In Brief: Business boot camp returns; Indian partnership for Primeast; and more

A ONE day boot camp is returning to Yorkshire next month to help get the region’s businesses fighting fit.

The course on July 22 is run by Yorkshireman Richard McCann, motivational speaker, author and president of the regional Professional Speakers Association, alongside presentation training specialist Nick Hill.

“As things have become tough for a lot of businesses, people are having to ‘sell themselves’ a lot more than they did in the past,” he said.

“We’ve seen business owners on the course who are increasingly having to pitch for work, alongside people who are speaking at industry events and conferences for the first time to help raise their profile, and people who have been made redundant and are keen to improve their interview performance.”

To find out more visit www.icanspeak.co.uk.

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ORGANISATIONAL and people development consultancy Primeast is expanding its global presence with a joint venture which it says will blaze a trail for leadership development in India.

The business, which engages a network of 140 consultants and coaches worldwide, was invited to partner with Venkatesh Desai, a renowned HR authority in India and chief executive of a successful management consulting organisation.

The company said: “Primeast India’s programmes will fuse Primeast’s expertise with a wealth of Indian wisdom and best practice to nurture the next generation of business leaders.

“The venture will also bring new ideas, fresh thinking and best practice from the thriving economy of India to Primeast’s UK and global client portfolio.”

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CLARION’S corporate commercial team in Leeds led by corporate partner Christian Hunt has advised on the management buyout of the Promotional Products Division (PPD) of Altitude Group, the Surrey-based promotional merchandise and marketing solutions group.

Altitude announced that it had agreed a conditional sale and purchase agreement for the division with Stridage Holdings, a new company which is owned by members of the PPD management team.

The deal will see Stridage Holdings paying over £700,000 in cash, repayments of £1.5m due to the group and the issue of four million loan notes.

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YORKSHIRE-based producer of creative indulgent inclusions Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) has announced expansion plans to increase the production capacity of its bakery items by 2012.

This latest investment will cater for a 30% increase in the company’s bakery capacity through the introduction of more ovens, and include a new production area dedicated to its cookie dough and soft extrusions.

Pecan Deluxe’s baked and non-baked inclusions have been produced in the same hub for several years. The company, based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, said the separation of the two processes will increase overall production speeds.

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BRENDAN Guilfoyle and Chris White of Sheffield-based The P&A Partnership, who have been appointed joint administrators of Haldanes Stores and Ruston Retail, have set up online support for staff made redundant.

Twenty three out of 26 stores in Scotland and England were closed and 600 employees made redundant.

Mr Guilfoyle said: “Our priority is to provide support for former employees. This new website will give them guidance and advice on entitlements, including how to make claims to the Redundancy Payments Office.”

P&A’s website to help staff is www.insolvency4employees.co.uk