In Brief: Honour for Riaz; No 11 date for Cabfind & more
ENTREPRENERIAL lawyer Henna Riaz has been named businesswoman of the year at the British Muslim Awards.
Riaz, a former media lawyer, founded Warrington- based royalty auditing business 360 Audit five years ago.
In that time she has secured contracts with some of the world’s biggest licensors including Liverpool FC, BBC Worldwide, Nickelodeon, Turner and E1 Entertainment. Last year alone, her business recovered more than £3bn in underpaid royalties.
Henna Riaz said: “It’s an honour to win such a prestigious award in a hotly contested category. I have a fantastic team behind me who I’m incredibly proud of and they’ve helped make 360 Audit the success it is.”
::
THE boss of Cabfind.com, the fast-growing Wirral company was invited to the Chancellor’s Northern Powerhouse reception at Number 11 Downing Street last week.
Chris Jordan was one of around 100 business leaders invited by MPs from across the north to meet with George Osborne and discuss the government’s flagshi polict for the north.
Employment minister and Wirral West MP, Esther McVey, chose Chris as one of her three nominees to represent business leaders from Wirral due to the success of Cabfind.com, which has grown to employing 100 people.
Jordan said: “Being invited to represent business leaders from Wirral at such a prestigious event is a huge pat on the back for Cabfind.com, we are a local business that operate nationally, whose roots stem from a traditional industry sector. “
::
SOUTH Manchester property services and project delivery group Styles&Wood has been appointed as a preferred installer by Lightsource Renewable Energy, the largest operator of commercial solar panels in the UK.
The business will join Lightsource’s network of 30 photovoltaic (PV) installation partners, as part of its strategy to develop the market for solar panel projects in the UK. Lightsource’s investment has already reached £1.5bn over the past four years .
Styles&Wood Energy, the Timperley-based group’s specialist renewable energy division, will be able to offer clients Lightsource’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), helping to simplify the process of clients generating their own electricity and removing the up-front costs.
Ian Dunning, head of energy at Styles&Wood, said: “In the past, some potential clients have been discouraged by the sheer complexity of commercial rooftop agreements, which can require them to involve legal teams in the process. Something which can be counterproductive if their ultimate aim is cost-saving.
“The Lightsource Solar PPA offers something unique and has been well received by businesses who were initially put off by the idea of rooftop solar due to the complicated process.”
::
MANCHESTER accountancy firm, Sedulo, has revealed it has re-invested more than £20,000 through sponsorship, charity donations and pro bono work in the last year.
Through its Community Project, the firm pledged at the beginning of 2014 to deliver back into the North West community in the form of charitable donations, sponsorship and the provision of free services to charitable causes.
Sporting organisations such as Stockport County FC, Macclesfield Town FC and other local childrens sports clubs benefitted from more than £7,000 worth of sponsorship money, while charities such as Caudwell Children, Once Upon A Smile and Millie’s Trust have also been beneficiaries of nearly £5,000 worth of sponsorship.
Sedulo managing director Paul Cheetham said: “We have always believed it important to give back, it was one of the fundamental reasons I started the business. Whilst what we did in 2014 was good, 2015 should be even better, we aim to provide at least £30,000 of support to local deserving causes.”
