DECEMBER 2017EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS E-MAGTHE BUDGETAutumn StatementCYBER SECURITYKeeping your businesssecureHEALTH & SAFETYMind that step...www.blmgroup.co.ukWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKLOOKINGAHEAD...LOOKINGAHEAD...LinkingbusinesstogetherEast Midlands Business Link has been bringing businesses together through itsonline pages and we’re now offering even more chances to network andcreate new relationships with a host of special events – and there are numerous sponsorship opportunities to help promote your brand!Round TablesBringing together leading names from local businesses, our round table events debate the latest hottopics. By sponsoring the event you can decide on the topic and help shape the guest list to ensurerelevance. The resultant debate will appear in our pages.Breakfast EventsEast Midlands Business Link's breakfast events present topical and incisive discussion. A panel ofexperts offer their views on business matters in front of an informed and interested audience –alongside plenty of opportunities to network! Sponsors of the event receive access to the delegate list as well as extensive pre- and post-event coverage.AwardsHighlighting the best of local business, there are myriad sponsorship opportunities atEast Midlands Business Link's awards evenings. Bringing together guests from across the region,sponsoring a category or even the entire event will ensure exceptional exposure for your business! These events are also a great place to entertain and welcome distinguished guests.Business Link is renowned as the voice of the East Midlands business scene. By partnering with us at these special events you can take advantage of our strong reputation and enjoy exceptional exposure for your brand!Connectwith us today to see what we can do for your business...www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 3EDITOR’S NOTESDecember is here, and with it Christmas - a time offestivity and giving, but also of tying up loose ends andensuring all business is handled before the holidays. Formany in the East Midlands, the weeks leading up to theholidays may seem quite hectic. Businesses in the regionwill have been pleased then, to hear the news that theGovernment has agreed the divorce bill for the EU and maysoon be moving onto other negotiations. Nothing is set instone as of yet, but this all raises the potential for a deal tobe struck early in 2018, a welcome gift for many in thebusiness community.What also may have been quite welcome is the budget this year, which maynot have launched many curve-balls, but also didn’t involve any U-turns,contentious points or negative shocks. While Philip Hammond has been accusedof a lack of imagination in the past, it seems that the stability has worked in hisfavour this time, and many seem optimistically cautious about the budget (whichis a marked improvement over the feeling for most budgets before it). Turn topage 18 for our full Budget breakdown.Our December issue delves into the world of invoice and finance solutions tosee how companies in the region are coping with late payments. Alongside that,we have dedicated articles on health and safety in construction, commercialproperty and up-to-date news from across the East Midlands. We also take alook at the ubiquitous Christmas party and some legal concerns around it,including how not to act and what HMRC might be interested to look at.All that and more in our December issue of the East Midlands Business LinkMagazine. Good reading and a Merry Christmas,Michael FisherEditorWelcome...ContentsDecember 2017LATEST NEWS 6A round-up of the latest news from our regionAPPOINTMENTS 8East Midlands on the moveDEALS NEWS 10The latest news from the dealmakers around the regionPROPERTY NEWS 12All the latest from the property sectorCOMMERCIAL PROPERTY14Selecting the right office, building or environment can have majorimpacts on worker wellbeing. East Midlands Business Linkexplores the relationship between office space and employeehealthTHE BUDGET18Streets Chartered Accountants on the Autumn Statement: An English man’s home is his castleINVOICE & FINANCE SOLUTIONS20Late invoice payments are hamstringing growth plans andcasting a fog of uncertainly across the economy. East MidlandsBusiness Link investigates the effect this is having on businessesacross our regionCYBER SECURITY 24Keeping your business secure by Matt Aldridge - SeniorSolutions Architect at global cybersecurity firm Webroot HEALTH & SAFETY26Construction in the East Midlands has taken off recently, butthat’s no excuse to let standards fall, and the recent HSE figurescontinue to show the industry as one of the most dangerous inthe countryMEET THE EXPERT 30Over the next page we hear from one of the region's mostsuccessful companies and invite them to share their experienceSILLS & BETTERIDGE316 steps towards better crisis management by Andrew Kerrigan,Business Crime and Regulatory Solicitor – Sills & BetteridgeEAST MIDLANDS BUSINESS LINK BRICKSAWARD 2018 32East Midlands Business Link Bricks Award 2018 are now open forentries. The awards are a chance to recognise and celebrate theregion’s top projects, as well as the teams behind themPRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY34When it comes to boosting productivity, it’s a more complexaffair than just throwing money at the root cause. BUSINESS SCENE36360 guests from Leicestershire’s professional communityattended the annual Network LE dinner at Leicester City FC’sKing Power Stadium in NovemberCORPORATE HOSPITALITY38Christmas may soon be here but before that is the officeChristmas party, and there are several things employers will needto watch out for4812PUBLIC RELATIONS42Why you SHOULD make an exhibition of yourself by Greg Simpson, founder of Pressfor Attention PR and Enterprise Nation Champion forNottinghamQ&A - DAVID HALLAM44OrderWiseOUT OF OFFICE46Sustainability awards, charity dinners and trentbarton busesAUTOLINK48Okay, Christmas is coming and so are the very latest newregistrations, so if you’re looking to change up your car forsomething a little more exotic, what better excuse could therebe? • BMW i8EVENTS54We take a look at business events happening around the EastMidlandsAND FINALLY...5718Group EditorSteve Fishers.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukEditorMichael Fisherm.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukJournalistsDominic Cuthbertd.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.ukStuart Pearcey s.pearcey@blmgroup.co.ukSales DirectorAngela Coopera.cooper@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310310Accounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharmanaccounts@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary Jorgensen, Mark Cassonstudio@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310304Fax: (01472) 310314E-Mail:eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.ukPublisherHaychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group,Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE.All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied,recorded or otherwise without expresspermission of the copyright holder, for whichapplication should be addressed first to thepublisher. While every reasonable care is taken,neither the publisher nor its participating agentsaccept liability for loss or damage to prints,colour transparencies, negatives or othermaterial of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in thispublication are not necessarily the views of thoseheld by the publisher.@BLMEastMidlandsBLMEastMidlandsDECEMBER 2017EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS E-MAGTHE BUDGETAutumn StatementCYBER SECURITYKeeping your businesssecureHEALTH & SAFETYMind that step...www.blmgroup.co.ukWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKLOOKINGAHEAD...LOOKINGAHEAD...COVER PHOTOS: • shutterstock.com • Monkey Business Images• Pressmaster• Yuttana Contributor Studio• Maserati• SovastockEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk6nottingham ranked top city inengland for small business growthNottingham has been recognised as the top city in England for small business growth, in a newreport.The findings also reveal than seven in 10 small businesses describe themselves as confident aboutthe UK business environment, despite economic uncertainty and worries over Brexit.Of these small firms, 71% said they are “confident” or “very confident” about the businessenvironment, including their ability to hire, expand and invest. On average, they expected theircompany to grow by 29% over the next 12 months. This number will see the UK’s 5.3m smallbusinesses outperform the wider economy, which is currently growing at 2% according to the Officefor Budget Responsibility.The study, by Square – which surveyed 1,200 small business owners nationwide -also created aranking of cities based on their growth potential for small businesses, looking at regional differencesincluding business confidence levels, growth expectations, technology adoption and infrastructure. Nottingham came top inEngland, well ahead of the UK’s capital city, London, which only ranked 10th out of the 15 cities.expansion see newsites for sturgessSturgess MotorGroup that it is setto build new siteswithinLeicestershire overthe next two years.A spokespersonfor the companyconfirmed that it isset to build newsites withinLeicestershire,though the exactlocations are stillto be confirmed.Companychairman ChrisSturgess said: “Iam enormouslyproud of thebusiness and theachievement ofthis milestone, particularly in view of the amount of consolidationthat has happened in our industry over the years. We have atremendous, professional workforce who have a laser-like focus ondelivering quality products and services and we will be continuingour strategy of responsible and considered growth.”This growth has already started with the recent opening of a newGroup Bodyshop, preparation and logistics centre.Sturgess were originally established in Leicester in 1897 by WalterE Sturgess. The business originally sold bicycles, followed bymotorcycles, before eventually moving into the car market, with theRover franchise in 1904. There have been a number of different car brands that have beensold through the showrooms over the years. They have includedMaudslay Trucks, post WW2 Chevrolet, Rootes Group, PantherWestwinds and Noble to name a few.Today Sturgess is a Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Hyundai, Fiat, AlfaRomeo, Abarth and Suzuki supplier. The appointment of Jaguarand Land Rover in 1947 and 1948 respectively make Sturgess oneof the world’s oldest retailers of those brands.lATesT newsAutomotive industryrequires re-boot tomeet future high-techskills demandThe automotive industry faces an electric future. The rapiddevelopment of autonomous, connected, electric and shared vehicle(ACES) technology will bring huge changes to transport systems.However, the recent technology, being developed at an ever-increasing rate, currently threatens to outstrip the pace of skillsdevelopment within the mainstream automotive sector. Globalautomotive engineering pioneers, HORIBA MIRA are teaming up withMidlands’ education providers to address the future skills gap.The automotive sector has been slow to progress from traditionalmechanical approaches when many of the new developments rely onthe ability to harness high-tech and digital solutions. According toAnthony Baxendale, who heads up the future transport technologiesresearch team for HORIBA MIRA, this presents a serious challengefor the sector.Antony says “We are now seeing a much more rapid innovationcycle, for example, in ACES technologies, and the workforce mustadapt just as quickly or prepare to face a crisis of capacity.”Anthony explains that most vehicles are now connected to theinternet either through satellite navigation systems linked to trafficreports, or through Bluetooth or USB connectors. Stringent safetyconsiderations have engendered caution within the sector regardingcyber security, to mitigate the potential for viruses or malware toattack vehicle interfaces. These vulnerabilities can only be addressedby those skilled in coding and IT development.CGI of MIRA Technology InstituteIdeagen scoopsnorth AmericancontractNottinghamshire-headquarteredsoftware providerIdeagen has secured acontract from acompany in thepetrochemical industryworth an initial $1.6m(£1.2m).Ideagen has said it isexpected that 90 percent of the revenueincluding $1.1m(£826,320) of licencewill be recognised inthe current financialyear.The contract is forthe supply of Ideagen’sflagship QualityManagement System Q-Pulse to the customer’s NorthAmerican business, covering 13 sites with 2,500 users.Chief Executive David Hornsby said: “We continue to seestrong business demand for our software across all our keyverticals.“This contract demonstrates the strength of both ourproducts and our ability to grow revenues from our extensivecustomer base.”7 www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Hs2 – improved connectivitykey to improving productivityA new report published by HS2 Ltd, says that improved connectivity will driveproductivity growth across much of the UK and help close the gap between the best andworst performing regions.Drawing on evidence from over 100 employers, local authorities and universities, HS2:Getting the best out of Britain, highlights the regional strengths of highly skilledmanufacturing clusters, universities and research centres, and cutting edge technologyentrepreneurs, but warns that more needs to be done to draw them together and realisetheir full potential in the modern economy.David Higgins, Chairman of High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd, said: “This report is theevidence that HS2 will boost productivity in the North and Midlands. This is a once in a generation opportunity to join up and amplify themany centres of excellence around the country, as we prepare to exit the European Union.”Major flats plan forleicester’s wharf streetsouthPlatinum Homes has submitted a planning application to Leicester CityCouncil for construction of eight and 11-storey flats block in Leicester’s WharfStreet South.The scheme would see a total of 72 one and two-bedroom flatsconstructed together with four retail units, communal facilities and 15 carparking spaces.A statement accompanying the plans states: “This is an opportunity tocreate housing for local people, create jobs and regeneration of a part ofLeicester which has been neglected in the past.“Currently, the buildings on site have been vacant for more than 10 yearsand are subject to vandalism and damage.“This scheme will bring back the use of this brownfield land to crate stylishand contemporary homes for the people of Leicester.“The proposed scheme will help regenerate the link between St Matthewsand the city centre”Artists impression of the HS2East Midlands station David Hornsby, Ideagen8East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukAPPOINTMENTSGeldards expandsteam with twonew partnersLaw firm Geldards has appiointed two newpartners to its corporate and commercialdepartment.Jamie Goldberg has joined the firm’s Derby officeas a commercial partner, having previously been apartner at a London-based sport, media andentertainment specialist law firm, Onside Law.Peter Seary has joined the Nottingham office as acorporate partner. His previous experience includesbeing a corporate partner at Shoosmiths inNottingham where for several years he was head ofthe Midlands-based corporate and commercial team,and corporate partner and co-head of the foodsector at Roythornes. Seary will lead Geldards’ foodsector team.Debra Martin, partner and head of the team, said:“We are delighted to welcome Jamie and Peter toGeldards, they are fantastic lawyers with experienceand expertise that will enhance both the team andthe wider firm.“2016/17 was a very positive year for the firm andteam which was reflected in a number of waysincluding some major transactions, strong revenuegrowth and most recently, a top-tier ranking in therecently published legal directory rankings. We haveworked hard to provide the best service to ourclients and I am very proud of every member of theteam.”L-R: Jamie Goldberg,Debra Martin, Peter SearyNew Chief OperationsOfficer for Node4Derby cloud, data centre and communications solutions provider,Node4, has appointed Tom Needs as Chief Operations Officer, a newlycreated position within the company.Needs, who has previously held positions with Rackspace and Adapt,will be responsible for running the operational and service deliveryfunctions of the business.Andy Gilbert, Chief Executive of Node4, said: “Our appointment of Tomat board level comes at a critical time for us as we look to positionourselves for the next stage of growth. Tom has been pivotal in helpingseveral businesses scale up and evolve their service offering over theyears, and with his wealth of knowledge and expertise Node4 cancontinue to deliver an outstanding customer experience to its existingcustomer base and prospects across all of our service lines.”Needs said: “Having admired Node4’s transformation into a market-leading UK Managed Services player for some time now, I am thrilled tobe joining the company as chief operations officer. Node4 is a fast-growing company with a great reputation within the industry, and I lookforward to enhancing and developing the existing foundations of thecompany to deliver a diverse range of critical services to solve theevolving needs of Node4’s customers.”Top RollsRoyce civilaerospace bosshired by AirbusThe boss of Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospacedivision has been hired by Airbus.Eric Schulz, president of civil aerospace, whichhas a major base in Derby, is to head upcommercial sales at the aircraft manufacturer.Schulz will remain with Rolls-Royce until the endof 2017 but will not be involved in strategic orcommercial discussions concerning airframe or airlinecustomers.His permanent successor will be Chris Young,director, programmes – civil aerospace, who will take onimmediate responsibility for commercial and strategicmatters within the division.Schulz started his career in 1986 with Aerospatiale-Sogerma and has since held numerous senior managementpositions in companies like UTA, Air France, AOM, AirLiberté-British Airways, Goodrich and EADS.At Airbus, he will succeed John Leahy who has been at thehelm of the commercial Aircraft’s sales organisation since 1994.BHW bolsterscommercial propertydepartmentIan Sanders has joined the commercial propertydepartment at Grove Park law firm BHW.Ian has more than 18 years’ experience in the real estatesector, including time at the Leicester offices of bothHarvey Ingram (now Shakespeare Martineau) and Nelsons.He has knowledge and expertise in a range ofcommercial property work including acquisitions anddisposals, landlord and tenant, development and securedlending. Ian also has extensive knowledge of publicsector and local authority work.BHW Managing Partner Nick Bridle said: “Ian is anideal fit for our commercial property team.Commenting on Ian’s arrival, Nick Bridle, ManagingPartner, said “Ian is an ideal fit for our CommercialProperty team. Ian is a senior property lawyer who focuses on getting the job done and gettingit done efficiently and thoroughly. He will play a key role in the further growth of ourCommercial Property practice.”BranstonstrengthensteamBranston, the Lincoln potato supplier, hasappointed a new Head of category.Penny Francis, who will be based at thecompany’s Lincoln site, joins Branston fromtroubled national food producer 2 Sisters,where she worked as a senior categorymanager working with brands including Aldiand Marks and Spencer.Francis said: “Branston has an excellentreputation in the industry and it looked like afantastic place to work. What really attractedme to the company is that it is completelyaligned with its business partners whilstalways ensuring that consumers come first inthe overall business strategy.“I’m excited by the opportunities that thisnew role offers, on both a personal and aprofessional level. Not only is this a growing,innovative and forward-thinking business, Iknow there is the chance for me to make areal difference with the experience andexpertise I have.”UK auctioneerappointsNottingham-based DeputyMarketingManagerNottingham-based John Pye Auctionshas further expanded its marketing teamwith the appointment of NatalieSeebaransingh, in the newly created role ofDeputy Marketing Manager.Natalie, who has over 20 years ofexperience in marketing, joins the firmfrom The Hut Group where she worked fortwo years as head of marketing.In her new position, Natalie will beresponsible for contributing to thecompany’s branding and marketingstrategy, as well as the cohesivebusiness development and marketingevolution within the business.Natalie said: “John Pye Auctions is afantastic business with a vibrantculture which I am excited to be a partof. There is huge opportunity here towork on national and internationalcampaigns and work with a highlycreative and skilled team.“What drew me to the businesswas the level of growth thecompany, and the industry as awhole, is experiencing and theopportunity to help deliverconsumer-driven campaigns fora well-known national brand.I’m really looking forward tousing my marketingexpertise and being part ofthe impressive marketingteam.”www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 9Eric Schulz,president ofRolls RoyceCivil AerospacePHOTOGRAPH BY MARTIN NEEVES PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Sanders,BHW SolicitorsNext >