Sector Focus


BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS SCHOOL


Birmingham Business School opens brand new postgraduate facility


By Adam Gore Marketing and Communications Manager, University of Birmingham


Finance


Sponsored by: University of Birmingham


Support is a must to unlock funding access


Firms throughout the Midlands increasingly need support to ‘navigate the changing field’ of grants and funding, say business leaders. Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief


executive Paul Faulkner says the complex array of funding packages available has increased the need for expert guidance. Mr Faulkner urged firms to contact their local growth


hub for advice on access to finance, following a British Chambers of Commerce survey which revealed widespread lack of awareness.


The survey showed that 41 per cent of respondents


were unfamiliar with private equity finance, while 57 per cent and 50 per cent respectively were not aware of peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding. Meanwhile, 76 per cent were not familiar with


mezzanine and 58 per cent were unaware of angel. By contrast, the survey found that the vast majority of respondents were familiar with better known forms of funding such as credit cards, bank overdrafts, bank loans or leasing/hire purchase.


‘Knowing which type of finance is best for your business has become increasingly complicated’


When asked about Government schemes, 68 per


The Alan Walters Building, a state-of-the-art new building for Birmingham Business School postgraduate students, opened in September 2016. With the support of a


generous donation from Lady Walters in memory of her husband Sir Alan Walters, a leading economist and a Professor of Econometrics, the building plays host to high- quality professional facilities and will provide a modern environment where students can work and relax. Key features of the new


building include; a facility to simulate financial trading; a 200-seat lecture theatre and a 100-seat ‘Harvard style’ lecture theatre; a dedicated ‘Careers in Business’ facility, staffed by experienced recruitment and employability professionals solely for use by Birmingham’s postgraduate students; and an MBA lounge for our MBA students. A linear full height atrium running the length of the building is the focal heart of the centre and incorporates a café, social spaces and breakout spaces to facilitate student and staff collaboration. This is the latest in a series


of transformational campus redevelopments at the University of Birmingham, worth close to £500 million over a five-year period.


To find out more about the range of programmes available at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, visit our website here: www.birmingham.ac.uk/ business


54 CHAMBERLINK October 2016


cent were unfamiliar with or unaware of UK Export Finance while 72 per cent were not aware of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee. Mr Faulkner said: “Knowing which type of finance is


best for your business has become increasingly complicated in recent years as new platforms such as peer to peer and crowdfunding have emerged. Navigating the changing field of public sector grants and funding can also be a challenge. “The results of this survey show that many businesses


still need additional support getting up to speed on the types of finance out there. I would urge the businesses to consider contacting their local growth hub for signposting support on access to finance.” Andy Lyndon, director of LDC in the Midlands, said:


“Access to finance is an issue for many businesses, and with so many options available, it’s important for management teams to fully explore what’s on offer to ensure they have the right strategic fit for their business. “Despite common misconceptions, private equity


Cracking the safe: Businesses need to unlock the array of funding packages available


isn’t just for big businesses. It can be a powerful tool for management teams of all sizes, creating a partnership that works hand-in-hand to create stronger, larger and better businesses.”


The traps of investor relief


The Government’s new Investor Relief scheme should significantly cut capital gains tax bills, according to a Birmingham expert. But Richard Tidball, tax consultant at accountant Mazars, is warning


of ‘mines and booby-traps’ which can catch out the unwary. Investor Relief (IR) runs parallel to Entrepreneurs’ Relief (ER) but


with a separate and distinct £10 million lifetime threshold. When used in conjunction with ER, an individual may be able to access a total lifetime limit of £20 million of gains on which they pay CGT at ten per cent. Mr Tidball said: “While existing share investment schemes carry


detailed conditions which can be difficult to navigate, IR is open to a wider audience of investors as well as companies.” Traps and pitfalls in respect of Investor Relief include – employees


and investors intending to become employees at the date of their investment, or that do so within six months of making an investment, are excluded, new shares have to be subscribed for rather than existing shares simply purchased from another shareholder, and the investor must wait a minimum of three years from the date of subscription in order to qualify for IR.


Richard Tidball: Beware of ‘mines and booby-traps’


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