MONDAY 29th NOVEMBER 2010

Network Unlimited

SUBSCRIBE TO RSS

US experts learn from first Midlands networking evening

Business Birmingham, the city’s official inward investment programme, recently hosted its first Midlands Shared Services Network event as part of its strategy to target the division for jobs growth and promote opportunities for managers to meet and share sector knowledge.

Among the event’s attendees were representatives from McDonald’s, the world’s largest chain of fast food restaurants, whose UK Shared Services Centre (SSC) is based in Sutton Coldfield. Linda O’Connor, UK Shared Services Director was accompanied at the event by four of the senior leadership team from the restaurant’s Global Shared Services Centre in Chicago. The delegation was in the UK to visit the Sutton Coldfield centre, which reports directly to global headquarters in the US.

Kelvin McLaurin, Vice President and McDonald’s Global Shared Services Head said:

This forum presents an invaluable opportunity for the Shared Services sector to unite, share best practice and discuss industry issues that affect us all, wherever we are in the world. The presentations given have offered me the chance to observe and compare the experiences of the industry here with where we are in the US.

Over 20 representatives from Midlands-based SSCs including Lafarge, Deutsche Bank and Adecco attended the first forum at Eleven Brindleyplace, which included a presentation by Richard Butler, Head of General Ledger at Interserve, the international services, maintenance and building group.

Butler talked about the challenges faced by Interserve since opening an SSC in West Bromwich, including how the company managed the centre’s integration with its wider operations and managing internal resistance to change. Butler believes, however, that talent was key to the centre’s success. He said:

Introducing new staff with relevant SSC experience has really benefited Interserve. The blend and balance of our new and old employees within our small operation has allowed us to maintain our efficiency and maximise our resources.

The SSC steering group, which comprises representation from McDonald’s, Interserve, Rentokil, Robert Walters and Marketing Birmingham, will meet in December to plan the next networking event, scheduled to take place in January 2011.

The full details will be in our Events Calendar nearer the time.