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Bellagio Europe secures licensing deal with Manchester City FC

Sam Whitear
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Watch and luxury gift manufacturer Bellagio Europe (‘Bellagio’) has secured an exclusive three year worldwide licensing deal with Manchester City and the very first edition is to produce the official Premiership Winners’ collectable timepiece.

Bellagio, based near Knutsford, Cheshire, launched the Winners Watches on 14 May 2018, day of the victory parade in Manchester; which will retail at £239 in all stainless steel and £199 with a dark blue leather strap, making the unique and collectable timepieces affordable to large numbers of City fans worldwide.

The Manchester City crest adorns the watch face and is surrounded by the wording ‘Premier League Champions’.  A special custom-made 2D cast replica Premier League Trophy and a large number ‘3’ that signifies three Premiership title wins, are raised on the dial for a luxury finish.

The limited-edition Premiership Champions watch is 44cm in diameter and is powered by a precision quartz movement. The hands are luminous, and the casing and strap are made from solid stainless steel, or a choice of a high-quality leather strap. The watch will arrive in a handsome Manchester City blue presentation case.

Only 2,018 of each style will ever be made world-wide, and each is serially numbered. The watch comes with a two-year unlimited manufacturer’s warranty.

Bellagio founder Mikey Cohen is the foremost designer in the world of collectable and winners’ watches for sporting clubs and music artists. Mikey has designed winners’ collectable timepieces for many English and Scottish Premiership Champions, European Champions and FA Cup winners for over 20 years.

Since 2004, Mikey has designed winners watches for teams including Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Celtic, Rangers, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. His designs include a History of Manchester United watch, History of Liverpool FC Watch, Celtic Lisbon Lions 50 years Anniversary watch, Spurs ‘End of White Hart Lane’ watch,  and The Who 50th Anniversary. Mikey says: “Where there is a celebration to be had and a collectable watch produced, it is more than likely this has been designed by me.”

Mikey said: “Our aim to is look after the fans and give them the service they deserve. Our products not only look good, it is something they can cherish forever and enjoy.

“My first football match was being taken to Maine Road at the age of five in 1978, and it was one of my proudest moments when I designed the 2011/12 Premiership Champions watch for the Blues. So to have designed the official champions watch for City’s third Premiership win is a great honour.”

The company’s main brands Bellagio and Paccioni are sold online via third party channels or direct for a bespoke service. Celebrities who own timepieces designed by Mikey, include Sugar Ray Leonard, Rio Ferdinand, Barry Gibb, Richard Fleeshman, Tom Jones, Usher, Justin Timberlake’s TN Kids Band and many more.

Mikey even presented two watches to Rihanna on her ‘Loud’ tour backstage at the Manchester Arena few years ago before the show. Bellagio Europe also designs and produces luxury products and VIP gifts such as branded bags, bespoke pens, headphones, umbrellas and of course watches for stars of stage, screen and sport. Artist managers commission Mikey to design exclusive Luxury gifts for VIPs, and he has worked on global tours for Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Neil Diamond and many more.

 

CIC appoints Stephen Hodder MBE as its new Deputy Chairman

Sam Whitear
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Members of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) have appointed Stephen Hodder MBE as its new Deputy Chairman commencing with immediate effect.

Stephen is expected to succeed Professor John Nolan, the incumbent Chairman, following CIC’s June 2019 Council meeting when John will stand down from his three year term of office and resume the role of Deputy Chairman for one last year, in accordance with CIC’s rules and byelaws.

A former RIBA President, Stephen has been in practice since 1983 and in 1992 formed Hodder Associates – now Hodder + Partners – which received the most important award in British Architecture for a single building, the inaugural Stirling Prize for Architecture.

Stephen has written and lectured widely, has been a visiting examiner at a number of schools of architecture and visiting Professor at the Birmingham School of Architecture and the Belfast School of Architecture.

He was awarded an MBE for services to architecture in the Queens Birthday Honours List, 1998.

On taking up his new role Stephen said: “Collaboration is the very essence of the Construction Industry Council and I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to contribute to it.”

“The construction industry plays an integral role in our economy. And there are a number of challenges that we now face, including Brexit, the impact on labour and professional skills supply and the lack of diversity among construction professionals. A cultural change is needed to bring a shared commitment to improving the quality and safety of the construction industry product.

“I’m looking forward to working with everyone in the industry as we continue to tackle these challenges.”

CIC’s current Chair John Nolan also welcomed the appointment saying: “Warm congratulations to Stephen on joining CIC’s leadership team and ultimately taking on the role of Chairman. I look forward to working with him over the next two years to help the industry become the best it can be and promote true collaboration.”

KLM celebrates 80 years of linking Manchester to the World

Sam Whitear
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Today marks the 80th anniversary of KLM’s operation from Manchester Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, connecting the North West of England to the Dutch capital and onwards to KLM’s extensive network of 165 destinations worldwide.

KLM’s Manchester to Amsterdam route was first launched on 27th June 1938, two days after the opening of Ringway Airport, as Manchester Airport used to be known, making KLM the first International carrier to operate from the northern hub. The Dutch national carrier is the world’s oldest airline still operating under the same name and will celebrate its 100th birthday in October 2019.

Back in 1938, the route was operated by a Douglas DC2 aircraft and carried up to 14 passengers – a far cry from today’s daily capacity of 1600 passengers on the Manchester to Amsterdam route. Today, the route is operated by a mix of Boeing 737, Embraer 175 and Embraer 190 aircraft.

Bénédicte Duval, General Manager of Air France KLM UK & Ireland commented on the anniversary: “Having been the first International carrier to operate from Manchester Airport, we are delighted to today be celebrating 80 years of linking Manchester to the World. Demand for efficient, seamless travel has grown rapidly throughout the years and KLM now operates six daily flights between Manchester and Amsterdam.

In 2017 alone, we carried over half a million passengers between the two cities. 62% of these passengers connect at Schiphol Airport onto flights across our extensive worldwide network, clearly indicating how important global connectivity is for the region. And of course, this works both directions, frequent daily flights and smooth connections bring thousands of overseas visitors to the North West every year and we are proud to continue supporting tourism and local business in the region”

With a catchment area encompassing 22 million people, Manchester Airport is currently the UK’s third largest airport and the largest outside London. With KLM now operating up to six daily flights between Manchester and the Dutch capital, Amsterdam currently sits in third position on Manchester Airport’s top 10 destination list, just behind Dubai and Dublin.

Stephen Turner, Commercial Director at Manchester Airport, said: “Celebrating our 80th birthday has been incredibly poignant here at Manchester Airport as we look back over the last eight decades, but also look to what the future will bring as part of our £1bn transformation.

The milestone has also given us the opportunity to thank partners who contribute to our success, so it’s incredibly pleasing to see KLM mark the anniversary of the first commercial flight from Manchester all those years ago. Back then the first flight went from Blackpool, to Liverpool, to here, on to Doncaster, then finally Amsterdam, I’m sure passengers these days are much happier it goes direct in just over an hour to the Dutch capital.”

Currently, KLM operates 41 departures a week from Manchester Airport to Amsterdam, with top long haul destinations including Shanghai, Lagos and Accra. The top European destinations are Bergen, Moscow and Oslo. KLM offers online check-in, allocated seating and complimentary in-flight drinks and snacks on all flights.

To mark this important milestone and thank the local community for their business over the last 80 years, KLM today celebrated with its passengers in Terminal 3 and on board all flights between Manchester and Amsterdam with special KLM loves MCR branded cupcakes and chocolates. Customers were invited to spin the Wheel of Fortune for a chance to win pairs of tickets to Amsterdam.

Greater Manchester gets new premium gym

Sam Whitear
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A premium gym attracting business leaders, media figures and professional athletes has launched at The Foundry on Salford Quays.

Senior Trainer and former Ultimate Performance mentor, Matt Warner recognises the importance of hospitality and his passion for optimising performance has seen him launch the unique performance centre, The Gym Works.

The 7,000-square foot personal training and group conditioning gym space houses some of the highest quality equipment and amenities seen in a gym facility, making it truly unique in the Manchester fitness landscape.

Split over two levels, clients can enjoy a pre-workout coffee or post workout shake with riverside views on the first-floor lounge area and shake bar.

They can then shower in spa grade changing rooms while taking advantage of on-site physiotherapy and movement screening from the world-renowned health professionals at Altius Healthcare, whose clientele includes: Red Bull, Team GB and Premier League footballers.

The ground floor sees a continuation of the contemporary aesthetic, with atmospheric lighting providing a dynamic but relaxed space.  This space houses precision resistance training and functional equipment from the likes of Watson Gym Equipment, Atlantis, Life fitness and Concept 2.

This site is Salford’s newest hub for lifestyle businesses with local companies like Kettlebell Kitchen and Boda Skins, as well as Foundry Film Studios already in situ.

Matt Warner commented on the launch: “Return on Investment is key to any successful service and this is something that we see as vital to the objective of The Gym Works Group.

Creating a positive culture requires a platform where clients can express themselves without intimidation, while having the choice to connect with other clients and staff in a relaxed but focussed environment.”

A former elite athlete himself, Warner has spent over a decade refining his skills across disciplines involving the world of business, sport, film and television.

He continued: “Performance is not a term exclusive to elite athletes. Connection is key when it comes to achieving positive and sustainable improvements in physical and psychological performance.

“We believe that attaining this is more than just achieving a transformation in body composition; it encompasses what it means to be at your best in the environments where we spend most of our time.  How we perform at work, at home and in the gym, will dictate the quality, and most importantly, the longevity of results.”

Partnering Warner on the project, Jamie Alaise brings added business credibility through his portfolio of exciting business interests such as: The Hive Circle, Kettlebell Kitchen and Flesh Tattoo.

This unique relationship sees Kettlebell Kitchen opening the doors of its new headquarters and restaurant next door to The Gym Works Group. It seems that this marriage of healthy food and service-driven improvements in performance will make The Gym Works Group a formidable player in the fitness industry and an asset to the businesspeople of Manchester.

Former Altrincham Grammar School student returns to the region

Sam Whitear
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Priya Lakhani OBE, the founder of national food brand Masala Masala and regular BBC News and BBC World Service contributor, has been announced as the host of Venturefest North West 2018.

The entrepreneur and former Altrincham Grammar School for Girls student will also give a keynote speech that draws on her experiences of identifying and developing new products, at the region’s biggest annual innovation event at Manchester Central on Thursday 13 September.

Having set up Masala Masala and turned it into a line of products now stocked nationally in the major supermarket chains, former barrister Priya went on to establish a charitable arm to the company that donated a meal or vaccination to India’s homeless for every unit the company sold. In 2014, she then founded Century Tech, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to understand how the brain learns and responds, enabling educators to receive real-time insights to improve student performance.

A member of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills’ Entrepreneurs’ Forum, Priya is also an Advisory Board Member to the Education Foundation, the UK’s leading education think-tank, and was made an Officer of the British Empire in 2014 for services to business, community and voluntary initiatives. Thanks to her wide range of roles and achievements, Priya is now also a regular contributor to both BBC News and the BBC World Service’s review of global headlines.

She said: “The North West is such a vibrant home to business, and I’m eager to see so many of the region’s forward-thinkers together under the same roof at this unique event.

“Having set up two companies in very different industries, I know the importance of embedding innovation into the culture of a business, whether you’re a manufacturer, tech start-up or work in another field. The benefits a day like this offers in terms of networking, profile-raising and learning from the experiences of others are huge, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Priya will introduce one of the event’s centrepieces, the Innovation Showcase Competition, which is open to start-up and young companies as well as established businesses, with free entries open now at the Venturefest North West website.

Ten finalists will have the chance to pitch their business idea to an audience of potential investors, and win a package of business support worth thousands of pounds. There are four categories to enter: Product Innovation, Service Innovation, Digital Innovation and Innovative Established Business.

Manchester accountancy firm Mitchell Charlesworth promotes seven

Sam Whitear
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Manchester accountancy firm Mitchell Charlesworth has made seven promotions, including two partners in its tax and corporate finance teams.

Alison Birch has become a VAT partner in the tax team. Alison joined the firm’s Manchester office in 2016 as a senior manager and has worked in VAT for over 17 years, both in professional practice and industry. She has extensive experience in dealing with VAT issues in a variety of sectors including retail, media, manufacturing and healthcare. Alison has also spent time overseas assisting a large business restructure its global supply chain and has recently been assisting businesses with the introduction of VAT in the Middle East.

Jerry Scriven has been promoted to partner at Mitchell Charlesworth’s corporate finance arm, MC Vanguard and will drive future growth of the client base in Manchester. He is a leading figure within the North West financial community, providing board level advice and support for businesses across the region who are selling, acquiring or extending their businesses or require advice on funding and finance solutions.

Jerry qualified as a chartered accountant in 1990 and completed his MBA at Cranfield in 2002. Before joining MC Vanguard in 2015, Jerry worked in a variety of roles including time in industry acting as commercial director and finance director for different businesses and also as a consultant to the North West Fund for business.

The firm has also promoted Jamielee Johnston to associate. Having graduated with a degree in maths and finance from the University of Liverpool, Jamielee moved to Scotland where she trained and qualified as a chartered accountant. Jamielee then returned to the North West and joined Mitchell Charlesworth’s audit and accounts team in Manchester in 2016. She has a mixed portfolio of clients, including a variety of owner managed businesses and charities.

In addition, two accountants have been promoted to manager – they are Sarah Guppy and Chris McEnaney – and Emma Houghton and Amy Taylor have been promoted to the role of assistant manager. All four work in the audit and accounts team.

Paul Wainwright, managing partner at Mitchell Charlesworth, said: “These well deserved promotions recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals who consistently deliver outstanding service to our clients. They also reinforce our commitment to support and invest in our people and provide them with opportunities to develop their careers at the firm.”

Brian McCann, partner at MC Vanguard, said: “Jerry Scriven is already a well known figure in the region’s financial sector with a solid reputation for completing deals for ambitious business owners. Following his promotion, he will be instrumental in driving our future growth in Manchester as well as across the North West and North Wales and will play an important role in helping clients achieve their business goals.”

Tim Adcock, partner and head of Mitchell Charlesworth’s tax team, added: “Alison plays an important role in working with both existing and new clients to maximise their VAT opportunities and streamline their VAT processes. She has expanded the firm’s VAT services, taking on additional staff to support growth, and has demonstrated her ability to provide the highest standard of service and client care.”

Laura takes up new senior role at Bromleys

Sam Whitear
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Law firm Bromleys has appointed Laura Stansfield as the head of its wills, probate and planning for the future department.

It is a new role for the Tameside firm which has been created to reflect strong growth in this area of work.

For nine years, Laura, 37, ran her own specialist practice in Wilmslow, building a strong client base around south Manchester.

Her firm, Laura Stansfield & Co, was acquired last October by Wilmslow-based Sinclair Law and she stayed on until the opportunity arose to join Bromleys.

Laura heads a six-strong team at Bromleys, which is based in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Senior partner Mark Hirst said: “Laura is a specialist in advising individuals, families, business owners and entrepreneurs on a variety of matters, including inheritance tax planning, business succession planning and planning for the future care of vulnerable people and people coming out of relationship breakdowns.

“This new role marks the separation of the wills, probate and planning for the future department from the Court of Protection team headed by David Hilton, although they will continue to work closely together.

“It reflects the continuing evolution of the practice, in particular our growth in this area of work.

“Laura brings bags of expertise and enthusiasm to Bromleys and I am sure that her proven track record and commercial focus will enable her to achieve great things in her new role.”

Laura said: “The chance to work for such a respected and well-regarded firm was one not to be missed.

“I am very much looking forward to leading the team, who are well-known in the area for their good work and sound professional advice.”

WeWork invites Manchester entrepreneurs to come together as part of inspiring event series

Sam Whitear
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Book here

On Wednesday 25th July, the space and services provider that fosters collaboration, WeWork, is hosting an evening (6.30 – 8.30pm) of engaging conversation and thought-provoking panel discussion, bringing together the best creatives in the area to toast to the business and innovation hub that is Manchester.

Taking place at WeWork 1 St Peter’s Square, the event – We, The Creators: Manchester – is completely free to attend and will offer local entrepreneurs, creatives and the business community the opportunity to speak to like-minded individuals about their passions, experience and motivations, over cocktails, snacks and music. The evening will centre around an exciting panel discussion, which will feature Tom New (Founder, Formisimo), Matt Walsh (Founder, Beat Stream) and Walli Ullah the President of TiE the world’s largest entrepeneurs network, with more names to be announced soon.

We, the Creators: Manchester is part of a Summer event series from WeWork in celebration of The Creator Awards. A purpose-led event, The Creator Awards furnishes individuals, start-ups and SMEs with the extra funding they need to take their ideas to the next stage. The awards are available to ‘creators’ in three different categories (‘Performing Arts’, ‘Nonprofit’ and ‘Business Ventures’) with the intention of offering an opportunity to as many different people as possible. Entrants are invited to apply via a simple online form and finalists for each category will then be invited to pitch their projects and businesses at the UK’s Regional Finals in October.

Manchester has been chosen as a location for the event series due to the city’s thriving entrepreneurial and creative communities, demonstrated by the incredible creatives that will be on the panel. Leni Zenimer, WeWork General Manager, UK & Ireland, comments: “We’re very excited to bring our annual We, the Creators series to Manchester. With two WeWork spaces open in Manchester, we know of the entrepreneurs in the city and we’re really excited to bring them together and share what is set to be an evening of inspiration.”

Book here

MAG acquires international price comparison business Looking4.com

Sam Whitear
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MAG, the UK’s largest airport group, has acquired Looking4.com the online consolidator and price comparison business, for an undisclosed sum.

Looking4.com and its team of 35 people will become part of MAG, and integrate into MAG’s Airport Services division, alongside the group’s dedicated technology division MAG-O, which aims to enhance the end-to-end airport experience for its passengers.

The acquisition will enable MAG to improve its ability to distribute and market its own car parking, airport lounges and fast-track products in addition to those at other airports outside of the Group.

Looking4.com specialises in online airport parking price comparison, and also offers deals on private car, train, bus and other types of transfers to a list of global airports.

It has experienced rapid growth over the past years and has gained further international reach in countries such as Japan and Australia, following the acquisition of Melbourne-based Airport Parking Australia in 2017. This, coupled with MAG’s own successful airport services business in the US, MAG-USA, will further Looking4.com and MAG’s international capabilities. Last year, almost 800,000 customers used Looking4.com and related websites to book their travel services across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania & Africa.

Commenting on the deal, Andrew Harrison, CEO, Airport Services, MAG, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the Looking4.com team into the Group. In looking to expand and grow our MAG-O business, we wanted to find a company that had a great network of supplier businesses, fantastic distribution channels and top quality tech that would fit in well with what our team is already working on.

“I’m very pleased to say that Looking4.com ticked all those boxes and they are also a like-minded set of people, with a commercial ethos and start up mentality – they’ll fit perfectly into MAG.”

Martin Mansell, MD of Looking4.com, said: “Having spent the last 10 years developing our software platform and network of partners, we’re delighted that our business has been acquired by MAG and will have the opportunity to take both MAG and Looking4.com to the next level in this digital evolution. We’re looking forward to working together, integrating the businesses and accelerating the growth even more.”

retail star Andy Hall joins Savills

Sam Whitear
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0

International real estate advisor Savills has expanded its out of town retail team with the appointment of director Andy Hall, who is based at the firm’s Manchester office.

Andy’s retail career to date spans 24 years, most recently including a decade as partner in the retail team at Cushman & Wakefield.  He previously cofounded niche retail warehouse firm Petch Hall in 2001 and spent six years in the out of town retail team at Tushingham Moore, after beginning his property career at Grimley JE Eve (now GVA) in 1990.  At Savills, Andy joins a strong Manchester out of town retail agency team to undertake a national remit, advising both landlords and occupier clients.

Dominic Rodbourne, head of out of town retail at Savills, comments: “Andy’s in depth knowledge and experience will make him an invaluable asset to our retail division and we are delighted to be welcoming him on board.  His appointment also reflects our commitment to investing in regional teams and providing best in class insight and advice to clients across the board.”

Savills UK retail and leisure agency team is more than 80-strong, operating from a network of offices in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds.  The firm advises landlords and occupiers in shopping centre, high street, retail park and outlet centre locations across the UK, with instructions totalling circa 43.5 million sq ft.

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