We are delighted that Cliff Lansley, MD of Paul Ekman International and Director at the Emotional Intelligence Academy, has agreed to give us a presentation on the major feedback signals lie-catchers need to look out for. Cliff has delivered similar seminars across the globe and advised interrogators, negotiators, investment advisors, healthcare professionals, sales staff and even the police.
This will be a fascinating and entertaining event which should be a must of anyone in business.

Download full details and booking form (PDF).

Tracey Riddington and Sarah Flight, two of England’s foremost shots, having won many accolades and awards between them, will, with their team, provide expert full instruction for the beginners and novices, and for the more advanced, we will be holding a 50 clay competition. There will be prizes for both categories including a one hour lesson at The Fennes with 50 clays and cartridges.
This will be a great opportunity to socialise with other members, bring colleagues and guests and to have a go at perhaps a sport you have never done before but have always wanted to do.
All equipment will be provided for the novice shooters and, for the experienced shooters, the competition will be across five stands (no cartridges provided).

Download full details and booking form (PDF).

Construction is now well underway at the UK’s newest deep-sea container port combined with Europe’s largest logistics park, 25 miles east of central London. Once complete, London Gateway will create 12,000 direct jobs and over 20,000 indirect jobs. It will enable the world’s largest container ships to call at the heart of the UK’s economic and population centre. The port’s highly efficient road, rail and sea links will offer a quicker, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly way to transport goods to their destination.

Download full information and booking form (PDF).

The main initiative behind the programme is to provide varied job openings to wounded soldiers returning to Essex. Consequently, PRIDE P needs as many companies as possible to participate in order to ensure that this happens and the programme currently is seeking businesses that are willing to take on ex-servicemen and women.

Essex has an important military presence, especially with the Parachute Regiments based in Colchester. Many soldiers from these local regiments have been involved with the ongoing conflict in the Middle-East and it is often difficult for these individuals to find employment after they return to the UK. However, the PRIDE P scheme has been specifically developed to combat this issue and help those who would otherwise struggle to get back on the career ladder.

PRIDE P candidates will be coached and mentored through the scheme to give them valuable career based skills. In turn, this will equip them with important professional knowledge, such as CV writing and office skills. The programme will ensure that these candidates have a broad understanding of the professional attributes needed when entering a new career. Additionally, PRIDE P will refine many of the skills which these soldiers have already acquired in the army, such as team work, communication and problem solving.

Employment progression is a clear focal point of the scheme and participants will leave the programme with highly developed work skills. Therefore, companies who recruit candidates from the PRIDE P scheme will benefit from employees who are highly motivated, with a sound work ethic.

The first PRIDE P workshop will be held on 20 June at Colchester Barracks and will be a chance for PRIDE P candidates to get advice on how to successfully market themselves to potential employers, refine personal objectives and options, as well as prepare for interviews. There will also be a series of presentations, coaching and mentoring sessions in order to provide a rounded service to those in attendance. The workshop will be the first of its kind in the area and will fully engage with the needs of candidates. It will also enable local companies to discover the potential of these individuals.

Paul Finch, chairman of the Institute of Directors in Essex who has been the driving force behind the scheme, said: “The success of the initiative lies with companies realising the benefit of employing these ex-service men and women. It is my long term hope that the PRIDE P support programme allows many more soldiers to fulfil employment goals on their return to Essex. I strongly urge any company in Essex that may be interested to get in touch.”

< To find out more about PRIDE P please contact Tina Weavers at the IoD Essex branch on admin.essex@iod.net or 01376 518795

View the article (PDF)

Directors’ Breakfast Club – Could your company cope with potential Olympic chaos? -  Thursday 22 March 2012
The message is out there … businesses should plan for all eventualities including interruptions to supply chains and staff unavailability leading up to and during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Transport for London (TfL) has tried to dispel myths about the 109 mile Olympic Route Network which will be reserved for athletes, officials and the media but it is predicted that, on the event’s busiest day, 800,000 visitors are expected to be using the public transport system.
However, if you are not based in London, will the Games still affect you?  Problems with communications including internet drop out, possible data caps during peak times and overload of mobile networks, staff unavailability as well as unauthorised leave, loss of productivity in the workplace, flexible working or disruption with suppliers could all make for a difficult time for us this summer.
We obviously have the Mountain Biking site in Hadleigh and Chelmsford will be one of the 66 UK evening locations for an Olympic Torch celebration – ‘Sparks Will Fly’ – when the torch travels through the county on 6 & 7 July.
Join us at the Salvation Army’s Hadleigh Farm Tearoom (with view of the Mountain Biking track) to meet Gary Sullivan, Chair of the Essex Olympic Board for Legacy, and Jason Fergus, Head of Sports Delivery and 2012 Legacy from Essex County Council, who will answer your questions so that we can try and make the biggest sporting event in British history a success for you too.  Book online or contact me at admin.essex@iod.net.
Venue:  Salvation Army Training Centre, Hadleigh Farm Tearoom, Hadleigh
Time:  07.30 – 09.30
Cost:  £33.60 (inc VAT) members & guests / £39.60 non-members

Directors’ Lunch – LEPs: Delivering Benefits for Essex Businesses? – Thursday, 19 April 2012
The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) was approved by the Coalition Government in 2010.  It is a partnership involving leaders from business, local government and further and higher education, which is working towards creating the most enterprising economy in England.  It covers East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock which makes it the largest strategic LEP in England with a combined population of 3.9 million.
The single goal for the LEP is to promote steady, sustained economic growth over the next two decades.
Moreover, it must achieve this growth whilst simultaneously enhancing and protecting the valuable natural assets which make our communities and landscapes attractive and distinct.
The SELEP Chairman, John Spence, announced last year that he wants to create England’s most enterprising economy – is this being achieved?  Join us for lunch at Braxted Park and have your say as to how you see Essex businesses are benefitting from this promise of sustained growth in our county.
Book online or contact me for further details at admin.essex@iod.net
Venue:  Braxted Park, Witham
Time:  12.00-14.30
Costs:  £45 (inc VAT) members & guests / £48 (inc VAT) non-members

Tina Weavers
IoD Essex Branch Administrator
01376 518795

If you wish to make a booking for any of the IoD events listed above, please click on the relevant links. You will be prompted, at the appropriate stage, to log in to iod.com before your booking can be processed. You can do this using your registered email address – rather than your membership number – and by following the instructions on screen.  If you require help logging in to the site, please telephone our Membership team on 020 7766 8866 who will be happy to support you through the process. Thank you.  Or you may email admin.essex@iod.net for a booking form. Thank you.

• Bulletin 268 – ODA – Hyperion – Essbase implementation
• Bulletin 269 – Podiatry Equipment and Insoles – Orthotics
• Bulletin 270 – Asset sales (Machinery and Business Assets), Valuations and Auctioneer services

• Bulletin 266 – Anti-Shatter Film
• Bulletin 267 – Weather shielding desk covers for outdoor venues-1

The IoD Director of the Year Awards run across all regions of the UK. These awards reward excellence and leadership. Winners of the regional awards are invited to enter the IoD Director of the Year Awards UK Final where they compete against other winners across the UK.
The benefits of entering The IoD Director of the Year Awards extend far beyond picking up one of the prestigious trophies, and include:
• Invaluable positive press coverage to help raise the businesses profile of winners
• A means to celebrate businesses achievements to gain prestige and recognition from peers
• An opportunity to impress potential investors, stakeholders and increase business growth
The IoD East of England Awards will offer the following categories:
1. Director of the Year (Large Company)
2. Director of the Year (Small and Medium Company)
3. Young Director of the Year
4. Public Sector Director of the Year
Entries open on January 24 2012 and must be submitted by February 19 2012. Regional winners will be announced on March 9 2012.

Full details and entry forms are available form the IoD Branches in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hertfordshire using the contact details shown below.

IoD Essex – admin.essex@iod.net Tel: 01376 518795

Download the entry form (word.doc).

Commenting on the awards, Chris Parkhouse, Managing Director of Deyton Bell and Chairman of the IoD in the East of England said “I am delighted to launch the IoD East of England Director of the Year Awards. They represent a great opportunity for organisations in the East of England, and I’d like to encourage as many entries as possible. I would urge potential entrants to consider this opportunity carefully, prepare thoroughly and act fast as the closing date is 1 month away – good luck to all who enter!”