Colin Neill, Chief Executive of Pubs of Ulster hosted Alastair Ross MLA for a fellowship visit where Alastair was able to observe a pub week planning meeting and other strategic events.

Judith Cochrane MLA spent a half day at the George Best City Airport under the watchful eye of CEO Brian Ambrose, Operations Director Mark Beattie.

Following an overview of the airport and its operations, Brian and Mark gave Judith the opportunity to find out how the airport runs on a daily basis, with a detailed tour including time spent at Air Traffic Control and with the Fire and Rescue Service.

Phil Flanagan MLA, NIABT Chair spent an afternoon with Stephen Kelly, CEO of Manufacturing NI and Michael Wightman, Managing Director at Cubis Industries Ltd to hear about the challenges facing the sector.

Paul McAlister of Paul McAlister Architects hosted an NIABT educational visit, where he delivered a presentation about how the Passivhaus concept works and its many benefits. The NIABT delegation was joined at the visit by members of the Environment Committee and the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Members of the NIABT joined the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee in visiting SolarPrint, an SME from Dublin, which has successfully drawn down funding from Framework Programme 7 (FP7).

During the visit, representatives from SolarPrint discussed their experience of the process of successfully applying for funding through FP7.

l-r Phil Flanagan MLA, NIABT Chair, Richard Twohig, SolarPrint, Patsy McGlone MLA, Chair of the Committee fior Enterprise, Trade and Investment, André Feron, SolarPrint

Delegates from the NIABT and Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment at Solarprint.

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ivan Lewis MP, provided the keynote address at the Christmas reception. During his speech, Mr Lewis focused on the direction of the Northern Ireland economy in 2014 and incorporated the “Small Business Saturday” initiative.

Delegates at the NIABT Christmas reception

l-r Sandra Overend MLA, Phil Flanagan MLA, NIABT Chair, Basil McCrea MLA, Ivan Lewis MP, Glyn Roberts, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, Roger Pollen, John McCallister MLA

William McCulla, Invest NI Director of Corporate Finance and Martin Symington, Pure Roast Coffee, briefed the NIABT on the various Invest NI finance funding streams available to small and medium sized businesses. You can view the presentation here.