East Midlands architecture practice makes trio of director promotions
Architecture practice GT3 Architects has promoted three members of its senior team following a year of successful growth, with Michael Simpson, Paul Reed and Suzanne Blair all appointed to director.
The promotions solidify the trio’s roles, which blend project and practice responsibilities. Michael is lead for interiors and consultancy as well as internal quality management, Suzanne is responsible for the education sector projects at GT3 and spearheads internal operations and Paul leads on the sports and leisure sector – the firm’s largest area of expertise.
In addition to the senior promotions the practice has promoted a further seven team members into higher-ranking roles in recognition of their hard work and commitment. The growth comes after a series of successful job wins including a £60m fit out for a new regional centre in Newcastle, a £45m leisure and cultural hub in Farnborough and a significant consultancy commission for a new £70m higher education campus.
Suzanne, who joined GT3 in 2016, said: “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the practice go from strength to strength – we’ve developed a fantastic culture and ethos across both studios that I’m proud to be part of. I’m therefore so pleased to be promoted to director alongside Paul and Michael, and we’re all looking forward to playing a more strategic and supportive role for the wider business.
“For me this will mean continuing to lead our activities in the North East region as well as supporting the growth of our education and community sectors nationally. I’m excited to put our plans into action and couldn’t imagine doing this without the support of the brilliant team we have here at GT3. Their development and growth is a crucial part of our business plans and I’m looking forward to supporting them and seeing many more promotions in the future.”
The further seven team changes include Marta Subh Lopez being promoted to associate director, promotions for Anna Cumberland, Matt McCreith, Paolo Coyle and Simon Baker to senior architect as well as Josh Wardle to senior technologist and James Milne to project technologist.
Simon Dunstan, director at GT3 Architects, said: “I want to congratulate all ten promotions as they have all worked really hard – and it’s great to see that dedication rewarded.
“We particularly want to pay tribute to Suzanne, Paul and Michael as they become directors within the business. Their promotions demonstrate that there are many different routes to becoming a senior member of staff – whether that be developing a new, profitable skill, becoming a recognised sector specialist or contributing to the efficient and effective running of the company – and they all share a genuine dedication to the success of the business and the team.
“These promotions come at time of growth for the practice as we’ve been winning lots of interesting work in our core and growing sectors and across the UK and internationally. Our ethos of ‘people architecture’ centres on putting people, within our team and our projects, first so it’s great to see this commitment in action with a raft of promotions and new wins.”
Derby and Derbyshire investment opportunities showcased at national event
Marketing Derby, the Queen’s Award-winning investment promotion agency for Derby and Derbyshire, is attending the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2023, taking place in Leeds this week.
The event aims to connect people, places and businesses to accelerate the Levelling Up Agenda, while unlocking sustainable, inclusive and transformational investment across the UK.
It brings together the public sector – with every core UK city and region involved – alongside government, investors, funders, developers, housebuilders and more.
Accompanied by Paul Simpson, Chief Executive of Derby City Council, Marketing Derby will be there to highlight Derby’s investment opportunities and pipeline projects, follow up on conversations held at MIPIM in March this year and create new interest in the city.
Marketing Derby will also be holding its own private roundtable event with a group of Bondholders from the property and investment sectors on the topic of curating city centres, looking specifically at how to shape the living, working and visiting experience of Derby.
The session will also involve Melanie Leech, Chief Executive of the British Property Foundation.
The investment team will also be supporting a number of events, which take place during UKREiiF including the relaunch of the Midlands Engine Portfolio, which contains seven key investment opportunities for Derby and Derbyshire.
These are: East Midlands Intermodal Park, Heart of Chesterfield, Heart of the City – Derby, Infinity Park Derby, SmartParc SEGRO Derby, South Derby Growth Zone including Sinifn Moor and the University of Derby’s City Campus Master Plan.
Marketing Derby will also be supporting a panel session organised by D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, which will showcase the potential of devolution in the East Midlands to investors.
Called ‘Shaping Devolution – a £1 billion East Midlands Opportunity’, it will see the panel, made up of representatives from the LEP, the East Midlands Development Company and businesses in the region, share their insights on the benefits and opportunities devolution will bring to the region.
John Forkin, Managing Director of Marketing Derby, said: “Our role is to raise Derby and Derbyshire’s profile and UKREiiF is an ideal opportunity to get our message across to a key audience.
“While in Leeds, in addition to holding one-to-ones with targets, we are hosting a top-level business roundtable, as well as supporting a D2N2 panel and a Midlands Engine event.
“Derby’s pitch has been made all the stronger following recent news, such as winning the HQ of Great British Railways and the massive investment in Rolls-Royce nuclear. At the same time the county’s investment propostion is especially strong for companies seeking larger sites with excellent infrastructure links.”
Some of the city projects which will be showcased by Marketing Derby at UKREiiF will also be featured in its forthcoming Derby Property Summit – which this year will look at the collective curation of cities.
Blueprint employees inspire future careers of local students
Workplace consultants and interior fit-out specialists Blueprint Interiors welcomed 15 students and their teacher from The Lancaster Academy in Leicester to their offices in Ashby de la Zouch called ‘WorkLife Central’ for the final part of their R.E.A.D.Y programme where students gain experience in the world of work.
R.E.A.D.Y stands for Respect, Employability, Accountability, Diversity, and Young Ambassadors. Lancaster Academy believes that these five values are essential for success in the world of work and are committed to helping students develop in these areas. The school is pioneering in its approach, with one R.E.A.D.Y day every half term, devoted to focusing on career activities.
Blueprint Interiors chairman and founder, Rob Day, is an enterprise advisor for Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).
He said: “Many young people reach the working world without an understanding of how businesses operate and network. This is where this project really helps to provide workplace experiences before they even leave school.
“It was brilliant to see the group’s creativity, problem-solving skills, and work ethic. Hopefully, we inspired some young minds along the way, and we’re confident they’ll be successful in whatever they choose to do in future.”
The students had a full day of activities at Blueprint Interiors, and met with teams from each department, including Projects, Design, Admin, Finance, and Sales.
Project administrator apprentice Francesca Curry, and accounts apprentice Muhammad Anas have previously attended the school’s Living Library event where 30-40 people from the world of work answered any questions students had about their industries. This also involved fire engine crews, the air force, staff from the McVities factory and many others.
Francesca added: “We were able to tell students about further education, sixth form and apprenticeships as we have both experienced them first-hand.
“I feel that apprenticeships should be spoken about more in school as they are far more valuable in regard to learning and gaining experience as that often makes you more employable in the future. This day was not only valuable to the students, but it also allowed us to build our confidence and communication skills.”
R.E.A.D.Y is a government initiative measured by the Gatsby Benchmarks, a set of eight guidelines designed to improve career guidance and prepare young people for the world of work.
CBI appoints chief people officer to lead cultural change
The CBI has appointed Elizabeth Wallace as interim chief people officer. This is the latest in a series of decisive steps to rebuild trust in the CBI’s culture and purpose, and follows the recent appointment of business ethics consultancy Principia Advisory.
Elizabeth sits on the CBI’s Executive Committee and will report directly to the Board on matters of workplace conduct and culture.
In her role, Elizabeth will start to implement the 35 recommendations put forward by Fox Williams following their independent investigation into allegations of misconduct. This includes integrating the post of chief people officer into the CBI’s culture – consolidating corporate values and employee experience as a matter of strategic importance.
Previously, Elizabeth has held several leadership roles focussing on people strategy, including as head of portfolio talent at Hg and director of executive search at BlackRock.
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI director general, said: “I am so pleased to welcome Elizabeth on board as chief people officer. Her role will be integral in reforming our people strategy – defining our shared values as we collectively recover from the challenges of recent weeks. With over two decades’ worth of experience, I’m confident that her guidance will accelerate our efforts to effect meaningful change across the CBI.”
Elizabeth Wallace, CBI chief people officer, said: “I am delighted to have the trust of the director general Rain Newton-Smith and the Board to lead the way on cultural transformation here at the CBI. Making sure the newly created chief people officer role becomes a permanent part of the CBI’s DNA will be front of mind, as I work with people across the organisation to strengthen our employee experience offering.”
Centrick appoints head of Nottingham office
Commercial and residential property specialist Centrick has appointed Callum Rowland to lead its East Midlands operations.
Callum, who joined the company in November last year, becomes branch manager at the company’s Nottingham office.
“I see what the business has achieved in Birmingham and Solihull and it is really inspiring. It is my aspiration for Nottingham to become an East Midlands hub, mirroring what we are doing in the West Midlands,” said Callum.
“There is a really great opportunity to grow the Centrick business in the region. Our attention to detail, strong central service functions and experienced team will really set us apart from some stiff competition and it will be a challenge but the future is exciting. We have all the ingredients to be the go-to specialist if you’re selling, buying, renting or letting investment or residential property.”
He added: “At the moment, the Nottingham market is super exciting, with buy to let investors, first time buyers and home movers all making moves in and around the city. With two universities in the city, there is a huge demand for rental units. With strong rental yields, regularly returning 7% plus, Nottingham has a huge appeal to investors.
“There’s also continuous development in the city, with new home and build to rent schemes giving us much-needed stock for both tenants and buyers. Average asking prices are consistently on the rise and currently Nottingham is seeing some of the highest growth in the country.”
Callum joined Centrick from growth strategy roles in recruitment and brings considerable experience from sales management roles at estate agent Renshaw Estates.
Centrick group sales and lettings director Andy Butts said: “Callum’s appointment as branch manager in Nottingham is an important step forward for our East Midlands operations. We will continue to strengthen the team around Callum to support our plans for sustainable growth across the region.”
Chesterfield bids for businesses with over a million sq ft of new commercial property
A new and ambitious growth strategy for Chesterfield, the largest town in Derbyshire best known for its industrial heritage, historic architecture and proximity to the Peak District, has today been shared with potential investors at UKREiiF, a major real estate and infrastructure investment event, as well as details of commercial property projects that will deliver more than a million square feet of new high-quality office and industrial space over the next two years.
Speaking at the event, Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, said that Chesterfield was delivering consistent and sustainable business growth, and had seen interest in its commercial space increase from both local startups and companies considering relocation to the town since the pandemic lockdowns.
Data shared in Chesterfield’s growth strategy reveal that the town’s business population has grown by more than a fifth (21 per cent) in the last decade and created 2,000 new jobs, including 1,800 high-value roles in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and professional services. Chesterfield aims to attract a further 400 businesses and 2,000 more jobs to the town by 2030.
Chesterfield Borough Council is supporting, either through direct investment or public-private partnerships, a series of projects to provide high-quality commercial space for businesses. It has helped bring to market almost 300,000 square feet of modern office, industrial, manufacturing and logistics space since the start of 2022, and expects further new premises totalling more than one million square feet to become available by the middle of 2025.
Key commercial developments in the town include:
- One Waterside Place: 35,000 square feet of Grade A office accommodation located within five minutes’ walk of Chesterfield’s mainline train station. The building provides high quality office space for larger businesses looking to relocate or expand. Opened in January 2023, two of the building’s six floors have already been taken by tenants.
- Hartington Industrial Estate: a major industrial development in Staveley, an area of Chesterfield next to the M1 motorway. This project will create 800,000 square feet of new commercial floorspace, with multiple modern industrial and warehouse units measuring 20,000 square feet and more expected to become available in 2023.
- Prospect Park: located just off the A61, the main road between Chesterfield and Sheffield, Prospect Park provides high-quality office space and plots for new advanced manufacturing, warehousing and distribution units ranging from 7,000 – 50,000 square feet.
Modern Burton industrial unit sold to MNE Hydraulics
Burton upon Trent commercial property agents and consultants, Salloway, have completed the sale of a 2,500 sq ft modern industrial unit to MNE Hydraulics.
Salloway associate partner, Anwar Hussain said: “The unit is located on the Albion Gateway Development on Derby Road, Burton upon Trent. The site was developed in three phases by St Modwen Developments and has proved to be a very popular location with both purchasers and tenants, with direct access to the A38 major trunk road being so close.”
MNE Hydraulics Managing Director, Alex Wallis said: “With our business continuing to grow, the decision to purchase Unit 21 Albion Gateway was totally logical as this unit is located on the same development as our existing premises.
“This additional capacity now allows us to offer our customers full design and manufacturing services in house in our dedicated 5,000 sq ft facility.
“Our thanks to Anwar and the Salloway team for helping the sale to go through swiftly.”
Midlands contractor switches to solar power with £167k investment
A family-run Midlands contractor is reducing its emissions and energy usage with the installation of 292 solar panels at its managed site in Northamptonshire, supported by a £167,000 funding package from Lloyds Bank.
Headquartered in Shirley, SSG Contracts provides a range of commercial services, including construction, refurbishment, maintenance, facilities management, warehousing and logistics. The business serves customers across all sectors, including Amazon, Savills, and Jaguar Land Rover, domestically, as well as in Europe, America and the UAE.
The contractor purchased the Nene Business Centre in Wellingborough in December 2021 with the support of a £2.6m loan from Lloyds Bank, to provide office and warehousing space to its customers. Now, as part of sustainability focused upgrades to the building, SSG Contracts secured £167,000 of new funding and is installing a system of 292 solar panels on the roof, capable of producing 120 kilowatts of electricity each hour.
The panels are the result of a Carbon Insight Report conducted for SSG Contracts by Lloyds Bank, which helped the business calculate its carbon footprint and identify where investment can have the most significant impact on reducing emissions.
The new solar panels are expected to save the business 24 tonnes of CO2 per year, and up to £38,500 in energy.
The new system will produce enough electricity throughout summer to meet the site’s full energy demand and generate enough surplus to return to the grid. The business eventually hopes to install batteries on-site to store the energy produced for use overnight or in winter, allowing the site to become 100% energy self-sufficient.
Other environmental upgrades at the site include replacing all warehouse lighting with energy efficient LEDs, as well as planning to install electric vehicle charging points and introduce electric delivery vehicles in the future. The business is also investigating fitting heat pumps.
The solar panels have been funded via Lloyds Bank’s Clean Growth Financing Initiative, which provides customers with access to discounted lending for green purposes. The loan will also fund the planned installation of solar panels at its head office in Solihull.
The £21m turnover business currently employs 60 people and aims to double its turnover and headcount in the next two years.
John Fitzgerald, director of SSG Contracts, said: “We are focused on the future and driving sustainable growth of the business. The Carbon Insight Report from Lloyds Bank has helped us identify where our investments can have the most impact on cutting our emissions, setting us on a clear path to reducing our environmental impact.
“As we work towards net zero, we’re facing increasing demand from customers to demonstrate our sustainability credentials. By investing in carbon reduction initiatives, we hope to be able to demonstrate compliance with BREEAM, a science-based validation and certification system for sustainability in the built environment, to help our customers meet their own carbon reduction targets.”
Paul Warrington, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “We’ve been working with SSG Contracts for almost 15 years, supporting them with various projects to help drive their growth, including the acquisition and subsequent sustainability focused refurbishment of Nene Business Centre.
“We’re proud to work with local businesses such as SSG Contracts, which prioritise sustainable growth, while supporting others in their sector to do the same. We will be by the side of businesses in the region to help support them on their carbon reduction journey, as they work to help create a more sustainable built environment.”
The importance of cyber security and the risks of ignoring it
The East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (EMCRC) have produced a back-to-basics guide for SMEs that looks at the most typical types of cyber-crime that you should be aware of.
Today’s workplaces rely almost entirely on technology to function at the level to which we have all become accustomed. As a result, cyber-crime has skyrocketed.
Cyber security means protection in the online space. Therefore, it can refer not just to your place of work, but also to the security settings you use in your personal online world, be that social media, online gaming or the software you use on your home’s devices. Who has a fridge that’s connected to the internet? That falls under what’s called the Internet of Things (IoT), and it could be targeted.
Because technology now rules the world, cyber security should be your top priority. Given that the majority of people have access to internet-connected devices, everyone should have a basic understanding of cyber security and their responsibility to protect those internet-connected devices from cyber-crime.
Look at it this way: would you leave your front door open when you’re elsewhere or doing something else? Unlikely. So why then would you metaphorically leave the door wide open to your online environment?
Let’s look at some of the main types of attacks and risks…
Phishing
Phishing is the most prevalent of threats right now, and targets individuals both at home and at work.
Phishing attacks also employ deception. A cyber-criminal will adopt the identity of another individual, typically one who is in a position of authority from a reputable source, such as a bank or a service.
With fake or fraudulent emails, they use deceit to retrieve private information. The malicious links that serve as the catalyst for the cyber-criminal’s attack are contained within these emails, and they will often use urgency to force the user to make a decision on the spur of the moment rather than carefully weighing up all of their options.
By clicking on the malicious link, the consumer will unintentionally provide access – or potentially even control – to the hackers.
For the complete low-down on phishing, visit our blog entitled: ‘Let’s remind ourselves about phishing…’.
Ransomware
A ransomware attack locks and encrypts files. The cyber-criminals will then demand a ransom in return for the assurance that they will grant access again, following which they will undoubtedly vanish.
Cyber-criminals use urgency to force you to pay the ransom; they give you payment deadlines and threaten to delete the files if you don’t send the money in the allotted time.
Unsurprisingly, this leads to business owners paying the ransom quite frequently. Some people think it’s easier to simply pay a ransom, but you can’t trust a criminal to give you access to your files even when funds are transferred.
Paying a ransom shows cyber thieves that you have the funds available and are prepared to part with them, so they could up the stakes and strike again.
Malware
Malware is made with the intention of causing harm, mayhem, and ultimately data theft. When the purpose is to make money, either by directly spreading the malware or by selling the software to other cybercriminals on the Dark Web, malware assaults are typically carried out by a group of cybercriminals rather than a single person, in contrast to other cyberattacks.
In short, malware (or malicious software) is a software designed to gain access to a computer system without permission. Once malware is on a computer, it can damage files or disrupt personal cyber security. A computer virus is a type of malware.
Someone might use malware to steal personal information, financial details or anything else that could benefit them but harm your family.
To mitigate the risk of malware, install software on your computer to fight it.
Cryptojacking
This is closely related to cryptocurrency and results from clicking on suspicious links or online ads. When this happens, malware gains unauthorised access to your device and uses it to mine cryptocurrency.
Mining cryptocurrency uses a lot of energy and power, so you will notice your device slowing down.
Make sure all installed software is the latest version, don’t ignore updates. Very often updates are seen as a nuisance, but they are important. Also, install ad blockers where possible and consider the dangers of clicking on mysterious links or ads.
Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
During the Covid-19 pandemic, MITM attacks became more frequent because of the use of virtual meeting software. When two parties communicate (i.e, the client and the host), an attacker might take over the session to steal information.
While many virtual meeting platforms increased security to stop these cyber attacks, using vulnerable WiFi connections leaves users open to harm.
To mitigate the threat of MITM attacks, avoid connecting to public WiFi where possible or check that it is reliable and safe.
Password breaches
Whether it’s your Facebook, Amazon, Netflix or business accounts, the explosion in popularity of online apps and services means more and more of us have to remember an increasingly long list of passwords.
Unfortunately, some of us cope with this challenge by resorting to practices that leave our data, devices and money at risk – by using the same password across multiple accounts, or by creating simple passwords that could easily be guessed by hackers.
Bad password practice is more prevalent than you might think – the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre carried out analysis of passwords leaked in data breaches and found that more than 23 million users worldwide used 123456 as a password!
We have blogged about passwords at length. Read some top tips that will make your life easier and your online accounts more secure.
If you’re concerned about cyber-crime – individually or in a business capacity – get in touch with us and we can discuss the options available to you.
We also offer free Community Membership, which offers advice and guidance, and puts us in your mind should you need us.
Reporting
Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).
MPs gather in Westminster to call for improvements to Junction 28 of M1
Local MPs and stakeholders are gathering in Westminster this afternoon (Tuesday 16 May) to call for improvements to Junction 28 of the M1 in Derbyshire following a previous Westminster Hall Debate on this issue on 11 January 2023. Politicians will be joined by senior officials from the Department for Transport and National Highways.
The event, chaired by Mark Fletcher, MP for Bolsover, will bring together local MPs like Ashfield MP Lee Anderson as well as local businesses and councils with the Department for Transport, National Highways and Midlands Connect.
The area is a well-known pinch point and upgrading the junction is a hugely popular idea amongst local residents. Consumer research shows that 82% of respondents supported improvements. More than half of respondents (51%) said the improvements would be ‘very important’ for local businesses.
Delays at junction 28 are costing the economy £4.5 million and MPs are hoping to hear from local firms coming down to Westminster about what impacts it is having on them and what potential upgrades could do to boost the local economy.
Local leaders are recommending that these improvements should be considered for funding as part of the Government’s upcoming Road Investment Strategies (RIS), covering the period from 2025 to 2040.
Mark Fletcher, MP for Bolsover, said: “It is fantastic that we are able to have this roundtable event today on improving junction 28 of the M1.
“This junction is so important to my constituents. Many people in the area are stuck in delays daily as they travel to work or to appointments. Congestion is causing misery and pollution for the people of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
“We are calling on the Government to work with Midlands Connect and National Highways to prioritise improvements to this junction, in line with their levelling up targets.”
Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, added: “Junction 28 is a key interchange in our patch. We are working with local politicians and councils to develop the best strategy for reducing delays in the area.
“It is great to be able to attend this roundtable today and hear from local leaders and businesses on how important this issue is to them and the people they serve.”
