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Head Resourcing to open Manchester office

Sam Whitear
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Recruitment specialist Head Resourcing is opening a new office in Manchester as part of a national growth strategy to expand the business in England.

Head Resourcing, which is based in Edinburgh and has offices in Glasgow and Leeds, supplies contract and permanent staff within IT, digital and business change to a variety of companies throughout the UK.

The Manchester office, located in the Spinningfields area of the city, will officially open on 5th March 2018 and will be headed up by Regional Director, Jon Musgrave, who is responsible for driving the company’s growth in the north of England.

Recruitment is underway to initially appoint five new people in Manchester, including a Managing Consultant, a Senior Consultant, two Consultants and an Admin Support.

Head Resourcing already has a growing portfolio of clients and candidates in the Manchester area, and plans are in place to grow the Manchester office headcount over the next two years as the company’s footprint in the north west expands.

The move to Manchester comes within five months of the formation of The Taranata Group, launched by entrepreneur Paul Atkinson.  The Taranata Group comprises of four companies: Head Resourcing, Change Recruitment, Head Medical and Atkinson MacLeod.  The group is targeting combined revenues of £100 million by 2020, and Head Resourcing’s growth plans form a key part of achieving the target.

Jon Musgrave, Regional Director at Head Resourcing said: “Over the past three years, we have seen a marked increase in our client portfolio, with a number of new clients based in the north west of England.  This client demand has driven our decision to open an office in Manchester.  Manchester has a great talent pool of professional recruiters, meaning we can grow an expert team here and tap into the wealth of opportunity the local market offers.  The city has a booming digital economy and the tech sector has huge growth potential, with more fintech companies choosing the city and surrounding areas as their base.”

Huw Martin, Managing Director at Head Resourcing added: “The new office marks a significant step in our ambitious plans to drive growth across the north of England.  This is an incredibly exciting phase for us and we look forward to being part of Manchester’s thriving business community.”

EY launches Global Trade team in the North West

Sam Whitear
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EY has set up a new Global Trade team in the North West, in response to growing demand for support and advice from businesses involved in international trade.

Onelia Angelosanto has re-joined EY as Director in the Global Trade team in Manchester, having previously spent nine years at BDO.

Since December, she has been building her team and is joined by Anthony Drozdowski, Nicole Blyth and most recently Rizwaan Zabar, who joined at the end of January, completing the team of four. All join the firm from BDO.

The new recruits make EY’s one of the largest Global Trade and customs duty teams in the North West, with a wealth of experience in advising and assisting businesses on customs and international trade matters from both a practice and industry perspective. It also extends EY’s UK Global Trade team to more than 20 dedicated professionals.

Onelia Angelosanto said: “With Brexit on the horizon and the implementation of the Union Customs Code duty legislation well underway, customs duty is a hot topic for businesses.

“With only a year to go before the UK exits the EU, businesses are starting to wake up to Brexit and, as such, are starting to consider the potential impact to their supply chain operations.

“In this uncertain environment it is tricky for businesses to develop growth plans based on external factors that are likely to change. However, there is a consensus that planning ahead can give you a competitive advantage.

“We are looking to grow the global trade business regionally and take customs duty as an offering out to the marketplace, focussing on those businesses that are highly active from an international trade perspective.”

There are plans to further grow the Global Trade team in the North and EY is looking to recruit into Leeds, working with Penny Isbecque, who has been part of the national Global Trade team for more than 20 years.

Bob Ward, EY senior partner for the North West, said: “This is the right time for us to be investing in our Global Trade team and Onelia, Anthony, Nicole and Rizwaan are great additions to the team. I’m of course pleased to be able to say we will have their expertise and knowledge easily available to the many successful import and export businesses based in the North.”

NPIF invests £31 million in first year

Sam Whitear
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The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) has invested £31 million in 207 Northern-based SMEs during the first 12 months of operation, as the Fund continues to provide a boost to the Northern economy.

The £400m Fund, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund, HR Government and the European Investment Bank, was launched by the British Business Bank as a key part of the government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’ vision to back innovative, fast growing small businesses.

Over the last 12 months, NPIF has worked with the 10 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), Combined Authorities, as well as local accountants, fund managers and banks, to provide a mix of debt and equity capital to SMEs in the North West, Yorkshire & Humber and Tees Valley regions.

 Appointed fund managers have completed deals between £25k to £2m into businesses across a range of industries, including technology and advanced manufacturing and life sciences. Investments have been completed across all 10 LEP areas and the Fund has also managed to leverage an additional £32m in private sector finance for local businesses.

 Recent NPIF investments in the North West region include:

  • A £150,000 loan from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital, into Lancashire-based Inleaf, which provides plant displays and living wall installations to offices, hotels, car dealerships and public spaces.

 

  • A £80,000 microfinance loan from NPIF – BFS & MSIF Microfinance, into Liverpool-based Inovus Medical which manufactures medical and training products used by doctors and surgeons across the globe, delivered by the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF).

 

  • A £600,000 investment from NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners into Manchester-based Hiring Hub, an innovative online marketplace for independent recruitment agencies.

The additional source of funding has enabled these businesses to meet growth ambitions, launch new products, expand into new markets, and invest in new infrastructure.

Keith Morgan, CEO of British Business Bank, said: “It is fantastic to see NPIF making a genuine impact to businesses in the North of England. The number of significant milestones achieved over the last 12 months, demonstrates the success of the regional funding models and the importance of people on the ground ensuring vital funds are efficiently invested in high-growth businesses.

“I am thoroughly impressed by the collaborative effort demonstrated by our appointed fund managers and the participating LEPs, and I would like to thank them all for helping to deliver a successful model that will now be rolled out in the Midlands as the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF).”

Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister, said: “What the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has achieved in such a short space of time is truly remarkable. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has given businesses across a wide range of industries the funds they need to innovate and grow – whether that be expanding into emerging markets, investing in research and development or hiring new staff to help their company flourish.” 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Access to finance is vital to help small businesses flourish and it’s fantastic to see regional funds such as NPIF making an impact in Greater Manchester and beyond. I have been impressed with the calibre of businesses that have come forward to secure funding and it shows that there’s appetite from entrepreneurs across the region to look beyond traditional means of finance to facilitate growth.”

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund provides microloans, debt and equity investments, ranging from £25,000 to £2m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.  The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund is delivered by The British Business Bank.

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 Investment Bank.

Bromleys wins law firm of the year accolade

Sam Whitear
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Tameside law firm Bromleys has won a top honour at the 2018 Manchester Legal Awards.

The practice was named law firm of the year for those with between one and five partners.

Around 650 people attended the ninth annual awards ceremony at Manchester’s Midland Hotel, which attracted a record number of entries.

Mark Hirst, senior partner at Bromleys, which is based in Ashton-under-Lyne, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award.

“It’s tremendous recognition for the all-round strength and excellence of the practice and our commitment to providing a service of the highest quality to our clients.

“Every single person at Bromleys has played a part and can be justly proud of our achievement, and we look forward to building on this success in the coming months and years.”

The award judges praised Bromleys for the way in which the firm combines tradition with a modern approach.

They also highlighted Bromleys’ expertise, commercial approach, strong leadership, commitment to staff welfare and development and involvement in the community.

Bromleys’ accolade follows its triumph at the 2017 Pride of Tameside Business Awards in November, when it won the corporate social responsibility prize.

It crowns a hugely successful 12 months for the firm, during which it has made a string of key appointments to cater for a growing number of instructions across Greater Manchester and beyond, and has been recognised with a series of accreditations, including retaining Investors in People Gold status and the Law Society’s Lexcel quality mark.

White Rabbit Creative multiplies with a trio of appointments

Sam Whitear
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From a springboard of business growth and new client wins, Manchester-based branding and design experts White Rabbit Creative have made three senior level appointments in the last three months.

White Rabbit’s new recruits, Laura Lancaster, Michael Nasralla and Nathan Ball, boost the combined experience of the team to over 60 years in marketing, branding and design.  Design duo, Nathan and Michael bring with them a stellar reputation in the packaging industry and add to the team’s international credentials. Laura is tasked with acting as custodian of client experience, having led and successfully grown major accounts in previous roles.

Naz – Michael Nasralla – brings a wealth of experience, having worked closely with start-up brands and as lead creative on global pitch wins. His impressive portfolio spans household names including Next, Nisa, Walmart, Co-op and Sam’s Club account, where he oversaw an international team of designers and led on brand and packaging strategy.

Also working on Co-op and Aldi US & UK, Nathan Ball’s portfolio includes household brands such as Aquafresh, Cadburys and Wrigleys, covering all aspects from strategic brand positioning and design, through to conceptual NPD.

Account Director Laura Lancaster joins White Rabbit from global agency Momentum Worldwide. Laura has worked with clients such as American Express and blu E-Cigarettes – and helped curate effective brand experiences for The London Film Festival, Manchester United and Concha Y Toro Wines.

Creative Director and Partner Michael Senior said: ‘’I’m delighted with our new recruits – it’s vital to Sarah and I that as we grow our team we remain true to our commitment to delivering the highest standards.  Everyone in the team shares this outlook and we’re energised by what we’re setting out to achieve in the next twelve months. The investment in our business, alongside strong organic growth has given us a platform to make exciting things happen.’’

Eight new clients have recently joined the White Rabbit roster including NHS Employers; Smartlife wearable technology; Quintessential brands and Boutinot Wines.

SPS wins staff training deal with Brother UK

Sam Whitear
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A Salford firm has struck a deal with Brother UK to become a preferred training provider for senior members of the technology company’s 200-strong workforce.

The agreement is with Salford Professional Development and will see Brother UK staff take part in a variety of programmes and courses for managers and leaders.

They will be run by SPD’s executive education division and will cover areas such as such as leadership development, responsibilities of directorship, coaching and mentoring, project management, public speaking, contract negotiation, business law and finance.

SPD also offers a course leading to a Certificate in Executive Business Administration, and runs programmes for the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Management Institute.

Under the agreement with Brother UK, SPD will provide training for staff from junior manager to director level, encompassing departments such as sales, marketing, operations and finance.

Brother UK, which sells printers, scanners and labelling machines, has its headquarters in Audenshaw, Tameside, and has annual revenues of more than £110m.

Linda Willows, the head of legal and business management at Brother UK and its learning and development officer, said: “We want people at their best as fast as possible so they get more out of their jobs and make a bigger contribution to the business.

“This is partly achieved through training, and SPD will be my first port of call when we are looking at strategic and managerial programmes and courses for staff who currently occupy senior positions and those who will do so in the future.

“We also link the training to other aspects of our operations, such as appraisals, promotions and talent mapping, so we get the right person on the right seat on the right bus.”

Phil Whitman, director of executive education, said: “We’re delighted to be appointed as the preferred supplier to Brother UK. It’s a tremendous brand and company and we understand the business and its aspirations.

“This appointment shows the success we are seeing for our executive education division and opportunities and benefits we can offer companies and organisations.”

SPD established its executive education division in 2016 to provide training for leaders and managers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The division has delivered or booked £1.3m of training so far in this financial year, which runs to July 31.

It is on track to achieve revenues of £2m for the full 12 months, which will catapult it into the top 10 UK higher education institutions offering executive education by income, said Mr Whitman.

SPD, which is a subsidiary of the University of Salford, posted turnover of £4.87m for the year to July 31, an increase of 31 per cent, boosted by more than £1m of revenues for the executive education division.

Academics and experts from the IoD, the University of Salford Business School and other organisations provide the training provided by the business and all of its profits are ploughed back into the university.

iwoca pledges £100m for small businesses in the Northern Powerhouse

Sam Whitear
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iwoca, one of Europe’s largest small business lenders, is pledging to lend £100 million to micro and small businesses in the North of England by 2020. The alternative finance provider is making the pledge in response to the withdrawal of credit facilities for small businesses by the UK’s banks, which has been most acute in the North.

According to data collected by UK Finance, the value of lending (loans and overdrafts) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the North of England has contracted by 14.3%, compared with the national average of 9.5%, over the past three years. The North West is the worst affected region, suffering a contraction of 15.3% in three years.

In Manchester the contraction has been even more dramatic, declining 22.8% over the period, which is twice the contraction experienced by London at 11.4%, also according to UK Finance. Business confidence in the North West now stands at -17%, in contrast to London at +13%, according to the FSB’s Voice of Small Business Index.

In contrast, iwoca’s support for small businesses in the North of England has seen its lending grow 89% per year over the past three years. In Manchester it has grown 65% per year over the same three-year period. Of the £100 million pledge that iwoca is announcing, £15 million is for Manchester alone.

With 45,000 transactions since its launch in 2012, iwoca is one of the fastest growing business credit providers in Europe. iwoca has issued over £350 million to more than 15,000 businesses across the UK, Poland, and Germany.

Christoph Rieche, Co-founder and CEO of iwoca, said: “Micro businesses are the powerhouse of the UK’s economy. Even though they employ less than 10 people, they account for 96% of the UK’s 5.5 million businesses, 1-in-3 private sector jobs and 20% of all economic output. While these businesses have been feeling the pinch, large corporations and consumers have enjoyed record high levels of access to capital. In light of the continued lack of action by the banks to increase access to finance for this sector of the economy, iwoca is pledging to lend £100 million in the North of England by 2020.”

Mr. Rieche continued: “The banks claim that small businesses are simply not interested in credit products. In reality, the banks discourage these businesses from taking finance through lengthy and cumbersome application forms, and rigid and unfair lending criteria. iwoca understands the needs of small businesses. That’s why our applications are simple and straightforward, and we have built technology to make faster and fairer lending decisions, breaking the barriers small businesses face to accessing finance.”

Logistics and fleet specialist named Entrepreneur of the Year

Sam Whitear
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Paul Jorgensen, a man who launched a company that works with fleet managers, logistics firms and businesses with teams out on the road to ensure their safety, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Greater Manchester Business Awards 2018.

Judges praised Paul for ‘exercising initiative by organising a venture to take benefit of an opportunity’ and recognised him as ‘a risk taker who monitors and controls the business activities’.

Paul founded Strategic Analytics Team (SAT), a boutique logistics management consultancy helping companies improve their operational performance through analytics, technology and training courses, in 2016 after more than 25 years of experience in the logistics sector working with big brands such as DHL and Shell in countries all over the world. He decided to set up SAT after recognising that many companies were unable to link elements such as analytics, technology and people development together, particularly SMEs or organisations working in more challenging environments.

Since then, the company has launched the world’s first IVV Diamond-accredited defensive driver education programme specifically for electric vehicles, formed partnerships with Australian technology company JESI Management Solutions and UK firm Trakm8, to deliver products such as telematics, route optimisation and journey management software to its clients.

In the last 12 months alone, Paul has been the driving force in taking Strategic Analytics Team to the next level, winning training contracts with Shell, Agility and the British Council, and remarkably setting up a logistics training Centre of Excellence in Basra, Iraq. He has also secured a slot to deliver a key note speech at this year’s Multimodal exhibition – the go-to event for the transport and logistics sector – on the subject of ‘Driving for work: legal pitfalls, consequences and things to consider on the road’.

Strategic Analytics Team, was also a finalist in the Business of the Year (between 10 and 50 employees) category and, when judges found choosing the eventual winner a close call, they presented the company with a special recognition award.

Paul said: “Being named as Entrepreneur of the Year has left me feeling humbled. To know that this award has been decided on by a panel of independent judges – my peers – makes me feel incredibly proud.

“To then have Strategic Analytics Team recognised with a special recognition award for the work we have done as a team was a very welcome, added bonus. We are at the cutting edge of technological developments in the logistics industry and this award shows how far we have come since winning the Start Up Business of the Year category last year.”

Castlefield entrepreneur inspires young Mancunians as Prince’s Trust Speaker

Sam Whitear
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A Manchester-based entrepreneur has pledged to help young people get started in business through his new role as an Inspirational Speaker for The Prince’s Trust.

Twelve years ago, Jamie Boyd, who lives in Castlefield, experienced a knee injury at the age of 24 that put an end to a promising career as a professional rugby player. Faced with the stark reality of finding a new calling, but with no money in the bank to start afresh, there was one organisation who offered him a lifeline: The Prince’s Trust.

A youth charity founded by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales in 1976 – with a mission to help people aged 11 to 30 get jobs, education and training – The Prince’s Trust loaned Jamie £3,000 to get his same day courier business, Today Team, off the ground.

Fast forward to today, and Jamie’s business has a seven-figure annual turnover and a first-class reputation across the North West, with a number of customers based across Manchester city centre and Trafford Park.

“It was Henry Ford who said: ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right’,” explains Jamie, who is also a member of the BNI Alchemy business chapter based at Didsbury.

“I am a big believer in the power of inspiring words, so I was delighted to accept the Trust’s kind invitation to speak to young people on the first day of each new business course.”

Jamie’s talk, delivered to a number of young people from across Greater Manchester at MadLab on Edge Street, is a ‘warts and all’ account of the highs and lows of being self-employed, as well as an insight into what motivates him.

Accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and concluding with a Q&A session, the talk has been roundly praised by executives and volunteers at The Trust.

Melanie Hannam, Programme Executive (Enterprise and Awards), said: “Jamie provided a genuinely passionate presentation – sharing his best practices. Young people attending the course engaged really positively with his talk – enjoying a realistic and relatable story, with lots of questions to finish. We are looking forward to working with Jamie again in the near future; he is an absolute delight.”

Paul Lewis, a manager at The Prince’s Trust, added: “It’s brilliant to see young people empower their peers through their expertise, as often they are more knowledgeable than they give themselves credit for. We’re fortunate to have Jamie give his time to the Enterprise Programme; thank you Mr Boyd”

Looking ahead to future rounds of the Programme, Jamie said: “If I can help young people get started in life, then I’m all for it. I was incredibly fortunate to have a helping hand from the Trust when all other doors had been closed to me; repaying that debt of gratitude in some small way is the least I can do.”

75 celebrate two decades with Champion Accountants

Sam Whitear
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Champion Accountants’ Manchester office is celebrating more than 20 years’ of providing expert accountancy and business advisory support to 75 of its longest standing clients.

The accountancy group, which also has offices in Preston, Blackpool and Chester has impressive client retention rates and is celebrating decades of partnerships with clients, some of which span several generations.

One 20-year relationship is with Hyde-based Lynx IDG. During Champion’s partnership with the UK’s leading optical interior design and fit out specialist, the Manchester office has assisted the business by suggesting and managing a complete restructure that allowed it to move forward from a period of uncertainty to a strong, market-leading position.

Mark Fantom, managing director at Lynx IDG, said: “Champion has always assisted us with offering up new ideas and different ways of working. In my opinion they are the best around and always have our best interests at heart. Not many accountancy practices can claim that. With great service and a personal touch, Champion Accountants has helped us immensely over the years.”

Another client celebrating a 28-year relationship with the Manchester practice is Francis House. The Manchester-based hospice provides respite and end of life care for children and young adults with life limiting illnesses, and support for their families. Champion Accountants was appointed to represent Francis House Family Trust when it was established in 1990 and has since provided ongoing accounts, payroll and IT services and advice.

Rev. David Ireland, CEO of Francis House Family Trust, said: “Champion’s managing partner, Ged Cosgrove, took a personal interest in the work at Francis House and still does to this day. His passion for the charity coupled with professional advice has helped us to grow and this has been reflected in the excellent attitude of the staff who work on the Francis House accounts.”

Champion Accountants has also worked with the Sharland Charitable Foundation for more than a decade. The organisation, which supports children and adults with autism, came on board through a third-party recommendation.

While working together, Champion has provided the charity with access to a range of services and valuable specialist advice, including payroll, tax, accounts and audits, legal, loans/mortgages, fundraising and insurance. Most recently, Champion provided specialist HR and wealth management advice on investing charity funds arising from the sale of a property.

Alison Sharland, a trustee at the charity, said: “Champion has continued to play a vital role in supporting any changes and developments that have taken place with the charity and a good working relationship has been established and maintained over many years.

“They have provided the trustees of the charity with crucial advice and support at key points in our development. The services and support they provide are always of the highest quality.”

Ged Cosgrove, group managing partner at Champion Accountants, added: “Our long standing clients are testament to the relationships that our team work so hard to build and maintain. Part of our ongoing vision is to continue evolving, growing and embracing new technology, and this exact ethos is what we instil into all our clients to ensure they’ve the greatest success from start-up to sale.”

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