Before the Budget Business West – the organisation that runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce – called for a focus on infrastructure, exports and the skills gap. Managing director Phil Smith said: “Our nation’s roads and apprentices got a cordial mention , international trade was almost utterly absent....
The CBI described the Budget as double-edged for business and branded the Chancellor’s flagship introduction of a National Living Wage of £7.20 next April as “a big gamble”. It also called the apprentice levy “a blunt tool” to force more businesses to take on trainees. Director-general John Cridland said:...
Many of the measures in Chancellor George Osborne’s Summer Budget got a warm welcome from Bristol business figures – particularly support for small businesses. Jeremy Richards, head of office at property agency JLL’s Bristol office, said: “The Chancellor’s continued focus on investment in improving the M4 and the electrification...
The Bristol office of accountancy and business advisory firm BDO is growing its audit team with new recruits and the promotion of John Talbot to director. New staff include Hannah Cook, who joins from Berg Kaprow Lewis in London and James Ellis, who previously worked at Smith & Williamson....
Business West, the organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce, has called on the Chancellor to strike a balance between eliminating the deficit and stimulating growth in next week’s Budget. And while George Osborne is likely to focus on the cuts and reform, he must also concentrate on infrastructure, boosting...
Last week’s ninth annual Institute of Directors Director of the Year awards, staged at Bordeaux Quay, Bristol. Photos by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk All the awards winners with ceremony host Laura Rawlings, centre Director of the Year Award winner Julie Moore with ceremony host Laura Rawlings and Mark Bennett of...
Three of the Bristol area’s most successful firms will go head to head next week in the South West’s most prestigious business competition. Global financial administration company Computershare Investors Services, Loungers – the business behind the successful café/bar chain – and Chipping Sodbury-based Ian Williams, one of the UK’s...
The funding holding arm of regional alternative finance lender South West Investment Group (SWIG) has appointed Malachy McReynolds as its new chairman. Malachy, pictured, who spent 12 years as managing director of Bristol-based chocolate manufacturer Elizabeth Shaw, joined the SWIG board in January. He takes over as chairman from...
Accountancy firm Bishop Fleming, which has an office in Bristol, has boosted its corporate finance team with the appointment of Charles Davey, the former NatWest director of structured finance in the South West and South Wales. Mr Davey joins Bishop Fleming as director of corporate finance after eight years...
More than 80% of West of England firms fear leaving the EU would pose a risk to the UK economy, according to results of a survey among nearly 1,000 businesses in the region. Two thirds also believe it would be bad for their own business. The survey by Business...
Accountancy and investment management group Smith & Williamson has launched a free tax calculator to enable businesses to work out how much tax they could be saving on their research and development (R&D) costs. The online tool has been set up in the light of research suggesting that thousands...
Bristol is emerging as a hot spot for ethical investing, a national conference staged in the city heard. The city was chosen to host this year’s Ethex Annual Gathering because of its role as European Green Capital 2015, and according to the social enterprise’s research Bristol is the UK’s...
Bristol-based ethical investment management firm Rathbone Greenbank is to host a high-profile seminar and discussion as part of the city’s Big Green Week. Among the speakers at the event, on the theme of ‘Investing in the Future’, will be Eden Project co-founder and executive vice chair Sir Tim Smit....
