1 ISSUE | 425 NORTH EAST EST. 1981 JANUARY 2020 2 3 EDITOR’S WORD Welcome Editor’s Word... Welcome to the professional services issue appy New Year! We start 2020 with Turner and Aidan Dunstan from global investment our annual professional services bank, UBS, make their economic predictions for issue, which highlights some of the this year and beyond. key individuals and firms operating We also head into a new decade with an in the region. emboldened Conservative Government. Few could HOur cover story this month focuses on the rise of have expected the emphatic Tory win that was North Shoring – the trend of organisations moving achieved on December 12 – or that a third of North some or all of their operations away from the over- East constituencies would turn blue. Regardless of heating economy of London. We look at some of the your political leaning, it now looks as though the professional services firms that have already chosen log jam that broke politics in 2019 has been cleared to North Shore and explore the opportunities for and we watch with interest as the UK finally leaves more to come to the North East. Deb Sharratt also the EU. reflects on the role professional qualifications are I hope that you enjoy this issue. NET making to the public relations industry, while Dean ALISON COWIE [email protected] 07961091522 @AlisonNETimes PARTNERS: To become one of our exclusive corporate partners, please contact: [email protected] 4 CREDITS CONTACT: @NETimesmagazine [email protected] Credits www.netimesmagazine.co.uk MANAGING DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS Photography: All photos taken Peter Mallon Richard Dawson by North East Times staff are T: 07590 064 800 Chris Dobson copyright North East Times [email protected] Simon Rushworth Magazine Ltd, and are taken solely for use in North East DIRECTOR MARKETING MANAGER John Duns Chloe Holmes Times magazine or products T: 07920 152 523 T: 07493 555 509 published by North East Times [email protected] [email protected] Magazine Ltd. If you wish to use or publish a photograph COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR HEAD OF DESIGN taken for North East Times, Martin Stout Ryan Errington please contact the sales T: 07540 597 519 [email protected] department on 0191 246 0212. 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Complaints: Regarding To amend your mailing address or remove yourself from our mailing list contact advertisements will only be [email protected] considered for up to a week after publication. Advertising must be received by the 12th of ABOUT: the month. No responsibility is accepted for errors. North East Times provides a voice for those By publicising the achievements of the © 2020 Published by North who are shaping the North East economy. individuals, companies and organisations that East Times Magazine Ltd. are impacting the local economy, our aim is The high quality monthly publication combines to showcase the North East as a vibrant and inspiring business and lifestyle content for productive place to work and live. professionals who are working and living in the North East. With our modern approach and established legacy, North East Times strives to be the We look to build on the four-decade history of number one business publication in the region, the North East Times title, while embracing the both on and offline. latest digital innovations to engage, inform and entertain our audience. 5 CONTENTS CONTENTS PAGE 12-13 PAGE 64-67 Impact Awards Dean Turner and Aidan Dunstan, UBS PAGE 40-43 PAGE 22 Deb Sharratt, DebSharratt Communications Mark Grant and Mark Quigley, Portland Engineers Consulting 6 MORE PAGE 14: BURNING ISSUE PAGE 16: APPOINTMENTS PAGE 18: JOBS PAGE 20-21: IN THE LIMELIGHT PAGE 55-63: BUILT ENVIRONMENT PAGE 83: OUT OF HOURS PAGE 84-88: FASHION PAGE 98-99: BUSINESS LUNCH PAGE 100-101: CULTURE PAGE 102-104: MOTORS PAGE 106-107: TECH PAGE 24-25 Neil Turner, Howarth Litchfield PAGE 90-95 GiveToLocal 7 NEWS Bulletin BULLETIN TRANSPORT Hitachi Rail secures £350 million West Coast contract Newton Aycliffe trainbuilder to supply Avanti West Coast rolling stock North East trainbuilder has secured a contract worth more than £350 million to supply 125mph intercity confidence in the success of our trains, which are both green and rolling stock for a new UK operator. reliable,” said group chief executive Andrew Barr. Hitachi Rail will make 23 trains for FirstGroup “Based on Japanese bullet train technology, our new stock and Trenitalia’s new Avanti West Coast joint venture. has proven to be the modern intercity train of choice, increasing ABosses say the stock – which will comprise 135 carriages – will be passenger satisfaction wherever they run.” made at Hitachi’s plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, and will Containing a mix of electric and bi-mode trains, Andrew added begin operating on the West Coast Main Line from 2022. Hitachi’s West Coast stock will include more seats, with free WiFi and The agreement represents another significant fillip for Hitachi, with live service information updates enhancing passenger journeys. the manufacturer having last year also revealed a £400 million order Under Avanti West Coast’s plans, the electric trains will operate to deliver trains for Abellio UK’s East Midlands Railway franchise. between London, the West Midlands and Liverpool, with their It also builds on the firm’s relationship with FirstGroup, for whom bi-mode models – which can switch between electric and diesel – Hitachi has made stock for the TransPennine Express and Hull Trains serving the London to North Wales route. services, and Trenitalia, which Hitachi has supported in the operator’s Hitachi’s order book includes previous work for the East Coast native Italy. and Great Western routes, under the Government’s InterCity Express “We’re delighted to continue our excellent relationship with Programme, and Class 385 rolling stock for Scottish lines between FirstGroup and Trenitalia – this new order is another vote of Edinburgh and Glasgow. TECHNOLOGY Kromek’s recruitment vow A technology firm helping thwart global terror plots will create more jobs after building a “world-leading” plant in the region, its boss has told North East Times. Dr Arnab Basu said Sedgefield-based Kromek will add to its 75-strong team as it ramps up work in a new manufacturing hub. The base is geared towards delivering a near seven-fold production increase of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) – a semiconductor key to Kromek’s apparatus that includes the D3S family of products, which help identify threats such as ‘dirty bombs.’ Chief executive Arnab said the hub will help deliver larger projects, build on an existing £100 million order book and pave the way for new jobs. “We have already created 15 jobs and now have 75 people at Sedgefield,” said Arnab, who was speaking last month after Kromek revealed record first-half revenues of £5.3 million to October 31.“However, that is going to increase.” 8 National news New Government urged to revive business confidence The UK’s new Government must act swiftly on Brexit and make business support a priority if it serious about resuscitating the country’s flagging economy, a national organisation has warned. The British Chambers of Commerce says Downing Street desperately needs to TRANSPORT ACCOUNTANCY restore business confidence amid forecasts that show UK economic growth will 4000-job blueprint Growth potential slow to its weakest rate for a decade in 2020. Adam Marshall, director More than 4000 jobs will be created at a new An accountancy firm has hailed its expansion general, said: “As the airport business hub, a regional regeneration boss potential after seeing a dedicated support unit’s election battlefield smoke clears, economic growth has claimed. workload rise 150 per cent in 2019. must be front and centre in Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says his plan MHA Tait Walker says its data insights team is Westminster.” to build a logistics and manufacturing park at driving fresh growth by helping companies analyse Teesside International Airport will deliver new and breakdown financial and operational data to Balfour Beatty predicts jobs and provide £200 million-plus of inward make fully informed business decisions.