This week I am leading a delegation of organisations from Northern Ireland, including councils, businesses, universities and colleges, to the city of Dalian in the Chinese Province of Liaoning for the fourth UK-China Regional Leaders Summit.
Over the last year, I have written about and commented extensively on the growth that has been taking place in the hotel sector. In Belfast it was impossible to miss the expansion, given the number of cranes dominating the skyline.
The Northern Ireland economy is currently experiencing a period of modest economic growth, restrained by a squeeze on consumers and Brexit-related uncertainty negatively affecting business investment. However, while we have seen relatively low growth rates in the last couple of years, it is important to note that the local economy is in a better position now than it was at the start of this decade.
The Supreme Court has given its long-awaited decision in the so-called “gay cake” case, ruling unanimously that Ashers Bakery did not discriminate against gay rights activist Gareth Lee, who had been successful in the County Court and then at the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
There are no devolved, locally appointed ministers. There is even a growing suspicion that the Secretary of State is (too) passive on the need for policy initiatives. The search is on to find an authorised decision-making procedure that will make some critical decisions so long as they fall short of what might be termed 'direct rule'.
A Co Down school is ready to stand strong over a threat to its future.
Yesterday the Irish Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced what is likely to be the final budget under the confidence-and-supply agreement.
One aspect of divorce that surprises many clients when they come to discuss a marriage breakdown is how bad behaviour on the part of their spouse, perhaps in the form of an adulterous relationship or some other form of unreasonable behaviour, is looked at in division of the matrimonial assets.
Now, more than ever before, business leaders are operating in an environment of intense and sustained change. Change seems to be happening in all spheres of our lives and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Catalyst Inc, the successor to the Science Park, will announce the winners of the competition to find new products with the greatest potential to showcase Northern Ireland's expanding knowledge economy. At an awards ceremony on Thursday, 12 finalists will present their ideas to an inquisitive audience.
Tom Penman, Tax Partner at Belfast-based independent accountancy and advisory firm, Baker Tilly Mooney Moore, examines the upcoming HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) project and asks if your business is ready.
Making Tax Digital (or “MTD”) is the biggest change in tax administration in recent years and will affect every business in the UK. Under MTD businesses will be required to maintain digital accounting records and to use these to submit returns to HMRC. The initial focus will be on VAT but this is expected to expand to other taxes in the future.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence are advancing at a tremendous pace, redefining the role of professionals in the workplace. So what impact will this have for accountants and finance professionals in the future?
The tension in the Brexit negotiations because of disagreements about 'what to do about the border' has made Northern Ireland a major focus for international attention. The Irish border question came from a simple proposition which has now mushroomed into a confused argument.
The annual Northern Ireland Local Government Association conference is upon us. This year, attendees will gather under the banner of discussing the key roles councils can play in shaping the places where we live, driving the economy and thinking about 'where next?' I have written previously that, with more powers to influence economic development, our councils have displayed an encouraging ambition and willingness to engage on local economic development. This willingness to engage is welcome, especially as the lack of an Executive leaves a vacuum in policy and delivery that local government is increasingly being looked at to fill.
Whilst Northern Ireland was basking in some of the highest temperatures ever recorded in the region, this summer also saw activity heat up in the commercial property market.
There was much murmuring in the tech world last week when it was announced that the founders of photo-sharing app Instagram are to leave the business, amid reports of growing tensions between them and parent company Facebook.
To be an entrepreneur is to embrace risk, it is at the very heart of what it means to build a business and to step into the unknown. But for every triumphant firm that enters the market, scales up, puts a smile on the face of its investors and becomes the envy of others, there are those that simply don't make it.
Budget season is nearly upon us. In Ireland the budget is two weeks away (October 9) and the UK budget will arrive sometime in November.
Brexit is a divisive issue, but one thing most agree with is that the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland would be harmful to business and could create havoc for many people living in border regions.
The electricity market across the island of Ireland will change its commercial systems on October 1, 2018. The all-island Single Electricity Market that - with minor stresses - has served electricity users well will start to trade as an I-SEM: an Integrated Single Electricity Market.
The demise of a number of well-known high street retail outlets has been a feature of the business news and it is expected to continue. Closures of BHS stores have left many town centre shop fronts looking unhappy. In Belfast, once-thriving stores such as Robinson & Cleaver and C&A are now just a memory.
In August, 150 young leaders from around the world visited Belfast for the Shape Europe 2018 Conference, which I attended. The event was hosted by the Belfast Hub of the Global Shapers Community.
While Paschal Donohoe might want some political cover on banker salaries, he has plenty of cover when it comes to changing our corporation tax system. The Republic's Finance Minister has outlined a road map for future changes to the corporate tax system in response to a changing world and a clamour to end aggressive tax avoidance.
The Economist magazine recently released a report claiming that property prices in Dublin were overvalued by as much as 25%. This finding has caused some amount of unease south of the border.
There are many questions for which agreed answers are needed when it comes to preparing for Brexit in Northern Ireland, but sadly, with just over seven months to go, there are few firm answers.
With Northern Ireland experiencing one of its hottest summers for some considerable time, the warm temperatures can leave employees wishing they were heading to the beach, rather than the office. This prolonged spell of unusually good weather can throw up a number of employment law related headaches for employers.
'Global trade recorded its highest growth rate in six years in 2017, both in volume and value terms'.
Ryanair unveiled its results for the three months to the end of June on Monday, July 22. These showed a 20% reduction in after-tax profits to €319m. This was despite a 7% increase in passenger numbers to 37.6 million. The share price fell 5% on the results. The airline blamed the profit dip on lower fares - Ryanair's average fare for the quarter was down 4% to €38.68 - plus an early Easter along with higher fuel and pilot costs.
Do you have a good boss? Perhaps you are a boss, wondering how to get the best out of your team. I'm sure we can all think of examples of bosses we would have run through brick walls for and those we had voodoo dolls commissioned for.
The budget for public services in Northern Ireland would normally be a central responsibility of the NI Executive and Assembly. This year, the Budget for 2018-19 has been subject to approval at Westminster.
The huge investment over recent years in making the C Series aircraft, designed and assembled by Bombardier, with a major contribution by Belfast, is now giving its sponsors a better assurance of both its qualities as a modern passenger jet and its competitiveness in an expanding sector of the aerospace industry.
It appeared first with a glint in the blue sky as a helicopter hovered overhead and music bellowed through elaborate rigging.
The possibility that the Brexit talks will not reach an agreed outcome has increased. Organisational links between the UK Government and the EU of 27 countries might simply crash in March 2019.
Aneurin Bevan's creation, the NHS, is 70 this week and it remains very popular. Former Chancellor Nigel Lawson said it was the closest thing we now had to a national religion. It was not for nothing that Danny Boyle included a celebration of the service in his choreography for the London 2012 Olympics opening event.
When IDA Ireland chief executive Martin Shanahan says anything about US multinationals, we have to sit up and take notice.
The business community in Northern Ireland is facing unprecedented challenges. We have found ourselves at the crux of the ongoing Brexit negotiations, as the UK and the EU grapple over the complexities of how the Irish border will be navigated. This uncertainty is no doubt impacting business confidence across the island, hampering local entrepreneurs and potential investors.
Two important sectors for our city economy - retail and tourism - are experiencing vastly contrasting fortunes at the moment.
The economic consequence of the UK Brexit decision for Northern Ireland is difficult to anticipate. Whether the business community should prepare for a complete break from the single market and customs union or whether there will be an agreement to retain some of the trading advantages but not in a comprehensive package, is still to be negotiated. The best hope is that a working arrangement, short of being a full member of the single market, will be found.
Mr Justice Horner has decided that Carl Frampton's action against his former boxing manager, Barry McGuigan, can be heard in Belfast.
I appreciate Conor Murphy's article in last week's Business Telegraph on the draft industrial strategy - even if it centred mostly on criticising me - as at least a rare but welcome contribution from Sinn Fein on an issue that matters to the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland, namely the economy.
It's difficult to explain how it feels to be proud of a sector - it's much easier to show it. As I welcomed customers, colleagues, visitors and friends to this year's Balmoral Show during May, I was struck by how rewarding it felt to be showing such a hive of activity as the largest agricultural show in these parts got under way.
This month marks two years since the Brexit vote and, in the intervening period, we have become fixated with the relationship between the UK and the EU. However, in many respects what is going on within the EU itself is potentially even more significant, and the next two years could be defining for the bloc.
The construction and property sectors are still closely associated with gender imbalance in the workplace but, particularly in relation to new entrants to the industry, perceptions are rapidly changing.
Unemployment in Northern Ireland reached a record low this month when the seasonally adjusted rate fell to 3.1% in the first quarter of 2018.
Northern Ireland needs to continue to attract more incoming business investment in the years ahead. Following Brexit, should the incentive mechanisms that attract incoming investment remain as at present? If not, should or could the incentives be revamped?
Denvir Holdings is a Belfast-registered retail company which brings together a group of eight wholly owned subsidiaries.
It's been encouraging to see a rise in executive level appointments in Northern Ireland, both in the public and private sector being filled by women - National Museums NI, Titanic Belfast, Institute of Directors (IoD) NI, CBI NI and Belfast City Council to name a few.
The economy remains something of a puzzle at the moment. Despite Brexit, fractious global trade relations, poor productivity performance and an endless stream of gloomy predictions, employment continues to rise and confidence surveys still point to growth.
Despite being one of Northern Ireland's most important sectors delivering significant economic and social advantage, the third sector remains one of the least understood.
