Paul takes on new ABP Chief of Staff role from today
Paul Bristowe has become the new Chief of Staff role at Associated British Ports, the UK’s leading ports operator.
Formerly Head of Marine for ABP’s Humber region, he brings extensive senior leadership experience from almost a decade with BP and 25 years of service in the Royal Navy in addition to his ABP career.
Paul said: “I’m excited to taking up the Chief of Staff role. There’s a tremendous depth of experience across ABP. Leading this new portfolio is an opportunity to bring this expertise together, give it the focus and prominence it deserves as well enhance the sharing of best practice across functions.
“The safety aspect of the Chief of Staff portfolio is absolutely critical, not just to the role itself but to everything that ABP does. Although ABP has made strong progress on our approach to safety, I’m absolutely committed to leading further improvement.”
The Chief of Staff role has been created to bring together critical enabling functions into one portfolio, including marine operations, safety, environment and security, that provide the essential foundations for ABP’s future growth. The Chief of Staff will also be the senior executive with responsibility for ABP’s other marine focused capabilities, UK Dredging and marine consultancy ABPmer.
Recognising the critical nature of these highly skilled, specialist capabilities the Chief of Staff will sit on ABP’s Executive Board and report directly to ABP’s CEO.
Henrik L. Pedersen, CEO at Associated British Ports, said: “ABP has ambitious, transformational plans for how we will expand our contribution to the UK under our twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition. These missions rely on safe, secure and sustainable operations which is why the Chief of Staff role is so important, bringing a senior leadership focus on key foundational capabilities. I am delighted to welcome Paul Bristowe to the role.”
Paul joined ABP in 2022 from BP, where he held a number of senior commercial roles in shipping, supply and trading operations. Before joining the business world Paul had a 25-year career in the Royal Navy operating globally as a helicopter pilot, warfare officer and latterly in command of a Type 23 Frigate. Paul has an MBA from Cranfield University.
New eight-year tourism strategy officially adopted for York
A new eight-year tourism strategy for York has been officially adopted by the City of York Council.
The York Tourism Advisory Board, chaired by Dr Brendan Paddison, Associate Professor and Interim Dean of York Business School, has been working on the development of a new Tourism Strategy for York, following extensive consultation with stakeholders from across the city and the wider region.
From promoting regenerative practices, to enhancing the wellbeing of the city’s communities through tourism, the York Tourism Strategy is a comprehensive framework that aims to ensure that tourism becomes a force for positive change, contributing to the city’s prosperity and wellbeing.
The new strategy is focused on 5 key priorities with specific ambitions for the city. These are:
- A Regenerative Visitor Economy: York is a responsible, robust and profitable destination with a regenerative visitor economy.
- Green York: Our businesses and visitors’ commitment proactively contributes to York’s transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
- Culture: York is renowned for its heritage, culture and cutting-edge approach to creativity, which attracts cultural tourists and supports the city’s regenerative visitor economy.
- Residents and Localhood: Local people experience the very best of their city and wider region alongside its visitors, with tourism contributing to the quality of life in York and beyond.
- Skills and recruitment: The visitor economy is a first-choice career for school leavers and graduates, businesses invest in upskilling, apprenticeships, training and career development, and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Offshore Wind Growth Partnership appoints non-exec director
The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership has appointed Iain Sinclair as a non-executive director. Iain brings over 20 years of experience in the renewable energy supply chain, most recently as the executive director of Global Energy Group – a major port operator and energy sector service company.
Iain replaces outgoing board member Richard Turner, whose term ends at the end of this month, and said: “I can’t wait to get stuck in at such an important moment for the development of the UK’s renewable energy sector. Since joining Global Energy Group we’ve seen the Scottish Port of Nigg become a household name in offshore wind, securing major investments and supporting world-leading offshore wind projects including Seagreen and Moray West.
“I want to use this experience to drive OWGP’s strategy, supporting development throughout the UK, and helping companies across the country to share in this growth with innovative products and services.”
OWGP Programme Director Anil Sayhan said: “We are grateful to Richard Turner for his support and guidance as OWGP established itself as a key player in developing the offshore wind supply chain. We are delighted to welcome Iain Sinclair, whose wealth of experience in manufacturing, ports and other critical areas will be highly valued as OWGP takes its next steps to help UK companies scale.”
OWGP Chair Tim Pick said: “It is great to have Iain on the OWGP Board. Iain joins us at a pivotal time for OWGP as we seek to align our programmes more closely with the recently published Industrial Growth Plan and roll out new initiatives such as our forthcoming Manufacturing Facility Support Programme.”
OWGP’s mission is to support a globally competitive offshore wind supply chain in the UK. They work with businesses to improve productivity, increase business competitiveness, maximise exports, promote greater collaboration in the supply chain, support innovation, and increase capacity through attracting new entrants and growing existing capacity. To date, OWGP’s programmes have led participants to report an increase of 1,136 jobs in offshore wind, over £44m offshore wind contracts won and retained in the UK supply chain.
Shipley interpreting firm snapped up by global language service company
Translate.One, a global language service and technology company and a division of one of the largest integrated legal solutions providers in the US, has acquired Enable2, a Shipley-headquartered interpreting company.
This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Translate.One’s commitment to providing comprehensive language support solutions worldwide.
Enable2 is a Social Enterprise spinning out from NHS Bradford and Airedale in 2011. The Enable2 set up includes an online purpose-built system to support both the public and private sector to communicate with their clients whilst achieving cost savings.
Peter Smith, president of Translate.One, said: “We are excited to welcome Enable2 to the Translate.One family. Their dedication to providing sensitive, professional, and understanding language support perfectly aligns with our mission. Together, we are well-positioned to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through language.”
Liz Weatherill, Managing Director of Enable2, said: “This acquisition opens up new opportunities for Enable2 to expand our services. By joining forces with Translate.One, we can leverage their extensive infrastructure and resources to enhance our offerings and continue delivering exceptional language support.”
100 year old Leeds fancy dress retailer sold following fall into administration
Leeds-headquartered fancy dress retailer R.H. Smith & Sons (Wigmakers) Limited, which trades as Smiffy’s, has been sold following its fall into administration.
Smiffy’s has been operating for over 100 years and has stores in Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Oxford. The financial performance of the company was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic which saw a huge drop in demand for costume and party products.
Following the appointment of Jane Steer and Sarah O’Toole of PwC as joint administrators, a sale of the business and assets of the company has been completed to Ad Populum LLC.
The buyer owns several brands, such as NECA (an industry leader in pop culture action figures and collectibles), Wizkids (a producer of miniatures and award-winning tabletop games worldwide), Kidrobot (a premier creator of limited-edition art toys and lifestyle accessories), and Rubies II, LLC (a US costumes company).
Jane Steer, joint administrator and partner, PwC, said: “Smiffy’s is a popular brand that has been operating in one form or another since 1894, but sadly, like many other retailers, it was impacted by the after effects of the pandemic. The buyer, Ad Populum, will add Smiffy’s to its comprehensive range of brands which have extensive reach in the fancy dress and toy markets.”
Croda names new CFO and Exec Director
Snaith-based Croda International has appointed Stephen Oxley as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director, who’ll join the company from his role as CFO at Johnson Matthey.
Stephen was previously a Partner at KPMG, where he spent nearly 30 years advising global companies across consumer, healthcare and industrial sectors. He is also a Non-Executive Member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Sovereign Grant which oversees the UK’s public grant to the Royal Family.
He will join Croda no later than 1 April next year following a notice period. Anthony Fitzpatrick, President Strategy, Corporate Development & Industrial Specialties, has been appointed Interim Chief Financial Officer. Anthony joined Croda and the Executive Committee in 2014 having previously spent more than 20 years in global investment banking.
Danuta Gray, Croda Chair, said: “Alongside his strong track record as a PLC Chief Financial Officer incorporating strategic thinking and operational delivery, Stephen brings valuable experience of audit and advisory roles for large, complex international companies across a number of relevant sectors during his time as a Partner at KPMG. I look forward to welcoming him to the Board.
“Anthony Fitzpatrick has a deep understanding of Croda and we are pleased that he has agreed to act as CFO on an interim basis before helping to oversee an orderly handover to Stephen when he joins early next year.”
- MEANWHILE, Ian Bull has been named as a Non-Executive Director. Ian has extensive experience with listed companies across a wide range of industries, both domestic and international, both as an Executive Director as well as Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair. He was previously Group Finance Director of Greene King plc, Chief Financial Officer at Ladbrokes plc, and was most recently Chief Financial Officer of Parkdean Resorts Group. Ian was formerly a non-executive Director of Paypoint Ltd, Chair of Lookers plc and Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair of St. Modwen Properties plc. Ian is currently a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair of Dunelm Group plc and Senior Independent Director of Domino’s Pizza Group Plc. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Hessle-based food company embarks on further research with Carbon Inset Pilot Scheme
Hessle-based food producer Cranswick is undertaking further research into its Carbon Inset Pilot Scheme to enhance their regenerative agriculture initiatives.
Working in association with Hutchinson’s and Agri Sound, the three-year project aims to investigate and make improvements to the carbon sequestration of soils and increase biodiversity across its farms.
Carbon Insetting is the process of integrating nature-based solutions within a business supply chain with the aim of reducing the amount of carbon emitted. This process will significantly contribute to Cranswick’s business goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040, using our own vertically integrated agricultural supply chain, as opposed to external carbon offsetting schemes.
Hutchinson’s have been using their Omnia Terramap technology to scan fields with their gamma ray detection systems to measure the levels of organic and inorganic carbon within the soils, on 250 hectares of Cranswick farms across the East of England. Sections of the land will then be planted with AB8 and AB15 options, comprising a range of wildflower, grass and legume mixes before the process is repeated to track the uplift in carbon that is sequestered in the soils over time.
As part of the Inset Scheme, the team from Cranswick will be working alongside Agri-Sound to help further the development of their poly monitors. This research will enable Agri-Sounds bioacoustics listening technology to become more advanced, allowing a more varied range of species to be detected via the remote listening devices, providing a much clearer picture of biodiversity levels and activity on Cranswick farms.
Ash Gilman, Director of Agricultural Strategy at Cranswick said: “We are determined that by being able to verify and demonstrate our leveraging of nature-based solutions, this Carbon Insetting Scheme will keep us solidly on track to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. By sharing the blueprint for the scheme within the wider agri-food industry in future, we hope to set a new standard for the adoption of sustainability within it.”
As the Inset Scheme will be trialled across multiple sites, most of which are independently owned, this will also provide an additional income. As farmers are being financially incentivised to sequester carbon and increase biodiversity levels on their farmland.
As a business, we look forward to continuing this partnership and working together to develop our sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices to focus on mitigating the effects of carbon emissions.
Business optimism’s on the slide, according to latest CBI survey
Private sector firms expect a slight rise in activity over the next three months, according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator – but the survey also shows that firms are less optimistic about growth than they were earlier this year.
Activity is expected to be driven by modest growth in manufacturing (+13%) and services (+5%). Within the latter, business and professional services volumes are set to rise (+10%), while consumer services activity is anticipated to fall (-12%). Distribution sales are also expected to fall slightly in the three months to September (-5%).
This comes after private sector activity resumed contraction in the three months to June (-7%), following a stabilisation in May (+2%). The renewed fall was generally broad-based across sectors.
Alpesh Paleja, CBI Interim Deputy Chief Economist, said:“While it’s encouraging that expectations for growth remain positive in our surveys, we also have to acknowledge that they have softened compared to earlier this year. That underscores the stop-start nature of our economic recovery and is a picture we see further reinforced by private sector activity falling over the past three months and the varied picture across sectors.
“While our data suggests that some momentum should be sustained over the coming months, the fragile nature of the recovery means that whoever wins the General Election will need to be fully focused on growth from day one. That means shifting gears immediately from ambition to action and doubling down on support for business as the engine of growth, opportunity and prosperity.”
Wind farm company launches new science programme for primary schools
DBS (Dogger Bank South) Offshore Wind Farms, owned and under development by RWE and Masdar, has launched a new STEM programme aimed at children aged between nine and 11 years old at eight schools along a route it’s proposing to use to bring electricity ashore.
The DBS Primary Schools Engagement Programme aims to raise awareness about offshore wind and the wide variety of skills and careers associated with it.
The programme will work with eight primary schools located along the proposed onshore export cable route for the DBS projects from Skipsea, where the cables would make landfall, to the new converter stations to the south of Beverely in the East Riding.
The DBS Primary Schools Engagement Programme has been launched in June at Molescroft Primary School in Beverley where 60 Year 6 pupils took part in a STEM Activity Day featuring a wind turbine business game.
Pupils took on roles as engineers and designers and worked as a team to develop wind turbine blades to establish whichwould produce the most cost-effective energy. They also learned about the steps needed to develop wind farms atsea and about the vast range of careers and skills required to support the sector.
Year 6 teacher at Molescroft Primary School, Ben Rowsell said: “It has been a very engaging day which the children have loved. The activity has highlighted every part of STEM, which is a big feature at our school, and has also shown the children real life application for maths.
“Any example where you can show children how science and maths is used in the real world and in the future is so useful. The careers element of the day has been a key part, showing the children jobs that they could be doing in the future. It’s been a really exciting day, the expertise in delivery and quality of the resources has been excellent.”
DBS representative and MD of UKSTEM Ltd, Mike Cargill added: “It’s been great to launch the DBS schools’ engagement programme at Molescroft Primary School. It was superb to see how engaged and enthusiastic the children were in taking part in the activities today.
“They were keen to learn about the industry and asked many fantastic questions about how offshore wind farms are developed and constructed. We hope that the programme will provide them with lots to think about and consider how they too could get involved in the future.”
Lindsey Oil Refinery owners expand in Scotland
Lindsey Oil Refinery owner the Prax Group has signed an agreement to acquire TotalEnergies’ interests in the Greater Laggan Area fields and the onshore Shetland Gas Plant, as well as its interests in several nearby exploration licenses. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant authorities.
The Greater Laggan Area fields include Laggan, Tormore, Glenlivet, Edradour and Glendronach, located around 140 kilometres west of the Shetland Islands. Current production (for FY 2023) for TotalEnergies’ interests is at about 7,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day, made up of around 90% of gas.
Having acquired Hurricane Energy last year – a UK-based oil and gas exploration and production company with a 100 per cent operated interest in the Lancaster offshore oil field in the West of Shetland basin – this is a major acquisition transaction for the Prax Group, to further develop its E&P portfolio. This acquisition would see TotalEnergies’ interests become integrated within the Prax Group’s existing businesses, as part of the Group’s larger, long-term strategy.
Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, Chairman and CEO of the Prax Group, said: “With a strong track record of integrating acquisitions and managing assets in the oil and gas value chain, the Prax Group is a long-standing and trusted partner of TotalEnergies. The announcement of the signing of this agreement is the culmination of many months of solid co-operation between our respective companies.
“Our strong balance sheet has enabled the Group to execute its growth strategy having successfully completed two major acquisitions last year, and with two other transactions in the pipeline, I am delighted that the Prax Group is able to announce its proposed expansion in West of Shetland, as part of our long-term plan to strengthen our position across the whole oil and gas value chain.
“Following a period of consolidation, we now have a clear path to achieve our vision and future-proof our company and are ready to continue implementing our strategy. The acquisition of TotalEnergies’ West of Shetland interests is the beginning of the next exciting chapter in our history.”
