New integrated housing IT system to launch this month in York

Eleonora Gallina
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New integrated housing IT system to launch this month in York

To further improve residents’ experience of working with City of York Council’s housing services, a new integrated ICT system is launching.

This will let them set up their own account, and will bring together all housing data from 24 January 2022. The system called Open Housing, is launching with a first phase which will connect and improve the way the council, customers, staff and contractors work together. Further new features will be added later in the year. This system will give access to council housing applications, temporary accommodation, resettlement services, housing management, housing repairs, planned maintenance, minor adaptations and leaseholder services. Tenants will be able to set up accounts on the system giving them direct access to their account where they can check their rent balances, when payments are due, update customer and household details and check progress of repairs. In a later phase, tenants will also be able to set up and amend Direct Debits, and request and schedule repairs. Wherever staff work in the service, they will be able to answer any housing-related enquiries because they will be able to see information on all aspects of the service. This could range from checking and updating a tenant’s contact details, to advising on rent account balances and payments, checking the progress of a repair and when planned maintenance is due. Building services’ contractors will be allocated work through Open Housing’s contractor portal. They will be able to update progress and completion of works on the job, reducing officers’ time with processing orders and invoices. Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods, said: “Open Housing replaces many separate systems with one integrated web-based system which will help tenants and staff by providing a single source of information. “It gives customers greater independence as they can self-serve when it suits them. With one log-in, they can access more real-time information than ever before. This includes detail about their tenancies or their applications for housing in York, which they have told us they want. “Open Housing will have a phased approach and bring in different features to deliver significant service improvements and efficiencies. Please be aware that service may temporarily be a little slower as we implement the system, and as staff and customers get used to using it.” Residents will be able to use Open Housing to apply for social housing in York from April 2022. People who have already applied for housing in York, will be contacted soon to check their priority and requirements. Those who are eligible and qualify under the new, York-only policy, will be asked to make a new application through Open Housing later this year and which will be backdated. Staff can still be contacted via email and phone as usual, and any tenants not online can book time on Explore Libraries’ computers. Find out more at www.york.gov.uk/OpenHousing where there is a link to the Open Housing portal. The portal will open on 24 January 2022.

Plan ahead for the new year with new routes, as Connecting Leeds transforms travel

Eleonora Gallina
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Plan ahead for the new year with new routes, as Connecting Leeds transforms travel
This new year Connecting Leeds will start construction on several major highways’ schemes, which are all part of transforming travel in the city and across the district. Connecting Leeds construction works will begin first on the Armley Gyratory, before focusing on roads around City Square, Leeds train station and along routes linking to the city centre. This will be the first phase to create a world-class public space and arrival gateway to the city centre for train, bus users, pedestrians, and cyclists, and will eventually see City Square closed to through traffic in readiness for the Year of Culture in 2023. These are all part of over £100 million of transformative highways works to overturn historic barriers and issues developed from the ‘Leeds Motorway City’ of the 1970’s. This created substantial ‘through traffic’ across the city centre, which has contributed to environmental issues and disconnected neighbourhoods – which can make it more difficult for people to travel on foot or cycling between different areas. Leeds City Council’s approach to re-route traffic away from the city centre on to the more appropriate Inner Ring Road and the M621 orbital route following the closure of City Square, will enable public transport, walking, cycling and public realm plans to be realised in the city. Although still subject to programme changes, the construction timetable covers these affected areas:  Winter 2022
  • Armley Gyratory starting with off-highways, then on-highways
  • Boar Lane
  • Crown Point Road
  • Neville Street / Meadow Road
  • Bishopgate Street – works for diverting utilities
Spring 2022
  • Great Wilson Street
  • Aire Street, King Street and Wellington Street
  • Lady Lane
 Summer 2022
  • East Parade bus gate and Calverley Street
  • Bishopgate Street and Dark Neville Street
  • Quebec Street
  • Late summer – the final closure of vehicular access to City Square
This spring will also see works complete around the Corn Exchange gateway scheme, Leeds bus station, A647 Leeds to Bradford route, the A61 south towards Stourton, Regent Street flyover, and the extension to Temple Green park and ride. This follows schemes completed in 2021, despite the disruption of the Covid pandemic, like the UK’s first solar powered park and ride at Stourton, the Headrow Gateway scheme, Cookridge Street, Park Row, and Infirmary Street. Over the past three years the council has made big progress in the delivery of people-first infrastructure and public spaces across the city centre. There has been around £200 million invested in improving Leeds City Centre, including the Leeds Public Transport Improvement Programme (LPTIP) Connecting Leeds works delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with major investments enabling support of the 3.5-hectare green City Park, and the delivery of the Our Spaces schemes. The works have been delivered at the same time as one another, and at unprecedented pace to meet the deadlines of government funding. Our transport conversation findings in 2016 made it clear the public wished for improvements to be made as quickly as possible. Last year the majority of respondents also support the council’s Connecting Leeds transport strategy and ambition – to be a city where you don’t need a car. It promotes a range of solutions intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions towards the council’s climate emergency 2030 target. This means creating better experiences that make it easier for walking and cycling, along with seeing public transport more reliable and accessible. Post-covid, this approach is considered crucial to the city’s recovery in achieving the ambitions of economic recovery, inclusive growth, health and well-being, and addressing the climate emergency. Connecting Leeds are working hard to deliver these improvements as quickly as possible and apologise for some significant disruption to journeys over the coming months. Specific details around the schemes will be publicised well in advance, along with highways signage and targeted communications in affected areas. In the meantime, Leeds visitors, workers and residents are being urged to plan ahead with a new website page (www.leeds.gov.uk/campaign/new-route) before travelling and to sign up for regular email updates or follow Connecting Leeds on social media. These plans are on top of the already large number of temporary road closures and street works to facilitate works by utilities companies, private building developers, contractors acting on its behalf and its own in-house contracting team. And despite of these challenges, plus Covid-19 approximately 900 road closures and 30,000 street works have been overseen by the council in the last 12 months. Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate said: “This year marks another major step in meeting our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, as well as our preparation for the 2023 Year of Culture. “These works will transform the city centre, with the changes to City Square and the train station helping cement Leeds a first-class city to live in or visit. The new and improved public space that will great arrivals to the city centre is something that everyone can enjoy, regardless of the reason for their trip and is a real show of our dedication to better space for people, rather than cars. “Reallocating road space in favour of public transport, walking and cycling is a trend we are carrying out across our city, helping work towards the council’s vision of a city where you don’t need a car. We are working on greater and improved connectivity and with more appealing public space to make that vision a reality. “The necessary works at Armley Gyratory and Regent Street flyover will move vehicles on to the inner ring road where they can travel more efficiently and, in the case of Armley, will be delivered alongside cycling and pedestrian improvements. “I know these works cause disruption and I would like to thank the people of Leeds for their continued patience. We’re working as fast as we can to make these improvements, but please plan ahead and use public transport, walk or cycle if you are able as we continue to transform travel across your city.” Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “I welcome the planned Improvements to Armley Gyratory supporting our vision to make this part of Leeds a safer and healthier environment for public transport users, pedestrians and cyclists. The Armley Gyratory proposal will create significant benefits for local communities to access the city centre, with improved cycling and pedestrian facilities. New landscaping will also create green pedestrian links and increased visibility for different road users, helping enhance the personal security of pedestrians, cyclists, and all road users. “These improvements to Armley Gyratory are also a key component of the Connecting Leeds ambition and key to unlocking more pedestrianised areas such as City Square in the heart of the city for us all to enjoy.”

CPP Group UK has acquired the travel insurance and scheme specialist business Alpha Underwriting

Eleonora Gallina
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CPP Group UK has acquired the travel insurance and scheme specialist business Alpha Underwriting
CPP Group UK, the Managing General Agent (MGA) and insurance product and services provider, is announcing today that it has acquired the travel insurance and scheme specialist business Alpha Underwriting. The deal sees CPP grow its broker network to over 500-strong in just three years. The acquisition includes Alpha’s general insurance broker network and broker portal, which provides online quote, purchase and administration tools for brokers for a range of travel insurance products. Following the acquisition, CPP will develop Alpha’s existing suite of travel insurance products – which include a range of Covid covers – to brokers on the portal, with further travel insurance enhancements coming soon.
This expands CPP’s travel-related insurance product and service portfolio and sees the business build upon its current position as a leader in the global parametric travel insurance market, having launched the UK’s first parametric lost luggage product in 2021. CPP’s parametric travel insurance ancillaries for flight delay and lost luggage delay will be available on the portal later in the year. The deal with Alpha, part of the Tedaisy Insurance Group, is CPP’s second acquisition in three years, following the 2019 acquisition of insurance broker Business & Domestic.
Carl Carter, CEO of CPP Group UK, said: “This is an exciting acquisition for CPP Group UK, enabling us to bring our range of innovative insurance products and services to large numbers of brokers in a simple, accessible way. It’s also an important part of our growth strategy for the year ahead: branching out into travel insurance is a natural evolution for us and builds on the successful launch of our parametric lost luggage travel insurance product last year and our range of parametric travel insurance solutions. “Over the coming months, we’ll be scaling up our offering on the Alpha broker portal to provide a comprehensive suite of general ancillary insurance products beyond the travel insurance market. We have a strong portfolio of insurance products that can add real value to the 400+ brokers on the Alpha platform, and help them protect their customers from the everyday disruptions of life whilst generating valuable revenue in these challenging economic times.”
CPP is planning to go live on the Alpha broker portal with its key insurance, excess protect insurance and total loss protect insurance products for home and vehicle within the next quarter.

Drax donates £10,000 to Shelter

Eleonora Gallina
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Drax donates £10,000 to Shelter
Employees at Britain’s biggest renewable power station have donated over £10,000 to the charity Shelter, which aims to end homelessness and poor housing in Britain. Drax’s Christmas parties did not go ahead this year, in order to reduce Covid risks, and instead employees were offered a festive hamper or to donate the equivalent value to the charity Shelter. As a result of the generosity of employees, Drax raised more than £10,000 for the charity, which provides support to thousands of people in the UK who face homelessness and unsafe housing. Alan Knight, Drax’s Director of Sustainability, said: “I hope the generosity of Drax’s employees will help Shelter to deliver the vital services to those most in need of safe housing this winter. “Drax has a long history of supporting charities and it is important that we continue to do so especially at the moment, as their ability to fundraise and provide services to vulnerable people has been impacted by the pandemic.” Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations. It has invested more than £840,000 to support its customers and local communities since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

Announcement of board changes for PFG and Vanquis Bank

Eleonora Gallina
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Announcement of board changes for PFG and Vanquis Bank
PFG announces the next phase of its strategy to reinforce its position as a leading specialist bank with a focus on the financially underserved.
With effect from today, PFG has restructured the Board of Vanquis Bank to substantially align its membership with the Board of PFG. This is an important step in the execution of the Group’s specialist bank strategy, which includes the wider use of retail deposit funding across the Group from H2’22. PFG believes that streamlining the Boards of the two legal entities in this way will create a simpler, more efficient Group governance structure, whilst streamlining and enhancing both PFG and Vanquis Bank’s handling of corporate governance. As part of the new governance structure, and with effect from today, the following directors of PFG have each been appointed to the Board of Vanquis Bank, such that they now hold roles on the PFG and Vanquis Bank Boards, as well as to the relevant Board Committees of Vanquis Bank: Patrick Snowball (Chairman), Malcolm Le May (Chief Executive Officer), Neeraj Kapur (Chief Financial Officer), Andrea Blance (SID and Remuneration Committee Chair), Angela Knight (NED), Paul Hewitt (NED), Graham Lindsay (NED) and Margot James (NED). Elizabeth Chambers will retain her position on the PFG Board as an Independent Non-Executive. Subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, Angela Knight will take on the role of Risk Committee Chair of Vanquis Bank and Paul Hewitt will take on the role of Audit Committee Chair of Vanquis Bank. As a consequence of these changes, Robert East (Independent Non-Executive Director on PFG Board and Chairman of Vanquis Bank) will step down from the PFG Board and Vanquis Bank Board with effect from today. Each of the other existing Non-Executive Directors on the Vanquis Bank Board will step down from the Vanquis Bank Board with effect from today. In addition, Neil Chandler (Managing Director) and Gary Thompson (Finance Director) of Vanquis Bank have decided to leave PFG. They will each step down from their roles as directors on the Vanquis Bank Board as of today’s date and will leave PFG on 31 March 2022 following a handover period.

Patrick Snowball, Chairman of PFG said:“I would like to thank Robert for his Chairmanship of the Vanquis Board and his support and thoughtful contributions as a member of the Group Board. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the other departing members of the Vanquis Bank Board for their help and support.”

Malcolm Le May, CEO of PFG said: “Neil Chandler and Gary Thompson successfully managed Vanquis Bank during the pandemic whilst also developing its loan proposition, a key strategic objective, and have guided the division back to receivables growth. I thank them for their dedication and wish them the best for their future endeavours.”

Other than the resignation referred to above, the Board of PFG remains unchanged.

Yorkshire business receives six figure boost from HMRC Research and Development Incentive

Michael Fisher
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Yorkshire business receives six figure boost from HMRC Research and Development Incentive

Yorkshire based fleet management company Autohorn Fleet Services Ltd has benefited from a cash boost of over half a million pounds, following a successful claim through HMRC’s R&D tax incentive. 

 

The monies have been received back into the business over the last four years as Altrincham-based Research & Development Specialists (https://randdspecialists.co.uk/) identified that the development of a new piece of bespoke software created to streamline Autohorn’s internal processes, was eligible for tax relief under the Government’s scheme. 

 

Autohorn Fleet Services Ltd was introduced to RDS through a mutual business contact and Fraser Maclean, Fleet Director at Autohorn admits he was initially sceptical. Yet having seen the benefit that a successful claim has had to the business, he now wouldn’t hesitate to recommend that other bosses follow suit and pursue a claim. 

 

“I was a bit dubious at first I have to admit,” begins Fraser. “When you first look at it you think, ‘oh we’re never going to get much from that’, but the amount we were spending on the new software system was a considerable investment, so we decided to look a little closer.  

 

“When we spoke to RDS they gave us the reassurance that this is an incentive the Government is keen to push. Because we had a legitimate development that was already underway to improve the business, we decided to see if we were eligible.” 

 

Following a full financial audit, the team of financial analysts at RDS were quick to identify numerous costs from the software development project that would qualify for tax relief. And because Autohorn has continually invested in the project, it has been able to take part in the scheme over a number of consecutive years, culminating to a total of £500,000. 

 

Fraser continued: “The software has completely transformed our business. Previously we would have had six different systems to do the same job but now everything is synchronised together in one place.  

 

“We estimate conservatively that it has saved us well over 780 workdays, but to be able to offset the costs as well has been amazing for us really. What it has allowed us to do is continually improve and develop the software and really invest that money back into making our business even more efficient.” 

 

Research & Development Specialists Ltd (RDS) works with hundreds of blue-chip clients as well as SMEs across the country and has claimed over £23,000,000 back to support businesses since it was incorporated nearly five years ago. With the average claim across the UK now being around £53,714, Mark Joyner, RDS Managing Director, outlines how a simple thirty-minute meeting to discuss eligibility could reap big rewards. 

 

“Either through lack of awareness or time constraints, companies such as Autohorn Fleet Services Ltd could’ve missed out on huge sums of money that would be transformative for their businesses. We’ve had clients who have literally been kept afloat during the pandemic thanks to the money we have been able to recover for them.  

 

“There’s a misconception that research and development is just about people in lab coats or operating microscopes, but it really can be any type of new product or service. As specialists in our field RDS can quickly identify a firm’s eligibility and simplify the entire process, with no cost to you until a successful claim has been submitted and recovered.” 

 

Fraser Maclean concluded: “As a rapidly growing business, time is precious, so it was ideal for us to have a team of specialists who could visit our office and take just a couple of hours of our time.  

 

“We know that RDS will always give us direct, honest and accurate advice and input relating to our R&D projects, and it is great that we can pick up the phone anytime and discuss anything related to R&D with their team. We’re now outperforming where we were before, despite the pandemic where without the improvements we’ve been able to make we may have been struggling. Our accountants were so impressed with RDS that they now recommend them to their clients.” 

 

AMC appoints new regional agriculture manager to head its team in Lincolnshire

Tess Egginton
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AMC appoints new regional agriculture manager to head its team in Lincolnshire
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AMC) has appointed a new regional agricultural manager for East Anglia and Lincolnshire. Declan Wilson joins the AMC team having previously worked at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking as an agricultural relationship manager. He brings more than a decade of banking experience to the role, along with links to agriculture through his extended family. Having initially joined Lloyds Bank in 2017 as a relationship manager within the bank’s SME and Mid Corporate Commercial Banking’s specialist agriculture team, Declan has since worked with a diverse range of farming businesses across Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and East Anglia, helping them to secure funding, structure transactions and advising on liabilities. In his new role, which is effective immediately, Declan will head a team of agricultural sector experts that provide financial expertise, funding, and guidance to around 1,300 farming businesses. Declan, who lives in Boston, will also work alongside AMC’s team of 27 independent land agents who carry out the business’s loan application and valuation work, as well as 14 valuers in the region. Commenting on his appointment, regional agricultural manager for East Anglia and Lincolnshire, Declan Wilson, said: “East Anglia is a key area of focus for AMC and I’m looking forward to working closely with local farming businesses. “Whether they’re looking at renewable energy technology to reduce their carbon footprint, have ambitions to diversify their existing operations into new markets, or need investment to purchase new land or machinery, we are committed to helping them achieve their ambitions.” Lee Reeves, AMC’s Managing Director, added: “Declan’s appointment comes at a time when British farming is undergoing a period of considerable change, with the phasing out of the BPS, recent severe weather, as well as the ongoing challenges of the Covid pandemic. “But against all this, we’re continuing to see a strong appetite from rural businesses who want to diversify and modify their operations to generate new revenue streams. This senior appointment brings additional resource and expertise to AMC’s proposition in the region as we look to support even more local farmers achieve success over the long-term.” The appointment marks a new era for AMC in the region, with Declan stepping up to lead the East Anglia and Lincolnshire team following the departure of his predecessor Mike Lord.

Eco-friendly offices: a guide for creating a green workspace

Tess Egginton
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Eco-friendly offices: a guide for creating a green workspace
With the rise of eco-friendly and sustainable businesses, it has never been more critical to create an environmentally friendly office. As we become more aware of the impact we have on our world and on each other, we need to find ways to lessen that impact. Creating a green workspace is not only environmentally-friendly, but it can also be a great way to show your employees that the company values sustainability. In this guide, we’ll provide you with some practical tips for how you can create a green workspace. The importance of creating an eco-friendly office As we become more and more aware of the impact we have on our environment and on each other, it’s essential that you find ways to lessen it. One of the best ways to do that is by creating an eco-friendly workplace. An environmentally-friendly office will not only be good for the planet, but it will also show your employees that the company values sustainability. This is a great way to boost your business’s image while also doing some good for the world. A lot of businesses are starting to make changes to their workspace in order to create a more eco-friendly environment. For example, many companies are looking at sustainable materials for their furniture, installing energy-efficient lighting, and providing recycling bins. Bring the outside in with biophilia One of the simplest ways to create a green workspace is by adding plants. Plants are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also act as natural air purifiers and humidifiers. And who doesn’t love having fresh, clean air? Additionally, plants promote productivity and creativity in your employees, which can actually result in higher sales. Biophilia is the desire for humans to be close to nature. We all feel happier when we’re near plants or flowers, so why not bring them inside your office building? It’s a great way to make people happy! Plus, they’ll bring life to your space. For more information or help bringing the outside into your workspace, take a look at this post from Amos Beech on biophilia in the office. Create a culture of recycling A big part of creating a sustainable environment is to make recycling an everyday habit. You can incorporate sustainability into your office by having a designated space for recyclables and making sure everyone in the office knows what goes in there. Make it easy for employees to recycle by having bins in shared spaces, such as the kitchen and break room. This will encourage people to participate in recycling even when they’re not near their desks. But public awareness is just the first step as you also need to educate your employees about what can and cannot be recycled. Practice responsible lighting and energy use Another step to creating a green workspace is to reduce your environmental impact by making changes with the lights and energy in your office. How often do you leave your lights on when you know no one is there? Do you leave your computer on at night when there’s a deadline coming up? Turn off these devices when they’re not being used so you can save money and have a more environmentally friendly office. Also, think about the type of light bulbs you’re using. You’ll want to switch to more eco-friendly bulbs that will last longer and use less energy. Making these swaps and more is sure to have a positive and lasting impact on your workspace, with it looking eco-friendlier in no time!

Finance Yorkshire secures multi-million pound exit from Faradion

Tess Egginton
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Finance Yorkshire secures multi-million pound exit from Faradion
Finance Yorkshire has realised its investment in Sheffield-based Faradion after the sodium-ion battery business was acquired by India-based Reliance Industries. The sale represents a significant exit for Finance Yorkshire’s Seedcorn Fund, which initially invested in Faradion in 2010 and has since made follow-on investments to help the company scale up its innovative technology and go from strength to strength. The exit represents a return of more than 10 times Finance Yorkshire’s total investment. Reliance Industries has acquired a 100% shareholding in Faradion in a deal which values the company at £100m. Reliance will provide a further £25m on top of its purchase price to support a commercial roll-out of Faradion’s batteries, which it intends to use at its green energy giga complex project at Jamnagar, India. Faradion, based at The Innovation Centre, Sheffield, was founded in 2010 by Dr Jerry Baker, Dr Chris Wright and Ashwin Kumaraswamy. Finance Yorkshire Chief Executive, Alex McWhirter, said: “This is a significant exit for our Seedcorn Fund, representing an excellent return on our investment and one of the biggest we have achieved. “Alongside Mercia Asset Management, Finance Yorkshire is proud to be a founding investor in Faradion and through strategic follow-on investments, Finance Yorkshire has helped the business to advance its technology and thrive on a bigger stage. “The return on our investment in Faradion ranks as one of the top returns from JEREMIE funds across the country. The exit will be added to Finance Yorkshire’s new fund which will invest more than £50m over the next five years in SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber.” James Newman, Finance Yorkshire chairman, said: “Working with our Seedcorn Fund managers from Mercia and the Faradion management team, significant technological advances have been achieved. Reliance Industries’ future financial commitment into Faradion secures a legacy for the region.” James Quinn, CEO of Faradion, said: “Faradion has been one of the first to champion sodium-ion battery technology. Reliance is the perfect partner for supporting Faradion’s growth in the rapidly expanding Indian market and to jointly speed up the transformation of the global energy market. Becoming part of the Reliance group validates the incredible work our team has done in advancing sodium-ion technology.” Finance Yorkshire’s new fund has been created from the combined legacies successfully created by Finance Yorkshire and the former South Yorkshire Investment Fund. Finance Yorkshire’s JEREMIE and Extension Funds invested £113m in more than 500 companies in the region.

HW Global acquires majority shareholding in digital recruitment specialist

Tess Egginton
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0
HW Global acquires majority shareholding in digital recruitment specialist
HW Global has made a further acquisition in the digital recruitment market after securing a majority shareholding in Osmii. The London-based development, cloud and digital recruitment specialist, which was founded by Xavier Osipczak and Neil Mitchell in 2011, places senior talent into disruptive start-ups, major software players and game-changing brands on a permanent, contract and interim basis. Osmii also supports clients with advisory services, market intelligence and entity set up. Operating globally, its client base includes India-headquartered Wipro, Germany based T-Systems, US based DellEMC, with Unilever, BT and Lloyds Bank among its UK customers. The deal follows HW Global’s acquisition of Zebra People, which specialises in hiring digital product teams, in 2019. Also London-based, Zebra was launched in 2001 by Nick Cochrane and recruits up to director level for permanent and contract roles including user experience and product design, full stack developers, product managers and delivery/project managers. It takes the HW Global group, which also includes mid-market talent provider HW People launched last year, to £30m turnover with offices in London, Leeds and Manchester. CEO Spencer Jinks said: “Osmii is an exceptional business and fits perfectly within the HW Global group. Alongside Zebra People, Osmii will enable us to provide even greater support to our clients in the fast-moving digital and technology sectors that have quickly become a cornerstone of the global economy. “Forming this strategic partnership is another key component in our growth strategy, offering clients end-to-end talent solution on a global basis in targeted sectors of high growth, transformation and demand.” The strategic partnership will facilitate mutual growth for both businesses, with HW Global forecasting a group EBITDA in 2022 of £3.7m, which will include the results of Osmii. Neil Mitchell, director of Osmii, added: “Working closely with HW Global provides a springboard to further scale our business both in UK and international markets. We have built a strong reputation in the industry, which we can enhance further through this partnership, combining our capabilities with the expertise and global reach that exists in HW Global.” Advising HW Global on the acquisition of Osmii was Newcastle-based RG Corporate Finance (RGCF) led by partner and head of corporate finance, Carl Swansbury, supported by CF manager Connor McBride and CF executive Ben Kain. Financial and tax due diligence was undertaken by RG partner Grahame Maughan and director Jon Routledge. Legal advice to HW Global was provided by Philip Ashworth, corporate partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP, who was supported by Nicole Waldron. Osmii received legal advice from Chris Coates, corporate partner at Clintons.
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