| Value for money, a co-operative, skilled and | | | | and climbing of the peaks of the Mourne Mountains |
| enthusiastic workforce keen to see investors doing | | | | spread across County Down and made iconic in that |
| well, have combined to make Northern Ireland an | | | | traditional song by Percy French, Oh Mary this |
| attractive option for both public and private sector | | | | London's a wonderful sight, With people here working |
| relocations. It's an equalling appealing choice for the kind | | | | by day and by night...but for all that I found there, I might |
| of internationally mobile, high skills level individuals who | | | | as well be where the Mountains of Mourne sweep |
| are considering a move. | | | | down to the sea." A significant number of decisions on |
| This region, once marred by its history of political | | | | relocation have been taken after senior executives of |
| instability and violence, is developing a new designer | | | | companies have come to see the quality of life for |
| appeal. It is starting to draw in the kind of internationally | | | | themselves. |
| mobile, high skill level businesses and entrepreneurs | | | | Business infrastructure is also excellent. Any |
| with whom it seeks to build a more positive future. | | | | knowledge economy relies on telecommunications as |
| Invest Northern Ireland, the local enterprise agency, | | | | its backbone, and Northern Ireland can now boast 100 |
| points out that it has helped to secure annual | | | | per cent broadband coverage. Across the border in |
| investments of over £150 million, well above the | | | | the Republic, telephone services are still seen as being |
| level one might expect for a population of just 1.7 million | | | | second class. This is true much more in the perception |
| people. It's a persuasive combination which has | | | | than in the reality, but old habits die hard and the fact |
| encouraged many investors such as Halifax, Regus, | | | | that Northern Ireland is now universally wired for online |
| Prudential and a network of national government | | | | access gives it a distinct business advantage. |
| benefits offices to establish and grow significant back | | | | Of course, not everything in the garden is rosy. |
| office operations in the region. | | | | Communications between north and south are good - |
| Why has it been so successful? One very clear | | | | the trip from Belfast to Dublin takes only two hours or |
| reason is the price of prime office space. In Belfast, | | | | so by road and there are trains every half hour - and |
| the rental figure is just £12.50/$24 per square | | | | the Republic has become an economic powerhouse in |
| foot against, for example, Glasgow's £22/$41 or | | | | recent years. Blue chip names which have invested |
| Birmingham's £28/$52. Wages, too, are lower | | | | south of the border include Microsoft, Google and Dell, |
| by about nine per cent on average and Watson | | | | and the Dublin government provides incentives such as |
| Wyatt research reveals that a senior programmer | | | | a low rate of corporation tax, which the north, with tax |
| costing $120,000 in New York or San Francisco and | | | | rates set by the UK Treasury, simply cannot match. |
| $105,000 in London will cost just $70,000 in Belfast. | | | | The Republic is also in the Eurozone which is seen by |
| For young graduates, the gap may be as much as 29 | | | | inward investors as a distinct advantage, not least |
| per cent while for more senior staff, it may be even | | | | because it virtually eliminates transaction costs. |
| wider. From the perspective of incoming labour, this is | | | | Faced with these challenges, Northern Ireland has |
| not necessarily a disincentive since the cost of | | | | become more determined to succeed. There is better |
| property, telecoms and travel are lower while the | | | | co-operation between north and south now, particularly |
| quality of life is excellent. | | | | in areas such as technology and tourism and |
| Operating costs and sick leave absence run at lower | | | | pragmatism sometimes dictates an all-Ireland approach |
| levels too. Northern Ireland also enjoys an excellent | | | | is most appropriate. |
| historic record in industrial relations terms with strikes | | | | The island of Ireland has tended to be perceived, like |
| and associated activities a rarity. | | | | Scotland, as peripheral to Europe. It's an unfair |
| Public sector incentives are providing appropriate | | | | perception since there are good air connections from |
| training and incoming companies can anticipate | | | | Belfast and Dublin plus of course frequent ferry |
| considerable support in up-skilling staff through the | | | | connections across the Channel and to the UK |
| Training and Employment Agency. | | | | mainland. Destinations throughout Europe and direct |
| In a world where the quality of the labour force is | | | | flights to the States make Ireland no more difficult than |
| becoming ever more important, Northern Ireland excels. | | | | anywhere in the UK to travel to and from.in relative |
| The workforce is younger than the rest of the UK | | | | terms, Northern Ireland is quite a small area, accounting |
| with almost 60 per cent under the age of 40 and the | | | | for about a sixth of the whole island or 14,139 sq km. |
| exceptionally high standards in the education system | | | | Its diminutive size brings with it certain advantages - |
| provide a strong pool of available talent. Northern | | | | there is less traffic and less congestion, for instance, |
| Ireland's schools boast a higher level of university | | | | as well as more open areas and unspoilt country and |
| entrance than anywhere else in the UK with over 60 | | | | coast. Roads are good, the residential property market |
| per cent of school leavers achieving two A levels at | | | | is booming but still affordable and the range of leisure |
| grades A to C. | | | | and shopping options is excellent. |
| Innovation, education and dynamism are the key | | | | Add in generous levels of financial assistance, a pro |
| strengths. There two major universities spread across | | | | business climate and a committed population |
| several campuses from Belfast to Londonderry and | | | | determined to achieve success, and it's easy to see |
| Coleraine. The Queen's University of Belfast is much | | | | why it's a good place to locate a business. |
| older and one of the original four universities on the | | | | [CASE STUDY] |
| island designed by the Belfast-born architect Sir | | | | Citigroup |
| Charles Lanyon in 1845. Its intention then was to | | | | The world's largest financial services company, |
| encourage higher education for Catholics and | | | | Citigroup, set up a technology centre of excellence in |
| Presbyterians as a counterpart to Trinity College in | | | | Belfast just over a year ago. It will create up to 375 |
| Dublin. Now it is a centre of excellence in both the Arts | | | | jobs and contribute some £65 million to the local |
| and Science as well as new technology and | | | | economy over the first five years. |
| cutting-edge computer development. | | | | Bill Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Citigroup's Global |
| The University of Ulster grew out of the Ulster | | | | Corporate and Investment Bank, said: "Citigroup has |
| Polytechnic, established back in the 1970s, and now | | | | ambitious growth plans which depend on developing |
| has a superb reputation across the fields of business | | | | the technology platforms supporting each of our |
| and new technology. | | | | business areas. The Belfast Centre will play a |
| Both institutions have globally recognised research | | | | significant role in this, enhancing our cost competitive |
| centres across a whole range of disciplines, and both | | | | position and offering us the opportunity to grow |
| are spinning out products, services and inventions for | | | | resource levels quickly. |
| which there is a keen commercial market. They are | | | | Citigroup brings together banking, insurance, and |
| aggressively capitalising on these opportunities. | | | | investments under one umbrella, employing 275,000 |
| Technology transfer is now the key driver when it | | | | and managing 200 million customer accounts across |
| comes to relocation: knowledge based sectors | | | | six continents in more than 100 countries. |
| accounted for 76 per cent of all foreign direct | | | | As well as creating high value jobs the investment will |
| investment last year. Call centres and contact centres | | | | introduce new investment banking technology and skills |
| are flourishing - global blue chip names such as | | | | to Northern Ireland strengthening the region's attraction |
| Microsoft, Oracle and Yell have a presence, and other | | | | for other potential inward investors. |
| world class companies are present in sectors such as | | | | Invest Northern Ireland will contribute over £7.6 |
| engineering, health technology and aerospace. | | | | million towards the investment. |
| Another key sector earmarked for further growth is | | | | Leslie Morrison, chief executive of Invest NI, described |
| tourism. An end to ongoing political violence has | | | | the investment as "a significant affirmation of Northern |
| provided a boost for an industry that struggled | | | | Ireland's capability. The establishment of a technology |
| seriously under the pressure of relentless news | | | | centre of excellence fits very well with Invest Northern |
| reports depicting bombs, shootings and street violence. | | | | Ireland's focus on developing the software and financial |
| Yet Northern Ireland has a wonderful array of coast | | | | services sectors and encouraging R&D and |
| and country, city and hamlet, mountains and lakes. | | | | application development activities. |
| The re-emergence of tourism has once again opened | | | | "We hope it will act as a catalyst to stimulate further |
| up Northern Ireland to the world. Visitors are amazed | | | | growth in this specialist sector, which has already |
| by the variety of its beauty, from the Glens of Antrim | | | | attracted global brands such as Liberty IT and |
| to the Fermanagh Lakelands so beautifully depicted in | | | | Northbrook, to Northern Ireland. |
| the art of TP Flanagan. There is the fabulous walking | | | | |