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briefing
THE TELEGRAPH
Got a business story? Call Jenny Waddington on 024 76 500 533 or email jenny.waddington@coventrytelegraph.net Unions in call for
investment growth
Dawn takes Union leaders have pressed the
government to do more to encourage
over top
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7 2012
business investment after warning that
wage-led economic growth is unlikely to
happen for years.
legal role
The TUC said the prospects for a boom
in consumer spending were not looking
good because wages had fallen for the
past two years while household debts
THE new head of the region’s were rising.
society for legal professionals is Strong wage growth was the best way
hoping her new role doesn’t end to boost consumer spending, said the
,
up with her jumping off a tall TUC, adding that business investment
building - like her predecessor. should be the main driver of economic
Dawn Mobbs, from Coventry- growth.
based law firm Band Hatton, has The union organisation’s economic
taken over as president of the report said UK companies held a “cash
Warwickshire Law Society from pile” of £724 billion, equivalent to half the
Nick Button of the city’s Button size of the economy.
Legal practice. The Chancellor was urged to announce
Mr Button’s presidency was greater incentives for companies to invest
epitomised by charity fund- when he unveils his Budget this month.
raising efforts for Acorn’s
Menzies buoyed by
Children’s Hospice, having
helped raise over £3,000 so far.
Another £2,000 is expected
when he completes his latest act
of bravery - abseiling down the aviation division
140ft Wesleyan Building in
Birmingham on Saturday. John Menzies said aviation services
Ms Mobbs said: “I would like to overtook newspaper distribution as
thank Nick for all of his hard its biggest profits driver last year after
work over the last 12 months and the 179-year-old company benefited
in particular his massive efforts from a flurry of contracts for ground
in raising much-needed funds for handling and cargo work.
Acorns. The Edinburgh-based company
“I sincerely hope that at the hailed “another successful year” after
end of my year as president I a 25% rise in profits to £56.4 million
won’t feel the need to throw on record turnover of £2 billion.
myself off a very tall building! The improvement was driven by
“I am looking forward to my aviation services, which operates from
year ahead immensely and it is a 131 airports in 29 countries and
real honour to have been asked CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Nick Button, from Button Legal, with new Warwickshire Law Society president Dawn employs around 17,000 people who
to take on the role.” Mobbs, from Band Hatton work on behalf of airlines including
easyJet, British Airways and Emirates.
Its profits rose 31% to £32.3 million,
which outstripped the £28.8 million
bigger venue
Intern scheme
achieved by its newspaper and
magazine distribution business.
looking for Pace profit hit by
more recruits parts disruption
for city expo
Set-top box maker Pace posted a slump
A CHARITY which teams up in profits today after a year in which its
with local employers to offer supply chain was disrupted by the
paid work experience to Japanese tsunami and Thailand floods.
Coventry students is holding The West Yorkshire-based firm, which is
an open evening tonight. a leading developer of products for pay
The event – which is being television and broadband service
staged at the city’s Ricoh providers, saw profits halve to 54.7
Arena – has been set up to million US dollars (£34.5 million) in the
Amazing response prompts switch by Chamber
encourage more firms to join year to December 31.
the programme. Two of its key suppliers – Western
The project, which is run by Digital and Seagate – suffered disruption
registered charity Career to production of hard disks used in its
Academies UK, started in range of satellite, Freeview and cable
firms will pick up top tips on how to was the popularity of the expo that
2002 and offers internships,
many leading to permanent
By Jenny Waddington trade abroad and improve their sales. we’ve had to move it to Brandon
set-top boxes following the flooding in
Thailand.
positions and funded
business REPORTER Cate Poolton, from the Chamber’s Hall, which is a great venue and we
university placements.
Local employers who
A MAJOR business and trade exhibi-
tion has been moved to a new venue
Events Team, said exhibition stands
had all been snapped up a month be-
are delighted that they had the date
free.” Experts say rates rise
currently support the scheme
include Coventry Building
Society, Coventry City
because of its popularity.
The Coventry and Warwickshire
fore the expo.
She said: “We have had an amazing
response. This is our first Business
Louise Bennett, chief executive of
the Coventry and Warwickshire
Chamber of Commerce, said: “This
will be devastating
Chamber of Commerce is holding a LOCAL business leaders are calling on
Council, Whitefriars Housing & Trade Expo which we organised is a chance to network and meet new
Business and Trade Expo on March government to reconsider its plans to
and GE. The Career Academy 23, with guests including Lord because we felt there was a gap in businesses but there will be people
UK event will start at 6pm. the calendar for exactly this type of on hand with some serious expertise increase annual business rates from 2
Green, trade and investment minis- per cent to 5.6 per cent, saying it will
Anna Cuskin, corporate business event. and knowledge.
ter, Coventry MP Bob Ainsworth, have a devastating effect on
responsibility manager for “That said, we couldn’t have pre- “That will be particularly true in
Doug Mahoney of UKTI, and Margot businesses.
Coventry Building Society, dicted such a phenomenal response the field of international trade where
James MP. The government is recommending
said: “As an employer, it a from exhibitors which range from Doug Mahoney and Lord Green – as
Already 40 companies have signed that from April this year and in line
great way to find the next those who can help business trade well as our team of overseas trade
up to exhibit, forcing organisers to with the spike in retail prices index
generation of up and coming internationally to firms who can experts – will be there to give advice
move the event to the Brandon Hall inflation, that businesses pay more for
talent whilst helping local help promote your company. on trading abroad.
Hotel from its original venue at the their properties.
young people develop the “We are new registering visitors “International trade is one of the
Coventry Rugby Club. But Michael Ward, president of
skills they need to succeed in to the event and we are urging peo- avenues all businesses need to look
today’s highly competitive Hundreds of visitors are expected Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
on the day, with the expo, which is ple to book on now because we be- at if they want to grow in the coming Group, said this will have serious
job market.”
free, running from 10am until lieve it is going to be very popu- months and years.” implications on companies of all sizes
Companies can find out
3pm. lar. For more information contact the and urges government to scrap the
more at www.
careeracademies.org.uk. As well as being able to meet a host “The Chamber has a conference Chamber on 024 7665 4321 or log proposals.
of other companies from the region, centre at the rugby club but such onto www.cw-chamber.co.uk.