Membership magazine of the IoD in Northern Ireland November / December 2018 David Sterling Head of Civil Service on the latest Brexit developments Page 06 Cunningham Coates Listen to the future Page 20-21 Women’s Conference The Winning Edge Page 29 In Good Company Interview with Managing Your complete business Director of Selective travel telecoms and IT Provider 0800 018 8082 rainbowcomms.com Page 11 Our Committee Gordon Milligan, Adrian Allen, Bonnie Anley CDir, Norah Anne Barron, Pi Catriona Gibson, Chairman, IoD Northern The Tomorrow Lab Mourne Country Park Communications Arthur Cox Belfast Ireland Clare Guinness, Declan Gormley, John Hansen, David Henry, Henry Caroline Keenan, Louise Kelly, Warrenpoint Port Brookvent Limited KPMG Northern Brothers ASM Chartered Grant Thornton NI Ireland Accountants LLP Professor Marie Alan McKeown, Sarah Orange, Ian Sheppard, Dr Joanne Stuart, Paul Terrington, McHugh, Ulster Dunbia HNH Human Capital Bank of Ireland Catalyst Inc PwC University Business School directorNI Gordon Milligan Chairman’s Message IoD Northern Ireland as 2018 a and the flagship Chartered Director. Speakers at the lunch included Dr good year for Neil Bentley, originally from Belfast We hosted some exceptional (Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK), you? For your events in partnership with NI’s a partnership between governments, business? This most reputable businesses. Record employers and education which is a question we breaking numbers attended our aims to help accelerate young will all be asking ourselves as we Annual Dinner and Women’s people’s career development. W Leadership Conference in 2018. begin to ‘wrap up’ for Christmas. He was joined by Microsoft Ireland 2019 will undoubtedly bring We celebrated the NI Director of Commercial Director Aisling more uncertainty around the the Year Awards in May, which Curtis and Tony Danker, also from B-word, we will continue to see NI recognised leaders who have Belfast, who is Chief Executive of set exceptional standards and business battle a skills shortage ‘Be the Business’, a new business- demonstrated good corporate led organisation created to close and low productivity levels but governance. The regional winners we will also continue to thrive as a the UK’s productivity gap. We travelled to London in October also launched the findings of IoD destination for FDI and tourism. for the National Finals and we and Baker Tilly Mooney Moore were delighted to come home research, exploring the importance with two Awards. Denis Lynn I have had a busy year meeting of management and leadership (Finnebrogue) won ‘Innovation’ new and existing members, hearing training to the local economy. which recognises leaders who their concerns and using this have developed and implemented As we look forward to 2019, we to engage with the permanent innovative or transformational ideas. hope to engage with even more of secretaries in the continuing absence our members through our thought- of a functioning NI Executive. Gary Thompson (NI Fire and provoking events. Members are set Rescue Service) won ‘Inclusivity’ We engaged with the Secretary to learn lessons on how to chart a which recognises leaders who of State (SoS) Karen Bradley and smooth passage through challenging have implemented specific she was left under no illusions conditions at the Annual Dinner initiatives to promote diversity as to the depth of anger and on 7th February 2019 with Martin and inclusion in the workplace. Big frustration felt in the NI business McCourt. Martin is best known congratulations to Denis and Gary! community after hearing the for transforming Dyson and is frank views from members. We spent the summer months currently non-executive chairman travelling across NI as part of at Glen Dimplex, he has also held NI membership is made up of over the ‘Chairman’s Roadshow’. senior positions at global firms such 950 directors, across public, private This presented an important as Mars, Duracell and Toshiba. and third sector organisations. opportunity for leaders across the 130 new members joined us this Another key date is the Women’s North West, Newry and Armagh year, 29% are female (growth of Leadership Conference on 8th to take part in topical discussions 6% this year) and 26% are under March 2019. Although the day that can make a real difference. the age of 40, seeing an increase will have a particular focus on in younger directors investing IoD NI called on emerging leaders to women as leaders, the emphasis in professional development. ‘supercharge their leadership journey’ is on ‘Leadership’ and men are at the Young Directors Conference encouraged to attend to build We launched the IoD Academy in NI in October. This half day conference their leadership toolkit. marking the first of its kind outside was designed to fast track their of London. The academy provides Along with the National Director journey to business success. courses to enhance the skills of and the IoD NI Team, I look leaders such as; role of a director and ‘Skills’ was top of the agenda at the forward to welcoming you the board, finance for non-financial IoD Leadership Lunch in November. all to an IoD event soon. directors, strategy and leadership, 04 Diary Dates 12 Tips to prepare for 26 Exporting Overseas Brexit 05 RTE Editor to address 29 IoD Women’s Brexit Event 14 Spotlight on IoD Leadership Events Conference 2019 06 Update from David Sterling, Head of Civil 16 IoD Academy NI 32 Member News Service 20 Cunningham Coates – 41 NI Success at Director 11 In Good Company ‘Listen to the Future’ of the Year Awards Interview with Keith 22 Our Members 44 The Twinterview with Graham, Selective Contents Travel Management Dr Sue Black Nov / Dec 2018 | 3 MEMBERS Diary Contact IoD Dates National Director: Kirsty McManus [email protected] November Business Development FOLLOW US IoD Leadership Lunch-Boosting Manager: 02 ON TWITTER: Productivity through People Lisa Maltman [email protected] 14 Private Dinner with Arthur Cox @IoDNI and speaker Neil Stewart, Glen Event Manager: Dimplex** Julie-Anne Clarke 15 New and Renew Member Lunch * [email protected] 16 Academy NI Alumni Event * Marketing & Communications Assistant: 21 Connect and Influence: Focus on Chelsea Brennan Brexit with keynote speaker- Tony [email protected] Connelly - Europe Editor for RTE News Business Development 29 House of Commons Business, Manager: Energy & Industrial Strategy Select Emma Jayne Mawhinney Committee** EmmaJayne.Mawhinney@iod. com January IoD at Riddel Hall Disclaimer: Articles are 31 New and Renew Member Lunch * 185 Stranmillis Road, published in Director NI as a Belfast BT9 5EE contribution to discussions about business issues. They February Tel: 028 9068 3224 represent the personal views 07 IoD Annual Dinner- Martin McCourt, Email: iod.northernireland@ of their authors and do Non-Executive Chairman, Glen iod.com not necessarily reflect the Dimplex** Web: www.iod.com/ni Institute of Directors’ policy. March 08 Women’s Leadership Conference 13 IoD/Deloitte NED Network Private Dinner April 17 New Director Bootcamp * May 17 IoD Director of the Year Awards 23 New & Renew Member Lunch * Book online at www.iod.com/ni *Free of charge **By invitation only or register your interest to [email protected] 04 | directorNI directorNI RTE Europe editor to address Belfast Brexit event Tony Connelly, RTE News Europe Editor eading Brexit EU Summit which had stood as “We greatly look forward to hearing commentator Tony the target for final agreement on a his candid views on all Brexit withdrawal deal to be made. developments, as we join with Connelly will address our members and their guests at This lunch time event will provide business leaders in Belfast November’s Connect and Influence an unrivalled opportunity to hear this autumn as debate event.” around the UK’s exit from the exclusive insights from some of the L best placed experts to comment on Tony Connelly has been covering European Union intensifies. the state of play in negotiations. EU and European affairs from The RTE News Europe Editor will Brussels since 2001. He has reported “As Europe Editor for RTE, Tony speak to an audience at a lunch extensively on the period before Connelly has been ever present time event hosted by the Institute of and after the Brexit referendum, and on our television screens since the Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI). before that covered the European EU Referendum. With high-level refugee crisis, the Greek debt Taking place on 21st November in access to those involved in the Brexit situation, the Irish bail-out and the the wake of Novembers special EU debate on all sides, he has gained financial crisis dating back to 2008. Summit, the event entitled Connect a reputation for providing in-depth and Influence: Focus on Brexit is analysis of the issues involved and He will be joined in a panel discussion sponsored by BDO NI and Carson an ability to communicate the most at the event by Allie Renison, Head of McDowell. complex of matters to audiences Europe and Trade Policy at the IoD with clarity and meaning. Kirsty McManus, National Director, For more information, or to make a IoD NI said: “For some time, all eyes booking, contact 028 9068 3224 or have been fixed on November’s visit www.iod.com/ni. All your document outsourcing needs at your fingertips... Storage Call 028 90 73 23 33 or visit morgandocumentsecurity.com Nov / Dec 2018 | 05 INSIGHTS was in Brussels recently where I had a series of meetings with senior figures David Sterling involved in the EU Exit negotiations. IIt was a constructive two day programme, where I had the David Sterling, Head opportunity to meet and discuss the of the Northern Ireland issues facing Northern Ireland with Civil Service (NICS) representatives from both the UK shares his insight with Government’s negotiating team and IoD members.