Membership magazine of the IoD in Northern Ireland September / October 2019 Young Directors Conference 2019 Achieving Competitive Edge Page 10 The Twinterview with Conall Laverty, Founder & CEO of Wia Page 26 The Power of PhD Page 34 Clarity Telecom Challenging the Global VoIP Players Page 06 Our Committee Gordon Milligan, Adrian Allen, Bonnie Anley CDir, Barry Byrne, Catriona Gibson, Chairman, IoD Northern The Tomorrow Lab Londonderry Port and Mount Charles Group Arthur Cox Belfast Ireland Harbour Kathryn Thomson, John Hansen, David Henry, Caroline Keenan, Professor Marie McHugh, National Museums NI KPMG Northern Henry Brothers ASM Chartered Ulster University Business Ireland Accountants School Alan McKeown, Sarah Orange, Natasha Sayee, Paul Stapleton, Paul Terrington, Dunbia HNH Human Capital SONI NIE Networks PWC 2 | DirectorNI directorNI Gordon Milligan Chairman’s Message IoD Northern Ireland opefully as you read smart clothing, wearables and 3D Ulster University, we heard about this you have enjoyed printing. It’s always enlightening to the progress and future plans on hear from local NI businesses that some major ongoing infrastructure a good summer and are at the forefront of disrupting projects; including the Belfast are refreshed and the status quo and competing on Transport Hub, the new Ulster re-energised for what a global scale, especially in the University city campus and an HI imagine will be a challenging time healthcare and medical industries. update on the Belfast Regional City ahead as businesses and political Deal. These transformational projects parties start on another round of will have significant positive impact Brexit preparations and discussions to the Northern Ireland economy through the services provided to ahead of the UK’s planned EU exit We have a very our citizens, business, tourism and on 31 October. IoD will continue to “interesting and those studying in Northern Ireland. consult and publish timely updates on Brexit. So please do use the informative series Finally, I look forward to our annual Young Director’s Conference on resources, read the updates and pencilled in for 11th October. Aimed towards liaise with our policy advisors on ‘emerging’ directors who are aspiring, issues that matter to you and your autumn transitioning and developing in business. their leadership roles. There is a ” fantastic line up of inspirational I had time to reflect over the Also in June we were delighted to speakers discussing the theme of summer months on the activity welcome Dr Simon Haslam, one ‘Achieving a Competitive Edge’…. and performance of our local of IoD’s leading trainers to deliver a super opportunity to network IoD network. Some of my two professional development with like-minded directors. personal highlights are: taster sessions. The sessions in We had a comprehensive programme Mid Ulster and Belfast focused on In May, we celebrated the best in of events and networking the fundamental business areas class with NI’s leading directors at opportunities in the first half of 2019 of strategic decision making and IoD’s Director of the Year Awards and I know we have a very interesting talent development. An area, I 2019. As always, a very positive event and informative series pencilled in know is a key issue for many of our and a testament to the inspiring and for autumn. Over the summer we members. Often business pressures strong leadership skills evident across did member’s survey to ensure we can make it difficult to take time all sectors in NI. I am looking forward are capturing and delivering what out to focus on personal and to our regional winners representing you want from your local NI network. professional development – but to Northern Ireland at the national We have and will continue to use deliver significant strategic decisions, awards on 18 October in London. the responses to shape our future ensure good governance and provide programmes. I am preparing myself In June, we had our Young Directors effective leadership - it is crucial to for a challenging time ahead – and - Disruptive Technologies event take the time to develop your skills, I know I will continue to reach out at Ormeau Baths. This provided knowledge and networks. I feel to my IoD contacts for support, a fascinating insight into how strongly this is an area businesses advice and insight – I urge you to immersive technology can be ignore at their peril. Do reach out do the same. As always, please do leveraged across all business to the local team to discuss the get in touch with me, our regional sectors. Speakers from B-Secur and IoD’s professional development director, Kirsty McManus and the axial3D really brought to life how NI qualifications and plan the time local IoD team. We are a member companies are leading global design to invest in your development. organisation, representing your and innovation in the areas of smart Our final event in June was one views and concerns, and as such technology – especially through close to my heart. Hosted by we welcome hearing from you. 04 Diary Dates 08 Top 100 Celebrating 26 The Twinterview with Success: Almac Group Conall Laverty, CEO & 05 Invest in yourself and Founder of Wia your business reaps 10 Young Directors the reward Conference 2019 28 Member News 06 Belfast’s Clarity 14 Spotlight on Events 34 The Power of PhD Telecom Challenging 24 IoD Academy NI 35 IoD NI support Foyle the Global VoIP Search & Rescue Players Contents September / October 2019 | 3 MEMBERS Diary Contact IoD Dates National Director: Kirsty McManus [email protected] September Business Development FOLLOW US 05 New and Renew Member Lunch* Manager: ON TWITTER: Heather White 12 Director Bootcamp* [email protected] @IoDNI 12 IoD/NIE Networks in Conversation Business Development with Noel Lavery, Department for Manager: the Economy** Lisa Maltman [email protected] 16 Role of the Director & Board Course Event Manager: Julie-Anne Clarke 25 Connect and Influence: All your [email protected] GDPR questions answered* Marketing & Communications Assistant: Chelsea Brennan October [email protected] 7 Finance for Non-Finance Directors course 11 Young Directors Conference 2019 IoD at Riddel Hall Disclaimer: Articles are 185 Stranmillis Road, published in Director NI as a 18 National IoD Director of the Year Belfast BT9 5EE contribution to discussions Awards Final about business issues. They Tel: 028 9068 3224 represent the personal views 23 Connect and Influence: Reputation Email: iod.northernireland@ of their authors and do and Crisis Management Seminar iod.com not necessarily reflect the for Directors* Web: www.iod.com/ni Institute of Directors’ policy. 24 IoD/Arthur Cox in Conversation with Nick Whelan, Dale Farm** November 4 Strategy for Directors course 12 Connect and Influence: Economic Outlook* 13 Director Drinks* 14 New and Renew Member Lunch* 28 The Power of Nudge Economics* December 3 Leadership for Directors course *Free of charge **By invitation only or register your interest to [email protected] Book online at www.iod.com/ni 04 | directorNI directorNI Invest in yourself and your business reaps the reward Other key findings from the research, The answers to these are key to Kirsty McManus, which was carried out by Baker Tilly ensuring our businesses are on the National Director, Mooney Moore, included that 41 per right track towards greater success IoD, Northern cent of business leaders that had and safeguarded against future Ireland undergone management training pitfalls. said it had resulted in increased Simon is one of the leaders on turnover while 53 per cent agreed our programme of professional that staff retention had improved. t goes without saying that development courses. To date, more building a new business However, it is not just the IoD that than 900 directors across Northern or leading an established has been making the case. Previous Ireland have successfully achieved organisation requires a findings from McKinsey & Co for its the IoD’s Diploma in Company Global Management Matters survey Direction, signifying that it is the tremendous amount of skill, showed a direct correlation could qualification of choice for directors. Imuch of which comes naturally to be made between high competency The diploma, provided through those in leadership positions. among managers and productivity. the IoD Academy, equips leaders For that reason, many senior It found a single point improvement with the all-round skills, knowledge, directors fulfil their roles without in management practices (which and understanding essential for having ever received any formal it rates on a five-point scale from successfully directing an organisation training. ‘worst practice to best practice’) is from a strategic perspective, That is of course a marker of the associated with the same increase covering key areas of governance, quality of those leaders – but how in output as a 25 per cent increase finance, strategy, and leadership. in the labour force or a 65 per cent much more could be achieved with It is the first step towards achieving increase in invested capital. additional investment in professional Chartered Director status which has management and leadership In June, acclaimed strategy been bestowed on more than 60 development? consultant and change facilitator leaders in sectors across Northern Research commissioned by IoD NI Simon Haslam addressed IoD Ireland. members at two special events last year revealed that businesses Focusing on the IoD’s Director that highlighted the importance that made such investments Competency Framework, the of investing in professional reaped major positive rewards as a Academy addresses so-called ‘soft development. He posed a number of result. The study, which sought to skills’ by putting knowledge of probing questions, such as: do we as determine the value of professional finance and business strategy on the leaders understand strategy, do we development for managers and same level as the ability to encourage have a process for the making the directors, found more than half of diverse views, communicate right type of decision, and are we business leaders that underwent effectively and make decisions in even asking the right questions.