Tag Archives: anniversary

Legal News, News

Arbitra celebrates its first birthday with four new members

Leading practitioners join next-generation arbitrator support service, which celebrates its first anniversary today.

12.07.22 – London // Arbitra, the management service for arbitrators, has welcomed four new members as it celebrates the anniversary of its foundation. The new members, internationally recognised for their work in this area, are Adrian Cole, Dmitri Evseev, Dana MacGrath, and Eun Young Park all having formerly been partners at major international law firms including King & Spalding, Arnold & Porter, Sidley Austin and Kim & Chang respectively.

The four new members join Arbitra’s existing membership, which has grown steadily throughout the last year, whose numbers, with their arrival, now stand at 35 members.

The concierge-style service for arbitrators, mediators, and neutrals, with offices in London and Washington, D.C, launched with eighteen members in July 2021. Headed by chief executive Owen Lawrence, Arbitra aims to be a natural home for arbitrators, mediators, and dispute board members, helping them manage their careers and market and grow their practices.

Arbitra enables members to resolve disputes swiftly, fairly, and efficiently by focusing, without distractions, on dispute resolution. It operates a conflict-free membership-based structure that offers members the full range of practice management, consultancy, and administrative services, located at prominent London and Washington DC locations.

Owen Lawrence, the chief executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome such pre-eminent new members to Arbitra. Choosing the right person to resolve your dispute is crucial; at Arbitra, our members’ breadth and depth of knowledge are unrivalled.

“These four appointments add to this. They set the seal on a year in which our membership has doubled, thanks to market interest in our offering, helping us to reshape the way international arbitrators administer their practices and how law firms strategically find and appoint the right neutral.”

“Last year has seen the scope of our offering span a global range of sectors, industries, geographies, laws, and practice areas. Our members have represented Arbitra across all the leading arbitral institutions, as well as in flagship events such as Dubai, Tel Aviv, Paris, and London Arbitration Weeks, and the IBA’s Arbitration Day in Istanbul.”

“We work with them to enable them to focus on what they do best – resolving disputes – while we do the rest. That includes helping law firms and their clients select the individual best able to resolve their disputes, and so find the most suitable tribunal from a diverse stable,” added Lawrence.

Arbitra continues to act as a destination of choice for lawyers seeking to find and appoint tribunals to resolve their disputes privately, increasing the options available to law firms in resolving disputes for commercial clients.

“We understand and discuss the particular needs and requirements of a dispute with the parties to ensure the most suitable member to resolve it is put forward, and then work with them, through their lawyers, to support their disputes from start to finish,” said Lawrence. “There has been considerable demand for our recommendations, based on detailed knowledge, client understanding and case requirements at no cost to the law firm. There is continued strong demand from law firms and corporate counsel to use our services, which we expect to grow still further.”

News

The Sleep Charity celebrates a decade of empowering the nation to sleep better

The Sleep Charity, the leading organisation dedicated to empowering the UK to sleep better, celebrates its tenth anniversary in this month. 

Established in 2012, the Charity has enjoyed exceptional growth, tripling both its turnover and staff numbers during the last two years.

Its aim is to support the nation to sleep better by raising awareness of the value of a good night’s sleep and promoting understanding of the complexities of sleep, working with individuals, families, businesses and schools. 

The most recent additions to The Sleep Charity’s team are Matthew Perry, who has taken on the role of graphic designer, and Julie Benson, training and membership officer. Both are brand new roles in the charity.  

Meanwhile, last month, Charity chair Tariq Shah, was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, receiving an OBE for philanthropy and services to charity.

Last year, deputy CEO, Lisa Artis was named a Trailblazer in Workplace Wellbeing, a prestigious award recognising her work developing the Charity’s Workplace Sleep Ambassadors programme.

The programme delivers training to empower teams to support one another in achieving a better night’s sleep. Registrations for these courses have almost tripled since the first one was held in November 2021.

Also in 2021, The Sleep Charity successfully launched the UK’s first-ever dedicated national sleep helpline, working with commercial partners Furniture Village to deliver a vital new service to Brits struggling with their sleeping habits.

Operated by a team of specialist sleep advisors, the National Sleep Helpline aims to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality, evidence-based advice, regardless of age, ethnicity, background or income. Since September 2021, calls to the helpline have increased by 72 per cent. 

Reflecting on the Charity’s last ten years, Vicki Beevers, The Sleep Charity’s CEO and founder, said: “We are so proud to celebrate our tenth anniversary in helping people to sleep better, lead a more stress-free life and understand the complexities of sleep and its importance for our general health and wellbeing. 

“I am incredibly proud of the brilliant team we have, driving our growth and striving to support as many people as possible. Ten years is an incredible feat, and I am excited for our future plans. 

“Looking ahead, we hope to continue playing a positive role in enabling access to high-quality information to improve sleep across the nation.

“The recent announcement of Tariq’s OBE has been a fantastic motivator to keep developing our services, ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, has access to the advice, support and tools they need to achieve a good night’s sleep.”

Fintech, News

Paysend celebrates its five year anniversary

LONDON – 21 APRIL, 2022 – Launched in April 2017 with a vision to change the way that people manage their everyday finances, UK-based FinTech Paysend today celebrates its five year anniversary. Reaching this milestone, Paysend’s payments ecosystem is trusted by more than 6.5 million consumers for money transfers to over 150 countries globally as well as a growing network of small and medium-sized businesses who can receive digital payments from all major debit and credit cards in up to 38 currencies through Paysend’s business platform.

Paysend’s journey started with a team of experts from the banking and payments industries who became frustrated by the complex, slow-moving and limiting nature of the traditional payments ecosystem and wanted to create a more equitable and inclusive infrastructure that individuals and businesses could use for money transfer and payments.

Paysend was the first FinTech to introduce global card-to-card transfers and connect 12 billion cards issued by international payment systems such as Mastercard, Visa, China Union Pay and local cards schemes. From its beginnings in London, Paysend has driven expansion through Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, operating virtually and through offices in London, Miami and Singapore, and employing over 600 people.

In May 2021, Paysend secured US$125 million in a Series B investment round led by One Peak which valued the company at US$700+ million. This investment allowed Paysend to heavily invest in technology, innovation and people in order to expand its global payments network and increase financial inclusion at scale.

Abdul Abdulkerimov, Founder and Chairman at Paysend, said: “I’m so proud of what Paysend’s people and leadership team have achieved since our inception in 2017. We’ve hit some major milestones over the past five years through our Series B funding round, our customer growth trajectory and the third-party recognition that we’ve received from the likes of Deloitte and Sifted for our growth journey. But this is just the beginning of the story and there are exciting times ahead as we look to further expand our ecosystem of payments and partners, as well as growing our headcount and revenues, and set in motion our ambitious plans in the B2B and Enterprise spaces.”

News, North of England

Specialist Lincolnshire Electrical Engineering Firm Celebrates Fifteenth Birthday

Control Freaks Ltd specialise in the design and implementation of robotics, industrial automation, and all facets of electrical design.

Lincolnshire electrical engineering firm Control Freaks Ltd are celebrating their fifteenth birthday. The firm, who are now one of the go-to names in the industry, was established back in 2006 by specialist Controls Engineer Clint Johnson.

Clint’s first introduction to the world of electrical engineering began back in 1987, where the industry looked vastly different than it does today.

As Clint explains, “I was first introduced to automation on the old YTS scheme, and I distinctly remember working with the hand-held programmer, without any of the mod cons we use today.”

Clint worked in a range of roles in the industry, even working over in the Caribbean for a while before setting up Control Freaks in Holbeach, Lincolnshire.

The team at Control Freaks has since worked on a range of projects, such as the Aquatic Centres for the 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, a wireless safety system for AGV’s for a UK luxury sport car manufacturer, moving swimming pool floors and retracting staircases for multi-million-pound homes in London

When asked about his longevity in the industry, Clint had this to say, ““The old YTS scheme didn’t do much to retain interest in any job in those days, and many young people were either used as cheap labour by the employer or were tempted away by relatively higher paid factory worker jobs.”

“I wavered a few times myself, but was fortunate enough to have an encouraging parent who convinced me to stick it out.”

“All roads have led to here, and I find myself extremely fortunate to be the owner of a great company – with a great team – in a great time to be in the industry,” concludes Clint.

Fashion, News

The Lone Wolf of Saville Row, Adam James, Marks His 3-Year Anniversary

This month marks three years of Adam James Bespoke and although it sounds a cliché, it really has been quite the journey for business partners Adam (James) and Martin Hurworth.

Adam James was founded to make British Saville Row tailoring more accessible and affordable to every type of professional, demographic and fashion focused individual.

A clear business objective was set from the very beginning, which was to expose Saville Row stereotypes and to give customers an opportunity to experience bespoke tailoring at ease and with confidence. Which ironically was the same sentiments of Adam’s business partner Martin Hurworth, who spent years trying to find a tailor he could have every confidence in, prior to meeting Adam

The partnership between Adam and Martin is incredibly special and together they have built Adam James Bespoke to be what it is today – one of the most exciting and honest British tailoring providers to come from this century – the proclaimed Lone Wolf Of Saville Row as hailed by the London Economic.

So as another business landmark is celebrated, Adam and Martin have looked back on their achievements and open up about the future of tailoring, and most importantly, divulge in to future plans of Adam James Bespoke.

Adam said: “It feels overwhelming even thinking about the last year and how bleak things were looking at the start of it, not just for us but for so many due to the pandemic. That being said, over the course of the last 4-5 months there’s been a transition that has been really exciting for Adam James. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved, and to hit our third year of business after all that we’ve faced is a really strong and humbling position to be in.”

When the peak of Covid-19 hit and the nation were told to stay home, Adam James Bespoke was in the middle of building huge momentum. Meeting with new clients was a weekly, sometimes daily occurrence, he was receiving interest from a global clientele and his existing customers were wanting to come back for more. Refusing to let this motion stop, Adam remembered the challenges he faced in the early days of business and the reason why he does the job that he loves – everything has always been and will continue to be for his clients.

Adam reflects, “When I think back to my first ever client, it was a week after I set-up and the hottest day of the year, the combination of the heat and my first fitting really did make me hot under the collar (forgive the pun), but once I got to work I’ve never looked back. My approach hasn’t changed from that first day, I still have the same personal touch, it’s who I am, and hopefully one of the things my customers take away from our meetings.”

Aware of the importance of preparing for the future, Adam reflects on what’s to come in the next 12-months: “The future of Adam James is looking bright, we’ve extended the team, collaborated with new suppliers, I’m working on a womenswear collection and building my vegan and sustainable range.”

“Recently somebody said to me that ‘in life you should have three people with you on your professional journey – a loyal accountant, a trusting solicitor and a good tailor’ and it’s stuck with me. I want to work with clients who we can go through life with together, there’s scope for my clients to meet one another for business and I want to work with young aspiring business leaders who are looking to progress their wardrobe as much as their career.”

“As a brand we’re now working with the right people and people are wanting to work with us. My business partner Martin has always encouraged me to try new things, and that confidence he has shown in me is how I am with my customers. I’m looking forward to the future and thank all of our clients and suppliers who continue to support us on this journey.”

The other poignant individual in the Adam James Bespoke machine, is Adam’s business partner and mentor, Martin Hurworth.

Martin knew from the very first meeting with Adam that he had something special, so in true form to his nature, Martin has encouraged and transformed Adam’s mindset ‘to give Adam the confidence to be Adam’.

Martin said; “I met Adam a few years ago when I needed a suit, he was working at a popular retailer in central London and was booked for my fitting. At the time I was MD in a business that was rapidly growing and I wanted to reward myself with a suit that would fit my larger thighs and small waist – not as easy as it sounds.”

“Adam was an intriguing character, I found him fascinating, but most of all he was incredibly talented. We had very little in common, yet in true Adam style we forged a friendship and at my next appointment he had remembered all there was about me, everything that was discussed at our first meet, and offered the most incredible customer service that made me feel special. The total opposite to the previous bespoke suit I had made in the far East. That process felt incredibly impersonal and detached to say the least.”

Martin, who is a scale-up leader & business mentor, knows the importance of self-belief, determination and the process of bringing someone or something to triumph. He said, “Adam moved to a new employer and I followed him to create me another suit, however, it was obvious that Adam had outgrown the roles he was in and mentioned how he was looking to set-up on his own. After a couple of conversations I realised he was wrestling with both business and the client aspect, and it became apparent that a partnership was the perfect and most organic thing for us to do.

Being at the time, Adam’s target audience, and having experience of bespoke tailoring, we formatted a strategy that allowed me to guide Adam through the business elements, as well as encourage him to shine at what he does best.”

With the modern marketplace being customer driven, and most industries feeling saturated in choices, Adam and Martin set clear objectives to stop the need to fight for customers’ business. After all, it’s not only product and price that companies must compete on, but excellent customer service too.

Martin said, “From the very beginning of our partnership the emphasis has been on our customers, exploring what’s special about Adam and the brand. Time being the key word as it took time to get ourselves in a good place, but we never adjusted our mindset and the results over the last year, even under the most unique circumstances, have come out on top.”

Looking in to the future Adam James Bespoke want to keep their relationships with current clients, whilst building and growing their network and the education around British tailoring. Adam James Bespoke don’t want to, and never will, lose the personal approach, ‘it’s very special’ said Martin.

Martin continued, “Adam and I have designed the business to guide customers through their wardrobe. It is an organic and warm partnership and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us. Thank you to everybody who is with us on this journey.”