Issue 22 - Winter 2013 iMindingntouch Gibraltar’s Business Interview with the Minister for Financial Services Frontier Issues Centre of Digital Innovation & Incubation Small Business Saturdays Developing Local Media Health & Safety Seminar www.gfsb.gi Minding Gibraltar’s Business intouch 1 CONTENTS Issue 22 - Winter 2013 iMindingntouch Gibraltar’s Business Contents InTouch | Issue 22 | Winter 2013 GFSB Editor’s Notes 05 Meet the Board 06 Chairman’s Notes 07 GFSB’s Chair Gemma Vasquez interviews the Minister for www.gfsb.gi 08 Minding Gibraltar’s Business intouch 1 Financial Services, Albert Isola Zen and the art of Gibraltar frontier queuing 12 Federation of Small Businesses The UK’s Leading Business Organisation Frontier issues 14 Cross-border group signs ‘historical declaration’ against 15 frontier problems Developing Gibraltar’s first centre of Digital Innovation 16 & Incubation GFSB launches Small Business Saturdays 18 Glocon - wearable technology of the future 20 New to Gibraltar - Aphrodite Beauty Academy 22 intouch Greenarc goes green! 24 Editorial Director Medport Shipping - Making a name for themselves 26 Julian Byrne Content is King- Truth or Myth? 28 Designed by Piranha Designs Gibraltar An Effective Workplace 30 www.piranhadesigns.com Developing local media 32 Published by Economic benefits from filming locations and tourism 34 The GFSB Health & Safety seminar highlights need for risk assessments 36 122 Irish Town Gibraltar Calentita: GFSB Rockchef stall 38 Tel: +350 200 47722 Fax: +350 200 47733 Email: [email protected] www.gfsb.gi Disclaimer No part of this publication may be reproduced without the wirtten permission of the publishers. The Publishers and the Editor have made every effort to ensure that all of the information within this publication is accurate, but emphasise that they cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. The Publishers and the Editor accept no responsibility for statements made by contributors or for any claim made through advertisements published in this magazine. Minding Gibraltar’s Business intouch 3 EDITOR’S NOTES The portfolio of responsibilities have been allocated by the Board as follows: editor’s Chairman Gemma Vasquez Vice-Chairman Craig Sacarello notes Business & Commerce Alfredo Vasquez Dear Readers, We are working behind the scenes us know your thoughts and struggles. Treasurer Alfredo Vasquez to do everything we can to address Our goal is to make Gibraltar a great Employment Gemma Vasquez (Conditions of Employment Board, Labour 2013 has been an interesting year. the situation, and in order to do so we place for small businesses and we Advisory Board, Small Business Board) Ian Torrilla (Employment & Training Board, Small Business really need to know how the border need to know the issues the business Board) A lot of changes and new challenges problems are affecting you. Please let community is facing. have arisen for local businesses. us know the issues that affect your Environment Tony Lopez Some businesses are thriving and business and life. Please let us know what you would Legal Gemma Vasquez others are having to adapt to different like to see in future editions. demands. In February we will have the annual Business start-ups/EU Funding Ian Torrilla / Alfredo Vasquez (JLAG, EU Funding Board, Small Grants Board) visit of the European Small Business Thanks for reading and supporting Information & Technology Ian Torrilla (E-business Advisory Council) This issue we have an interview with Alliance (ESBA) which will be both the GFSB. Education & Training Tony Lopez the Minister of Finance, Albert Isola interesting to hear what is going on and find out how he can help local in Europe and also an opportunity to Wishing you success, Membership Secretary/ Members Benefits Michael Borge business and Gibraltar’s economy at share some of our concerns. Trade Licensing Gemma Vasquez / Craig Sacarello large. We remind you to attend our breakfast Banking Michael Borge We have some interesting articles on clubs and training courses which are Health & Safety Tony Lopez (Health & Safety Board) the big issue that is in everybody’s a great success. If you haven’t done minds, and that is the frontier situation. so already please join our LinkedIN Tourism Julian Byrne (Tourism Advisory Council) Julian Byrne With long queues almost every day, group. Wholesale & Retail Craig Sacarello problems importing products and Editor International Gemma Vasquez (ESBA Board) growing friction, this is a topic that The group is for our members to affects all our lives. discuss matters and highlight relevant In Touch Julian Byrne issues to the Board so that we can take Design & Branding Julian Byrne it up from there. It is a great way to let 4 intouch Minding Gibraltar’s Business Minding Gibraltar’s Business intouch 5 CHAIRPERSON’S NOTES chairperson’s Gemma Vasquez Craig Sacarello Alfredo Vasquez Chairperson Vice-Chairman Treasurer board foreword Michael Borge Julian Byrne Ian Torrilla Secretary Editor Dear Members, With the European Small Business is, however, equally no doubt, that Alliance board meetings occurring we have to be inventive and think With the frontier situation dominating here in February, it presents us with progressively if we are to face these our news daily there is little doubt that an excellent opportunity to bring difficult times with a smile upon our in the long term, retailers in Gibraltar the problems we are facing at a faces. face challenging times. European border to the table. Having a European association lobby for The call has to be to make Gibraltar meet the A focused effort has to be made to Gibraltar within the EU can only be more business friendly. We need to Tony Lopez Lianne Azzopardi try to alleviate the situation at the a positive step forward. The GFSB make it easier for business to flourish border. The message has to be a is committed to trying to assist the and occur in Gibraltar. We need to non-political message, whereby the situation and highlight the difficulties make certain that the view of Gibraltar economic effect on Gibraltar and, which businesses are facing, be world-wide is that we are always open more pertinently, on the surrounding it as a cross border level (due to for business. area, are highlighted. The endgame difficult spot-checks being carried must be to make the border more user out on merchandise) or at a more As ever, friendly, whilst maintaining our right human level (the difficulties faced by Don’t gamble with risk to defend our status. A useful point employees crossing the border daily). to focus attention on is the European Deal with it Union. The press announcement The government is to be applauded made by the European Union does for supporting GFSB initiatives such as Risk is inherent to business - without it there’d be no reward. But dealing with it effectively means taking action to make not treat the situation at our border Small Business Saturdays; however, your business risk-resilient. Which, to us, means building sympathetically enough. The reality there is an urgent need to find new strength and value into your business so that when the faced by every user of the frontier sectors into which Gibraltar can safely unexpected does happen, and at some time it surely will, is most un-European. This needs to expand in order to continue to create you’ll be better prepared to weather the storm and come out fighting. Risk management and value creation are key services be highlighted in a manner which is wealth and employment. The private recognised by the European Union. sector needs to assist here - without we provide to our clients. It’s called stacking the odds in our Gemma Vasquez favour. Effective, non-political, lobbying is a shadow of doubt; however strong Chairperson necessary. leadership is also required. There is For more information, call Joseph L Caruana or Stephen J Reyes on: Tel: +350 200 41200, no doubt that we are faring as well as Gibraltar Federation of Small Fax: +350 200 41201, [email protected] we can in a difficult situation. There Businesses www.deloitte.gi Merchant House, 22/24 John Mackintosh Square, P.O. Box 758, Gibraltar © 2013 Deloitte Limited. A member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited 6 intouch Minding Gibraltar’s Business Minding Gibraltar’s Business intouch 7 I believe the huge success of Gibraltar Day to Spaniards and Spanish business, but in London and the increased interest in our unfortunately it’s not the same the other GFSB’s Chair Gemma services demonstrates that we are getting way round. Internationally the situation is a our message across, but of course more little different because in the sectors that I needs to be done. look after people don’t like noise, they just Vasquez interviews the want to get on with their business. I think GV: Now what jurisdictions in particular that is the same all over the world. They just would you be aiming for? Is it purely want to carry on doing what they’re good Minister for Financial England, London, or would you be at. Gibraltar is a service jurisdiction and focusing on numerous jurisdictions? what we do is provide excellent service to clients from all over the world. I think the AI: I think we need to look at marketing Spanish Government have been surprised Services, Albert Isola our jurisdiction in specific areas, but raising by two things, firstly the response of the the good profile of Gibraltar internationally. international press and the way that they GV: Thanks for agreeing to meet today: I in London. I think having a senior executive It’s not so much a marketing campaign haven’t supported their initiatives, and would like start by asking you how you in London which is one of the main areas as it is a raising of the profile.