CONDUCTOR change of
AT THE RECENT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, MARK NODDER, GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE WRIGHT GROUP, WAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. MARK WILL SERVE AS PRESIDENT FOR TWO YEARS AND HERE HE TALKS TO GAVIN WALKER ABOUT EXPORTING, ENSURING THAT NORTHERN IRELAND IS OPEN FOR
BUSINESS.....AND A WEDDING.
I
tʼs going to be a busy summer for Mark Nodder, the recently elected president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.
His day job as group managing director of Ballymena‑based Wright Group requires he oversees the pre‑Olympics delivery of the next four of the iconic Routemaster buses ‒ a hard‑won contract that will culminate in an additional 600 buses and secure employment for the almost 1000 employees of WrightBus.
Alongside that is the delivery of a further fleet of standard buses to be used in the transportation of competitors, officials and visitors to the Games.
On the weekends he will be keeping a watchful eye on his Rugby League favourites, Wigan Warriors which is the ʻreal rugbyʼ, according to Mark.
At half‑time he will walk the two Border Collie dogs that have replaced his two grown boys who are now ʻfairly independentʼ. And in any quiet moments, he and his ʻlong‑ suffering fiancéeʼ, Denise, will put together the final details for their September wedding. Oh yes ‒ and then thereʼs the matter of leading the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce in his role of president. “I am hugely excited about the next couple of years as president,” Mark said. “I come to the presidency at a time when the Chamber has an effective strategy and a strong team in place. Ann and Francis (Martin) have worked hard over the past two years to create a clear vision for the Chamber and my role is to now ensure that we connect effectively with the membership and build on the 230 years of the Chamberʼs success.”
Which brings us back to that summer schedule.
Mark wants to take advantage of the relative quietness of the summer in the Chamber and business schedule to meet with all the members of the Council. “I want to get to know the Council members and listen to what they feel are the important issues the Chamber should be considering,” Mark said.
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Acknowledging the time Council members give to their role in the Chamber, Mark is determined that the regular Council meetings will “be a forum for real discussion, not simply a talking shop.”
But while he is keen to hear what Council members have to say, he has already formulated a clear idea of the two issues that will be the cornerstones of his presidency: the importance of embedding the message that Northern Ireland is open for business and everything that means for policy development at all levels and in all departments of government: and ensuring that Northern Ireland business no matter the size is clear about the value of exporting.
Northern Ireland: open for business Itʼs a great strapline for any emerging economy, but Mark wants to ensure that what is an aspiration becomes a reality. “After a lot of engagement by all of the business organisations and not least the Chamber, I believe we have succeeded in convincing local politicians to the importance of making Northern Ireland a great place to do business,” Mark said. “The reality is that there are some inherent barriers to attracting business that we canʼt do a lot about: weʼre out on the edge of Europe and energy and transportation costs are higher than the rest of the UK and Europe. So letʼs be sure that we donʼt place any additional unnecessary barriers in the way.
“It is incumbent on us to constantly remind the policy makers that every new policy should be viewed in an economic context. “We must work hard to make Northern Ireland an attractive place to do business by reducing red tape, creating a business‑friendly planning process, addressing the skills shortages and pushing harder for devolved Corporation Tax ‒ and indeed other taxes. “Thatʼs not a charter for irresponsible business. I believe businesses of all sizes should be both responsible and ethical, but it follows that if the economy is to be at the heart of the Programme for Government,
then we must be effective in making it easier to do business.
“In short letʼs change the strapline to ʻBusiness is good for Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland should be good for business.ʼ
Exporting for growth
The Wright Group in general and Wright Bus in particular is a Northern Ireland export success story.
With a target of 50 per cent export sales, Mark and his team have already made inroads into the rapidly expanding Asian markets and have developed a world‑class system that allows for the shipping of complete ʻflat‑packʼ units from Northern Ireland which can be built and maintained by a dedicated production and maintenance team in the export market. “We are one of many Northern Ireland companies that are successfully exporting across the globe, but we have to encourage many, many more local companies to grow their businesses through export,” Mark explained. “The Chamberʼs Export First programme is a fantastic example of how we can actively assist members overcome their apprehensions and look beyond our own borders.
“I want to continue to build on the success of that programme and really drive the message that exporting is not only good for Northern Ireland business but can be a reality for even the smallest company. We need to work even harder to encourage members to get into new markets.
“So, a lot has been achieved and the Chamber is a renewed and revitalised force in the local business community. But there is work to be done in these two specific areas, and Iʼm sure my conversations with Council members will highlight some additional issues we need to look at and address. “Itʼs going to be an exciting two years. Itʼll be hard work ‒ but itʼll be fun too.”
In short let’s change the strapline to, ‘Business is good for Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland should be good for business.
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