Business News

Qatar Airways returned to Birmingham Airport for the first time in three years, reconnecting the UK’s second city to the airline’s unrivalled international network including more than 160 destinations. 

Dignitaries including Gary Kershaw, UK & Ireland Country Manager - Qatar Airways, Andy Street - West Midlands Mayor, and Nick Barton - Birmingham Airport Chief Executive, welcomed flight QR33 from Doha on its arrival at Birmingham. Onboard, passengers were treated to a special menu including Beef Wellington, traditional British Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Tikka Masala and Eton mess. Qatar Airways cabin crew also provided mementos to passengers. 

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) re-appointment Ms Noredah Othman, CEO, of Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia, and Dr. Gerald Perez, Vice President, Guam Visitors Bureau, USA to the PATA Executive Board for a two-year term beginning June 27, 2023. On the announcement, PATA Chair Peter Semone said: “I would like to first thank Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives for his time and contribution to the Executive Board over the past two years.

The partnership with World Travel Market to be held from November 6-8, 2023, will turn the spotlight on Morocco.

The Premier Partnership announcement comes as Morocco experiences growth in its tourism activity, aiming to double the number of incoming tourists to 26 million by 2030, elevating Morocco as a leading leisure destination to the world’s travel trade. It is already known that Morocco’s presence at World Travel Market London will focus on the “Morocco, Kingdom of Light” international campaign of the Moroccan National Tourism Office.

A group of manufacturers committed to promoting UK industry is urging the Government to throw its weight behind a growing reshoring trend that has the potential to deliver £millions of new opportunities. Bosses at the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), a collective of seven sub-contract manufacturers and an engineering design agency, believe the country has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring back work from low-cost countries as the demand for taking risk out of the supply chain intensifies.

Sustainability might well be front of mind when it comes to us all doing the right thing by the planet, we all call home. But who is talking about sustainability when it comes to employment? 

A few people, maybe. But not enough, says Mark Telford, Managing Director of Forth. Mark tends to see things coming over the horizon before many of us. That’s part of what’s stood him in good stead over 22 years of running a pioneering, award-winning, solutions business. 

The Board of Heathrow Airport has confirmed the appointment of Thomas Woldbye, currently the boss of Copenhagen Airport, as the person to replace John Holland-Kaye when he steps down later this year after nearly 10 years in post.

Following an extensive recruitment process, Thomas emerged as the standout candidate among a pool of exceptional contenders both internally and from across the world. Having served as the CEO of Copenhagen Airport since 2011, Thomas brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a CEO of a major airport championing passenger service, sustainability and growth.

Tata Communications, a global digital ecosystem enabler, today announces it has entered into a definitive agreement through Tata Communications Limited to acquire Kaleyra, Inc. (NYSE: KLR) to empower global enterprises to offer personalised experiences to their customers. Kaleyra is a global omnichannel integrated communication services provider with a set of proprietary platforms, offering targeted personalisation through messaging, video, push notifications, e-mail and voice-based services, and chatbots.

With the announcement of the 2023/2024 fixture list for the Premier League last week, fans and supporters are already purchasing and renewing their season tickets. By using data collected from each team, website Seat Compare have researched prices for season tickets in the upcoming season.

Whilst the Premier League has managed to keep away section tickets at a fixed price of just £30, home ticket prices are set by the club. And whilst Arsenal have consistently had the highest prices in the Premier League, Fulham FC charging nearly £3000 for a season ticket in their new stand is the biggest surprise.

Comviva, the global leader in customer experience and data monetisation solutions, today announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with e& enterprise to offer an advanced omnichannel CPaaS platform for enterprises.

e& enterprise, is a specialized business vertical within e& focused on providing advanced digital solutions to transform the way companies conduct business. e& enterprise enables organisations across multiple sectors to maximize their digital potential.

The Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy (GBPSA) celebrated its tenth anniversary on Wednesday 7^th June 2023 with a special event at Deloitte. Nearly £4million, in equivalent billable hours, has been invested in the Academy by partners through in kind support from partners. The GBPSA, part of Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet), was created in 2013 as a direct response to recommendations in ‘Choose Work, Choose Life, Choose Birmingham’, the report of the Future Commission, published by Birmingham Future and Warwick Business School, on growth and sustainability of Birmingham’s business, professional and financial services (BPFS) sector.

A North Staffordshire manufacturer of household and vehicle cleaning products is pressing the button on an ambitious investment drive.

Future Developments (Manufacturing), which has blended and made chemicals that go into more than 1500 different products, is spending over £500,000 on creating an additional 15,000 sq ft production facility at its Davenport Street home in Burslem and the installation of a faster filling and packing line.

The Association of British Professional Conference Organizers (ABPCO) confirmed the appointment of six industry leaders and experts to its Executive Board during virtual AGM.

Attended by over 50 members, the AGM served as a platform to outline ABPCO‘s ambitious plans for the upcoming year. These will build on a strong past year, including growth across all areas of the association’s offering.

The Chancellor met the UK's principal mortgage lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to agree support for people struggling with mortgage repayments.

The latest market indicators (FCA; UK Finance) show that mortgage arrears and defaults remain below pre-pandemic levels, which were themselves extremely low. The FCA reported 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances in arrears in the first quarter of 2023 which is significantly lower than the 3.32% rate in 2009.

A site manager is building a path to success within the construction industry, since joining Barratt Homes through its Armed Forces Transition Programme. The programme offers ex-servicepeople a valuable opportunity to transition into the construction industry and advance their careers.

Through the scheme, participants receive comprehensive experience, training, and unwavering support to embark on a rewarding path in site management. Andy Williams (33), who works on Barratt Homes’ High Elms Park development in Hullbridge, supports the on-site team with maintaining a five-star rated customer service by co-ordinating the trades, ordering materials, and delivering regular health and safety checks.

Boost Capital Partners is excited to announce the launch of its first fund to support founders who are building exceptional user experiences to solve real-life problems. Based in London and having successfully completed its first close of $30M, the fund is led by a team with a collective experience of over 25 years in the digital consumer and gaming industries.

NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) unveiled a new and refreshed brand identity of GIFT Nifty as a part of full-scale transition of SGX Nifty to Gift Nifty from July 3, 2023. The new identity of Gift Nifty signifies the unique opportunity and new direction for the international investors to participate in India's growth story to access Nifty products through NSE IX at GIFT City.