Barclays: We can see positive signs of recovery for 2022

Susie Ralph, Head of Mid-Corporate for South Coast at Barclays, discusses the company’s sponsorship of the Lawyer of the Year category for the Solent Deals Awards 2022. She emphasized the success stories and that there has been a rise in environmental sustainability despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Taking place on 22 March, the Solent Deals Awards is an event that gathers corporate finance advisers, lawyers, bankers, private equity investors, accountants, and many others to highlight their recent achievements in the Solent and South Coast region.

What has been your main motivator to sponsor the Solent Deals Awards?

Despite what has been a challenging 18 months with much uncertainty, the region boasts some of the fastest growing businesses in the UK. Local companies have shown they can adapt and innovate to meet the challenges ahead and achieve their potential for growth.

We are delighted to support the Solent Deals Awards which recognises the success of these businesses across the region and the invaluable contribution they make to the local economy.

What kind of qualities does a team need to take home an award from this event?

There are some amazing success stories and we continue to see investment into the region’s key industries. Many of these businesses have great examples of their success to share, about how their approach, focus and investment has enabled them to weather the recent events as well as prepare for the future.

ESG has risen to the top of many boards agendas and our recent survey of UK businesses on their progress towards environmental sustainability showed a positive momentum of change which we anticipate continuing during 2022.

What were the challenges your company faced during the pandemic and how did you overcome them?

Whilst the pandemic hit some industries harder than others, we now see signs of recovery. The South Coast is becoming a technology hotbed and a freeport is being created in the Solent, stretching from Portsmouth across to Southampton and inclusive of the Isle of Wight. This should provide a real boost for the region, not only as a key trade gateway but also in providing significant tax benefits to attract a range of businesses.

Other challenges facing our region’s SMEs are consistent with those elsewhere in the UK – labour shortages exacerbated by Brexit, supply chain hold-ups, rising costs and now, of course, renewed Covid uncertainty because of the Omicron variant.

What do you expect in the short and medium term?

Despite these uncertain times, I think we can see positive signs of recovery for 2022. It’s a privilege to support such a diverse range of businesses, across a breadth of markets, that are continuing to focus on how they can grow.

The dedication and innovation the businesses across our region display every day fills us with confidence that the UK has a thriving future ahead.

For more information on the Solent Deals Awards 2022, please visit our event page.