East Midlands The official membership magazine of the IoD in the East Midlands n January 2017 The case of the curious leader Tesco CEO offers his views on modern business leadership IoD events diary • Director development Export advice Keep up with the latest IoD news and events - see www.iod.com/eastmidlands Join the IoD East Midlands LinkedIn group – at https://uk.linkedin.com/groups/IoD-East-Midlands Your products and services are Business needs the voice what the world is waiting for of the IoD to be heard There are some strange misconceptions GREAT.gov.uk, demonstrates the Garry Smith needs to keep its cards close to its chest as it sets prices in the shops. And where inflation goes, hanging around. Some people believe breadth of products and services that Chairman, IoD East Midlands forward on what will be complex and hugely so pay rises must follow... that the Moon landing was a hoax, are required overseas – over 800 live of the most compelling reasons to important negotiations with its EU partners. Which leads me on to one worrying sign at others that Elvis is not really dead, but opportunities, updated daily, for which undertake overseas trade. Any magazine column that lands at the start of So amid the confusion and obfuscation, the end of 2016, the return of employee protests living and working in Basingstoke. But UK companies can register. The new website excellently the year tends to look back at past events and where is the good news? Ironically, I think it lies and industrial action in some key businesses. perhaps the most surprising demonstrates specifically which country forward to future ones – and this one will be no in the time-honoured traditions of the UK The strikes generated a lot of media heat and misconception of all is one surrounding As well as this, the new website has is looking for which product or service, different! business community: that it is innovative and some unsavoury scenes. My personal view is overseas trade, namely that, of the 2.5 additional functionality. It offers a suite thereby giving companies hugely 2016 saw what was, to most people, the inventive, and among the most ingenious in the that striking is a legitimate action for employees million businesses registered in the UK, of tools for new, occasional or frequent powerful intel – and all for free. biggest voting shock of our lives – but I’ve got world. With that background, I hope we’ll find a with a strong grievance. However, I am an estimated 360,000 who have an exporters. For example, for those over Ore winning Strictly Come Dancing way through any problems that come concerned that some of those at the end of 2016 exportable product or service companies who are trading online, the But the DIT world has not gone totally now, so let’s move on... our way. had a political edge to them. That would be an mistakenly believe there isn’t a global site offers exclusive deals on fees or digital. Almost certainly the most There were those other two votes ... But at the moment we seem to unwelcome return to the atmosphere in which demand for it. commissions with some of the world’s powerful weapon in our armoury is the and while the impact of Trump on be treading water. Businesses we conducted business in the 1970s, a regressive leading online marketplaces. Companies people who are available to help and these shores is impossible to that don’t export are largely move that I hoped we’d seen the last of. The Department of International Trade is are also encouraged to register on the advise you. They are the best place to quantify at the moment, Brexit is untroubled by events; those seeking to counter this last buyer directory. start if you want to understand if your one we are already starting to feel that export have seen a nice For the IoD, both in the East Midlands and misconception in a variety of ways product or service is suitable for export. the effects of. boost by the dip in Sterling’s nationally, 2016 was another hectic year – and (perhaps we’ll turn our attention to the This is a fantastic opportunity to Seven months on from that value. However, for those 2017 promises to be just as busy. I was, as ever, first two when we have cracked the showcase your business to overseas Their experience is vast, both in terms of momentous day and I feel business is companies who import – hugely encouraged by the amount of overseas trade thing). companies who are looking to source their own experience and in the slowly groping its way forward as it particularly raw materials – membership interaction we saw through our Some of the work we do, such as this products and services from overseas. companies they have already helped. tries to come to terms with what the higher currency rates have hit events. The diary was packed with meetings, article for example, falls within the realms landscape will look like over the next hard. We also need to be CPD, social and networking events of all shapes of general PR – broadly describing our Once companies are convinced that their So give us a call (While we’re waiting, decade. keep an eye on Sterling’s and sizes, and it was hugely encouraging to see services, enthusing companies about product or service is indeed suitable for we’re just going to check that moon Hard information is needed. relative value as this will so many of them so well supported. My thanks the possibilities of exporting, whatever export, other research shows us that landing footage, just to be sure…) The problem for the business start, inevitably, to to the regional office for organising such an their product or service is and clarifying that one of the main barriers is that community is that I think we trickle into the impressive itinerary - with more to come in what we do and how we could support companies just don’t know where to Find out more at can also all appreciate why day-to-day economy in 2017 (see pg 14). them to grow. start. In a bizarre paradox, it’s almost as the Government feels it the form of higher Continued on page 4 though the size of the world is putting www.GREAT.gov.uk On the digital front, our new website, them off, rather than being seen as one Tel: 0345 052 4001 CONTACTS IoD East Midlands, Newton Arkwright Building, Nottingham Trent University, Burton St, Nottingham NG1 4BU Regional Chairman: Garry Smith Branch Chairs An employee packs boxes Please note... t: 07747 696186 Leicestershire The Institute of Directors East of tea at the production Chair: Steve de Looze Midlands membership line at Taylors of Although every effort is made to Regional Director: Ron Lynch e: [email protected] magazine is published on Harrogate’s tea behalf of the IoD by: ensure the accuracy of material e: [email protected] t: 07595 414484 packaging facilities in contained within this magazine, t: 0115 848 6190 Chamber Media Services, neither the IoD nor Chamber Harrogate. A wave of Media Services can accept any m: 07939 584626 Lincolnshire 4 Hilton Road, Bramhall, affluent Chinese Chair: Gary Headland responsibility for omissions or consumers, who want Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3AG inaccuracies in its editorial or Head of Business Development: e: [email protected] the British afternoon tea advertising content. Sue Charlesworth t: 07787 484448 Advertising sales: experience, are boosting e: [email protected] Colin Regan t: 07871 444922 The views expressed in this British exports of t: 0115 848 6190 Northamptonshire e: [email protected] publication are not necessarily premium tea to China m: 07939 584962 Chair: Sarah Canning those of the IoD. The carriage of and Hong Kong - proof 01604 828282 Production enquiries: adverts in this publication does that with the right help, Rob Beswick, not constitute an endorsement of Regional Administrator: e: [email protected] the products or services UK firms can sell tea to t: 0161 426 7957 Monique Sylvester advertised. China! e: rob@chamber e: [email protected] Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire All articles within this publication Photo: Leonora Beck mediaservices.co.uk t: 0115 848 6190 Chair: Lynn Bleakley are copyright IoD East Midlands. 07909 684178 Editorial consent must be www.iod.com/ obtained before any are PR Officer: Janet Wootton e: [email protected] eastmidlands reproduced either in printed form [email protected] or electronically. IoD East Midlands is grateful to our regional sponsors IoD East Midlands January 2017 | 03 News Keep up with the latest IoD news and events - see www.iod.com/eastmidlands Join the IoD East Midlands LinkedIn group – at https://uk.linkedin.com/groups/IoD-East-Midlands Continued from page 3 with IoD head office to co-ordinate views as part of an overall presentation to the IoD 99 reject gloom and look Nationally, the IoD bid farewell to our Exchequer. Director-General Simon Walker at the end of That the Government is listening to the December. Simon has certainly raised the IoD’s business community and accepting advice from profile during his tenure, and has used his the IoD is both necessary and laudable. In forward to a bright future extensive contacts to ensure our representatives many ways we have Simon to thank for this are now involved in top-level discussions. influence. by Ron Lynch, I think it is safe to say that it has never been As members will be aware our new Director Regional Director, IoD East Midlands IoD 99: What’s most important to your business? more important that the business voice is heard General, Stephen Martin, is something of a at the highest level in Whitehall, and that’s why local man, in that his business was based in As 2016 drew to a close the IoD released the 47% it is so encouraging that our Chief Economist Lincolnshire - though his roots are Northern results of its Annual Survey of IoD 99 members 53% 37% 36% and Director of Policy, James Sproule, is so Ireland.