2022 Business Predictions: Mandy Watson, MD at Ambitions Personnel
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Mandy Watson, MD at Ambitions Personnel, a recruitment expert headquartered in Lincoln.
2021 has been somewhat of a hangover from the events of 2020. 2022 will be slightly different, but we envisage staff and skills shortages will continue as the unpredictability carries on.
The realities of the issues associated with this are yet to be really perceived by the public. As a result of labour shortages, some employers may have to reign in their product range or level of services.
Consumers may well have to accept a more limited array of products to choose from than they are used to and less chance to enjoy perks like same day or next day deliveries. Fulfilment may well be an issue.
Employers will also have to continue to increase offerings, although possibly not salaries as these have already been pushed to the limit of what firms are comfortable and able to pay. This is where working conditions and other benefits become important. Therefore, employer branding is more important than ever and those who are simply returning to a ‘business as usual’ model pre-pandemic might find themselves the ones not able to attract talent.
As a recruitment operator in the East Midlands, we are already seeing businesses who don’t believe the labour market will become favourable again, they are turning to automation as the solution and we could expect to see a gradual reduction in the demand for low-skilled positions in the longer term.
Clarion helps fire up Yorkshire’s space strategy
With the UK well positioned to take advantage of the growing space industry, a new Yorkshire initiative, Space Hub Yorkshire, is working to bring together the public and private sector and academic organisations to attract Space technology opportunities to the region in order to boost investment and job creation.
Law firm Clarion, which is well versed in market disruption and change dynamics, recently hosted a roundtable event at its offices in Leeds. Leading regional stakeholders heard about the developments in this emerging sector and Mandy Ridyard, chair of Space Hub Yorkshire (SHY), shared the body’s strategy for the region.
Mandy, who is also finance director of West Yorkshire-based precision engineering business Produmax, explained how SHY, supported by the UK Space Agency, was working with businesses, regional Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPS), Yorkshire Universities and research and educational institutions to capitalise on the region’s strengths and assets in the Space sector.
By 2030, the UK space sector is forecast to be worth £40 billion – as well as driving significant investment and job opportunities, Space technology is also expected to bring digital transformation for businesses across many sectors.
Mandy explained: “Although not well known, Yorkshire has a Space heritage – from its history of world-class manufacturing and engineering to the first British female astronaut, Helen Sharman, having hailed from Sheffield. After carrying out an extensive Space cluster mapping exercise across the region, we believe SHY can help to accelerate the development of a thriving, resilient and well-connected ecosystem to ensure Yorkshire can capitalise on the opportunities Space can bring.
“With four LEPs in Yorkshire, 6% of all UK companies and 200k university students, the region is in a strong position to build our capabilities in British Space development. Already, there are over 350 Yorkshire businesses that have been identified as being relevant to the Space industry and there is huge potential for growth. We believe Space technology will act as a catalyst for innovation in business too – our vision is to leverage the region’s space assets and unlock Space for the people and businesses of Yorkshire.”
Other speakers at the event included Colin Baldwin, Head of Local Growth Strategy at UK Space Agency, who discussed how the organisation plans to deliver the Government’s vision to build one of the most innovative and attractive Space economies in the world and its commitment to developing clusters of regional excellence.
Glenn McCauley and Ruth Amey from the University of Leeds highlighted the initiatives that SHY were implementing as part of the development of a virtual Space Campus to improve collaboration between academia, FE Colleges, and the private sector in relation to the innovation and skills agenda.
Finally, Angela Stalker, HR director and colleague Brett Sturrock, Recruitment Manager for Teledyne Technologies, the Shipley-based defence and space business, explained some of the challenges facing the sector, particularly in recruiting specialist engineers. Angela said that working with the region’s universities to develop relevant skillsets, and increasing diversity in the sector, would play a key role going forward.
Clarion director Steve Crow, who chaired the roundtable, commented: “There’s no doubt that the growth of the Space sector represents a huge opportunity for the region. We have a wealth of talent here across our universities, businesses and support bodies and it’s fantastic that an organisation like SHY is leading the charge. By joining forces and collaborating, we will be better placed to take advantage of investment opportunities in areas such as manufacturing, earth observation, internet connectivity, data services, robotics and low-cost access to space.
“A thriving economy needs innovation and we believe that the focus on developing space technology can really help to drive this. SHY will be able to play a vital role in helping businesses navigate their way through and identify both opportunities to support the space initiative, and also ways in which some of these innovations can benefit their own operation.”
To find out more about future space technology events, contact alanta.foley@clarionsolicitors.com or to find out more about SHY, visit spacehubyorkshire.org
First glimpse of new multi-million pound Leeds development
Homebuyers, investors and the people of Leeds have been given their first glimpse of a new £23.5 million city centre apartment development, after its scaffolding and site hoardings were taken down as the scheme approaches completion.
This follows last month’s topping out of The Residence, which sits at the very eastern end of Kirkstall Road. The development by KMRE Group, consists of 111, one, two and three bedroom apartments, as well as two penthouses with large terraces and views across Leeds and beyond. The ground floor of the development offers 2,400 sq ft of commercial space and there are also 25 parking spaces.
More than two thirds of the homes in the 10-storey building, which are being marketed by Linley & Simpson with Morgans, are already reserved.
Kam Mogul, Managing Director at KMRE, said: “The Residence is progressing well and the topping out of the development, as well as the scaffolding and site hoarding removal, are significant milestones that have given people their first opportunity to see how our landmark building looks. The response from both our buyers and the Leeds community, has been extremely positive.
“The Residence will be the first development to complete on the Kirkstall Road corridor, which will soon benefit from hundreds of millions of pounds worth of investment and development that will create thousands of new homes and a vibrant community in the area. We’re extremely proud to be setting a benchmark with The Residence for surrounding developments to follow.”
Senior lawyer reappointed to STEP board
Private client lawyer Amanda Simmonds has been re-elected as a director of the board of STEP, the worldwide body for professionals helping families plan for their futures.
Amanda is a senior associate solicitor with Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett where she heads the firm’s Business Families team.
She provides legal advice on all aspects of private client work including: wills, trusts and estates; Lasting Powers of Attorney; Court of Protection; and personal tax planning advice particularly to families who hold interests in family-run businesses.
STEP is regarded as the gold standard for anyone undertaking private client advice. STEP members are lawyers, accountants, financial advisors and other professionals.
Amanda is deputy worldwide chair of STEP and one of only eight STEP board members. The board is responsible for the strategic direction of STEP, and Amanda will serve a second term of three years.
Amanda said: “In my role as a board director, I have enjoyed contributing to the future shape and development of STEP which is a highly respected, global and multi-disciplinary professional body.
“Many members of Lupton Fawcett’s private client team are members of STEP as we recognise its commitment to promoting high professional standards among trust and estate practitioners.”
One year on: How EMIS has powered 75 million Covid-19 vaccinations
One year on from the first Covid-19 vaccination (8 December 2020), EMIS has helped to power and record more than 75 million vaccinations in England.
EMIS was the first UK health-tech provider to launch a clinical software system that could support the NHS in mobilising the largest vaccination programme in its history.
With 98.9 million doses administered in England so far, EMIS has supported 77 per cent of all vaccinations.
For the first seven months of the programme EMIS remained the only provider of the technology needed to drive and record vaccinations within GP practices, pharmacies and mass vaccination centres across England.
Richard Jarvis, chief technology officer of EMIS said: “I’m incredibly proud of what the EMIS team has been able to deliver over the last 12-months and how it continues to support the NHS in the largest vaccination programme on record.
“When the NHS asked for our help we mobilised a programme to support them. The team worked extremely hard to develop a point of care system that could be ready by day one of the vaccination roll-out.”
Richard Jarvis, chief technology officer of EMIS
“It’s now a year since the first vaccination was given and it’s rewarding to see how that hard work has helped so many millions of people in England.”
The software, which was delivered within an impressive eight-week timeframe and continues to evolve through the roll-out of the booster vaccination drive, was built using the IT system Outcomes4Health.
Outcomes4Health was developed by Pinnacle, a company acquired by EMIS Group in early 2020 to record clinical services provided by community pharmacies, including the annual flu vaccination programme.
For each of the 75 million vaccinations recorded to date through Outcomes4Health, the patient record is collated and shared through interoperability to the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) and GP clinical systems within a matter of hours. It then appears for patients to see via the NHS app and Patient Access.
In addition to helping mobilise the Covid-19 vaccination programme, EMIS also played a vitally important role in the research which identified the 1.5 million people most at risk from the disease and who should be prioritised for early vaccination. This research also raised public awareness of key Covid-19 risk factors such as age, ethnicity and body mass index, as well as certain medical conditions and treatments.
Through Outcomes4Health EMIS also helped to administer over 2.2m flu vaccinations in England during 2020.
CapVest’s Inspired Pet Nutrition acquires super-premium pet food company Pet Food UK from Piper
Founded in 2009, Pet Food UK sells high quality and distinctively branded premium dog and cat pet food and treats in the UK and internationally. Its key brands, “Barking Heads” for dogs and “Meowing Heads” for cats, are predominantly premium natural pet food ranges formulated with the highest quality ingredients. The brands are synonymous with quirky names such as ‘Fat Dog Slim’ and ‘So-fish-ticated Salmon’, highly distinctive packaging, and strong consumer loyalty. In 2014, PFUK introduced the “AATU” brand, an uber-premium product following the 80/20 rule (80% meat, 20% vegetables), which was the world’s first single protein source dry pet food.
IPN, best known for its high-quality natural dog meals and pet treats under the “Harringtons” and “Wagg” brands, was acquired byinternational investment firm and buy-and-build specialist CapVest in December 2020. The acquisition of PFUK is the start of an ambitious growth strategy, which will see IPN build scale and internationalise over the coming years.
James Lawson, CEO of IPN, said: “We are very excited to acquire PFUK, which is highly complementary to our business and our values. This acquisition is consistent with our vision to create a unique portfolio of loved and sustainable pet care brands helping make quality pet care affordable and accessible to all. PFUK brings to IPN highly recognised super and uber-premium brands with a strong digital presence to augment our strong product portfolio and distribution channels. We are impressed by the great progress of PFUK in recent years and we look forward to welcoming the team and further supporting the company to continue to grow.”
Kate Briant, CapVest Partner said: “Pet Food UK is a fantastic addition to IPN which helps broaden and supplement our offering. It adds high quality brands to the portfolio, creates access to new segments and geographies and unlocks more distribution channels to further enhance our growth prospects. We are very pleased to support IPN with its first step in what we hope will be an active acquisition-led growth strategy.”
Piper Investment Director, Rory Gibbs, said: “We are very proud of the team we helped to build at Pet Food UK. Through our partnership with them we were able to deliver significant growth, doubling sales and developing the brand into a digital first business. At investment only 10% of sales in the UK came from digital channels. This has increased to nearly 60%, with 30% of revenue coming from international markets. The interest in Pet Food UK is testimony to the appeal of its brands (Barking Heads, Meowing Heads and AATU), the quality of its pet food and the work done in recent years to build a loyal customer base. We are delighted to see Pet Food UK join IPN, who share its values and commitment to the high-standards of product quality, innovation and sustainability, and we know the company and its brands will continue to flourish under their ownership.”
Completion of the transaction is subject to conditions, and it is expected that the transaction will be completed in the coming weeks.
IPN was advised by DLA Piper (legal), OC&C (commercial) and KPMG (finance & tax).
Piper and the other selling shareholders of Pet Food UK were advised by Houlihan Lokey (Corporate Finance) and Womble Bond Dickinson (Legal).
Ripon Farm Services wins prestigious international award
Ripon Farm Services (RFS), the agricultural suppliers, has scooped a prestigious international marketing award.
RFS has won the 2021 Best Brand Ambassador category in the inaugural Kramer Digital Dealer awards.
The company, based in Dallamires Lane in the city, defeated short-listed competitors from Spain and the Ukraine to win the award.
This is the first time that Kramer, the German manufacturer of compact construction machines such as wheel loaders, has held these Digital Dealer awards.
Geoff Brown, Managing Director of Ripon Farm Services, said: “We are immensely proud and honoured to have won this very special award. Our success is due to an excellent relationship with Kramer and the quality of their machines, together with our hard-working and dedicated staff, who promote the Kramer brand so effectively.
“Kramer is now an absolutely crucial part of our business – indeed they are now second only to John Deere in volume of sales. Their machines, from small wheel loaders for the Dales farmer to the biggest telescopic handler, are increasingly popular at our working demonstrations, open days and shows.”
Ian Moverley, sales manager for Kramer in the UK, said: “Ripon Farm Services are worthy winners of the Best Brand Ambassador award. Their sales team consistently go the extra mile with their marketing activities to promote Kramer and their commitment and dedication to our brand is exceptional.
“RFS were one of the first dealers in the UK to be appointed by Kramer back in 2017 and the growth is sales has been continuous from the very start. They have been successful in selling the whole range of our machines since then, with focussed and effective promotions and marketing.”
Ripon Farm Services are one of the biggest employers in the Ripon area, with some 260 staff and an annual turnover of more than £100 million. The company has 11 depots and groundscare machinery departments as well as three Ifor Williams trailer dealerships and a newly opened vehicle Paint and Body facility.
Kids Planet acquires impressive nine-setting nursery portfolio in West Yorkshire
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of the nursery group, Kinder Haven Limited in West Yorkshire, to Kids Planet. This marks the company’s first Yorkshire nursery portfolio.
Founded in 2002 by husband-and-wife team, Darren and Danielle Dixon, Kinder Haven Limited has steadily grown via an organic development strategy and, today, comprises nine high-quality children’s day nurseries.
All settings trade from converted, purpose-designed facilities which provide an aggregate operating capacity of circa 930 nursery places. They benefit from prominent locations across West Yorkshire and sit within close proximity of each other, providing ease of access for operational management and workforce staff optimisation purposes.
Kinder Haven Limited has been purchased by Kids Planet, one of the largest day nursery groups in the country. Following on from its most recent purchase of Rainbows Nursery in Tadcaster, in the last month alone Kids Planet now owns over 1,100 childcare places in the region.
Danielle Dixon comments, “Having made the decision to sell Kinder Haven Ltd, it was important for us to choose a company with a great reputation and the same ethos and values. We are delighted to have chosen Kids Planet to nurture the Kinder Haven family, continue the legacy and take it to the next level. Kids Planet was the right fit for us, they are a hugely successful nursery group dedicated to providing exceptional childcare with a strong commitment to staff development.
“We would like to thank all the families and staff, past and present. It has been an honour to have been able to care for so many children and to work with such inspirational team members over the last 20 years.”
Speaking on behalf of Kids Planet, CEO, Clare Roberts, comments, “We are delighted to be chosen by Darren and Danielle to take over at Kinder Haven. We are excited to have established a more significant presence in West Yorkshire and to be able to build upon the already high standards of care that have been implemented by the Kinder Haven management team and we immediately recognised the synergies between the two nursery groups. We look forward to working with the management team as we move forward together.”
The sale was handled by Vicky Marsland and Nick Brown at Christie & Co.
Vicky Marsland, Senior Business Agent at Christie & Co, comments, “Danielle and Darren have built a truly magnificent group of nurseries with an incredibly passionate work force. This is a fantastic transaction not only for the new owners but also for the region. This wholly organic group was courted by a number of the leading operators, and we are absolutely delighted to have brokered this market setting deal which is in very safe hands with Kids Planet.
“Buyer demand is stronger than ever in the sector, with a particular increase in the Yorkshire regions for both single settings and multi-site groups from a wide range of buyers.”
Legal advice for the sellers was provided by Gordons LLP, led by Duncan Firman, Stephanie Houghton and James Kimberley, alongside financial advice from Hamish Morrison, Tim Brind and their team at BHP. Legal advice for the buyers was provided by James Skivington and the team at Pinsent Masons LLP.
Tim Brind comments, “It has been an absolute pleasure helping Darren and Danielle through to a successful exit. BHP have worked with the company for nearly 10 years now and have seen first-hand the enormous effort they have put into growing their business.”
‘The Lawyer’ ranks Sills & Betteridge in the UK’s Top 200 law firms for a 3rd Year
With an impressive 12 place leap up the table, Sills & Betteridge LLP now proudly takes 174th position in the ‘UK200’, placing the practice among the UK’s best performing law firms.
Compiled by The Lawyer publication, the annual report is the result of months of detailed, impartial research into the firm’s financial performance, service delivery, and analysis of its partners and employees in terms of gender and other diversity characteristics, progression and development.
It is seen as the benchmark report for anyone with a serious interest in the business of law.
Chief Executive Martyn Hall who was quoted in the report is delighted with the results: “The last 18 months of disruption to the legal market seems to have had quite an impact on the list with some firms being affected more than others.
“I’m pleased to see that Sills & Betteridge LLP has significantly improved its position in the list and goes into 2022 in a very strong position. This is down to sound planning from our management team, robust working practices and the hard work and commitment from our staff.”
The results were announced hot on the heels of another prestigious publication The Legal 500 releasing its findings on the firm. Known as ‘the world’s largest legal directory’ it again recognised Sills & Betteridge as a ‘Leading Law Firm’, with several of its practice areas improving their tier rankings.
Recruitment business becomes employee owned
HR Essentials Ltd, trading as Essential Recruitment, has sold 100% of their shares to HR Essentials Trust, making the business wholly owned by its employees.
With offices in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, the 50 employees will now share in the future success of the business.
The owner directors of the recruitment business – Marc Orli, Kristyan Rachael, Lisa Smith, Alison Wilby, Gary Wilson and Carl Wootton – sold their shares for an undisclosed sum.
With the exception of Gary Wilson, who will step down from his role as chairman, the directors will remain with the business and work with the Employee Trust to help grow the company, and implement a succession plan for the long-term future of all its employees.
A statement provided on behalf of the directors said: “Our vision since starting in 2006 was to build a business that not only cared for its clients and candidates but also to provide a company that provided its colleagues a positive environment in which they could thrive.
“Over the last 15 years, we have done our utmost to stand by this vision. During the last 2 years of uncertainty, it has been the team as a whole that has stood true to our culture, so what better way to reward all those involved than to become Employee Owned.”
Deb Oxley, Chief Executive of the Employee Ownership Association, said: “Congratulations to Essential Recruitment on its transition to employee ownership, securing the ethos, values and culture of the business for the longer term.
“Businesses that are all about people benefit greatly from empowering employees by giving them a stake and a say, with impacts for the employees and the business, which is also felt by clients and the communities the business serves.”
