Top business strategist joins Ashby-based property consultancy
A top business strategist with 25 years’ experience in change management and consultancy has been hired by a property firm as it embarks on a new phase of ambitious growth over the next five years.
Ben Southworth has joined Fisher German as its new Chief Operating Officer to drive the delivery of the firm’s growth strategy and to lead its shared services team as the company looks to consolidate its recent success of growing to have more than 800 employees across 26 offices.
He will work closely with the directors in Fisher German’s shared services division, which includes functions such as HR, IT, finance, marketing and communications, to deliver a clear and cohesive plan for the division to support the business’s operations and future growth plans.
Ben was part of the senior team that led the rescue and turnaround plan for the Co-op Group during its period of crisis in 2014, and has also worked for Deloitte, KPMG, and Accenture.
More recently, Ben oversaw the growth of start-up Place Capital Group, which advises local authorities and housing associations on the design and delivery of social housing. Within three years the business now employs over 50 people.
Ben said: “I’m very pleased to have joined a company like Fisher German, which is at a key juncture in its growth and is hungry to progress even further.
“With its many areas of expertise in agency, advisory services, infrastructure services, and property management, it will be important to ensure all areas of the business are working together towards a common goal while continuing to deliver an excellent service for our clients and winning new work.
“I think my range of experience both in management consultancy and change management – especially my recent work in the housing sector – will enable me to provide informed strategic and operational support to Fisher German as it continues on its upward curve.”
Andrew Bridge, Managing Partner at Fisher German, added: “Fisher German’s growth, both through organic means as well as acquisitions, has got the company to a stage where it is ready to take that next leap into a new era.
“Reflecting on our business plans for 2024-29, we need the correct structure and operational efficiencies in place to realise our ambitions. As such, we have appointed Ben to lead shared services as I focus on my other responsibilities to the Partnership, our clients and the wider firm.
“Ben’s track record in ensuring all parts of a business work harmoniously to deliver excellent results meant we felt he would be well-placed to help Fisher German do the same.
“After weathering the storm of the pandemic and the subsequent challenges of the property market to grow to our largest size, we’re looking forward to building on this success with Ben as our new COO.”
D2N2 LEP incorporated into new East Midlands Combined County Authority
Work to boost inclusive growth across the region has taken an important step forward this week following the incorporation of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) into the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
The move sees around 20 LEP staff joining the EMCCA to support the work to improve the lives of everyone living and working in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Derby and Derbyshire, through delivering improvements in transport, housing, skills and adult education and net zero.
Local enterprise partnerships were established across the country in 2010 with responsibilities for local economic development in their region. Now, as part of the devolution deal agreed with government that established EMCCA, the LEP’s board agreed that its functions would be incorporated into the EMCCA to deliver a unified approach to tackling the region’s challenges.
Mark Rogers, interim Chief Executive of EMCCA, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome LEP staff to the EMCCA. It’s an important step forward in growing organisational capacity and supporting our devolution journey that’s seen powers move from Westminster to the East Midlands where we can make the right decisions for the people we serve.
“The move means the expertise, knowledge and experience that supports business growth, investment opportunities and partnership working is in one place where we can make a real difference to our region.”
Will Morlidge, Chief Executive of D2N2 LEP, said: “I’m delighted that the LEP team is joining the Combined County Authority. We’re extremely proud of the work we’ve done over the last 13 years, but joining EMCCA means that across a whole range of issues we can do more, even bigger, even better things that support our region.”
The D2N2 Board, which provides strategic leadership for the LEP, will be in place until the end of this year.
One third of employees feel less engaged at work due to personal finance issues
A large-scale survey which examines UK employee engagement has found that a third of people are distracted at work due to their personal finances; they were also more likely to report unmanageable job stress.
The Engage for Success (EfS) UK Employee Engagement Survey 2023 received responses from more than 3,000 people. The annual survey, run in partnership with Nottingham Business School, part of Nottingham Trent University, began in 2022 to measure UK employee engagement levels following the pandemic.
The results of the survey are translated into an EFS Engagement Index score, which is calculated using three questions that assess satisfaction, advocacy, and loyalty. The latest results show a stagnation in engagement, with the score remaining at 62%. This suggests that UK employees are showing up but not fully engaged.
However, these scores were impacted by the actions of organisations. Respondents who agreed that senior leaders and managers adequately prioritised people issues showed significantly higher engagement scores.
They were more likely to hold positive views about their organisation’s culture, ethics, honesty, openness, and change management capabilities. Additionally, they felt their wellbeing, professional development, and psychological safety were valued.
In contrast, two in five respondents did not feel this way, leading to negative views of the organisation and higher levels of unmanageable job stress. This stress was notably seen among those experiencing issues due to cost of living, people with long term health issues and workers from the LGB+ community.
This was reflected in an EFS Engagement Index score of 55% from respondents who reported having no access to wellbeing resources, compared to those who reported having five or more wellbeing resources available achieving a score of 73%.
The survey also examined four key aspects of organisational practices – wellbeing, voice, learning and development, and social engagement – and revealed that the greater the number of practices offered in each aspect, the higher the EFS Engagement Index score. For example, respondents with no learning and development opportunities had an EFS Engagement Index score of 47%, while those with five or more opportunities scored 75%.
Dr Sarah Pass, senior lecturer in Human Resources Management at Nottingham Business School and Engage for Success advisory board member, said: “Along with emphasising the importance of employers offering their workers a full package of support, our findings revealed the critical role of line managers and workplace relationships in fostering and nurturing engagement levels.
“Line managers are the primary link between the employee and the employer, significantly influencing how employees perceive their work environment and their overall engagement.
“However, there are ongoing issues of training, accountability, and responsibility that are hindering the positive impact of line managers. Addressing these issues can help line managers better support their teams, leading to higher engagement levels and a more positive workplace culture.”
The report recommends that organisations must prioritise individual wellbeing, adopt a human-centered approach to employee experience, and re-evaluate organisational purpose.
Dr Pass added: “Investing in their workforce will help businesses build resilience during economic uncertainty and promote sustainable growth.”
David MacLeod OBE, co-founder of Engage for Success, said: “Given the challenges the UK now faces we must harness much more of the untapped potential in all our employees both in the public and private sectors. This research makes clear that we have much to do, but also that best practice already exists, offering us all a way forward to significantly improve organisational outcomes in all sectors of our economy.”
Nita Clarke OBE, director of the Involvement and Participation Association and co-founder Engage for Success, said: “Positive employee engagement must underpin every national effort to improve our productivity. This immensely valuable survey points to what works – but also indicates we have a long way to go.”
James Court-Smith, director at business analytics firm, Stillae, NTU Visiting Fellow, and Engage for Success board member, said: “How we feel about work affects how we show up there. The job itself, the wider career, our boss, and colleagues all impact our self-worth and our health, either positively or negatively.
“It should be no surprise that this has a direct impact on how productive we are, how much ownership we take and what discretionary effort we apply at work.
“Engagement offers an opportunity to measure and manage this dynamic, in order to boost organisational performance. The impact on performance is there regardless, employers can choose to seize the opportunity by working on engagement, or choose to ignore it, and leave attainable performance gains on the table.”
Nottingham Venues shortlisted for Best Venue at national awards
Nottingham Venues has been named as a finalist at the 2024 Conference and Events Awards.
The company, which operates a collection of hospitality destinations located on the University of Nottingham’s campuses – including the 4* Orchard Hotel & Restaurant, The East Midlands Conference Centre, the Jubilee Hotel and Conferences and Campus Venues – has been shortlisted in the Best Venue (500-1100 attendees Theatre Style) category.
The Conference and Events Awards are the event industry’s pinnacle of recognition. The annual awards celebrate and champion everyone involved in the events industry including conference and trade-show organisers, in-house events teams, event, PR & marketing agencies and the venues themselves.
Tom Waldron-Lynch, General Manager at Nottingham Venues, said: “We’re extremely excited to have made the shortlist for Best Venue over 500 attendees. We believe we are not just another venue as we offer an unparalleled guest experience, and this is such a boost for the whole team.
“Given the breadth of our offering, we provide good options for large-scale events and conferences, which makes our venues perfect for corporate events, weddings, academic conferences, sports camps, and faith-based gatherings, among others. We’re really looking forward to the awards ceremony in July.”
The Best Venue (500-1100 attendees Theatre Style) award is given to the Best Conference or Event Venue that caters for larger audiences of over 500. Judges will be looking for innovation, expertise and success in all areas including first-class interior design and facilities; flexible and versatile spaces to adapt to clients’ requirements; modern equipment and technology and superb acoustics; excellent customer service and support; competitive pricing and value for money and outstanding catering for event attendees.
The winners will be announced at the lunchtime Awards Ceremony at City Central at the HAC, London on Friday 5th July.
Two promotions made at East Midlands civil and structural engineering firm
East Midlands civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting has made internal promotions to create two new associate directors.
Civil engineer Carol Ell, who has a leadership role in BSP’s Leicester office, has been with the company 20 years next month.
Finance manager James Payne, who is based in the Nottingham office, working across the company, joined BSP from school in August 2001 and has held a variety of roles within the business.
BSP MD Carl Hilton said: “Both Carol and James have proven themselves to be very committed to BSP Consulting, with almost 43 years of service between them. They bring an energy and enthusiasm to the company which very much contributes to our success.
“I am pleased to announce that they have both earned a well-deserved promotion to associate director and congratulate them on their new appointments.”
£15.4m aerospace training facility opens in Newark
The Air and Space Institute (ASI) in Newark has now received its first intake of students. The £15.4m state-of-the-art facility provides world-class educational opportunities for future generations of the aerospace industry.
Procured through the Pagabo National Framework for Major Construction Works and delivered by Midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, the new ASI facility provides a unique opportunity for students aged 16-18 to train for pilot, engineer and ground-crew roles in airlines, the military, airports and logistics companies across the UK and abroad.
The new three-storey college building constructed for Newark College, which is part of the Lincoln College Group, sits adjacent to the Newark and Sherwood District Council offices on the former Cattle Market and is only the second of its kind to be built in the UK.
The facility provides high tech training for the air and space industry, accommodating a full-sized Airbus A318 for enhanced hands-on teaching experience, alongside a double height entrance hall, large open space hangar, flight simulators, teaching zones, engineering workshops, lecture and seminar areas.
It is anticipated that the building blueprint could form a model for future establishments of this type, across other areas of the UK.
Introducing a full-sized commercial aeroplane into the building posed a number of complexities including ensuring the installation was successfully implemented within the tight tolerances of the building.
The initial brief was just a section of the fuselage to be placed into the building. Through collaborative innovation with the client and designers on how the plane would be supported on specially designed wheel mounts, the Airbus A318 was able to be installed as a whole unit, enhancing the learning experience for students.
G F Tomlinson sourced specialist advice from a private Flight Director who provided industry expertise to collaboratively assist with the permanent installation in the hangar. The aircraft was transported from the Air Salvage International base in Cirencester and travelled 110 miles by police escort to Newark.
Prior to arrival, reinforced concrete pads and beams were installed to strengthen the floor slab and a specialist hydraulic gantry was erected within the building to lift the fuselage from the low loader and temporarily suspend and support the aircraft mid-air.
Specially designed structural steel supporting systems were manufactured and installed to stabilise and take the weight of the aircraft, fixing it in its final position.
G F Tomlinson used BIM technology software from the conception of the scheme, to digitally map the complex build which comprised numerous articulated angles. Using world coordinate systems for its design and construction, the software allowed the contractor and client to work the design and use real time updates to navigate through all fundamental stages towards completion.
This software helped ensure the plane installation could be completed accurately, with tolerances down to millimetres.
Sustainability was an integral part of the project, with initiatives such as five air source heat pumps, two air handling units and three extracts incorporated within the building to reduce the overall energy building requirements.
During the project, 1140 car miles were driven using low-emission vehicles and G F Tomlinson sourced 92% local spend and 92% local labour within 40 miles of site. 135.53 tonnes of wood waste materials were rescued from the waste stream and 99.3% of site waste was recycled, aligning with the target of offsetting carbon during the project, in line with the Government’s Net Zero agenda.
G F Tomlinson provided £25,315,802 of Total Social Value opportunities for the local community, which was calculated using social impact software, Loop. This included organised site visits, regular newsletters and career talks with students from nearby schools. 228 hours of work experience placements, 948 apprentice hours and 723 local student engagements were provided.
Adrian Grocock, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “It’s been an honour to turn Lincoln College Group’s vision into a reality, providing a world-class training facility for young people going into the aerospace industry.
“We worked closely with the client using the latest technology and specialist advice to ensure the seamless construction of the new campus building and the installation of the large commercial aircraft for educational purposes – consulting with third party experts to manage the transportation and stabilisation of the aircraft to its final fixed position.”
Councillor Matthew Spoors, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “This is a huge moment not just for Newark but the whole district. We now have an amazing world-class training centre right in the heart of our community which will be giving local students opportunities to pursue successful and inspiring careers like they’ve never had before.
“This goes beyond just education but will create exciting developments for our local community. It will provide employment opportunities and boost our local economy and will be home to over 200 students each year.
“It will directly create almost 40 new jobs for the area and importantly will create many more over the coming generations to those wanting to embark on careers and pathways into better skilled, well-paid jobs in the civil and military aviation industries.
“The ASI has all been made possible thanks to the successful Newark Town Board bid for £25m as part of the Government’s Towns Fund initiative in 2019 and it’s been great to see students already studying at the site after years of planning and construction.”
Tom Marsden, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Lincoln College Group, said: “We are thrilled with the exceptional work done by G F Tomlinson and their team of contractors in constructing our new state-of-the-art facility.
“Their dedication and expertise have truly transformed the space into a cutting-edge hub for education and training that will benefit not only the students of Newark but also the entire surrounding region. We are excited to see the positive impact this facility will have on our community for years to come.”
David Llewellyn, head of construction and infrastructure at Pagabo Group, said: “Our goal is always to make procurement simple, effective and compliant, and this type of large-scale project is the perfect example of when a framework such as our Major Construction Works framework can come into its own.
“With numerous complexities to overcome, it’s important for clients to have access to both established suppliers as well as newer SMEs to offer innovative solutions that really work, while improving access to the types of sustainable solutions that were so important to this project.
“Sustainability and social value really are at the heart of effective future procurement, so it’s been brilliant to facilitate a project which also upholds these values at every touchpoint.”
Dains swoops for NHS VAT specialists
The Dains Group has acquired NHS VAT specialists, CRS VAT.
Founder Chris Silk has championed the decision to join the Dains group of businesses saying: “Having been established for 21 years, CRS VAT is delighted to join forces with Dains as we continue to grow our market share across the UK. With Dains’ support, we will be able to provide an enhanced service to our clients and connect to an incredible network of advisors across the group.”
Richard McNeilly, CEO of Dains, said: “What attracted Dains to CRS VAT is their commitment to technical excellence and client service; they stay abreast of NHS client needs and legislative changes to develop solutions to address client challenges.
“With a focus on the NHS, CRS VAT has become a leading VAT service provider for the sector, delivering increased VAT recovery and tailored advisory services. The team is a natural fit, complementing Dains’ expertise in providing services to the Public Sector following the acquisition of Opto Group in 2023.”
Nick Burrows, Managing Director of Opto Group, believes the move is perfect for clients and the CRS VAT team: “Our business is built on the quality of our people and our clients.
“Bringing CRS VAT into the group will allow us to leverage our combined expertise, to become the UK’s largest specialist public sector tax team, delivering high quality professional tax services to a complete range of public sector bodies. Investment from Dains will enable the business to continue to grow and provide enhanced career opportunities for our talented teams.”
Luke Kingston, Partner at Horizon Capital, said: “Richard and the team at Dains have now completed their eighth acquisition and we are delighted to have supported the group to this milestone. We share everyone’s enthusiasm for the significant opportunities created by bringing such likeminded businesses together.”
Dains were advised by DSW (financial and tax due diligence), Forward Corporate Finance (Financial Modelling) and CMS (Legal). CRS VAT were advised by Thrings (Legal).
Output growth quickens in the East Midlands, but demand softens in May
The headline NatWest East Midlands PMI® Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – posted at 52.3 in May, up from 51.2 in April, to signal a modest expansion in output at East Midlands private sector firms.
The upturn was linked to a further rise in new orders and a sustained improvement in demand conditions. The rate of growth in activity was the fastest for three months, albeit slightly slower than both the series and UK averages.
East Midlands private sector firms signalled a fifth successive monthly expansion in new business during May. Anecdotal evidence suggested the rise in new orders was due to sustained customer demand. That said, the pace of growth slowed to only a fractional rate, as some firms highlighted a sluggish sales environment.
The rate of increase in new orders was slower than both the long-run series trend and UK average.
May data signalled further upbeat expectations among East Midlands private sector firms. Companies stated that efforts to diversify revenue streams, greater advertising to bring in new clients and hopes of stronger demand conditions supported optimism. Nonetheless, the degree of confidence remained subdued in the context of the series’ history and was lower than the UK average.
East Midlands private sector firms indicated an eleventh consecutive monthly decrease in employment during May. The rate of decline quickened to the fastest since last November, but was only marginal overall. Redundancies and the non-replacement of voluntary leavers following subdued new order growth reportedly drove job shedding.
The fall in staffing numbers in the East Midlands contrasted with a slight rise seen at the UK level.
May data indicated a faster decrease in backlogs of work at East Midlands firms. The pace of contraction quickened to the sharpest since September 2023 and was strong overall. Moreover, the pace of decline was the second-strongest of the UK regions, slower than only Wales.
Companies noted that muted new order inflows allowed them to work through incomplete business successfully.
Average cost burdens faced by East Midlands firms rose further during May, as higher wage bills and raw material prices pushed up operating expenses. That said, the pace of cost inflation slowed to the weakest since November 2020 and was softer than the long-run series average.
The slower uptick in costs reflected the broader UK trend, however.
East Midlands private sector firms signalled a solid rise in selling prices midway through the second quarter. The rise in output charges was often driven by efforts to pass through higher costs to customers. The rate of charge inflation eased for the third month running, however, and was the slowest since January 2021.
With the exception of Yorkshire & Humber and the North West, the East Midlands saw the weakest rise in selling prices of the 12 monitored UK regions.
Dipesh Mistry, Chair of the NatWest Midlands and East of England Regional Board, said: “East Midlands firms saw a more positive development with regards to output midway through the second quarter, as business activity ticked up at a faster pace. Demand was persistent, with new orders rising further, albeit at a slower rate.
“Encouragingly for firms, cost pressures slackened somewhat from the highs seen throughout most of the last three-and-a-half years. Input prices rose at the slowest rate since November 2020. In a bid to remain competitive and boost sales, the pace of charge inflation also moderated.
“Despite a faster fall in employment following reduced pressure on capacity, private sector firms remained optimistic in the outlook for output over the next year. In fact, business confidence strengthened from April as firms sought to diversify revenue streams and broaden their customer bases.”
Build-to-rent development completes in Nottingham
Edmond de Rothschild Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) has completed its Lace Market Quarter build-to-rent development in Nottingham for its UK residential investment platform.
Located at 10 Short Hill, the development is a partial refurbishment of Grade II-listed buildings and a partial new build. It provides 117 studio, one and two-bed apartments for rent across four adjacent blocks, linked by a central, communal landscaped courtyard.
The unit mix along with 27 lower ground parking spaces meets the strong demand in the Nottingham market.
The development is managed and operated by Edmond de Rothschild REIM’s in-house private rental sector platform and builds on the success of Saffron Court, its first development in Nottingham.
James Whidborne, Head of residential fund management UK at Edmond de Rothschild REIM, said: “This is our second PRS project in Nottingham after Saffron Court, which reflects our enthusiasm for the city.
“Half of the population is under the age of 29, with very high graduate retention and a thriving biotech, life sciences and service sector industry. Demand for homes to rent is very high and we expect strong demand for our apartments.”
Zoe Innes, head of lettings, residential UK, at Edmond de Rothschild REIM, said: “We are very excited to launch the Lace Market Quarter, which due to its city centre location, the unique character within each of the flats and the quality of finish is already attracting young professionals.
“The unusual mix of charming period conversion apartments in the two listed buildings and the new build section with far-reaching views of the city combines with the benefits and convenience of build-to-rent living.”
Derbyshire pharmaceutical company raises £630,000
N4 Pharma, the specialist pharmaceutical company developing Nuvec, a novel delivery system for cancer treatments and vaccines, has raised £630,000.
It comes through a placing of 118,000,000 new ordinary shares of 0.4 pence each in the company, and a subscription of 8,000,000 new ordinary shares of 0.4 pence each, at an issue price of 0.5p per placing share and subscription share.
The net proceeds of the fundraise will be used to advance its three primary work streams whilst also providing working capital into 2025. Specifically:
● Based on the encouraging data obtained on the use of Nuvec for multiple delivery of siRNA and its oral work, the company will commence work with the University of Queensland for the proof of concept for a product to treat irritable bowel disease (IBD). The program will seek to demonstrate through in vitro and in vivo studies that dual loaded Nuvec in an oral capsule can reduce inflammation associated with IBD
● Subject to data from the ongoing work with SRI International Inc (SRI), continue to support further development work with SRI’s MGS technology whilst supporting the co-marketing of any resulting data to collaborators and commercial partners
● The increased funds will provide flexibility to further support Nanogenics in obtaining pre-IND Approval for ECP105 whilst in vivo work concludes and it awaits the result of its application for orphan designation status for ECP105 which, if granted, would potentially give seven years exclusivity in the USA on the product post authorisation
● In addition to the core work streams outlined above, all of which are expected to provide steady newsflow for the rest of the year, work will continue in the background to identify a distribution partner to supply Nuvec to Adeno-Associated virus (AAV) vector companies
● The Board will also look to potentially add additional director(s) with proven track records or contacts in the commercialisation and/or sale of products and IP in the pharmaceutical and biotech space
Nigel Theobald, Chief Executive Officer of the company, said: “We are pleased to have raised these funds in difficult market conditions for small caps. The money will underpin our work efforts whilst we look to move through key milestones and, we believe, value inflexion points, across our three main work streams during the rest of the year.
“In doing so, we hope to be able to co-market our combined technologies with SRI, complete a proof of concept for an oral IBD product and achieve orphan designation and pre IND approval for Nanogenics’ ECP105. All the while this work will be widening and strengthening our IP position across the company.“
