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The voice of business

5 North East Times Magazine The voice of business_

The North East has a diverse and distinctive business community, which needs a voice more than ever in these unprecedented times. North East Times is firmly committed to being the voice of the region’s business community, and is dedicated to championing our area’s industry, creativity and innovation.

4Disruption in our lives has been sectors like health and education will commonplace for over a year now and continue to provide us with inspirational has led to tremendous challenges for stories of endeavour and success. most business owners, who devote their North East Times is committed to the lives to keeping their companies going. principles of independent journalism However, it’s also provided many and publishes stories with authority and senior executives with an opportunity to authenticity. review the effectiveness of their product, In such uncertain, fast moving times, service, people and market positioning. it’s essential that businesspeople are The coronavirus pandemic, following up to date with relevant news, insight hot on the heels of Brexit and three and analysis – be it about Government elections in four years, has been a severe economic policies, new products and test for the North East region, one that services or technological innovation. evokes the upheavals of the 1970s when The thirst for such intelligence means we were dealing with a massive oil crisis, a strong B2B platform is essential to industrial strife and a landmark vote to support and champion the region. We, enter the Common Market. like you, want to maximise opportunities Those events ultimately led to a to ‘level up’ the North East. complete shift in the UK’s political Yet unlike the 70s, when regional press direction, as the post-war ‘consensus’ had an established and influential voice, politics – where Labour and newspaper print has been in decline for Conservatives viewed full employment many years, as the industry has struggled and a mixed economy as desirable – died to adapt to the digital world and the out leading to the monetarist policies of restructuring of regional teams and the Thatcher Governments from 1979 to management. 1990. The need for a strong voice for I don’t know where the epic events business was one of many reasons I of our era will lead us politically, but chose to invest in the all-new North East I do know that our business owners, Times Magazine in 2015, when co-owner executives and senior people across vital and fellow director Pete Mallon pitched

6 North East Times Magazine The voice of business_

the idea to me. I also witnessed how integral high- marketing campaigns and engaging Having been born and raised here, quality journalism was to attracting a social media platforms. I was saddened to see the decline of business readership. This is complemented hugely by our the regional media and relished the This background helped me symbiotic relationship with the North opportunity to play a small part in the understand the business case for East England Chamber of Commerce, changing landscape. investing in the vision. and our production of their membership In our early conversations, we Six years on, North East Times has a magazine, CONTACT. The quarterly discussed a market opportunity for clear strategy to be the voice of regional publication reaches every single one of the delivery of independent journalism business, and also a connector for the the Chamber’s 3000-plus members. delivered across print and digital business community too. The popularity of these bespoke channels of national quality, underpinned The pandemic has, if anything, advertising packages has led to us by values of creativity, integrity and accelerated our plans. welcoming many new clients from transparency. You’ve seen the new direction of North growth sectors such as recruitment, A high-quality regional publication East Times, and you’ll see more in the cyber security, advanced manufacturing, that would offer a first-class advertising coming months. insurance and education. platform too – I was sold. As someone who is engaged with These new clients have complemented I was, at that time, in a senior North East business, you’ll be interested our existing commercial partners who management role with a wealth to hear about the ways our approach have supported us from the early management firm. to client marketing have become days and who we owe a huge debt of However, publishing was my first love, increasingly tailored. gratitude to, particularly for their support having joined the regional press as a Led by our marketing manager, Chloe over the past year. fresh faced 21-year-old in the 80s, when Holmes, we have devised advertising We’re now working hard to amplify it ruled the roost. packages that deliver value across print the voice of the North East business I was fortunate to have great training and digital channels, bespoke to a client’s community and have exciting plans for in sales, management and marketing particular business objectives. our next chapter. We hope you will join with some terrific mentors that enabled The power of North East Times in us! me to develop a thorough understanding print, mailed directly to business leaders, of how creative and strategic advertising innovators, and executives across the and campaigns could support business region, is enhanced by online digital John Duns growth. features and news, targeted email Director

7 Credits

Editor Head office Advertising charges: Steven Hugill South Northumberland Cricket Club, Roseworth There is a £25 charge for every set of [email protected] Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, amendments, following the first initial set of NE3 1LU T: 0191 246 0212 amendments, which is free of charge for adverts designed by North East Times Magazine Ltd. Business journalist All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or Richard Dawson in part without written permission, is strictly [email protected] Cancellations: prohibited. If an advert is cancelled by the booker within a seven day period prior to our print deadline, the Head of creative Circulation: advert will be charged in full, plus VAT. Ryan Errington To confirm our circulation please contact [email protected] Andrew Dunn, Stephens and George Editorial: Print Group, email: andrew.dunn@ Editorial must be received by the 9th of the Lead photographer stephensandgeorge.co.uk month or no responsibility is accepted for Christopher Owens errors. The opinions expressed in this issue are To amend your mailing address or remove T: 07814 028 714 not necessarily the views held by North East yourself from our mailing list contact Times Magazine Ltd. [email protected] [email protected] Advertisements: Director Contact: Although every care is taken to ensure accuracy, John Duns @NETimesmagazine the publishers regret that they cannot accept T: 07920 152 523 [email protected] responsibility for loss or damage caused by [email protected] www.netimesmagazine.co.uk an error in the printing or damage to, loss of artwork, transparencies or photos. Managing director Photography: All photos taken by North East Times staff are Peter Mallon Complaints: copyright North East Times Magazine Ltd, and T: 07590 064 800 Regarding advertisements will only be are taken solely for use in North East Times [email protected] considered for up to a week after publication. magazine or products published by North East Advertising must be received by the 12th of the Times Magazine Ltd. month. No responsibility is accepted for errors. Business development director Rachael Laschke If you wish to use or publish a photograph taken © 2021 Published by North East Times T: 07972 870 595 for North East Times, please contact the sales Magazine Ltd. [email protected] department on 0191 246 0212.

Marketing manager Chloe Holmes T: 07493 555 509 [email protected] Strategic partners

Accounts Jill Brown [email protected]

Filmography Andrew Lowe [email protected]

Contributors: Colin Young Partners Jerry Hopkinson Councillor Heather Scott Jamie Hardesty Nathalie Baxter

Business School

8 Editor’s word Editor’s word With the COVID-19 pandemic having caused us all to ‘hit the reset button’, Steven Hugill sees a region primed to grow again from 2021 onwards…

4With more than a year having now and its new chief operating officer are tipped to surge, and, having been passed since the UK first entered Steve Davison. supported by a strong contingency COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the Having fallen from the Premier fund and access to Government landscape is beginning – thankfully – League down to League One, the schemes, we hear why the to show signs of positivity. club is in the process of mounting a Northumberland attraction is primed The vaccine rollout is delivering return to the top table, having hit the for a strong summer. new energy to a nation left exhausted reset button just weeks ago when And we continue the theme in by remote working, home schooling Swiss billionaire Kyril Louis-Dreyfus our interview with Peter Rolton, of and the long-term shutdown of leisure completed a takeover. Britishvolt, wherein he tells us about activities – not to mention the stresses With the Black Cats having ended the company’s plans for a £2.6 billion, of furlough and job losses – as the their recent Wembley hoodoo to lift 3000-job Northumberland gigaplant. country enters the first days of spring. the Papa John’s Trophy last month, we Earmarked to drive forward next It puts me in mind of a phrase that speak to Steve to find out more about generation automotive power work, it has really entered parlance during the new regime’s plans for success, epitomises another resetting, this time the last 12 months – ‘hitting the reset both on and off the field, which of the country’s carbon output. button’. includes refreshing its ties with the This edition is rounded off by ‘Join Coined to refer to the changes city and its community. The Tech Revolution’, our Special both companies and individuals It’s a similar story in our coverage Report that throws the spotlight on the have undergone as a result of the of Teesside’s freeport success – which North East’s tech and digital sectors. pandemic, be they operational is driving clean energy change and From FTSE100-listed firms, to activities or new personal goals, it includes the revitalisation of the national operators and start-ups feels like, as a country, we’re ready Redcar SSI UK steelworks site into causing marketplace disruption, to press the plunger and engage with a new industrial hub – and in our ours is a region full of talent and 2021 in a way we could never do with interview with Jane Percy, Duchess of enthusiasm that is only going to 2020. Northumberland, about The Alnwick continue driving positive change. And it is this theme of starting again Garden. that runs throughout this edition, As international travel continues I hope you enjoy this issue. perhaps no more so than in our to look unlikely for the majority of exclusive feature on Sunderland AFC us this year, in-bound tourism levels Steven

9 p. 016 p. 024-029 p. 042-045 Contents Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to hand freeport decision to Rishi Sunak’s Chancellor one of the standout was Teesside status to Budget. in last month’s announcements Jerry Hopkinson by Words now globally are makers Almost all of the major car or at least planning to, vehicles, electric producing take doesn’t It therefore years. few within the next need is going to that the world out work a genius to the power to of lithium-ion batteries a whole lot push. electrification Dawson Richard by Words have may AFC of Sunderland buy-out The recent parties but complete, months to several taken had extenuating in the negotiations involved least the global with, not contend to circumstances and unable to pandemic, which left them stranded meet in person. Young Colin by Words A new chapter in chapter A new renaissance Teesside’s When opportunity knocks A very modern takeover

10 p. 046-053 p. 069-073 p. 092-097 Contents The good news for Sunderland supporters is that the Sunderland for The good news chief operating officer new through DNA surges club’s He is one of them; he has suffered Davison. Steve just about and can their pain, particularly recently, and highs. successes the occasional remember Young Colin by Words and bitcoin blockchain like jargon While technology even now, than a decade more for been around have be forgiven can in the digital world well-versed those mean. really understand what they to failing for Jamie Hardesty by Words has a long and interesting The Alnwick Garden in the garden first Brown’s ‘Capability’ from history, help feed to the turning of soil to 18th century, War. World the Second the nation during Dawson Richard by Words New goals New moon the to Toon the From victoryDigging for

11 Business Briefing_

Business briefing Your curated guide to the latest news, views, trends and technologies shaping the economic and business landscape of the North East.

Deals make Teesside the “go-to” place for clean energy Investment

Teesside will be at “the forefront of and GE Renewable Energy’s facility, our powering forward the UK’s clean region is now the go-to place for clean energy ambitions” thanks to a string of energy. investment and jobs announcements, “This latest funding shows the according to a regeneration boss. confidence in, and commitment to, this Facts & Statistics Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says project which will play a huge part in the area stands ready to “play its part delivering the Government’s ambitions for in a revolution” after the Government the UK to be the first net zero country in Tees Valley’s clean energy and international operators BP and GE the world.” expansion at a glance Renewable Energy unveiled multi-million- However, as North East Times went pound plans to strengthen the UK’s green to print, the area was handed a further credentials from the region. boost, with operator Mura Technology Downing Street has committed £52 revealing construction has started on million to the Net Zero Teesside carbon the “world’s first commercial-scale plant capture and storage project, to accelerate to use revolutionary ‘hydrothermal’ the removal of heavy industry emissions technology’” on Teesside. from the skyline, with BP revealing a Officials say the factory will recycle blueprint to create the “UK’s largest ‘blue’ plastic waste – including items that hydrogen production facility”. cannot currently be repurposed – into Furthermore, GE Renewable Energy new raw ingredients for products. 4Led by BP, with support from plans to build a 750-job wind turbine Confirmation came just a month after operators including Shell and Total, bosses say Net Zero Teesside aims blade making factory on the new Low Carbon Limited and PMAC Energy to capture up to ten million tonnes Teesworks industrial hub where Redcar’s Limited gained approval for the Redcar of carbon dioxide emissions before SSI UK steelworks once operated. Energy Centre. storing them under the North Sea Speaking after the Government’s £52 Planned to create more than 100 posts, 4BP says its ‘blue’ hydrogen production million support, Mayor Houchen said: bosses say it will provide power for in facility, known as H2 Teesside, could “Net Zero Teesside is the first of its kind excess of 100,000 homes by annually start production in 2027, adding it will support industry’s conversion to anywhere in the world and, along with diverting between 350,000 and 450,000 hydrogen from natural gas and other our research and innovation in hydrogen tonnes of waste from landfill every year. energy sources

4GE Renewable Energy says its Teesside wind turbine blade manufacturing plant will create 750 direct jobs and a further 1500 supply chain posts. Officials say blades produced on Teesside will be supplied to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, in the North Sea

4Mura Technology says its Teesside recycling plant will start operations in 2022 and be able to process up to 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year

12 Business Briefing_

Council reveals £50 million city centre plans Development

Councillors have unveiled £50 million city centre revamp plans to create new open spaces, traffic-free streets and more diverse shops and family Housebuilding support delivers Mazars makes move to The attractions. RWO fresh momentum Corner Newcastle City Council says Engineering Finance it City Centre Transformation Programme will “ensure An engineering consultancy says it is An international tax, accounting and Newcastle remains a place where surmounting the COVID-19 pandemic advisory firm has expanded into the North businesses can thrive, people thanks a number of housebuilding East. want to move to and live, and contracts. Mazars has opened an office in The tourists visit”. RWO is working on hundreds of homes Corner, in Newcastle [pictured]. across County Durham and Cumbria. Bosses say the move reflects the Its commitments include providing company’s “ambitious plans to expand its contract design and civil engineering team and attract talented candidates from services for Karbon Homes’ delivery of the city’s vibrant business community”, affordable properties on Washington adding it has several vacancies for Football Club’s former ground. part-qualified and qualified auditors and The Seaton Burn-based company is also accountants. supporting developments in Spennymoor, Cameron Waddell, Mazars’ Newcastle Aspatria and Cleator Mills. office managing partner, said: “This Alex Erskine, director of civils establishes our commitment to becoming [pictured], said: “Housebuilding continues part of the fabric of the vibrant Newcastle to be a very strong sector, and we expect business community.” to see more sites coming forward in the next 18 months.”

Bosses say the initial phase of development – supported by £10.5 million funding as part Confidence improving but ‘enormous of the Government’s Getting disparities’ between sectors Building Fund and Department Business for Transport’s Active Travel Fund – will help deliver work Regional business confidence is improving following including the transformation of the COVID-19 pandemic, but “enormous disparities” Grey Street [pictured] into an still remain between sectors, a new study has events and performance hub, revealed. and the primary pedestrian route The North East England Chamber of Commerce’s between the city centre and latest economic survey says industries such as retail Quayside. and hospitality continue to face real hardship. The authority also plans to Furthermore, it says that despite better company press ahead with proposals to sentiment across other industries, indicators around remove vehicles from Blackett UK sales, exports and cashflow all remain in negative Street and assess the feasibility territory. of creating a civil and cultural Lesley Moody, Chamber president, said: “‘Levelling events itinerary at Old Eldon up’ has become more important than ever. Square. “Our region has been hit hard and must be supported to recover and become more resilient.”

13 Business Briefing_

“Lot to be positive about” as mutual hails mortgage record Finance

A mutual is “well placed to respond” to the UK’s economic recovery after delivering a record number of mortgages in the second half of 2020, its boss has Fygo launches new app to told North East Times. Baker Greggs aims to rebound bolster businesses revenues Andrew Haigh says Newcastle with digital drive Finance Building Society has “a lot to be Retail positive about” following a rise in A fintech start-up has launched with annual operating profit and strong A North East baker says it is “well the aim of helping businesses “get gross mortgage lending in 2020. positioned for growth” thanks to the more Gen Z customers” following the The former stood marginally continued roll out of digital services. COVID-19 pandemic. higher at £16.4 million in the Newcastle-headquartered Greggs says Fygo has created a student loyalty period, with the latter standing at a partnership with delivery operator Just app, which founders Ben Champion £645 million, thanks to a surge in Eat and online click-and-collect service and Jonah and Toby Lowenstein say demand in the last six months of leave it primed to bounce back from an will help operators take back control of the year. annual £13.7 million pre-tax loss caused by revenues. Andrew said: “Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the trio’s plans, these are difficult times for the Roger Whiteside, chief executive, said: verified students and staff at Durham economy, but we believe we are “We are well placed to participate in the University will be able to turn any well placed to respond.” recovery from the pandemic and have normal bank card into a loyalty and demonstrated resilience and capability rewards card using the free mobile app to operate under such challenging when it launches in April.” conditions.” Jonah said: “Every Durham business can use Fygo to bring back walk-in student customers and increase their revenue with minimal effort, and at a low and easily-trackable cost. Quartet add to RMT Healthcare’s services Accountancy

An accountancy and advisory firm has strengthened its healthcare division with four Bridge builder strengthens appointments. order book with Bristol work RMT Accountants & Business Advisors has welcomed Adam Gilroy, Esther Adesina, Manufacturing Jordan Evans and Liam Richardson to its Gosforth-based RMT Healthcare operation. Bosses say the quartet are now providing medical and healthcare businesses with An historic bridge builder has secured support to better manage income streams and financial processes. a contract to work on a South West Maxine Pott, RMT Healthcare director, said: “Our new recruits each bring an city’s eye-catching river crossing. impressive range of skills and experience with them and we’re very pleased to have them Cleveland Bridge UK is refurbishing all onboard.” Bristol’s Redcliffe Bridge. The Darlington-based firm will deliver a raft of improvements to the crossing, which will include parapet and internal steelwork repairs, water- proofing the crossing’s deck and replacing existing gates and machinery with rising arm barriers. Work is expected to start later this year.

14 Business Briefing_

News you may have missed

Technology 4Saggezza’s customer pledge after Infostretch deal

A North East tech firm will “keep Fourth-generation engineer secures £1 million-plus contract current and prospective clients at Manufacturing the forefront of the digital frontier” after being taken over, bosses have A fourth-generation engineering firm has added a mining contract worth more than £1 vowed. million to its order book after securing a six-figure investment. Sunderland-based Saggezza has Francis Brown Limited is delivering 400 metres of mine shaft casings to Anglo been acquired by digital engineering American’s Woodsmith Mine project, in North Yorkshire. services provider Infostretch. The Stockton-based company was able to fulfil the order after receiving financial Officials at US-headquartered backing from the Tees Valley Catalyst Fund – managed by FW Capital for the Tees Valley Infostretch say the deal for Saggezza Mayor and Combined Authority – which allowed it to fulfil bond requirements. – which provides technology Jamie Brown, Francis Brown Limited’s chief executive, said: “Securing this backing support for clients including a global enabled us to win this major contract on top of others, safeguard jobs and continue to investment bank – will accelerate grow our business.” its standing in the financial services, Allison Routledge, investment executive at FW Capital, added: “We are committed to insurance and healthcare sectors and supporting Francis Brown Limited so it can continue to win contracts such as this.” expand its presence in the UK and American Midwest markets.

Finance 4Move lays foundations for Park Commercial’s growth

An insurance broker is moving to a new home after outgrowing its premises. Park Commercial is switching from Langley Moor to Durham’s Meadowfield Industrial Estate. Bosses say the move – which will provide nearly three times as much space – comes as the firm prepares Developers unveil £10 million retail and leisure plans to recruit more staff over the coming 12 months to meet increased Development demand. Plans have been unveiled for a £10 million County Durham retail and leisure community David Park, managing director, hub. Developers say Bowes Gate, in Lambton Park, will feature a three-storey Victorian- said: “I’m delighted we will be able to style building that will include space for independent retailers alongside offices and offer a better service to clients, with leisure facilities. A pavilion, complete with a bistro and area to host outdoor community more staff, private meeting rooms events, is also planned. The development is being brought forward by the Newcastle and conference facilities if required.” office of national planning development consultants Lichfields, which is acting for Theakston Land and the Trustees of Lambton Estate. For more news and views across the Jonny Morris, of the Estate’s managing agents GSC Grays, said: “Bowes Gate will act North East, visit our website @ a focal point for the host of high-quality improvements and enhancements currently www.netimesmagazine.co.uk/news underway at Lambton Park.”

15 Guest contributor Jerry Hopkinson

Teesside in the spotlight Words by Jerry Hopkinson Trade Chief operating officer and vice chairman at PD Ports When the Chancellor stood at the Commons’ despatch box in early March to announce the first raft of freeport hubs, Teesside was A new chapter in Teesside’s renaissance afforded centre stage. Here is an area, hailed Mr Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to hand freeport status to Teesside was one of the Sunak, where “innovative fast- standout announcements in last month’s Budget. Covering an area of more than growing businesses (are) hiring 2500 football pitches, Teesside’s freeport boundary includes, among other sites, Redcar’s local people into decent well-paid Teesworks development, the Wilton International site and Teesside International Airport. green jobs” and where people are Here, Jerry Hopkinson, of Teesport operator PD Ports, which is also statutory harbour “optimistic and ambitious for their authority for the River Tees, outlines the potential presented by freeport recognition. future”. Promising, among other things, simpler planning procedures, 4We were delighted to welcome opportunity within our hands, and we are cheaper customs and lower taxes to the Prime Minister and Chancellor to committed to playing a fulsome role in its encourage private investment and Teesport the day after the 2021 Budget, successful delivery alongside all partners job creation, he lauded Teesside – following confirmation that Teesside is – private investment and collaboration and the Teesworks development, one of eight designated freeports across will be key to bringing long-term which is renovating the old SSI UK England – heralding a new chapter in the economic growth and jobs to Teesside. steelworks site into a new industrial region’s renaissance. The River Tees is a national asset for hub – as the “future economy of There is no doubt about it: freeport trade and the UK’s only continuous net this country”. status on Teesside has huge potential to exporting region of goods. Its unique Bosses say the decision has strengthen the long-term future of the advantages, combined with its new-found already been vindicated with the region, enabling new trade opportunities freeport status, will help turbocharge news – announced just days after to be seized and manufacturing manufacturing and exports, strengthening Mr Sunak’s freeport confirmation opportunities to be accelerated with the river’s global competitiveness. – that GE Renewable Energy will international investors. Teesport, as a whole, contributes in build a 750-job wind turbine blade- By cementing the River Tees as the excess of £1.4 billion to the UK GVA and, making factory at Teesworks, after Northern Powerhouse’s leading gateway as PD Ports, we have attracted more than the site beat off competition from for international trade, freeport status £1 billion of private investment to the France. will undoubtedly provide a major boost region in the past ten years creating 2500 to the Northern economy, delivering the new jobs. Government’s levelling-up agenda. We see the region’s newfound status as After working tirelessly to support a catalyst for further growth, attracting the Tees Valley Mayor, including holding more inward investment to Teesside that multiple consultations with more than otherwise may have gone elsewhere in 100 key customers and stakeholders the UK or overseas. throughout the bidding process, we are With our region’s leading research delighted the Government has seen the and technological capabilities, its potential we know our region holds. highly skilled workforce and proud This process has been long, and one manufacturing traditions, there is, that has taken much work in order to literally, nowhere else in the UK better ensure we maximise the potential benefits equipped to drive this initiative forward, for Teesside. delivering the bright future Teesside But now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime deserves.

16 Guest contributor Councillor Heather Scott

Much like the old cliché coming months. opportunity than puts around service buses’ And, just days later, came local priorities and local frequency, Tees Valley news that Darlington will people at the heart of the Darlington chosen waited a good while be home to around 500 Government.” as new Treasury for one major Budget Department for International and Department for announcement, and then Trade workers as well, after *The Tees Valley Mayoral ended up getting three. the Government confirmed Election is due to take place next International Trade As the area was gaining global exporting and month. At the time of going to hub freeport status, so too was inbound investment support print, the final list of candidates it acquiring at least 750 civil services will operate from had not been confirmed. Trade servants’ posts following the town. However, it is understood Mr Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Welcoming the Houchen will be joined by confirmation that a Treasury announcement, Tees Valley Labour candidate Jessie Joe hub will transfer from Mayor Ben Houchen* said: Jacobs on the ballot. London to Darlington in the “This is a once-in-a-lifetime

Words by Councillor Heather Scott Leader of Darlington Borough Council

Once hidden gem shining brightly with Treasury boost

As the cradle of the railways, Darlington holds a key place in Britain’s industrial history. But after the Government’s Budget announcement that it will become home to a 750-job Treasury hub - alongside a later announced new 500-post Department for International Trade base, the town will soon be keeping the country on track in another way. Councillor Heather Scott, leader of Darlington Borough Council, explains why the Treasury’s arrival will provide further momentum to a town on the move.

4The Government announcement that the decision for the Treasury to base and wynds. Darlington has been chosen as the new themselves here, including its excellent Darlington can also boast quality home for the Treasury department is a transport links – whether it be the rail housing developments and outstanding fantastic achievement, not only for the connectivity to London, the major road schools, and with a lower cost of living town, but for the whole of the Tees Valley. network or the local airport, which is compared to the south of the UK and its Having a key Government department seeing increased flights to London and proximity to both stunning countryside recognising the assets and potential of the beyond. and coastlines, the quality of life is hard area will drive investment, regeneration The town itself has a buzz of excitement to beat. Soon the town will play host to and economic growth on a scale not seen about it, as major developments and celebrations for the 200-year anniversary in generations. improvements are getting underway. of the public railway, which launched It will also help create future jobs and The railway station is starting a in 1825. Since this time, Darlington opportunities for people locally and give modernisation programme, which will has been at the forefront of industrial young people the confidence that they include a new station building, additional and commercial development, and don’t need to travel far to get the high- platforms and an improved interchange the Treasury is the next exciting and quality jobs they want. for passengers to support increased progressive chapter in the town’s story. Darlington is a wonderful town with train journeys. The town centre is It truly is an exciting time to part many large, established businesses calling undergoing a transformation too, with the of Darlington’s developing history it home that cover many sectors including redevelopment of the historic Victorian and as more companies discover this biologics, manufacturing and engineering, market to bring a more modern street once hidden gem, we look forward to logistics and distribution. food and entertainment aspect to it, as welcoming the Treasury department over It has so many attributes that led to well as a reinvigoration of its quirky yards the coming months.

17 Opinion Investment

The North/South divide

Teesside’s success and the north of the region’s lack thereof in the bid to be one of eight UK freeports has reignited the debate around what exactly the North East is and Teesside freeport whether or not there is a regional North/South divide. Richard Dawson speaks to Lucy bid successful due to Winskell, chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, and Peter Snaith, “strong alignment with partner and head of manufacturing at law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, to find out Government policy” how the collaborative spirit of the region’s business community can help put differences to one side and ensure that the benefits of Teesside’s freeport status are widely shared. The Treasury has revealed details of its decision-making process in relation to the selection of the first Words by Richard Dawson eight UK freeports. 14 bids were graded ‘High’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Low’ on five different Each area has its own history and its own criteria – trade and investment, 4Is Teesside part of the North East? story to tell. regeneration, innovation, Well, according to the Nomenclature But if you look at the map of the UK, deliverability of proposals at pace of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) there is only one North East, indivisible, and private sector involvement. codes of the United Kingdom, the answer and perhaps fostering more of a The North East England Freeport to that question is an unequivocal yes. collaborative spirit would enable us to bid actually had the third highest But if you were to ask someone from change our status as being the smallest overall score Middlesbrough, Hartlepool or Redcar and economy of the nine English regions. and scored Cleveland where they came from, would The North East business community has marginally they say the North East or Teesside? form in this endeavour. higher than While the geographical boundaries of Both the North East Local Enterprise the Teesside the North East region are absolute – 2.66 Partnership (LEP) and the Tees Valley Freeport bid. million people living under one roof – any Combined Authority (TVCA) jointly However, given local person’s sense of place or deliver business support and economic Teesside was spatial identity is much more difficult to development programmes across the awarded ascertain. whole region, and there are many freeport status on the basis of its The answer to the question, “where examples of the 12 local authorities and “strong alignment with Government are you from?”, is different for everyone three combined authorities collaborating policy (in particular the Net Zero and depends on a complex mix of with each other on funding bids and agenda and the Prime Minister’s anthropological factors such as family, inward investment. recently published 10 Point Plan).” culture, values and beliefs. In the microcosm that is the North East, “The North East LEP and TVCA are both there is no uniform sense of belonging. partners of Energi Coast,” explains Lucy

18 Investment Opinion

Winskell, chair of the North East LEP. come at the expense of the wider North how dedication to our sub-regions can “The North East and Tees Valley also East, and both Lucy and Peter talk up the sometimes deny us the potential of work together as part of the North ancillary benefits and opportunities that drawing on our wider resources. East Growth Hub, jointly developing will come off the back of the new freeport “We should acknowledge what we can workshops and outreach activities to and Treasury hub. do for each other because we are much support businesses and help them get “The Teesside freeport will support the stronger together.” through Brexit and COVID-19. offshore wind, clean energy and advanced One North East was an economic “There are also plenty of examples manufacturing sectors and these are all development body that embodied this of different local authorities working key sectors for the whole of the North spirit of working together, speaking together to ensure inward investment East region, not just Teesside,” says Lucy. for the whole of the North East from lands locally.” “Supply chains will be built around Darlington to Berwick and everything in However, the recent announcements investment whichever bit of the North between. regarding Teesside getting freeport status East gets that investment.” Since its abolition in 2012, the regional and a new Treasury economic campus That being said, there is a perception, development picture has become more while Tyneside missed out on both, has perhaps driven by images of Rishi Sunak fragmented, as the recent Budget reignited the debate about there being a and Boris Johnson walking around demonstrated. divide between the North of the region Teesport in high-vis the day after the But there is still an appetite for working and the South. Budget, that the freeport belongs to together to make the region more Rishi Sunak didn’t help matters. The Teesside, rather than the North East. investable and productive. Chancellor made four references to Peter adds: “Irrespective of the The question is, how do we maximise Teesside in his Budget speech, but there difference in approach between the North it? was no mention of the North East. and South of our region, we need to find Lucy says: “I am a great believer in Lucy says: “When we received the news ways to work as one.” evolution. that our bid for the North East England Part of that equation is about unifying “The work didn’t stop when the freeport was unsuccessful, we were the people of the North East as belonging doors closed on One North East and in bitterly disappointed.” to one region, putting differences, which particular, the talent, knowledge and Peter Snaith, partner and head of have been stoked by generations of tribal expertise of the people that worked there, manufacturing at law firm Womble Bond rivalries, to one side. didn’t disappear. Dickinson, which worked on the Teesside It is here where the business “Now, we need to work with freeport bid, adds: “Notwithstanding the community has such an important role to Government to understand what levels of widespread impact that one freeport can play. investment it is prepared to make because have, I was very much hoping to see two Peter says: “Coming from a family we have a joint ambition of creating more freeports being designated for the North with a history of doing business for 150 and better jobs to level up and further East.” years in Darlington, but having lived for unlock the industrial potential of the Of course, Teesside’s triumph does not most of my life in Newcastle, I sense North East.”

19 Education_ Advertorial_Durham University Business School

Here, she reveals more about her experiences Students solving working on her project. strategic business What was your Strategic Business Project about? challenges I chose to work with Sage for my project exploring the topic of customer awareness and software Durham University Business School works adoption intentions. with local, national and international I partnered with the Sage Qualifications Programme organisations in many ways, ranging from team to examine and understand students’ awareness knowledge transfer partnerships, executive and perception of Sage accounting software, and the education and research collaborations, to motivating factors that influence their decision to adopt providing placement students. or continue using Sage after graduating. The objective was to identify opportunities for Sage to engage with students and propose creative solutions www.dur.ac.uk/business/ that will help Sage improve their awareness and @DUBusSchool facilitate students’ adoption and continued use of Sage software.

Durham BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER, DURHAM MBA What was your experience of choosing the project and University and MSc Business Analytics students work with then working with the company? Business companies to complete a business project. School Strategic Business Projects are either self-sourced, - This is a great opportunity for organisations to where students find a company to host their To learn benefit from talented students who can tackle a prospective project, or School-sourced, where the more about how Durham business challenge head-on. Business School sources several projects from external University The students work across all sectors and functions, organisations, and these are usually competitive and Business School applying their skills and knowledge to deliver results works with aligned to your chosen pathway on the programme. business, visit that can move a business forward. My project was School-sourced. All the School- durham.ac.uk/ A business project also provides an excellent business/ sourced projects were shared with students for us corporate- opportunity for students to gain practical experience to access and do some background research on the partnerships relevant to their career aspirations and enhance their or for Business different companies that we were interested in working Projects, visit professional network. with. durham.ac.uk/ Here, North East Times Magazine looks at two We then indicated the projects we were interested business/bp different experiences from Durham MBA and MSc in. The companies also conducted a similar selection Business Analytics alumni. exercise, as they were provided with our MBA Talent Book to choose the students they felt were the best fit Using marketing research to assess for their projects. student brand awareness and product adoption intentions Why did you choose Sage for your project? Nigerian-Canadian Durham MBA alumna Daisy I chose to work with Sage as I was familiar with the Igbokwe chose to do her Strategic Business Project company and industry, having previously worked for an with Sage, market leaders of cloud accounting and accounting software company, a competitor of Sage. Daisy Igbokwe business management software. My experience working with the company was Before studying her MBA at Durham University great; we communicated frequently via email and Business School, Daisy worked at accounting software video conferencing, and I found them to be incredibly company Intuit, in Toronto, across a variety of roles in supportive and collaborative. marketing. My main point of contact at Sage, Tim O’Reilly, was Since graduating, Daisy has been appointed to a role an amazing partner and connector and he provided at Sage, in London, as a product marketing manager, me with the resources I needed to effectively conduct and is looking forward to growing her career at Sage. my research and analysis, including relevant company

20 Education_ Advertorial_Durham University Business School

information. Having his support set me up for success. Woolovers’ distribution model at a local level. The company partners with a third-party warehouse What were the project outcomes? in Australia to handle the entire stock and delivery The outcomes of the project were to provide an services for Australia and New Zealand customers. independent, well-researched and analysed written They wanted to understand whether it was piece of work on the business issue being investigated. beneficial to continue operating a separate warehouse By applying relevant research techniques, I critically in Australia, or to move to a model of despatching analysed students’ awareness and perceptions on Sage these orders out of the UK. The project included accounting software and presented recommendations considerations from a monetary and non-monetary for facilitating the continued use of Sage accounting perspective, investigating the short-term and long-term software to the business. impact of such change.

What was your experience of choosing the project and “Sage was excited to host this successful then working with the company? Strategic Business Project last year. I was always interested in business supply chain When selecting a student to manage the problems. The scope also required me to consider the project, Daisy clearly stood out. I was very environmental aspect, which is extremely relevant in impressed with her enthusiasm from the the current business world, with companies operating outset and thoroughly enjoyed working on a global scale. with her. We gained extremely useful insights and the feedback gained will help What were the project outcomes? Sage continue to develop our support for After comparing EBIT (earnings before interest and students” taxes) in different scenarios, I recommended the – Tim O’Reilly, Sage qualifications manager company keep the third-party warehouse due to anticipated decreasing demand and the increased Did you find it beneficial to undertake the project, shipping costs associated with a centralised inventory and if so, how? system. I definitely found the project beneficial, as it allowed me to apply the learnings from the MBA into practice, Did you find it beneficial to undertake the project, and from in-depth research and analysis to developing if so, how? a critical understanding of business practices, as Firstly, this project consolidated my data analytical well as developing and implementing strategy at an skills, such as Python clustering, Excel modelling organisational level. and most importantly, my business problem-solving I also really benefitted from the relationships I mindset. built with the organisation and the Business School Approaching this real business problem and throughout the project. communicating with someone from the company made the whole learning process much more engaging. Using data analytics to inform the supply Secondly, the project helped me improve greatly in chain distribution model terms of my skills and academic abilities. Following completion of his Business Administration degree in Boston, USA, Zhenghong Qiu came to the UK to study the MSc Business Analytics programme. “Zhenghong was excellent. He was For his Business Analytics project, Zhenghong proactive in arranging discussions, worked with WoolOvers, a British lifestyle brand that approaching me with questions and was Zhenghong Qiu designs and sells quality natural knitwear. very logical and well thought out in his Here, he describes his experiences. approach to the project. He clearly put a lot of time and effort into the project and What the project was about? that showed in his output” Using data analytics, the project aimed to look at - Stephen Kehl, WoolOvers Limited financial controller

21 Finance_ Advertorial_Cascade Cash Management

A sustainable approach to business strategy

Dr Emma Black, managing director of Cascade Cash Management (Cascade) recently completed an online course with Harvard Business School which has encouraged her to look at the principles of her own and other businesses, with sustainability at the forefront.

www.cascade.co.uk Twitter: @CascadeCash

THE COURSE IN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS every level of saver, irrespective of cash amounts. Strategy, led by Professor Rebecca Henderson, “Studying at Harvard has allowed me to think further encourages business leaders to consider the and acknowledge that to do good, you must do well. competitive advantages of being a purpose-driven “That is, as a leader you have to hit your numbers. leader. You have to deliver. Doing so allows you to engage Recently named as the Most Innovative FinTech at a deeper level with customers, employees and Company of 2020, Cascade is the region’s leading, stakeholders around your purpose and common cause award-winning cash management service. – and allows in turn for you to do good. In a nutshell, Cascade delivers an independent “To be here in 100 years as a business, you have to and transparent savings service originally designed think about doing things sustainably and ethically for to generate enhanced cash returns and increased generation after generation. depositor protection through professional cash “We have to recognise we are part of a community management. and in the aftermath of the last 12 months, what better Having administered £370 million of cash savings time is there to come together for a greater long-term by 2015, the company began the build of its unique good?” online savings portal that has seen the team administer Using case studies from Walmart, Unilever, King today over £1 billion, servicing more than 3000 advisers Arthur Flour and many others, the course has enabled across the UK. Dr Black to explore successful models of companies Cascade boasts an online Fintech portal, which is the that do good because they have done well. only one of its kind in the UK, and Dr Black signed up to “King Arthur Flour really stood out to me,” she says. the course to ensure the company remains purposeful “The US has been around for hundreds of years and and unique in its offering. has successfully nurtured a baking community. She says: “The Sustainable Business Strategy course “Going beyond sales, all the employees are focused examined the broader environment in which company’s on helping bakers to bake to their best. operate, exploring why collective efforts matter and “There is a 24/7 hotline for bakers, a digital how business can be a catalyst for change. engagement team and online learning centres with “At Cascade, we are keen to be that catalyst, not just 3500 recipes and tips. in the services we offer, but in our behaviours towards “They’ve really cared for their customers and worked our clients, partners, colleagues and staff. hard to create a highly engaged community. “The course has been the perfect energy boost as we “Walmart stood out too for some incredibly bold come out of the coronavirus pandemic. moves at times that were not dissimilar to what we are “We have now opened up our full portal offering to experiencing today. those with £100,000 or more, instead of our previous “In 2005, Walmart stepped in when families were level of £250,000, to help more savers and we are without homes after Hurricane Katrina, opening up for finding new ways every day to be more inclusive to those in need of food, clothes and basic essentials at

22 Finance_ Advertorial_Cascade Cash Management

zero cost. Cascade Cash The Cascade team help clients in completing the “It cost the company $22.5 million. In the aftermath, Management onboarding paperwork for each bank and building - Walmart chief executive Lee Scott asked his team, The company has society selected and savers are then able to use the ‘what can we do together so that we feel the way that received Cyber portal to view their savings in one convenient place, Essential Plus we do today every day?’ re-accreditation with the dedicated support of Cascade personnel. “This led to big changes, including a focus on from the National Clients of the service include individuals, companies Cyber Security upskilling workers, working with suppliers to lower and charities. Partners of the service include IFAs, Centre, meaning waste, changed processes for lowering its carbon its internal and solicitors, attorneys and accountants, while many more footprint and much more. online IT systems can also self-brand the product for presentation to their are considered “What both of these case studies have in common is robust against own clients. that they are both focused on doing good – supporting any form of cyber As part of this, and at looking at the next generation attack. people, creating community and building opportunity.” of a saving community, Cascade is now looking at The team at Cascade are now taking this knowledge why customers save and have cash, what the greater and looking at expanding the technology platform to purpose is behind their cash and what it means to them. allow the company to help more people. To have that data means Cascade can tailor a service The website is being invested in to bring more to assist the individual to reach their goals in a more information to savers of every level, on banks, building sustainable way. societies and depositor protection licenses. Dr Black adds: “What I have learnt and will be The Cascade service is unique in the market in that applying, as well as encouraging others to do too, is it allows independent and unbiased cash solutions for that as a business leader you need to be explicit in your a range of client types meaning clients don’t have to purpose and recruit people daily to that mission to do choose only one bank. whatever your good looks like. With the online portal and Cascade’s client support “If you are explicit about your purpose and as a team, all banks are accessed quickly and easily, on a company you understand that for you to succeed, you daily basis. The service is the only one of its kind that have to consider the objectives and needs of others in tracks every bank and building society in the market your community too, then you should take action to and it’s this breadth and depth of data that affords materially move your company forward. clients the best possible outcomes from their cash. “If not now, then when?”

2323 Feature Peter Rolton

WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Words by Richard Dawson Photography by Christopher Owens

24 Britishvolt chairman www.britishvolt.com

Almost all of the major car makers globally are now producing electric vehicles, or at least planning to, within the next few years. It therefore doesn’t take a genius to work out that the world is going to need a whole lot of lithium-ion batteries to power the electrification push. EV battery start-up Britishvolt wants to play a leading role in this green automotive future and is planning to build the UK’s first gigaplant in the North East. Leading the company is chartered engineer and former Government advisor Peter Rolton. Here, Richard Dawson finds out all about the man behind the wheel at Britishvolt, and why he is pushing so hard to make its plant a reality by 2023.

4 The similarities between Sir Alex because he was looking to build on United fans will remember the fixture, Ferguson and Peter Rolton are not greenbelt, meaning the house would which saw ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ or the immediately obvious. have to be of national architectural so-called Class of 92’ – Gary Neville, his One of them is the most successful significance. brother Phil, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, football manager in history and the other “It’s known in the industry as the Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes – narrowly is a chartered building services engineer County House clause,” Peter explains. defeated 2-1 by a competitive Juventus and renewable energy specialist. Gary hired London-based Make side. Where the two meet is in having both Architects to design a blueprint for the What the Old Trafford faithful won’t worked closely with former Manchester build and advised that the project would perhaps known is that Peter was the man United full-back Gary Neville. need an engineer of national standing. behind the scenes who made it happen, In the late 2000s, Peter’s engineering With his experience in low-carbon booking the visitors to come over from consultancy firm Rolton Group was construction, Peter was given the call-up Turin and even insuring David Beckham’s approached about working on a zero- to come on board. legs. carbon family home Gary wanted to build Around the same time, Gary was At the time, Becks was playing for LA on his farm in Bolton. preparing to retire from the Beautiful Galaxy, who didn’t want Peter and the The Sky Sports pundit needed the Game and actually asked Peter if he team to announce their prized midfielder services of the company, which typically would organise his testimonial match, would be taking time out of the USA’s delivers large-scale manufacturing which the somewhat perplexed chartered Major League Soccer season for a projects, energy centres and car plants, engineer duly did in 2011. testimonial game.

25 26 Feature Peter Rolton Britishvolt chairman www.britishvolt.com “I said that was no good because I had end in 2010, Peter’s Rolton Group found tickets to sell, I needed to get bums on demand for its services reaching new seats,” says Peter. heights. With the help of Denis Law’s daughter In 2011, the company started working Diana, Peter recruited Sir Alex to make on a biomass power plant for Honda in the announcement, which he did in a BBC Swindon. press conference. It’s the kind of project that shows Peter “Funnily enough, nobody wanted to has form when it comes to nationally ring Sir Alex up and give him a telling off,” significant low-carbon industrial schemes, Peter laughs. which is exactly what he’s trying to do Organising the testimonial was now with Britishvolt in Northumberland. something completely different for A few years ago, Rolton Group was Peter, but part of a philosophy that he invited to work with Advanced Propulsion has carried with him all of his life – when Centre UK to identify prime sites to build opportunities come, you take them. electric vehicle (EV) battery factories or It was an opportunity to take on his first gigaplants. building consultancy project at the age Peter says: “Off the back of that work, of 27 that saw Peter found Rolton Group we got introduced to Britishvolt.” in 1989. Rolton Group became Britishvolt’s “The journey started there,” he says. engineering consultant in 2019, with “I got my first lucky break when I was Peter joining the board of directors in working for someone else and one of September last year and taking over as the project managers came along and chairman in December. said, ‘we’ve been let down on a project in As soon as he got involved with the Corby, so would you be prepared to give ambitious EV battery start-up, Peter up your PAYE job and go full-time working had to have some difficult conversations for yourself on this project?’ with the board about the site in Wales, “It was a big project; I think the fee they which he believed had some challenging offered me was about £85,000. I thought, infrastructure issues. ‘opportunities like this only come along “I said to the Britishvolt team, you need once in life, and so I had to take it.” to go to Blyth,” he says. It’s fair to say that Peter made the right The site Peter was referring to was the decision. former Blyth Power Station – a pair of The company he founded all those now demolished coal-fired power stations years ago has since become a Tier in Cambois on the northern bank of the 1 supplier to original equipment River Blyth. manufacturers (OEMs), consulting on The station’s four chimneys were a large-scale engineering projects and key feature of the industrial landscape doing strategy work for organisations like of South East Northumberland, and their the Ministry of Defence, the Crown Estate demolition was symbolic of how far that and Jaguar Land Rover. area’s star had fallen from the heights of Such was Peter’s pedigree in delivering old industry. projects with an emphasis on renewable Derelict since the turn of the energy and sustainability that he was millennium, there have been numerous, invited to advise the Government on its unsuccessful efforts to repurpose the site Renewable Energy Strategy in the mid- and seize on its potential. 2000s. But it was that potential and a bullish He says: “I was one of two engineers Peter that convinced Britishvolt to commit on the Renewables Advisory Board and to building the UK’s first gigaplant in the my job was to sit between senior civil North East. servants and the Secretary of State and For Peter, this meant bringing a provide technical interpretations and revolutionary industrial investment to an advice around policy and how to get area that long held a special place in his things to market.” heart, for he actually grew up in the North When this advisory role came to an East.

27 Feature Peter Rolton

He says: “I came here when I was in middle school. gigaplant open by 2023, a date which is dictated by the need to “I lived in East Boldon and my father worked at a company get to market and establish the company as an industry leader called Littelfuse, in Washington, when the New Town was being before other competitors swarm in. built. Peter explains: “We’ve got to get to market as quickly as “Then my parents decided they wanted to run a post office, so possible to capture a market share. we moved to Longframlington, in Northumberland. “We cannot afford to get stuck in the weeds, which is why I am “It was a seven-day-a-week operation and my parents worked pushing so hard and being very aggressive with the timeline. incredibly hard – they didn’t have time to go anywhere or have “The concern is that, if everyone is trying to build holidays or anything. gigafactories, there’s only so much production equipment you “My memories of that time were, Northumberland is lovely, but can buy. not necessarily the best place to bring up kids if you’re not going to be able to take them places and do things.” At 16, Peter’s parents said they were thinking about retiring and asked if he wanted to take over the post office and shop. A quiet life as the village shopkeeper wasn’t exactly capturing the teenager’s imagination and so the answer to that question was a resounding ‘no’. Realising he was going to have to find an alternative, Peter went to work for his brother’s mechanical services plumbing company in the Peterborough area. It wasn’t long before he was back in the North East, though, studying for a BSc in Building Services and Engineering at what was then Newcastle Polytechnic, and is now Northumbria University. “After working on sites each summer, I realised I needed to go and learn the technical knowledge that informs construction work,” he adds. Graduating in 1985 at the height of deindustrialisation and the unemployment crisis that ensued, Peter, like many others, left the North East in search of job opportunities. That was almost four decades ago and now he is on his way back to the region, bringing plans for the largest industrial investment since Nissan’s Sunderland arrival with him. Britishvolt says its £2.6 billion gigaplant will create 3000 jobs directly and up to 5000 more in the wider supply chain. It is estimated the lithium-ion battery factory will have a 10GWh capacity initially, working up to 30GWh once fully operational. As a point of reference, the Envision factory in Sunderland, which supplies batteries to Nissan and is the only other EV battery plant in the UK, only has around a 1GWh capacity. “I want to get my order in so I can get a production line in Britishvolt has set the aggressive timeline of getting its place for 2023.”

28 Britishvolt chairman www.britishvolt.com

To get to that point, though, there are some key milestones Britishvolt has to hit in the near-term. First is buying the site in Blyth, which could be done this month. Second is getting planning approval, which could be granted by the end of July, enabling Peter and the team to get spades in the ground this summer. The third challenge is the one that Peter is least concerned about – raising the billions of pounds needed to make the gigaplant a reality. The process here will be to list Britishvolt on the capital markets through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), which enables companies to list in a much shorter timeframe than the traditional initial public offering. Perhaps part of the reason Britishvolt isn’t worried about funding is because demand for EV batteries is growing exponentially as the automotive sector races towards electrification. As it stands, battery manufacturing capacity is nowhere near being able to meet the needs of industry, meaning mean the North East has a real stake in Britishvolt is stepping into a captive the UK’s low-carbon future and the green market with no competitors in the UK and industrial revolution. virtually none globally. Peter has put everything into making The company has already been the gigaplant a reality, stepping back from described as a key test of the UK his role at the company he founded 30 automotive sector’s ability to embrace years ago to shepherd Britishvolt as its de the future and for the North East, facto UK chief executive. the gigaplant represents a once-in-a- He says: “Anyone you meet at generation opportunity to position itself Britishvolt, you will find that they have at the forefront of industrial innovation, massively bought into this. rather than be a casualty of it. “I could have sat at Rolton Group As well as the massive jobs’ promise, chairing the company for a few more the huge GVA contribution and the years into a comfortable retirement. chance to grow a new local automotive “But when opportunities come along, supply chain, Britishvolt’s success could you take them.”

29 Insurance_ Advertorial_North P&I Club

Life a year on from the first COVID-19 lockdown

A year on from the first coronavirus lockdown, Paul Jennings, chief executive of North P&I Club, looks back at the past 12 months and the way our lives have changed.

www.nepia.com @NorthPandIClub

IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE OUR LIVES WERE appointments across the company. firmly turned upside down. We have also launched a brand-new product line – From deaths of loved ones and enduring prolonged North Hull – which is designed for larger ocean-going periods of isolation, to financial pressures and vessels and will complement the hull and machinery emotional instability, we have all experienced the (H&M) insurance already available from Sunderland impact of the COVID-19 pandemic first-hand. Marine, our specialist fishing and aquaculture arm. Undoubtedly, the lockdown has left us with an We’ve also taken the opportunity to set up a new economic, mental and emotional burden that will team in London. affect us for years to come, however, it has also Proof of our success is demonstrated by what our enabled many of us to take the time to re-assess, members – that’s our insurance customers – and our reflect and re-design our lives – both personal and brokers say about North. professional. Towards the end of 2020, we completed our We’ve seen our community truly come together triennial customer satisfaction survey to gauge their to support one another. We’ve seen record levels of feedback on everything from our perceived position in volunteer sign-ups and food bank donations. We’ve the market, to how we dealt with the pandemic. ‘clapped for carers’, looked after our elderly and given I was humbled by the exceptionally positive our key workers the recognition and support they responses because I know they’re the product of our deserve. team’s commitment. I’m proud to share them with the In business, we have also made the successful regional business community – not because I want to transition to remote working and have made blow North’s trumpet, but because those responses significant investments in new technology to stay up from people across the world are all evidence of our to date and at the top of our game. region being held in high regard for the skills, energy We’ve also embraced the work/life balance and and innovation we bring to the international stage. given our teams more autonomy and flexibility than It’s been incredibly rewarding to see our team thrive ever before – all of which is showing increased levels and tackle challenges head on. Our determination to of productivity and employee satisfaction. succeed, to support each other and overcome barriers At North, our team, both here in the North East is what characterises those of us in this region, and overseas, has demonstrated what it means to especially in the professional services sector, and it’s come together during challenging times. They have something I am incredibly proud of. supported each other, found unique solutions to It’s this spirit of comradeship and collaboration problems and above all, continued to ensure our that will be key to the region in recovering from the shipowner members can trade with confidence. economic and social impact of COVID-19. We have always known our people are our greatest We cannot forget the lessons we have learned over asset, and the pandemic has only highlighted this fact the past year and we must continue to work together further – so it is no surprise that building our team is and support each other through the tough times. where we have invested heavily. We need to continue having conversations, In fact, the last 12 months have seen our business exchanging knowledge and sharing vital insight on expand with 40 new recruits and a host of senior how best to weather what lies ahead.

30 Insurance_ Advertorial_North P&I Club

North - Founded and headquartered in Newcastle, North’s influence stretches around the world, with offices in Australasia, Greece, China (Shanghai and Hong Kong), Japan, Singapore, Ireland and the USA complementing its regional hub.

We also need to make use of our strong and vocal This year has been one of the most challenging we business community to champion the North East and have ever experienced, however, what has stayed consistently highlight the strengths our region has to consistent is the resilience, creative thinking and offer for businesses, partners and talent. supportiveness that defines businesses in this part of It is only through this that we will encourage more the country. investment and governmental support, and unlock Now is the time for our region to demonstrate how real opportunities for job creation. adaptable and innovative we are. We’ve been in business for 160 years and have seen If we work together and continue to embrace the business community of Newcastle and the wider opportunity, we can and will emerge stronger from North East change beyond recognition. these challenging times, just as we have in the past.

31 32 Brand_ Advertorial_Projector

Why employer branding is crucial to your company’s recruitment process

To help those looking to sharpen their recruitment process, Phil Lowery, managing director of creative agency Projector, discusses the importance of employer branding in recruitment. www.yourprojector.com [email protected]

A COMPANY’S RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND who they attract plays a crucial role in their development. Whether it’s designed to help you recover from the impact of the last 12 months, or you’re in a position where demand for your services has increased, focusing efforts on your employer branding will play an instrumental role in the effectiveness of your hiring process.

What is employer branding? Improves employee productivity and engagement Employer branding is the reputation of a company People that work for companies that communicate Projector that helps to both attract and retain employees. how valuable their employees are to them are - It’s this type of reputation that differentiates a generally more motivated, making the workplace To find out more business from its competition and is as responsible for more enjoyable, employees more productive and the about how you can benefit attracting candidates as it is from deterring them from business better equipped to grow. from Projector’s applying in the first place. To help with this, you need to take a holistic support to boost While it’s common for businesses to focus on their approach to your recruitment and employer brand your recruitment process, call 0191 consumer brand exclusively, it’s the employer brand strategy, analysing all aspects of your branding to take 265 2400. which helps potential candidates get a feel for your care of both your reputation and staff – an approach business based on an instant impression. we, at Projector, have assisted many clients with over This type of impression could be born from a variety the last 18 years. of employer branding techniques, such as an online It is something we were able to help Sage’s internal employee testimonial the company has responded to, communications department with during their large- an internal event that was broadcast on social media, scale relocation of staff to new offices, whereby we a careers hub that shows how a business invests in designed a guide to their new building to assist staff its workforce, or a consistent and well-maintained with orientation and help manage the impact this online presence that demonstrates a passion for the change could have on the business. organisation and its people. Additionally, in an effort to ensure remote-based advisers felt as much a part of the True Potential Helps to recruit new employees workforce as their team in the office, we created a With so many people researching a company brand manual to be given to such advisers – providing online before applying for a job, it’s apparent that them with a common set of cultural guidelines in one unified employer branding maintained across multiple convenient location. channels will help to recruit new employees. Similarly, in a bid to help WANdisco retain their start- up culture persona, despite their shift from SME to Attracts the right talent international organisation, we designed a brochure to In addition to attracting candidates, is the potential be given to new recruits to help them get a feel for the to attract the right candidates. A strong employer company’s culture. brand will put your company in a good position to For help with any aspect of your employer brand interest high-quality applicants to fill your positions. strategy, get in touch with us today.

33 Construction_ Advertorial_ Esh Construction

Sunderland highways scheme provides £17.1 million boost for local SMEs

As it prepares to hand over a crucial Wearside transport project in the coming months, Esh Construction reveals how a commitment between the business and Sunderland City Council has delivered key social and economic value targets for the city and the wider North East.

www.eshgroup.co.uk LinkedIn: Esh Group

CHANCELLOR RISHI SUNAK OUTLINED AN City of Sunderland. economic roadmap that will help SMEs navigate Phase 3 of the Sunderland Strategic Transport what is hoped to be the final chapter of the COVID-19 Corridor (SSTC3) is a £40 million development, which pandemic when he made his Budget announcement will provide an uninterrupted dual carriageway (A1231) last month. that links the Northern Spire Bridge and Sunderland By launching a How To Grow training scheme and city centre, and forms part of the council’s £70.8 million extending the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention investment to relieve congestion issues, improve Scheme until September, Mr Sunak reiterated a business links and connect communities to the city commitment to helping SMEs across the UK survive as centre and Riverside Sunderland. the fiscal support pot through COVID-19 surpassed the The Riverside Sunderland masterplan captures a £400 billion mark. number of ground-breaking projects to reimagine part Closer to home, Sunderland City Council and Esh of the city and sets out how the council will kick-start Construction have been playing their part to help the rebirth of a 33.2-hectare site on both sides of the safeguard the economic future of our region’s SMEs. River Wear, creating the UK’s first carbon-neutral urban New figures released show that £17.1 million – 43 per quarter, building 1000 new homes and creating office cent of the total scheme procurement – has been spent space for up to 10,000 workers, as well as a state-of- with local SMEs on a major highways scheme in the the-art library and community hub and healthcare facility. As Esh Construction prepares to hand over the completed project in autumn 2021, the new transport corridor also opens up a more sufficient route that connects Nissan, the Low Carbon Enterprise Zone and International Advanced Manufacturing Park to the city centre. A lack of framework options meant Sunderland City Council, on behalf of the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO), developed the NEPO 211 Framework for Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Works, which was utilised for SSTC3. Further to this, SSTC3 served to function as a pilot for the National Themes, Outcomes, Measures (TOMs) Framework, which aims to provide a minimum reporting standard for measuring social value. Patrick Melia, Sunderland City Council’s chief executive, says: “We are committed to building

34 Construction_ Advertorial_ Esh Construction

community wealth and delivering projects that are to deliver key social and economic value targets for supported by local businesses, so the city and its Sunderland, as well as the surrounding local area – Tyne people get the maximum benefit of any council spend. & Wear, Durham and Northumberland. “As with many other projects we’re working on across Now, with more than 80 per cent of the project Sunderland, SSTC3 is delivering tangible benefits to our finished, 53 per cent of workers are from Sunderland, communities through our work with Esh Construction, 93 per cent of workers are from the surrounding local who share a commitment to added value through their area, 32 jobs have been created for local workers and work. spend with local SMEs is projected to rise to £21.6 “This project is improving our city’s connectivity and million as the project heads toward completion. transport links for residents and businesses, but we feel Steve Garrigan, Esh Construction’s SSTC3 project it is important they benefit from the project itself and director, says: “This project has set a benchmark for not just the end result.” future schemes. The council included the TOMs framework in its “It has been a really big challenge and it has pushed procurement of SSTC3, evaluating the social values the boundaries. offered to obtain social benefits that support the local “We piloted a new framework, which targeted the community and the council’s vision for a ‘healthier, elements of social worth to benefit the community. vibrant and dynamic’ city. “Working with Sunderland City Council, we have set A commitment was made at the procurement stage a precedent for procurement moving forwards.” by Esh Construction and Sunderland City Council One Sunderland business to have directly prospered

35 Construction_ Advertorial_ Esh Construction

Esh Construction - Esh Construction is the main trading arm of Esh Group. Through its sub-divisions, it provides contracting from working on SSTC3 is Asbestos Audit. elevate the firm in the future. services in civil Having a workforce of six back in 2018, it has since He adds: “We had a team of 25 employees, the engineering, commercial grown to a team of 18 people throughout the duration majority of whom live in Sunderland, working on build, affordable of SSTC3. SSTC3. housing, refurbishment, Director Ben Pickard acknowledges that working “It’s the biggest single contract we have ever had – and facilities on such a flagship project has allowed Asbestos Audit our flagship project. The road itself will make it easier management to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and they are to travel in and out of the city via the A19. across the North East, Yorkshire positioned for a bright future as the Government sets “It is going to make the logistics of having a and the Humber, out its roadmap for 2021 and beyond. business in Sunderland much easier.” for public and private sector He says: “SSTC3 has provided a local business such One of the key targets for Sunderland City clients. as ours with the opportunity to grow and prosper in Council when it awarded the SSTC3 contract to difficult times. Esh Construction was to ensure sustainable local “Having SSTC3 on our project portfolio will stand us employment. in good stead when tendering for similar projects. Lint Engineering employed seven local workers to “Very few companies in the UK have had the carry out all aspects of engineering services needed opportunity to work on such a varied site with within the project, and has been able to provide a multiple issues, methodologies and build techniques continuation of work at a time when businesses across all coming together to create a unique and special the region have been forced to furlough staff due to project.” the impact of COVID-19. Northumbrian Roads has been a major player in Director Kenneth Linton says: “My business has the development of North East infrastructure for grown vastly from this project. many years, but SSTC3 supersedes any contract the “I have put two sixteen-year-olds through college to business has dealt with before. carry out their engineering apprenticeship. As the biggest single contract in Northumbrian “I have acquired more engineering equipment and Roads’ history, Sean Lynch claims the scheme proves work vehicles, which has seen my business grow and it can deliver large projects and is confident it will will only put me in good stead for the future.”

36 37 Investment_ Advertorial_Riverside Sunderland

Campaign

The beginning of a resurgence

As the global capital of shipbuilding, Sunderland once helped carry many a waterborne craft to destinations around the world. The River Wear may today run somewhat calmer, but the level of industry across the city remains no less significant, with the Riverside Sunderland regeneration programme transforming the area into a dynamic business and community hub. Steven Hugill speaks to Peter McIntyre, Sunderland City Council’s executive director of city development, to find out more.

www.riversidesunderland.com @RiversideSund

38 Investment_ Advertorial_Riverside Sunderland

TO STAND ON SUNDERLAND’S Northern Spire Bridge is to glimpse into both the past and present. Glance one way along the River Wear and the marooned Cretehawser looms into view, a literal concrete reminder of the area’s manufacturing past. Peer in the other direction towards the city, however, and just beyond the horizon sits not an industrial relic but a scene of economic and cultural reincarnation. Wearside hasn’t always been home to successful masterplans – the hulking Cretehawser, a totem of short-lived shipbuilding innovation amid post-First World War shortages, is testament to that – but it is now. Riverside Sunderland, spearheaded by the city’s council, promises to transform swathes of land that previously made the North East the UK’s shipbuilding capital into a dynamic business and community- focused hub. Spanning 33.2 hectares of land that straddle the River Wear, and in places abut Sunderland AFC’s Stadium of Light, the blueprint promises to create a 10,000-job, one million sq ft business district, 1000 homes with sustainability at their core and the UK’s first carbon-neutral urban quarter. That is just the start, however. Having already converted the derelict former Vaux Brewery site into a Elsewhere, the pioneering Culture resurgence”. commercial hub that includes flagship House will operate as an immersive He says: “The masterplan is a series of buildings such as The Beam – which library from Keel Square, with a 120-bed, promises to our communities, whether counts national online grocer Ocado as four-star Holiday Inn just a stone’s throw that is people living in Houghton, a tenant – and a new City Hall, funded away, and a 450-seat auditorium emerging Washington or elsewhere in Sunderland, as part of a £100 million Legal & General from the Culture Quarter next to The Fire and its underlying message is that the city investment, the masterplan has a number Station, on High Street West. centre is theirs. of further strands. Factor in new open spaces, a pedestrian “There is more than £150 million worth They include a £36 million, 90,000 sq ft river crossing linking the Vaux site to of investment on-site now, and there will eye hospital to replace the city’s existing the Stadium of Light and £25 million be £350 million by the end of the summer; 75-year-old infirmary, and two additional Government support to reinvigorate it is going to be a very busy city centre.” Legal & General-funded commercial the retail landscape through the Future Intrinsic to that momentum, says Peter, buildings, a further 200,000sq ft of space, High Streets Fund and, says Peter will be the continued thrust provided by which will both occupy the footprint McIntyre, Sunderland City Council’s Ocado’s decision to leave the capital for where Vaux’s Samson and Double Maxim executive director of city development, the North East and asset manager and beer lines once readily flowed. it all represents “the beginning of a life assurance product provider Legal &

39 Investment_ Advertorial_Riverside Sunderland

General, which made a bold statement in change and provide new spaces that are Square as a cultural and accommodation 2019 when it backed Riverside Sunderland all about “experiences and families”. hotspot that feeds into Sunderland’s to the tune of £100 million. He says: “There is a huge effort to central business district. He says: “My plan was always to regenerate the offer around the high He says: “The four-star Holiday develop an investable proposition that street. Inn – which represents an £18 million allowed the investment community to “We are bringing cohesion to the old development by Cairn Group – will have understand where Sunderland is and, and the new, and our plans will allow new bars and restaurants underneath it, crucially, what it wants. the retail core and areas around it, such and we then see the rest of High Street “Ocado recognised it immediately. as Sunniside, to take advantage of the West to the north to be developed as “They were heading to Newcastle, investments we are making in Riverside offices. but we got them here and they saw Sunderland. “We have framed the cultural Sunderland’s true wealth – its people. “The majority of the Bridges shopping investments to create a whole new “That, combined with The Beam, which centre, for example, is really successful. experience that runs from Crowtree to provides a stunning location for the However, the southern end, which is Mackie’s Corner, which will make the company’s foray out of London, meant it the former Crowtree Leisure Centre, retail offer and Bridges shopping centre wasn’t a hard decision to come here. has almost been left standing in perfect more successful because what city “Furthermore, Legal & General had isolation in its unfinished manner for a centres need going forward is a hybrid invested in other cities, but Sunderland number of years. model.” was never really on their radar. “Crowtree is a big play for us; it is going The fusion to which Peter refers “However, our investment pitch enabled to be the main leisure destination. is also being borne out in another conversations up the chain to group chief “It will be the place for people to start facet of Riverside Sunderland – office executive Nigel Wilson, who genuinely before experiencing things like The accommodation. does understand the North East having Auditorium or Culture House. As COVID-19 continues to alter the grown up in County Durham.” Peter continues: “The latter will be a working landscape, with great numbers of And such has been the strength of its £28 million modern interpretation of a people working remotely, the council has Wearside welcome that the firm has now library – which will be very unlike people’s adapted its plans to meet such changes. submitted plans for an additional £60 normal perceptions – and have learning And Peter says the alterations will million, 1600-job business development and digitally-enabled functions; it will be deliver significant benefits, both from on Washington’s Hillthorn Park. a really cool place for families. a flexible working perspective and the “Their investments are all about “It is effectively modelled on being the city’s carbon-neutral objectives, with pensions and I’m sure they are providing city’s living room; if families with children its new environments offering desirable those to thousands of people in want to go into the city, Culture House backdrops in a post-pandemic era. Sunderland, so in that sense it closes the will be the launching point.” He says: “When we developed the loop,” says Peter. It will, says Peter, also help to set Keel masterplan prior to coronavirus, we were With Legal & General providing key financial support for the commercial aspect of Riverside Sunderland, another source of funding is helping deliver universal change to the city’s retail landscape. Like many places, Sunderland’s shopping environment has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with operators disappearing from the market entirely or closing outlets to salvage a future in an environment increasingly dominated by online spending. However, with the Future High Streets Fund backing, Peter says Riverside Sunderland is ready to deliver watershed

40 Investment_ Advertorial_Riverside Sunderland

absolutely sure the brave decisions we were making post for next generation living, to the extent that they Riverside were the correct ones. will be showcased at the Sunderland Future Living Expo Sunderland “And COVID-19, with a little bit of Brexit and online in 2023. - As part of shopping thrown in there too, has allowed us to Peter says: “The houses will have the very best the Riverside accelerate those brave decisions. technology that will set the tone for how people will Sunderland regeneration “When we were designing the internals of City Hall live in the city centre going forward. masterplan, The for a team of around 1200, for example, we thought we “The expo is a model that the Scandinavians have Auditorium and were brave doing 700 desks for every 1000 employees. been very good at for a long time. new City Hall are planned to “However, we are now looking at a two-to-one desk “The most successful framework is Finland’s Housing open later this ratio, no desk allocation, 16 different typologies, lots of Fair, and we are adopting that model in Sunderland. year. Work on Legal & General’s areas for joint working and collaboration and the best He continues: “It’s a three-year play – we are working two commercial IT and audio and video to make it all happen. with lots of universities, and TV architect and Ministry buildings on the Vaux site “The masterplan is in the sweet spot of what post- of Building Innovation and Education founder George is expected to COVID-19 city centres should look like. Clarke is a champion of it too. start this month, “The city is not dead because of COVID-19 – cities “Over the next three years, we will have annual with the city’s new £36 million have survived far worse things and will still be where all themes going through - advanced, green and smart - eye infirmary of the action is in the future. and in August 2023 the development will be opened up earmarked for opening in 2024. Peter continues: “We are going to be very COVID-19 for visitors from around Europe. compliant. “We will demonstrate how you can live sustainably in “Old buildings on the edge of the city are going to a post-industrial city such as Sunderland. need to be refreshed, and some may not be able to be “Furthermore, we are now talking to the Government adapt to the modern environment. about attracting the winner of the Home of 2030 “A lot of businesses in these buildings will make the competition – which was held recently to look at new choice to move into new stock.” housing designs – to Sunderland.” And, says Peter, such an environmentally-friendly And, after years of blueprints, Peter says he cannot emphasis is extended to Riverside Sunderland’s 1000- wait to see the housing revolution, alongside the entire home development, which will cover four communities Riverside Sunderland project, realised in all its glory. along the River Wear and attract 2500 residents. He adds: “As a pitman’s son, it is really good to see Created with sustainability at their heart, the homes, pit communities getting their just desserts, which is which will see an initial 132 erected, will act as a marker high-level investment and jobs for their children.”

41 Report Football

The Light club at the right time

After years in the doldrums and a descent from the world’s richest league to England’s third tier, Sunderland Football Club has just been purchased by a young Swiss billionaire, who has his sights set on returning the club to the Premier League. Kyril Louis-Dreyfus may be just 23 but football and its business run through his veins and he trawled Europe and scrutinised several clubs before deciding on Sunderland, completing the £40 million buy-out in December and, in the process, moving to stadium, the pitch, the youth Wearside. section, the academy, staff and He had been waiting for the first team squad, and a the right club and the right breakdown in relations between moment and his arrival could the club and businesses and not have come at a better time supporters in the region. for Sunderland, which has hired After finally winning at and fired 12 managers in as Wembley at the ninth attempt in many seasons – a sorry symbol March, and getting back on track of the instability and turmoil that in the league, there are signs the has overwhelmed a fractured new owner is already leading the boardroom. club out of the darkness at the It has led to the neglect of the Stadium of Light.

Words by Colin Young

42 Report ReportInvestment_ Football

why, and the most significant one is obviously the pandemic. It was literally a deal that was done on Zoom. “They can be quite complex to conclude anyway, but there were three separate owners for a start, and we couldn’t meet in person, so everything had to be done online. “Kyril didn’t meet Stewart until a few A very modern takeover weeks ago at the game at Northampton. “In fact, they never met in person during the whole time we were The recent buy-out of Sunderland AFC may have negotiating and until after the deal was taken several months to complete, but parties concluded, which is a bit bizarre. But that sums up what we were dealing involved in the negotiations had extenuating with. circumstances to contend with, not least the global “It is to everybody’s credit that we pandemic, which left them stranded and unable to actually managed to conclude a deal. meet in person. Despite the difficulties, the complex It’s not the easiest environment in which to try and buy a football club.” deal has now gone through and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus Steve is now firmly ensconced in a and his team have already started work. As it new role as Sunderland’s chief operating prepares to reopen its gates to fans, Colin Young officer, working alongside his new boss, who has moved to the area, and examines the deal that could transform the club, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, and the region. recently recruited from a successful stint with Birmingham City. The trio, he says, are methodically assessing the entire business, 4Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ takeover of a deal with English football’s youngest implementing and devising plans in Sunderland AFC was achieved via Zoom owner, which looks certain to transform preparation for the return of supporters. calls over six painstaking months. the club and repair and reignite its The Stadium of Light has been closed Seller Stewart Donald first met the relationship with the city. to fans for more than a year now and ambitious young Swiss football fanatic The then 23-year-old prospective even with a billionaire benefactor, the online in June last year. owner, who calls himself KLD, joined prospect of another year of emptiness The deal was negotiated, signed, the calls from the south of France and is bleak. sealed and delivered virtually through their team of advisers. Steve Davison, Steve explains: “If you’re buying an endless stream of rectangular on- an engineering consultant - and life long a business, and the football club is screen boxes by Christmas, without the Sunderland fan - in his 60s based in a business, and it has no revenue, main protagonists meeting in person. Cheshire got involved as the deal drew then there are only uncertainties Eager to accept defeat on every to a conclusion to prepare plans once associated with actually trying to run an level as Sunderland’s saviour, Donald the takeover completed. operational business with no revenue and co-directors, one-time journalist An exclusivity deal was agreed within and no certainty of when that’s going Charlie Methven and Juan Sartori, a weeks. to end. businessman and politician from “The takeover did drag on for a long “Those uncertainties caused some Uruguay, persevered with the time,” Steve tells North East Times. issues in the negotiations in terms of pandemic-inspired restrictions to seal “But there were quite a few reasons how you go about valuing the business

43 Report Football

you go through.” He introduced Louis-Dreyfus, thanks Selling was always the intention of mainly to his Russian father-in-law Dmitry Donald, the former owner of Bridle Rybolovlev, who owns Monaco Football Insurance and Eastleigh FC, who had Club, the great rivals of Marseille, and the been seeking investment or a new buyer club once owned by Kyril’s father Robert. Outside in since he took over from Ellis Short in April Whether as a fan at the club’s famous Words by Steve Davison, chief 2018. Velodrome stadium, or intern at the operating officer Sunderland AFC COVID-19, two painful failed attempts training ground named after his father, to return to the EFL Championship and Marseille was where Kyril was first bitten the erosion of the fragile relationship with by the football bug. fans, forced his hand last summer. I first met Kyril on a Zoom call around Donald, who has maintained a small September time (when I met him and his stake with fellow directors, wanted £37.6 brother) and I think it was an interview, at 4“My background is a million and the talks were additionally least I think he was interviewing me. mathematician, so you can complicated by a £9 million loan taken “But I was also doing my own due imagine I care passionately out from US investors FPP, which was diligence on him because obviously if I about data and the best use of secured against the Stadium of Light and was going to associate my passion for the technology, which might give Academy of Light. club and put my trust in someone then I you a few clues as to where we Defaulting on repayments would really wanted to make sure they were the are heading. have handed control to FPP, a company right owners. “Kyril will bring his own established by American billionaires “We had this conversation, and it soon modern take on things. He Glenn Fuhrman, John Phelan and Robert became clear we were going to work is clearly a very different Platek, who have links to computer together and although we didn’t formalise generation to me and his way mogul Michael Dell. The sale of shares in a contract until a lot later, I effectively of engaging with modern Sunderland required approval from them, worked with him during the run-up to the technology is probably a little or the loan to be paid back in full. takeover and got a contract at the start of different to mine. We probably It was originally hoped that Sartori January. span the spectrum of our would be tempted to make significant “As everybody knows, his family supporter groups.” contributions to the Sunderland cause and were heavily involved in Marseille, so there were initial hints of interest from he has football experience and cares the man who owned 20 per cent of the passionately about football. and what the future revenues might company. “He loves football, and you can see that look like. But when Sunderland lost at when you spend any time with him. His “You don’t really know what it’s Wembley in the League One play-off enthusiasm for the game is unbounded, going to look like when we do finally final to Charlton Athletic, Sartori’s which is really great. have supporters back in the stadium – interest seemed to dwindle just as he “You can imagine they have had lots of and there’s still some uncertainty even concentrated on personal political opportunities to buy football clubs and I today about when that will be. ambitions in Uruguay. Although he missed think he made his mind up that football “Of course, the deal then gets out on becoming president, following was something he wanted to make his announced, and you have EFL defeat to Luis Lacalle Pou, Sartori became career in and he’s looked at a number of processes to go through, which are a senator. clubs. onerous now in terms of the checks Before surrendering his Sunderland “But he clearly decided that Sunderland with new owners and the fit and season ticket, Sartori at least made one is the one that gives him the best proper person tests and other tests final, all-important contribution. opportunity to succeed. “He did a lot of research around Sunderland and consulted with a lot of eminent people in football before making

44 Report Football

Outside in Words by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, owner Sunderland AFC

4“We miss the fans and we will welcome them as soon as the decision. the stadium, or the Academy of Light the we can to the Stadium of Light. “This is not something that’s on a whim club’s two bases which are still fit for the “In this pandemic, it is – this is a really considered opinion this is top flight. important for us to get the the right club, and he can take us all the Steve says: “Just prior to EFL approval stadium’s match day experience way to the higher echelons of the Premier and before Kyril physically took over, I as close to the fans as possible. League. came to work here and there was a fair “We have started to change “That is basically what the plan is all amount of nervousness among the staff streaming, and we will see how about. about me joining and what the plans of we can continue to change “We all know that is a long-term plan. the new regime were. it. We are open to feedback, It’s not going to happen overnight. But “I quickly learned how destabilising the and we hope to make it as he’s in it for the long term. last six or seven years have been for all enjoyable for them as possible.” “He’s based himself here with his staff. fiancee – which was a challenge with a “They had periods of uncertainty, Sunderland AFC supplied by Photograph pandemic – and working at the club for various activities and instability at the new arrivals, who have inherited many days a week. boardroom level. numerous players out of contract this He’s very hands-on, very enthusiastic, “It was about to go out for sale, was up summer. and wants to see progress. for sale or about to be sold – that is not Perhaps most significantly, they “He’s desperate for improvement but an environment conducive to long-term finally won at Wembley within weeks has a good balance between pragmatism planning or stability. of the deal’s completion, ending a and impatience. “We’re trying to re-engage, not just 48-year, eight-game run at the home “And, of course, we have Kristjaan with the whole community, but with staff of football. too, and we are quite aligned now in our to make sure everybody can appreciate Steve adds: “It was a wonderful thought process, which is not to say we we’re in this for the long haul. day, a fantastic win for the club and don’t have good debates, but that has “That sort of trust will come but it won’t amazing to be there. been a real positive.” happen overnight. We know we have to “But it was quite upsetting and The takeover was finally announced on earn their respect.” humbling for me too. Christmas Eve 2020 and KLD has been Under new manager Lee Johnson, a “As soon as the final whistle at every match since, even enticing his young, progressive coach who had a solid went, there was also a real sadness fiancee to windy Wearside or a night in track record at Bristol City, Sunderland because our fans could not actually Accrington. have already started to turn the corner. be there after so many years, so many The owner and his two deputies A recent re-tweaking of the EFL wage sacrifices and defeats. Speakman and Davison hold weekly cap rules suits Sunderland’s new financial “You could say it was typical meetings in the Black Cat House offices at power and has neatly coincided with Sunderland.”

45 NEW GOALS

Words by Colin Young Photography by Christopher Owens

46 The good news for Sunderland supporters is that the club’s DNA surges through new chief operating officer Steve Davison. He is one of them; he has suffered their pain, particularly recently, and can just about remember the occasional successes and highs. Grandfather Septimus was the family’s first fanatic, telling tales of legends Charlie Buchan, Raich Carter and Len Shackleton. Steve’s father Norman followed in Sepp’s footsteps to the shipyards as a sheet metal worker and to Roker Park where the great Charlie Hurley was his hero. Steve was four when the shipyards closed and his dad lost his job, forcing the family to leave their Grangetown home. They watched the 1973 FA Cup Final win over Leeds United on their new colour television in Hertfordshire where Stan repaired cranes. He made his own regular pilgrimage to the club’s famous old home while a mathematics student at Durham University. His favourites in that popular team of the early ‘80s were local lads Gary Rowell, Kevin Arnott and Shaun Elliott. And he was a member of the Jimmy Montgomery Fan Club. Fast forward five decades and Steve Davison is back in Sunderland. And, as new owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ right-hand man, he is here to change the course of his beloved club forever. Colin Young speaks to Steve to find out more.

47 Feature Steve Davison

4Steve Davison dedicated his life and career to huge sustainable building projects across the globe, working his way up from newly-qualified engineer in the 1960s to number two of the UK’s largest engineering consultancy in the 21st century. Now he is the man building bridges for Sunderland Football Club on behalf of new owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. The proposed new links from the city centre across the River Wear to a weary- looking Stadium of Light could not have come at a better time. Years of uncertainty and misdirection in the boardroom not only saw Sunderland achieve their lowest ever league position, but staff numbers, morale, attendances, revenue and interest have also been in rapid decline. Once close relationships between the football club, the city and supporters have been shattered. But the club have their new super-rich engaged owner and they look like the perfect fit.

48 Chief operating officer Sunderland Football Club

it has been really close to the community all the way through, even if we have had a few periods when perhaps it wasn’t quite as close as it should have been – although I think funnily enough, they probably coincided with times when we had less success. “I do feel building those close links is really important. “We have to build bridges. We’ve already tried some very small things so far, but you can expect to see us do more in that area and work with the businesses and the community going forward. Kyril Louis-Dreyfus wants to take “It doesn’t do anybody any favours if Sunderland back to the Premier League. we are not equally strong, and we have to And he is determined to take the whole work together as a partnership between city with him. the city, the club and also the SAFC “Re-engagement with the city is Foundation, which does fantastic work. massively important,” says Steve, the “There’s been a breakdown in the club’s newly-appointed chief operating relationships across all of those areas and officer and the man who played a a period when they were not as strong as significant role in the Swiss billionaire’s they could be. We are very aware of it. successful takeover earlier this year. “As a fan that is a process, I have been “It is absolutely fundamental to what through myself. we are going to do. “They might well have been unhappy “I have described my job as being paid and upset at things that have gone on by the football club, but I am working for in the past, but I think most people are the whole city. prepared to put that behind them and see “The two are absolutely synonymous; this as a new era and they can see we are without the community and local at least trying to do the right things. businesses, we will struggle to exist. “The football club and the city and wider community are integrally linked because when the city does well, the likelihood is the club is going to do well, and vice versa. “The whole community has an interest in the club. You can’t not have an interest if you live in the city, so it is really important we represent that community effectively and they are absolutely proud of what we are doing. “We might not win every game, but it is important to me that they feel pride in what we do. Steve continues: “Part of what is so great about this football club is that link to the city and if you look back in our history

49 region, to come and play and develop as footballers at the football club. “That is clearly part of what we’re doing, which is why we brought in Kristjaan Speakman from Birmingham City as the sporting director. “We may end up selling some of course and they won’t all be right for Sunderland but giving them football career opportunities is a really important part of our plan,” continues Steve, who, as a youngster, was given the opportunity to sit next to hero Jim Montgomery in the stands at Luton Town. “I loved the players in the 1980s because we had players who were born in Sunderland playing for Sunderland who had come through the youth ranks. “We would like to see lots of Sunderland-born Gary Rowells quite frankly – that is definitely what we are aiming for.” Steve was coming to the end of his 12-month notice at engineering consultancy Atkins when he was invited into the Sunderland boardroom. He stunned work colleagues in 2019 when he announced his departure from the company, he had served for 35 years, having travelled the world from the London headquarters or the Cheshire home and wife Janet, to establish Atkins as world leaders. “I have to say that my early engagement quick-fix, quick-sale plan backfired on yet But unhappy with its acquisition by with the various parties has been very another miserable afternoon at Wembley SNC-Lavalin, he quit in November 2019 positive and I think everybody has looked Stadium to signal the end of manager with no clear plan - and no idea his dream at this as an opportunity for a fresh start.” Jack Ross’ first and last season. job was around a very long corner. The decline of the 142-year-old football Floundering in the division under Ross’ “It was quite upsetting actually,” he club has been dramatic but it has also successor Phil Parkinson, the pandemic says. been long, slow and painful, and most of and panic hit last year, and, with no “But I didn’t agree with the values of the the fans’ despair and boardroom delusion crowds or match day revenue, the club new French/Canadian company. was captured in two compelling Netflix issued a fire sale of some of the most “Thirty-five years is obviously a long documentary series before the cameras talented youngsters to emerge from its time to spend in one business and it was were eventually turned off. Academy of Light for years. an incredibly difficult decision. I don’t The implosion and exodus of staff at “Heart-breaking,” says Steve of talent think people really expected me to leave, the core of the everyday business was like Durham-born Joe Hugill, 17, now on so I did find it quite hard. inevitable after the unstoppable fall from the verge of Manchester United’s first “And I didn’t leave with anything else in the Premier League to League One. team. mind. I had to do something completely It also came as owner/benefactor Ellis “That won’t be allowed to happen different because I didn’t see any point in Short lost interest, and too much money, again. leaving one engineering consultancy to and in 2018 sold the club to Stewart “Our aim is to give the opportunity join another one. Donald; a flamboyant choice whose entire for young players, particularly in the “So I started to think about what I was

50 51 Feature Steve Davison

going to do, and “I didn’t the opportunity really know them came up to join at that point, but I Sunderland. thought ‘you’ve got to “Obviously I grasped it give them a chance and try with both hands. I have gone from to make it work so let’s get my dream job and walked into my dream behind it’. job.” “I felt there was a turning point, but it was yet The principles that forced him to quit Atkins also led him to another false dawn.” temporarily abandon Sunderland and games at the stadium, But all that is set to change under Louis-Dreyfus, England’s which is now his office, in the wake of the Adam Johnson scandal youngest football chairman, who has already moved to Wearside a few years ago. with his fiancee from their home in Switzerland so he can work They are the same values which will be at the heart of closely on his dream project. Sunderland Football Club now as it aims to re-establish its The Swiss has football and business pedigree, studying reputation in the region, and in the English game, which will economics before spending time overseas on a sports welcome a fully functioning club with open arms – with the management course, and as the son of the late Marseille owner possible exception of fans from Newcastle United, of course. Robert, took an active interest in the club’s business dealings. He says: “I didn’t like the club’s handling of the whole thing. His father was an astute businessman and chief executive I thought it was inappropriate, so I didn’t come for a couple of and rescuer of Adidas and Saatchi & Saatchi, and mother seasons. Margarita, a Russian-born Swiss billionaire businesswoman, “When Ellis Short sold the club, I started coming again. You is now chairperson of the Louis Dreyfus group, an agricultural have to draw the line somewhere and as it happened Charlie commodities giant. Methven, a club director, was working for Atkins. I got to know Kyril is the heir to the group with twin brother Eric, and they him, and he invited me to the Stadium of Light. have a trust fund believed to be worth £2 billion. “I actually quite enjoyed the first season in League One, Steve’s profile will have to change too. although it ended so badly. He has rarely had his picture taken in business, and never “There were reasons to be a little bit more optimistic for needed publicity. a period and the messages at the start seemed to align with At 60, the North East Times Magazine photo shoot was his messages I was more comfortable with, such as trying to build first. And he knows it won’t be the last. links with the community. He adds: “You can imagine there have been a lot of “We all know how it ended but they started with the right opportunities for Kyril to buy football clubs. intent. “I told him Sunderland is the perfect club to buy, although I

52 Chief operating officer Sunderland Football Club

would say that of course. “And it is so diverse too. “When people buy football clubs, they usually inherit a poor “There are lots of different strains on the business side of a infrastructure and have difficult decisions to make about whether football club, with hospitality, retail, match day, streaming. to concentrate on the playing side or the infrastructure. It goes on and on and on and is a much more diverse business “Here, we have the physical infrastructure although it does than I was used to. need some modernising. “Of course, the level of interest in what you do on a day-to- “The club has been up for sale for seven years and there has day, hour-by-hour basis is massively different to working for an probably not been the most investment. engineering consultancy. “The two biggest surprises about the business were, one, it is “Not only do you get scrutiny, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, actually quite small in revenue terms, compared to what I’m used Tuesday, but scrutiny from almost everything that you say on the to. website or that gets tweeted. “It is much smaller in League One than it would be in the “You have to be really mindful of that and make sure it is still Premier League, of course. consistent with what you stand for as an organisation. “And two, it is a very different type of environment. I have “When working for an engineering consultancy, the big gone from a business with 22,000 employees across 32 different challenge is just avoiding a bridge falling down because in that countries to one which has 100-plus, many of whom are still on case you have massive, unwanted media coverage. furlough, working in two locations, two-and-a-half miles apart in “Some of the biggest companies you’ve never heard of avoid one city. that kind of publicity.”

53 Health_ Advertorial_Recovery4Life

Coping with change: drugs, alcohol and future- proofing the post-lockdown workplace

With the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme helping the country lay the foundations for life after coronavirus, workplaces must play their part in helping employees look ahead with confidence. To that end, John Devitt, chief executive at Gateshead-based specialist drug, alcohol and mental health services provider Recovery4Life, says businesses must ensure robust frameworks are in place to support people’s health and wellbeing post-pandemic. Steven Hugill finds out more.

www.recovery4life.co.uk @Recovery4LifeNE

Recovery4Life THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS DONE MANY threat in five ways: fight, flight, flop, freeze or we try to - things to society, not least radically alter the make friends/distract the threat. Based in Gateshead’s environment in which we all live and work. “None of these responses work with a virus, though. Hymers Court, It has also had a similarly seismic effect on each and “Fear of the unknown and the very real risk of death is Recovery4Life’s clients include every one of us as people too. shifting to people worrying about secure employment, well-known North And, as lockdown restrictions ease, and we begin how to pay mortgages and feed their families, East companies to re-engage with the so-called new normality, our particularly given the impact of furlough and job losses such as Prima Cheese, Quorn, experiences over the past year will impact on how we caused by the pandemic. Caterpillar, ADM navigate the post-lockdown workplace. “What people do is internalise things and go to Pressings and the North East For the North East, its people and, just as importantly, what gives them comfort or escape – you only have England Chamber its employers, this period should be a watershed to look at our expanding waistlines to see how eating of Commerce. moment for meaningful change, says John Devitt, chief comfort foods like chocolate or the impact of home executive at Gateshead-based specialist drug, alcohol baking and the huge increase in alcohol sales for home and mental health services provider Recovery4Life. consumption have had. Prior to the pandemic, the North East had some of “We go to what we know when we are in crisis – and the worst health inequalities in the UK. if people get respite through painkillers or escape With the highest use of prescribed painkillers, through cannabis, cocaine and alcohol, they will do so. problematic alcohol and drug usage and the highest It all adds to a pressure keg that just builds and builds. suicide rates in the UK, the North East wasn’t on a level “We are coming to the point where things will begin playing field to start with. opening up again after lockdown, and it will take time to With such a landscape having only been exacerbated adjust to a world that has been in a state of hibernation by COVID-19, John says a more pragmatic approach to for a year. these, and associated issues, will be fundamental in the John continues: “The feeling for many, as things open months ahead. up again, will very much be like the pain you get when He says: “We need to redefine what COVID-19 – and you clench your fist harder and harder before letting go. the issues people are going through as a result – mean You feel the pain as the tension eases. for the workplace.” “That is what returning to ‘normality’ is going to be Employers, he adds, will be critical to re-building like for a lot of people – and this poses a number of a post-lockdown society, with their understanding challenges for employers going forward.” around the importance of workers’ health and wellbeing With that in mind, John – whose company matched by the implementation of malleable policies Recovery4Life provides a full range of risk management that can shift to issues caused by coronavirus. services such as COVID-19 testing from its Gateshead John continues: “In many ways, managing fear has headquarters and a site at Teesside International Airport been the biggest challenge throughout the pandemic. – says businesses have a key role to play in navigating “As humans, we are hard-wired to respond to fear and the roadmap that will ultimately take society out of

54 Health_ Advertorial_Recovery4Life

the pandemic. He says: “And that is why, as staff return to the workplace, companies need to take the time – if they haven’t already done so – to review their policies around alcohol and drugs and align them to their health and wellbeing priorities and occupational health requirements going forward. “This is not about being ‘nice’ or turning a blind eye to substance misuse in the workplace – it is recognising the most cost-effective way of managing safety risks in the workplace is to engage with your people. “Since January, we have seen a significant increase in employees asking their employers for help with different issues and more people failing drug tests. “Whether by design or necessity, we have seen more employers wanting to look at other ways of managing substance misuse other than just sacking people. “Quite often it is skilled and semi-skilled men in their 30s, 40s and 50s in the engineering, manufacturing and construction sectors that are asking for help and/ or failing drug tests – often in supervisory positions with long service and skill-sets that can’t easily be replaced. “Having a rigorous testing regime and an effective support structure in place will really help people who might be struggling to come forward and get the help they need without compromising an employer – and it doesn’t need to cost the earth. John adds: “It is imperative such measures are woven into ongoing support across other areas, such as mental health, as people will be grieving for loved ones lost during the pandemic, and long-COVID-19 health conditions. “And as we move forwards out of this pandemic, it is imperative the workplace recognises its role in helping people live better lives.”

• For a free alcohol and drug policy review, or to speak confidentially about specific cases and to ask advice on issues, call John on 03333 448 288

Three things every business • Revise and re-issue drug and alcohol policies should do now to teams and offer help to those who might be struggling

• Review occupational health provision. If it is not • Review health, safety and wellbeing policies and fit for purpose, now is the time to change and find see if they meet the challenges of the post- a provider who will work with you to address the COVID-19 world new challenges to workplace health

55 Events_ Advertorial_Startup Awards North East

FIRST delivers Startup Awards North East to drive social and economic impact for the region

Between June 15 and 17 this year, the North East business community will be united to celebrate and connect with the region’s top entrepreneurial talent.

www.startupawardsne.co.uk @startupawardsne

STARTUP AWARDS NORTH EAST (PREVIOUSLY The If We Can You Can Challenge) will celebrate and showcase early stage founders at three milestones of their business development: SkillUP, StartUP and ScaleUP. FIRST have extended the eligibility criteria for this Startup Awards North East exists to connect early year for businesses up to four years to give people an stage founders into these sectors and to the unrivalled extra opportunity to take part and make connections, business support programmes that are on offer to give that they may have missed out on due to the founders the best possible chance of success. pandemic last year. Charlotte Windebank, managing director of FIRST, While the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the region the organiser of Startup Awards North East, explains: hard, the North East has some of the fastest-growing “Working with highly regarded and established sectors in the UK and a thriving start up ecosystem cross-sector partners, such as North East Times, made up of community, university and government means we can collectively support and give back to initiatives, plus, of course, the professional and local founders at the beginning of their journey and financial sectors. when they need it most; our partners are in it for the right reasons and for that we are truly grateful for the continued support.”

Previous winners: In 2019, Switch Aid were crowned High Growth Award winners. Dom Ryan, co-founder, says: “The last 18 months have been difficult for all businesses, but the exposure we received from the awards, and the advice we got as prizes from businesses like Deloitte LLP, have been key to our growth. “For me, the best thing about it was that we were voted the winners by local businesspeople; you know they have all been where you are, and they all want to support you and help you succeed.”

56 Events_ Advertorial_Startup Awards North East

How it works: employment, enables economic growth and has a There are two awards for each category - Social transformational impact on the lives of thousands Impact Award, which is supported by The Awards of people across the UK who might be struggling to longstanding partner PNE, and the High Growth access other forms of finance. Award, supported by Muckle LLP for StartUP and “We’re delighted to be collaborating with NEL Fund ScaleUP businesses. Managers on the Accelerator Programme, as we are PNE has worked with Hannah Wilson, founder passionate about bringing our expertise in helping of Harlow Collection, since her pre-start days and new and aspiring entrepreneurs of the North East.” encouraged her to take part in the awards, as well as Places for the Accelerator Programme are limited, providing her access to a Get Growing Grant. but people can register their interest at Hannah says: “I definitely valued improving my www.youarefirst.co.uk/contact-us public speaking. Events like these really help you to perfect the skills and confidence you need.” Further opportunities to get involved: On top of the awards, Accelerator Partner NEL Startup Awards North East is looking for Fund Managers will be collaborating with other passionate partners who want to make a social and Awards partners to deliver a 12-hour programme to economic impact within the region. If this is you, equip every applicant with essential business and contact [email protected] to discuss bespoke entrepreneurial skills which can be used for the partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Awards and to progress their ideas further. Topics will include FIRST workshops in confidence, Tickets for the events: FIRST pitching and market research and engaging themes For 2021, the awards are open to the entire North - from our partners, such as Innovation Super Network’s East business community. There are a range of ticket FIRST is an accredited exploring ideas, The PNE “Sustainable Business options available, which include a ‘pay it forward learning and Challenge” and “Making Workspace Work for You”, scheme’ that enables early stage founders and young development and Harris 21’s step-by-step guide to research and people affected by the pandemic free access to the agency specialising in development tax relief to help save money when events. leadership and developing ideas. Full details on all ticket options are available at progression skills. They believe Partner of Startup Awards North East and the www.eventbrite.co.uk and searching Startup that developing Accelerator Programme, British Business Bank’s Shaun Awards North East, or by emailing skills are the keys to personal Fooy, says: “The Start Up Loans programme supports [email protected] and economic growth and that learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. The motivation for their work comes from encouraging, developing and connecting early stage founders, young people and professionals to their wider communities so that jobs and businesses are created, and have helped thousands of people get the connections, skills and confidence needed to progress into jobs, self employment or further education.

57 Technology_ Advertorial_CyberShelter

A safe Shelter in the cyber world

With the COVID-19 pandemic having only further heightened our reliance on technology, the need for strong IT security has never been more important. One company helping to improve resilience is Newcastle-based CyberShelter. Steven Hugill speaks to founder Martin Hart to learn more.

www.cybershelter.co.uk @cyber_shelter

CyberShelter MARTIN HART KNOWS ALL ABOUT FOILING looking after warranty repairs and maintenance - opportunists. contracts.” CyberShelter’s IT infrastructure and As founder of Newcastle-based CyberShelter, his A certified Apple and Microsoft engineer, Martin security audits every day is dedicated to helping individuals and rose through the ranks, holding titles including service include firewall configuration, companies repel fraudsters by ensuring organisations manager, before the 2008 global financial crisis risk assessment, run the tightest of IT security protocols. dramatically altered the landscape. a full vulnerability It’s a focus that goes back decades – all the way, As the company he worked for floundered, Martin scan, antivirus testing, server in fact, to the late 1980s, when a young Martin, fresh took bold action and, using the skills he had acquired, reliability from studying electronic and electrical engineering at picked up its service department and founded his own assessment, disaster recovery Newcastle Polytechnic, took his first job with NCS on a IT firm. procedures and Tyne and Wear Metro project. He says: “When things started to implode, we said testing, backup procedures and “It was a really big contract to maintain the Metro’s to people, ‘if you move to my company, we will honour email domain ticket machines and barriers, and I was part of an your contract and you will continue working with a configuration influx of people to deliver the expertise required,” says business that has Apple authorisation. Martin. “Every client moved over.” “Parts would be brought from the stations, we would The venture lasted ten years until Martin, who had work on the circuit boards, and they’d be sent back operated as technical director, sold the company in again for use. 2017. “However, even in those days, I remember how the After taking a short break, he launched CyberShelter, ticket machines were targeted by fraudsters. harnessing his experience and reputation to launch “People would wrap a 10 pence piece in silver foil, a new service focused on IT security consultancy in which would trick the machines into thinking it was an age of ever-increasing internet threats and the actually a 50 pence coin. proliferation of social media. “They would then buy a five pence children’s ticket “A couple of things alerted me to the importance and pocket the rest as change.” of setting up a new business,” says Martin, who holds While providing an insight into scammers’ behaviour the Certified Ethical Hacker and Vulnerability Assessor that would help inform his future career, the Metro Plus qualifications, and is also a certified Information work handed Martin other crucial experience. Systems Security Professional. This time, though, it was a burgeoning technology “Cloud computing was up-and-coming, and I knew firm that would go on to dominate the market. there needed to be support for companies making that He says: “When the Metro contract ended, I went to switch, but there was also a real importance around work in NCS’ Ponteland office. firms checking back-up files; too many weren’t doing “By then, we weren’t fixing circuit boards, but the that frequently enough and if they were, they often company had just become an Apple authorised service weren’t doing it properly. provider; it was the largest Apple dealer in the North “Furthermore, having been previously certified for 20 years. by operators such as Cisco, Juniper Networks and “This was back in the days of the Apple Mac Plus, the Fortinet, I wanted to put my expertise and those LC, the II and IIfx, and we worked all over the country, technical endorsements to use in a fresh way.”

58 Technology_ Advertorial_CyberShelter

Based at Byker’s Hoults Yard, CyberShelter – whose clients include businesses in Scotland and Ukraine – provides independent advice on IT and network security, IT infrastructure and GDPR. Working with customers that span a multitude of sectors, from legal and manufacturing, to retail and design, the firm carries out audits, assesses the strength of firewalls, tests networks and WiFi connections, and delivers vulnerability scans on servers and PCs. Using the same tools used by hackers to check and test networks, CyberShelter – which is a member of the invite-only North East Business Resilience Centre – also works with organisations’ existing IT providers to deliver an independent view on future investment. A certifying body for the Government-endorsed Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus schemes – which confirm companies are compliant with IT industry standards and have protocols in place to reduce the potential for attacks – the firm is also qualified to provide on-site IASME Governance certification, which formally recognises an organisation’s GDPR compliance. “We do a lot of work around resilience, disaster recovery planning and secure email hosting,” says Martin, “and if someone has any kind of vulnerability, we will find it. “We basically check everything, asking questions like, ‘when was the last time you did a failover, or a data restore from backup media?’ because people very rarely do it. “Cyber Essentials will mitigate around 80 per cent of attack vectors, and Cyber Essentials Plus, aside from independently verifying the CE certification, also programmes to ensure staff are alert to phishing ploys. scans for about 70,000 known vulnerabilities and gives He says: “If there is a way around something, it will a report that rates risk from low to medium, high and be found. critical. “But I have been involved in implementing systems “IASME Governance is the only official certification and educating people around stopping fraud for a long that says and proves a company is GDPR compliant too; time. it is very important.” “I’ve got a lot of experience in IT fraud and security While ensuring systems remain robust technically, and have a strong technical background, and I know another crucial component of Martin’s work is focused where things can go wrong. on people – and their awareness of hackers and “A key part of the work I do is talking to companies scammers. about their use of information and the importance of Highlighting the social engineering element of ensuring their systems are vigilant against attacks and fraudsters’ attacks, wherein individuals are targeted that their people are wary of manipulation attempts. with legitimate-looking emails asking for username and “IT security is a critically serious issue, and we are password details, Martin says vigilance is key. here to help individuals stay wary and organisations To that end, CyberShelter – partnering with across the board ensure their infrastructures remain USecure – provides assessments and online training robust.”

59 60 61 shoulders of giants

Welcome to Join the Tech Revolution, North East Times Magazine’s Special Report into the region’s increasingly successful digital and tech sectors, writes Steven Hugill. The last 12 months have proved extremely challenging for the business community, but our innovative operators have nevertheless continued to grow and expand, with many playing a key role in the UK’s response to COVID-19. Featuring fascinating insight from Dynamo North East chair Charlie Hoult, our Special Report also focuses on Newcastle-based Bottlepay, which has launched a revolutionary app to solve the problem of micro payments for retailers and consumers. Elsewhere, we look at Accenture’s 2021 Technology Vision, which details the areas businesses must explore to embrace the future and lead change, and Muckle LLP’s launch of a new data and digital team. And we hear from managed IT service provider razorblue about the lessons to be learned from the global shutdown.

4Industry and innovation run right the divergence between tech and non- through the North East’s DNA. tech companies has been magnified, the From the birth of the railways, to Joseph importance of our strong digital and tech Swan’s lightbulb moment and Lord William ecosystems is only going to intensify. Armstrong’s work on hydraulics, the But what makes our region so potent? region has always stood at the vanguard of The answer, says Charlie Hoult, chair change. of Dynamo North East – the industry-led, Today, the situation is no different. not for profit organisation that is driving Of course, landscapes have evolved growth across our area’s tech economy – over time and the heavy industry that once comes from strong foundations, that, he dominated our rivers has receded, but our adds, promise much more to come. region’s ingenuity has lived on throughout. He says: “Newcastle is nationally Such inventiveness is no better recognised as a tech hub with the UK’s Building on the Building highlighted than by our thriving digital fastest sector growth in both 2019 and and tech sectors, which include a roster of 2020, drawing over £50 million in venture companies well known on the international backing for 2020. stage and a growing collection of start-ups “This ranks us higher than Leeds, that are gaining rapid market traction. Glasgow and Birmingham, and it’s not an From FTSE100-listed Sage Group, to overnight success story, either, because it Atom Bank, Partnerize, Tombola, NBS, is building on trailblazing 1990s work by Animmersion, Zerolight, Hive HR, Atlas Graham Wylie, David Goldman and Paul Cloud and Visualsoft, the North East is a Walker at Sage. hotbed for large-scale operators with tech “High spots for 2020 included local at their heart. firms like the Royal Institute of British Furthermore, with emerging firms such Architects’ spin-out NBS being bought by as Caspian, Kani Payments, Honcho, Swedish media firm Byggfakta for well over SoPost and Wordnerds providing their its 2018 private equity round at £30 million. own conveyor belts of ground-breaking “Partnerize, founded by a team from products and services, the future is Boldon, expanded globally with their extremely bright. transaction platform valued at $50 million, And in the present COVID-19 era, where and Bede Gaming, an online bingo firm

62 Join the tech revolution.

63 shoulders of giants

that also manages Ontario State furlough system. massively in lockdown, as has auto Lottery, was acquired for multiple “Start-ups like Workcast, with its configurator Zerolight.” tens of millions. online conferencing engine, from With such successes, says Charlie, “All of these are proof of the Paul Callaghan’s Leighton Group in have come challenges and admiring region’s wealth creation and the Sunderland, saw hyper-growth, and glances upon the region’s talent pool shape of things to come, as founders Visualsoft, on Teesside, was flat out from farther afield. recycle their investment in new on e-commerce too. However, he says Dynamo is projects. “And entrepreneurs at Solutions working hard with industry to “We can see this with Bede’s Performance Group launched further ensure the North East’s Dan Smyth backing recruitment products, like Harmonic, to help get digital and tech landscapes retains platform Haystack, Julian Leighton the nation back to hybrid working.” their fecundity, adding new from Orangebus at Digital Union, Furthermore, Charlie says such developments, including ground- and Homeserve founder Jeremy is the strength of the North East’s breaking operations on Newcastle Middleton creating SaaS fund tech and digital ecosystems that, Helix, also stand ready to provide Conviction Investment Partners. despite the challenges delivered by great momentum in the post “As the eco-system grows, there’s the pandemic, the vast proportion of COVID-19 era. interest from further afield too, with operators in the area have continued “A boom isn’t without its Boston-based Dominic Endicott to grow, with product development challenges,” says Charlie, “some working locally in Agetech.” at the heart of their relevant firms are constrained by the lack of A key area where Charlie says the expansions. key skills and wage inflation may region’s tech and digital sectors have “We have a thriving range of tech price out some start-ups. particularly flexed their muscles consultancies, multinationals and “The pandemic proved working has been the COVID-19 pandemic, Government,” he says. from home was highly desirable with many firms and North East- “These include Accenture, with for tech talent, which is already based Government organisations 1200 seats at Cobalt, and BT in seeing Manchester and even Berlin demonstrating their innovative and South Shields. or US recruiters tapping North East pioneering abilities in spades. “Newcastle Building Society saw programmers to work remotely – a He says: “Tech has supported the it’s Newcastle Strategic Solutions de-stabilising force for homegrown pandemic; Government branches expand rapidly, and consulting firms.

Building on the Building scaled rapidly to underpin national firms with 100-plus person teams – “However, Dynamo continues campaigns, and with 25 per cent Scott Logic, Waterstons, Opencast to foster collaboration on the of UK civil service based in the Software, Mediaworks and skills issues, and we’ve brokered region, there are bound to be more Silverbean - are also booming. discussions between corporates and digital initiatives, whether at the “Chasing these companies are education, helped by the North of Department for Work and Pensions, the likes of Saggezza, Evolved, The Tyne Combined Authority. Homes England, HM Revenues Social Co, Jumping Rivers, Caspian “Dynamo’s board includes all the & Customs (HMRC), the Student and Wordnerds. region’s universities and most further Loans Company or the Department Charlie continues: “Fintech too education colleges too. for Environment, Food & Rural has seen strides from Atom Bank “And look out for Newcastle Affairs. and emerging players like Kani, University’s three National “In 2020, HMRC, in Longbenton, Bottlepay and Honcho. Innovation Centres for Data, Ageing produced the Eat Out to Help Out “Teams from Hive HR and Atlas and Rural Economy, as they grow apps, as well as the Self-Employed Cloud lead on transformation of tech skills projects, and our bid Income Support Scheme. office process, and the Gateshead to open the International Centre “NHS Business Services Authority virtual reality hub Proto has also for Connected Construction at developed multiple programmes spawned a cluster of games and Northumbria University. from rapid pharmacy payments to entertainment scale-ups. “One thing is for sure, this year the NHS jobs platform, and FTSE100 “Furthermore, Tombola, in will build, as Isaac Newton said, ‘on giant Sage rushed to enable the Sunderland, has expanded the shoulders of giants’.”

64 LAW ADVERTORIAL_MUCKLE LLP

Data scientist helping Muckle drive digital difference

Leading regional law firm for businesses Muckle LLP has appointed a data scientist to its new data and digital team.

www.muckle-llp.com | @MuckleLLP MUCKLE LLP - FOR MORE INFORMATION ALLEN ROBERTON HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS new data and digital team after working with the ABOUT MUCKLE lead data and digital developer to drive forward firm for over a year on the KTP. LLP’S DATA AND innovation and game-changing technological “I’m really looking forward to upskilling our DIGITAL TEAM, advances at the Newcastle-based law firm. people and driving the firm’s data and digital AND THE SERVICES The data and digital team, led by director of revolution. IT PROVIDES, business improvement Julie Parr, transforms “I’m joining a fantastic, forward-thinking team, EMAIL DIRECTOR Muckle LLP’s delivery of legal services by which will ultimately transform the way the law OF BUSINESS improving day-to-day technology processes. firm operates.” IMPROVEMENT The team also includes finance assistant/data Julie adds: “We are delighted to welcome Allen JULIE PARR and digital technicians Rios Dhadra and Katie to our new data team, and he is already helping [PICTURED ABOVE] Barrett. us use new technology and improve workflows to AT JULIE.PARR@ Allen’s appointment came after working offer faster and better services. MUCKLE-LLP.COM with Muckle for two years on a knowledge “Through Allen’s training and development, OR CALL transfer partnership (KTP) with the University of we’re putting data at the heart of everything we do. 0191 211 7902. Sunderland and Innovate UK, which developed a “We have a culture of doing things differently product to speed up high volume, process-driven and by creating better services at more accessible work such as debt recovery. prices, it creates huge market differentiation. A year later, Muckle LLP won a Legal Practice “It’s exciting, thrilling and challenging in equal Management (LPM) Practice Excellence Award for measure!” innovation. The technology, known as Muckle Collect, uses robot technology to speed up back-office processes, setting up a debt 15 times faster than it takes a human to perform the same task. It has resulted in the firm’s market-leading debt recovery team improving success rates to 91 per cent. Durham University Computer Science graduate Allen, who is from Darlington, is an expert in his field and prior to lockdown travelled to Toronto for a data science conference. He says: “I was thrilled to be appointed to the

65 TECHNOLOGY ADVERTORIAL_ACCENTURE

Masters of change: a new kind of leadership for a new era

Allan King, managing director for Accenture’s Advanced Technology Centre and technology lead for Health and Public Service, shares the tech trends that Accenture’s 2021 Technology Vision says businesses will need to explore to embrace the future and lead change.

www.accenture.com | @AccentureUK

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, ACCENTURE HAS TREND 2: MIRRORED WORLD looked deeply into the business landscape to spot The ‘mirrored world’ trend describes what’s emerging technology trends likely to have the becoming possible through the advances greatest disruptive potential in the near future. and investments in data, AI, and digital twin This year, the seismic changes experienced technologies. during the global pandemic have made one thing It’s now possible to build dynamic digital models crystal clear: technology has served as a lifeline of everything from factories to entire supply ACCENTURE through the last 12 months and is redefining our chains. - reality. The ability to do that creates the possibility TO READ THE So rather than focusing on specific of bringing data and intelligence together at a ACCENTURE 2021 technologies, the Accenture Technology scale we’ve never seen before, and in the process TECHNOLOGY Vision for 2021 is all about how to lead through unlocking new opportunities. VISION REPORT IN this pervasive, continuous and accelerating We’ll be able to ask the big questions that really FULL, VISIT WWW. technological change. matter to our businesses’ futures – and find new ACCENTURE.COM/ Below, I’ll look at each of the five trends and ways to work together to solve them. TECHVISION bring out what they mean for all of us leading our businesses into a challenging, uncertain, but also TREND 3: I, TECHNOLOGIST very exciting, future. The way technology is evolving is driving a shift away from sole reliance on specialists and towards TREND 1: STACK STRATEGICALLY a more democratic distribution of technology’s The first trend highlights how we’re entering a new power. era of competition in which businesses’ technology Developments like natural language processing, architecture will become a source of advantage. low-code platforms and robotic process With the huge array of choices available to automation (to name a few), will increasingly give them, businesses can tailor every layer of their people across a business the means to create their technology architecture to achieve their strategic own solutions. aims more effectively. That’s not to say that IT’s days are numbered. But doing so requires a new approach to Far from it. But they will focus on major leadership that seamlessly blends business implementations and the most advanced acumen with tech savvy. technologies.

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People working closest to a business problem made practically overnight. or opportunity will have the wherewithal to That’s all clear. The question is: ‘what comes create solutions to solve them. The result will be next?’ businesses that are more innovative and able to Answering it is going to require a new type of keep smartly in step with changing needs. leader, what we call ‘masters of change’. And there has arguably never been an TREND 4: ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE opportunity to effect important change than the During the pandemic, working remotely has one we have today. been transformed from an exception to the norm There’s a chance to shape the future to redefine for millions of people. what value is and how to make it more inclusive for Technology kept people productive, with people and the planet. many organisations making the shift in previously unimaginable timeframes. The ‘anywhere, everywhere’ trend explores how businesses should capitalise on their success and rethink how their ‘INNOVATING A WAY TO RECOVERY’ organisation could work in the future. But it won’t be sufficient to just keep the The North East’s industrial sector is innovating its way to recovery pandemic model going. Realising the promise of following the COVID-19 pandemic as more companies seek to hire a virtualised workforce requires new attention skilled robotics staff, latest findings from Accenture show. to making remote working as secure as possible, According to figures, demand for robotics engineers has increased developing a new culture to maximise success and by 450 per cent in Newcastle since last July, which is nearly double re-imagining the best role and purpose of physical the 253 per cent rise in Leeds and almost four times the 115 per cent office space. increase recorded in Liverpool. However, the findings, released in Accenture’s UK Tech Talent Tracker1, come with the caveat that the UK’s TREND 5: FROM ME TO WE technology sector remains too London-centric. Responding to the demands of the pandemic made it very clear that no business could get The report also found: through the challenge without the support of others. • The number of technology job listings in the UK declined by 57 The need to stand up new contactless and per cent during the past year, with fewer than 55,000 open roles friction-free ways of working, for example, advertised emphasised the importance of partners. • The overall decline was driven by a reduced number of job listings for And that’s the theme of the ‘me to we’ trend. data analytics and cyber security professionals, which fell 53 per cent With the next few years likely to see even and 54 per cent, respectively greater change in what customers need, regulators • With nearly 35,000 roles advertised, cloud computing was the most demand – and more – businesses will need to build in-demand technology skill in the UK over the past year and strengthen their partnerships. The resulting • Job postings for artificial intelligence skills have seen a resurgence, multiparty systems will offer greater resilience and jumping 73 per cent in six months, to approximately 6800. Robotics adaptability. roles are up by almost two-thirds, to more than 3000, with demand They’ll unlock new ways to approach the market for blockchain and quantum computing skills rising 50 per cent and and create new ecosystems to capture industry- 46 per cent, respectively wide opportunities. • 41 per cent of all technology-related job postings are for professionals based in London, with more than 420,000 technology professionals— BECOMING MASTERS OF CHANGE or one-third of all tech professionals in the UK— still citing the capital There’s no doubt that the pandemic has hit the as their current location, despite the rise in remote working during the fast-forward button. pandemic Many businesses have experienced change at a pace that they have never seen before. Shifts that Reference 1: www.newsroom.accenture.co.uk/english-uk/news/uk-tech-job-openings-declined- were predicted to slowly unfurl over years were in-2020-uk-tech-talent-tracker.htm

67 68 Pete Cheyne Bottlepay

69 FEATURE BOTTLEPAY

From the Toon to the moon

While technology jargon like blockchain and bitcoin have been around for more than a decade now, even those well-versed in the digital world can be forgiven for failing to understand what they really mean. Newcastle-based fintech start- up Bottlepay recently landed a high-profile £11 million seed funding round to fuel its global ambitions. The business hopes to not only revolutionise the way micro payments are conducted worldwide but believes it can be the watershed for mainstream understanding and uptake of bitcoin, leading to a more inclusive and democratic financial system. Jamie Hardesty speaks to founder Pete Cheyne to learn more.

Written by Jamie Hardesty | Photography by Christopher Owens A merican entrepreneur and web developer Matt it would have been easy for Pete to remain at the “WE’D RAISED Mullenweg, best known for creating the free and business he feels so incredibly proud to have NOTABLE VENTURE open-source web software WordPress, famously helped build. CAPITAL AND WE said “technology is best when it brings people He says: “Partnerize was your classic start-up WERE WINNING together”. journey; it was a proper rollercoaster, we had great BIG GLOBAL While it’s highly unlikely to see Matt taking experiences on that ride. CLIENTS BUT BY a stroll through Newcastle anytime soon, the “We’d raised notable venture capital and we 2018, I REALISED Mullenweg mantra is alive and present across were winning big global clients but by 2018, I IT WAS TIME FOR many of the region’s high potential technology realised it was time for me to make a change.” ME TO MAKE A pioneers and disruptors. Naturally effervescent about technology, and CHANGE” Perhaps none more so than in Bottlepay founder crucially technology which has the impact to Pete Cheyne. considerably shake up the status quo, Pete realised A developer by trade, Pete co-founded leading he wanted to pursue the potential of blockchain. North East software company Partnerize alongside Blockchain technology allows for a brand-new four ex-colleagues back in 2010. Today the way of transmitting money without the need for company, now valued at over $200 million, is a traditional banking networks, as well as a means to global leader in its field, working with the likes store data in a transparent and unalterable way. of Google and Adidas to optimise their online Pete explains: “By 2018, I’d been watching advertising. blockchain closely for a while. Highly touted as one of the UK’s future unicorns, “As a techy looking into this super-nerdy rabbit

70 FEATURE BOTTLEPAY

hole, I wasn’t able to resist it any longer and I knew I had to do something in it. I very amicably left the team at Partnerize and wanted to go back to basics. “So I got a little office down by the quayside, and with heavy metal blasting in my headphones, I started experimenting and cranking out some code to see what I could find. “After a year or so, I finally saw within blockchain some protocols that would allow us to build something for the mass market; I’ve always wanted to build something consumer-facing that everyone can use.” What followed was Bottlepay, a payment system with the potential to pave the way for a new digital economy by eradicating the barriers to effective instant payments. The Bottlepay platform gives users access to an open payment network that allows people to send, spend and receive money anywhere in the world in real-time. “Consumer behaviour has changed over the years,” says Pete. “Everything is on demand and everything is in small bite-sized chunks, yet what we are having to do is pay for all those small chunks in large credit- based subscriptions. “Digital content is bundled up into £9.99 a month subscription; you can’t even click on a newspaper article in most instances and read it unless you pay so much a month to see the content. “The reason that exists is because of incumbent payment rails. “So, as a business, you can’t do an economical transaction, for example, read a newspaper article for 20 pence, because those payment rails are going to charge you a minimum of 20, 30 or 40 pence and then three, four or five per cent on top because there are so many intermediaries involved in a transaction.” Pete believes the world’s existing financial system and payment rails, i.e. how money is moved from a payer to payee, is ripe for disruption due to the inequality and inconsistent experience users have worldwide. He explains: “It’s easy to conflate bitcoin the asset with bitcoin the network.

71 72 WWW.BOTTLEPAY.COM @BOTTLEPAY

“It’s bitcoin the network, for me, which is the payment rails. killer invention. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime invention. “To get to where we want to be, and for all of “With bitcoin the network, there are no this to really work, we need to scale our tech and intermediaries, and you can just deal directly with we need to scale our teams. It’s critical that we’re the payment rail. properly resourced to expand our reach.” “This is to money what the internet was to Following a successful February launch, which information and with our infrastructure it makes saw the company acquire thousands of users “FOLLOWING this concept so much more accessible. and quickly process half a million pounds of A SUCCESSFUL “We can offer businesses the ability to do an transactions, Bottlepay landed an eye-catching FEBRUARY economical transaction for a penny because we seed funding round of £11 million. LAUNCH, can go to fractions of a pence under the hood. Funds will be used to fuel product development WHICH SAW “This is going to open up a whole new untapped and scale the team to meet growing user demand. THE COMPANY digital economy. The size of the capital involved at such an early ACQUIRE “A farmer in Uganda, for example, could get stage, as well as the investors involved, suggests THOUSANDS access to the same level of financial services as great faith in Pete and the team to be a notable UK OF USERS AND a guy on floor 98 in a Wall Street skyscraper. It’s technology scale-up soon. QUICKLY PROCESS incredibly democratic. Those involved in the funding round include HALF A MILLION “It’s unreal for financial inclusion; for us as a renowned global investors such as British fund POUNDS OF business we want to open that up for everyone. manager Alan Howard, present and former TRANSACTIONS, “We’re building the infrastructure on top that Goldman Sachs partners, venture capital firm BOTTLEPAY will make it accessible for everyone, not just FinTech Collective and financial services firm LANDED AN EYE- techies.” NYDIG and tech entrepreneur Phil Doye. CATCHING SEED The Bottlepay team’s ambition to be the Despite the pressure inevitably attached to any FUNDING ROUND facilitator of an improved and democratised raise, Pete remains his smiley and infectiously OF £11 MILLION” approach to global payments is gargantuan. positive self. His natural love of technology and Success here is a solution which changes the passion for people is unique. world. He’s living, right now, where he wanted to be back in 2018 when he took the leap. Except now, it’s not only his heavy metal to keep him company, it’s a team of techies working tirelessly across the globe to help make the dream a reality. He says: “In the tech team alone we have fifteen people, operating across ten time zones worldwide. “There’s 24/7 coding going on – every morning is like Christmas; I wake up and there’s tons of code commits – it’s great.” Though the tech team and customer-base are global for Bottlepay, the company remains steadfast in the North East and committed to playing a pivotal role in its future. Pete says: “Our vision is hugely ambitious – it’s Pete adds: “We are growing out our compliance big-big! and support teams here in Newcastle. “We know we’re a plucky start-up right now There’s a great talent pool and community here that’s full of ambition and passion but is entering a – it’s kick ass. pond full of piranhas. “This will always be our spiritual home – from “We’re a direct competitor to incumbent the Toon to the moon!

73 EDUCATION ADVERTORIAL_NEWCASTLE COLLEGE

through to Higher Technical qualifications and Setting up the degrees, are very vocational – something that has taken a lot of collaborative working and innovative thinking to recreate online. region for a By offering alternative work placements (such as in our mass testing centre on campus), and adapting assessment to recognise, for example, prosperous our healthcare students fantastic contribution in supporting the response to COVID-19, we’ve helped students continue to succeed through future unique circumstances. Support and success are at the heart of A year after colleges and universities everything we do, especially at a time when young people (and adults, but young people have shifted almost overnight to teaching been disproportionately affected) are graduating online, Newcastle College University into an uncertain economy where employment Centre’s vice-principal Jon Ridley opportunities are not guaranteed. reflects on how the pandemic has led Our vision is to develop the skills and talents of to digital innovation, new employer our students to succeed in modern enterprise and partnerships and sharpened focus on make a positive contribution to the prosperity of the North East. skills-based education. We work to ensure that our students graduate ready to hit the ground running. Ready to invest their talent and create jobs in the region, as they contribute to a vibrant community we all benefit www.ncl-coll.ac.uk | @NCLCollege NEWCASTLE from. COLLEGE That’s just one of the reasons we launched the - Stay and Succeed programme in 2019. NEWCASTLE LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, Stay and Succeed is a unique internship project COLLEGE’S we can be incredibly proud of how we have funded by the Office for Students, and aims to ORIGINS DATE addressed with resilient optimism the challenges ensure our graduates can access higher-level BACK MORE presented to teaching and learning by COVID-19. employment here in our region and contribute to THAN 120 YEARS We have faced huge policy changes and political our economy. TO 1894 WHEN events that will potentially have huge impacts It also means that local employers can recruit RUTHERFORD on both the education sector and our economy, highly-skilled digital technology and engineering MEMORIAL although the pandemic and its effects remain the graduates, along with a £10,000 salary contribution COLLEGE WAS standout event. from Newcastle College University Centre. ESTABLISHED AT It would be wrong to remember our response To ensure that graduate pool really is highly- RYE HILL. OVER as simply surviving these events, and we should skilled and talented, we develop innovative and THE YEARS, THE instead reflect on how we have thrived, innovated industry-endorsed qualifications. Our provision COLLEGE HAS and evolved at Newcastle College University is co-created in collaboration with employers, GROWN AND Centre. to make sure the skills and experiences of our EXPANDED TO First and foremost, we have continued to graduates meet the needs of industry. FOUR SPECIALIST support our students while our campuses have That is something that hasn’t been slowed down SATELLITE been closed, ensured their wellbeing has been our by the pandemic and we’ve continued to forge new SITES ACROSS top priority and harnessed the power of technology partnerships to develop and launch new courses NEWCASTLE, to move quickly to an almost completely online designed to address the needs of our region over GATESHEAD AND offer. the past 12 months. NORTH TYNESIDE. The majority of our courses, from entry level In January, we welcomed our first cohort on to a

74 EDUCATION ADVERTORIAL_NEWCASTLE COLLEGE

brand-new Level 5 Web Applications Development diploma, developed in partnership with the Code Institute. It ticks all of the boxes that the region is looking for from a Higher Technical Qualification. It is employer led (a result of a collaboration between experts, industry leaders and education providers) and creates skilled graduates at the level that businesses are most in need of. Importantly, it accelerates the development of higher-level digital skills in under a year, something that is crucial for those looking to progress to employment and for employers across our region who need digitally skilled talent to help recover, rebuild and grow their business in the months and years ahead. At a time when many businesses and sectors are struggling, it is the digital sector and those who have been able to diversify and adapt to digital that are thriving. Unsurprisingly, the tech sector has continued to grow rapidly and with 90,000 unfilled jobs Even earlier than that, the North East Local created every week, it makes perfect sense that Enterprise Partnership’s Digital for Growth Strategy we continue to launch courses with a strong digital set out a vision to grow the region’s digital sector focus. and increase the digital capabilities of other The diploma is just one of many exciting digital industry to close the region’s ‘digital skills gap’ by degree level courses that we have launched over 2024. the past couple of years. Our role is to recognise and anticipate the Last year we launched our Foundation Degree needs of our region and work with businesses and in Engineering with Applied Digital Technology, industry leaders to collaborate and co-create the which was specifically tailored to meet the needs programmes and the routes into employment, so of the engineering and manufacturing industry that our region benefits from a highly skilled talent transitioning to a digital economy. pool to fill those jobs. Before that, we launched a Digital and We do that by forging partnerships such as our Technology Solutions Professional Degree Digital Advisory Board (made up of Accenture, Apprenticeship, which is an accelerated Bede Gaming, DXC, Waterstons, Virgin Money, programme that produces fully qualified talent in Plan Digital and NBS), who help us to constantly just two years, rather than the traditional three, evaluate our offer and our role here in the North and allows employers to really choose which digital East. paths are going to be most beneficial to them and We consider ourselves to be at the heart of our their business. region and being part of a national college group We set out last year to become the best STEM like NCG only strengthens this. provider in the country, but that ambition is By working in close partnership with employers clearly based on the needs of our region and the and local industry to create the region’s workforce businesses in our community, as all of our offer is. of the future, we can develop and offer education Last year, the announcement of the ‘Build Back and skills training across all levels of post- Greener’ plan put a focus on energy and skills for 16 education that leads to real employment the energy sector, which is something we’ve been opportunities for our learners and makes a strong leading in across the North East for a number of local economic impact and sets up our region for a years. prosperous future.

75 DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL_RAZORBLUE

Simple yet transformational learnings from the global shutdown

2020 saw two years’ worth of digital transformation in the space of two months. While this sounds impressive, it must be noted that many of these digital solutions were designed and implemented to be an interim, quick-fix solution. In an economy that is contracting, it is important for businesses to become more efficient and retain market share. Jonathan Anderson, managing director – business software at razorblue, challenges business leaders to readdress those quick-fix solutions and plan for not only a sustainable, but a resilient future.

www.razorblue.com | @razorbluegroup

DATA-LED DECISIONS accurate, on-demand management information. RAZORBLUE Business leaders should now be asking This is where business intelligence tools, such as - themselves ‘do we have a true understanding of Microsoft Power BI, come in. HEADQUARTERED our suppliers, operations, people, customers and Compiling and automating relevant information IN CATTERICK, marketplace?’ into a tailored interface enables users to efficiently NORTH Such understanding derives from data. extract information and make data-driven YORKSHIRE, AND As a starting point, the data you should focus predictions based on real-time statistics. WITH OFFICES IN on is that which can be generated and analysed These scalable business intelligence tools help NEWCASTLE AND in your day-to-day business operations. This you gain a deeper understanding of your data, TEESSIDE, is existing information about your customers, as well as ensuring you get the most out of any RAZORBLUE’S operations, people, suppliers and supply chain. big data investments. Insights can be shared SERVICES COVER To use this data effectively, it must offer a single and promoted across your organisation, while A NUMBER OF version of the truth through an undisputed source maintaining accuracy, consistency and security. AREAS, WHICH of performance data. Critically, this data should be INCLUDE presented in a way that not only supports informed STREAMLINE YOUR PROCESSES MANAGED IT, decision making, but also provides immediate Many businesses responded to the economic CONNECTIVITY, feedback and analysis opportunities. uncertainties and huge drop in demand by BUSINESS Take your finance department as an example; reducing their workforce. Whether your business SOFTWARE, one of the main challenges they face are the made redundancies or not, one question remains: CYBERSECURITY, inefficiencies around collating and analysing large can your business thrive with reduced resource? TELEPHONY AND datasets. Crucially, businesses now need to assess CLOUD The amount of resource and time needed to whether workloads can be more efficiently SOLUTIONS. transform this data into deep insights and reports managed, and which of their processes can be is colossal and often unnecessary. streamlined through automation. This, in turn, will Many companies have data stored in numerous, not only reduce overheads, but increase business disparate systems, creating challenges to deliver resilience.

76 DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL_RAZORBLUE

Frustrations around manual data entry, tracking down data inconsistencies and manually compiling reports from several different datasets, are far from uncommon. While well-indended, workarounds such as Excel spreadsheets demand far too much of our precious time and resource. Employees can quickly become absorbed in high-touch manual steps to data entry that, despite best efforts, often result in incomplete data and ultimately impair productivity. Automating such processes produces results immediately and eliminates any risk of human limitless and solutions can be created to grow error. with your business, at a pace that suits you. Importantly, this replaces mundane and time- Additionally, ownership of the intellectual property consuming tasks, keeping overheads down and and maintaining full control offers a competitive freeing up resource to focus on the all-important advantage. relationship-building or creative tasks that humans are designed for. EMBRACING CHANGE Whether through off-the-shelf products, MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365 bespoke solutions or a mixture of the two, such Consolidating disjointed processes and systems digitalisation will provide sustainable solutions and can be achieved easily through products such as crucially improve efficiencies. Microsoft Dynamics 365. It is fair to assume that the marketplace is Through its modular approach, Dynamics 365 only going to get more competitive, and it is allows businesses to take only the applications organisations which embrace change and build that are most appropriate and suitable to them and resilience into their operations that will not only their existing systems. This is an industry-leading survive but thrive. product suitable for all business types, regardless of size or sector. When implemented correctly, Dynamics BESPOKE SOFTWARE DELIVERS COVID-19 TESTING ACROSS THE UK guarantees improved efficiencies and according to multiple recent reports, for every £1 spent, you will razorblue recently created a bespoke software solution for North-East see a minimum return of £7. headquartered firm Acculabs Diagnostics. However, implementing these off-the-shelf This customised solution enabled the delivery of COVID-19 testing for products without a true understanding of your the NHS, the Government and businesses across the nation. processes and future objectives runs the risk of Following implementation of this bespoke software, Acculabs wasted investment and the solutions not serving Diagnostics has upped capacity to thousands of swabs a day and taken their intended purpose. on new staff to provide round-the-clock testing. If not applied correctly, businesses will become Chris Gordon, chief executive of Acculabs Diagnostics, says: overwhelmed with the number of features and “razorblue has been a crucial partner in our journey to successfully functions available. provide COVID-19 testing at a nationwide level. “Having worked closely with the team for a number of years, we were BESPOKE SOLUTIONS confident their skills and expertise meant we could scale up efficiently For some businesses, bespoke solutions are while providing reliable results and minimising human input. better suited. This offers the opportunity for a “It is thanks to these systems that we are able to step up capacity and solution to be custom-built to the precise needs provide testing for workforces in the industrial, retail and commercial of your business, in alignment with your internal sectors as a means of safeguarding staff and their business.” systems and processes. The new software has eliminated paperwork and manual The specificity and capabilities available are administration, resulting in repeatable, reliable testing at a crucial time.

77 78 79 Recruitment_ Advertorial_Jackson Hogg

And as a way of working, it is certainly paying off. In the driving seat for The firm is expanding rapidly, with an influx of new new growth clients on both the domestic and international fronts complemented by the arrival of six colleagues in March, which took its headcount to 40. While many companies may be harbouring But there are plans in place to extend that number ambitions of embarking upon growth further through 2021, as the business manages record journeys following the COVID-19 pandemic, demand. Jackson Hogg is well down the road to Both interview and placement numbers were 100 success. With record-breaking demand per cent higher in February than in the corresponding providing strong foundations, the company month in 2020, while its job flow – the number of is expanding its workforce to strengthen vacancies being processed for clients – was also 100 its sectoral reach and further develop its per cent better off and head count productivity 50 per international presence. Steven Hugill finds cent higher. out more. “We are feeling positive and see the economy as a hockey stick at the moment,” says chief operations officer Anthony Broadhead. www.jacksonhogg.com “We are at the beginning of a real spike, and this isn’t @JacksonHoggRec a gut feeling, either. “The data shows we are on a sharp incline and the market – and the many significant projects coming on IF BUSINESS IS ONE LONG, CONTINUOUS board – are telling us this. journey towards success, then to stay on the right “That is why we are looking to grow and invest in our road requires the driver having the right people in the people.” passenger seats. Richard adds: “It isn’t just the volume of work we are Just ask Jackson Hogg. securing, though, it is the size of the projects as well. The Newcastle-based recruitment and outsourced “We are currently working with one client that is talent services company is experiencing some of its creating 50 white collar roles alone.” highest-ever demand – and its achievements are not by As well as its workforce, Jackson Hogg’s momentum chance. has also been increased by a committed focus on the On the contrary, the firm’s talented and dedicated sectors it covers – science, technology, engineering, workforce stand integral to the uptick, with continuous manufacturing (STEM) and construction. learning and development programmes alongside And recent advances, which include the launching a strong management team and robust procedural of a new life science division – headed by Kimberley systems helping the business more than confound the Warren alongside consultant Kristi Porter – to fulfil effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. companies’ exacting staffing needs across the UK Its successes are also born out of advocating and beyond are, says Anthony, making a significant business researcher and consultant Jim Collins’ difference. principle of ‘getting the right people on the bus’. “During the first COVID-19 lockdown, we ensured we Essentially a metaphor for having the best workforce remained very close to our colleagues to see how they in place ahead of launching vision and long-term were getting on and then, during the summer, devised strategy, it perfectly encapsulates Jackson Hogg. a strategy to double-down on the services we were “We have got a very motivated, forward-thinking already providing across construction, technology and team,” says Richard Hogg, who set up the recruitment life science, which resulted in us hiring Kimberley and firm in 2012. Kristi,” he says. “What Jim Collins says is what we do; others devise “We are experiencing really high demand in the strategies and then try and find the people. technology and life science sectors, in particular. “We, however, find the right people, and that then “The market is returning fast and adding to our team informs our objectives and ambitions.” and infrastructure in the way we have means we are

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extremely well placed to continue offering candidates and clients the exceptionally high levels of service we are renowned for.” Richard adds: “We have followed the market and fine-tuned our offer, which has put us in a strong position for scalable growth and left us well placed to capitalise on future changes. “It means we will continue growing, expanding and getting better at what we do.” Nowhere is the intent Richard alludes to better emphasised than in Jackson Hogg’s flagship Talent Partnerships – which provide Talent Partners who act as on-site internal recruitment managers and work with chief executives, managing directors and key decision- makers to lead the employment process for clients of all sizes. To paraphrase Jim Collins, the company has the right people on its bus. And, say both Anthony and Richard, its strong foundations – and continued recruitment plans – will mean it is perfectly placed to manage an expected further rise in demand as employees emerge from the latest COVID-19 lockdown and reassess their career prospects. Anthony says: “As we head into the summer, people will be reflecting on how they were treated by their employer during the pandemic, asking questions around whether they were looked after and whether they received the correct support. “There will be a lot of people out there looking for work. Richard adds: “Companies will need the best support to find the right talent in this changing landscape, and we have the best people to deliver that.” However, while looking towards the future, Anthony says Jackson Hogg will never abandon its past, be that the companies it has supported for years, or its standards around care, trust, respect and excellence. He adds: “We will continue to nurture the clients we have always had – they will remain of equal importance. “Similarly, we will never compromise on our core Jackson Hogg - values and beliefs, which are the heartbeat of this With the company continuing to experience very high demand, business. it is looking to add colleagues across all of the levels and “There will always be challenges around scale, sectors in which it works. For more information, visit www. jacksonhogg.com or email [email protected] capability and resource, but our values are the one area where we will always stand firm. “They have helped us get to where we are and will take us to where we want to go.”

81 82 Business_ Advertorial_RTC North

Showcasing the North East’s rich opportunities

After a year of adapting to remote working, back-to-back online meetings and an absence of face-to-face contact, RTC North is excited to be hosting an immersive and engaging digital showcase.

ON MAY 19, THE ONE-DAY SHOWCASE NORTH East 2021 event will be delivered collaboratively by both the Supply Chain North East and the Innovate UK Edge programmes, in order to promote the region’s great SMEs. In addition to allowing delegates the opportunity to hear from notable industry leaders, there will also be the chance to network on a one-to-one basis with business owners. The event will highlight a number of industrial sectors, including transport, construction, health and life sciences and space, as well as focusing on digital, energy and utilities. Jamie Ollivere, managing director at RTC North, says: “In light of the EU exit and the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chains are being redrawn and we want to ensure where there is potential for local Showcase industry clusters, Government departments and other content, we highlight those opportunities, make the North East organisations. 2021 right connections and bolster business resilience. This event is fully funded for all attendees and - “Naturally, where new supply chain opportunities Anyone eligible exhibitors, and offers new businesses a chance present, there is also an opportunity for innovation interested in to discover the advantages and benefits of attending taking part in within our business base. Showcase North similar events in the region. “For this reason, our Supply Chain and Innovate UK East 2021 can Supply Chain North East brings together four key Edge teams are working together on this. book tickets by visiting www. partners to work with more than 800 businesses “But this is only the start. On May 19, we highlight supplychainnorth through to 2021, supporting them to identify some of the challenges but going forward our teams east.co.uk or opportunities in new and existing markets. calling are here to help SMEs follow through and make the 0191 516 4400. An integral part of the North East Strategic most of new opportunities.” Economic Plan, that has a vision to create 100,000 Throughout the day, delegates will be able to more and better jobs between 2014 and 2024, Supply explore the wider opportunities available locally, Chain North East is delivered across the region by RTC promote their potential and illustrate collaboration North, Generator, the North East Automotive Alliance opportunities here in the North East. (NEAA) and the North East Process Industry Cluster From business speed networking, to one-to-one (NEPIC). meeting and virtual meetups, there is something to Supply Chain North East is a multi-million-pound suit every industry professional. programme aimed at revolutionising the way SMEs With a stellar line-up of speakers and a wide variety diversify their offering and embrace new markets. of attendees, this event will provide a fantastic boost The programme has received more than £3 million to the local spring networking agenda. of funding from the England European Regional Working together, both the Supply Chain North Development Fund, which is part of the European East and Innovate UK Edge programmes have Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme brought together a network of small companies, 2014-2020.

83 Education_ Advertorial_Sunderland College

Campaign

Stepping up to a new level

Sunderland College is embarking on a multi-million-pound redevelopment programme to transform a 1920s building at its Bede Campus into an immersive learning environment that will deliver the workers of tomorrow through new T Level qualifications. Steven Hugill speaks to Judith Quinn, the college’s interim deputy principal – curriculum and achievement; Paul Wharton, of independent building surveying company Hollis; and construction partner ENGIE’s Jason Smithies, to find out more.

www.sunderlandcollege.ac.uk @sunderlandcol

SUNDERLAND COLLEGE’S BEDE CAMPUS HAS PLAYED AN employers to ensure they meet future skills needs. Students gain integral role in students’ learning journeys for quite some time. a high-quality, nationally-recognised qualification, which includes More than 130 years, in fact. a substantial work placement with an employer to develop a wide From Sunderland Higher Grade School’s opening in the range of career-focused skills and competencies early 1890s, to its Bede Collegiate School evolution, Grammar Spearheaded by a three-way collaboration between education Schools conversion and latter change to comprehensive status, institutions, employers and businesses, T Levels marry skills the campus’ walls have long reverberated to the sounds of development to industry’s ever-changing requirements, with youngsters taking their first steps into the working world. Sunderland College operating at the very crux of the pioneering And now, thanks to a new development, those echoes are learning environment. about to rise yet further. T Levels across construction, digital, health, science and For when the next academic year begins in September, so too education will begin at the college this year, with further courses will a new dawn for Sunderland College and its Bede Campus. in digital infrastructure, business administration and engineering Backed by a successful £3 million T Level Capital Fund and manufacturing starting in 2022. application, the campus’ Bede Building is being transformed into And sitting right at the heart of it all will be the Bede Building. a world-class, cutting-edge immersive learning environment that Now undergoing a complete refurbishment, the 1920s will provide a backdrop for the provision of prestigious T Levels. structure will include a sophisticated, 360-degree immersive Launched last year by the Department for Education to visualisation ‘dome’ that will allow students to train in a number nurture the talent of tomorrow, T Levels combine classroom of virtual reality scenarios, from tackling a medical emergency in and workplace learning, in the process affording students a busy football stadium to learning a manufacturing company’s qualifications that are equivalent to three A levels. intricate factory operations miles from its physical base. The technical qualifications are designed with leading The redevelopment, managed by the country’s largest

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independent building surveying company out of T Levels will really add value to our college, the students and the schools in Hollis, alongside construction partner students’ learning,” she says. the local area. ENGIE and Seymour Architecture, will “T Levels offer an excellent programme “But for me, it is all about the also see the creation of an amphitheatre- of study because of the technically- opportunities it will afford to our learners style seated area, innovation suites and a focused areas they cover and high-quality in terms of their future prospects – and living staircase that will provide significant opportunities they can lead to. our industry advisory boards allow us to collaboration space. “What we are doing through this work with employers to co-design our Furthermore, it will support the development is bringing education curriculum to meet their skills needs. delivery of digitally-informed therapies for and employers together to inform the “We have the Health and Social Care children and young people with special curriculum while informing our curriculum Academy of Excellence and the Future educational needs and disabilities. teaching and learning too.” Technologies Focus Group, and will be It will be, says Judith Quinn, The relationship, reveals Judith, has launching similar groups focusing on Sunderland College’s interim deputy been strengthened by the creation education, construction and science in the principal – curriculum and achievement, of advisory boards, which operate near future too.” a watershed moment for education in as conduits between the college and While laying the foundations for long- the city and region, which will provide industry to ensure teaching understands term technical skills provision, Judith unparalleled learning opportunities for business’ requirements and adapts says the Bede Campus development and students and connect employers with accordingly to maintain a rich and deep T Level roll-out will also play a crucial talent tailored to their specific needs. talent pool. role in the present-day recovery from the “Technical education is an absolute Judith says: “Such world-class facilities effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as cornerstone of what we do, and our roll- and the investment are fantastic for the many companies seek talent to complete

85 Education_ Advertorial_Sunderland College

delayed projects or kickstart fresh Sunderland and the wider region want developments. and need right now is fantastic. “There has arguably never been a better “It will also help with the need to level time for the college to be making this up the economy and the UK regions. investment,” says Judith. “That is why we continue to have “With everything that has happened great support from the city council and over the last year with coronavirus, to organisations such as the North East Local think we can really expand students’ Enterprise Partnership; they are fully opportunities and cultural capital by supportive because they want to do the making sure the college is providing best for the city, region and its people. the skills that employers in the city of “They want to make sure the opportunities that are out there – from existing companies to new investments – are taken advantage of.” Judith’s point on supporting the skillsets of the present-day is no better emphasised by Hollis and ENGIE, whose respective work in overseeing the campus’ refurbishment has led to two apprentices taking an active role in the redevelopment and the extension of links first forged through a successful site- based placement. “We have two apprentices from our Newcastle office working on this project, and therefore gaining great experience, meaning the development has gone full circle,” says Paul Wharton, an associate with Newcastle-based Hollis, which has worked with Sunderland College on projects for the past six years. He adds: “T Levels are what the industry needs; from the perspective of construction and surveying, we need people coming out of the education system with the right skills to excel. “To be able to work on something that will help deliver T Levels locally, and ensure students are hitting the ground running skills-wise when they leave, is great for us as a company.” And, while supporting local youngsters on their career journeys, Paul says he is also delighted to be part of a project that is strengthening ties with the region’s supply chain. He says: “All of our sub-contractors are from the North East, and, as a local

86 Education_ Advertorial_Sunderland College

Judith Quinn, Sunderland College interim deputy Jason Smithies, ENGIE operations manager Paul Wharton, Hollis associate principal – curriculum and achievement

company, there is a real sense of pride in supporting we are providing talks and site visits too. Sunderland a regional college deliver world-class educational “They will hopefully assist in helping students College facilities.” understand more about the construction sector and - Sunderland Such satisfaction is mirrored by Jason Smithies, ENGIE. College is part operations manager at Hebburn-based construction “The construction industry has an ageing workforce, of Education Partnership firm ENGIE. so if this project can help in some way to deliver the North East, which Reiterating the practical impact of T Levels on workers of the future, then that would be brilliant.” also includes sectors such as construction, Jason points to the And such marrying of the old with the new, Hartlepool Sixth Form and firm’s existing relationship with Sunderland College says Judith, will be central to the Bede Building’s Northumberland that has seen aspiring electrician Reanna Wilson work development, in more ways than one. College. The organisation is with ENGIE and Gentoo on the city’s Keelman Rise She adds: “This work is really respecting the Bede one of the largest housing development in a pilot placement ahead of the Campus, which has a lot of positive vibes with people college groups in the country, institution’s official T Level roll-out. in this region from its days as girls and boys’ Grammar providing a high- He says: “We have delivered a number of educational Schools. quality education projects across the North East in recent years and have “It isn’t losing any of its history or status in this experience to more than a fairly longstanding relationship with the college. development, and nor are our learners. 21,500 students, “But it is a privilege for us to work on a contract like “By creating such a fantastic space, alongside a positively shaping lives, this. future-focused curriculum, we will offer the most up- communities and “There will be a real legacy for years afterwards from to-date teaching approaches to students that add real the economy through teaching, the work we have done here, not just for students but value to their learning and put them in the strongest learning and for industry too, in terms of us and other companies possible position for successful careers.” development of being able to recruit the workers of tomorrow. To find out more about the Bede Building skills. “We already have Reanna working on Keelman Rise, development, or if you are an employer interested which is a great experience for her, but, as part of us in offering T Level placement opportunities, visit realising the vision of the Bede Building refurbishment, educationpartnershipne.ac.uk

87 Report Tourism

Domestic tourism boom sparks opportunity for UK

Recent findings from data analytics and consulting operator GlobalData suggest the UK is facing a domestic tourism boom in the years to come. The annual growth rate is expected to be 4.3 per cent between 2021 and 2023. This is due to a combination of pent-up demand for travel and a renewed interest in experiencing the great outdoors post-lockdown, and it means tourism companies have a unique opportunity to attract new customers and improve the UK’s standing for domestic travel. International restrictions are currently under review until May 17, but it is expected some will be in place until at least 2022. On a global scale, international travel is only predicted to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, resulting in higher demand for domestic tourism. According to GlobalData’s survey of 1201 travellers, 52 per cent will not travel globally due to Words by Richard Dawson fear of contracting COVID-19.

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public life lifted by June 1950s. 21 – it’s easy to see why The so-called golden age of going to the seaside conjures images of smartly North East tourism bosses dressed couples and families wading are feeling bullish about through the crowds trying to find a the months ahead. Here, sunlit spot of sand to sit on, or of them Northumberland National strolling along the promenade with a bag of chips wrapped in yesterday’s Park’s Jean Davidson newspaper. tells Richard Dawson of Such images were until recently how a new generation only available in black and white – has discovered the postcards from a bygone era before foreign holidays and cheap air travel. great outdoors, while But since the coronavirus pandemic NewcastleGateshead put a stop to our international Summertime- Initiative’s Ian Thomas escapades and confined us to our provides the latest figures houses for weeks on end, it seems and the livin’ we’ve rediscovered our appetite for sea on the health of the North and sand closer to home. is getting a bit East tourism economy The crowds have returned to the and explains why recovery North East’s many seaside towns, needs to come fast. which is all the more compelling when easier? you consider we’ve just emerged from the coldest months of the year. All it’s taken on a cold Saturday One of the only things that morning is a crack of sun peering has made the first months through the winter clouds to draw of 2021 bearable is the hope people out in their droves. that the rest of the year will In the warmer months of last year, it was much the same story in the be much better. A good countryside. summer, for both people and Jean Davidson, chair of the businesses, will be where Northumberland National Park this hope lives and dies. If Authority, says: “Last summer, the park authority had some of its highest visitor the Government’s roadmap levels in decades.” out of lockdown is anything Again, the parallels with the 1950s to go by, then we could be in are obvious. for quite a summer indeed. In 1949, an Act of Parliament 4Take a stroll along pretty much any established National Parks across the Outdoor hospitality – at the stretch of North East coastline today UK as places to conserve the natural time of print – due to open and you’ll find that you weren’t the only beauty of the countryside and provide by April 12, indoor hospitality one who was fancying a bit of fresh air. recreational opportunities for the and accommodation Beaches at Roker, Seaburn, South public. Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay In the subsequent years, there was services by May 17, and and elsewhere are covered in more an explosion of interest in the North all other restrictions on footprints than at any time since the East countryside from the Cleveland

89 Report Tourism

“In Northumberland, we have seen a are instead looking at UK holiday lot more younger people coming to the destinations. national parks and members of the BAME Ian Thomas, director of leisure tourism community coming out, which has been and research at NGI, says: “In the a huge positive because we want to be survey we undertook, more than half of Outside in available for everybody in society,” says respondents said they did not plan on Words by Jean Davidson, chair Jean. travelling abroad this year, while one in Northumberland National Park Authority The way in which people have four told us they plan on taking more UK rediscovered the great outdoors, whether breaks. it be at the coast or in the countryside, “We are also seeing a significant surge is one of the few positives to have come in national coach tours and organisations out of this pandemic. like Parkdean Resorts are reporting huge It’s also a trend that bodes well for spikes in enquiries and bookings.” the North East tourism economy this As well as people from elsewhere in summer, which has been hit hard by the UK holidaying in the North East, 4“For this year, we have a COVID-19. there’s also likely to be high numbers key theme, which is ‘Recover Recent analysis from the of the region’s natives filling up hotels, Together’; it is where we’re NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) hospitality and leisure and tourism seeing nature and people both estimates that tourism and hospitality hotspots in the months ahead, as people recovering from the pandemic businesses in the North East will have look to stay local and exercise their new- side-by-side. lost £3 billion in revenue by May 17 – the found fondness for the diverse offering “The connection with nature date proffered by the Government for on their doorstep. brings benefits to physical and their full reopening. “Judging by what we have seen, the mental wellbeing, which has In the first three months of 2021 alone, region could be in for a bumper summer,” a real knock-on effect and is the hospitality and tourism sector was says Ian. also one of the major reasons estimated to have lost £402 million. “Many of our self-catering properties the national parks were It’s a stark reminder of just how are already full and we anticipate seeing designated 70 years ago.” challenging the national lockdown has lots of people heading to the coast and been for companies that rely on face-to- the open spaces our countryside offers.” face interaction. Jean adds: “We expect we will have Hills to the Cheviots, and a new NGI predicts that around 30,000 a significant influx of tourists into generation of ramblers and strollers tourism jobs have been lost throughout Northumberland this summer and, on was born. the region in the last 12 months. the whole, businesses are positive that Jean says: “National Parks came Such figures underline the need for a they’re in for a very good season.” about after the Second World War strong season this summer. From the looks of it, demand is when people were suffering, and On that front, there is reason to be certainly not going to be an issue for the they were called the nation’s lungs.” optimistic. North East hospitality and tourism sector. The parks are still serving that With the outlook for international Where the problem may arise is in same purpose 70 years later, travel looking increasingly uncertain figuring out how to create enough inspiring another new generation as other countries falter with their capacity for that demand while and supporting people’s physical and vaccination campaigns, raising the remaining within the limitations that mental wellbeing after a period of prospect of hotel quarantines upon coronavirus forces on operators to suffering. returning to the UK, many people ensure they are trading in a COVID-19 secure way. Anyone who has visited a tourism or hospitality venue in the last year will

90 Report Tourism

Outside in Words by Ian Thomas, director of leisure tourism and research NGI

4“By remaining closed over Easter, tourism and hospitality businesses are missing out on an important period for revenue – it is typically a busy time with over 90 per cent hotel occupancy in normal circumstances. “The average hotel remember the additional but necessary bit harder to earn because there are only occupancy rate in 2020 was bureaucracy that such endeavours so many of these costs you can pass on just 33 per cent.” occasioned. to your customers.” To go pretty much anywhere, visitors It’s frustrating that COVID-19 will had to book, often weeks or months in continue to affect businesses even when advance, to secure a table for dinner, lockdown restrictions have ended, and drinks and dancing, with even longer it emphasises the need for operators roadmap out of lockdown will move lead times if you were looking at a room to learn to live alongside the virus, as ahead as planned. for the night. indeed many have done. But if the summer of 2021 really Big, long queues were also a common Capacity issues aside, it is increasingly does deliver on its promises, it will feature at cafes, bars and pubs, as staff likely the second half of 2021 is going to benefit not just beleaguered tourism tried to stay within their capacity limits, be worlds apart from the first, allowing and hospitality businesses, but all of separating tables out so that each were firms to recoup some of their losses and us who have had a rotten 12 months at least two metres apart from the next. get firmly back on the recovery path. and could really do with something That’s not to mention the additional Ian adds: “With the potential for all to smile about. cleaning time needed after every social distancing measures to be lifted Ian concludes: “Our tourism and customer, making sure all surfaces are by the school summer holidays, there is hospitality businesses are the places disinfected and taking on additional a real opportunity for a fantastic second where we make our memories, service responsibilities to minimise half of the year, which includes the Great where we go for special occasions, contact between consumers. North Run, Magic Weekend and the where we spend time with family and Jean says: “There are an awful lot Rugby League World Cup.” friends. of things businesses are having to do, We have had false dawns before in this “Seeing them open and having which they didn’t have to do before the pandemic and, as the Prime Minister and a summer where we can enjoy pandemic. Health Secretary are at pains to remind them will bring the smiles back to “Every pound is therefore going to be a us, there are no guarantees that the everyone’s faces.”

91 Jane Duchess of Percy, Northumberland

Words by Richard Dawson Photography by Christopher Owens

Digging for victory

92 The Alnwick Garden has a long and interesting history, from ‘Capability’ Brown’s first garden in the 18th century, to the turning of the soil to help feed the nation during the Second World War. Perhaps the most interesting chapter, though, is also the most recent. Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, took charge of the redevelopment of the garden in 1997 and has experienced her fair share of highs and lows in subsequent years. Today, it is a soaring success, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and supporting a range of community projects. Here, the Duchess tells Richard Dawson how she feels about the garden 25 years on, and why she’s bullish about this summer, which is expected to see a big influx of inbound tourism as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause uncertainty around international travel.

4Except for a very brief moment in April Its story begins in 1750, when the 1st last year, food scarcity has never been an Duke of Northumberland commissioned issue in modern Britain. the celebrated landscape architect But during the Second World War and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown – who was indeed afterwards, the task of feeding the also behind the gardens surrounding other nation was very serious, so grave in fact great country estates such as Blenheim that it required all sections of society to Palace, Warwick Castle and Harewood pull in the same direction. House – to draw up a plan and lay the So great was the task at hand that a first garden. number of public and private gardens The 3rd and 4th Dukes built on across Britain’s most prestigious country Capability’s foundation and oversaw a estates were made into ‘victory gardens’ lot of development in the 19th century, – turned over for the growing of fruit and bringing seeds from all over the world vegetables to shore up the domestic food and creating an Italianate garden, the supply. influence of which can still be seen today. One such garden was located on After two world wars, the Dig for the plot of land adjacent to the historic Victory campaign and the austerity that Alnwick Castle. followed, the garden fell into a state of The place where today families disrepair and dereliction for much of the walk through gardens full of roses and latter part of the 20th century. labyrinths made of bamboo plants was a That was, until Jane Percy, Duchess of key part of the Dig for Victory campaign a Northumberland, made it her mission to little over 75 years ago. see the garden redeveloped in the late Of course, the history of The Alnwick 1990s. Garden goes back further. In the years since, The Alnwick Garden

93 Feature Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland

94 www.alnwickgarden.com

has become one of the most popular organisations didn’t think there was of Northumberland. visitor attractions in the North East, often enough demand for it in the North East. She says: “I was doing something referred to as the Versailles of the North. Jane explains: “I remember one of them for the community, which was a public As of January 2020, the garden had saying to me, ‘do you really think you can project, and so the fact that I happened contributed £282 million to the local make something like this and get people to be the Duchess of Northumberland economy over the previous 18 years. to stop and see it? Because nobody should have been irrelevant.” It is, by any measure, one of the most historically has ever stopped between Naturally, the stress of the project and ambitious public gardens created in York and Edinburgh’. the criticism levelled at it caused many Europe in recent history, and it has no “I thought that was a ridiculous sleepless nights, one of which wasn’t equivalent in the UK. argument because, if you are building helped, rather innocently, by the Duke And yet, the Duchess faced something good enough and then you himself. enormous criticism in the early days market it properly, you make people stop.” “I’ll always remember my husband of the redevelopment from heritage She faced the same criticism again saying to me one night, just as he was organisations, garden experts and when the Treehouse opened in 2005, turning out his bedside light, ‘the thing is, members of the press alike. which is now thought to be the largest I’m worried that just because you think it’s “Mostly, it was because people didn’t treehouse in the world. going to be great, why should anybody understand what I was trying to do,” she Jane adds: “I was asked before I built else?’” recalls Jane. says. it, ‘why are you building this in the North “And I thought, ‘oh gosh, he’s right!’ It Visitors to The Alnwick Garden will East? Why aren’t you building it in the really hadn’t occurred to me, as I had got agree that it is not like other gardens. South somewhere?’” so caught up in it.” But rather than seeing this as a unique The rationale here was that an But still, the Duchess remained selling point, it was a massive source of upmarket bistro restaurant built into undeterred because she had a clear vision the resistance to the scheme. a treehouse would be better off being and knew what she wanted to deliver. The Duchess did not want to restore located down South where people She says: “There are lots of people The Alnwick Garden to its Georgian glory typically have more disposable income. who want gardens to be quiet places, and replicate what Capability Brown Well, the Treehouse, much like the they want to be able to sit at a bench and had done. She wanted to modernise it garden, has been a dizzying success since not be able to hear children running in and create a visitor attraction to rival the its inception. and out of water features, laughing and Disneylands of the world. The Duchess’ motivations were also shrieking. Garden experts couldn’t understand questioned for no other reason than “But that’s not what The Alnwick such a populist strategy and heritage because she was married to the 12th Duke Garden was built for.”

95 “There are lots of people who want gardens to be quiet places, they want to be able to sit at a bench and not be able to hear children running in and out of water features, laughing and shrieking.

“But that’s not what The Alnwick Garden was built for.” 96 www.alnwickgarden.com @AlnwickGarden

The Poison Garden, one of the main people in the community to address “That is what I am now trying to attractions, personifies this point. loneliness. address. I have a new big project that I’ve Opened in 2005, the Poison Garden Jane says: “It’s completely free and it’s started to build.” flips the idea of the apothecary garden on really been loved by the community. Set to open in Easter 2023, the project its head and plays on the fact that many “A lot of the older people are just so the Duchess is referring to is Lilidorei – a plants, which have curing properties, are grateful to have somewhere to go and sit, new, year-round visitor attraction coming often also deadly. to have a cup of coffee and something for to The Alnwick Garden. “The same plant that cures almost their lunch. The ambition of the project is even always kills,” adds Jane. “It’s run and staffed by volunteers and bigger than what the Duchess first The Blue Cohosh, for example, has actually makes thousands every year envisioned for the garden in 1997. seeds and leaves that are poisonous, but because people drop money into an “Lilidorei is a magical village where the it also has a range of applications for honesty box.” inhabitants celebrate Christmas. women’s reproductive health. Such community benefits were always “It’s inhabited by nine clans, goblins, The Poison Garden puts the deadly part of the plan for the garden, but they’re elves, pixies, dwarfs and it’s completely aspects front and centre, and it is here only made possible by its popularity and immersive – it’s just a magic village that’s that the Duchess’ marketing prowess is by the hundreds of thousands of visitors full of play.” really evident. who come every year. A central play structure in the middle “You want to engage people and bring Like all visitor attractions, the of the attraction will be home to the king them in,” she says. coronavirus pandemic has been of Lilidorei. “Frankly, apothecary gardens are pretty challenging for The Alnwick Garden. By all accounts, it will be the biggest boring for most people and particularly But thanks to a strong contingency play structure in the world. for children, so I thought, ‘why not come fund and access to Government schemes, The American media company MGM at it from the killing angle and say, this the charity has weathered the storm is filming a six-part series about its plant kills and explain how it kills’? rather well. construction, which will air in either the “Marketing is everything, but there In fact, the garden beat all of its winter or spring of 2022/23. has to be truth behind what you are projections for visitor numbers last “The aim of Lilidorei is to bring people marketing.” summer and is expecting this summer to out in the quiet months,” says Jane. Despite the hard yards it has taken to be stronger still. “It should start to get really busy in realise the Duchess’ vision for the garden, “I’m really bullish about the summer November and December.” today it is a stunning commercial success. and that’s going by our figures and seeing Attempting such a project in the middle This has allowed the garden, which is our bookings online,” says Jane. of a pandemic shows the Duchess has a registered charity, to invest heavily in “We are already finding there is real not lost her nerve after 25 years of driving a range of community initiatives for the pent-up demand and I think the challenge tourism in the North East. people of Alnwick and the wider North is going to be capacity. With excavation works underway for East. “In a normal summer, Northumberland the magical Christmas village, it also The Elderberries drop-in centre is is fully booked because our season is so shows The Alnwick Garden is once again one such scheme, created for the older short. digging for victory.

97 Feature The Last Word THE Nathalie LAST WORD Baxter

Closing this month’s issue of North East Times, Nathalie Baxter, head of workplace at Home Group, looks at the key design elements our future workspaces are going to need to incorporate so that the wellbeing and productivity gains of working from home are not squandered as people return to the office. www.homegroup.org.uk @homegroup

4It’s going to take many different interventions to attract The importance of these design strategies has been reinforced people back to the office post-pandemic. But if you could throughout working from home as colleagues have naturally pursue just one game-changing strategy to make workspaces fit gravitated towards environments and activities that embody for the future, what would it be? these design characteristics. Shared workspaces of the future should act as collaborative While working from home has been challenging, many of us tools to bring colleagues together in ways that remote working have chosen to take a walk while on a call, work in a garden cannot. While digital platforms provide an efficient and or eat lunch in an outdoor space, sit beside a window or look sustainable means of communicating from afar, they do not towards a view. These are all simple but effective ways of allow us to establish and maintain relationships in the same way. stimulating our senses to give us an enhanced sense of wellbeing Our future shared workplaces, therefore, should plug this gap and ultimately increase our productivity. Going forward, both our to reinforce an organisation’s culture and ensure colleagues feel remote and shared future workspaces should seek to reinforce engaged, motivated and supported. this. The intuitive, passive moments we experience when we’re in a shared workplace, such as chatting to a colleague in the coffee 4In your new role at Home Group, you’ve been charged area, catching up as we cross paths or eating lunch together, are with helping the company adapt to the ‘new normal’ office all important interactions. environment. What does this new environment look like? A lot of our workplace relationships were already established We aren’t going ‘back to the office’ because it no longer pre-COVID-19, which is, in part, why we can work so efficiently serves the same function, we’re going forwards to future ways of remotely. Future workplaces should motivate colleagues to come working, which will liberate us to use the workplace in a much together and form a sense of community while working towards a more dynamic, flexible and agile way. common purpose. We will use the lessons learnt from working from home to The game-changing strategy, therefore, is to change provide an optimum hybrid workplace solution in which the perceptions of what a workplace is; rather than thinking of benefits of flexible remote working are blended with the cultural ‘shared workspaces’ as ‘offices’, we should start considering them and collaborative benefits of attending a shared workplace. as community enablers for organisations to foster and live out To deliver this level of flexibility requires a rigorous analysis their values. of all our working tasks, systems and processes, alongside their physical and digital compatibilities. This analysis will help us to 4How can design be used to promote wellbeing, productivity scope out our future network of activities to which we will tailor and creativity in these future workspaces? our design responses at One Strawberry Lane and roll out across There are many well-established design mechanisms. They the UK. include biophilic design, to promote interaction with nature We know our future environment is not a static workplace. It is through natural light and materials; active design strategies an active, transient and progressive space, which may look very to encourage physical movement while at work and; inclusive different from one day to the next to respond to the various tasks design strategies to establish wholly accessible spaces. we need to undertake and customers we serve.

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