NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY …€¦ · encourage more export activity in Northern Ireland despite the obstacles that Brexit will impose. In 2017 alone, Learn

NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

ANNUALREPORT 2017

4c ExecutiveA&L GoodbodyAer LingusAllstate Northern IrelandAlmac GroupAndras House LtdAntrim & Newtownabbey Borough CouncilArmagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough CouncilArthur Cox Northern IrelandASDA Stores LtdAvondale Foods (Craigavon) LtdBank of Ireland UKBarrhead TravelBBC Northern IrelandBDO Northern IrelandBelfast City CouncilBelfast Harbour CommissionersBelfast Metropolitan CollegeBEYOND Business TravelBombardierBrightwater Selection LtdBTBudget EnergyCapita Business Services Ltd.Carson McDowell LLPCaterpillar (NI) LimitedCauseway Coast and Glens Borough CouncilCBRE NI LtdCharles HurstCitiCleaver Fulton Rankin SolicitorsCoca-Cola HBC Ireland LtdCompass Group UK & Ireland Ltd.ConcentrixDanske BankDell EMCDeloitteDevenish Nutrition LtdDiageo Northern IrelandDublin AirportElectric IrelandEmirates

Evermore Energy - Belfast Power LimitedEversheds SutherlandEYFane Valley Co-operative Society LtdFermanagh & Omagh District CouncilFirmus EnergyFirst Trust BankFlynn (Maurice Flynn & Sons Ltd)Foyle Port Forde May Consulting LtdFujitsu ServicesGE-AET Ltd - Globe Energy & Synergy Technology Systems LtdGeorge Best Belfast City AirportGilbert - Ash N I LtdGlen Dimplex NI LimitedGo PowerGRAHAMH&J Martin LimitedHays Specialist RecruitmentHenry Group (NI) LtdHerbert Smith Freehills LLPHighWire Press LtdinterfaceInvest Northern Ireland (NI)KPMGLagan Construction LtdLisburn & Castlereagh City CouncilMCS GroupMercer LtdMetro Surveillance Group Ltd.Michelin Tyre PlcMid and East Antrim Borough CouncilMid Ulster CouncilMJM Marine LimitedMoy Park LtdNeueda Ltd Newry, Mourne & Down District CouncilNOONAN

Norbrook Laboratories LtdNorth West Regional CollegeNorthern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks)Northern Ireland WaterNorthern Regional CollegePeninsulaPhoenix Natural GasPower NIPricewaterhouseCoopers Llp (PwC)Queen’s University BelfastRandox Laboratories LtdSangers AAHSchrader Electronics/Sensata TechnologiesSeagate TechnologySecuritas Security ServicesSelective Travel ManagementSHS Group LimitedSONI LtdSouth Eastern Regional College (SERC)Southern Regional College SSE AirtricityTaggart HomesTeleperformanceTerex GB Ltd (Powerscreen)Thales UKThe Mount Charles GroupThe Open UniversityTLT NI LLPTobermore TranslinkTughans SolicitorsUlster Bank LimitedUlster CarpetsUlster UniversityUlster University Business SchoolVistage NIW&R Barnett LtdWillis Towers WatsonWrights Group Ltd

Thank you To our CorporaTe members…our Corporate members represent the leading companies in northern Ireland who help drive the development of the economy…

If you would like to become a Corporate member of nI Chamberplease contact the business development team on 028 90 244113 oremail Valerie Gourley, Valerie.Gourley@northernirelandchamber.comwww.northernirelandchamber.com

President’s and Chief Executive’s Report 04

A Message from our Communications Partner 06

Meet the Team 07

Board and Council 08

Finance 09

NI Chamber Patrons 14

A Year in Pictures 18

Contents

President’s and Chief Executive’s Report 04

A Message from Our Communications Partner 05

2017/2018 NI Chamber Team 06

Board and Council 07

Year in Review 08

A Year in Pictures 10

Accounts 12 NI Chamber Patrons 20 NI Chamber Partners 23

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While 2017 was a challenging year on the economic and political front in Northern Ireland, it also presented opportunities for Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and our members.

We started the year with the launch of our new Strategic Plan 2017-2019 setting out NI Chamber’s vision and commitment to helping members grow their businesses locally and internationally and drive the development of the local economy. We underlined our position as a business support organisation which has a growing membership and which has a focus on providing a top quality service offering in order to recruit and retain members, along with continuous improvement throughout the organisation.

This was all the more important given the stalemate of 2017.

To put the year in context, with the continued absence of a regional Assembly and Executive, businesses did not (and still do not) have the support of active and engaged public representatives to boost their confidence. This lack of stability undoubtedly affected the growth prospects of local businesses which was further compounded by the lack of clarity surrounding Northern Ireland’s position within Brexit negotiations.

And so NI Chamber decided to run our ‘5 Leaders: 5 Days’ initiative which gave the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties a platform to outline their plans for jobs and the economy in the run-up to the 2 March Assembly elections which were called after negotiations to re-establish a partnership government failed.

Most importantly, the initiative also allowed the business community to contribute to and inform the debate on these and other vital issues.

Staying with politics and debate around Brexit, NI Chamber welcomed Tánaiste Simon Coveney TD, Ireland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Brexit, as guest speaker to a business breakfast in Belfast - his first address to business in Northern Ireland.

NI Chamber, yet again, was to the fore in helping businesses move to the next level of growth by putting into action one of our most ambitious and dynamic programmes to date – the Learn Grow Excel initiative. In partnership with a number of select organisations, the programme has been designed to support growing companies at every stage of their development and encourage more export activity in Northern Ireland despite the obstacles that Brexit will impose.

In 2017 alone, Learn Grow Excel, with the support of our SME Partner Power NI, supported 700 businesses and featured 18 events including near market trade visits to London and Birmingham at which members networked, met buyers and suppliers and made invaluable connections to help them scale-up. We are grateful to our partner Ulster Bank for their support in launching these trade visits.

Meanwhile, there were a number of events held

in connection with the Danske Bank Export First programme, which enables members to learn from other exporters including Heartsine, Smiley Monroe, MJM Group and Terex.

Likewise, the Connecting for Growth initiative, in partnership with Bank of Ireland UK, saw 551 suppliers and 21 buyers attend events with 327 one-to-one meetings held as part of the cross border programme.

Over the year, NI Chamber hosted 44 events across Northern Ireland with 3,725 attendees. Our Regional Networking Series with NIE Networks continues to attract 100+ delegates at each event and members have heard from key brands including Lego and Domino’s Pizza during our Growing Something Brilliant Leadership Series in partnership with Electric Ireland.

We also helped companies ‘develop their growth potential’ at a new series of inspirational events with First Trust Bank, whilst over 900 people joined us for the annual networking conference with Google.

NI Chamber also provided a range of opportunities for members and the wider business base to access key influencers and business leaders through in-camera dinners.

One involved the Acting Head of the NI Civil Service, David Sterling and four Permanent Secretaries at which guests were able to have direct interaction and exchange views with those in charge of government policy.

Our Energy Forum, in partnership with SONI, is now in its second year and provides a platform for businesses to share best practice on energy efficiency whilst allowing providers to inform businesses of upcoming significant changes to the market.

In other developments during 2017, our brand continued to grow on social media with 15,000 Twitter followers, 1,000 followers on Facebook and more than 2,800 LinkedIn members. In addition 15,000 individual email addresses also receive our new Ambition Weekly newsletter whilst the magazine continues to be distributed six times a year to over 5,000 subscribers each issue.

We were also delighted that Ambition magazine won the ‘Best Publication’ Gold award at the CIPR awards.

As 2017 drew to a close, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual President’s Banquet revved into action at Belfast Waterfront with ex-Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond in the driving seat as guest speaker. As always the glittering event was a sell-out with 900 guests in attendance.

Finally, to illustrate our commitment to delivering the highest level of quality and service excellence, we were very proud to be awarded certification to ISO 9001:2015 which requires adherence to the strict requirements of the standard which includes performance monitoring. This achievement fully demonstrates NI Chamber’s continual dedication to quality at an international level.

We aim to go forward as we have always done with a growing membership and strong financial performance and continue to invest in member services and expand the organisation.

ELLVENA GRAHAM OBE, PRESIDENT

ANN MCGREGOR MBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE

PAUL MURNAGHAN, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, BT IN NORTHERN IRELAND

At BT, we are proud to continue our business association with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, as we enter our 12th year of sponsorship. As we reflect on the numerous successes we have shared over that time, we can look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead to continue to drive economic growth in Northern Ireland.

The digital economy impacts the way we live and work day-to-day, whether you are a citizen, patient, student, passenger or consumer. It is an enabler for innovation, enhancing Northern Ireland’s ability to attract FDI, and creating new and well paid job opportunities for local entrepreneurs and established companies. In Northern Ireland, few businesses have a more positive and direct impact on the creation of our digital economy than BT.

For many years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and investment in our local network infrastructure. In partnership with the Northern Ireland government, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to the economic growth potential of Northern Ireland and the role that transformational technology and services can play in achieving that.

BT currently employs around 3,500 people in Northern Ireland. An interesting statistic is that more than 2000 of these employees carry out work that was previously delivered elsewhere. BT recognises the quality of the people and the support we gain from all our partners and we are committed to ensuring that a stronger and thriving BT ensures a more positive outcome for all in our region.

To that end we continuously look for opportunities to invest, to help drive the growth of the local economy. In the past 6 months alone, BT has committed an estimated £50M in the NI economy, in terms of both a £20M investment in our ultrafast fibre network and the creation of the BT Ireland Innovation Centre (BTIIC), in partnership with Ulster University and Invest NI.

Northern Ireland was largely chosen to host this Innovation Centre because of our significant skills base; quality of education and talented workforce. The BTIIC is designed to focus on supporting global technological developments, such as Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Data Analytics and the Internet of Things.

BT is enormously proud to play its part in advancing and developing Northern Ireland’s infrastructure, enhancing our research and innovation capabilities and providing opportunities for Northern Ireland’s considerable talent. We are excited by the opportunity to help transform the digital fabric of NI, to continue to build upon our investments to make NI an even better place to live, a fantastic place to work and the best place for our children to grow up.

I applaud the work of Ellvena, Ann and all at the NI Chamber as they continue to be a strong and challenging voice for businesses in NI. As a business community, we are very lucky and appreciative of the NI Chamber’s continued commitment and energy and proud once again to support the largest business support organisation in Northern Ireland.

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2017/18 TEAM

Tanya AndersonHead of SME Development

Ryan BellBusiness Development

Executive

Denise BriceFinance & Admin Officer

Catherine CrillyProject Manager

Valerie GourleyHead of Business

Development

Stuart HollingerFinance & Assurance

Manager

Petrina McAuleyBusiness Services Manager

Adrienne McGillAmbition Editor

Ann McGregor MBEChief Executive

Christopher MorrowHead of Communications

& Policy

John QuinnCommunications Executive

Dawn RobertsonExport Executive

Andrew SmytheBusiness Development

Manager

Louise TurleyAssistant Head

of Business Services

Nicola WoodsBusiness Development

Executive

Gabi BurnsideBusiness Services Manager

George McQuittyBusiness Services Assistant

Sandra ScannellHead of Business Services

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PRESIDENTMs Ellvena Graham, ESB Group

VICE-PRESIDENTMr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland

BOARDMr Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group

Mr Richard Donnan, Ulster Bank

Mr Owen Brennan, Devenish Group

Mr Michael Kidd, EY Belfast

Mr Ian Henry, Henry Brothers

Mr Patrick Hurst MBE, PHC Ltd.

Mr Stephen McCully, Power NI

Ms Ann McGregor, NI Chamber

COUNCIL Mr Gareth Walls, A&L Goodbody

Ms Andrea Hunter, Aer Lingus

Mr Graham Thompson, Agnew Corporate

Mr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland

Mr Francis Martin, BDO

Ms Shauna Burns, Beyond Business Travel

Ms Mairead Meyer, BT

Mr Brian Lavery, CBRE

Ms Hilary Griffith, Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Mr Alasdair Kilpatrick, Deloitte

Mr Owen Brennan, Devenish Group

Mr Alan Lowry, Environmental Street Furniture

Ms Ellvena Graham, ESB Group

Mr Gerry Carlile, Evolve CPA

Mr Michael Kidd, EY Belfast

Mr Brian Gillan, First Trust Bank

Mr Neil Collins, Glen Dimplex

Mr Ian Henry, Henry Brothers

Mr Jonathan Ireland, Lanyon Communications

Mr Alan Stewart, Marcon Fit Out

Ms Nuala Jackson, Mercer

Mr Gary Annett, MJM Group

Mr Peter Russell, Neueda

Ms Ann McGregor, NI Chamber

Ms Jenny Irwin, PACEC

Mr Patrick Hurst, PHC Ltd.

Mr Jonathan Martindale, Phoenix Natural Gas

Mr Stephen McCully, Power NI

Ms Janette Jones, PwC

Mr Gerry Kindlon, Seagate

Mr David McCartney, Taranto Ltd

Mr Eugene Lynch, The McAvoy Group

Mr John McGuckian, Tughans

Mr Richard Donnan, Ulster Bank

Mr Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group

CHIEF EXECUTIVEMs Ann McGregor MBE

HONORARY TREASURERMr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland

COMPANY SECRETARYMs Ann McGregor MBE

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EVENTS

Held 44 events throughout the year,

across NI

People attended these events

Key speakers from brands such as Lego, Domino’s Pizza and Richard Hammond from

Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour

PROGRAMMES

Learn Grow Excel supported 697

businesses in 2017

The programme featured 17 events including newly launched trade visits to

London and Birmingham

6,000 export documents processed

LEARNGROWEXCEL

MEMBERS

Over 1000 members now belong to NI’s largest business

support organisationOur members employ almost 105,000 people

Almost 100 new members joined in 2017

POLICY

We had 350 media mentions addressing key issues faced by our members, including Brexit, lack of an Executive,

skills and infrastructure

Provided members with 20 events and briefings relating to these issues to enable them to put their concerns directly to

key decisions makers

Over 25 meetings with key figures including the Secretary

of State and Party Leaders relating to these issues

COMMUNICATIONS

We have the loudest voice in business with a

total of 610 press articles in 2017

Ambition magazine – CIPR PRide Best

Publication Award for 2017

We have reached over 15,000 Twitter

followers

STANDARDS

British Chambers of Commerce accredited

Gained ISO:9001 accreditation

Investors in People Gold accreditation

POLICY







COMMUNICATIONS






followers

STANDARDS




POLICY







COMMUNICATIONS






followers

STANDARDS




EVENTS

Held 44 events throughout the year,

across NI

People attended these events

Key speakers from brands such as Lego, Domino’s Pizza and Richard Hammond from

Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour

PROGRAMMES

Learn Grow Excel supported 697

businesses in 2017

The programme featured 17 events including newly launched trade visits to

London and Birmingham

6,000 export documents processed

LEARNGROWEXCEL

MEMBERS

Over 1000 members now belong to NI’s largest business

support organisationOur members employ almost 105,000 people

Almost 100 new members joined in 2017

POLICY







COMMUNICATIONS






followers

STANDARDS




POLICY







COMMUNICATIONS






followers

STANDARDS




POLICY







COMMUNICATIONS






followers

STANDARDS




A YEAR IN PICTURES

Coca-Cola hbC featured amongst the buyers for nI Chamber & bank of Ireland’s Connecting for Growth programme in 2017.

nI Chamber & electric Ireland continued the Growing something brilliant Leadership series with speakers from Lego and Domino’s pizza.

ex-Top Gear presenter richard hammond joined nI Chamber for the president’s banquet at belfast Waterfront.

Linwoods and Flynn were amongst the national winners at the 2017 Chamber business awards in London.

Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister simon Coveney TD joined nI Chamber & BT for business briefing in August 2017.

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nI Chamber & ulster bank hosted trade missions to London and birmingham in 2017 as part of Learn Grow excel.

nI Chamber hosted a private Dinner for members with michelle

o’neill in December 2017.

The acting head of the nI Civil service, along with 4 permanent secretaries, joined nI Chamber for an In Camera Dinner.

nI Chamber & sonI energy Forum continues to bring businesses and suppliers together during a series of events throughout the year.

over £10,000 was raised for the ms society in 2017.

nI Chamber was joined by Les kiss, michael o’neill and mickey harte for the president’s annual Lunch.

The nI Chamber and nIe networks regional networking series held events across northern Ireland throughout the year.

nI Chamber’s 5 Leaders; 5 Days series ran throughout February 2017.

The nI Chamber & bDo Quarterly economic survey remains northern

Ireland’s largest business survey.

The Danske bank export First programme carried out a number of private dinners and company visits

throughout the year, including a visit to newry’s mJm Group.

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aGneW CorporaTe Agnew Corporate is one of the top Contract Hire and Leasing Companies in Northern Ireland. With over 20 years of industry experience, we offer an expert approach, managing more than 5,000 cars and vans in the UK. We can source any make or model of vehicle, including passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Whether you are a private individual, a small/medium size enterprise or a global organisation, we can offer tailored vehicle funding solutions to suit you. All customers are offered exclusive access to our advanced, in-house Fleet Management system - Agnew Fleet Manager (AFM). This online system allows customers to have full visibility of their entire fleet, covering key information such as drivers, vehicles, mileage, maintenance, fuel, and vehicle tracking. AFM is designed to create an innovative and effortless fleet management experience. With dedicated Account Managers for each customer, Agnew Corporate can help private and business customers alike in selecting the most efficient and reliable vehicle to suit their needs, all at a competitive price. We continue to invest heavily in technology to provide a creative, cost effective and practical solution for all our customers. www.agnewcorporate.com

CaTerpILLar nI LImITeDThe company is one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of diesel generator sets and provider of power generating solutions. Formerly FG Wilson, the business was acquired by Caterpillar in 1999 and is now an integral part of the Caterpillar Corporation and host to multiple divisions that operate on our sites.

The primary focus is in the design, manufacture, sale and support of quality standard and customised generator sets and bespoke associated equipment that provide reliable electric power around the world. The manufacturing facilities in Larne, Monkstown and Springvale Belfast are augmented by a Shared Services centre in the Springvale Industrial Park, Belfast that provides administrative support for the local business

as well as for other Caterpillar European entities. Caterpillar Northern Ireland has recently diversified its product portfolio and now produces major component subassemblies for Cat articulated trucks and medium wheel loaders for operations within the UK and Europe. The company continues to invest in technology, product development and customer solutions, to position the business for long term growth and sustainability.

The company is also committed to developing and empowering employees, as well as fostering and promoting a company-wide culture of continuous improvement and innovation to help us compete and win on a global scale. Sustainability is a core value throughout Caterpillar and the company proudly holds ISO14001 (2015 standard) and in 2017 the Northern Ireland business achieved Platinum status, the highest scoring level in this year’s Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey for our commitment and focus on environmental issues.

www.caterpillar.com

Danske bank Danske Bank is part of the Danske Bank Group and one of the leading retail banks in Northern Ireland.

Customers benefit from the convenience of modern technology combined with the expertise of experienced relationship managers, business support teams and specialists in key areas such as Asset Finance, Invoice Finance, Merchant Acquiring, Markets, Trade Finance and Cash Management.

Danske plays an integral role in the overseas expansion of some of Northern Ireland’s leading exporters, and in maximising the export potential of innovative local companies for whom overseas markets may be the next step.

Our support includes a successful partnership with the Northern Ireland Chamber, Danske Bank Export First, bringing together new and aspiring exporters and offering them access to local businesses who are experienced exporters.

www.danskebank.co.uk

DsVWhen you need to move cargo domestically or across Europe, we can always find room on one of our trucks. With traffic hubs strategically located all over Europe and 17,000 trucks on the road every day, your cargo will be delivered wherever and whenever specified. The most common types of road transport are:

• Full loads shipments• Part loads shipments• Groupage shipments

Domestic shipments and shipments to neighbouring countries can be completed within 24-48 hours. For more remote or exotic destinations in Europe we offer delivery within one to five days no matter your destination. Because we have more than 200 terminals and 300 offices in Europe.

DsV air & seaWhen time is crucial for your cargo, our air freight services are your best option as we offer daily worldwide departures. So regardless if you are shipping perishables, hazardous cargo or any commodity that needs to be delivered fast and on time, we have the solution for you. When moving your cargo from A to B, by sea, we use only trusted and reliable sea freight carriers. We have agreements with major global and regional sea freight carriers giving you the flexibility to ship your cargo whenever it suits you best. And we offer you very competitive deals.

DsV solutionsSpecialised logistics solutions, including warehousing and distribution, packing, freight management, customs clearance, e-commerce and e-business support.

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FonaCabWith over 50 years’ experience and a fleet of almost 1000 cars, Belfast based taxi firm fonaCAB has always aimed to stay at the leading edge of the Northern Ireland taxi industry.

fonaCAB have led the way in Northern Ireland, being the first company to introduce computerised dispatch, in-car meters, roof signs, and uniformed drivers in private hire cars. Utilising technological advancements fonaCAB have upgraded to a state of the art Cloud based Dispatch system which allows fonaCAB to meet the demands of the customer and ensures exceptional, efficient service.

As fonaCAB continue to grow they have invested in a new Booking App. Along with the app a new Taxi Network Infrastructure was born. With the support of partner companies, you will soon be able to use the fonaCAB App you use to book in Belfast, to book in 21 cities across the globe putting 25,000 cars at your disposal.

fonaCAB continually introduce new and improved services to meet the needs and demands of their customers.

These include:• A fleet of modern vehicles.• Priority service for account holders.• Uniformed and fully trained drivers.• Courier service.• Automated booking system.• App Booking• Card Payments• i-Booking• Wheelchair accessible vehicles.• Executive cars.• Taxi Tours.

www.fonacab.com

GraFTon reCruITmenTGrafton Recruitment has been providing temporary and permanent recruitment solutions to Private and Public sector clients since 1983. We are here to respond quickly to your needs, to give you the best insight into the skills available in the market place and the cost of those skills. We manage the interface between you and the candidate and make your recruitment process as cost effective as possible. Now more than ever it is paramount that you employ

the best people to sustain your business whether it’s permanent employees with specialised skillsets or temporary employees who allow you manage unpredictable levels of supply and demand in an uncertain market. We have built our reputation on delivering a comprehensive range of HR and Employment Solutions including; Specialist Permanent Recruitment, Human Resource Consulting, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Temporary Recruitment and Executive Search. With a local footprint across Northern Ireland, Grafton provides unrivalled market knowledge. Grafton Recruitment is supported by a local CSR policy which is focused on employability and building capability in the communities in which we operate.

www.graftonrecruitment.com

InVesTeC WeaLTh& InVesTmenT Wealth preservation and enhancement with out of the ordinary levels of personal service.

Our business has a history of investment management that stretches back to 1827. We offer wealth management and investment services that are entirely built around your needs.

Whether you are a private individual, charity, friendly society, trust, or a professional advising these clients, we remain completely focused on understanding your goals and helping you reach them.

What sets us apart is our people. The enduring relationships we form with our clients are built on trust. Coupled with our forward- thinking investment process, we believe that our service is second to none.

The services we offer include:• Discretionary Investment Management Comprehensive Independent Financial Advice• Pension Guidance and Management• ISAs• Tax Mitigation• Fund Management for Charities and Pension Funds• Estate Planning

We believe great relationships start with a conversation, so why not give us a call?

Please visit our website, call Sam Brown on 028 9032 1002 or email samuel.brown@ investecwin.co.uk

Please note that the value of investments and the income derived from them may fluctuate and investors may not receive back the amount originally invested.

www.investecwin.co.uk

moy park Moy Park is one of the UK’s top 15 food companies, Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business and one of Europe’s leading poultry producers - employing over 12,000 people across 12 sites in the UK, Holland and France with £1.4 billion turnover The company supplies Moy Park branded and own label chicken products to leading retailers and foodservice providers throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe and is the industry leading manufacturer of organic, free-range and higher welfare chicken and turkey. Moy Park may be best known for fresh, locally sourced poultry but they also produce beef products, vegetarian products like spring rolls and onion rings and desserts including donuts and apple pies. In 2017 US based Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation acquired Moy Park. Pilgrim’s is one of the leading chicken producers in the world. www.moypark.com

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pInsenT masonsPinsent Masons has a major presence in Northern Ireland, servicing many of the region’s most prominent organisations including Queen’s University, Belfast Harbour and Mutual Energy. The firm also recently opened an office in Dublin.A global 100 law firm, Pinsent Masons specialises particularly in the energy, infrastructure, financial services, real estate and advanced manufacturing and technology sectors. The firm employs nearly 3000 people worldwide, including around 1500 lawyers and 400 partners. The firm’s international footprint encompasses seven offices across Asia Pacific, two offices in the Middle East, five offices in continental Europe and one in Africa. The firm also has comprehensive coverage across each of the UK’s three legal jurisdictions.

The firm has a reputation for innovation, providing clients with novel ways to address the challenges they face. This includes investing in alternative delivery models and services such as Cerico, Vario, Brook Graham and Yuzu. Diversity is also a key focus, ranking second overall on the Stonewall UK Index for LGBT issues, and being named as a Times Top 50 Place for Women to Work, and a Top 10 Working Families Employer.

www.pinsentmasons.com

poWer nIPower NI is part of the Viridian Group and is the largest electricity retailer in Northern Ireland, supplying over 500,000 homes, farms and businesses. We are committed to delivering great value for money and the highest standards of customer service.

With a local heritage spanning over 80 years, Power NI has been serving customers here for generations including SMEs, large manufacturers, government sites and retailers. We are very proud of our local roots and with offices in Antrim, Belfast and Omagh we are based in the heart of the communities we serve.

We have regular energy saving special offers and provide grants and support for installing things like roof and wall insulation, LED lighting and Variable Speed Drives. We also partner many

local micro-generators, helping them through accreditation and buying the surplus electricity from their solar PV, wind turbines and AD generators.

Join the 100s of other local businesses who are making the switch to Power NI, and enjoying our great rates and discounts. To find out how Power NI can help your business visit

www.powerni.co.uk/business

uLsTer bankFounded in 1836, Ulster Bank is one of Northern Ireland’s leading banks, and plays an vital role in helping business and personal customers across Northern Ireland to meet their goals – whether that’s owning their own home or building and growing a business. Our ambition is to be the number one bank for customer service, trust and advocacy.

We offer business and personal customers a range of traditional banking and leading digital services as well as drawing on the specialist expertise of colleagues in Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest in a range of sectors and disciplines. We are committed to the communities that we serve, with Northern Ireland’s largest branch network, its only Bank on Wheels and dedicated Community Bankers and Tech Xperts to support the changing ways that customers are choosing to do their banking.

We are committed to helping build a vibrant entrepreneurial culture in Northern Ireland with our support for the Entrepreneurial Spark hub – equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs with the skills they need – and through our Boost programme and Business Growth Enablers, offering expert insight and networking to connect Northern Ireland’s SME community. We also provide finance and guidance to some of the largest and most complex corporate transactions in Northern Ireland. We are proud to be a part of Northern Ireland and supporting its people and its economy.

www.ulsterbank.com

uLsTer unIVersITy busIness sChooL With over 6,000 students, Ulster University Business School is the

sixth largest Business School in Britain and Ireland and has worked with Northern Ireland’s businesses for over 40 years. The School has over 60,000 alumni in more than 120 countries.

Ulster University Business School seeks to become the number one Centre for entrepreneurial teaching, research and impact in the U.K. by 2021. The Business School offers a wide range of high quality courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, executive education and PhD programmes. The latest UK Research Assessment Exercise positioned us as the leading Business School in Northern Ireland and ranked us 7th in the UK for the impact of our research. With a very strong regional presence, the Business School makes a major contribution to the development of the Northern Ireland economy, making an estimated economic impact of £41m per year.

As a member of Harvard Business School’s Microeconomics of Competitiveness Affiliate Network, and with links to the prestigious Babson College Boston, the School has established itself as a major centre for management and business education with international standing. We are dedicated to providing world class executive leadership and management development programmes, informed by leading-edge research for business. Our programmes are designed to equip leaders and managers with the skills and experience they need to give their businesses a competitive edge. The quality of the School’s management and business education is reinforced by the strong relationships it has with over a dozen professional bodies.

The School already has a very strong tradition of active engagement with local business through its Visiting Professoriate, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovation Vouchers, consultancy and extensive student placement/internship activity. We work constantly with the business community to ensure the provision of excellent and innovative programmes of study which serve the needs of the local economy.

www.business.ulster.ac.uk

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Thank you To…

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our Learn GroW exCeL parTners

our parTners…

nIe networks, Regional Networking Series

sonI, Energy Forum

sse, In Camera Series

bT, Communications Partner

bDo, Quarterly Economic Survey

electric Ireland, Growing Something Brilliant

Leadership Series

First Trust bank, Developing Your Growth

Potential

hsbC, Trade Training

ulster bank, Near Market Trade Visit

ulster Carpets, Learn Grow Excel

Conference

power nI, SME Partner

bank of Ireland, Connecting for Growth &

Scaling Up

Danske bank export First

NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRYANNUAL REPORT 2017

Communications Partner

NI Chamber Patrons

VISIONNI Chamber is the network for business in Northern Ireland, enabling members to grow their

organisation both locally and internationally and drive the development of the economy.

Documents

NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY …€¦ · encourage more export activity in Northern Ireland despite the obstacles that Brexit will impose. In 2017 alone, Learn