NOVEMBER 2023 EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www..co.uk WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK £3.50 Promoting men’s health Mastering cybersecurity challenges The future of manufacturing INTERN NATION AL Fut pro Fut ture fi g coding bility ce p g Labelling, c and traaceab Food scienc Environmen spotlight ntal agingkc aaP rld o our guide to the pharmaceutical wY Issue 41olume 1 V mpeeeeT profitable Sustainable, ature er bla Unyielding i contro em l ll a Handlingth handli M SEPTEMBER 2023 EAST MIDLANDS LEA £3.50 EADING BUSINESS MAGA GAZNE rstoexceence ning - ESSLNKCOU w UK .co.uk www. EMPOWER Your Business T OCTOB £2.95 BER2023 BreastC Hair &B Canc Bea Awaren th BLM GRO UP www.blmgrou p.co.uk sh WWW.LINCWWW.LINC OLNSHIRETOOLNSHIRETO ODAYNEODAYNE september 2023 yorkshire & lincolnshir £3.50 hire’s leading business mag agazine VOLUM E 38 ISSUE 09 .blmgroup.co.ukwww organi co Over Automation driving adaption success Driving business ning isational lear comngbaesoV w Often Imitated - Never Equalled www.blmgroup.co.ukwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3 EDITORS NOTES As Rishi Sunak has finally passed his one year anniversary as Prime Minister, I hear he’s achieved a lot in his year — though most of it has been fact checked now. Following a revolving door of PMs he looks set to stay until the next General Election, though the same may not be the case for Jeremy Hunt, if you believe the rumour mill, upon who all eyes will be this month for the Autumn Statement. As businesses continue to struggle and the economy remains tepid at best, the government is being called upon to truly promote a trading environment where firms can flourish, instead of fear how they will pay their employees and energy bills. If the budget does not deliver the Conservatives might well be at the mercy of a powerful voting block come next year, or January 2025 at the latest. While doom and gloom cover the air again as 2023 moves towards its close, it may be once more up to the resilient companies in our region to hunker down and weather the storm with little intervention. In the meantime while feeling shafted as a region by events such as the HS2 fumble, hope remains in other areas, like devolution, which recently took a step closer to reality in the East Midlands, with key legislation approved for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham’s East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), set to take decision-making to the people who know our communities best, rather than Westminster. Facilitating more power, local control, funding and independence from central government, real change may be on the cards for the East Midlands. Good reading, as always Michael Fisher Editor@BLMEastMidlands BLMEastMidlands Latest news 6 A round-up of the latest news from our region. Commercial property 16 Following a busy month for business parks in the East Midlands, Business Link reflects on key news from across the region. Manufacturing spotlight 20 We explore innovative methods to tame manufacturing expenses and position your business for long-term success in a shifting financial landscape. Tax 24 James Pinchbeck, partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, considers how career progression has changed. Business services 26 Late payments, financial scams, and more – discover how businesses are enhancing financial resilience alongside cybersecurity measures. Men’s health 29 Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s physical and mental health, but they can’t do it alone. Materials handling 32 All goods need to be handled but all employees need to be paid. Minimising handling wherever possible frees up staff and expenses. Education and training 36 High staff turnover combined with difficulties in recruiting is making business more challenging than ever. Could training and skills development not only help fill niches, but keep staff from looking for work elsewhere? Public relations40 Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, shares his experiences with Dragons. Water and waste management 42 Responsible waste management practices can enhance efficiency, brand image, and environmental stewardship for a brighter tomorrow. AutoLink 46 As we move toward the end of 2023, it’s worth taking a look at the future to see what motors are being revealed across the world’s shows, and what we could look forward to seeing on our roads in 2024. • We put the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner W12 through its paces. NOVEMBER 2023 EAST MIDLANDS £3.50 LEADING BUSINESS MA AGAZINE challenges Mastering cy W ybersecurity health omotinPr WWWEASTMI The f sng men’ IDLANDSBUS e of manufacturingfutur INESSLINKCO OUK .co.ukwww. Cover photographs courtesy: • stock.adobe.com/ungvar • LeArchitecto • Rawpixel.com • gali77 • Nataliia Contents November 2023 Corporate hospitality 52 Christmas parties are designed to be fun and are important for maintaining staff, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong – it’s best to be aware of these in advance. Events56 A timely look at forthcoming business events around the East Midlands. And finally...58 Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks.32 Group Editor Steve Fisher s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Editor Michael Fisher m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Journalist Tess Egginton t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk Sales Director Angela Cooper a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman accounts@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson studio@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310304 E-Mail: eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.uk Publisher Haychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group, Huntingdon House, 278-290 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 3LY All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk GENERAL NEWS Champions (UK) Plc to merge with Lowaire Costock-based Champions (UK) Plc is to merge with digital marketing and website development agency Lowaire. The deal marks the latest chapter in a remarkable story as each business began as “bedroom start-ups.” Champions (UK) Plc’s Managing Director, Matthew Hayes, spoke of the partnership and explained what he hopes the future holds. He said: “The objective of the merger is to combine Lowaire’s local presence and ambitious attitude with Champions’ years of experience and extensive offering to provide a results-focused approach for our clients. “Furthermore, it allows Champions to offer a full service to clients from start-up all the way to mid-tier and fast growth corporate organisations.” Lowaire’s Managing Director, Adam Coley said: “This collaboration marks a significant milestone for us. As specialists in producing robust digital marketing solutions, Lowaire sees this partnership as an exciting opportunity to fuse with Champions’ established growth strategies. “We truly believe our expertise coupled with Champions’ wide-reaching experience will uniquely position us in the marketplace and we look forward to sharing this exciting journey with our stakeholders.” East Midlands entrepreneurs take a hit as insolvency activity rises and start-ups fall A fall in the number of start-up businesses in the East Midlands, as well as a rise in insolvency activity, indicates a significant economic challenge for local entrepreneurs entering the final quarter of 2023. This is according to the Midlands branch of national insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 and is based on an analysis of data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe. R3’s figures show a month-on-month decrease of 5.81% in the number of businesses set up in the East Midlands in September, falling from 2,462 to 2,319, while insolvency-related activity – which includes liquidator and administrator appointments as well as creditors’ meetings – rose by 36.05% over the same period. R3 reports, however, that business cashflow continues to rally against a challenging economy, with a marginal fall of 0.55% in the number of East Midlands companies with late payments on their books, a downward trend in the region which has continued over the last six months. Universities contribute £6.3bn to East Midlands economy A new report by London Economics has revealed that higher education makes a £6.3bn contribution to the East Midlands economy. Commissioned by Universities UK (UUK), the report reveals that universities support 53,800 full time equivalent jobs across the East Midlands – this includes those employed by local businesses who benefit from the economic stimulus universities create. However, as the sector contends with challenges including a £1bn funding hole in domestic student tuition fees and the pressures created by the cost of living crisis, UUK says there is a pressing need to reform how universities are supported in order to sustain their positive economic impact. Professor Dame Sally Mapstone DBE FRSE, president of Universities UK, said: “The East Midlands is a thriving region with universities at the beating heart of so many of its local communities. “As economic hubs in their own right, universities support and create a huge number of jobs across multiple sectors, meaning people up and down the country benefit financially, whether or not they have a degree. They also play a crucial role in creating the graduates, spin outs and start-ups that provide the basis for economic growth in future.” © stock.adobe.com/ Olivier Le Moal£4.6m investment will bring 222 jobs to Loughborough lab space More than 200 jobs will be created through a £4.6m investment in revamping laboratory space at Charnwood Campus. Highly-specialised lab space, which is currently unused, is to be reactivated to create a world-class biochemistry building. The project will enable a research organisation to expand into the LLEP area. And it will mean existing facilities can be upgraded as part of the first phase of an Innovation Centre project which will provide specialised laboratories – which meet modern regulatory requirements – for Leicester and Leicestershire’s life sciences cluster. The total investment of £4.6m will be provided through Enterprise Zone Retained Rates Funding from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), in partnership with Charnwood Borough Council. Andy Reed OBE, LLEP co-chair, said: “This lab space will bring inward investment through the arrival of the first tenant. “But it will also support the development and growth of businesses in the pharmaceutical, bio-tech, and med-tech sectors by offering research, development, and small batch manufacturing capacity here in Leicestershire.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link GENERAL NEWS • Commercial • Events • Headshots • Automotive • Fashion CALL OR EMAIL FOR A QUOTE 07506 998855 STEVE@STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM Creating eye-catching images to help businesses build their brands and engage with clients. East Midlands devolution takes step closer to reality The proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has moved one step closer to reality after key legislation was approved in Westminster. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill has been granted Royal Assent after completing its passage through Parliament, paving the way for the creation of the EMCCA and the region’s very-first Mayoral elections next May. Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council will now decide whether to move forward with devolution plans, with decisions expected before the end of the year. The East Midlands devolution deal, agreed with Government ministers last summer, would see Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham benefit from £1.14 billion of funding to invest in local projects related to transport, education and skills, housing, the environment and economic development. Barry Lewis, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “This is a key milestone on the road to agreeing plans to bring in £38 million a year for the East Midlands and move major decision-making to the people who best know our communities, rather than Westminster.” © stock.adobe.com/ didiksaputra © Charnwood Campus Existing lab space at Charnwood CampusAPPOINTMENTS Pall-Ex makes corporate sales director appointment Leicestershire freight distribution network Pall-Ex has appointed Bridie O’Halloran as corporate sales director. Bridie brings with her a wealth of experience, boasting 30 years in sales, 23 of those in logistics, with a background of managing sales teams in renowned logistics companies such as Target Express and Parcelforce. In her new role, Bridie will build a robust pipeline of corporate accounts and travel across the UK to engage with customers and promote Pall-Ex services. Key responsibilities include focusing on new business and exploring diverse sectors – with the aim to grow market share significantly. Michelle Naylor, commercial director at Pall-Ex, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Bridie to our team. Her extensive experience and proven track record in sales and logistics will undoubtedly drive Pall-Ex to new heights. We look forward to achieving market share growth and enhancing our presence in various sectors under her leadership.” Bridie expressed her enthusiasm, saying: “I’m delighted to join Pall-Ex, I was especially drawn by the passion and commitment of the team I met during the interview process. The member-owned structure of the company and the advanced IT capabilities, notably the impressive tracking and ETA features, were also key factors in my decision. I’m looking forward to contributing to the company’s success.” East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk John Pye makes trio of associate director appointments Nottingham-headquartered national auction house John Pye & Sons Ltd has made three senior internal promotions; Alan Avery, commercial manager; Matt Ganner, head of IT; and Bruce Burton, financial controller, have all been promoted to the position of associate director with immediate effect. The announcement comes as John Pye looks to capitalise on a solid period of growth, including its recent expansion into Europe, winning five new Government and local authority tenders this year and developing existing services to meet client requirements. These appointments will bolster the senior management team, ensuring it is poised to manage and deliver on director and shareholders’ expectations. Adam Pye, Managing Director at John Pye, said: “I am delighted to announce, on behalf of the John & Sons Ltd board the promotion of three senior members of our current management team to associate director. “Matt Ganner head of IT, Bruce Burton, financial controller, and Alan Avery, commercial manager, will join the other associate directors of Paul Hird, head of government & luxury, Mike Vitale, Nottingham site manager, and Charles Loake, joint head of business assets.” Market Harborough Building Society appoints new chief engagement officer Market Harborough Building Society (MHBS) has appointed Lesley Vernon to the newly created executive position of chief engagement officer. In her new role, Lesley will take ownership for bringing together the Society’s members, community partners and colleagues and engaging them in delivery of its ambitious Thrive! Agenda, focused on growing its savings and mortgage membership, investing in essential community projects, and becoming an employer of choice in the region. Lesley has over 25 years’ experience in financial services and joins MHBS from The Nottingham Building Society where she was most recently head of customer. She has held senior roles in other financial institutions, such as Santander and Alliance & Leicester, and is Chair of Trustees for the Stonebridge City Farm charity. Lesley said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the Society in this new role and at such an exciting time. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring together everyone in the MHBS family – our members, community partners and colleagues – in a truly unique way, and to unite behind the common goal of improving the lives of everyone in our communities.” L-R: Alan Avery, Matthew Ganner, Bruce Burton Bridie O’Halloran Lesley Vernon Microlise Group appoints new strategy and M&A director Microlise Group, a provider of innovative technology solutions, has appointed Shenny Remtulla as the company’s new strategy and M&A director. With an extensive career spanning senior leadership positions in prominent consumer multinational organisations – and a successful track record of creating and executing corporate growth strategies – Shenny is poised to drive Microlise’s next phase of growth. Previously, he served as the head of strategy at SABMiller plc, where he demonstrated an exceptional ability to create and execute corporate strategy and deliver performance improvement. His background as a strategy consultant with Bain & Company across North America, Europe, and Africa further enriches his strategic insights. He has worked across diverse sectors in addition to his dedicated assignments within the Private Equity Practice. As strategy and M&A director, Shenny will spearhead the development of Microlise Group’s growth strategy. The role will encompass the research and identification of new products and markets, international growth analysis and prioritisation, and the management of the M&A pipeline, overseeing projects from inception to integration. Shenny will report directly to Nadeem Raza, the Group CEO, and collaborate closely with the Board, SLT, and key stakeholders. Speaking on the new appointment, Nadeem Raza, said: “Shenny’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Microlise Group. His extensive experience and strategic acumen will be instrumental in shaping our future endeavours, especially as we navigate opportunities and challenges in the dynamic landscape of sustainable growth and innovation.” Gilson Gray grows Lincoln property team with new partner Full-service legal firm Gilson Gray has bolstered its residential property division in Lincoln with the appointment of new partner Cherie McBean. Cherie joins Gilson Gray from one of the North East’s largest firms, where she spent almost seven years as a residential property solicitor and most recently as part of the senior management team. Her new role involves leading the 100-strong team at Gilson Gray’s Lincoln branch and helping to develop its people and processes. Cherie will manage the team alongside Gary Tyman who was the head of Home Property Lawyers (HPL) prior to its acquisition by Gilson Gray over a year ago. Cherie McBean said: “Gilson Gray is the perfect fit in terms of its cultural values and ambition. The property market is incredibly competitive in terms of client expectations, and embracing advances in technology will be key to streamlining the conveyancing process and improving customer experiences. “My goal is to help retain the firm’s position as market leader and drive the property team forward as we deliver a personal and dedicated service for our clients.” Debbie McCathie, partner and head of residential conveyancing at Gilson Gray, said: “Cherie is a very talented lawyer, and offers the perfect blend of skills that will further strengthen our residential conveyancing offering.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link APPOINTMENTS Former CBI Midlands director joins East Midlands Chamber as head of special projects One of the region’s most prominent business leaders has joined East Midlands Chamber to help expand its engagement work with key Government decision-makers. Richard Blackmore, the former Midlands director of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has been appointed head of special projects. Sitting within the policy team, the newly- created senior role supports its work in lobbying politicians and senior civil servants at a local, regional and national level. Richard left the CBI earlier this month after seven years in the role and nine years with the organisation, where he had worked closely with the Chamber’s Chief Executive Scott Knowles and director of policy and insight Chris Hobson in presenting a unified business voice for the region. He said: “I’m delighted to be joining the East Midlands Chamber and working with Scott, Chris and the wider team. “Now, more than ever, business needs to be a leader in shaping the future economy and, working with our members across the East Midlands, I look forward to helping deliver this.” Shenny Remtulla Richard Blackmore Cherie McBeanNext >