News
KLM to resume operations from Belfast City Airport in August
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis, KLM has been adapting its network and flight schedule in line with travel restrictions and demand. KLM flights from Belfast City were suspended end of March when air travel came to a virtual standstill, with only 5% of the carrier’s global network scheduled for operation in April and…
Read onCOVID-19 business leadership embodied in Director of the Year Awards shortlist
By Kirsty McManus, National Director, Institute of Directors (IoD) Northern Ireland They say that best laid plans go awry and when the coronavirus lockdown began in March, we were in the midst of the judging process for our annual Director of the Year Awards. Spring is always a busy time of the year for the…
Read onLeading through challenge – the importance of resilience
By Patrick Gallen, Partner, People and Change Consulting, Grant Thornton Ireland Over the past few months, you are likely to have been navigating through significant changes, dealing with situations you haven’t come across before and sifting through an ongoing flood of information. For many of us the disruption in our external environment has brought us…
Read onPrivate equity a force for good?
By Bronagh Bourke, Director, Audit and Assurance There is no doubt that private equity investment has grown significantly in Northern Ireland over the last decade, with a range of private equity firms now having a number of Northern Ireland based companies in their portfolio. However, what will the impact of private equity be in the…
Read onIoD NI reveals finalists in Director of the Year Awards
The Institute of Directors (IoD) has revealed the finalists for the Northern Ireland Director of the Year Awards in partnership with AIB, with a list that comprises some of the best performing leaders in the region. The awards, this year marking their 10th anniversary, celebrate excellence across the public, third, and private sectors with judges…
Read onTentative consumers signal a need for bold interventions
By Andrew Webb, Chief Economist at Grant Thornton in Belfast Like many, I have been taking my first steps back towards some level of ‘normality’ over the past week or so. A car service warning light that came on at the start of lock down was finally addressed at the start of the week thanks…
Read onHelping charities to navigate COVID-19
By Neal Taylor, Partner, Audit & Assurance at Grant Thornton in Belfast As the COVID-19 lockdown took hold, the news initially focussed on the measures that the government was taking to support businesses in terms of furloughing staff and the government-backed loan scheme. The news also, quite rightly, focussed on the demands on our public…
Read onArtemis Technologies to build zero emissions ferries following £60m funding boost
A Belfast Maritime Consortium led by Artemis Technologies has won a £33 million UK Government innovation grant to develop zero emissions ferries in the city, that will revolutionise the future of maritime transport. With further investment from consortium partners, the total project investment will reach close to £60m over the next four years, creating an…
Read onGrant Thornton: Firms may turn to CVAs to restructure following COVID-19
By Ian Davison, Associate Director, Restructuring at Grant Thornton in Belfast The health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating and stark. Thankfully lockdown in Northern Ireland is beginning to be eased, and we are starting the long road back to normality. For many businesses, the true financial impact is now starting to come…
Read onUrban HQ Show Office open for distanced and digital viewings
Urban HQ, Belfast’s newest flexible workspace, has announced its Show Office is open with distanced and digital viewings now available. Based in Belfast’s Eagle Star House, Urban HQ will accommodate more than 500 desks over eight floors when it opens in September. It will also be the first and only flexible workspace in Northern Ireland…
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