Business Manchester

Landwood Group and Wignall Brownlow Reveal Powerhouse Partnership

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01/03/2023

Property and business asset specialists and Chartered Surveyors Landwood Group and Wignall Brownlow have joined forces to provide a stand-out recovery and restructuring service, they have revealed.

The enlarged group benefits from extensive strength in depth, offering clients a complete service, dealing with the widest possible range of recovery and restructuring cases across the Northwest and beyond.

Based in Manchester the group will provide expert advice, including appraisals, valuations and disposal strategies. This includes asset disposals to achieve market-leading realisations for property and plant and machinery assets.

Landwood Group are asset experts with their team of chartered surveyors, project managers, asset managers and auctioneers providing unrivalled expertise.

Formed in 2000, Manchester-based chartered surveyors Wignall Brownlow are specialists in the recovery sector including the appraisal and sale of machinery, equipment, residential and commercial property.

Mark Bailey, Landwood Group’s Managing Director, comments: “We have long admired Wignall Brownlow for their unrivalled reputation in the recovery sector. By joining forces with them we look forward to being able to offer a truly stand-out service for our clients.”

Wignall Brownlow Partner Jonny Brownlow, comments: “We are delighted to merge with Landwood and are looking forward to working with Mark, Helen, Richard and the Landwood team. The enlarged group will deliver a great service to our clients, providing real strength in depth.”

KPMG Corporate Finance Completes Record Year With 19 Completions Worth More Than £1.2BN in North West as Mayo Joins Manchester Office

Olivia McHugh

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01/03/2023

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KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in the North West has finalised 19 deals over the past 12 months with a combined value of over£1.2bn.

The practice, which is made up of 25 professionals, recorded one of its busiest periods on record. In recent weeks KPMG was the lead sell-side adviser to Warrington-based medical technology firm Aesthetic Technology and its sale to Omni Partners.

The performance comes alongside Christian Mayo, KPMG’s Head of Corporate Finance in the North, joining the firm’s Manchester office. Christian has joined the leadership team of the North West Corporate Finance practice which is now led by three senior dealmakers, including Head of Private Equity in the North, Rick Stark, and Nisha Sharma, who is Head of TMT in the North.

Christian, who lives in the city, has worked with KPMG for more than 24 years and was previously based in Manchester when he was made partner in 2006.

Christian Mayo, Head of Corporate Finance at KPMG in the North, said: “We’ve got a thriving and incredibly successful corporate finance practice in the North West, which is part of a 50-strong team right across the North and Scotland. I’m proud to continue to lead our teams across the region, which are superbly integrated into the local dealmaking communities and are behind some of the North’s most exciting transactions.

“From a personal perspective it’s exciting to be coming back home to rejoin the vibrant Manchester corporate finance community, focussing on our corporate finance offering on the ground here, alongside Rick and Nisha.

“That’s why over recent months we’ve continued to invest in the practice here and I’m delighted to welcome three new directors into the team, Amanda Ruddiman, Nicky Leonard and Patrick Simpson, taking the senior team in Manchester to eight partners and directors.”

Warren Middleton, Office Senior Partner at KPMG in Manchester, said: “Our corporate finance practice is one of the largest in the city and helps to make Manchester a thriving hub for regional and national dealmaking. With Christian, Rick and Nisha we have a formidable group of leaders that are supported by a diverse and talented group of professionals, which are fundamental to the multidisciplinary proposition we have for our clients in the North West, As we continue to invest in the practice, they can build on the strong growth that we’ve seen in recent years to further support corporates and investors achieve their M&A and fundraising ambitions.”

FW Capital Welcomes New Team Members After Funding Boost

Olivia McHugh

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01/03/2023

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FW Capital has welcomed two new recruits to improve its Northwest team after receiving an additional £9.48m funding boost as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Caroline Turley and Steven Molyneux have been appointed as Investment Executives. Caroline is based in the Liverpool office and Steven in the Preston office. Both will assist in helping businesses across the region to access investment to support growth via the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. The additional £9.48m funding increases FW Capital’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund allocation to £172m. This is from a starting position of £102m when the Fund was first established.

Both have over 25 years’ experience of working in the banking sector. Caroline has worked for Yorkshire Bank as a corporate business manager and most recently in economic development at the Lancashire Business Growth Hub. Steven has worked in business relationship banking for both RBS and more recently at Handelsbanken.

Caroline Turley, Investment Executive at FW Capital explains: “I have worked in both the public and private sector in my banking and Business Growth Hub roles, and this has given me a good understanding of how businesses approach their funding needs and growth ambitions. This enables me to appreciate the challenges business owners encounter and the importance of working with organisations who take the time to get to know a business. I am able to combine this approach with my proven track record in lending to secure appropriate finance for growing businesses. It is a very exciting time of innovation in the Liverpool City Region, and I am looking forward to helping businesses across the city and the North West region to facilitate growth.”

Steven Molyneux, Investment Executive at FW Capital adds: ‘’As an Investment Executive at FW Capital, I will support businesses with their future growth aspirations, particularly when they may have had difficulty in securing funding through the private sector. Having spent many years in the banking industry, I fully understand the challenges that many businesses face in accessing the funding that underpins their growth, and will use this experience and established network to ensure businesses across Lancashire and the North West can achieve their business goals.

Sean Hutchinson at the British Business Bank, said: “It’s great to see a growing team at FW Capital, that will work to bring access to finance to businesses across the North West. Caroline and Steven are valuable additions to the team, bringing a wealth of experience working with businesses, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with them to provide those across Merseyside, Lancashire and the wider North West with funding and advice to accelerate their growth ambitions.”

Loz O’Connor, FW Capital’s Fund Manager, said: “Steven and Caroline are excellent additions to our North West team and their appointments demonstrate our continued commitment to helping local businesses with their future development. Both have impressive backgrounds working in the banking sector and understand the obstacles faced by many businesses. Their expertise and knowledge is a great asset to our team and will help us to utilise further the financial support available from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.”

FW Capital can provide loans of £100,000 to £750,000 in the NPIF region with a focus on Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, and the Tees Valley.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European

BT Group Adds a £2BN to North West Economy

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Olivia McHugh

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01/03/2023

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· BT Group’s activities provided an estimated boost of almost £2bn to the North West economy last year and supported more than 20,000 jobs across the region

· Estimates include the knock-on impact of the spend of employees and payment to suppliers in local economies in all parts of the country

· The company spent around £420m with suppliers based in the North West last year

The activities of BT Group added nearly £2bn to the wider North West economy last year and supported more than 20,000 jobs across the region, according to a new report published today.

The report from consultancy firm Hatch looked at the spend of employees and suppliers of BT Group – which includes EE, BT, Plusnet and Openreach – and the estimated knock-on impact that has on economies across the country.

The report found that BT Group, the UK’s largest telecommunications company which employs around 8,600 people across the North West, made a direct contribution to the region’s economy estimated at £1.2 billion in the last financial year (2021/22). Through the company’s employees and its supply chain, and their subsequent spending, Hatch estimates the resulting boost to the region’s economy came to a total of £1.86 billion.

The company’s spending with suppliers based in the North West came to a total of £420 million. According to the study, BT Group’s combined activities supported a knock-on total of 20,800 jobs across the region.

The report highlights BT Group’s presence across the North West and its current major investment in the rollout of full-fibre broadband and 5G across the country. It also profiles the range of activities by BT Group colleagues across the UK, from the volunteers helping care home residents avoid isolation and loneliness, to the teams protecting customers and the UK from cyber threats.

BT Group is also transforming its offices and contact centres across the UK, including a multi-million-pound new hub at Manchester’s Four New Bailey, which is currently under construction and will provide a base for up to 2,000 colleagues. Once complete Four New Bailey will serve as one of BT Group’s key locations across the UK.

Offices in Belfast and Glasgow have also undergone major refurbishments.

It is part of the company’s Better Workplace Programme, one of the largest workplace improvement schemes of its type ever undertaken in the UK. The five-year programme will see the company shift from having around 300 locations in the UK to around 30, with a focus on creating new, modern workspaces.

Philip Jansen, Chief Executive of BT Group, said: “BT Group plays a vital role at the heart of the UK economy. We’re one of only a handful of companies that serves customers in every corner of the country.

“We’ve continued our major investment in building next generation full fibre and mobile connectivity rapidly across the UK. We’ve already reached 9.6 million premises with full fibre, and our 5G mobile network now reaches 60% of the UK population. The benefits to families and businesses are huge: new jobs, economic growth and innovation, across every nation and region.

“We’re also transforming BT Group so that we’re fit to power the UK economy of the future. Our new state-of-the-art offices, spread across the UK, are a central part of that, bringing colleagues together in brilliant spaces that will enable collaboration and help us to better serve our customers.”

BT Group employees and contractors in key parts of the North West:

Liverpool	1,890
Manchester	1,370
Stockport	1,060
Salford	650
Warrington	720
Wigan	790

Half-A-Million Invested by Pilot Group Into Supercharging Its Energy Management Division

Olivia McHugh

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01/03/2023

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PILOT GROUP has recently revealed an investment of £500,000 into its Energy Management division as a way to help UK businesses tackle rising energy bills, by saving them money across their running costs.

The injection of funds comes as Pilot Group progresses towards conserving a milestone £1.2 million in energy costs for organisations across the UK through the provision of its Energy Management System (EMS).

An expert in sustainable technology based in Manchester, the investment will see Pilot Group bolster the products, services, and specialist team behind its EMS to achieve this.

With Pilot Group’s EMS saving companies an average of 40% on energy bills each year, as well as significantly reducing their carbon emissions, the investment is a key component of the company’s timely strategy to rapidly expand its EMS provision.

Earlier this year the Government announced an extension to its Energy Bills Discount Scheme for UK businesses, which originally ran from September to March 2023, extending this for another 12 months from April 2023 in a bid to support with rising energy bills.

However the measure will provide a discount at a lesser rate than previously, meaning organisations across the country will still feel the pressure of increased costs and be less cushioned than before while weathering the energy crisis.

As a result Pilot Group is seeking to further strengthen its EMS offering so it is well placed to help businesses combat these costs.

One such way is that Pilot Group’s EMS is designed to control and monitor energy systems for businesses, with smart sensors and self-learning algorithm enabling heating systems to work more efficiently to reduce waste.

A significant portion of the £500K investment has been made into expanding the EMS team so it is well-equipped to grow its presence in markets such as the manufacturing and retail sectors, as well as growing its service in a bid to meet growing demand.

Earlier this year Pilot Group appointed Lee Morgan as Managing Director of the division to further drive it forward, and has further invested in bolstering its workforce across the sales, technical hardware and software, product development, and engineering disciplines .

Additional employees to join the team include Product Manager Jordan Cooper, Joe Williams who is tasked with providing Sales & Operations Support, and Hannah Abbas as a Customer Service Manager.

As part of the investment Pilot Group is seeking to hire a number of tech-focused roles in the near future who will be tasked with growing and fine-tuning the EMS service to further build upon its success.

Coinciding with its thirty-year anniversary this year, Pilot Group is on track to support organisations to collectively reduce their gas consumption by 12million kWh during its financial year ending in June.

The company believes the investment in the EMS division will empower it to increase this figure in the year ahead.

Lee Morgan, EMS Managing Director at Pilot Group, commented: “While the Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides welcome support, there is little doubt that the cost of energy bills will continue to give business owners sleepless nights in the coming years.

“We don’t feel that organisations should have to go it alone when juggling their finances as a result of their energy bills, and that’s why we are here to support.

“Our Energy Management System is second to none with a proven track record of providing significant savings for organisations up and down the country. We’re excited to make this investment in the system, and the fantastic team around it, so we’re well equipped in the years ahead to help businesses meet their energy challenges head on.”

With a turnover of £45million and 160 employees, Pilot Group’s offer is focused on achieving carbon reduction and energy efficiency through the provision of energy management systems, electric vehicle charging points and traffic control systems.

For more information visit https://www.thepilotgroup.co.uk/.

Apprentice Icon Karren Brady and World-Renowned Author Seth Godin Inspire Hundreds of Financial Advisers at Timeline’s Flagship Retirement Adviser Conference

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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The UK’s fastest growing DFM, Timeline, has revealed that two world-class keynote speakers will headline a stellar line-up at its new flagship conference, ‘Adviser 3.0: Change Agents’, for Financial Advisers and Planners.

Baroness Karren Brady CBE, currently on TV screens as an expert in the BBC’s The Apprentice, will join the one-day event in London on 18th May along with globally-renowned author Seth Godin, appearing via live-satellite link. The event sees a host of experts from throughout the Financial Advice spectrum come together with 500 delegates to drive ideas for positive change and innovation for both advisers and their clients.

With a full line up of leaders and specialists selected from the spectrum of investment and financial advice including Vanguard’s European MD, Sean Hagerty, Fundment CEO, Ola Abdul, Seccl CEO, David Ferguson, Rockwealth’s Tim Horrocks and Tandem’s Paul Cleworth, excitement has been building in the financial advice community.

The event, co-hosted by Robin Wigglesworth, Editor, Financial Times Alphaville and author of Trillions, and Abraham Okusanya, CEO & Founder of Timeline, promises inspiring powerhouse keynotes, insightful peer-to-peer discussions and panel sessions, as well as tech demos and networking opportunities. It will consider how Financial Advisers can deliver positive change in the advice industry for themselves and their clients.

Abraham Okusanya explains: “Adviser 3.0 will show how each of us can bring about positive change by challenging the norm. We’re bringing world-class speakers from outside the industry to inspire and share their experience and ideas of breaking down barriers to drive progress.

Those joining the conference will leave with big ideas and clarity on how to put them into practice. It’s a unique opportunity that is not to be missed and it will also be enjoyable: we’ve even got the UK’s finest Mariachi band joining us!”

The event boasts Vanguard and Fundment as Platinum Partners and Early Bird tickets are now on sale at https://www.timeline.co/adviser3.0

Ola Abdul, CEO of Fundment, said: “We firmly believe 2023 is a year of change for advisers, particularly when it comes to using technology to deliver for clients. This event is a great opportunity for advisers to find out what that change looks like and how they can be a part of it. We’re thrilled to partner with Timeline.”

Karen Richie, MD, Riseden Penn Financial Planning, adds: “Timeline’s events are always fun, informative and insightful, making you really stop and think. You can’t beat their energy and dynamism in delivery and their creative approach to education and collaboration with the financial planning community.”

Maximising Efficiency: Tips to Scaling Your MSP Faster

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News Desk

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28/02/2023

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Maximising Efficiency: Tips to Scaling Your MSP Faster

As an MSP (Managed Service Provider) in today’s competitive marketplace, enhancing productivity and maximising efficiency is crucial to your success. This does not only mean growing the scale of your business operations but also enhancing your marketing efforts to cater to a larger client base.

By regularly working towards growth and excellence, an MSP can effectively stand out from the crowd and scale the business faster. However, most MSP owners or managers have trouble finding the right methods to scale their MSPs and truly enhance efficiency. This is pretty standard and understandable as improving efficiency while also scaling your business can be a daunting task and require great effort from all ends.

That’s why, to help you do this efficiently, we bring you this article suggesting the best tips and tricks to maximise productivity and scale your MSP faster. Regardless of whether you’re a new business or have been in the MSP industry for years, this blog post can help you make the most out of your business efforts and help you achieve your goals.

Discussing a wide range of topics to help you leverage today’s resources and enhance your business operations, this article will help you stay ahead of the competition and provide your clients with exceptional service.

MSP Marketing To Get New Clients

One of the most important things that you need to focus on as an MSP owner is getting in touch with the right MSP advertising and marketing solutions. When it comes to scaling a business, it is essential to remember that marketing plays an endlessly changing and crucial role.

Not only do you need marketing to enhance your brand visibility, generate new leads and build strong relationships with clients but also to establish a strong brand image. This encompasses a range of marketing activities like website design, social media marketing, search engine optimisation, content creation, email marketing and so much more.

By effectively creating campaigns that can be leveraged to target and resonate with potential clients, you can grow your revenue. Thus with the help of MSP marketing, you can ensure that your business puts forth an image of trust and reliability, leading to greater business growth, new clients and an increased retention rate.

Assisted Reality To Enhance Efficiency

With the help of various extended reality software and hardware like assisted reality glasses, MSPs can massively increase their efficiency. Using a technology that augments human reality with digital information, MSPs can provide cutting-edge service to their clients by remotely troubleshooting their problems in real-time.

What’s more, with the help of assisted reality, MSPs can guide their clients through all procedures and provide exceptional support at all times and from anywhere. Not only does this reduce downtime for clients but also allows you to provide better and faster support, leading to greater customer satisfaction.

Another great benefit of using assisted reality in MSPs is the incredible convenience in terms of training and knowledge sharing. Using these exceptional tools, one can offer remote training to all employees and hold meetings from remote locations. Moreover, you can also use AR to provide your employees training in complex procedures that require hands-on experience by simulating a training model.

Getting In Touch With a Commercial Finance Broker

When it comes to scaling your business, it is impossible to overlook the importance of finance in business growth. Whether you want to scale your operations, hire new employees, or new assets, you need financing options to get it all.

That’s why, to make sure you have all the necessary resources to invest in your business, we suggest taking a look at commercial finance options. Not only can this improve the quality of your business processes, but also provide you with more resources to hire skilled professionals and better technology.

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction

The next step to enhance efficiency and scale your business is focusing your efforts on customer satisfaction. The most crucial component to your success is how your customers feel about your brand and your services.

You can invest all you want in the right marketing techniques, technology and talent, but with poor customer service, it would all be for nothing. That’s why you need to effectively focus on improving your customer’s experience by prioritising their needs and expectations.

By focusing on customer satisfaction, you can significantly improve your business’ retention rates, word-of-mouth marketing, and customer loyalty, and build a strong brand image in the market.

Conclusion

With the help of these simple tips and tricks, any MSP can grow the scale of their business operations and attract new clients. Moreover, these tips can effectively help improve efficiency, grow the business, increase revenue, and improve customer retention. We hope this article helped you find what you were looking for and that you have a great day!

Phillips & Cohen Associates Acquires Ardent Credit Services as Part of Major International Expansion Plan

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd, the Manchester-based deceased account management business, is acquiring 100% of Ardent Credit Services, the Liverpool-based debt recovery and credit management services provider.

The move is part of a long-term strategy to expand Phillips & Cohen Associates’ expertise and scale within the pre and post charge-off collections space in the UK and internationally.

In acquiring Ardent Credit Services, PCA is adding 26-years of proven expertise and excellence in the UK collections industry. PCA was attracted to Ardent’s ‘digital first’ approach that allows its customers to choose the most appropriate channels through which to interact. The business also has a highly experienced executive team and employees who have proven themselves to consistently find the right balance between compassion for consumers, and performance and compliance for their clients.

Adam Cohen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Phillips & Cohen Associates, says that Ardent is the perfect fit: “It has always been part of our plan to expand our mainstream collection activities outside of the US, but without diluting the expertise in handling deceased accounts for which we have an established reputation and expertise.”

“Ardent is an extremely successful business and the right opportunity at the right time. Culturally, we are very similar, with compassion and compliance at the centre of all we do, and a like-minded approach to how customers should be treated above and beyond the remit of TCF.”

Steve Murray, the Founder and CEO of Ardent Credit Services added: “This is great news for the business, the team, and our future. We are like-minded companies with the same service ethic and being part of the Phillips & Cohen family will allow us to benefit from wider group knowledge and services. PCA’s investment in Ardent is also an investment in the local community, with exciting plans for expansion. Many of the senior team of the two businesses have been known to one another for many years, and this will make the collaboration even more effective.”

The senior team within Ardent all remain. John Ricketts continues as Managing Director, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer at Phillips & Cohen Associates, Nick Cherry. Steve has also agreed to stay with the company in the short-to-mid-term to ensure a smooth transition of the business. Upon completion, Ardent Credit Services will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd.

Nick Cherry says that the ambition is to grow the business significantly: “The office in Liverpool give us the perfect space we need to expand,” he says. “The local area is also important to us with an excellent pool of very hardworking talent to draw upon for future recruitment to support our growth. As much as we are benefiting from the local community, we hope and expect the local community will also benefit from being part of our team.”

Completion is subject to final approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is expected later this year.

Orlando Reid Launches Brunswick Mill – 153 New Homes in New Islington, Manchester

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Orlando Reid launches Brunswick Mill in Manchester’s trendy New Islington with 153 new homes

Orlando Reid has been appointed sole selling agent for Brunswick Mill – the new £75m residential development, in New Islington located to the east of Manchester’s popular Northern Quarter.

Brunswick Mill offers 153 residential apartments – including one, two and three bedroom units. The repurposed Grade II Listed Victorian cotton mill building is a prominent local landmark on the skyline, situated in an attractive waterside location adjacent to the Ashton Canal, in the up and coming area of New Islington, Manchester.

Dating back to 1837, Brunswick Mill was designed by the firm of David Bellhouse, who became one of the country’s leading mill architects during the early 19^th Century.

Baljit Arora, Managing director at Orlando Reid commented: “Apartments at Brunswick Mill are an obvious choice for investors looking for a good rental return. The development will be equally appealing to city commuters looking for a central location within an easy walk of the city centre.

We are seeing an increasing influx of new tech companies choosing to come to Manchester and this is likely to spark additional interest from talented tech employees looking to settle in the area. Prices are really competitive for a development of this quality, starting from £198,000 (approx £400 per square foot) for a one bedroom apartment. Investors will achieve strong rental returns and those looking to step onto the property ladder can enjoy well designed space combining history with first class luxury living”.

New Islington which borders Ancoats is a vibrant food and drink destination and the district has enjoyed a significant transformation in recent years; whilst retaining its important industrial buildings which define this area’s working history and textile industry heritage.

Orlando Reid’s Manchester team has established itself as a leader in selling new prime residential schemes and investment options across the city and has brokered some of the city’s most successful development deals. Last summer, Orlando Reid Manchester worked with Awal Investment, specialist mill developers, selling apartments at their Meadow Mill in Stockport.

Prices at Brunswick Mill for 1 bed start at £198,000; 2 beds from £262,75

Hyatt Regency Manchester Launches Five New Signature Cocktails With 25% Off

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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The Graduate Bar at the Hyatt Regency Manchester hotel, Booth St W, has revealed its March cocktail menu and is offering the tasty tipples at just £10 each (1^st to 8^th March 2023).

Taking inspiration from its location in the heart of the City’s thriving science community, the cocktails each have a scientific twist that are bound to set your tastebuds tingling!

Available from tomorrow (1^st March 2023) are:

Equinox
- Olmeca Altos Reposado, Marachino Luxardo, Aperol, grapefruit Juice and yogurt
- EQUINOX
Siam Queen
- Thai Basil infused in Beefeater London Dry Gin, ginger liqueur, pineapple Juice and coconut syrup
- SIAM QUEEN
Infusus
- Thyme Infused in Havana Club Anejo Especial, apple juice, raspberry and lemon juice
- INFUSUS
Dispersion
- Absolut Vodka, Manzana Verde, cucumber, red chillies and cream
- DISPERSION
Equilibrium
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon, caramel syrup, apple juice and ginger beer
- EQUILIBRIUM

Ruben Segovia, Food & Beverage Manager and part of the team which created these cocktails from The Graduate Bar said: “Manchester has a thriving cocktail scene and it’s great to see people quite literally mixing it up and trying new drinks when they are out or staying with us. It’s also great to see a resurgence in popularity of some ingredients too and creative ways of serving cocktails – everyone loves a dramatic, eye-catching drink!

“Our talented team of mixologists love to get creative and so we are hopeful that the five new additions to the menu will tantalise the tastebuds and meet the city’s ever-growing interest in cocktails.”