Joining Farmlay as a contract producer has helped a young Scottish farmer transform a modest acreage into a profitable concern. Like generations of farmers’ sons before him, Ross Learmonth was determined to “stand on my own two feet” and attempt to make his own living away from his family’s farm near Ellon, in Aberdeenshire. He would be the first to admit he was lucky to have a headstart in this endeavour in the form of his grandparents’ 80-acre holding, from his mother Shirley’s side of the family. “I’d been working away with a few sheep but was determined not to ‘play farms’ and started looking for something that would enable it to become a viable business in its own right,” explains 29-year-old Ross. After graduating from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) with a first-class honours degree in agriculture Ross, then aged 21, went to work for Scottish nutrition company Harbro. “I was originally interested in pigs but through the day job found out more about hens and went cap-in-hand to speak to my banker. I was also successful in securing some young farmers’ start up grant funding to help buy and relocate some second-hand poultry buildings. In the interim we set about organic conversion, as this was where the opportunity was with local egg packer, Farmlay. The first 4,000 organic birds arrived in 2017." “I soon realised that I was not able to give the day job as much commitment as I would like but also that 4,000 birds weren’t going to be enough,” explains Ross. “So, having left my job and with another production opportunity presented I set about extending the unit to 10,000 birds for spring 2018.” The hens enabled Ross to secure the finance to buy a neighbouring 150-acre farm and meanwhile Ross’s father Eric and uncle Iain - who farm around 1,100 acres in partnership - felt the time was right for them to look at diversifying their cattle and combinable crop operation. So a share-farming agreement was drawn up, in which they own the purpose-built shed that went up on their land, but Ross takes care of everything else. 12,000 birds are housed on this site, with the muck being used on Ross’s organic cereals. “Home mixing allows the inclusion of home-grown organic crops in our split fed rations, completing the cycle,” explains Ross. While Ross is happy with his own holding’s organic status, it soon became obvious that free-range could be a good option at his father’s farm. So, earlier this summer, 16,000 free-range birds arrived after the construction of another new shed. “We managed to go from steel up, to birds housed in less than 10 weeks, a credit to everyone involved,” reports Ross. “This included the installation of a microgrid, incorporating solar PV, diesel generator, battery storage and provision of three-phase power for the new shed on the split phase supplied farm.” Ross now has the help of two staff and his wife Molly continues to look after the admin side of the business since having the couple’s young daughter Lois. “Molly has great office skills from her career in the oil and gas industry and it’s important to say that record keeping is a big part of the egg industry,” warns Ross. “It’s really important, when you are starting out, not to underestimate the effort compliance and quality assurance requires.” Ross supplies his eggs on a contract basis to Aberdeenshire-based Farmlay, which after 2022 images of supermarket shelves empty of eggs - the result of a combination of factors including high energy and feed prices along with the risk of avian flu - has hailed the arrival of what it calls a “golden age” for egg producers. It holds long-term contracts with supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, as well as supplying Spar and all Morrisons’ supermarkets in Scotland. As an aside, Farmlay was founded by Robert Chapman, who left school at 15 with the ambition of owning 100,000 hens and 1,000 acres of farmland. When he handed over the role of managing director to his son Iain just before Christmas, the business owned 450,000 hens - and a further 550,000 owned by contract producers - and 2,500 acres of land. A nearly 20-fold increase from the 130 acres he started out with. “Farmlay provide a great support for audit compliance and there is advice there for producers new and old should they need it, but I do like that there is still very much an independent element to producing eggs and it is by no means prescriptive. There is a good network for advice within the producer group too from which we’ve certainly benefited,” says Ross. “Poultry really has facilitated a diversification that - in the end - not just me but my whole family have all benefitted from.” Ambitions for Ross include better utilising solar power, referring specifically to electricity, cereals and forage. At the moment his grain store is host to 34kw solar PV on the roof and inside, 150acres worth of organic winter wheat, spring barley and beans whilst 340 organic cattle are out at grass. There is also an arrangement with a contract shepherd, finishing 1,000 hoggs this year. He has just recently purchased a further 84 acres of farmland locally. “I must acknowledge my folks for having the foresight to set me loose and then hold their nerve long enough to let all this happen,” reflects Ross. “It has been a steep learning curve, but I think eggs are one sector of farming that lends itself to first generation farmers or existing farms that want to create a role for a family member. So long as you’re prepared to listen and learn, you don’t need decades of experience.” “It means a great deal to me and my family that it has enabled my grandparents small farm to provide a living. It had lain underutilised for 20 years but stocking it with hens created a business that has since been able to invest in land and ways of reducing costs. It has also meant my wife can be involved in the farm, and I’m finally, after some full-on years, hoping to get a bit of time back to spend with her and our baby. We often wonder what my grandparents would think of what we are doing with the farm now. “A greater return may well be had occasionally at other enterprises; the boom in sheep prices, for example, would prove that this year, but the hens are set to remain at our core, as it is their reasonably predictable and regular cash flow that lets us build other areas of the business around them.” Ross’s Recommendations: If you are from a family farm, take time away to plough your own furrow if you can. “Find what you are good at and leverage it - maybe it's ploughing…?” says Ross. “Consider risk and reward together not just one or the other - doom and gloom merchants and spreadsheet millionaires are both to be treated with caution.” “Significant capital and personal investment is required. Do not underestimate either – both can be exhausted if you are not careful.” “Resilience is just as important as return - build both into your budgets.”

An Inverclyde family run hot tub business is overflowing with expansion plans and expanding its operations after experiencing significant growth following specialist growth support from Business Gateway. Exterea is a family run business that specialises in luxury spaces for gazebos, hot tubs, and wellness saunas. The business was started in 2016 by husband-and-wife Sandy and Sharon Jarvie. With a background of over 25 years in construction, Sandy, and Sharon pride themselves on delivering high quality products and premium services to their customers with a wide range of products, sourcing the highest quality materials. The couple now offer hot tubs, log cabins, summer houses, gazebos, wooden garages, garden sheds and more using bespoke designs. The business has also now launched a new mobile sauna product, focusing on Concept Therapy. This combines the heat benefits of the sauna with cold water exposure, providing a rejuvenating and therapeutic experience. Exterea is also looking to diversify by introducing more energy efficient products which run off solar and deep source energy systems. The showroom is now expanding to display more of their models, as well as Exterea now widening their geographic reach with deliveries further afield. As Exterea looks to expand its business, Sandy and Sharon are aware that they will come up against more competitors, but the support that they have received from Business Gateway has helped them prepare for this. The couple was introduced to Business Gateway adviser Barbara Mennie, who provided 1:1 business support and helped with cashflow forecasting to outline the growth strategy for the business. Barbara was also instrumental in helping them launch the new mobile sauna. Barbara also gave the couple advice on local authority grant funding and assistance with funding applications, which helped them secure funding from Inverclyde Council. This funding gave them the green light for their expansion plans. Their adviser also referred them to local authority growth accelerator programmes to help provide further advice. Sharon Jarvie, co-founder of Exterea, said: ‘‘The advice and support we got from Business Gateway was brilliant and gave us the confidence to go ahead with our growth plans, as well as helping us get the funding we needed for expansion. We would not have been able to do it without Business Gateway and we cannot thank Barbara enough for all their help.’’ Barbara Mennie, Business Gateway adviser said: “It is fantastic to see the growth that Sandy and Sharon have managed with Exterea, and I am excited to see their new showroom. They have great ideas for their products and fantastic high-quality bespoke designs that show off their passion for the business and it will be great for more people to see this as they expand.”

Working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services have provided expert safety support for the return of classic ITV game show You Bet! The reboot of the show, presented by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, features members of the public showing off their extraordinary skills, with celebrity panellists betting on whether each contestant can complete their chosen challenge. The first episode, which aired on Saturday night on ITV, featured a “Climber vs Car” challenge, with gym instructor Mila Stanzani scaling the exterior wall of a multi-storey car park while professional driver Michelle Westby raced her to the top and back down again. Arco’s team of working at height experts, led by Mike Clayton, were on hand at the new Shinfield Studios in Reading to help ensure the safety of everyone involved in the challenge. The team provided advice to production company Rollercoaster Television on making the climb safe, provided the necessary safety equipment, assisted with protecting a camera operator and managed Mila’s climbing rope to ensure her safety during the challenge. Mike Clayton, technical lead (working at height) at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “It was an amazing experience for the team to be involved in this challenge for the reboot of You Bet! Throughout the years, we’ve been trusted to carry out working at height training and supervision for some thrilling and critical projects, but this was one of the most exciting we have been a part of in recent times. Mila took to the task with a great amount of confidence and the team at ITV were great to work with.” Sarah Boyce, Head of Production for Rollercoaster, said: “In the early planning stages it was clear we needed experts in working at heights. Arco, being an ITV vetted contractor, were immediately recommended by our inhouse health and safety team." “They went on to provide expert climbing knowledge and clear advice on how to make this challenge work. They quickly proved to us – and Mila – that they could be relied on 100% and were a big part of the success of this spectacular challenge.” To find out if Mila won her challenge, watch You Bet! on demand now on ITVX. Tune in for episode 2 on Sunday 22nd December at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

JCB’s third annual Christmas Toy Appeal has delivered a record haul of gifts for distribution to children in Staffordshire and Wrexham. Kind-hearted employees have donated more than 1,700 presents across all of JCB’s UK plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Wrexham – making it the biggest ever total since the first JCB Christmas Toy Appeal in 2022. The Hubb Foundation now has the mammoth task of wrapping the bulk of the gifts before the charity distributes them to families in Stoke-on-Trent with the help of the NSPCC. In Wrexham, toys donated by employees at JCB Transmissions will be handed to the Salvation Army for local distribution. Today Lady Bamford thanked everyone for their contribution to the appeal. She said: “I’d like to say a very big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to donate a gift to the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal. It really will make such a huge difference to every single child who has a present to open this Christmas.” As the final gifts were delivered to the World HQ yesterday, Lord Bamford was joined by Rupert Chilman, aged five and his sister Alice, two, to officially hand over the presents to the Hubb Foundation and the NSPCC. NSPCC Strategic Services Manager Rachael Holdcroft said: “The reality for many children and families is that Christmas isn’t actually a magical time. The donation of these gifts by the JCB workforce brings a little bit of light into what is otherwise quite a dark time for them and it will make the world of difference.” Adam Yates, Chief Operating Officer at the Stoke-on-Trent based Hubb Foundation said: “The sheer volume of gifts donated to the JCB Christmas Toy Appeal is an amazing achievement by JCB employees. I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has donated a gift this year.” The GMB union in Staffordshire donated £1,000 to enable the purchase of toys for the Appeal and in Wrexham the GMB donated a further £650 so gifts could be bought.

One of the world’s most accomplished male voice choirs hit the right note at a concert in aid of JCB’s NSPCC Appeal – helping to raise £15,095. The internationally renowned Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir - known affectionately as ‘The Fron’ - performed to a sell-out audience in the theatre at JCB’s World HQ at Rocester. The audience broke into spontaneous applause as it was announced that JCB and its employees were raising £2 million for the NSPCC to help with the charity’s work in Staffordshire – and that proceeds from the concert would go towards the fundraising. There were also cheers as JCB sponsored athlete and Olympian Adam Burgess, of Stone, Staffordshire, stepped on to the stage and showed off his Paris 2024 silver medal – ahead of helping to pull a giant Christmas cracker to reveal the total amount raised at the event. He was joined in pulling the cracker by three talented young pianists who also entertained the audience with performances at the event. They were Thomas Pham, 15, a former pupil at the Co-op Academy Glebe in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, and Ukrainian sister and brother Sofiia Uvarova and Andrii Uvarov, who have settled in Uttoxeter under JCB’s Homes for Ukraine initiative. JCB Group HR Director Max Jeffery attended with fellow JCB directors, employees, retired employees and members of the public. He said: "It was an absolutely wonderful evening and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. The singing was outstanding and the fun the choir brought to the occasion was fantastic, particularly the audience participation, which took place during the singing of the Twelve Days of Christmas!”

Leading glass packaging company, Croxsons, has announced the appointment of Veronica Chambers as quality & technical manager, effective 7th October 2024. With over 10 years of experience in the drinks and packaging industry, Veronica brings a wealth of expertise in compliance, quality management systems and sustainability. Reporting directly to the commercial director, Veronica will oversee Croxsons’ quality management system, ensuring all products meet rigorous customer specifications and quality standards. Key responsibilities also include managing customer compliance queries, monitoring supply chain performance and collaborating closely with sales and operations teams to enhance customer satisfaction and drive continuous improvement. Commenting on the appointment, Veronica said: "I was drawn to Croxsons because of their long-standing reputation in the industry and strong commitment to sustainability. I’m excited about the potential for growth and innovation in this role and look forward to working with the team to uphold Croxsons’ tradition of excellence." “Supporting their commitment to quality and sustainability aligns perfectly with my professional and personal values and I’m eager to contribute to the company’s continued success.” Croxsons CEO, Tim Croxson, added: "We are delighted to welcome Veronica to the Croxsons family. We are confident that her contributions will be pivotal in enhancing our operations and delivering added value to our customers.” For more information about Croxsons, visit their website here

People who experienced the care system in Scotland will come together this December to celebrate the joy of Christmas in a supportive and festive environment hosted by Who Cares? Scotland, thanks to a generous £2,500 donation from Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust. As the nation’s only membership organisation dedicated to care experienced individuals, Who Cares? Scotland empowers 4,200 members through advocacy, participation, and educational programmes. The organisation’s vision is for all care experienced people to enjoy lives filled with equality, respect, and love. Its work is crucial in fostering a sense of community and belonging for people whose formal support systems often end after leaving care. The donation from the Trust will support Who Cares? Scotland’s annual Care Family Christmas event, held at SWG3 in Glasgow on Christmas Day. This annual gathering offers a safe and joyous space for over 100 people to enjoy a three-course Christmas dinner, fun games, and gifts from Santa. Additionally, over 2,500 members will receive personalised Christmas parcels, ensuring that no one is left without a special moment on the day. The event helps combat the isolation many care experienced individuals feel during the festive season, creating a sense of connection and belonging among the 100+ attendees each year. Many of those are returning guests who are otherwise unable to see each other. One attendee from last year’s event said, "It was brilliant, I loved spending time with people. Loved the quiet space, the guy on the saxophone was really relaxing and the fire was amazing - this space was great." Lucy Christopher, Fundraising and Partnerships Manager, Who Cares? Scotland, thanks the Trust for the donation, saying, “We are so grateful for this wonderful and generous donation of £2500 from Allied Vehicles. Every penny of this donation will be used to ensure care experienced people have a magical Christmas day, including a three-course dinner, fun and games as well as presents from Santa! Our Care Family Christmas is open to everyone and ensures care experienced people have a place to connect and belong at what can be a challenging or lonely time of year for some.” David Facenna, Corporate Culture Director at Allied Vehicles, added: "It’s a privilege to support the incredible work of Who Cares? Scotland. Christmas is a time for togetherness, and we’re proud to help support an event where people with experience of the care system can connect, celebrate, and enjoy a special day."

Private sector firms expect activity to fall in the three months to February 2025 (weighted balance of -10%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. This marks the first time this year that expectations for growth have been negative. Business volumes in the services sector are anticipated to decline (-13%), with a slight fall in business & professional services (-7%) and a sharper decline in consumer services (-33%), both marking the weakest expectations for around two years. Distribution sales are also expected to fall (-20%), while manufacturers anticipate output to rise modestly in the three months to February (+9%). The tepid outlook comes as private sector activity fell again in the three months to November (-13%), falling at a faster pace than in the three months to October (-4%). All three major sectors reported falling business volumes, sales or output. Alpesh Paleja, CBI Interim Deputy Chief Economist, said: “As we head into 2025 expectations for growth have taken a decisive turn for the worse. Our surveys suggest that anticipated activity was already weakening heading into the October Budget and the Chancellor’s announcements have left businesses with even more tough choices to make." “News that firms are planning to reduce headcount is a concern, with hiring intentions at their weakest since the tail-end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This could be an early sign of the impact of higher labour costs from the upcoming rise in employer NICs, and the uprating in the National Living Wage." “Against this background, firms are looking to government to take a lead in helping generate positive momentum for the economy. That means moving quickly and decisively to reform business rates, deliver apprenticeship levy flexibility, and boost occupational health incentives to support the health of the workforce.”

The latest Lloyds Business Barometer found that confidence fell in November, with the index dipping three points to 41%. Considerably above the long-term average of 29%, the change followed a period of sustained positivity from businesses, as confidence reached the highest level reported since 2015 during May, July and August this year. The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been running for more than 20 years since 2002, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. Businesses were asked about their optimism in the wider economy as well as their own trading prospects, with results indicating relatively positive sentiment. Despite indications of uncertainty in the wider environment, trading prospects continued to be resilient. Trading Prospects & the Economy Although more than half of all respondents (52%) were more optimistic about the economy than three months ago, 26% felt less positive – up from 20% in October. Consequently, the overall result for economic optimism fell 9 points to 26%. Businesses did, however, demonstrate more positivity in their own trading prospects. Only 8% of firms said they expected less activity in the coming year, while 63% predicted more. As a result, the overall score for trading prospects in November rose to 55%. Employment Insights Although hiring intentions reduced for the third time in four months, over half of all business-owners expected to increase the number of employees on their books. 52% of respondents had plans to increase the size of their workforce, three times the number of businesses expecting to downsize (17%). Despite a moderate reduction, expectations around pay are still elevated in comparison to the last four years. Nevertheless, the number of businesses that expected wage growth of 3% or more fell for the third month in a row (30%). Similarly, the proportion of businesses expecting at least 4% pay growth dipped to 16% - a four-month low. Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Commercial Banking, said: “In November, the overall confidence metric fell by 3 points for the third month running. This is the lowest level since June, but still above the survey’s long-term average, which is ultimately positive from a longer-term perspective." “These results suggest that while firms have mixed views about the economy, they see their businesses in a good place to cope with any challenges they might face. Hiring intentions, although moderating this month, haven’t fallen by much which is also positive news. “Overall, these results show that businesses are still positive and feeling resilient, albeit with tempered views on the economic outlook.” Pricing Insights Slightly fewer businesses plan to increase prices in the coming months. 63% of respondents said they expected the costs of their goods and services to increase (down from 64%), while a further 3% expected to lower them. These results still indicate that the breadth of businesses expecting to raise their prices remains above pre-pandemic levels. Sector Insights Firms in the manufacturing sector reported the first rise in trading prospects in four months, with the net balance up 3 points to 49%. Companies in construction and services also indicated stronger business growth outlooks with net balances of 56% (up 6 points) and 61% (up 4 points), respectively. Retail firms, however, signalled softer prospects for a second month running, with the trading prospects net balance down 6 points at 45%. Paul Kempster, Managing Director for Relationship Management, Lloyds Business & Commercial said: “It’s clear that businesses are feeling confident in themselves, evidenced by their buoyant trading prospects, which is great news for the UK." “There has been an improvement in manufacturing – for the first time in four months – as well as construction and services which is welcome news, considering our sectors can play a huge role in boosting economic growth." “Despite a fall in some of the regions, it is encouraging to see resilience elsewhere. But no matter where businesses are based, we are here to support and continue helping them – and Britain – prosper.” Regional Insights Confidence fell in nine of the 12 UK regions and nations this month. The biggest drops were in Yorkshire & the Humber, and Northern Ireland. There were also sizeable pullbacks in the North East, Scotland and the East Midlands. The North East still remained in the top three in terms of the level of confidence, owing to previously strong results. Bucking the trend with stronger confidence are the West Midlands, the East of England and London. The West Midlands’ sharp rise propelled the region into second place behind the Capital which registered a marginal improvement. The North West is in joint third place with the North East.

Sentiment amongst retailers about their business situation over the next three months fell at the fastest pace for two years in November, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive Trades Survey. Retail sales volumes declined moderately in the year to November, with retailers judging sales to be “poor” for the time of year, to a similar extent as the previous month. Looking ahead to December, retailers expect annual sales growth to deteriorate. Volumes are set to remain below seasonal norms next month, albeit to a lesser extent than in November, with retail firms anticipating a rise in online sales. Weak consumer demand and falling confidence in their business situation is reflected in retailers’ investment plans. Firms expect to scale back capital expenditure for the next 12 months (compared to the past 12 months). Employment in the retail sector fell in the year to November at the slowest rate for a year, though retailers expect headcount to be broadly unchanged in the year to December. Key Findings: Retail sales volumes declined at a moderate pace in the year to November (weighted balance of -18% from -6% in October). Retailers expect sales to decline at a faster pace next month (-29%). Sales volumes for the time of year were judged to be “poor”, to a broadly similar extent as in October (-22% from -25% in October). Sales are set to remain below seasonal norms in December (-15%), albeit to a lesser extent. Sentiment amongst retailers about their business situation over the next three months further weakened in November (-21%, from -13% in August, and the weakest balance since a reading of -22% in November 2022). Retailers expect to reduce investment in the next 12 months (compared to the past 12), though to a lesser extent than in August (-27% from -35% in August). Retail employment declined in the year to November at the slowest rate since November 2023 (-18% from -25% in August). Headcount in retail is expected to be broadly unchanged in December (-2%). Selling price inflation eased in the year to November (+24% from +30% in August), remaining below the long-run average for the third consecutive quarterly survey (+41%). However, retailers expect this measure to accelerate next month (+33%). Volumes across the distribution sector (which includes retail, wholesale and motor trades) contracted at a moderate pace in the year to November (-17% from -12% in October). Firms expect sales to fall at the same pace in December (-17%). Ben Jones, Lead Economist, CBI, said: “Retailers continue to report disappointing sales, though trading conditions have shown some improvement since the middle of the year. Yet the last time retailers felt this gloomy was back in November 2022, at the peak of the inflation shock. This makes the sharp decline in sentiment this month all the more telling." “The stark rise in Employers' National Insurance next year will hit retailers hard. And the planned increase in business rates for higher-value properties will add significant operational costs for distribution centres." “The government must urgently partner with businesses across the distribution sector to ease the cumulative cost burden, which threatens to weaken investment and hiring in the year ahead, as well as resulting in higher prices for consumers.”

The number of women holding executive directorships on FTSE 250 boards has fallen 11% in the last two years, from 47 in 2022 to 42 in 2024, according to Cranfield University’s latest Female FTSE Board Report, supported by EY. The decline comes despite overall female representation on FTSE 250 boards continuing to rise, and means women now represent just 12% of executives across these companies. Now in its 25th year, the Female FTSE Board Report research found that 42% of overall directorships on FTSE 250 boards are currently held by women – an increase of 3% from 2022. 174 FTSE 250 companies have at least 40% females on their board, meaning 70% have now met the Women Leaders Review  target. Of the 793 women holding directorships on FTSE 250 boards in 2024, just ten are Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) (a 17% decline from 2022), 23 are Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) (12% decline from 2022), 35 are Chairs (unchanged from 2022), and 125 are Senior Independent Directors (50% increase from 2022). This means the increase in female representation in directorships on FTSE 250 boards was solely driven by women in NED roles. Sue Vinnicombe, Professor of Women and Leadership at Cranfield School of Management, who has overseen the Female FTSE Board Report since 1999, commented: “With the percentage of women in director roles meeting the Women Leaders Review targets, the headlines look great – but the persistent reality remains, that the glass ceiling for women in executive level positions is still stubbornly in place." "An ‘executive gender paradox’ across FTSE 250 boards has emerged, as the gap between the number of women in NED roles and executive roles grows." “Through their own tenacity, drive and experiences some women do make it to the top positions, but once they get to the c-suite they often find themselves unsupported and in a male dominated environment. To say that’s disappointing in 2024, 25 years on from when I started this report, is a huge understatement. It’s clear that many issues must still be addressed before we can really expect to see significant and meaningful change in the number of women executive directors.” Female executive directors on FTSE 100 boards rises, but remains concerningly low Across the FTSE 100, 74 companies have met the target of having 40% women on their boards. 43% (450) of FTSE 100 directorships are held by women, however, just ten are CEOs, 24 are CFOs, 165 are Chairs, and 409 are non-executive directors. Just 36 companies in the FTSE 100 have women in executive director roles. Anna Anthony, EY UK&I Regional Managing Partner-elect and UK Financial Services Managing Partner, comments: “In all its guises, diversity is a key driver of business performance, and so increasing female representation on boards is not just a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a ‘must-have.’ Boardroom diversity targets are playing an important role in driving progress but can’t alone drive the scale of change needed." “Female representation in the most influential roles is a key pillar of true gender parity, and we need to see growth across both non-executive and executive directorships. Companies must do more to grow the pipeline, better support women to senior management and executive positions, and aim to go above and beyond minimum requirements.” Opportunity missed to build female CFO numbers As part of the 2024 report, Cranfield analysed the gender balance and experience of female CFOs across the FTSE 350 and identified ‘missed opportunities’ to increase the number of women in CFO positions over the last two years. There were 28 outgoing CFOs across the FTSE 250 over the past year, but just three women were appointed to these roles during the same period, taking the total number of female FTSE 250 CFOs to 23 (making up just 13% of all FTSE 250 CFOs). Similarly, there were 29 outgoing CFOs across the FTSE 100 since 2022, with just eight women appointed over the same period, taking the total number of female FTSE 100 CFOs to 24 (making up 24% of all FTSE 100 CFOs). Dr Michelle Tessaro, Visiting Professor at Cranfield School of Management who led the CFO research project, comments: “There is a major issue at play here, and we risk having too much optimism when we just look at the numbers. The most vulnerable part of the talent pipeline is the mid-career point, where some women drop off their planned career trajectories as policies are stacked against them and assumptions are made about their attitudes to work." "This leaky pipeline needs fixing, and women need supporting, otherwise the executive gender paradox is unlikely to change.”

Cheadle College is celebrating a major milestone in its £27 million redevelopment, marking the structural completion of its pioneering campus. A topping-out ceremony – the traditional construction term which symbolises the progress of work - was attended by students, staff, and key partners including contractor Willmott Dixon. Students take part in the topping out alongside college staff and Willmott Dixon. Six photography students were also present at the event as part of a project to document the construction process. Their work will form a display and become part of the building’s legacy once it is officially launched. The event signifies a crucial step towards the project’s scheduled completion in summer 2025. James Scott, Principal and CEO of The Trafford and Stockport College Group, of which Cheadle College is part of, said: “This is an exciting milestone in the journey to transform Cheadle College. The topping-out ceremony celebrates not only the completion of the building’s structure but also the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in bringing this vision to life. Our new campus will provide a transformative educational environment that inspires students, supports innovative teaching methods, and equips learners with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their future careers.” Once completed, the redevelopment will feature cutting-edge facilities tailored to meet the diverse needs of students. Highlights include: Modern learning spaces for vocational and academic courses such as Horticulture, Early Years, and Health and Social Care. Specialist areas for the college’s Choices students, including a sensory room and dedicated garden. A new Learning Resource Centre, enhanced student services, and welcoming social spaces. Infrastructure to support the college’s T Level programmes in Health and Childcare. Sustainability remains at the forefront of the design, which incorporates energy-efficient features such as photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps, solar-efficient glazing, and lighting systems. Mike Poole-Sutherland, Director for Willmott Dixon in the North: “As we reach this exciting milestone, we’re proud as a locally based company to be working alongside our partners to ensure this transformative building leaves a lasting legacy for this community and college students. So far, we’ve engaged with 800 local students, delivered 30 weeks of T-Level placements and created three apprenticeships.” Jess Jones, Key Account Coordinator at Procure Partnerships Framework, said: "We're delighted to be part of this significant milestone in the £27 million redevelopment of Cheadle College. This project is set to be a legacy for the community, enhancing the learning environment for students while also boosting skills and employment opportunities, not just for the students who will benefit from these facilities, but for the wider community as well. We're proud to be part of this transformative project and look forward to its continued progress." The project, procured via the Procure Partnerships Framework, is a collaborative effort funded by £20m of government support and £7m of college equity.