Latest News | 1 July 2021
‘Do I bow, curtsy or kiss your feet?’ – celebrating a richly deserved honour for one of our own
Here, in his latest monthly column reflecting on the news over the past month, our Press and PR Executive Robin Johnson looks at the headlines.
Let’s face it, you can’t get any more British than the Royal Family, Rolls-Royce and fish and chips.
And you could say that all three of those things featured strongly in the business headlines in Derby and Derbyshire throughout June.
Well, maybe not so much the fish and chips – I’ll try to explain later.
Of course, people’s perception of what embodies Britishness differs from one person to the next.
For some, it’s the sight of a sea of flags in the Royal Albert Hall waving to Land of Hope and Glory at the Last Night of the Proms.
For others, it’s the sight of an orderly queue in the Post Office and the tutting of (but not confronting) anyone who pushes in.
In a business context, I believe you could sum up the nation’s approach using the following adjectives: pioneering, entrepreneurial, industrious, innovative, resilient.
All of these qualities can be seen in the Derby and Derbyshire headlines from June.
The Queen’s birthday (her second one) fell that month, which meant the release of her Birthday Honours List.
And everyone here at Marketing Derby was delighted to see that the name of our managing director, John Forkin, was on there. (Read the full story here.)
John was made an MBE for services to international trade and investment. He also deserves some sort of award for managing to keep it a secret from all of us!
After congratulating him, my first question was: “Do I bow, curtsy or kiss your feet?”
Joking aside, I personally think such recognition was long overdue (and no, before you say it, I haven’t got a pay review coming up!).
I’ve known John – and the way he operates – well before I started working for Marketing Derby.
The first time I encountered him must have been in 2006 when I was working as a journalist at the Derby Telegraph.
John had been speaking to my editor about an idea to launch an agency in Derby to promote the city to investors.
He had arranged a fact-finding visit to Hull, Lincoln and Glasgow, to find out how other cities marketed themselves. The Derby Telegraph bought into the idea and sent me along with him.
I have to say, from the first moment I met him, I was impressed with John’s energy, passion, drive and speed of thought – not to mention his knowledge of early David Gilmour-era Pink Floyd (one of our mutual interests).
The visits were highly productive and many of the ideas gleaned from those trips helped form the basis of what would go on to become Marketing Derby.
Perhaps my most vivid memory was sitting with him at Glasgow Airport, following a particularly fruitful fact-finding trip, waiting to board our plane back to the East Midlands.
The rain was falling sideways. A particularly violent storm had blown in and that night we both faced the very real prospect of a Trains, Planes and Automobiles scenario at a local hotel.
Thankfully, probably by the power of prayer, our aircraft eventually managed to take off and we made it home without any more dramas.
And it was to Derby’s benefit that we did because John has been integral to many of the major investments the city has attracted ever since.
On the subject of aviation, it was great to see a flurry of good news emanating from Rolls-Royce throughout June.
After a challenging year or so due the pandemic, the company has really had to show some bulldog spirit.
The flow of good news in June began with the official opening of its new £90 million testbed at its civil aerospace site at Sinfin. (Read the full story here.)
Testbed 80 will be used to test aero engines of the present and of the future – not to mention sustainable fuels – and is a real statement of the firm’s long-term commitment to Derby.
The engineering giant then followed this up with the announcement that it will appoint its first ever female chairman later this year in Anita Frew. (Read the full story here.)
It is no secret that women are still criminally underrepresented in the boardrooms of our major companies – so it is good to see a giant like Rolls-Royce set the example.
Finally, Rolls-Royce rounded off the month with the announcement of another major investment – £80 million to develop battery technology for electric aircraft. (Read the full story here.)
It is because of companies like Rolls-Royce that other world-leading companies decide to set up shop here in Derby.
A prime example of that is the arrival of Neos International, a major engineering group with expertise in F1, motorsport, space, defence, aerospace and rail, which was drawn to Derby because of its engineering and manufacturing pedigree. (Read the full story here.)
It is to establish its headquarters off Raynesway, which will also be the base for its new specialist composite facility, run by subsidiary Neos Composites.
This is exactly the type of company Derby needs to attract – and Derby City Council should be commended for putting the Westside Park building under the noses of the Neos management.
It is also a timely bit of good news as we approach the forthcoming Derby Property Summit, which will showcase £1.2 billion of investment opportunities. (Read the full story here.)
If you haven’t signed up for the event, which takes place on 14 July, you can do so here.
Among the keynote speakers will be Paul Morris, from St James Securities, the company delivering the £200 million Becketwell regeneration project.
There is plenty happening at this development. In June, a public consultation was launched to get views on plans for a new 3,500-capacity performance venue at the site. (Read the full story here.)
This was then followed up by news of a main contractor being appointed to deliver the first phase of Becketwell, comprising 259 build-to-rent apartments and a public square.
The Derby Property Summit is one of Marketing Derby’s key events in its calendar.
Another is the Food and Drink Awards – and Marketing Derby was delighted to announce in June that those awards will return this year. (Read the full story here.)
The hospitality industry has really been put through the mill since the pandemic started – and they are still having to endure some pain following the tweaking of Boris’ roadmap.
The awards will be a great chance to recognise their tenacity, innovation and resilience. More details will be revealed at the end of this month – I think fish and chip shops (a very tenuous link to my introductory paragraphs!) can submit entries if they want to!
Finally, June saw my review of the recently opened £18 million Museum of Making published on the Marketing Derby website.
If you missed it first time around, you can read it here.
What a fabulous place it is. As well as showcasing the best of Derby, this wondrous new building really does showcase the best of British.
Anyway, that’s enough from me. Have a safe and productive July and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.
