Tees Business Tees Business Issue 18 | Page 3

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE OF TEES BUSINESS: WELCOME GUEST FOREWORD from Elaine McLaine-Wood Welcome to the summer 2019 issue of Tees Business – the Tees region’s quarterly business magazine. T here’s a definite sense of growing positivity around the Tees region, despite the obvious challenges we face locally and nationally. The political landscape and (dare I mention the B word) Brexit continue to dominate the headlines in our media and I know there has been concern around these, and how they’ll impact on our region. It has affected confidence and investment, but we can only speak of our experience and of our clients, and everyone seems to be getting busier with work. It’s fantastic for a small region like ours to have someone like Ben Houchen being such a positive advocate for us. We also have Andy Preston who has swept to power in Middlesbrough, and with a man of his experience and credentials, you’d expect him to make a positive impact on not just the town, but the wider Tees region. So there are lots of positives. We should focus on those positives and keep persevering, keep doing what we do and do it well. One of the sectors that continues to thrive locally is, of course, the digital sector, and we were very quick to offer our support to another fantastic Tees Business idea, the Tees Tech Awards, as one of the category sponsors (you can read more about these on pages 14-15). Earlier in my career I incorporated a young company in the tech sector. The business has since gone on to grow, making products for universal giants and turning over millions of pounds, so I’ve seen first-hand the potential there is in technology when someone has an idea. Many of the firms from this sector tend to do what they do and keep their heads down, since some of their clients are from overseas so they don’t see a need to promote themselves locally. So that’s what makes the Tees Tech Awards so exciting. They’re a wonderful opportunity for those to tell us more about what they do, and for others to learn more about businesses from that sector in the Tees Valley. It definitely has the hallmarks of another memorable night for the Tees business community! Elaine McLaine-Wood Managing partner, Punch Robson Solicitors TALKING UP YOUR BUSINESS A s the voice of the Tees business community, Tees Business is the perfect way to promote your successes, products and services to your fellow local businesses. Published every quarter, no fewer than 6,000 copies of Tees Business are delivered FREE to the Tees region’s business communities of Stockton, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Redcar & Cleveland, Hartlepool, Wynyard and Stokesley. See our website www.teesbusiness.co.uk for our Media Pack with full details of our packages, starting from just £295. We also offer flash banner advertising on the Tees region’s only weekly enews for just £195 for four weeks! Our skilled team can write your editorial, take photographs and design your adverts – at no additional charge. Call 01642 450255 or email [email protected] for more details. Tees Business | www.teesbusiness.co.uk Boho Four Gibson House, Cleveland Street, Middlesbrough, TS2 1AY Tel: 01642 450255 | Email: [email protected] Published & distributed by: Resolution Media & Publishing Ltd www.resolutionpublishing.co.uk Co-editors: Martin Walker and Dave Allan Designed by: KINSHIP, [email protected] Our writers: Joanne Barrett, Michael McGeary, Lou Murray, Harry Pearson, Adam Steel, Jacky Stevely, Colin Young. Our photographers: Chris Booth (including front cover), Doug Moody, Martin Walker. Contact our sales manager Carole Sanderson T: 01642 450255 E: [email protected] /TeesBusiness @Tees_Business PRIVACY POLICY We have made some updates to our Privacy Policy to make it easier for you to understand what information we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it. You can view our policy online at teesbusiness.co.uk/privacy. If you do not want to receive hard copies of Tees Business, or our weekly e-news, please email [email protected]. *All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part without written permission, is strictly prohibited. Tees Business accepts adverts and advertorials in good faith and takes no responsibility for errors and/or omissions. We cannot be held responsible for advertisers offering goods or services. All information is correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of publishing. 15 DIGITAL DREAMS Tees Tech Awards will shine spotlight on digital sector 19 KHAN-DO ATTITUDE The award-winning charity figurehead who’s leading the fight for women across the Tees region and beyond 23 THIS IS YOUR TIME Why you should enter the second annual Tees Businesswomen Awards 26 TEES TASTES Business leaders vote for the region’s top restaurants 30 RISE TO THE TOP From baking pizzas to running a £30m-a-year franchise group 47 WINDS OF CHANGE New facility could create 600 jobs