Ian Larrard, director of the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative at Business West, looks back at the past 12 months and considers why next year’s General Election is set to be one of the most important in recent memory. “The noise and glare of fireworks this New Year must not mask the fact that we...
Intuit UK, the firm behind QuickBooks financial software for accountants and small businesses, has awarded a major event management contract to Purton-based event management specialist Planet Pursuits. Under the two-year contract, which follows a successful project tender, Planet Pursuits will implement and manage a wide range of customer engagement and training events. Intuit’s brief...
More than 100 small businesses across Wiltshire have received grants for expert advice to help their enterprises grow under a new scheme. Some 112 Specialist Business Advice grants of between £500 and £1,500 were paid to a wide range of small businesses. The most popular requests were for specialist web development support, brand enhancement...
Chippenham-based specialist IT group SciSys is expanding into the retail industry following the acquisition of a small software application development firm. SciSys, which works in sectors spanning space, defence, media and government, is paying a maximum of £3.2m for Leicester-based Xibis, which it expects to be immediately earnings-enhancing. SciSys said the Xibis has a...
The annual search for the region’s best companies has started with the launch of accountants PwC’s widely-respected West of England Business of the Year Awards 2015. Now in their 27th year, the eagerly-contested awards are the most prestigious in the region by far – previous winners read like a who’s who of the West’s...
Swindon-based digital marketing agency Smarter Media has expanded its public relations capability with the appointment of former Swindon Advertiser sports editor Steve Butt as head of PR and social media. He will head the agency’s new public relations division Smarter PR and manage Smarter Social, its social media department. Smarter Media managing director Karl...
The Chancellor produced a balanced Autumn Statement that addressed business concerns around rates reform and finance, Swindon business leaders have said. Ian Larrard, director of the Initiative in Swindon & Wiltshire, part of Business West, described it as a “crowd-pleasing” set of proposals for business, particularly its pledge for a major review into the...
Swindon-based independent public relations consultancy redheadPR has become a member of GIMA, the Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association. Redheadpr has worked with many leading brands in the gardening sector including Anthony Tesselaar International, raingardenkits.co.uk, John Woods Nurseries, grow-your-own specialist Stewart Garden and gardening broadcaster and writer Pippa Greenwood, who supported the Stewart Garden Schools campaign....
Export chiefs hope that a former shipping container covered with colourful street art will hold the key to getting more Swindon firms to take their business to the world. Launched this week, Business West’s #GetExporting campaign highlights the benefits of exporting in an innovative way. The eye-catching container, spray-painted by a pair of Bristol...
Stands for The Business Showcase South West – the major business event which celebrates the best of the region’s innovation, creativity and enterprise – are now on sale and pre-registration for delegates has also gone live. Following the huge success of the inaugural event in April this year, The Business Showcase South West returns...
