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news opinion


Uncertainty. Last month we were all subject to more uncertainty than is good for us


Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis; Libya’s civil war; Bahrain’s protests and the intervention of Saudi Arabia; civil strife across the Middle East and north Africa from Tunisia to the Yemen.


The markets hate uncertainty. Bankers and accountants hate uncertainty – ironic in the case of bankers seeing as how much uncertainty they have created. Businesses don’t like uncertainty either. They like growth, steady growth.


And, pleasingly, this is what they are getting. Private-sector growth in the south east is at its strongest in eight months. Output and employment are rising. The manufacturing sector is doing well, and confidence across the private sector is at its highest for many, many months.


As one analyst said, manufacturing confidence in the region has been strong for some time now, but more recently it looks like the service sector is starting to catch up.


Worries over inflationary pressures remain. Fuel costs are frightening and many companies are being forced to pass on higher costs to their customers.


Writing this ahead of the Budget, we can only hope that George Osborne’s package further stimulates the economy and is received positively by businesses. We need strong actions from Government to help the private sector get this country back on its feet.


The year has started well, despite the uncertainty in foreign fields. Now the Government should press the accelerator.


David Murray, Publisher www.businessmag.co.uk


Land of sand for Weymouth


Planning permission for a major new tourist attraction in Weymouth, SANDWORLD, has been granted.


Eminent local sand sculptor Mark Anderson and local businessman David Hicks have joined forces to create SANDWORLD International Sand Sculpture Park.


Opening on April 22, it will exhibit fantastic sculptures up to five metres in height made entirely of sand and water. They will be created by competing world-class sand artists, who will be flying in a month before the opening to construct the masterpieces, which are based upon a maritime theme.


Anderson has competed around the world, recreated Windsor Palace in sand for the Queen and worked directly for many prestigious blue-chip clients including Sky, BBC, O2, Peugeot, BA and BMW along with many others. Work will begin immediately on the site, which is


located at Lodmoor Country Park, close to the Sealife Centre.


“We are very excited about this new venture,“ said Anderson. “SANDWORLD International Sand Sculpture Park is a natural progression from my seafront exhibition and builds on the worldwide success of sand sculpting events, exhibitions and festivals. It will celebrate tradition and is the UK’s first competitive international sand sculpture event.“


Anderson will continue to run his seafront exhibition, which was started by his grandfather in the 1920s, while SANDWORLD is offering a number of sponsorship opportunities to businesses looking to raise their profile with community and arts projects.


“As the structures are built entirely from sand and water, we aim to bring community, arts and entertainment together at a minimal cost to the environment,“ concluded Anderson.


Dining club on the cards for senior executives


Intramezzo, which has built a reputation on the precision and speed with which it can find senior executives for both interim and permanent roles, is establishing a dining club in the Solent and south central region for senior interims.


The venture is based upon the success of the Cambridge 100, which began five years ago, set up by Intramezzo director Dermot Hill. “We brought together a focused group of executives and the region’s captains of industry, highlighting supply and demand, and it proved extremely successful,“ explained Hill.


Intramezzo, which has 4,000 managers in the UK, has built its reputation on the precision and speed with which it can find senior executives for both interim and permanent roles. It has a number of powerful registers to support early stage and mid-market sectors: NED, angel talent, MBI and tagged executives (an early stage MBI Programme), as well as access to a large number of senior executives with IPO experience.


The club will be formally named and set up in the next three months, following a gathering of 55 managers for a formative meeting at Chilworth Manor. The Cambridge events welcome some 50-70 members and guests, and feature an eminent speaker.


Paris Smith advises on MBO


Paris Smith has advised on the management buyout of Fibercore, a Southampton-based global market leader in the design and manufacture of speciality optical fibres, from Cisco.


Founded in 1982, Fibercore provides a wide range of specialty optical fibre products to customers globally within the aerospace,


defence and telecommunications industries.


Corporate partner Andrew Heathcock led the Paris Smith team. The deal was funded by private equity firm HIG Capital Partners LLP, and advised by City firm SJ Berwin. BDO in Southampton and London provided financial and due diligence advice.


If the venture proves as successful in the Solent and south central region as in Cambridge, Hill plans to roll it out nationwide.


In the next issue of The Business Magazine


• Deals Awards Special • Education & Business • Summer Hospitality • Legal Focus


Details: 0118-9745308 sales@elcot.co.uk


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – APRIL 2011


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