BREAKING NEWS..........
Public Procurement Update – New Factor in Automatic Suspension Cases?
In public procurement law, as soon as a Contracting Authority’s public procurement procedure is challenged by an aggrieved economic operator issuing a writ, an automatic injunction arises preventing the Contracting Authority from awarding the contract. In the first case involving an application to lift the automatic suspension since Nuclear Decommissioning Agency v Energy Solutions EU […]
How ready is your Infrastructure for Digital Transformation?
Matt McCloskey, eir Business NI looks at Digital Transformation. It almost feels like the race is on. It won’t be an easy race and there is no finish line. But those who lead the race will be the ones to get the crowd’s attention and leave their competitors behind. Digital Transformation has been happening for sure […]
Plan for Warrenpoint Port forecasts growth: VIDEO REPORT
Warrenpoint Port has unveiled a major 25-year growth plan as it forecasts a continued growth in trade following Brexit. The Warrenpoint Port Masterplan document, which covers 2018-2043, aims to build on the port’s position as the second largest port in Northern Ireland and as a major economic driver for the region. Warrenpoint Port is a […]
RICS & Tughans Northern Ireland Construction & Infrastructure Market Survey, Q1 2018
Private industrial workloads saw growth for the first time in two years according to the Q1 2018 RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and Tughans Northern Ireland Construction & Infrastructure Market Survey. The survey also recorded a rise in the number of respondents saying that housebuilding had increased, with overall construction workloads therefore continuing to […]
Is your business plan written to attract investors?
Every business needs a road map of some sort – usually written down in a business plan. Does your plan attract an investor’s attention? Is it balanced between all the areas that an investor will expect to see covered? What sort of investor are you looking for? Do you know what the investor wants from […]
Record Year for Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast has experienced its busiest year to date welcoming 841,563 visitors, a year-on-year increase of 13%. The world-leading attraction, which was identified as one of Tourism Northern Ireland’s signature projects to enhance Northern Ireland’s tourism offering, smashed its 2012 record numbers by 4%. The announcement follows its sixth birthday and comes on the back […]
FEATURE ARTICLES..........
Andras Hotels to invest £6.6m to regenerate historic Portrush hotel site
Andras Hotels have submitted revised proposals for a £6.6million hotel regeneration project in Portrush. The 87-bedroom boutique hotel will be located on the site of the former Londonderry Hotel on Main Street / Atlantic Avenue in the town centre. Designed by award-winning conservation architects, Consarc, the proposals will preserve and restore the grade B1 listed […]
David Sterling pledges to help Derry ‘fulfil potential’ at Londonderry Chamber of Commerce event
David Sterling, the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service has told Derry business leaders he will “do all” he can to help the city fulfil its potential. David Sterling was addressing a business lunch hosted by Londonderry Chamber of Commerce in the Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry on Wednesday. Mr Sterling, who leads around […]
Making plans for Bank Holiday Weekend? Here are 10 things to do in Northern Ireland
DiscoverNorthernIreland.com has stacks of fun things to do across NI, from family days out to gigs and cultural events. Here are 10 exciting things taking place this week (30 April – 6 May) Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2018, Belfast, 3-13 May. The 19th Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival boasts a staggering programme of live music, comedy, […]
A look at the most advanced buildings
Architectural design is everchanging. Architects and project managers are able to make more informed decisions about the structure of the building, taking into account many different factors — including climate, materials and overall building use. We investigate some of the most advanced buildings across the globe: Burj Khalifa, Dubai The tallest structure in the world […]
How to organize a successful corporate event
There’s a lot you can gain from hosting a corporate event. However, not everyone knows how to begin organising it. How do you organise a successful corporate event? Here are five tips: Find the right venue. The venue is really important in how successful your event is. It is where you’ll gather important clients, industry […]
Stop Waffling and Stick To The Hook – perfect business speaking
There is no shortage of business-related self-help books: a simple search of Amazon’s Book section with the term ‘business speaking’ returns upwards of 4000 results! However, business books tend to follow a dominant trend of focus on the ‘transmission’ end of conversation, and not the ‘reception’ end. Contrary to popular belief, over-preparing what you say […]
THOUGHT LEADERS..........
Board members say they are ready for Brexit, but only half of lawyers agree: Pinsent Masons Report
With one year to go until the UK leaves the EU, new research from international law firm Pinsent Masons has revealed a gap between how prepared board members of the UK’s biggest companies think their business is for Brexit, and the opinion of the most senior in-house lawyers tasked with preparing for change. ‘Into the […]
How to Create Added Value for Customers
If a business wants to retain its customer base, then they need to offer that customer value. Added value is essential for any small and medium-sized business (SME’s) to differentiate themselves from their competitors in their marketplace. This can be one of the toughest areas of marketing and it can be difficult to know where […]
Data Management for a Digital World
In today’s business environment, being able to effectively manage and protect electronic data is crucial if organisations want to minimise their exposure to risk. However, as enterprise data continues to grow exponentially, this is proving increasingly hard to manage says Frank Reichart, Senior Director of Product Marketing Storage and Data Centre. The resulting proliferation of fragmented, […]
Biometrics – A new take on old tech
Biometric solutions were once seen as futuristic and unsafe, but we’ve come to realise that the reverse is true: it is password security which is unsafe, says Fujitsu Business Development Director Ollie Hayler As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, it’s become common knowledge that you can’t use a password to keep accounts safe from cybercrime, because they […]
Old Age Pen-shunners – why saving for retirement needs to be a Milennial habit
Millennials across the UK have set themselves an ambitious savings target of over £300K before they retire, a figure they believe will grant them ‘comfort’ in their golden years, with many aspiring to travel the world, own a second home and eat out multiple times a week. However, if they want to make these future […]
Communication Skills: The Four Questions that Will Unlock Your Business Voice
Good communication skills are often ranking high on the list of traits the average professional claims to have on their resume, with a general consensus that communication is important in business. But very often, this declaration feels like little more than lip service, something people know they have to mention if they want to be […]
MOVERS & SHAKERS...
Rainbow Communications celebrates 20 years of business success
Northern Ireland’s largest independent provider of telecom services, Rainbow Communications, is celebrating 20-years at the forefront of innovation and growth, throughout April 2018. Founded in 1998 by Eric Carson and Martin Hamill as TSI Ireland, the company rebranded three years later as Rainbow Telecom to reflect the broad spectrum of products and services offered. Now, […]
IoD Northern Ireland announces new Committee Members
The Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI) has boosted its Northern Ireland Committee with the election of several new members drawn from across the economy. Newly elected to the committee are: Clare Guinness, Chief Executive, Warrenpoint Port; John Hansen, Partner in Charge, KPMG Northern Ireland; David Henry, Managing Director, Henry Brothers and Bonnie Anley, […]
Barclays Appoints Liam McGonigle as Business Development Manager
Barclays have bolstered their offer to commercial finance intermediaries in Northern Ireland & Scotland with the appointment of Liam McGonigle to the role of Business Development Manager. Liam joins the team from Barclays Wealth, which has given him extensive experience of helping clients with their personal and commercial requirements. In his new role, Liam will […]
Jonathan Topping to lead Clayton Hotel Belfast
Jonathan Topping has been appointed General Manager of Clayton Hotel Belfast, part of the Dalata Hotel Group. Jonathan has extensive hotel and hospitality experience and has worked with many well-known hotel companies including Hastings Hotel, where he was General Manager of Stormont Hotel for 4 years. He will be responsible for implementing Dalata bespoke brands […]
Brendan O’Connor Appointed Resident Manager at Adare Manor, Limerick
The 5-Star Adare Manor is delighted to announce the appointment of Brendan O’Connor as Resident Manager of the Resort. This announcement comes just months after Adare Manor successfully reopened after an extensive restoration, refurbishment and expansion programme. As Resident Manager, Brendan is now deputy to General Manager, Paul Heery. Brendan will take the lead and […]
Stephen Meldrum appointed General Manager of Grand Central Hotel Belfast
The directors of Hastings Hotels have announced that Stephen Meldrum has been appointed General Manager of the new Grand Central Hotel. Stephen Meldrum joined Hastings Hotels in 2002 as restaurant manager of Ballygally Castle before working his way to become the hotel’s general manager. He has since held the role of general manager at the […]
FAMILY BUSINESS..........
What Are Guarantor Loans? – A Guide to Guarantor Lending
You may have seen the ads, but do you know what a guarantor loan is and how they work? Read our post to find out all you need to know! There’s been a boom in recent years in the financial lending market. More and more people are taking out a particular type of loan. Yes, […]
Days away from the office: How to cut costs
Seeing a new client, attending an event, having a corporate away day; days away from your desk come, to most, as a midweek treat. But, with travel expenses, food and accommodation all to be accounted for, they do come at a financial cost. Here are some saving tips to help stretch the budget further when […]
Siblings, Surfboards and Success – Family Business Forum supports local businesses
Business owners and brothers, Ricky and Chris Martin of innovative surfboard producers Skunkworks, will speak at the next NI Family Business Forum on 24th April 2018 in the Europa Hotel. To register and secure your place visit www.nifamilybusinessforum.com Skunkworks Surf Co is a business that inspires, takes the lead and shines the light for other […]
Avoiding the Nightmares of Networking
Most people seem to hate networking. That may strike you as surprising, given how often confidence and charisma seem to be necessary traits in a businessperson, but in my many years as a presentation coach, I have seen it. And statistics have found that a huge 84% of people prefer remote meetings to networking face-to-face, […]
What You Can Use Your Guarantor Loan For
If you’re looking to take out a guarantor loan, you may be wondering what you can actually use it for. We’ve got all the info you need below! Sometimes you need a little financial aid in life to help you out of a rough patch. Yes, seeking a loan for things like wedding costs or […]
Employers need to act now on immigration law to keep their workforce in Northern Ireland
by Lisa Bryson, Head of Employment, Eversheds Sutherland, Belfast To paraphrase Mark Twain, many people complain about the weather, but no-one ever seems to do anything about it. Employers handling international recruitment could be forgiven for feeling the same way about the Brexit negotiations. It has been clear for some time that Brexit will cause major […]
HR ADVICE & IDEAS.....
Women are happier at work than men despite being paid less, according to Gender Happiness Gap
The Gender Happiness Gap research today surveyed over 1200 UK employees about their happiness, enthusiasm, pride, and efficiency at work. The results demonstrate a significant gap in the workplace happiness between men and women across the UK. The research shows that contrary to, and perhaps in spite of the fact that the Gender Pay Gap […]
Gender parity absent within Northern Ireland’s most senior roles
Northern Ireland’s business boardrooms are still facing a significant gender imbalance – despite growing awareness of a widespread female deficit, according to research released today. Of the 467 board members within Northern Ireland’s top 100 companies, just a fifth of these are women, according to Brightwater Recruitment, who examined the issue ahead of International Women’s […]
How to spot – and help – a high-functioning alcoholic in your organisation
Can you tell if a member of your team is a high-functioning alcoholic? And, once identified, what can you do to help them? Sobriety companion and coach, Dr Bunmi Aboaba, draws on her experiences to explain what to look for and what action you should take: Firstly, there are some simple signs to look for: […]
Flexible working: Why more companies need to embrace it
We’ve seen enormous technological and social changes in the workplace in recent years. These changes have forced some companies to adapt in order to attract and sustain much needed talent. Unfortunately, despite this, a lot more still needs to be done to ensure flexibility and inclusivity is addressed in every workplace and integrated into the culture of the […]
Key Steps Actions for Businesses Leaders for LGBT+ Inclusion
Undeniably the world has come a long way in LGBT+ inclusion over recent years. With more states offering employment protection and recognition of LGBT+ partnership rights than ever before, there is much to celebrate. While progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. In more than half of the world LGBT+ […]
Mental health in the workplace – Employers responsibility
Mental health is fast becoming a hot topic in the workplace. It is rarely out of the media, reflecting campaigns by health trusts, charities, even celebrities and the Royal Family, says Lisa Bryson, head of employment practice, Eversheds Sutherland, Belfast Recent research undertaken by ‘Business in the Community’ has highlighted that one in four adults currently […]
