Audis brilliant short-wheelbase Group B rally car that was nothing short of sensational on the dirt. Well, now we have the chance to buy a road going version, albeit somewhat tamer, in the shape of the S1 Quattro road car. At first glance, you might not be able to see much difference between the standard A1 and the S1, but take a closer look and you notice those tell tale signs. It’s lower, has a deeper front grill to allow more airflow and we have a more aerodynamic rear end and four tail pipes. The power plant is the ubiquitous VW 2.0 litre that you will find in the Audi TT and the Golf R but this version has been tuned to offer 231 bhp and the addition of four-wheel drive makes it very interesting indeed. Like all such Quattro’s, it’s permanent 4x4 but in reality, the computer dictates which wheels are being driven and this offers extremely precise and stable handling. In short, it goes like a greyhound out the gate and just powers onto 62 mph in 5.8 seconds. When you consider the size of

the car, that is quite impressive. The interior is up to par with all other Audis: well built, brilliantly engineered and everything there, where you want it. I could of done with a little more lateral support in the seats but that’s getting a tad picky. The handling is interesting dependant on what setting you choose. My usual driving mode is Dynamic as it gives you the fastest driving experience but here, Dynamic leaves you a little unsettled. It is hard as nails and can have a few fillings out on bumpy roads but the cornering is sensational. Choose Auto, and everything calms down a little and it is a happy place to be. I left it in Dynamic and will be visiting my dentist shortly to replace the filling but also to get the smile off my face. The only problem with the S1 is the price. Starting at £26,330, it can quickly reach £30,000 with extras and that takes it into the territory of the VW Golf R. Personally, l prefer Audi’s to VW’s but there is no denying the astonishing performance of the R and in many peoples view, the S1 comes second. The S1 is a little temptress that encourages bad behaviour and with a traditional handbrake (hurray) it just begs to be yanked on in mid-corner, after you have disabled the traction control of course. This is a super hot hatch with bags of personality, grip forever and build quality that will fend off depreciation better than most. The dentist has fixed the filling but says he can nothing about the smile - which is due to the fact that when Audi took the S1 away, they left an R8 V10 on my drive. Tell my kids l love them and l will be back - sometime.

MOTORING

MITSUBISHI

OUTLANDER PHEV By Motoring Editor, Maarten Hoffmann

itsubishi was originally known as a shipping company and was started by three brothers way back in 1870. The

pumping out a combined 149bhp. In electric

The PHEV comes in auto only and is quite

mode, l managed to get 30.6 miles before the

brisk around town, and if Outlander owners

engine kicked in, and if you only drive around

seem to be looking a tad smug, remember, they

first car was developed in 1917 in the shape of

town or commute a relatively short distance,

aren’t using a drop of petrol to do it. All high

the Mitsubishi Model A, which was Japan’s first

this means that you will never need to buy

SUVs suffer from some body roll in the corners,

mass-produced vehicle and was actually based

petrol again. That is a very appealing thought,

but as the PHEV is heavier than its diesel

on the Fiat Tipo 3.

and unlike pure electric cars, there’s no range

counterpart, it actually helps to centre the car

anxiety, as when the charge runs out, the

when cornering, but, at speed, the steering is

the Pajero, Shogun and the original Outlander.

engine takes over seamlessly and re-charges

a little too light for my tastes. The standard

The Outlander was originally launched as the

the batteries. When home or out, it takes 3.5

stability control helps a little here, and it is

Airtrek back in 2001 and was one of the world’s

hours for a total charge, or 30 minutes on a

surprisingly quiet, even when the engine is

first SUV’s that actually drove like a car rather

rapid charger.

forced into service.

Notable models launched since then include

than a farm truck. The company has had a long

The remarkable thing is that against the

The interior is well laid out, and there is a

time to perfect this model, and what we see

eponymous Toyota Prius (or pious if you look at

simplicity to the dash that is quite refreshing.

today is a high-tech SUV that leaves most of

the drivers), the Outlander returns better mpg

Two things that took me some time were the

its competition in the dust when it comes to

and better CO2 figures. Astonishing in itself,

driving position and the Satnav. At 6’2” and with

economy.

but remember that this is a full-sized SUV with

long legs, l struggled with the seat position and

room for seven and a mountain of luggage.

the steering rake and reach, but with both on

and the world’s greenest off-roader. The

Due to its low emissions, company-car drivers

maximum, l got there, and the SatNav is not the

offering is a 2.0 litre petrol engine with twin

will save a fortune, and there is a government

easiest thing to use, but when you own the car

electric motors, positioned one on each axle,

green-car subsidy available.

day-in, day-out, it becomes second nature. Pity

The 2016 Outlander PHEV is a plug-in hybrid

MOTORING TECHNICAL STUFF Model tested: GX3h Engine: 2-litre, 16-valve DOHC Power: 149 bhp Performance: 0-62mph: 11 seconds Top speed: 106mph Economy: 51.4 mpg to 156.9 mpg 5% company car tax. ÂŁ0 congestion charge ÂŁ0 road tax

me here if you will, dear readers, as l have a new car every 7 days and have had months where steam was witnessed whistling out of my ears in frustration as l tried to get to grips with the eclectic array of layouts. I can hear your empathetic words of comfort from here! I would plump for the GX3h, as you get most of the kit: sensors, climate, Bluetooth and alloy wheels, and if you want the full monty, then there is the GX4s with powered tail gate, sunroof and heated seats. All are standard 4 x 4, of course, and you can never underestimate the phycological comfort of this. Last evening on the way back from Guildford, the gritters were out and temp dials were down to zero, but with all-wheel

drive you experience a great decrease in tension. Who on earth takes them off-road anymore, but there are so many conditions that warrant its use, and so far only Audi have caught onto

this across the range. Having said that, l love mud-plugging, and l would have no hesitation in taking this on a romp, which, sadly, l had no time to do. In SUV terms, l think the Outlander is a bit of a game changer.

Tel: 01323 407526 www.birchwoodgroup.co.uk 67

MOTORING

MEET THE SANDOWN TEAM at Guildford

Adam Hinton Transaction Manager 1. Where did you start

3. 4. 5.

your career? In Sydney Australia, for Peugeot. How long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz? 1 year 6 months. Why did you choose to work for Mercedes-Benz? Great Brand and I’m a Guildford boy so I like to keep it local. Tell us an interesting fact about you? I have wrestled a crocodile. What is your favourite model and why? E63S AMG – Best way to drive to the South of France!

Stan Kriel Sales Executive 1. Where did you start

2. 3.

4. 5.

your career? In East London, South Africa at a family owned Kia/Renault dealership. How long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz? I have worked for Mercedes-Benz in South Africa for about 2 years and now in the United Kingdom for 4 years. Why did you choose to work for Mercedes-Benz? My father worked at the South African production plant and was really brought up with the brand so I have always had an affinity towards it. Tell us an interesting fact about you? I’ve completed the 3 peaks challenge in 24 hours. What is your favourite model and why? It has to be the Gelandewagen or G Wagon. A timeless and beautiful machine.

MOTORING Stuart Head, Group Head of Fleet Sales, Sandown Group Mercedes-Benz Tel: 01483 654541 Mail: stuart.head@sandown-mercedes.co.uk www.sandown-group.co.uk

www.sandown-group.co.uk

Cath Willmott

Sales Logistics Manager 1. Where did you start your 2.

3. 4. 5.

career? Renault, Croydon. How long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz? Since May last year, although I was previously with MB Epsom from 2000-2005. Why did you choose to work for Mercedes-Benz? Having been with BMW for 10 years I decided it was time for a new challenge. Tell us an interesting fact about you? I have the ability to make Red Wine disappear – it’s like magic!! What is your favourite model and why? C Coupe – I think we are appealing to a younger customer with this new model.

Rory Johnston Technician 1. Where did

2. 3. 4.

you start your career? I started my apprenticeship here at Guildford after a week work experience. How long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz? 3 and a half years, this is my first year now as a fully trained technician. Why did you choose to work for Mercedes-Benz? I wanted to set my sights high. Tell us an interesting fact about you? I can move my eyes independently. What is your favourite model and why? SL65 - roof down and with that engine noise - nothing better.

Lizzy Hill Service Team Leader 1. Where did you start your career? 2. 3. 4. 5.

I started my career at a family run Mazda dealership about 10 years ago and from there went onto Toyota for 3 years. How long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz? I have worked for Mercedes Benz Guildford for 5 years. Why did you choose to work for Mercedes-Benz? Having worked in the industry for 5 years, I wanted to work for a prestigious brand. Tell us an interesting fact about you? I’m the only female in the service department, but not the girliest! What is your favourite model and why? Latest SLK for its style and seamless drive.

MEET WELL CONFERENCES

MEET YOURSELF HEALTHY These days there is a major focus on health in all aspects of life - and our business life is no exception.

ew of us will of been to a conferences or event and not overeaten or stuffed ourselves with food we know we should not have consumed in the mistaken belief that it will keep us going throughout the day. The Richmond Hill Hotel in Surrey and the Grand Hotel in Brighton have joined forces to create Meet Well Conferences. The concept is to boost productivity and attentiveness through a well-balanced diet, energy booster boxes and activities within the breaks, such as mini massages, yoga and Zumba classes, beach walks and more. It might seem odd to break a conference for a yoga lesson but research shows that such activities in conferences breaks increase the level of productivity and attention ten fold. It is often thought that sugary snacks boost energy and, in the short term, this is true but they can have a terrible long-term effect that often means halfway through the afternoon delegates are flagging and therefore feel they need another sugar rush. The opposite is actually true. Eat a nutritionally balanced diet through the day and energy levels remain high and engagement levels where they were when the day started. This is the new way to organise conferences, meetings and events.

â??The formal evidence base on what works well is not yet strong, but the evidence from experience and thoughtful opinion is becoming clear. It is also clear that leadership in creating a supportive culture is a key factor in ensuring staff wellbeing. Without leadership at every level a crucial factor in the effort to improve health and wellbeing staff engagement - will be missing. I hope that the leading thinkers and doers who attend the such conferences will share their experience and knowledge, bringing it to an even wider audience. Dame Carol Black, Expert Advisor on Health and Work, Department of Health and Public Health England

â?&#x17E;

INTRODUCING

Table Talk

Welcome to Table Talk, our new Food and Drink section bringing you the best in drinking and dining across our region. We have plenty to share with you. This month read about the fantastic Croydon Food Festival. Our wine columnist, Jonny Gibson of the Sussex Wine School, gives an introduction to food and wine pairing with some great insights In terms of dining, this month we pop into London for a peak at the beautiful Kensington Hotel. Our Chef interview is Masterchef Professionals winner Steven Edwards and we profile one of our regions great wine producers; Denbies in Surrey. What else have I been up to? Well this month I have spent a fair bit of time in London checking out some new and established favourites; Sartoria, recently refurbished and relaunched with Francesco Mezzei at the helm (who achieved a Michelin star at L’Amina). Go just for the incredible Zabaglione. The Wolesley, The Edition, and the two star The Square by the chefs chef Phil Howard. This was a bring your own bottle night making an otherwise costly meal, much better value (but bad for the liver – my dining partner and I brought three between us!). I also dined at The Riding House Café (who I successfully sued 5 years ago – but that’s a story for another issue). I have also, of course, spent a fair amount of time in some great local venues; The Saltroom, Plateau, Fourth and Church, Food for Friends, the Leconfield in Midhurst (review coming), Eat Naked, Penny Hill Park Hotel and Spa, Hotel Du Vin, Terre a Terre, the Curry Leaf Café and Polpo. I’ve also managed to fit in studying for my wine qualifications (the Wine and Spirits Education Trust level 3) with Sussex Wine School. What brilliant fun! (apart from having to learn about pruning). Spending a day a week tasting up to 12 wines with a bunch of like-minded people is a pretty good way to spend a wintry Wednesday. Trouble is, it makes me want to drink more.... Oh well. If you’re serious about wine i’d recommend the Sussex Wine School - I’ve discovered many new wines that I now love and feel much more confident ordering wine with food. I have now also signed up for the French Wine Scholar qualification so I will be sharing my discoveries in future issues. I hope you enjoy this new section – please do get in touch with your views, comments and questions at amanda@platinumbusinessmagazine.com

Happy dining

Table Talk REVIEW

The Kensington

n last month’s column I shared my love of

the 2015 European Hospitality awards. My

I visited, Simon was ever present, chatting

London. While I revel in trying out the new

expectations were pretty high.

to guests and doing what he does so well;

restaurants, when it comes to staying over,

or basing myself somewhere to work , like most of us, I tend to stick to my favourites. I decided to broaden my horizons when invited to dinner at The Kensington - by the new GM Simon Maguire, the talented ex GM of Hotel Du Vin in Brighton. Simon has always impressed me because he shares my values and passion for creating excellence in the customer experience. And he’s a thoroughly nice bloke. I have absolute faith in his endeavours and so was keen to see what he’s up to at his new venue. I hadn’t heard of the hotel because it’s a real hidden gem. An elegant townhouse, beautifully converted with fabulous design and branding complimenting the grand period features so typical of this part of London. It’s a quintessential boutique hotel. No surprise therefore that its part of the Mr and Mrs Smith collection – an important endorsement. They’ve also recently scooped two awards at

First impressions were positive. The façade is glamorous and elegant yet homely. A sharply dressed doorman showed me through to the opulent modern lobby. Off to the left there are a series of lounges that have a modern and

making sure guests feel valued and special. Simon takes pride in building loyal teams who are passionate about the customer and this is evident in the hotel experience. Check-in was straightforward although my

warm ambience with open fires throughout.

room was not quite ready. I was taken through

Visually the design and layout draws you

to the lounge and given complimentary

through the rooms offering a variety of places

refreshments while I waited which turned out

to ‘lounge’. I found myself wanting to try out

to be less than 10 minutes.

all the various seating areas, they all looked so inviting. These rooms are beautifully decorated with top notch interior design and impressive art - a nod to the location, this being the heart of museum district with Christie’s Kensington just round the corner. I perused the various pieces of art on display

The bedroom, a studio suite, was spacious, comfortable and well designed albeit a little tired in places (worn paint in the bathroom) but I later learned that various improvements are planned. I also noticed that the room was too warm. This was probably in response to the freezing conditions outside but I can’t

while enjoying the gentle buzz of customers

sleep in a hot room and the air conditioning

indulging in afternoon tea, having business

did not seem to be working. After a couple

meetings or working solo on laptops. It struck

of phone calls to reception this was rectified.

me that this is both a great place to work as

Impressively, a bottle of bubbles arrived as

well as a place to enjoy at leisure. The staff

an apology for my inconvenience. Of course

are smartly dressed and attentive. At the time

things will go wrong, but its how you deal with

Table Talk

❝

I always think a sign of a good hotel is when you feel the bed and your quality of sleep is better than if you were at home. Otherwise, what’s the point?

❞

it that counts and this was a good example of how to do it properly. The bed was extremely comfortable. It’s surprising how many supposedly good hotels scrimp on the quality of the bed or linen. I always think a sign of a great hotel is when you feel the bed and your quality of sleep is better than if you were at home. Otherwise what’s the point? This passed the test. Thankfully they have also avoided what so many newer hotels do – complicated lighting systems that require a degree in mechanical engineering to figure them out (this is a bug bear of mine) but here thankfully just proper light switches in logical places. There is great attention to detail; fresh macaroons, truffles and fruit in the room upon arrival and later, a hotel branded flask (that I wanted to steal but didn’t) of hot water was placed in the room with fresh chamomile tea to help you sleep. There’s a decent Nespresso machine and shortbread biscuits. Those wishing to be healthy are well catered for here as they have ‘The Juicery’ offering all manner of healthy elixirs and on the extensive breakfast menu I noticed a superfood egg-white omelette amongst all the usual suspects. On to dinner. The bar is situated just off the lounge area and has a different look and feel – old world glamour with marble floors and wood panelling. I was pleased to see English bubbles (Nyetimber) on the drinks menu. The restaurant itself is slightly more austere in its look and feel compared with the other rooms but nevertheless elegant and softened by an open fire. An amuse bouche of scallop ceviche, cucumber and horseradish tasted fresh with simple, clean flavours. More impressive was the starter of venison carpaccio with horseradish, hazelnut dressing, and shaved Berkswell. The quality of the venison stood out with the accompanying flavours on the plate serving to enhance this beautiful meat. A secret recipe, homemade Guinness bread, was deeply flavoured with a nutty treacle backnote. Simon revealed that the chef takes a pint of Guinness from the bar every morning to make this bread (or at least that’s what the chef tells him). The main course; a baked sea bass with white bean puree, artichoke, trompette mushroom and red pepper. This was delicate with the expertly cooked seabass clearly the star of the show. The only disappointment was dessert – a double chocolate cake with almond praline, buttermilk pudding and raspberry soil. The cake was dry and overly sweet without being balanced by a depth of chocolate flavour. The hotel is part of the Doyle Collection which is family owned and this comes through in the way the hotel is run; there is a real sense of team and guests are made to feel a part of that. It’s a great location being only 10-15 minutes walk from Knightsbridge (great for a Harrods or Harvey Nicks spree – not that I’d know anything about that) and yet is far enough away to be a little less frenetic than the very central parts of London. I slept soundly in that excellent bed and made full use of the Nespresso machine the following morning. Unfortunately I had to leave very early for a meeting and wasn’t able to sample the breakfast which I hear is very good. Of course I would have had a green juice and superfood omelette. Next time.

Table Talk CHEF PROFILE

Steven Edwards

Fans of Masterchef may recall how Steven Edwards, a Sussex-based chef, won the sixth ‘professionals’ series at the age of just 26, making him one of the youngest winners.

t seems Steve was always destined to be a

local ingredients to create unique and simple

collaborated with him on several projects. Here

winner, claiming the title Sussex Young Chef

dishes, focusing on getting the most out of

I get some insights into the chef, businessman

of the Year in 2010. He has trained with

each ingredient. Steve takes part in food

and family man....

some of the country’s leading chefs, including

events across the country and hosts residencies

Raymond Blanc and local chef Matt Gillan

and pop-up restaurants in Surrey and Sussex,

at South Lodge Hotel before going on to

as well as further afield. Recent and regular

Whats important to you? Quality is the most important thing to me.

become head chef at the Camellia restaurant

pop-ups in our region include Penny Hill Park

That’s not just about cooking but

- a position he held at the time of winning

Hotel and Spa, Nyetimber Vineyard in West

every decision I make in the company. The

MasterChef. Steve left South Lodge in 2014

Sussex & The Bingham Hotel in Richmond,

to set up his own company; etch food. Here

London. In March 2015 Steve was appointed as

he aims to provide customers a unique dining

the creative consultant for the Brighton British

experience in a fun, interactive and non-

Airways i360, due to open this summer.

pretentious atmosphere. His food philosophy is simple: using quality

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Steve over the last few months, having

question I always ask is, “Is this the best we can get?”

Where do you get your inspiration? I’m inspired by local produce and the seasons. I love Sussex and seeing the countryside change throughout the year.

Table Talk

❝

His food is lovely. He makes food that is great to eat, expertly cooked, presented with a certain elegance, clean lines, and it works fault-free. Michel Roux Jnr.

❞

What’s next for you? I couldn’t be happier with how things are going and feel like 2016 is going to be the busiest yet. With the British Airways i360 opening in Summer and etch events getting busier and busier. For me the last piece in my three-year plan after winning MasterChef is to open my own restaurant. This has always been my ambition, even though I know it will be difficult. I think its important to find the right location and space that allows for creativity and innovation. I want to create a restaurant that is still around in 10 -15 years time. For me This inspires me to create new dishes. I enjoy

It was the local whilst working at South Lodge.

spending time with local producers, seeing the

Great staff, food and atmosphere. Perfect on a

produce up close gives a new-found respect to

Sunday with the family.

it’s about creating a legacy.

make sure that it’s ‘done justice’ when serving to the customer.

What do you cook at home? You should speak to my wife! I’m going to

Which celebrity chefs do you admire? I hate the term celebrity chef as to me it describes a chef who is on TV more than in

be honest: I do very little cooking at home as

a kitchen! There are chefs I admire: Jason

my Mrs looks after me so well. When I do have

Atherton (of the Pollen Street Social empire),

an opportunity to cook, I like to bake with the

because he is not only a highly talented chef,

kids or cook the homely nostalgic favourites

but I also admire him for his business prowess.

like shepherds pie.

His achievements are remarkable. Ashley Palmer-Watts at Dinner (in the Mandarin

Guilty pleasures? Nandos! I’m not ashamed to say I eat there.

Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge), who studies the history of British food and serves it in

The concept is great. Quick, simple, semi-

a 180-cover, two-Michelin-star restaurant.

healthy food that brings the family together.

There’s no-one else doing this. Perhaps lesser

In the future I would love to be part of a

known would be Bristol-based chefs Jonray

concept like this.

& Peter Sanchez-Iglesias. I met them in 2012, and for me this was a massive turning point

What do you think of the local food scene? Sussex and Surrey both have lots to offer

in my career. They were so full of passion, talent and the nicest chefs you could meet. They are self -taught, so everything they do is

in terms of production and dining and this is

a little different, and the way they question

developing all the time. Living in Sussex, I have

every process is what I love most. Their cuisine

also followed the Brighton Food scene as an

is quite minimalist, but everything on the

observer and I think it just gets better and

plate is perfect. Tragically, Jonray passed away

better each year. Brighton really is booming

last year and since then the restaurant has

and I can’t wait to get my teeth stuck in and

relocated down the road to Bristol Harbour.

help push it further.

Peter is doing an amazing job with Casamia restaurant and also two other restaurants,

Where do you like to eat out? Living in Horsham, I love the Crabtree Pub.

a pizzeria & tapas bar. That alone, for me, is inspiring.

Bar Fly WINE

Wine School ❝ ❞ by Jonny Gibson, Sussex Wine School

If you don’t believe me, taste a red Bordeaux on its own and then after a bite of mature cheddar cheese.

he first thing to say about food and

of the best taste sensations I have ever had.

spicy red like Chateauneuf du Pape, Cotes du

wine pairing is that there is a lot of

If you want a red wine then look for Pinot

Rhone or Primitivo / Zinfandel.

stuff and nonsense written about it. If

Noir or a lighter red from northern Italy like

something works well for you, then stick with

Valpolicella. A slightly chilled, light red is great

it, and if you want to experiment, then you

with meatier fish like turbot or monkfish.

should do so. Here are my pearls of wisdom based on many years of tasting wine with food and experiencing wonderful pairings in action.

High-acidity foods need highacidity wines Some foods are undoubtedly friendly to

High tannin reds become magically smoother with salty foods If you like your red wines full-bodied and chewy, then you’ll need something to tone down those mouth-drying tannins. Salt, protein or a reduced sauce are your friends

wine and others create a challenge. Hands

here. If you don’t believe me, taste a red

up if you are a fan of goat cheese, seafood,

Bordeaux on its own and then after a bite

salads with a dressing, Thai food, simple

of mature cheddar cheese. The difference is

tomato pasta or any other tangy, zesty dishes.

amazing. Seasoning your food with a little

You’ll find that these dishes have the effect

salt or pairing big reds with a meat dish will

of dropping the acidity level of a wine and

both help to make dry wines like Cabernet

making them taste a little flat and boring.

Sauvignon, Malbec, northern Rhone Syrah,

Make sure you start with plenty of refreshing

Chianti and Nebbiolo taste richer and

zip to start with, so try grape varieties like

smoother.

Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or Italian whites like Soave and Verdicchio with these foods. Champagne is also a good choice. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV and seabass ceviche is one

Jonny Gibson, Sussex Wine School Sussex Wine School runs regular tastings and courses in Brighton and Tunbridge Wells for anyone interested in finding out more about wine. Find our more at www. sussexwineschool.com

Balance your textures Balancing food textures with appropriate wines sounds obvious and it is good advice.

Sauces can make a huge difference. We run a steak and wine evening that demonstrates this perfectly. The entrecote steak with béarnaise sauce is perfect with a French Cabernet Sauvignon, but the ribeye with gremolata (lemon zest, garlic and parsley) needs the higher acidity of an Italian red like Montepulciano or Chianti.

Like chilli heat? Avoid dry wines and beers Spice can be a real problem for wine. It is best to avoid dry wine styles with lots of tannin as the chilli heat makes these wines taste really bitter and astringent. This is why you see sweeter lagers like Cobra rather than dry lagers like Becks and Grolsch on the menu at your local curry house. Wines should be on the lighter and sweeter side of life with spicy dishes. Think Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Chilean Merlot, Riesling or off-dry rose wines. Some of the most famous food and

A delicate pan-fried lemon sole will work best

wine pairings use these principles, but add

with a light white wine like Chablis, Gavi or an

an unexpected twist to them. The reason

unoaked Macon Villages. Add some stronger

that a sweet dessert wine like Sauternes or

garlic and tomato flavours to your white fish and you need a more gutsy white like a southof-France Viognier or Marsanne, an Albarino from Spain or maybe a Fiano or Falanghina white from southern Italy. A delicate rack of lamb is perfect with a red Burgundy. Duck and a reduced red wine and plum or cherry sauce works better with any dry red from Bordeaux or south west France. Beef and pickled walnuts with celeriac mash or a spicy lamb tagine, on the other hand, will taste great with a smooth,

Monbazillac works so well with blue cheese like Roquefort is the surprisingly high acidity in the sweet wine can cope with the very tangy cheese. Port and Stilton are further cases in point.

Keep it sweet with desserts When it comes to pudding, there is only one piece of advice: make sure the wine is at least as sweet as the dessert or it will taste horrible. Happy experimenting!

Table Talk EVENTS

Croydon Food Festival

ith an ever-growing reputation for dining out, the South End area of Croydon has been

officially recognised as Croydon’s Restaurant Quarter. An outstanding range of eating options includes a Michelin-rated restaurant and cuisine from around the globe, served up by chefs with an incredible passion for good food. It is also home to more than 100 shops and businesses in an area that has retained a distinct village atmosphere. South End’s first food festival was launched in 2012 and the fifth event takes place on Sunday 26th June, this year under the new name: Croydon Food Festival. Peter Bagatti, owner of Bagattis’ Italian Restaurant, has been a long-time champion of South End and was one of the original organisers of the food festival. He spoke to Platinum Business Magazine about the importance of the festival: “After the 2011 riots we set up the South Croydon Business Association to work in conjunction with local businesses and residents with the aim of recovering as a community after the devastation of that awful summer. “We presented our first food festival in 2012 and we are now in the middle of organising our 5th Croydon food festival. It is the largest of its kind in the borough and we’re really proud of the success. It brings together local businesses, residents and now residents from other boroughs. Our first festival attracted over 5000 visitors and has steadily increased up to last year years total of over 11,000 visitors “We put on a display of food demonstrations, food and drink stalls, Al Fresco dining, singers, bands and other entertainment “We are still looking for further sponsorship and for anyone interested please contact Julie Leggatt at jleggatt@wlcreative. org.uk”

www.croydonrestaurantquarter.co.uk

Bar Fly PRODUCER PROFILE

Denbies Wine Estate

Winner

enbies Wine Estate, England’s largest

however, the character of the site has grown

vineyard, is situated on the outskirts of

into something unique. There are pockets of

attractions in Surrey attracting over 350,000

Dorking in the heart of the Surrey Hills.

Denbies is one of the major visitor

different microclimates and soil types within

visitor’s per year and one of the largest

The vineyard was planted in 1986, with 265

the vineyard, and this is evident in the wines.

vineyard’s in northern Europe and currently

acres of vines, and commands an impressive

Denbies is a very good example of a vineyard

has a range of 14 wines and produces over

location overlooking Box Hill.

with its very own terroir. Its chalk soils, warm

450,000 bottles of wine per annum. In

and dry climate enables Denbies to produce a

addition to the tours, there are facilities for

range of wines of exceptional quality and style.

conferences, private functions and weddings,

The Estate is family owned and run by the White family. Christopher White, Denbies General Manager, has been running the estate for over 15 years after graduating from Bournemouth University with BSc. (Hon). His background has given him a solid understanding of viticulture and also a vast range of hospitality experience. Chris has led the development of the vineyard and visitor centre with the diversification of the estate being its strength. The business has grown substantially over the past 10 years, now employing over 150 staff. The vineyard was planted in 1986, and since then Denbies has

Denbies produces award winning excellent cool climate sparkling wines using the traditional grape varieties, grown on chalky soil, it has also an excellent reputation for

Restaurant that, surprisingly, has a rather good wine list.

Full details www.denbies.co.uk

producing award winning premium still wines. In 2011 Denbies was awarded an IWC Gold ‘Best Rosé in the world’ for its Chalk Ridge Rosé 2010. I am not a huge fan of Rosé but having ‘accidentally’ consumed a bottle of it last night, it really is sensational. In 2013 Denbies achieved a first multiple gold award for its Noble Harvest Dessert wine 2011, an unprecedented achievement for an English dessert wine. The winery also produces first

grown to become one of the

class still wines from the noble varieties, Pinot

largest vineyards in the UK.

Noir, Chardonnay and now Sauvignon Blanc.

The site was originally

a cheese and wine experience and the Gallery

This is a combination of warmer growing

selected predominantly for

seasons producing riper fruit, and a great

the geology and soil type,

deal of expertise in the winemaking process.

as it is very similar to that

The 2014 Pinot Gris is currently showing

found in the Champagne

some wonderfully complex flavours, as is the

region. Over the years

Sauvignon Blanc and the Bacchus.

Chris White

SECRET SURREY

BE IN THE KITCHEN The award-winning cookery school is a dynamic young business

hen Be Kassapian picked up the Leatherhead Business Person of the Year award, it was a popular choice.

workshops on basic knife skills, cake and

and have just planned a summer of ‘Vegetarian

bread making, but the model wasn’t working

Superfood’, ‘Summer Radiance’ and ‘Feeling

as she had anticipated. “As time went on, the

Gorgeous Food.’

A consummate networker and full of positivity,

workshops became exhausting,” recalls Be. “I

“The school has evolved into a buzzing

Be has created a lively young business which

was frustrated by a lack of energy, so started

place, with a growing team of six part-time

looks set to grow dramatically in 2016. It was

really learning about eating for health, and it

staff, made up of friends who have become as

the switch to focusing on healthy, wholesome

has been a revelation. After realising the power

excited about delicious nutrient-dense food as

food which made all the difference to the

that sugar has over so many of us, we created

I have.”

Effingham-based cookery school, Be In The

a demonstration called ‘Kill Those Sugar

Kitchen.

Cravings,’ which has been hugely well-received

Leith’s School of Food & Wine as a senior

and is now a regular on the calendar. Since

teacher and demonstrator, as well as two

then we have introduced ‘Eat Yourself Young’

years with Roux Restaurants under Albert, and

Be started four years ago, initially holding seasonal cookery demonstrations and

For more details about courses and the school, please look on the website: beinthekitchen.co.uk or email be@kassapian.com

Be is fully qualified, having worked at the

SECRET SURREY

she has recently completed a PGCE teaching

now certified in nutrition for everyday living,

qualification.

and we constantly head up to the College of

The kitchen, with a ceiling viewing mirror, accommodates up to eighteen for

Naturopathic medicine for inspiring lectures on health.

team to run. It’s like a house party for everyone. “Following requests for men, we are now offering ‘Sports Nights’. The men will come and learn to cook a curry, which can then be

demonstrations and eight for workshops, and

“There are very few people who wake

it’s a very informal affair. The essence of Be’s

up in the morning bright, full of energy and

passion lies in empowering people to cook in

enthusiasm for living. So much can be done

a world where time is short, stress is high and

at home before you head to the GP, we should

We have found they really enjoy men-only

serious illness rife. Her recipes are fun, fast

leave them to the serious illnesses once we

workshops, so several come up over the year,

and delicious, and she is constantly thinking up

have done everything we can at home. The

including ‘Meat for Men’, ‘Thai Tastes’ and

new ideas of how to spread the word. Recipes

two-hour group begins with a voluntary power

‘Barbecue for the Boys’.

are gluten-, sugar-, caffeine- and dairy-free,

walk, followed by a demonstration of three

The school also has its own shop. As Be

with occasional goat or sheep’s products.

short seasonal recipes which clients watch

describes its best-sellers, you can’t help but

Wherever possible, local and organic, too. By

while sipping turmeric and ginger tea. They are

eliminating these foods from your diet, many

encouraged to look at all aspects of their lives

health issues fall away and energy increases,

and to work towards more balance, whatever

and Be suggests a paleo diet as a great place

that might mean for each person.”

to start, especially for those wanting to lose weight. Late last year, Be felt passionate about doing more to help friends who were suffering

repeated at home around a TV sporting event, thus cooking for friends and eating healthily.

feel hungry: “Our amazing banoffee pie, a crust composed of pecans, hazelnuts and cacao, filled with banana and Medjool dates

The school accommodates groups and

and a whipped coconut cream topping, is a

ensures that men feel just as welcome as

huge hit. The festive muffins, developed for

women.

Christmas, but now served all year round to

“We launched Delicious Divas evenings,

customers when they arrive for coffee before

ill health, and she felt sure she could do

which are bit more light-hearted. When booking

a demonstration, will also be available, as well

something by educating them about food and

a group of 12-16 guests on a Diva evening,

as bespoke healthy celebration cakes. And our

getting them to take more responsibility about

or lunch you are welcomed with a delicious,

looking after themselves. “We set up The

healthy cocktail, a one-hour demonstration

Vitality Group, which has quickly become a very

of four recipes, with two seasonal menus to

important part of the business, with a monthly

choose from. Prosecco flows and guests enjoy

event, repeated on a Friday and Saturday. The

a three-course meal at the end, with much

group is kept small so there is plenty of time

laughter, all for £35. Ladies are booking them

event her clients tell her they expect her on TV

for discussion. The response has been amazing

up to celebrate birthdays, hen parties and all

soon – she is more than ready to pick up where

and the feedback fantastic. Two of the team are

sorts, and they are always huge fun for the

James Martin has left off, watch this space!

new dehydrator will soon go into action, making raw, living crackers and activated crispy nuts, both nutritional powerhouses.” Be is raring to go and is excited that at each

INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR DAVID SEALL CEng FRAeS MiMMM MIoD David is the Regional Chairman of IoD South. He is a former Chair of IoD Surrey and is an experienced Non-Executive Director. He is retained by DMH Stallard LLP as their Strategic Adviser Manufacturing www.davidseall.co.uk ∕ www.dmhstallard.com

he annual London and South East IoD awards process is now nearing its climax as the judges are evaluating the

applications of the Directors contesting awards for 2015. This year has been a record year for the

work in SMEs. The IoD is all the better for

fascinating, watching local television, to see the

being a broad church of individuals working in

concern abroad about the risk of a UK “brexit”.

companies in all sizes and sectors.

It seemed to be raising genuine alarm.

On April 28th we will again celebrate the

With a unanimous agreement to facilitate the

awards at a gala dinner held in the magnificent

UK’s position, it’s intriguing to see how many of

Nash room at IoD Pall Mall. On the very same

the other countries actually supported us and

number of applicants and as a judge myself, I

day the local Surrey branch will again be

can vouch for the quality of the submissions

will welcome the reforms themselves.

sponsoring the “Director of the Year” award at

I have seen. I’ve said before that to achieve

the prestigious “Toast of Surrey” awards. This

excellence within our region demands

is a fantastic award promoting great leadership

exceptional talent and hard work as we make

and showing what’s best in business in the

our business in the most competitive region

County. The Surrey branch has supported these

in the UK and probably within the EU. Not only

awards for a number of years and some very

do we celebrate those working in conventional

talented business leaders have won the award.

businesses but we also make awards to those

The South East regional awards are

in the charity and not-for-profit sectors where

supported once again by our sponsor PWC and

leadership skills are at a premium.

will be hosted for the second year running by

Interestingly, we have had a significant rise

the multi talented Jeremy Vine. Of course last

One can hope that during the forthcoming debate we can explore if the Prime Minister has achieved the reforms to the EU that the majority of IoD members wanted to see to secure a future within the EU. I’m sure if we can all last the pace of a four month debate it will all be worthwhile! One key event for Surrey and Sussex IoD members in the near future will be the annual “Economists debate” held at Canon HQ in Reigate on 17th May. We will hear a topical

in applications from those Directors leading

year we heard Jeremy’s views on the run up to

larger businesses. So much so that we’ve

the general election and I expect this time it will

debate with IoD’s Director of Policy James

created two categories of over £100m and

major on the EU referendum.

Sproule, former IoD Chief Economist Graeme

As I write this, our Policy team and branch

Leach and Lloyds Bank’s Chief Economist

time, as within the IoD membership in the

Chairs across the South East will be ramping

Trevor Williams. It’s always a stimulating

region, between a quarter and a fifth of the

up our activities to deal with the forthcoming

evening and I’m sure “brexit” discussions will

membership are leaders of businesses with

referendum. Having been away on a family

add some extra spice. Details are at www.iod.

over £100m turnover. This goes some way to

skiing trip to Austria during the conclusion of

com on the IoD South section of the events

dismissing the myth that IoD members only

the negotiations with our EU partners, it was

page.

over £200 million turnover. This is not before

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