A Spotlight on….Adam Hughes

As February brings longer days and hopefully less cold and rain, we take turn our staff spotlight on the Marketing Department and Adam Hughes. Adam has been with BiP for a year and a half, beginning as a Marketing Executive. He now leads on marketing for Cadence.

In what capacity did you join BiP? What role did you start in and what role do you have now?

I joined BiP a year and a half ago as the Marketing Executive for BI. I spent around a year in that role and had some great experiences. It’s mad how much you learn here!

I then transitioned into the Marketing Manager role with Cadence and have been doing this for around 6 months. It’s been a rollercoaster so far, but I am hopeful we are starting to head in the right direction!

What takes up the most amount of your time in your day-to-day? 

Spreadsheets! All of my friends think Marketing is making fancy pictures and putting out tweets but marketers spend large parts of their week reporting on marketing activities.

Are there any changes or initiatives you’d like to implement into BiP? As February brings longer days and hopefully less cold and rain, we take turn our staff spotlight on the Marketing Department and Adam Hughes. Adam has been with BiP for a year and a half, beginning as a Marketing Executive. He now leads on marketing for Cadence.

Standing desks would be cool!

What are the biggest challenges you have in your role – how could your colleagues help? 

The target audience for Cadence Marketing are often marketers themselves who have seen every trick in the book. We have to be really convincing and creative when explaining why Cadence can really impact suppliers success.

What do you like most about your job? 

I like that my role involves working with virtually every department of the business, it is very varied. My favourite thing is probably seeing people register for a webinar you are running. It’s great to monitor the leads coming in and seeing that what you have done is working.

What do you like most about working at BiP? 

The people! Everyone is hard at work but will always make time to help. It took me no time to settle in here because everyone was so welcoming.

What does a great day at work look like?

A nice coffee, followed by loads of leads!!

Do you have any unusual hobbies? 

Got a secret addiction to watching the Kardashians

Been anywhere strange? (country/place/bar/tourist attraction?!) 

I toured through Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia when I was a student which was amazing. Desperate to go back to Vietnam actually.

Blow your own! … what do you excel at? Work or leisure 

Facial hair.

Quick fire, choose one option: 

  1. Coffee or tea – Coffee
  2. Book or film – film
  3. Cat or dog – dog
  4. Hot or cold – cold
  5. Salty or sweet – sweet
  6. Tattooed or not – not (yet…)
  7. Night out or night in – night in
  8. Email or meeting – email
  9. Teams calls: video call or audio? video
  10. Eating: al-desko, break room or break out altogether – al-desko
  11. Mountain or beach – mountain

A spotlight on…. Anne McKinnon

We start 2023 with a look at one of our long-term employees at BiP Solutions, Anne McKinnon. With over 15 years at BiP in public sector sales, Anne knows a thing or two about the company, its people and products.

Anne is responsible for managing UK Public Sector sales team, working closely with business stakeholders, product development and promoting UK leading electronic tendering tool Delta eSourcing.

She’s most recently been involved with the relaunch of Delta, giving one of BiP’s oldest products a fresh new look, bringing new life and energy into the platform and the overall brand itself. The new Delta will energise the evolution of eSourcing and put the Delta brand in a great position to continually adapt and grow in an everchanging industry.

In what capacity did you join BiP? What role did you start in and what role do you have now?

I started my career within the business as a Sales Executive, now knowns as Client Relationship Manager. My role now is Head of eSourcing and Supply Chain.

Any interesting stories from back in the day?

No mad crazy, bad things, just weird coincidences with timing and people.

I was interviewed and offered a job in the Tracker team a few years before but turned it down for another role in another company.

When I did come to work in the Public Sector team, my first day in the role I heard the dulcet tones of someone shouting my name, (you know how you get the fear! Especially when they use your maiden name), turns out it was Sandra Toner who was my classmate in primary and secondary school.

Later that week I met my Business Development Manager I would be partnered with, and it was a very old friend John McGhie I hadn’t seen since I was 10 years old, just over 20 years. Our IT expert back then was Andy Brodie who I worked with before, and it goes on….just seems this place is about timing, people, and good people. Made some long-term friendships here.

What takes up the most amount of your time in your day-to-day?

Now there’s a question LOL.  Client meetings/support/demos, team support, internal meetings.  Never a dull moment.

Are there any changes or initiatives you’d like to implement into BiP?

I think we are already a very progressive and innovative company when it comes to supporting our staff with internal initiatives but also how we affect and deliver change when it’s needed to help support the business strategy and growth. The fact that everyone can and should feel they have a voice within the business is important and hopefully everyone feels this to be true. We all make the business and can help implement changes for the better.

Everyone should make use of the suggestion box via the Hub https://bipsolutionsltd.sharepoint.com/SitePages/BiP-Suggestion-Box.aspx

Selfishly, one bug bear of mine is lunchtime meetings and colleagues inserting meetings into your diary where you don’t have time to breathe in a busy day.

Stop, Start, Continue, something we all need to think about. What can you stop doing, what can you start and continue that adds benefit and value to you, your role and your team.

What are the biggest challenges you have in your role – how could your colleagues help?

Market Changes. Our market within Public Sector is changing all the time, from compliance within the new Procurement Reforms, to requirements on product development to sector specific suppliers and awarding authority collaboration, reshaping the market volume and proposition.

We are looking at a BiP wider portfolio proposition we can offer our core Delta clients to bring them in to the fold and looking at how we are approaching new markets and enhancing our Supply Chain and PASS offering.

Colleagues and business are supportive in developing and marketing a fit for purpose product in Delta eSourcing, which you will have seen from our new Refresh at the end of November, with further development planned in the next 12 months. Core areas of the business play very important roles in what we are achieving from product development, marketing, research and very much so is our sales team and Help desk support team.

Colleagues do help and continue to help, teamwork is key.

We start 2023 with a look at one of our long-term employees at BiP Solutions, Anne McKinnon.

What do you like most about your job?

Building relationships with new and existing clients and chasing a deal.

What do you like most about working at BiP?

Always the same answer…. The people. Some real gems and it’s what makes us who we are and as successful as we are.

What does a great day at work look like?

Ticking off and completing my to do list, solving a problem or removing a hurdle for someone and having time to laugh.

Do you have any unusual hobbies?

Not really, normal stuff like gym, love music, spending a lot of time trying out new cooking recipes, mainly Indian food (love Indian food), spending time with family & friends. I do dabble in some not so mainstream stuff….love a conspiracy theory (or are they?), horror movies, UFO’s, good energy, poetry, and a lot more. Yes, I’m one of a kind.

Been anywhere strange?

Went to Iceland a few years ago with temperatures like -10 and stood in the blue lagoon wearing a bikini, face caked in mud, sipping Prosecco with icicles in my hair while the pool attendants walked around wearing full blown winter wear, boots and balaclava’s LOL just weird but amazing!

Blow your own! … what do you excel at?

I make a mean Indian Pani Puri and Italian meatball.

Can beat the best of them when it comes to doing shots (well mostly LOL).

Being a good friend 😊

Quick fire, choose one option:

  1. Coffee or tea – coffee
  2. Book or film – film
  3. Cat or dog – neither, had every conceivable pet growing up, had enough lol
  4. Hot or cold – hot
  5. Salty or sweet – sweet
  6. Tattooed or not – tattooed
  7. Email or meeting – meeting 100%
  8. Teams calls: video call or audio – video
  9. Night out or night in – in
  10. Eating: al-desko, break room or break out altogether – break room
  11. Mountain or beach –  beach

The next level of business intelligence

BiP Solutions launches improved Tracker service

The next generation of Tracker business intelligence has been launched by BiP Solutions, the leading public sector supply chain specialist.

Building on a 39-year legacy of delivering the best in business intelligence and helping companies find new markets for growth, the refreshed Tracker service brings the next generation of technology to its users.

From humble beginnings with a Portakabin and a photocopier ‒ publishing the first national directory of public sector contracts ‒ to being the first to market with its online Tracker solution, BiP Solutions has been a true pioneer of technology and innovation in the public sector marketplace.

BiP’s purpose is to empower Government and businesses to create a better society for all. Services such as Tracker – which help suppliers identify and engage with public sector opportunities earlier – support Government’s agenda of driving innovation and value; leading to better public services and improved outcomes for the people who use them.

With a refreshed website complementing Tracker’s brand-new look, we have created a slick, intuitive experience for customers, while new product packages provide a wide range of solutions to suit all business types. We’ve made identifying and winning public sector contracts a lot easier!

We know how public sector procurement works, and that experience ensures that our Tracker service can help customers identify the right opportunities and guide them through the tendering process.

Tracker helps customers win more business through access to tailored opportunities, competitor insights and market analysis, with our cutting-edge end-to-end business intelligence platforms. Artificial Intelligence works hard in the background to find further relevant opportunities within the public sector marketplace that customers may not have considered.

To help our customers find their full potential within the public sector, we are offering two new products, suitable for all types of businesses.

Tracker Core

Our classic Core solutions are designed to help customers grow their share of the public and private sector market. With access to Market Intelligence and Market Leads combined with the power of Spend Analysis – they can be confident that their business has an additional resource to support their goals, with all of the insights and opportunities needed for that important competitive edge.

Tracker Pro

Our new Pro solution delivers highly relevant opportunity trend analysis to turbocharge pipeline building and fuel business growth. Using Artificial Intelligence, Pro learns from customer interactions and serves up personalised opportunity results, analysis, and contacts in one seamless, holistic view. Pro is scalable to accommodate unlimited profiles, sectors, and users – the optimal solution for multi-sector businesses.

Simon Burges, CEO of BiP Solutions, said: “I am delighted to announce the launch of our next-generation Tracker service. We have harnessed decades of experience in developing customer-focused business intelligence solutions to bring this intuitive solution to market.

“We see our refreshed Tracker service as the next generation from a tech point-of-view. It also complements our other services that help thousands of suppliers and buyers engage and work successfully together.

“This new Tracker service will help customers surface more opportunities than ever before. We believe Tracker Core and Tracker Pro will enable this investment to be accessed by a far wider supply base; providing buyers with a greater choice of innovative and high-value products and services.”

Take your business to the next level with Tracker now.

Celebrating talent – staff awards

BiP Solutions is proud to announce our quarterly staff recognition award winners.

Our quarterly awards recognise staff excellence across our teams, with the team members nominated by colleagues.

We have three awards which celebrate staff throughout the company over the last quarter: the Sales Excellence Award, to recognise and celebrate exceptional sales performance, an Outstanding Performance Award, to recognise and celebrate exceptional performance, and our Values Award, which is open to all colleagues across the business and is designed to specifically recognise and celebrate colleagues who demonstrate positive behaviours in line with our values.

Once again, the quality of nominations received across each category was exceptional, and the spread of nominations across the different teams in the business, from old colleagues to those who have recently joined us, was impressive.  A great effort from all as always!

This quarter, our winner of the Sales Excellence Award was Dawn MacTaggart.

Dawn’s line manager Alan McMenemy, Head of Sales in Glasgow, said: “Dawn was nominated for this award for many reasons. First and foremost, she’s hit her quarterly target, and hit target for each individual month as well. She also navigated her way around a two-week break in the middle of the quarter and managed her own pipeline effectively to allow for this. Dawn has also been an early adopter of our new BI product suite, and got the first HCI, Tracker-Pro and Contact Data sales. She’s been able to do this by fully investing and immersing herself in the products. Dawn also led the line at P4H and Procurex Scotland, and delivered keynote speeches at both. Last, but not least, Dawn has been really open to coaching and adapting her style to GAP methodology over the past three months. An outstanding nomination for, and worthy winner of, our Q2 Sales Recognition Award.”

Well done, Dawn! Very well deserved.

Our second winner was our lovely Event Coordinator Mhairi MacNeil who won the Outstanding Performance Award.

Mhairi’s line manager, Laura Aitkenhead, had a few words to say: “Mhairi moved into a new role in the Events Team only three weeks before the start of our event season in Q2. The job and skill set are very different to her previous role, but Mhairi jumped straight in and picked up the GO Awards Scotland and Wales, showing a passion for these projects, and a commitment to making them the best events possible. She worked with stakeholders across the business to ensure all requirements were met, showing, after only a short space of time, a clear understanding of the key aspects of this new role. Mhairi really stepped up to the mark and I’m delighted to have her as Co-Ordinator in the Events Team”

Congratulations, Mhairi!

The final winner of our Q2 Awards was Rob Atherton, who was the worthy winner of the Values Award.

Rob’s line manager, Grahame Steed, said: “Rob is a highly deserving recipient of the Values award. He exemplifies our values with his consistently high level of professionalism and openness – whether dealing with external clients or colleagues. He is always willing to embrace change and try new approaches. He is also an excellent content creator who supports his colleagues and strives to deliver outstanding results. Anyone that works with Rob has only positive things to say about their experience, so it’s great to see this recognised.”

Well done, Rob!

The quarterly winners will go through to our finale, held at the annual staff awards dinner, where our overall winners will be crowned.

We look forward to seeing the nominations for next quarter.

Diolch Cymru!

BiP is delighted to continue our awards season, with celebrations at our second Gala evening hosting the GO Awards Wales.

Finally returning as an in-person event, following four years of disruption, our Welsh procurement teams certainly made the most of the event.

The GO Awards showcase the innovation and ingenuity that ensures public spend creates lasting social and economic benefit; and mark the extensive collaborations and partnerships that exist across supply chains. This is the 20th year of the GO Awards programme, which – apart from a national event covering the entire UK – includes Awards for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Celebrating public procurement in Wales at Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel & Spa on 9th November, the awards evening highlighted the amazing work that often goes under the radar.

Despite uncertainty and turmoil in the political and economic arena, public procurement simply continues to get on with the job: getting vital stuff done and making a genuine, real-world difference to people’s lives. No drama, no rhetoric, no nonsense: just purpose and delivery.

And the GO Awards Wales was here to do just that, celebrating the people and teams that make procurement happen.

The Awards were judged by leading procurement figures from across Wales and the UK. The panel included: Mark Roscrow MBE Programme Director, NHS Wales Shared Services, Professor Jane Lynch Reader in Procurement and Supply Chain, Cardiff Business School, Liz Lucas MSc, FCIPS Chartered Head of Customer and Digital Services, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Scott Parfitt BA (Hons) MSc FHEA MCIPS Senior Lecturer Procurement Lead, University of South Wales, Grahame Steed Content, Research and Communications Director, BiP Solutions and Eddie Regan Principal Consultant, PASS Procurement​.

The big winner on the night was NHS Wales Shared Services and Partnership which took home the evening’s star category ‘The GO Excellence Award’ as well as succeeding in several other categories, while Mark Roscrow MBE was recognised by GO Awards with a hugely deserved ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’.

All outright category winners now gain automatic finalist status for the UK National Public Procurement Awards, where they will compete against Scotland, Northern Ireland & England, with the UK awards ceremony taking place next year in Birmingham.

BiP is delighted to continue our awards season, with celebrations at our second Gala evening hosting the GO Awards Wales.“Congratulations to all our winners and highly commended entries for their inspiring contributions, and to all our finalists who provided us with such strong competition for these awards. We hope everyone attending had a great evening!”

A big thank you must go to attendees who supported our charity raffle for The Trussell Trust, raising over £1,300.00 in support of their hugely important nationwide network of food banks.

Thanks must also go to our sponsors, Lyreco UK and Ireland, Centrica Business Solutions, IDNS Ltd, Jewson Partnership Solutions, Personal Group, Essity, Mercateo (part of Unite) and Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government, without all of whom the GO Awards Wales would not have been possible.

We look forward now to the UK National GO Awards, the winners of which will be celebrated at our final ceremony in June 2023.

GO Awards Wales 2022/23 winners:

  • Contract and Supplier Management Award (sponsored by Jewson) ‒ NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
  • Collaborative Procurement Initiative Award (sponsored by Mercateo) ‒ Welsh Government – Musical Instruments Dynamic Purchasing Agreement
  • Social Value Award (sponsored by Essity) ‒ NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership ‒ Displacing single-use medical textiles with more effective zero-carbon zero-waste targeted circular solutions
  • Procurement Delivery Award (sponsored by Personal Group) – Joint winners: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Cardiff and Vale Frontline Procurement
  •  Velindre University NHS Trust & NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Integrated Radiotherapy Solution for SE Wales
  • Individual of the Year Award (sponsored by Welsh Government) ‒ Jonathan Irvine – Director, Procurement Services, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
  • Procurement Team of the Year (sponsored by IDNS) ‒ Cardiff and Vale Frontline Procurement Team (part of NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership)
  • Outstanding Achievement Award (sponsored by Centrica) ‒ Mark Roscrow MBE
  • GO Excellence Award – (sponsored by Lyreco) – NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership ‒ Displacing single-use medical textiles with more effective zero-carbon, zero-waste targeted circular solutions

Highly Commended:

  • Collaborative Procurement Initiative Award ‒ Digital Health and Care Wales
  • Individual of the Year Award ‒  Helen Rees – Head of Procurement and Contracting, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

A spotlight on… Stephen Allan

We’re welcoming Autumn as the clocks go back and we’re commuting in the dark, so let’s catch up with another BiP team member, Stephen Allan in our finance department. Stephen joined in 2018 as a Trainee Management Accountant

In what capacity did you join BiP?

I joined straight from university (well technically whilst still studying).

What does your role in Finance entail?

My main duties include producing the monthly accounts and other financial reports, presenting financials to the SMT & Board, collaborating with different areas of the business, various financial analysis, assisting in the yearly financial audit and lots of different ad-hoc finance related tasks. I spend a lot of time using Excel, Sage & Salesforce.

What do you like most about your job?

I like looking for trends or the reason why things have moved in a certain direction, so the problem-solving element.  

What do you like most about working at BiP?

I have had the opportunity to learn, grow and progress whilst working at BiP. Also, the people really do make BiP – everyone is very welcoming and friendly!

What does a great day at work look like?​​​​​​​

Day one of month end – big cup of coffee and a lot of excel, sage & salesforce reporting!

Do you have any unusual hobbies?

I am really into sim-racing… basically its virtual car racing using VR headsets, motion simulators, wind simulators, fancy steering wheels & pedals – it’s very immersive!

Quick fire, choose one option:

  1. Coffee or tea – Coffee
  2. Book or film – Film
  3. Cat or dog – Dog
  4. Hot or cold – Cold
  5. Salty or sweet – Sweet
  6. Tattooed or not – Not
  7. Night out or night in – Night in
  8. Email or meeting – Either or!
  9. Teams calls: video call or audio? Video call
  10. Eating: al-desko, break room or break out altogether – Desko
  11. Mountain or beach – Beach

Awards season is GO

Recognising Excellence in Procurement and the Supply Chain

BiP Solutions has kicked off the 2022/23 edition of its GO Awards season in style with the presentation of the GO Awards Scotland at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow.

The GO Awards showcase the innovation and ingenuity that ensures public spend creates lasting social and economic benefit; and mark the extensive collaborations and partnerships that exist across supply chains. This is the 20th year of the GO Awards programme, which – apart from a national event covering the entire UK – includes individual Awards for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

October 28th saw Scottish procurement celebrated, alongside the organisations and individuals involved, at an Awards dinner and presentation in Glasgow.

Judged by leading procurement figures from across Scotland and the UK, including: Nick Ford Director of Procurement and Property, Scottish Government​, Julie Welsh Chief Executive, Scotland Excel, Claire McCallum Head of Operational Procurement and Compliance and Deputy Chief Executive, APUC, Paul Hansen Head of Account Management, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland & Crown Dependencies, Crown Commercial Service, Gordon Beattie Director of NHSS National Procurement, National Services Scotland, Grahame Steed Content, Research and Communications Director, BiP Solutions, Eddie Regan Principal Consultant, PASS Procurement​ and Mark Elliot Director, CivTech Scotland, Scottish Government, these are the awards everyone wants to win.

BiP Solutions has kicked off the 2022/23 edition of its GO Awards season in style with the presentation of the GO Awards Scotland at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow.

The big winner on the night was Police Scotland, which won both the Procurement Delivery Award and the overall GO Excellence Award for its outstanding work in supporting the COP26 event, hosted in Glasgow.

The University of Strathclyde also had a night to remember with four category wins to celebrate.

All outright category winners now gain automatic qualification to the UK National Public Procurement Awards, to compete against Wales, Northern Ireland & England, culminating with UK awards ceremony taking place in June 2023.

“Once again, Scotland has proved itself to be at the forefront of innovation and best practice within public procurement. It’s been an absolute pleasure to review the many great submissions into this year’s Awards. Each of our winners – and those who were highly commended – deserve huge praise for their achievements. Well done to them and each of our finalists.” said Grahame Steed, Chair, GO Awards Scotland Judging Panel.

The evening also saw a charity raffle take place with more than £3,000 raised for The Trussell Trust, in support of their hugely important nationwide network of food banks.

With such an impressive field of entrants, judges made a number of Highly Commended awards in addition to selecting winners for each category.

BiP Solutions has kicked off the 2022/23 edition of its GO Awards season in style with the presentation of the GO Awards Scotland at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow.

Winners:

  • Best Net Zero Initiative Award (sponsored by Centrica): University of Strathclyde – Learning and Teaching Building
  • Digital Service Delivery Award (sponsored by Vodafone): University of Strathclyde – Resource Efficient Supply and Manufacturing Environment (RESuME)
  • Contract and Supplier Management Award (sponsored by Apogee): NHS Scotland National Procurement Covid Testing Team – Manufacture, Supply, Distribution and Collection for COVID-19 Test Kits across Scotland
  • Collaborative Procurement Initiative Award (sponsored by Pertemps): Scotland Excel – Energy Efficiency Contractors Framework
  • Social Value Award (sponsored by Softcat): Morrison Construction, British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) & Scottish Prison Service – Women’s National Facility Project
  • Supply Chain Diversity Award (sponsored by APS Group): Scotland Excel – Improving Local Capability and Economic Growth through Community Wealth Building
  • Best Infrastructure or Capital Project Award (sponsored by CR Smith): University of Strathclyde – Learning and Teaching Programme
  • Procurement Delivery Award (sponsored by SPA): Glasgow City Council – Education Counselling & Police Scotland – COP26 Glasgow Procurement Delivery
  • Individual Achievement of the Year Award (sponsored by Service Graphics): David Taggart, Category Manager, NHS National Services Scotland & Fiona Hughes, Deputy Director of Finance, Procurement, University of Strathclyde Services Scotland
  • Procurement Team of the Year Award (sponsored by Epson UK): ScotRail Trains Limited – ScotRail’s Journey to Public Sector Procurement
  • GO Excellence Award (sponsored by Computacenter UK): Police Scotland – COP26 Glasgow Procurement Delivery

Highly Commended Awards went to:

  • Best Net Zero Initiative Award: Commercial & Procurement Shared Service & Aberdeen City Council
  • Contract and Supplier Management Award: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Supplier Development Programme & Robertson FM
  • Collaborative Procurement Initiative Award: NHS National Procurement Scotland, Scottish Microbiology Virology Network, Public Health Scotland, Scottish Government Covid Testing Policy, Covid Regional Hubs, NSS Clinical Directorate & NHS Assure
  • Social Value Award: NHS National Procurement, National Services Scotland & Public Health Scotland
  • Procurement Team of the Year Award: Scottish Government Procurement, Capability and Contract Management Team
  • Special thanks to all our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible: Vodafone Business, Centrica Business Solutions, Apogee, Pertemps, Softcat, APS Group, CR Smith Manufacturing, Scottish Procurement Alliance, Service Graphics, Epson UK, Computacenter UK

Our next awards night is GO Awards Wales, we look forward to welcoming all the finalists to Mercure Hotel, Cardiff, on 8th November 2022.

A spotlight on… Aimee Crawford

This month’s spotlight falls on our new scrum master, Aimee Crawford. Having joined the business in August Aimee is working hard with our tech teams on developing BiP tech and keeping up with the latest developments.

If you caught the knowledge sharing session earlier this year, you’ll have an idea of how she fits into the BiP family – but what does a Scrum Master really involve? And has it got anything to do with rugby?

Thanks for joining me, Aimee, first off:

What does your job as Scrum Master entail

My job is a bit of a mix of things and fortunately for me, doesn’t involve anything to do with rugby! I work to remove any impediments from the development teams, help them become more productive and efficient. Capacity planning and stakeholder management is key. It’s often compared to the work of a Project Manager. However, I’m also responsible for coaching and training in agile ways of working. Ideally, not just in IT, but across the whole business.

What are the biggest challenges you have in your role – how could your colleagues help?

Currently my biggest challenge is learning what is going on in here! I’m still pretty new. I need to learn more about how our products are built and what the future looks like for us. However, that aside, I guess the challenging aspect of this role can often be communicating with stakeholders. Often you have to bridge a gap between the development world and the wider business. I think the best was for colleagues to help is to be open to learning about other people’s roles within our company. A better understanding of what each other do, and what impact it has, will bring people together and communicate better.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​

What do you like most about your job?

While the communication side of things can be challenging, it is also my favourite part. I like to work with all different areas of the business as well as my team. I also like working with a variety of personalities and finding ways to make them all work together more effectively.

Who/what has had the most positive impact on your career?

This can sometimes be a hard one to talk about, but I truly believe that this is the case…my Dad passing away when I was 18, has and continues to have the greatest positive impact on my career. I am more determined, ambitious and empathetic. I proved to myself some things I didn’t think I was; resilient and brave. It’s given me a different outlook on life and continues to make me want to work hard to achieve my dreams, while not losing who I am.

With IT and software changing before I can comprehend them, what major developments do you think are on the horizon?

I really do feel like anything is possible and things are changing very quickly as you say. Technology has developed extremely fast over the last number of years, and I feel this is only set to increase. Over the next few years, I think there will be greater use of machine learning and artificial intelligence. I also think we will see more companies moving to a distributed infrastructure model and heighten their attention to cyber security.

Achieving a more diverse workforce in some areas, such as tech and construction, has been a priority for government and sectors for a number of years, can you tell me what led to your career in tech?

I was always interested in technology and engineering from a young age. I do think it was heavily influenced by my parents. After university, I was offered a dream job in Woking but I knew I wasn’t quite ready to leave home. So, I looked around at what was booming in central Scotland, with good opportunities and quite literally thought, that sounds interesting, I’ll give it a go. I was fortunate to get the opportunity to try many different roles within the IT/Digital sector and now I’m here!

Are there any changes or initiatives you’d like to implement into BiP?

I’d like to help bring more women into our IT workforce for sure. I’d also like to help the business as a whole move to more agile ways of working and promote knowledge sharing.

What initiatives could make tech a more appealing career for women?

I actually think a lot of perspective starts very early in life. I fortunately grew up knowing I could give anything a go, but many young girls believe maths and other subjects alike, are ‘boys’ subjects. I recently was part of an Empowering Women to Lead Digital Transformation course where we done some primary school level research, and this view really came through. I remember feeling so shocked and disappointed. So, we must let our young women know that nothing is out of their reach! I also believe in showcasing the female talent we have and how they got into their current role, sometimes it’s not a path you would have expected. I think encouraging women to take up a career in tech could be helped with something as simple as talking about and celebrating the women already there.

Quick fire, choose one option:

  1. Coffee or tea – Tea
  2. Book or film – Film
  3. Cat or dog – Dog
  4. Hot or cold – Hot
  5. Salty or sweet – Sweet
  6. Tattooed or not – Not, not brave enough!
  7. Night out or night in – Night in
  8. Email or meeting – Meeting
  9. Teams calls: video or audio? Video

BiP – Giving back

BiP takes its commitment to community seriously. Giving back is always a priority for the company, and September has seen BiP colleagues take part in several charitable activities as part of the BiP ONE Giving Back programme.

Ladies who lunch

Earlier in September we had some of the BiP Solutions Ltd ladies attend The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice Ladies Lunch held in Glasgow.

The ladies enjoyed a lovely afternoon hosted by Loose Women’s Kaye Adams, who was joined by BAFTA nominated Scottish film and television actor John Hannah, and Lisa Snowdon.

The afternoon saw guests enjoy fun and frolics with an amazing lunch, retail therapy and some first-class entertainment provided by The Globe Girls.

The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice is a registered Scottish charity that provides palliative care and support for people living in South Glasgow and East Renfrewshire. The daily running costs at the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice are £16,000 and BiP are proud to support this local project.

CEO Simon Burges said: “I’m very pleased that as a company we could support such a fantastic charity who do some amazing and hugely important work.

“Equally it was also great for some of our hard-working BiP ladies to enjoy a well-deserved afternoon together, with perhaps a few drinks along the way.”

Champions!

A more vigorous outing came next with our team’s entry to the STV Children’s Appeal 5-a-side tournament.

Not only did we take part, but we’re delighted to announce that the BiP team were victorious in lifting the trophy.

Massive congratulations go to Captain Chris Logue, Brandon Coghill, Garry Taylor, Ciaran Crawford, Mark Breakenridge and Fraser Neilson. After navigating their way through the highly competitive group and knock-out stages, the team won the final 5-2. Well done to everyone involved.

It was a great day and huge thanks go to the STV team for hosting a brilliant event. We were proud to be part of it and to support the charity and the work they do in helping make a positive difference to the lives of children affected by poverty.

BiP Bake off for Macmillan

As part of BiP ONE Giving Back programme, 30th September saw colleagues in both Glasgow and Salford Bake Off for Macmillan.

A number of intrepid home-baking colleagues generously donated their time to create baked treats for the rest of us to enjoy! And to raise both awareness and funds for people living with cancer.

Alongside the baked goods, colleagues have also taken part in a raffle with prizes on offer ranging from vouchers for food and drink, bottles of wine, a Costa Voucher and the hot ticket of the day – An extra day off!

Our wonderful colleagues raised a whopping £550 for Macmillan on the day and our stomach’s are now aching from all the sweet treats.

Teeing off

And finally, alongside our friends at The Village, we were delighted to take part in their Golf Day at The Carrick on Loch Lomond – supporting them raise awareness for www.calumscabin.com.

Competing as Team BiPONE, Adam Hughes Colin Stewart Damien Freel Fraser Neilson posted a very respectable round of -11. Whilst falling just short of the prizes, it was a great day played in glorious weather and in the amazing surroundings of Loch Lomond.

Most importantly, it helped support a great charity and the amazing work that they do.

Inform, prepare, deliver

Procurement Reform programme launched

BiP Solutions Ltd is pleased to announce the official launch of our new Procurement Reform programme, providing both buyers and suppliers with invaluable access to a range of continually updated content, events, training, guidance and support, all focused on the Procurement Bill as it transitions into reality.

BiP Solutions Ltd is pleased to announce the official launch of our new Procurement Reform programme helping you understand the Procurement Bill.

Two new conferences and exhibitions in partnership with the Cabinet Office have also been launched as part of the programme, taking place in London and Manchester next March.

Free registration to the programme is now open, providing all stakeholders with access to the latest announcements and support opportunities around the forthcoming changes.

When the UK left the EU on 31st January 2020 the government embarked on a consultation programme with buyers and suppliers in the public sector, aimed at reducing red tape and making public procurement simpler and more transparent. The outcome of the consultation has been developed into the Procurement Bill – currently going through Parliament – which will see some 350 rules condensed, a single digital platform created for public procurement and a level playing field for SMEs developed.

These reforms are big news for buyers and suppliers – so we look forward to supporting everyone through the forthcoming transformation.

The Procurement Reform interactive programme for both buyers and suppliers, designed by BiP Solutions, will provide invaluable access to a range of continually updated content, events, training, guidance and support, all focused on the Procurement Bill as it transitions into reality.

The Programme is aligned to the shaping and implementation of the Reforms, with a focus on informing all stakeholders about the forthcoming changes and enabling effective preparation and delivery within the new environment.

‘We’ve been tracking the proposed reforms to public procurement with interest and see these as a tremendous opportunity to maximise the benefits of public spending in the UK. There will be challenges and opportunities ahead, so our programme aims to provide maximum support as we navigate what will be an unfamiliar landscape’ – Grahame Steed, Content and Research Director, BiP Solutions.

Delivered in partnership with the Cabinet Office, our Procurement Reform Conferences feature presenters and subject matter experts from the very heart of Procurement Reform; providing actionable insight and practical guidance for public sector buyers.

This event is the perfect blend of knowledge sharing and hands-on practical guidance. Whether you influence or are directly involved in the procurement process, attending will give you the confidence to turn the challenges presented by the Reforms into opportunity.

Confirmed speakers for the conferences include:

  • Lindsay Maguire, Head of Engagement for Procurement Reform, Cabinet Office
  • Joshua Pritchard, Deputy Director, CBI
  • Lucy Sydney, Head of Strategic Relationships, Procurement Reform, Cabinet Office
  • Adam Hill, Head of GCF Digital
  • Kimberley Rice, Commercial Subject Matter Experts, Commercial Capability Faculty, Cabinet Office
  • Ellie Wilkinson, Commercial Subject Matter Experts, Commercial Capability Faculty, Cabinet Office
  • Eddie Regan, Principal Consultant, PASS
  • Phillip Kinnell, Senior Consultant, PASS
  • Darren Knowd, Head of Procurement, Sales and Business Services, Durham County Council

Register free today to keep up to date with the latest announcements and available support. 

BiP Solutions Limited is a company registered in Scotland with Company Number SC086146 and VAT number 383030966 and having its registered office at Medius, 60 Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G51 1DZ.

Select a page to copy this section to:

Select where in the level you want it inserted: