Business Solent Newsletter - Autumn 2012

NewsBusiness Solent

This glamorous ship played host to the Unlocking the Potential of the Solent Region event, which was also sponsored by Champion Peer1 hosting, attracted over hundred business people from across the region.

Billed as a national event, with a local focus, speakers included Minister for Employment Mark hoban MP, President and Managing Director of Cunard, Peter shanks and Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, Alexandra Jones.

Whilst the solent undoubtedly has key sectors in marine, research and development, defence-related knowledge industries, professional services and tourism, there is wider growth potential still in developing areas such as life sciences, environmental

technologies and the creative industries.The over-riding message from the conference was

that a return to the ways of the past is not the answer. New and inovative methods are needed to get the country back on its feet financially secure and driving growth once more.

Whereas in recent years there has been an emphasis on central funding, the future will hold more of a focus for local innovation – and a major change in this will be to drive innovation through the public sector and especially through new approaches to governance and the local state.

Mark hoban MP said: “Our region stands at the forefront of coming to terms with the economic

Unlocking the Potential of the Solent RegionBusiness leaders from across the Solent region were given the chance to start a conversation about kick-starting the economy when they gathered for a conference on board the prestigious Cunard linerQueen Victoria and in support of The Prince’s Trust.

Philip WarrChairman of Business solent

>

Above: Cunard’s Three Queens leaving southampton Water on 13th July.

It is vital for business to have

it’s say...We all have a role to play

in kick starting the economy.

Issue 6 • Autumn 2012

WelcomeWelcome to the Autumn edition of the Business solent newsletter giving you an update on the work of Business solent, the solent Champions and news from the region.

in this edition we bring you up to date following a successful conference onboard Queen Victoria. The work of the Action Groups is highlighted including newly formed partnerships across the region, together with an interview with Mike smith, Chair of the Business solent south Area Board.

This edition will also cover updates from solent Champions, including a spotlight on the University of southampton science Park.

Sally LynskeyCEO Business solent

Business SolentBusiness solent is a business engagement organisation which unites business leaders to drive economic prosperity. Organisations, known as solent Champions, influence the agenda and support the work of Business solent as together we aim to make the region the best place to work, invest, study, live and enjoy.

Action Groups & Alliances:Digital southampton, Future southampton, Olympics Legacy southampton, solent Logistics, solent Maritime, solent international Business Alliance, Marketing southampton, solent india Business Network, sustainable solent, inward investment.

Business solent LimitedOcean Village innovation CentreOcean Village, southamptonhampshire sO14 3JZT: 0844 225 3130F: 0844 225 3132E: [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter: Bizsolent

www.businesssolent.com

Contents2-3 Business solent News4-6 solent Champion News7 Champion spotlight8-9 Partnership Working10 Go!Rhinos Feature11 sustainability Feature12-13 Action Group Update14 in My View15 Upcoming Events

challenges and the new demands for innovation.And the Chair of the new solent Policy institute,

Francis Davis, said “This event was significant because it opens up a fresh conversation – and it is important that the conversation is really led by business rather than the public sector.”

With councils in the solent region facing major financial re-thinks, the Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Councillor Mike Jones was able to give an insight into how his authority has adapted to the challenge by pooling all public sector resources in one ‘community budget’ so as to cut competition between LEPs and local authorities, police and health, the public and private sectors.

The Leader of southampton City Council, Councillor Richard Williams spoke about his vision for the city moving forward and Councillor seán Woodward, Leader of Fareham Borough Council also addressed business leaders.

While Professor Gioia Pescetto, Dean of the

University of Portsmouth Business school, talked about the need to encourage entrepreneurial students and nurture their businesses by providing access to ‘incubator’ business units and venture capital funds.

Chairman of Business solent, Philip Warr, said it was crucial for business to be engaged in looking at ways to boost growth in the region.

“it is vital for business to have it’s say and the event on board Queen Victoria allows for ongoing input and contributions from Champions to shape and influence the debate further.

“Clearly from reading about the cutbacks being faced by local government and hearing from our speakers, major changes in the way services are delivered are coming – and that provides an opportunity for business to get more involved.

“The solent is well placed to benefit – and we all have a role to play in kick-starting the economy,” he said.

Business Solent News12

Collaboration Critical for Employee Development in the Region

BUsiNEss leaders gathered at The hub, where they were welcomed by Lindsey Noble from ‘Champion of the Year’ organisation City College southampton.

Jeremy hamilton from Croft Management Centre introduced Champions to the Business solent Passport, and explained the aim was to create a skills hub for the region.

“As a regional learning and development community, we need to make it easy for our regional leaders of tomorrow to get flexible access to the kind of challenging learning they need to be able step up and take responsibility for driving profit and growth on an ethically sound foundation.

“Passport is a great example of how by working together, forward thinking Business solent Champions can create something much bigger than the sum of its parts,” he said.

As a Business solent initiative, Passport presents a wide range leadership and management development opportunity targeting future leaders responsible for driving profit and growth across the region.

Through collaboration on Passport, recognised quality providers are enabling flexible ‘pick and

mix’ access to high impact and ethically sound learning.

Applying what they learn back in the workplace, delegates achieve national leadership and management qualifications with the Chartered Management institute, benchmarking their abilities in the process.

head of People Development at First Wessex, Jim Reavey, spoke about the simply Better programme they are running and endorsed the need for business to develop their staff.

Whilst Rob Wood, Business Projects Officer in the Careers service at the University of southampton gave details of their insider Career Mentoring Programme, giving business details of the benefits from being engaged and giving guidance as a student mentor.

sally Lynskey, CEO of Business solent said the solent Passport and skills hub will help to develop skills within the region, benefiting existing businesses and those choosing to come to the region.

“There is no denying the importance of the skills and talent agenda and the need to develop staff so they can enable businesses in the region to grow and prosper,” she said.

Gaining an insight into the skills, training and qualifications available in the region for key employee development was the theme for the recent Champion Briefing at The hub at City College

Above left to right: Jeremy hamilton from Croft Management Centre, Rob Wood from University of southampton, sally Lynskey from Business solent, Lindsey Noble from City College southampton and Jim Reavey from First Wessex.

Business Solent News 3

Innovation is the Keyto Solent Success

KEYNOTE speaker Mark hoban MP, Minister for Employment, highlighted the importance of innovation to drive the

economy and explained the government has identified three key themes to support it:

l Supporting knowledge transferl Tax relief for entrepreneurs and R&D l Helping to make finance more available

Graham snape from UKTi explained how they were supporting innovation by working closely with sMEs to develop their export strategy, while sarah Duckering from Purple Door said universities were working with regional partners to secure funding for projects and joint bids, highlighted some of the business and university success stories and confirmed that applicants for sTEM subjects are up at the University of Portsmouth this year.

Patrick Lee from MAs stressed that while most businesses were not looking to increase capacity at the present time, they were investigating in market development, supply chains and new product developments and case studies on how businesses and universities can stimulate economic growth were provided by Jonathan Williams from Marine south East.

Luke Lyons, Director of Business and Universities

Partnerships, explained his organisation had been established to help build the bonds between local businesses and universities in the region with an emphasis on the sTEM (science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) industries.

“sometimes the relationship can start with a project that has a relatively low financial value but that can lead to something worth tens of thousands of pounds.

“They are all keen to find the next Google - universities need to collaborate and they need to work with the smaller companies to make that happen,” he said.

Commenting on the success of the event, Mr Lyons said it was great to see so many businesses represented in the audience.

“it is important for us to be engaging with business and it was heartening to see so many in attendance,” he said.

sally Lynskey, CEO of Business solent, said: “improving the interaction between businesses and local education providers to match the supply and demand of training and workforce development is of paramount importance.

“Business solent is keen to increase aspirations for the workforce of the future, promote the solent region’s talent and skills for external investment, support universities to operate more commercially and encourage entrepreneurs and ideas generation.”

newS

iT was an opportunity for Paul Brighton, the Planning Director for helius, to outline his company’s proposals for a biomass fuelled energy generating station in southampton docks.

he said the issue of climate change must be addressed and with southampton likely to have temperatures akin to central or southern France in the next 80 years, the biomass station offered a solution.

The scheme, which is designated as a nationally significant infrastructure project, could go live by 2017 if the government gives it the go ahead.

he explained the project, which has a capital value of £300m, would create up to 400 jobs during construction and contribute up to £10m a year to the local economy.

Earlier business leaders were treated to an electrifying performance by David Green, the sustainable Executive of the Year.

he outlined how Eco island, a community interest company, is tackling the imminent

energy crisis and looking to make the isle of Wight the first sustainable region in Britain.

“We have funding worth £1billion – and that isn’t made up of subsidy or a single penny of government money.

“We wouldn’t have secured that level of funding if we didn’t have something quite cool under the bonnet,” he said.

he said the island would play host to a major conference in October with 20 nations represented and it would be a great opportunity for Eco island to share its success across the globe. see more regarding Eco island on

page 11.Dave Newton, vice-chair of the sustainable

solent Action group, said it was important for businesses to buy into the concept because energy is business.

“i urge you to start thinking about it in that way,” he said.

Re-thinking Energy for BusinessThe thorny topic of energy and its implications for business was the latest theme for the Business Solent working Lunch held in association with the Southern Daily echo at Kuti’s Royal Thai Pier.

Above: Mark hoban MP speaking at solent innovation 2012 Conference

Building strong relationships between business and academia was the theme of the Solent Innovation seminar organised by Business Solent in conjunction with the Business and University Partnerships Programme.

Above: Dave Newton from Corporate impact and Vice-Chair of sustainable solent speaking at Working Lunch

SoLenT ChAmPIon newS

Southampton Appoints UK’s First Local Authority Chief Scientific AdviserA unique partnership between southampton City Council and the University of southampton has seen the appointment of what is believed to be the first local authority Chief scientific Adviser (CsA) post in the UK. Professor AbuBakr Bahaj, head of the University’s Energy and Climate Change Division, has taken on the role to champion science and engineering as a key driver of the economy and ensure the city uses science effectively in all policy-making.

Professor Bahaj will provide the council with expertise on relevant environmental issues, such as the energy efficiency of buildings, where decisions have to be made on whether to retain and ‘greenwall’ existing housing stock to improve thermal efficiency. it is hoped that the partnership will be extended into other areas of the council’s and University’s work. The leader of southampton City Council Dr Richard Williams will also sit on two University panels, one to support research delivery and the other, the scientific advisory panel for mostly EU-funded projects.

BH Live Welcomes Director of Leisure Facilities and Group HR ManagerLeisure and cultural trust Bh Live, has recently appointed Mike Lyons and Teresa Beckingham to lead the provision of quality venues and leisure facilities in the region and develop the 800 strong workforce. With over 22 years experience in the leisure industry and trust management, Mike Lyons joins the Executive Management team as Director of Leisure Facilities, to lead the strategic operation of the four leisure facilities managed and operated by Bh Live, including the award winning Littledown Centre and stokewood Leisure Centre. Teresa Beckingham also joins the Bh Live Corporate services team as the Bh Live Group hR Manager and will lead the organisation’s people strategy, identifying corporate training opportunities and developing the workforce of over 800 employees

Trethowans Gain Law Society’s New Conveyancing Quality Standardhot on the heels of being nominated for “The Estate Agents Conveyancing Firm of the Year”, the Law society have just awarded the Conveyancing Quality scheme (CQs) accreditation to Trethowans, a premier law firm in the south. This is an accreditation from the Law society and is only awarded only to residential conveyancing practices demonstrating extremely high standards of service. The accreditation followed a rigorous assessment by the Law society requiring practices to undergo a strict assessment. The CQs was introduced by the Law society to promote high standards in the home buying process.

ChampionNews-in-Brief


BUT in a classic case of “who dares wins”, iT services and Recruitment provider aap³ is reaping the rewards from signing up to

sponsor southampton FC – which has since soared out of League 1 and into the lucrative limelight of the English Premier League.

Promotion was a distant dream, however, when aap³ chief executive Rod Jackson uniquely spotted the opportunity. When it was first considered, the club was languishing halfway down League 1 and still reeling from the financial crisis of the previous 2009/10 season.

it had been docked 10 points and was on the latest in a string of managers – but now, less than

two years later and after two successive promotions, the shrewd investment has paid off in style as saints return to the Premiership after seven years away.

Rod Jackson said: “We had a link with the club through the saints’ charity foundation but the year the club came out of administration they had no shirt sponsor as their previous sponsorship deal had come to an end. so we entered discussions with them, even as they were halfway down League 1.

“Promotion was way off but we backed our instincts and had faith in the new ownership and were rewarded. saints won promotion into the Championship that year and, with our logo on their shirts, they succeeded in a second successive promotion, this time into the Premiership.

“We saw a great chance to raise our profile in the most popular sport in the world, and our loyal backing for our home team has been rewarded with a global reach for our brand.”

The partnership has proved ideal: aap³ has its roots in southampton but is a global player with offices in Europe and the Us; saints are at the heart of the city but their games will be watched around the world as they take on some of the games’ giants – including Manchester City in the season opener.

The benefits for aap³’s faith in its team include the company’s logo appearing prominently on the front of the first team’s home and away shirts, as well as taking pride of place at st Mary’s stadium.

not many companies would look twice at investing in a business only just emerging from administration having been near its lowest ebb in decades.

aap³ Soars with the Saints Thanks to ‘Who Dares Wins’ Sponsorship

City College Named as Business Solent Champion of the YearsOUThAMPTON City College has been named as the Business solent Champion of the Year at the south Coast Business Awards..

Principal Lindsey Noble accepted the award from Business solent CEO sally Lynskey at the glittering awards ceremony held at the Grand harbour hotel in southampton.

The college, which has been delivering further education in the city for the past 60 years, was praised for its commitment to changing lives through learning and arming the solent’s businesses with the relevant skills to drive economic prosperity.

Judges were particularly impressed by Principal Lindsey Noble’s mission to encourage business leaders to engage with young people.

Lindsey Noble, Principal and CEO of southampton City College, said: “it is a true honour to receive this accolade, particularly in 2012 as we are celebrating 60 years of educating and upskilling the region.

“The award is testament to the hard work and dedication of all staff and we look forward to furthering our commitment to the solent in the years to come.”

sally Lynskey said the college was a strong supporter of the ethos of Business solent. “City College richly deserves this accolade. They have worked really hard to develop strong links with the local business community and they are very active withinBusiness solent.

“City College has wonderful facilities and Business solent has been proud to host events at The hub. We also welcome Lindsey’s contribution to the action groups,” she said.

Above: Rod Jackson from aap³ with southampton FC players Kelvin Davis and Morgan schneiderlin.

Above: City College southampton presented with Champion of the Year Award at ceremony, with special guest sharon Davies (far left).

The shortlist for the award also included:




BDO Advise Caution to Avoid Unacceptable Tax Avoidance SchemesA leading tax specialist at the southampton office of international accountancy firm BDO LLP is strongly advising finance directors and their advisors not to become involved in aggressive tax avoidance schemes, following a new recommendation from The institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (iCAEW). Andrew Lines, Tax Partner at BDO southampton says that for many, the dividing line between acceptable and unacceptable tax avoidance is blurred, making it a difficult area of law to comprehend; similar to the line between legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion. “Accountants should be aware that it can be relatively easy for an aggressive tax avoidance scheme to slip into tax evasion”.

Southampton Studio School Gets theGreen LightProposals to open a studio school in southampton have been recently approved by the Department for Education. The southampton studio school, which is sponsored by City College southampton, will be the first in the region and will open in september 2013. The southampton studio school will welcome a total of 300 students aged between 14 and 19 years old and will offer mainstream qualifications, delivered through enquiry based projects and linked to the world of work. The new city centre school will focus on developing employability and life skills through work experience and work placements, intensive personal development and coaching, and will have a close connection with local employers who will be involved in all aspects of the curriculum. students will spend a significant amount of time each week in unpaid and paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area.

Southampton and Region Hoteliers Association Win Amazing People AwardsThe southampton and Region hoteliers Association have won the Enterprise Challenge Category

in the solent EBP Amazing People Awards ceremony that took place at the Novotel southampton in July for their role in the 4th Annual hoteliers schools Challenge that involved 10 local hotels and 12 schools from the region. Each school was partnered with one of the hotels taking part and given a challenge to improve a specific aspect of the hotel which included such things as improving leisure club membership to designing a new restaurant concept.

The overall winner of the challenge was Wildern school. On collecting the award Gavin Elliott Managing Director of Best Western Chilworth Manor and Chair of the hoteliers Association said he was delighted with the quality of the work produced by every one of the schools and thanked all the hotels who participated in this years event which took place on the 4th May at Macdonald Botley Park hotel.

l Bring Apprentices and Staff Members to Networking EventsEncouraging other staff members to get involved is a great way to help their development and to open their eyes to the importance of relationship building.

While younger members of staff might be up to speed with social networking, nothing beats face-to-face contact when the best connections can be made for your business. Networking supremo Julia hobsbawm – the world’s first Professor of Networking – has this advice for overcoming shyness.

“shyness in networking is actually the norm. The antidote is to make eye contact and wait for someone to break the cycle and begin a conversation,” she said.

Gill Gould, Managing Partner at Carswell Gould – Founder Bronze Champion said: “Being a Champion provides us with vital networking opportunities, the chance to share ideas with businesses and to get involved in mapping out the future of the region.”l You Never Know Who you Might MeetAttending Business solent events gives you the opportunity to meet people from different organisations and sectors in a safe environment. You could end up sat next to the decision-maker you’ve been trying to track down for some time – or new contacts can offer a shorthand route to new information and more business connections.

Nick Vaughan, senior Partner at Paris smith LLP – Founder Bronze Champion said: “As a business with a long history in the solent Region, being a Champion is a given. The networking events which Business solent can deliver with the right mix of business people can’t be matched.”l Share Your NewsRemember you can share your news with fellow Champions via the Business solent website and newsletter which appears monthly as an email edition and quarterly in print. The newsletter includes reviews of previous events, interviews and dates for your diary and it is one of the best read business publications in the region.l Keeping Your Finger on the PulseAttending regular briefings, Action Groups and events allows you to keep your finger on the pulse with what is happening in the region. As well as the formal agenda items, there’s also the opportunity to discuss the issues that may affect your business at headline events such as the popular Champion Briefings and Working Lunches.

Lee Chant, MD south Coast at hays specialist Recruitment said: “Business solent has provided a great means of making the important business connections within the region. it allows us to have our finger on the pulse when it comes to what is happening in the solent area and provides an excellent platform for sharing our recruiting expertise and market intelligence with local businesses.” l Be an InfluencerBusiness solent provides an opportunity for visionary and dynamic businesses and organisations from all sectors to get engaged with issues, priorities, challenges and opportunities facing their city and the wider region.

Getting involved in Action Groups allows your business to have a say in some of the major issues affecting the region. Not just a talking shop, these groups have been responsible for tangible change – the Future southampton group has established

an important role in the city and others such as sustainable solent and solent Logistics are building a reputation in the region.

James Prowse, Chairman of the Future southampton Group, said: “There isn’t another forum that allows you to engage with fellow businesses and also the public sector in this way.”

James Cretney, Chief Executive of Marwell Wildlife and Chairman of the sustainable solent, said: “Business solent is the catalyst bringing everyone together for economic prosperity and growth. it is a vehicle for action and well respected by big business in the region.”l Partner an EventThis is a way of targeting your messaging and getting key decision makers in the room to hear what you have to say. Business solent has the best connections in the region and a proven track record for creating events that make a difference. Partnering with Business solent can bring credibility and raise awareness of your brand to specific decision makers and sectors.l Champion Offersif you want to promote what your business does why not offer fellow Champions a discounted rate? We are all in favour of supporting local businesses and promoting local supply chains. You can offer discounts via the Business solent website or the monthly e-bulletin and quarterly newsletter. l Get Valuable Feedback and Involvement from ChampionsWhen southampton Airport was looking at adding another route to their offer they came to Champions to research the viability. Managing Director, Dave Lees, said: ““The research undertaken through Business solent Champions provided an invaluable insight into the market potential for this new service, and played a key role in determining the viability for this crucial new air link with our new customer airline - Vueling, which will drive further economic growth and trading opportunities for this region.” l Planning Ahead for SuccessBy working with the Business solent team to plan and budget for the year ahead, we can help you meet your strategic objectives through raising awareness and profile of your company or organisation. This could be through partnering on commercial or sector specific initiatives and projects or through a wide range of business and/or place marketing and communications opportunities including a choice of 100 events per year and exclusive sponsorships.l Championing the Region Champions working together provide collective influence and together we can move obstacles to get things done that will benefit the region and drive economic prosperity. This can be achieved by championing the region, supporting skills and workforce development, nurturing staff so talent is retained in the region and promoting the assets ofthe region.

Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Being a Solent ChampionIT’S important for Champions to get the best value out of being a part of the Business Solent Champion Programme. To ensure you make the most out of your involvement, we’ve compiled our Top Tips...

For more information about getting more out of being a Champion of the solent region please contact Leigh-sara Timberlake, Champion Manager on 0844 225 3130 or email [email protected].



The Pig Extends its LitterThe Pig - in the Forest is to gain a new sister on the coast with the opening of The Pig - on the Beach in 2013. The

creation of Robin hutson, the nation’s most inspired hotelier, together with co-Director David Elton and co investor Jim Ratcliffe, The Pig-on the Beach will be located above studland Bay, Dorset, one of the most stunning beaches in England. The beautiful 18th century Manor house, which is a National Trust property, is currently owned by Andrew and Karen Purkis and they will continue to operate the hotel until the end of November this year. The listed hotel with slightly eccentric architecture was originally the holiday home for the Bankes Family from nearby Kingston Lacey, it is surrounded by 22 acres of farmland and borders the coastal path, it has dramatic views of Old harry Rocks and the Jurassic Coast.

Eastleigh College Judged ‘Outstanding’ by Ofstedstaff and students at Eastleigh College are

celebrating the outcome of its Ofsted inspection, which has judged the College to be ‘Outstanding’ in a report published today. The inspection, undertaken in May 2012, has awarded Eastleigh College the highest result of ‘Grade 1’ in overall effectiveness, quality of provision, outcomes for learners, leadership and management and capacity to improve - an accolade which has only been achieved by one other General Further Education College nationally in this academic year and just six GFE Colleges in the south East since inspections began in 1993.

Amarjit Singh of Dutton Gregory LLP joins Parliamentary Advisory Board on Enterprise

Amarjit singh has recently been appointed as an Advisory Board Member to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Entrepreneurship (APPGE). he was invited to join the high level board by Lord Ahmed of Rotherham. The Advisory Board, chaired by helene Martin Gee, is made up of some of the country’s leading business people, entrepreneurs, professionals and academics. The primary functions of the board will be to provide independent, external and enterprise orientated advice to the APPGE and to advise on overall strategy and direction.

TalkTalk Business Connect with Connexions4LondonTalkTalk Business continues to strengthen its position as

the operator of the UK’s largest Next Generation Network (NGN) with a new partnership to provide C4L with EFM and Ethernet services. in a move which adds depth to C4L’s leased line connectivity portfolio, the Tech Track Fast 100 company has chosen to partner with TalkTalk Business to benefit from the unrivalled reach of its NGN, with a programme underway to bring customers on to the network. Following an investment of more than £600m and with more than 2,300 enabled exchanges online, TalkTalk Business’ NGN has the capacity to reach 93 per cent of the UK business population.


we welcome the new Champions:

solent Champions represent a diverse cross-section of business and provide a powerful forum for debate, generating ideas and project initiatives for the benefit of the solent region.

Could you be a Champion of the solent region? Find out how you can help to make the solent region a world-class location in which to work, invest, study, live and enjoy,Contact Leigh-Sara Timberlake byemailing [email protected] call 0844 225 3130.

More Organisations Become Champions of the Solent Region

As many as six mentors will be available for six months offering two hours of help per month and the idea is that their advice will help businesses focused on growth to achieve their full potential.

As many as six mentors will be available for six months offering two hours of help per month and the idea is that their advice will help businesses focused on growth to achieve their full potential.

Martin Brown, who is leading the Fast Track programme explained: “We will be matching Fast Track businesses with a shoosmith member. Each business will be focused on growth but will place very different demands on shoosmiths in order to achieve growth and added value and/or remove barriers that are preventing value creation,” he said.

shoosmiths see the mentoring programme

as a means of supporting Corporate social Responsibility to help grow sMEs – as well as meeting their own CPD agenda.

stephen Porter, a partner at shoosmiths, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the Fast Track programme. The advice we give will focus on legal issues but it will include access to a network of advisors who can help on other issues such as accounting, tax and finance.”

Shoosmith Offer Mentoring to Associate Champions via the Solent Fast Track Programmementors from solicitors Shoosmiths will be offering free advice on a regular basis to Associate Champions via the Solent Fast Track programme.

Summer 2012


ChiEF Executive Peter Birkett explained the southampton science Park was able to offer so much more than just office or

laboratory space. As well as support services that every company

needs, the science Park provides the perfect conditions for ideas to flourish.

“The community we have created means you can keep in touch with people of the same mindset and interact with one another to allow more business ideas to emerge,” he said.

in total there are 70 companies on the science Park employing 1,000 people and bringing prosperity to the region.

“While it’s difficult to attribute figures to what they contribute to the local economy, there is undoubtedly a big economic impact on the supply chain as they are all buying things from the locality,” he said.

There have been many success stories over the years including Fibrecore – a specialist optical fibre company that spun out from the University of southampton and has been awarded four Queens Awards for industry.

Peter explained they decided to become Champions of the region to further promote the science Park and what it offers.

“We wanted a greater exposure to the local business community. We see ourselves as a solent asset and not just part of southampton or Test Valley.

“Borders get in the way and we are more aligned to the solent region that Business solent embraces,” he said.

To encourage more innovation, the southampton science Park in association with sETsquared has launched a new initiative called the Catalyst Centre.

The aim is to identify high quality, ‘high tech’, business propositions which are capable of significant growth and provide the entrepreneurs concerned with intensive support to enable their businesses to develop and flourish.

The Catalyst opportunity is open to any individuals or early stage companies with a ‘high tech’ business proposition; the selection panel will be looking for entrepreneurial flair and commercial aptitude.

Businesses accepted into the Catalyst process will be resident in the innovation Centre at southampton science Park and will benefit from being part of the Park’s entrepreneurial community.

“Ricky Martin, the 2012 Apprentice winner, is endorsing what we are doing and he will be involved in the official launch.

“For this initiative to be a success, we need the information to reach as many people as possible in the solent region and beyond.

“it is an excellent opportunity for anyone contemplating starting a technology-based business and it would be great if Champions could promote this initiative through their own networks,” said Peter.

For more details go to www.usspcatalystcentre.org.uk.

University of Southampton Science Park Becomes a Solent Championwith more than 25 years experience of helping start-up and small businesses to grow, University of Southampton Science Park is keen to stimulate the growth of new technology businesses in the region.

Above: Peter Birkett, Chief Executive at the southampton science Park

ChAmPIon SPoTLIGhT

Facts & FiguresIndustry: Innovation/Propertyestablished: 1983no. of employees: 11

Above: The southampton science Park in Chilworth.


PARTneRShIP woRKInG

Working in Partnership is the Way Forward for Business SolentWiTh more partnership projects in the

pipeline, Business solent is building on a proud tradition of working with the

public, private and third sectors to drive economic prosperity.

in the current climate, it makes increasing sense to work with partners as more can be achieved by pooling expertise and resources.

CEO sally Lynskey explained: “The Business solent Champion Programme acts as a catalyst bringing together business leaders and decision makers to identify priorities and how we can best overcome the challenges we are all facing.”

Business solent has worked with a whole range of partners over the years. The Cruise Partnership in southampton was a group focused on maximising the local commercial opportunities from the thousands of passengers who travel in and out of the port every year.

Working with interested parties the Cruise Partnership was able to achieve shore-side opportunities and solutions for visitors as well as a more joined-up approach to tackling the transport issues every time a cruise ship visits.

The partnership with the solent india Business Network (siBN) was formalised at the recent Annual Conference and Champions are already

reaping the benefits with greater access to those with experience of working with business in india.

A partnership with the institute of Directors has also worked well as many of the Champion businesses and organisations are members ofthe ioD.

“We see these partnerships as adding value and providing a platform to communicate messages and get things done,” said sally.

A future focus will be to establish an Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Forum in partnership with EEF south. it will be supported by local universities and colleges as well as Champion partners from the private sector.

“We will explore the opportunities and challenges facing the manufacturing and engineering sectors and see how we can drive growth and jobs forthe region.

“We can’t do these things in isolation. We need to work in partnership to pull together expertise, resources, knowledge, connections and know-how,” she added.

Business solent is also supporting the solent Business Growth Network which is looking to help people starting businesses and is also backing Business in the Community which is identifying ways that Champions can support

their community through Corporate social Responsibility (CsR) programmes.

“All these partnerships are aimed at driving increased outcomes, benefits and value back to the business community.

“Ultimately we want to let people know at a national and international level that the solent is a great place to live, work and prosper,”said sally.

Working in Partnership is the Way Forward for Business Solent

We see these partnerships as adding value and providing a platform to communicate messages andget things done,said Sally.


PARTneRShIP woRKInG

WhiLE most companies realise they should be exploring how they can do business in india, many just don’t know where to

start and are daunted by the geographical distance.But the partnership between Business solent and

the solent india Business Network (siBN) is giving Champions real insight into the potential rewards and challenges of doing business in india.

having ratified the partnership at the recent Business solent Annual Conference, siBN and Business solent hosted a recent joint event at the Ageas Bowl (see page 12).

Provost for University of southampton and Co-Chair of siBN Professor Adam Wheeler explained members of both organisations will have access to each other’s events and there will be opportunities for sharing ideas on developing stronger trade links.

“We are announcing a partnership between the two organisations that will allow us to share networks, knowledge and know-how.

Arbinder Chatwal, Board Director for siBN and Leader indian Advisory services at BDO, said: “We are keen to show businesses how they can tap into the indian market.

“siBN is very excited about working with Business solent as there is a good synergy between us.”

Solent India Business Network

JEREMY hamilton from the Croft Management Centre is working in partnership with Business solent.

“in the current climate, with growth being strangled by economic uncertainty and doubt over the future of the Euro, we need to think differently and more intelligently about working in partnership.

“in simple economic terms, where two businesses want to grow in similar ways, working together maximises marketing investment, builds awareness and creates greater demand.

“Our partnership with Business solent is about harnessing and building the value of the Business solent brand through providing Business solent with a ready-made value-adding learning and development service.

“Being able to market Passport as part of the Business solent Champion programme is valuable

for us and valuable for Champions too. Passport phase 1, which is now live, sees Champions and Associates able to benefit from significantly low cost access to a range of high quality leadership and management development topics linked in to CMi qualifications.

“it is being delivered in a series of Champion venues across the region. Phase 2, which will be live in early 2013, expands the partnership to include a range of other providers in complementary development areas including hR legal knowledge, PR, media and social networking skills, and employee engagement and motivation.

“An important aspect of Business solent’s work is to be a catalyst for collaboration, and Passport provides the vehicle to enable learning providers to work together to build the market – a rising tide from which organisations, individuals and suppliers across the region will all benefit,” he said.

Business Solent Passport with Croft Management Centre

MiKE Jackson, District Governor Nominee for Rotary in the solent region explains how they are working in partnership

with Business solent:“We can see the benefit of partnering with

Business solent in a number of ways. Our region roughly mirrors the Business solent one – except we also include the Channel islands – and we have 2,700 members.

“Our role will be as a catalyst. We have an immense resource of expertise and we are planning to create a database. By identifying the areas of expertise covered by our membership, we feel we can then offer help to companies who perhaps don’t want to engage a consultant but do need some specific input for a project.

“it’s early days but we are helping with the feasibility study for a maritime centre that Geoff holt is keen to get off the ground. We have

an allied organisation called the international Federation of Yachting Rotarians (iFYR) and within that we have a solent fleet – and they are getting involved in the feasibility.

“We can also see how we can guide businesses who want to build their Corporate social Responsibility profile by identifying community projects where they could get involved.

“We are just at the start of a partnership with Business solent but already we have identified a number of areas where we could work together and it is something i am keen to pursue as i move towards being the District Governor,” he said.

Business Solent Partner with Rotary in the Solent Region

Above: Jeremy hamilton from Croft Management Centre speaking at a recent Champion Briefing at the hub.

Above: Mike Jackson, District Governor Nominee for Rotary in the solent Region.

Above left to right: Adam Wheeler from siBN, sally Lynskey and Philip Warr from Business solent and sampuran singh from siBN.

IN celebration of its 40th anniversary, Marwell Wildlife is bringing Go! Rhinos, a world class mass public art event, to the streets and

parks of southampton.The charity has joined forces with Business

solent, southampton City Council, The Rose Road Association and Wild in Art to bring together residents, visitors, schools, artists and businesses for this unique experience.

Brightly coloured rhino sculptures will be appearing across southampton to create a spectacular trail around the city.

The giant art exhibition will not only raise awareness of the plight of rhinos in the wild but will also boost the city’s economy and provide families with a great day out.

Andrea Mullins, Marketing and Fundraising Director at Marwell Wildlife said: “it’s going to be great fun. Creating a trail of these fantastic sculptures will showcase the creativity and heritage of the city and encourage residents and tourists to visit parts of southampton they may have never been to before.

“We know that events of this type present the perfect vehicle for businesses to raise their profile; boost footfall and generate additional income, all whilst supporting a project which reaches across communities, wildlife, arts and the environment. There’s great enthusiasm from the businesses we’ve spoken to so far to get involved and make Go! Rhinos a highlight of southampton’s events calendar next summer.” Businesses are being invited to take part in this exclusive event for southampton, with a chance to sponsor a rhino.

The rhinos will then be painted in a range of different colourful designs by local artists. Once painting is complete, the rhinos will form a trail across southampton, before being sold off at a grand auction at Marwell Wildlife.

Local schools will be encouraged to get involved too. They will have the chance to sponsor a mini rhino which children can decorate whilst learning about rhino conservation.

Councillor Richard Williams, Leader of southampton City Council, said: “Go! Rhinos is a fantastic initiative and will be the biggest event taking place in southampton next year.

“The project will positively contribute to the economic, cultural and social life of the city and will attract thousands of visitors during summer 2013.”

Go! Rhinos will build links with the local community of southampton, boost business, drive footfall to the city and raise thousands of pounds for charity.

The campaign joins a long list of special events to mark Marwell Wildlife’s 40th anniversary.

The charity undertakes a broad portfolio of conservation activities all over the world, working in partnership with communities, statutory agencies and other non-governmental organisations.

Marwell Wildlife has chosen a rhino statue because of their long-term commitment to African rhino conservation. Proceeds from the sculpture auction will go towards this and the many other conservation projects the charity undertakes in the UK and Africa, and to the The Rose Road Association’s work with young people with multiple and complex disabilities.

Neil Wilson, Director of Business Development at Rose Road Association said: “Rose Road is delighted to be part of the Go! Rhinos project and the staff and children can’t wait to take to the rhino trail!

“Art plays an important role for our young

people as a way to engage and stimulate and coming during our Diamond Jubilee year it is great to be involved with such a creative and exciting project.”

The Ageas Bowl cricket ground was the first to pledge support for southampton’s biggest event of 2013 by sponsoring a rhino - and now others are getting involved.

Zac Toumazi, Group Commercial Director at The Ageas Bowl said; “We are delighted to be involved with this innovative and eye-catching event.

“it is all being done to raise awareness for some very important causes and should prove the ideal opportunity for the community in and around southampton to come together, showcase the good work being done locally and create an unforgettable atmosphere around the city.”

Other businesses to get involved in the Go! Rhinos initiative to date include holiday inn Winchester, Balfour Beatty Living Places, West Quay, southampton solent University, LeepeckGroup, Coffin Mew and skandia.

Go! RhInoS FeATURe


Go! Rhinos – Herd of Rhinos set to charge Southampton in 2013A herd of rhinos will be charging into Southampton next summer for a momentous event the whole city can enjoy.

Above left to right: Zac Toumazi from The Ageas Bowl, sally Lynskey from Business solent and Paul simmons from Marwell Wildlife

To find out more about Go! Rhinos and how to sponsor a Rhino please contact Leigh-Sara Timberlake, Champion Manager at Business solent by calling

Call: 0844 225 3130Email: [email protected]

Get in touch...

Above: Marwell Wildlife have a long term commitment to African Rhino conservation.


SUSTAInABILITy CASe STUDy

ThE ecoisland project he is leading has the simple purpose of making the isle of Wight the first sustainable region in Britain.

And the success they have enjoyed so far is nothing short of astonishing.

With a team of just six – and David (the recently named sustainable Executive of the Year 2012) at the helm - they have attracted global partners such as Toshiba, Cable&Wireless, iBM, silverspring Networks and Liz Earle plus political backing at a local, national and international level as well as plenty of media coverage.

“What we are doing on the island isn’t rocket science. i’ve worked on charitable projects and campaigns and i do have a track record for revving things up.

“But i am slightly bothered that people will think we are doing something particularly clever or special and think it’s too difficult.

“The truth is we are running with an idea whose time has come, like a zeitgeist. We are the catalyst and we have stimulated and awakened awareness on the island,” he said.Already they have:l Established the technical solution for a smart grid on the island;

l Established the technology for an energy from waste plant;l Established the technology and run working parties with the No.1 provider of Geothermal Power stations in the world;l started working with the iOW Council and the University of southampton on a Tidal scheme at hurst narrows and at st. Catherines at the back of the island;l Established a hydrogen trial to start building a hydrogen society with iTM Power supported by the TsB hydrogen call;l secured the support of the 5 top hydrogen car manufacturers including honda, Peugeot, Vauxhall, BMW and Toyota.

And in October, the isle of Wight will host a global summit so other islands across the world can find out about the ecoisland ethos.

“We want those who come along to sign up to proper carbon commitment reductions and put their money where their mouths are.

“We want our accord to be better than Kyoto,” he said.

Isle of Wight is Leading the Way When it Comes to Being GreenAnyone who saw David Green speak at the recent working Lunch would have been left in no doubt about his passion for the sustainability cause.

SustainableSolentBUsiNEss solent recently launched the sustainable solent Action Group chaired by James Cretney, Chief Executive at Marwell Wildlife. The group aims to promote a holistic sustainable business model for the region which will support business growth while improving quality of life and enhancing the natural environment within the solent region. The forum will also deliver events, services, and sign-posting that enables solent Champions to quickly and easily improve their understanding of, and engagement in, these issues for the benefit of their business.

To find out more about the sustainable solent Action Group or to tell us about your organisation’s sustainability initiatives

Call: 0844 225 3130Email: [email protected]

David Green, CEO at Ecoisland speaks at recent Working Lunch

To find out more about Ecoisland go to www.ecoisland.org

What we are doing on the island isn’t rocket science. I’ve worked on charitable projects and campaigns and I do have a track record for revving things up.


ACTIon GRoUP UPDATe

WhiLE most companies realise they should be exploring how they can do business in india, many just don’t

know where to start and are daunted by the geographical distance.

Adrian Mutton from sannam s4 is based in New Delhi and has been helping companies enter the indian market for many years.

he spoke of a CEO of a UK based sME who told his board the company either ‘managed the slow decline of their business in Europe or they expand into new markets like india where there is a real need and genuine demand for what we have to offer’.

he said india’s Gross Domestic Product of $1.4 trillion is growing at 5.3 per cent and Goldman sachs see india overtaking the British economy by 2017.

“india is NOT an emerging economy. it is a

re-emerging giant having been the world’s largest economy for 496 of the past 500 centuries,” he said.

To enter the indian market, he stressed it was important to have the right strategy and plan in place before you did anything – and even then there would be hurdles such as bureaucracy, cultural issues and regional differences.

Mike Mason from BDO talked about the challenges of bribery and corruption in the context of the indian market.

he explained that under the Bribery Act which came into force in 2011 directors and senior offices can be imprisoned for up to 10 years and companies can face unlimited fines.

Mr Mason outlined what companies can do to protect themselves and gave case studies to illustrate his point.

Arbinder Chatwal, Board Director for siBN and

Leader indian Advisory services at BDO, said: “siBN is very excited about working with Business solent as there is a good synergy between us.

“We are keen to show businesses how they can tap into the indian market. The speakers highlighted not just the regulatory aspects of working in india but also the cultural issues.

“And the advice on the Bribery Act was designed to show businesses how they can protect themselves.”

sally Lynskey, CEO of Business solent, said joining forces with siBN was a great way to promote opportunities with the indian market to local firms throughout the region.

“This event was about giving some practical advice about how to enter the indian market. The experts who spoke have years of experience they are keen to share – and it is important for local businesses to tap into this resource,” she said.

A Practical Approach to Doing Business in IndiaAn insight into the realities of doing business in india was offered to business leaders at a recent event held at the Ageas Bowl hosted by the solent india Business Network (siBN) in conjunction with Business solent.

Above left to right: Adrian Mutton from sannam s4, Mike Mason from BDO, Zac Toumazi from The Ageas Bowl, Arbinder Chatwal from BDO and sally Lynskey from Business solent


ACTIon GRoUP UPDATe

sUMMER has seen the Marketing southampton Alliance move one step closer to the creation of a single website for southampton which will showcase the city as a great place to live, learn, visit and do business as well as promoting ‘Future southampton’ by explaining how southampton will undergo a significant and ambitious transformation over the next 20 years.

The website will provide relevant up-to-date information, will direct to useful information that already exists and will pull in Rss feeds – ensuring the website does not duplicate information but provides the central core to bring it all together.

After inviting over 80 solent based digital agencies to tender, the Alliance went through a rigorous shortlisting and interview process to appoint two local agencies who impressed with their experience and knowledge.

southampton based slipstream were appointed to lead stakeholder workshops ensuring a wide variety of views are incorporated and they will also design the site, while hayling island based superrb, will build the site’s backend to create an easy to use content management system.

stakeholder workshops have now been completed and we are eagerly awaiting first sight of the website designs. The new site will be launched later in 2012.

Future Southampton Group is Having a Say on Major DevelopmentsGetting involved in all developments coming to the city has been the catalyst for further closer working relationships, says Action Group chairman, James Prowse.

RECENTLY the Future southampton Group (FsG) came together with the Planning and Transportation Group of the hampshire

Chamber of Commerce and sustrans to support a bid from the City Council for multi-million pound highways funding and they hope to be part of a proposed City Centre Forum designed to take the Master Plan forward.

James explained: “We are also engaged through the public realm design panel where projects such as southampton central train station and Platform Road will shortly be coming forward and people will be able to see improvements.

“With all this work, there is an absolute need to ensure that where proposals do come forward they fulfill the requirements of the Master Plan and the Visions and Values of the Future southampton Group.”

Where needs be, FsG is prepared to come up with constructive criticism and ideas for how schemes can be improved for the greater good of the city.

“it’s not just about saying no or being obstructive. it’s about weighing up short-term gains with the need to look ahead up to 15 years to think about the needs of the city and the people who live here, work here and visit the city.

“A good example of this was our feedback on the proposed development of the East street shopping Centre,” he said.

The group is still actively involved in developing a Neighbourhood Plan for the East street/Queensway area and work is underway to engage with local businesses and residents to find out what they would like to see happen.

“it is an area of the city not specifically covered by the Master Plan – it is the space in between some of the ViP projects.

“And we are keen to see how we can leverage something from the schemes identified for the Bargate and Fruit and Veg areas to create something

siNCE the second World War much UK economic and public policy has relied on centralised strategies of intervention. Even after the great privatisations of the Thatcher years John Major developed Citizens’ Charters from Whitehall while Peter Mandelson sought to turn the Department of Business into a ‘great department of state’ by strategically investing resources from London. But at a time of fiscal rectitude sitting back and applying – or waiting – for central dollops of cash is no longer an option no matter how much some local decision-makers might miss them. Now that the RDA’s have been washed away Guildford will not do our local thinking for us in the solent and Wessex. The future will come down to our local ability to innovate, to drive growth and to ensure that the social and civic dimensions of our regional life are intact.

For most, this new permission to drive dynamism will rest on the crucial day to day decisions that local firms take regarding opportunity, risk and investment. Growth in this sense is concrete rather than an abstract theory for it depends on new exports, fresh sales and additional staff. For decades our area has been at the forefront of marine, defence related and iT innovations and sustaining these sectors will be vital. But there is scope in the wider economy too: the University of southampton

is at the top of international league tables for creating spin-out companies and attracting new private investment to such firms. The benchmark it sets other FE and hE institutions in the central south is worthy of replication. havant and East hampshire councils are pioneers in the pooling of overheads and plant to drive down costs while the isle of Wight has been exploring the possibility of building civic capacities by mutualising state services more quickly than many. From a region that gave us the spitfire, the anti-homelessness movement and the John Lewis partnership, innovation and growth needs to run deep in every one of our local institutions. And local state – or major corporate – bodies which seek to control such sparks of adventure and value will only find themselves stifling their potential rather than unlocking them no matter how well intentioned their rhetoric of collaboration.

The government’s ‘City Deals’ agenda which decentralises aspects of economic policy will be one way through. investing in the ports of southampton and Portsmouth will be another while the absolutely vital economic role of airports such as southampton’s should never be forgotten despite the broadsheet fervour for more London-centric debates. All this and the possibility to drive civic growth through voluntary actions such as ‘the living

wage’, by backing the Prince’s Trust and developing inclusive and talent friendly hR policies.

No one example will do. For as a new consensus emerges to replace the old one that has passed it will be down to each and every one of us – entrepreneur, corporate leader, social innovator, public servant – to unlock fresh value and potential in our patch and in our times. A flourishingsolent and Wessex region demands it.

Francis Davis is Chair of the Solent Policy Network being launched next month. A graduate of the University of Southampton and Warwick and Ashridge Business Schools he was formerly on the national council of the British Print Industries Federation and from 2009-10 Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government serving both the current and previous governments.

Francis will be writing a regular column for the Business Solent newsletter – highlighting what is happening in the wider political sphere and its implications for business.

Two Digital AgenciesAppointed to Produce Website to Market Southampton

A Political Point of View– a new regular column by Francis Davis

Above: Francis Davis, Chair of the social Policy Network

As chairman of the Business solent south Board covering Winchester, Eastleigh, New Forest, isle of Wight and southampton,

Mike smith is a passionate advocate for the organisation he joined at its inception.

he explains how his experience of working in the public and private sectors has given him a vital insight into the opportunities available in the solent region:

As a former Director of Finance and Executive Director at southampton City

Council and now working as a Director of Cofley District Energy (CDE), the UK’s largest provider of district energy schemes, i’ve a real understanding of both the public and private sectors – and the importance of effective partnerships between the two.

i have a great respect for the people working for the City Council and the politicians as well. it’s not an easy job and the current financial situation means some tough decisions have had to be made.

During my time at southampton City Council, i initiated the strategic partnership which resulted in the Council’s comprehensive and long term partnership with Capita. That introduced a totally different way of service delivery, and was one of the pioneer public/private sector partnerships.

And i also led the city’s district energy scheme which started life as a geothermal energy scheme

twenty five years ago.in those days it was the cross-party political

clout of Alan Whitehead, Norman Best and Diana Maddock that ensured the support for the heating scheme. They gave me the support and freedom to go ahead and develop a district energy scheme that was very many years ahead of its time – and a great example of a public/private partnership.

Back then the City Council was the only user but now there are 45 large customers including the south hants hospital and West Quay shopping Centre, and the scheme continues to grow year by year.

Other cities such as Birmingham, Leicester and

Coventry have followed southampton’s example and, in partnership with Cofely District Energy, have developed their own district energy schemes – following the southampton model.

And CDE are the providers of sustainable district heating and chilling on the Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. We are also now working in partnership with the four surrounding London Boroughs to spread the energy schemes and benefits deep into those areas.

My experience has underlined for me the importance of working in public /private sector strategic partnerships – and that is where Business solent wins on so many levels. it’s Board and Champions really understand the principles of business engagement.

i was involved with Business southampton right from the beginning and welcomed the move to become Business solent.

The formula it operates by is a good one. it’s not a club and certainly not a talking shop - it’s about outcomes and making things happen. its strength is in the quality of the businesses and organisations that are involved.

i’ve been really impressed by the way the main board has driven the development of Business solent, and its Action Groups are now a force to be reckoned with.

When i initiated the partnership with Capita it was quite groundbreaking and now it’s relatively common place for councils to operate in this way.

The current economic climate means councils are having to rethink how they deliver services and increasingly we are seeing partnerships with the private sector. in southampton you can see this with Capita and more recently Balfour Beatty, but it started twenty five years ago with Cofley and the district heating scheme.

i brought in Cofely, or Utilicom as it was then called, as the City Council did not have the skills,

experience or resources to develop and run a major district energy scheme. At that time it was also a risky venture and the Council needed to transfer that risk. Working closely with the City Council, simon Woodward, CDE’s Chief Executive, has developed the southampton scheme into a world renowned exemplar. The partnership and governance arrangements always attract international interest, earlier this year i was invited to speak at a national Canadian conference on just those topics.

Looking ahead we will see more examples of councils working with business. The public sector can plan and procure infrastructure and services very well and at the same time bring democratically based legitimacy and credibility, while the private sector has the full delivery mechanisms and resources.

Councils have the opportunity to pump prime schemes with their assets and the private sector can then offer long term agreements to deliver services. however both sides need to be flexible, adaptable and mutual trust is essential

in a climate of change that will see councils transforming and business getting more involved in the delivery of public services, there are important lessons to be learned from what Business solent has been doing.

Organisations from around the country are coming to us because of what Business solent has been able to achieve so far and it is a model that can be replicated.

i’ve been on both sides of the fence and its clear the future is about business engagement with the public and private sectors working together.

Now more than ever we need to recognise this as the way forward – and a very effective means of unlocking the potential of the solent region.


In my VIew

By Mike SmithChairman, Business solent south Area Board

Public and Private Sector Engagement is the WayForward for the Solent Region

Above: The southampton District Energy scheme serves buildings within a 2km radius of the energy centre producing over 40,000 MWh of heat produced per annum.

Above: Mike smith speaking at the recent Business solent Director’s Forum.

Above: Mike smith (left) with Andrew Neil, the Keynote speaker at the Business solent Annual Conference in May.

South Coast Business works exhibitionTuesday 2nd October, 11am – 4pm, De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel, SouthamptonA business to business exhibition organised by the southern Daily Echo in association with Business solent.

Informal networkingeveningWednesday 10th October, 5pm – 7pm, Banana Wharf, Ocean Village, Southampton informal networking evening for Associates, Champions and guests.

Solent Logistics ConferenceWednesday 17th October, 8:30am – 1:00pm, National Oceanography Centre, SouthamptonTransport and logistics themed conference, focusing on all modes of transport on land and by sea, also considering sustainability issues.

Business BreakfastFriday 19th October, 7:30am – 9:30am, The hub, City College, SouthamptonLaunch of a series of sector specific breakfasts focusing on the skills and training in Care and health.

Directors ForumTuesday 23rd October, 6:30pm – 10:00pm, Fontwell Racecourse, West SussexExclusive black-tie dinner for Champions and guests, focusing on a key business issue in the region.

Sustainable BreakfastBriefingWednesday 14th November, 7:30am – 9:30am, AFC BournemouthA breakfast briefing focusing on sustainable business, ahead of a sustainable Business Exhibition.

Informal networkingeveningWednesday 14th November, 5pm – 7pm, The White Star, Oxford Street, Southampton informal networking evening for Associates, Champions and guests.

Champion BriefingThursday 15th November, 7:45am – 9:30am, The Mayflower Theatre, SouthamptonChampion briefing focusing on the leisure and creative industries in the solent region.

Directors ForumTuesday 20th November, 6:30pm – 10:00pm, St Mary’s Stadium, SouthamptonExclusive black-tie dinner for Champions and guests, focusing on a key business issue in the region, in association with solent Champion aap3.

working LunchTuesday 27th November, 12noon – 2:30pm, Kuti’s Royal Thai PierWorking Lunch addressing a key business issue in the solent region, in association with the southern Daily Echo.

Business BreakfastFriday 30th November, 7:30am – 9:30am, The hub, City College, SouthamptonA sector specific business breakfast discussing the skills and training in a key developing industry.

Differing Standpoints – Converging Views Conference with the IoDWednesday 5th December, 9:30am – 5:30pm, Kimmeridge Lecture Hall, Bournemouth Universityinstitute of Directors business conference addressing the tensions between the public and private sectors supported by Business solent.


For more information on any of the events below, please contact the events team:email [email protected] 023 8068 2520or visit www.businesssolent.comPlease note that events have limited availability and are subject to possible change.

Upcoming BusinessSolent Events

Solent Fast Track Events solent Fast Track events are for Associates and other like-minded sME business owners to come together and learn and share business solutions to grow their businesses faster and more profitably. Please see below the upcoming Fast Track event dates:Thursday 11th October, 7am – 10am,Solent Hotel & Spa, FarehamThursday 25th October, 7am – 10am,AFC BournemouthThursday 8th November, 7am – 10am,Solent Hotel & Spa, FarehamThursday 22nd November, 7am – 10am,AFC Bournemouth

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Festive networkingeveningWednesday 12th December, 5pm – 8pm, Yuzu Lounge Bar, Southampton informal and festive networking evening for Associates, Champions and guests.

Business Solent events are organised by Destination Southampton, the city’s official

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ChAmPIonS oF The SoLenT ReGIon

Documents

Business Solent Newsletter - Autumn 2012