38 strategies for success


Strategies for success start with a passion for business


'Determination, vision and passion' are undoubtedly winning qualities for aspiring businessmen, yet Barclays Corporate Banking also provided its clients with informative and practical ideas to help them achieve their ambitions and take their businesses forward, during its Strategies for Success event at Twickenham Stadium


Barclays ably highlighted that ‘determination, vision and passion’ through its choice of guest speakers and entrepreneurial success stories, headed by Ellis Watson, currently MD of media group DC Thompson, but previously CEO of Syco Entertainment owners of the X-Factor and Got Talent television franchises.


Throughout the interactive event, writes John Burbedge, several key advisory themes became obvious:


• Personal passion for the business is an important ingredient in the success recipe


• Leading with enthusiasm can encourage and empower others


• Harnessing human capital to a business focus is powerful


• Focus on core business abilities, and do them better than others


• Concentrate on customer needs, not your own


• Change happens: accept it, learn, and gain from it


• Be prepared to be different – ambitious and determined, but not reckless or obstinately unbending.


Commitment to


clients Welcoming nearly 100 invited clients, operating in the £5m-£50m turnover bracket, Adrian White, Barclays head of West London & Surrey Corporate Banking team, explained: “There’s no question that we are experiencing continued challenging


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times and that there is a bumpy road ahead. We recognise how important it is to maintain close working relationships with our clients and to help them succeed.


“This event continues our commitment to the region and forms part of a programme to give our clients access to expert insight, economic analysis and quality networking opportunities.”


The overall morning event was confidently co-ordinated and facilitated by Kavita Maharaj, formerly senior anchorwoman on CNBC’s primetime finance programme, European Closing Bell.


Expert insights and a chance to talk ….


Breakout sessions enabled Barclays’ guests a privileged insight into the areas of international trade, risk management, and cash and debt management to assist their development of strategies for success.


Julian Stevens (Barclays trade) revealed how Barclays is increasing its support for exporters keen to maximise the opportunities of favourable foreign exchange markets. Much of this support was aimed at boosting confidence in trading transactions beset by the fragile financial nature of the Eurozone, the UK’s largest export partner. Letters of credit, documentation collections, pre- shipment finance, bonds and guarantees, plus


government-backed schemes were all now options to assist exporters.


Richard Cavell (Barclays risk solutions group) discussed the risks of foreign exchange rate movements when trading internationally. He encouraged the audience to consider the impact of exchange rate movements on their businesses and explored different ways of managing that risk. He noted that increasingly businesses are adopting a formal foreign exchange rate policy in their international dealings.


Paul Scragg (Barclays cash management) and Gareth Jones (Barclays debt finance) covered the increasing popularity of invoice financing and invoice discounting schemes, SEPA Credit Transfer, and the methods by which businesses can keep their essential working capital healthy and cashflow streams sustainable. The successful rollout of the National Loan Guarantee Scheme was also highlighted with the cashback feature that Barclays offered proving very popular with clients.


Barclays Pingit, the bank’s new mobile phone payment service for UK corporate and current account holders aged 16 or over, was a notable discussion point on technological progress within banking and the changing and varied demands of customers for available funding services.


Barclays Pingit is a smartphone downloadable app that allows people to send and receive money using just a mobile phone number.


Details: Adrian White, Barclays head of West London & Surrey, 07775-540939


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2012


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