With the UK top of the European leader board for inward investment, fulfilling the staffing requirements for the newly formed operation is a key consideration for many expanding organisations.
Recruiting those initial, key personnel and early stage employees in the UK is critical to the success of a new or developing operation. Hiring the very best available and those equipped to succeed in start-up mode, remote from most of their colleagues, will help gain more traction in your new market.
In essence, your initial and early stage employees will be critical to ensuring you have the expertise and experience on hand to drive your UK operations forward.
Remote or overseas recruitment needn’t be an arduous task. It is a rewarding exercise and the final accompaniment to the success you have already gained. So congratulates and now is the time to look forward with the recruitment of your initial key personnel and we have put together a few of our top recruitment tips to get you started.
Just as important as seeking local expertise from suppliers, clients and networks, is to engage with a local recruiter at the early stages of planning. A good recruiter will provide a professional view of the national and regional market in the UK for the skills you seek, as well as providing useful information on issues such as remuneration. If a recruiter shows little interest ahead of a real vacancy – find another one.
The UK has a wealth of industry specific and business networks, so utilise them. Not only are they an essential tool for meeting and engaging potential prospects, but they present a great platform to knowledge share and build relations with industry peers.
The UK is committed to Inward Investment. There is a wealth of business support and guidance available from UK bodies and networks, including DIT (previously UKTI), the various Chambers of Commerce throughout the UK and location specific development agencies. Utilise these networks to build your own and gain further insight into bolstering and staffing your UK operation.
Just as important as face-face networking, social networking can provide insight into UK industry trends and topics but also the individuals who are ‘thought leaders’ in their field. Networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter offer valuable insight into an individual’s knowledge, persona and experience of a candidate.
Employment laws and legislation may vary dramatically from your home market. When recruiting ensure you have full understanding of the legal obligations as a UK employer. This includes contract termination, contract vs permanent employment and the process in which recruitment is carried out. It is also important to ensure that elements of legislation are built into your recruitment and salary budget including 28 days statutory holiday allowance, as well as a statutory sick pay (SSP).
The UK has a wealth of talent across a variety of industries. With some of the world’s most innovative Global organisations and well respected universities based in the UK, capturing the attention of the highest calibre candidates can be a competitive task. Whilst your company name may be a well known and respected brand in your domestic market, this may not yet be the case in the UK. As such, joining you as an initial employee may be perceived as a risk by the best candidates. Work closely with your chosen recruiter to articulate the proposition which will appeal to the candidate pool you wish to attract. Even in a tough employment market, the best candidates will have other options.
While taking the advice from your recruitment agent at stage one of the interview process and utilising technologies such as Skype and Zoom can be fantastic for the initial interviews, when you have reached a short list and are ready to make an employment decision, it’s best to travel to meet with your potential new employee. Meeting face-face not only allows you to create a bond between you and your candidate, but reinforces your company’s commitment to the candidate and the UK market.
Having helped hundreds of companies launch and resource their UK operation JMB Recruitment team understand the logistical, cultural and operational challenges of launching a UK operation. Yet, launching and recruiting for your UK operation is a rewarding experience and a natural development of the sales cycle. Just remember to utilise your contacts, take advice and articulate your employment offering.
The JMB Partnership is delighted to announce that Ascent Footwear has successfully launched its UK retail presence and from August will be available to purchase in the UK.
Leading Australian footwear brand, Ascent, first approached JMB in 2014 to conduct a UK market entry campaign and meetings programme.
The campaign was successfully in securing high quality meetings with footwear retailers throughout the UK. An exercise which proved imperative in gaining direct market insight and creating a strong foundation on which to build Ascent’s UK retail network.
“James, Sarah and the JMB team liaised with potential retailers on our behalf and organised appointments for our visit in July. JMB provided consistent communication, appointments with high end retailers and showed great flexibility with using our internal database system.
Obviously this is a very exciting time and I’d like to thank JMB for your help with getting Ascent into the UK market.”
Luke Bevis, Ascent Footwear
The entire JMB Team would like to congratulate Ascent on the UK launch and we look forward to seeing the range in UK stores soon.
Following JMB’s announcement as a winner of The Queen’s award in April, JMB had the honour of meeting Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, to celebrate.
JMB and fellow winners, joined the Queen at the Buckingham Palace reception on Thursday 14th July to celebrate their achievements.
The Princess Royal, Princess Eugenie, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were also in attendance to congratulate winners.
James Blakemore, JMB Managing Director briefly spoke to the Queen about the business and how it was the companies’ first application and first win of the awards.
James said that “Winning the award in itself was an immensely proud moment for the entire JMB team. However, being recognised by the Queen and having the privilege to be a guest at the palace was a hugely momentous occasion is the companies’ history”
On Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday, JMB was announce as Winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, in recognition of substantial growth and services to international business arena.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, The Queen’s Awards are the UK’s highest accolade for British business success, awarded only to those who demonstrate the highest levels of excellence and an outstanding contribution to enterprise in their field.
Business Growth & UK Market Entry specialists, JMB have successfully supported over 700 UK and international companies exceed their sales & business growth ambitions. And in the last three years have seen exponential success for their clients in the UK and internationally, resulting in over 20% year on year increase in JMB’s activity.
In October this year, the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, The Queen’s local representative, will present the Grant of Appointment during a formal ceremony at the JMB Head Offices.
Market entry specialists The JMB Partnership and Rochester PR, along with UK Trade & Investment(UKTI) and UBM are hosting a practical panel session for ambitious international tech businesses during London Tech Week 2016.
Building on the success of 2015, ‘Tech Teach In – How to successfully launch and grow in London’ will provide a practical, insightful session for international tech companies looking to enter or bolstering their UK market share. To be held on 23rd June, the event presents opportunity for you to hear successes and learnings from other international tech company founders at the various stages of entry to the UK market.
The JMB Partnership is delighted to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade- one UK’s highest accolade for British business success.
Upon the Prime Ministers recommendation, The JMB Partnership have been presented with the Award for outstanding contribution to International Trade.
Managing Director of The JMB Partnership, James Blakemore commented “I am immensely proud of the whole JMB Team for winning one of the highest business accolades a UK company can receive. It is the pinnacle of achievement in terms of recognition for our proactive, dedicated approach to championing international business growth”
Awarded to only those who demonstrate the highest levels of excellence within enterprise, JMB is delighted to have received a Queens Award for International Trade. The Award is in recognition of JMB’s substantial growth and commercial success in the international business arena.
Business Development & Market Entry specialists, The JMB Partnership have successfully supported over 700 UK and international companies explore and enter new markets throughout the globe. And in the last three years have seen exponential success for their clients in the UK and internationally, which has resulted in over 20% year on year increase in JMB’s export activity.
Later in the year, the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, The Queen’s local representative, will present the Grant of Appointment during a ceremony at The JMB offices, which will be followed by Royal reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen.
In conjunction with UKTI Paris, The JMB Partnership is co-hosting a practical session designed for ambitious companies looking to grow their business within the UK and internationally.
Held at the British Embassy in Paris, on Wednesday 8th June, the Seminar will provide expert guidance and insight into how to successfully enter and grow your business within the UK market.
| 8:30 | Welcome |
| 9:00 | Introduction: Oriel Petry, Directer UKTI France |
| 9:05 | Trade & Investment: How to do business in the UK |
| 9:15 | Legal parameters to create a subsidiary in the UK- Olivier Morel, Attorneys | Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales | Associated CRIPPS LLP – President | President of the UK chapter of the Conseiller du Commerce Extérieur de la France |
| 9:25 | The British taxation and support systems for entrepreneurs- Camille Cruz Nogueira, Managing Director SEDI Founder. |
| 9:35 | How to stand out in the UK- Joanna Dodd, Managing Director at Rochester PR Group |
| 9:45 | 10 tips for selling in the UK,- James Blakemore, Managing Director |
| 9:55 | Business Case Studies |
| 10:20 | Round Table with companies led by an expert UKTI |
| 11:00 | Individual interviews with experts |
| 12:00 | Event Close |
Places for the seminar are limited. Therefore, it is imperative you confirm your attendance to avoid disappointment. Please note you will also be required to bring ID with you in order to gain access to the Embassy.
How to achieve ‘successful’ market entry is a hot topic for any organisation exploring internationalisation. However, it comes with careful consideration to ensure that a strong foundation is created for a long-term, sustainable international Growth.
In conjunction with NewCo. Helsinki, and industry experts, JMB is hosting a free International Market Entry Seminar to provide expert, advice and insight into how to achieve successful market entry and international sales.
Held in Helsinki, Finland the event is designed for start-ups, entrepreneurs and ambitious organisations; and will provide valuable insights from experienced partners, and the opportunity to network with companies that are facing the same challenges.
| 09:10 – 09:30 | Registration |
| 09:30 – 09:40 | Welcoming words – NewCo YritysHelsinki |
| 09:40 – 10:00 | UK market entry – UK Trade & Investment & JMB Partnership, Sarah Kingston |
| 10:00 – 10:20 | Polish market entry – Ms. Aleksandra Karimaa, Hivemind consulting, Polish Finnish chamber of commerce |
| 10:20 – 10:40 | 20 years of Building International Sales Engines – Mr. Petri Rinne, Growth Advisor, Angel Investor |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Panel Discussion |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Networking Break |
| 11:20 – 11:40 | Commercialisation – initial stages, challenges & solutions in international markets – Mr. Declan M.Flaherty, D.Business, Business Development-Licensing & Outsourcing Management |
| 11:40 – 12:00 | USA Market entry – Mike Klyszeiko, American Chamber of Commerce |
| 12:20 – 12:40 | German market entry – Mr. Tuomas Syrjänen, CEO, Futurice |
| 12:40 – 13:00 | Panel Discussion |
| 13:00 – 18:00 | Networking at NewCo YritysHelsinki backyard (Meeting Arena is invite only, networking area is open for all registered guests) |
Entrance is free but participants must register their attendance. The form will be closed when all seats are taken.
If you are unable to attend the event but would like further information on how to successfully enter the UK market, please contact JMB Partnership Account Director, Sarah Kingston.
Email: Sarah@JMBpartnership.com
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