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BUSINESS IN FOCUS 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2017 – 2018 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 FROM OUR CHAIR for new acquisitions, during Through Welsh Government’s the year, under review. The Big Ideas Wales, we worked Property Team’s quest was with 255 young people to rewarded when we completed stimulate and realise business the acquisition of Crownford ideas. Our ‘Bootcamp to House, Merthyr Tydfi l in August Business’ supported 41 young 2018. At the same time, they entrepreneurs through a maintained average occupancy residential weekend in across our premises at over Margam, South Wales. 98% throughout the year. We maintained all our Working with partners across credentials, including Wales, our priority for the Committed to Equality Gold Welsh Government’s Business and ISO9001:2015. With a Wales Advisory Service was to team of 95 at March 2018, During the fi nancial year ended increase activity. Spurred on our team engagement and 31st March 2018, Business by a healthy service quality development during the year in Focus built capacity and review in summer 2017, client resulted in a Gold Award performance, delivering robust numbers increased signifi cantly, from our Investors in People fi nancial performance and and we ended the year with assessment after the year end. improved cash fl ow. nearly 4,800 jobs created, This and all our successes are 980 businesses started and A strategic review of down to our fantastic team, £16 million business investment longer-term goals by senior led by our Chief Executive, since the contract began. management was endorsed Katy Chamberlain and the by the Board and the whole We fi nalised arrangements Leadership Team, so I will fi nish team in 2018. We set the bar for the new Business Wales by thanking them all. We are high, with plans to expand Entrepreneurship Hub in working hard to support our our provision of excellent Wrexham, ready for the May clients with preparations for accommodation and business launch of this exciting new Brexit and are also developing support services to small and venue. our own resilience and capability. medium-sized businesses, Despite political and economic The Start Up Loan Company bringing these two business uncertainty, I feel confi dent that has demonstrated confi dence strands closer together, while Business in Focus will build on in us, increasing lending consolidating the performance its strengths to deliver our targets and appointing us as of existing services. strategic aims, for the benefi t sole provider, in Wales, to of enterprise in Wales. Refi nancing our property applicants accessing the portfolio enabled us to look New Enterprise Allowance. BUSINESS IN FOCUS 3 BOARD MEMBERS Geraint Evans (Chair) Nirmal Chhabria, Director of Projects Gorsedd Ltd SIMEC Keith Thomas (Vice Chair) John Sheppard, Consultant Verve Management Ltd South East Wales Economic Forum Katy Chamberlain, Chief Executive Steve Hudd, Managing Director Business in Focus Ltd SPS Ltd Jonathan Good, Area Manager Barclays Bank plc Appointments since 1st April 2017 Dr Charles Smith, Deputy Leader Gerald Kelly Bridgend County Borough Council Director Professional Services Sony Global Manufacturing Nicola McNeely, Partner & Operations Corporation Capital Law Victoria Fisher Robert James, Partner Local Business Development Manager Geldards LLP Lloyds Bank plc Christopher Richards Annamaria Bridson Senior Commercial Manager Director Business Banking, HSBC Bank plc Mid & West Wales Jenny Jones LLB, Partner NatWest Bank plc Morgan Denton Jones Andrew Jones LLB Resignations since 1st April 2017 Cardiff Business Banking John Bevan retired as a Director Natwest Bank plc on 26th September 2017 Councillor Robert Bevan, Cabinet Member Andrew Jones retired as a Director Rhondda Cynon Taff on 25th May 2018 County Borough Council 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE 2017/18 saw Business in Focus senior management. We Established in 1955, the school welcome 32 new starters to continued work to increase was given a fabulous country the organisation. In a climate team diversity, for example house with impressive gardens of high employment, we increasing the number of Welsh that prove challenging for the reviewed recruitment methods speaking team members. Caretakers to keep maintained. and employer branding, taking In a simply amazing day, our We increased our focus on steps to increase our profile energetic teams completed health and wellbeing, engaging and showcase Business in a wide range of groundwork with Gofal Cymru and Mind Focus as an employer of choice. activities to help reclaim areas to provide support for mental for development, covering not We retained our Committed health. On Welsh Happiness only that year’s projects but to Equality Gold status for Day, we invited the Dogs Trust some reserved for the next year. the 6th year since 2012. and some of their furry friends Our Equality and Diversity into our Pencoed HQ, as a statistics speak for themselves stress-buster for our teams. as we consistently show With a change of direction from more male than female recent years, our Team Away part-time personnel, and Day took us to Craig Y Parc, more female than male line a school and home for disabled managers up to and including children and young people. BUSINESS IN FOCUS 5 SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE As we work to maintain CRM system, welcomed with Business in Focus’ fitness open arms by the whole team for the future, we have and currently in its final phase introduced initiatives to of testing. capture and use the inspiration As well as the support needed and ideas from our talented for our now 102-member team, team, driving innovation, we continue to assist a portfolio continuous improvement and of clients with their own two-way communication. Our personnel management. effectiveness as a team was tested after the year end in our Investors in People assessment, It’s not surprising, therefore, against the sixth Generation that our Human Resources Framework, where we achieved Manager, Andrea Wallbank, the Gold award, putting us in was nominated for an the top 10 companies for our award at the Wales HR sector in the UK. Awards, based on her During the year, we also energy, dedication and commenced the investment in professionalism. and implementation of a new 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 BUSINESS WALES At 1st April 2017 we had a well-established service for clients with ambitions for growth and were in the process of making changes to the service for clients wishing to become self-employed or run local, lifestyle businesses, to ensure we delivered the requirements of this European Regional Development Funded contract. Our focus was to ensure we outcomes including some maintained a high quality of £5.1 million exports and service while increasing client £11.5 million investment in take-up of the service, the enterprise, fuelling the creation Welsh Government’s primary of nearly 3,800 jobs and 750 mechanism to deliver its new businesses, of which more policy of support for small than 40% have ambitions and medium sized businesses to grow. across Wales. We welcomed a new National Business Wales is delivered by Contract Manager, Rik Sellwood a highly successful Consortium who worked with Business of companies led by Business Wales Regional Managers to in Focus, and also includes develop a plan to streamline the Superfast Business Wales our processes, increase lead programme, supporting generation and enhance team clients to take advantage of leadership and management. technological advancements The results of this are clear and the supporting in the consistent delivery of infrastructure across Wales. robust results throughout the current year. With increasing participants throughout the year, the Volume delivery is only good Business Wales team delivered if client service follows suit, a strong set of results, and a Welsh Government client providing more than 9,000 survey in summer 2017 showed clients with information and high scores for helpfulness, nearly 4,200 clients with knowledge and response times, more in-depth support. The with some 92% of respondents Consortium’s Advisory, Client commenting favourably on the Support and Administration professionalism of the service. teams delivered measurable Our ambition continues to be to BUSINESS IN FOCUS 7 improve on those results for the benefi t of our clients. At the same time, our teams 1,322 continued to improve the companies supported quality of evidence to support throughout Wales outcomes and ensure delivery complied with the requirements of the European Union and Welsh Government funds, which support the contract. To support client service delivery, the teams have been involved in a number of 330 initiatives to provide further events delivered to over 230 support to clients in a variety mentoring of arenas and sectors, varying 2,000attendees matches from supply chain support to delivered Transport for Wales, advice to businesses providing Social Care in the Valleys, and managing the delivery of the new Wrexham Enterprise Hub. Into the current year, we work with Welsh Government to develop a series of services to help Welsh businesses prepare themselves for Brexit, in whatever form that takes. 8 ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 S3 ADVERTISING BUSINESS WALES CASE STUDY Business Wales is the Welsh Government’s Entrepreneurship Service. It is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. BUSINESS IN FOCUS 9 Established in 2011, S3 Advertising is a S3 worked with other Business Wales Welsh based award-winning advertising specialists to build their business further. and multimedia company delivering contracts Sonia Evans, Tendering Advisor provided throughout the UK. The aim of the business advice on how to become ‘tender ready’; is to offer a very creative and innovative the Superfast Business Wales team provided advertising service across all media at an support to enhance the digital aspects of affordable cost. the business; and a Sustainability Advisor, Paul Carroll, conducted an environmental Matt Jones started the business from diagnostic and provided support towards scratch working from his loft.

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