Monthly Archives: June 2021

News

Builders bums needed for charity calendar!

Tradespeople from across the South West are being invited to nominate themselves and their bottoms for inclusion in RGB Building Supplies’ Builders Bums 2022 charity calendar, which will be sold in aid of Cornwall Mind, Devon Mind and Mind in Somerset.

RGB would like to include men and women in the trade from across the region who will be photographed doing their job, but showing a little bit of their derriere.

As local charities affiliated with the national Mind association, Cornwall Mind, Devon Mind and Mind in Somerset provide a range of well-being services for people who experience mental health problems, as well as advice, information, support groups and a dedicated youth service.

Kevin Fenlon, CEO at RGB, commented:

“Our 2022 Builders Bum calendar will poke fun at a very unwarranted construction industry stereotype, while raising money for an extremely worthwhile charity. We have amazing tradespeople in our region, who we know will be happy to get involved and we look forward to hearing from them.”

Building companies or self-employed carpenters, plumbers, builders, roofers or painters and decorators who would like to be included in the calendar simply need to email RGB@pmwcom.co.uk by Saturday 31st July. RGB will arrange for tasteful photos to be taken.

The builders bum calendar will go on sale mid-October with all proceeds being donated to RGB’s chosen charities – Cornwall Mind, Devon Mind and Mind in Somerset.

News

Aegon employees walk more than 127,000 km in 42 days raising £20,000 for charity

• Aegon doubles corporate fundraising matching policy in 2021

More than 100 teams of up to six people entered the Around Aegon in 42 days challenge which ended on 30 May. Each team had to complete 1332km in 42 days.
Those taking part racked up more than 127,775km, which is more than three times around the world or the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest 14 times.
59 teams (over 350 people) completed the challenge within the time frame raising a total of £6,670, which under Aegon’s new fundraising matching policy was then doubled and matched raising a total of £20,000 for Aegon’s national charity, The Prince’s Trust, and the nominated local charities. The first team to complete the challenge finished it in 16 days.

Mike Holliday-Williams, CEO at Aegon said: “It’s been the most successful event we’ve ever run in terms of numbers taking part, with more than 600 people signing up. There’s no denying it was a struggle at times. The weather was not kind to us and trying to make the time to get outside for a run or a walk could be tricky, but most people who took part felt the benefits and had some fun along the way.
“The challenge also brought out the competitive spirit in a lot of people which was demonstrated especially by the winning team that finished in 16 days. What was most inspirational was a colleague in the winning team who was in strict lockdown in India. Akhilesh Shukla was an absolute star in the challenge and covered most of his 160km by walking a figure of eight on the top of his building.
“We hope that the walking or running bug will stick for many people and they will continue to enjoy getting outside to recharge. And with our new approach to matching employee fundraising, giving £2 for every £1 raised, we are really proud of the overall positive impact this has made to both the wellbeing of our colleagues and the charities we support.”

A virtual award ceremony was held on Monday 7th  June to celebrate the fantastic achievements of those who took part.

Liam Kean, Platform Support Analyst at Aegon and a member of the winning team, the IT Crowd said: “I blame my teammate Aklu for the madness. When I checked the app on the first morning, he had already posted 8km. So, my intended 5km run somehow turned into 17km. Then everything quickly escalated from there. Winning was definitely not on anyone’s mind at the beginning. After a strong start we fully expected to be overtaken after the first weekend, but surprisingly were not. Into week two the pace continued, as nobody wanted to let the team down, especially when the end was in sight. Our win was 100% down to teamwork and a fantastic team spirit spanning over 3 countries and 2 continents. We all enjoyed it immensely.”

Akhilesh Shukla, Platform IT Support at Aegon and a member of the winning team based in India said: “This challenge presented us a wonderful opportunity to be part of a greater cause of helping our community. The best part of it, was the element of challenging yourself and believing as a team and an individual – “We can do it!”
“Not being a regular runner, efforts by my team mates definitely motivated me to try and contribute as much to the cause as possible. This challenge is now complete but the memories made will remain fresh for many years to come.”

The challenge attracted the attention of a sports nutrition company, Active Root that provided an energy boost for some of the teams along the way. And Westfield Health provided the My Wellness app for employees to track progress.

Image
Caption: Liam Kean, member of the winning team pictured logging his kms on the Forth Road Bridge.

News

Addison Lee to acquire black taxi operator ComCab

Addison Lee, London’s leading private hire business, today announces an agreement to acquire black taxi provider ComCab, creating the capital’s largest private hire and taxi company with over 7000 vehicles.

The acquisition will see Addison Lee purchase the London operations of Computer Cab plc (ComCab), City Fleet Networks and Flightlink International from the ComfortDelGro Corporation. This now makes Addison Lee London’s largest private hire and taxi company, as well as London’s largest same day courier business. Following completion, customers will be able to book car, taxi, and courier services all on one seamless mobility platform.

Addison Lee’s CEO Liam Griffin said, “I am sure there will be a few raised eyebrows at this deal given that Addison Lee and black taxis were once seen as competitors. However, the industry we operate in has changed and this alliance combines the two most professional companies in our sectors who share the same focus on quality of service, the customers we serve and the importance of the drivers. We have always held the black taxi as our benchmark, and it’s now a privilege to be able to work with them.”

“As London emerges from the pandemic, there’s going to be a significant increase in demand for safe, quality transport from both corporates and consumers. The London black taxi is iconic and famous as the best taxi service anywhere in the world. By bringing Addison Lee and ComCab together we consolidate our position as the market leader in corporate ground transport and we will be able to meet the need for quality and excellence in a way that none of competitors can.”

Rudy Tan, CityFleet Networks CEO, said, “We are excited to be coming together with a strong brand like Addison Lee that shares many of our same values. By joining forces with Addison Lee, our customers will have access to a wider choice of premium transport solutions, and our Hackney Carriage drivers will get access to a growing pool of customers and more opportunities to work. Keeping the ComCab branding will preserve our status as the leading taxi operator in London.”

Addison Lee has been serving Londoners for 45 years and is the market leader in premium private hire in the capital, providing services to 80% of the FTSE100. Following the takeover of the business by Liam Griffin and a consortium of investors in 2020, it has undertaken several initiatives to support London, its citizens and Addison Lee drivers during the pandemic, including:

  • Provision of free rides for London NHS staff
  • Installation of safety screens across its standard fleet
  • A winter appeal for Centrepoint donating funds for every corporate app booking to provide accommodation for homeless young people.

Further details will be released upon completion.

For more information visit: https://www.addisonlee.com/

News

Admix, Gamestream, Gamebake and PlayLa.bZ appoint Raptor PR as agency of record

Raptor PR, the virtual-first digital PR agency for video games, media and tech brands, today emerges from soft launch into full communications agency mode having secured four retained accounts since January 2021. The quartet includes Admix, a $12M funded in-game advertising platform that is leading the ‘In-Play’ movement, Gamestream, the leading B2B whitelabeled cloud gaming solution, GameBake, the pioneering video games distribution solution, and PlayLa.bZ, the award-winning multi-dimensional motion arts research institute at Ravensbourne University London.

Founded in May 2019 by twenty-year tech PR veteran Rana Rahman, Raptor PR has transitioned from single freelancer status to a fully formed PR agency, offering a laser-focussed set of services designed to help emerging tech, games and media companies cut through the noise. Coinciding with the launch, its new website and gamified branding goes live today. Today Raptor PR is also proud to announce it is now a member of UKIE, the trade association for the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry.

For its new clients, Raptor PR will be developing their entire global communications architecture, designed to scale-up their reach to meet new, untapped audiences. This includes global corporate messaging, earned and paid media strategy, social media strategy and community management, audio and podcasting, analyst and influencer relations, data analytics, market research, events, branding, web build, content marketing, and advanced copywriting services, powered by a team of veteran freelance journalists and communications professionals.

Rana Rahman, Founder and CEO of Raptor PR, commented:

“With COVID-19 bringing my long freelance consulting career to a halt last year, I had the opportunity to develop a virtual-first model for Raptor PR. There’s a new breed of tech entrepreneur which desires a hyper-agile agency model to mould around their evolving business needs. One which can truly adapt to suit an ever-changing environment. Our virtual model enables us to deliver best-in-class local services with global reach, unshackled by location, time-zone and resource. The goal for Raptor PR is to perfect a diverse, data-driven, virtual agency model that’s capable of adapting to rapidly changing client needs and variable economic conditions”.

Sam Huber, CEO and Co-Founder of Admix, says of Raptor PR:

“As a company with large ambition in the gaming space, it was very important for us to find a PR partner who understands our mission, and is equally as passionate about our industry. Rana and his team have a combination of experience and out-of-the-box thinking necessary to break through the noise and deliver real results.”

Mike Hudson, CEO & co-founder of GameBake, added:

“Gaming is the passion that drives GameBake, and finding a PR partner that has that same passion and drive to not just understand our mission, but to become a true part of the team has really helped unlock the creativity of the whole team to drive our PR machine.”

James Edward Marks, PlayLabZ Co-Founder, SEEDS Mentor, Artivist, Emerging Film Technologies Guest Lecturer, added:

“Raptor’s playful passion to mix shareable stories with byte & its knack for blurring boundaries within the arts, culture & emerging tech for social good third-space, feels like a natural synchronicity with our own. As PlayLa.bZ & GenieMo now look to expand minds and massage the mainstream with our Multi-dimensional Motion Arts innovations at Ravensbourne University London, and explore the rapidly evolving shape of DIY spatial social-cast communication & experiences to come.”

The core team is led by Founder and CEO Rana Rahman, and PR Account Director and audio specialist Rosie Lumley. Content is driven by Simon Judges and Thomas Huxter, AR by Angela May, HR by Utterclub founder Lorraine Barker. Industry partners include Mobidictum, the leading  mobile gaming news platform in Turkey, broadcast PR specialist Hound Global, and US-based Briz Media Group. Over the past two decades, Rana has consulted for an eclectic mix of award-winning global PR agencies like JIN (UK, FR and DE), WITH PR, April Six, Borkowski.DO, Bubble Agency, Shine Communications, MSL UK, H+K, 3 Monkeys, Braben, Propeller Group PR. Rana’s previous brand experience includes the likes of PlayStation, Rovio, Philips, Microsoft, IONITY, SafeToNet, Fujifilm, AppLovin, Tappx, EMAP, Buena Vista International, MediaCom and Carat.

News

ESG factors at the heart of investment claims new research

Bright Data (formerly Luminati Networks), an online data collection platform, has today released new research findings that underscore the importance of ESG considerations in investing.

The research, carried out by research provider Vanson Bourne, highlighted US survey respondents from within the finance, banking and insurance sectors who said that just over three-quarters (76%) of their organization’s investment decisions are impacted by ESG factors, whereas for UK respondents it’s 67%.

Traditionally, the finance sector has relied heavily on pure financial data sets, but research has shown the increase in awareness around ESG considerations.

The findings ranked the most pressing ESG considerations and found environmental practices (69%), organizational diversity (64%), and corporate governance (64%) as the most important considerations for 100 CDOs (Chief Data Scientists), CTOs, Heads of Data, CIOs and those who report to them. In addition to impacting investment decisions, ESG performance was also reviewed for business partnerships, with 95% of survey respondents in the US and UK saying that their respective organizations take the ESG performance of its suppliers/vendors into account.

Further key findings from the survey include:

  • 88% of survey respondents stated that they are part of organizations where measuring and reporting on ESG performance is either a key metric or of moderate importance to their business.
  • 66% of survey respondents who are at the most senior level of their organizations stated that ESG is a key metric in their organizations, compared to just 40% of departmental and intermediate management.
  • 80% of survey respondents who are at the most senior level of their organizations stated that ESG is incorporated into all business strategy decisions, compared to 30% of departmental and intermediate management.
  • Despite likely having fewer resources, 73% of survey respondents from organizations with 250-1000 employees stated they would definitely change business practices that were found harmful to society, even if it did not make commercial sense to do so. This compares to only 60% of respondents from organizations with more than 1000 employees who could say the same thing.
  • ESG is a key metric for 68% of organizations with 250-1000 employees, but it’s only a key metric for 52% of organizations with more than 1000 employees.

“Not only are companies basing their own investment decisions on ESG factors, but investment, private equity and venture capital firms are increasingly factoring in ESG performance metrics from the companies they choose to invest in,” said Douglas Laney, Innovation Fellow, West Monroe.

“This kind of information is mission-critical for those companies looking to make prudent long-term investment decisions,” said Or Lenchner, CEO of Bright Data.

News

New Book: The Wellness Asset

‘The Wellness Asset’ is the new book from global wellness expert and Spa Balance founder, Sonal Uberoi.

 

With the hospitality industry struggling after one of the worst years ever, and bookings only picking up very slowly, Sonal Uberoi looks at how hotels can leverage their wellness assets to rebuild their business in the new normal.

 

The old business model is broken, and forward-thinking hoteliers know this. They also know they need to find new ways to attract a different group of customers if they are to thrive, not just survive.

 

‘The Wellness Asset’ is a practical book, full of essential information for any hotel owner.

 

Uberoi shows how ‘wellness’, often considered an amenity, rather than an asset, can be the pivot your business needs to enable you to generate significant profit – across the entire hotel.

 

Sonal Uberoi has transformed many leading hotels by helping them leverage their wellness assets. In this book, she shares her ‘ESSENCE’ model, which takes you from assessing potential ideas to implementing and honing your offering to give your guests an experience so good they will do your marketing for you – in months, not years.

 

‘The Wellness Asset’ will shift your mindset and help you unlock your hotel’s potential.

 

“If you’re ready to build an offering so strong that your guests regularly return and profits stay healthy no matter what, you’re ready to capitalise on your wellness asset.” says Uberoi.

 

‘The Wellness Asset’ is available from Amazon, direct from www.spa-balance.com, and in all good bookshops. RRP £14.99

 

About Sonal Uberoi

Sonal Uberoi is a global wellness expert and founder of Spa Balance, a boutique consultancy working specifically with hotels to help them tap into the full potential of their wellness offering. Sonal has worked with major hotels across the world enabling them to attract a more discerning guest, build a loyal and committed customer base, attract and retain quality talent and increase profitability, without breaking budget.

Web: www.spa-balance.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonaluberoi/

 

 

News

Uberall raises $115M, signs agreement to acquire MomentFeed

Combination creates new global leader for ‘Near Me’ Customer Experience solutions

Uberall, a global leader in ‘Near Me’ Marketing SaaS solutions announced today it has received a capital investment of $115 million led by Bregal Milestone, Level Equity, United Internet, and Uberall management, which will be deployed to accelerate growth in the U.S. and Canada.

As part of its growth strategy, Uberall is simultaneously announcing it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire MomentFeed, the leading provider of Proximity Search Optimization in North America. Together, Uberall and MomentFeed create a new, more powerful ‘Near Me’ Customer Experience platform with unsurpassed capabilities and global reach. The combined company will manage the online presence of 1.35 million business locations, more than any other current competitor. Uberall and MomentFeed count many of the world’s largest and most recognisable multi-location brands as their customers, including BP, KFC, Marks & Spencer, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut.

“As consumers re-emerge from a year or more of lockdowns, businesses are rebounding, and they must be able to match growing consumer demands to receive the in-store experiences and services they expect,” said Florian Hübner, co-founder and CEO of Uberall. “The combination of Uberall and MomentFeed helps us become the clear category leader with more innovative products, a world-class team, and the financial resources to fully deliver on the opportunity.”

Uberall and MomentFeed are long-time business partners with a similar vision and complementary product suite. The combined platform will bring together Uberall’s market-leading listings and reputation management products, as well as first-to-market features like Google local ads, and combine them with MomentFeed’s best-in-class local social capabilities, customer sentiment analysis, and enterprise-grade service offering.

“As we saw the market trending towards consolidation, we considered several potential companies to merge with. Uberall was by far our most preferred,” said MomentFeed CEO Nick Hedges. “This combination makes enormous strategic sense for our customers, who represent the who’s-who of leading U.S. omnichannel brands. It helps accelerate our already rapid pace of innovation, giving customers an even greater edge in the hyper-competitive world of ’Near Me’ Marketing.”

MomentFeed CEO Nick Hedges will join Uberall’s executive leadership team as Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President North America, leading Uberall’s North American business unit which will have a significant sales, service, and engineering footprint in California.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Uberall team for this next phase of growth. Our strategic investment will significantly accelerate Uberall’s ambition to become the leading ‘Near Me’ Customer Experience platform worldwide. Uberall’s differentiated full-suite solution is unsurpassed by competition in terms of integration and functionality, providing customers with a real edge to reach, interact with, and convert online customers. We look forward to supporting Florian, Nick, and their talented team to deliver on their exciting innovation and expansion roadmap,” said Cyrus Shey, Managing Partner of Bregal Milestone.

About Uberall
Uberall empowers the world’s biggest brands to deliver a memorable ‘Near Me’ Customer Experience — from online interactions to offline sales.

As today’s consumers expect an omnichannel experience, they do not distinguish between online and offline anymore. Thus, the ‘Near Me’ customer journey consists of all the touchpoints that a consumer has with the local outlets of a brand: from finding, persuading, buying and recommending, to returning as a regular customer. Uberall’s platform enables businesses to bridge the gap between these touchpoints and facilitates a seamless customer experience that evokes positive emotions and customer satisfaction.

Uberall, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, has offices in 6 countries with close to 300 employees. Uberall currently services over 1,600 multi-location customers across 170 countries.

For further information visit www.uberall.com | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

About MomentFeed
MomentFeed is the leading Proximity Search Optimization platform trusted by many of the largest multi-location brands in the restaurant, retail, automotive, hospitality, and financial services industries. Proximity Search Optimization is gaining significant interest from CMOs of multi-location, national brands and franchises as a way to show up locally, at the precise moment a customer has a need. MomentFeed makes it possible for national brands to execute hyperlocal marketing campaigns at scale – driving local awareness, in-store traffic, and more calls for appointments and orders.

Founded in 2010, MomentFeed is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. An Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Privately Held Company, it was also named a Comparably Best Company.

For more information visit www.momentfeed.com

News

AKO Foundation Agrees to Support Aalto EE in Development of Leadership in the Nordic Cultural Sector

The London based AKO Foundation, starts to collaborate with Aalto University Executive Education’s (Aalto EE) Business of Culture program, which is the largest executive program for leaders in the arts and culture in the Nordic and Baltic region.

According to Philip Lawford, CEO of the AKO Foundation, “A vibrant and evolving arts and cultural life needs the best possible leaders and a multidisciplinary approach to meeting its challenges. We are pleased to assist Aalto EE in working to ensure the well-being of society as a whole through these organizations.”

The Business of Culture program equips leaders and executives with insights and tools that help them with strategic development, change leadership, and organizational renewals. The faculty in the program consists of international top-level experts in science, culture, and business.

“Business of Culture Program has proven to be very much appreciated and needed in the arts and culture field. Implementation at this level of ambition is possible only through the financial input and vision of our supporters and partners. The program is a platform for personal growth as a leader while strengthening understanding of non-profit business logic and building networks within the arts sector and towards business,” states Dr. Pekka Mattila, Managing Director of Aalto EE.

In addition to the AKO Foundation, the main partners in the Business of Culture program are Saastamoinen Foundation and Föreningen Konstsamfundet, as well as Karelian Cultural Foundation. The program has been designed in collaboration with BI Norwegian Business School.

The AKO Foundation supports various actors in the fields of education and arts, and organizations that fight against the climate crisis. Established in 2013 by the Norwegian hedge fund manager Nicolai Tangen, the foundation has to date been funded with a total of more than £400 million and has made charitable grants over £100 million. The Foundation supports all actors on its own initiative and does not accept applications for funding.

For more information visit: https://www.aaltoee.com/home

News

Say goodbye to having to constantly replace and work out where to source those essential household parts from

A shortage of supplies has recently hit the construction industry and everyone of us reading this article are just one breakdown away from a hefty plumbing bill.

A North-West based online marketplace called Gasqet is trying to solve these problems by providing a platform for consumers and businesses to order durable washers, seals and gaskets in minutes and dispatched within 24 hours.

Ethar Alali, CEO and Managing Director of Axelisys Limited said: “During their lifetime, millions of households will face at least one of the problems caused by washers that break or waste away. Next thing they know, they are hit with an expensive plumbing bill and emergency call out charge. What Gasqet aims to do is deliver a convenient service that allows anyone to source durable essential parts when they need them, safe in the knowledge that they will not need to replace them regularly.

Its artificially intelligence driven 3D printing fleet helps homeowners and construction teams identify the right plumbing washers by taking a picture of pipework.

Rigorous testing has found that the washers are significantly more durable and have greater longevity than traditional washers, as well as being fully recyclable.

Alali added: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do as a company, and we have also ensured that the products we sell and how we deliver them to consumers are as environmentally friendly as possible. Our products outstrip traditional washer pressure seals by 40% and offer an almost four times higher tensile strength improvement, and our local deliveries use electric fleets or cycle couriers. Gasqet washers last longer, even though they are made from eco-friendly materials each washer lasts more than 10 years. Moreover, we are signatories to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and have published a charter which lets you know what we have committed to.

“We recognise people lead busy lives with competing demands on their time, so our online marketplace sources the best and strongest parts, closest to you which ensure you never need to go on a quest to find a washer ever again.

“With many washers designed to last as long as the house does, it is much better to pay pennies now then spend thousands of pounds later.”

For further information visit https://gasqet.com/

News

Cast stone company, Haddonstone, Announces New £300k Site Expansion

After a busy year of trading, Haddonstone are thrilled to announce their new site expansion. 

The new building, which is estimated to cost £300,000, is due to be completed this summer and will double the current size of the TecStone shop floor, giving Haddonstone approximately 12-14 tonnes per day of manufacturing space, compared to the current average of 6.2 tonnes.

As part of the same project, the new site expansion will also increase their timber mould shop space to accommodate a CNC machine.

The site expansion project brings potential new job opportunities and the Building and Construction team has expanded, too: Haddonstone recently welcomed Amy Nash and Matthew Plowe as Assistant Project Manager and Project Manager, respectively.

Tony Mason, Production Director at Haddonstone (pictured next on site, above), said: “Expanding our new TecStone manufacturing space at Brixworth means we will be able to effectively double our production output each day. This will allow us to keep up with the increasing market demand for our wet-cast stonework products and to meet our clients’ requirements quicker and more efficiently. I’ve worked at Haddonstone for 40 years and it’s great to see that our business is continuing to invest in our production facilities, as well as recruiting the next generation of fresh talent.”

After a successful year of trading, the demand for Haddonstone’s wet-cast products has increased year-on-year ever since they began manufacturing TecStone. The demand for the TecStone material has been steady over the last few years and is now roughly 60% of all the stone that Haddonstone makes.