NI Business Review of 2019: A year of change at the top

Jo Bamford, son of JCB chairman Lord Bamford, bought Wrightbus

Change is a constant in the business world and it has been a theme at some of Northern Ireland's leading companies and organisations in 2019.

BBC News NI reflects on a year of turbulence and transition.

Wrightbus

It was a difficult year for the 1,200 workers in Ballymena, County Antrim, as the family business went into administration after 73 years.

The business was set up in 1946 from a tin shed in Ballymena by Robert Wright and his son, William - now Sir William Wright.

The company's financial stress became public knowledge in July, the business was placed into administration and put up for sale.

An English industrialist called Jo Bamford, son of JCB chairman Lord Bamford bought Wrightbus.

Jo Bamford founded a company called Ryse Hydrogen that delivers green energy to heavy-duty transport.

That could be why he decided to buy Wrightbus - it has experience making hydrogen buses, electric and hybrid models.

Jo Bamford said: "Wrightbus is a proud family business which is part of the fabric of Northern Ireland life and business.

"I am delighted to acquire such an established and respected brand."

The new chief executive, Buta Atwal, has experience managing a number of JCB's factories.

He said: "As bus transportation looks to decarbonise, there is growing demand for market leaders in this field.

"Wrightbus has the potential to lead the way in this area given its track record in manufacturing state-of-the-art zero emission hydrogen buses as well as electric and hybrid models."

While the new owner, Bamford Bus Company, is recruiting, we know it is not likely it will take on as many workers as were employed prior to the company going into administration.

It is recruiting coachbuilders, welders, spray painters, IT roles and HR positions between now and February 2020.

Harland and Wolff's giant cranes hark back to Belfast's industrial heritage

Harland and Wolff

Another Northern Irish employer that had a turbulent year was Harland and Wolff.

At its height, Belfast shipyard employed more than 30,000 people and was best known for building the Titanic.

Administrators were appointed in August putting about 130 jobs at risk.

In October, the London-based energy firm, InfraStrata, announced it had bought the business for £6m saving 79 jobs.

The oil and gas exploration and production business is planning to develop an underground natural gas storage facility at Islandmagee, County Antrim, but does not have all the necessary planning permissions yet.

InfraStrata says it will retain the 79 workers who are still employed, and hopes to increase the workforce by "several hundred" over five years.

CEO John Wood formerly served in the Merchant Navy on the Harland and Wolff-built SS Canberra.

He said he wanted to get a new apprenticeship scheme up and running to provide "stability for the next generations coming through".

Bombardier employs about 3,600 people in Northern Ireland

Bombardier

Bombardier's Northern Ireland operations were sold to the US firm Spirit, AeroSystems, in a deal worth nearly £1bn.

The aerospace manufacturer employs about 3,600 people in Northern Ireland.

Spirit, which is based in Kansas, is a major supplier to Airbus and Boeing.

Earlier this year, the company said it wanted to do more work for Airbus - buying Bombardier's Northern Ireland operation is part of that strategy.

The wings for the Airbus A220 are made at Bombardier Belfast's plant and it also supplies other Airbus parts, particularly engine covers.

Spirit is also buying a Bombardier factory in Morocco and a repair facility in the US.

Alastair Hamilton said it had been his intention to step down after 10 years in the post

Invest NI

After 10 years as Chief Executive of Invest NI, Alastair Hamilton stepped down and Kevin Holland was appointed as his successor.

Mr Holland officially joined Invest NI in October.

He was formerly a diplomat at the British Embassy in Beijing where he worked on expanding trade and market access for British companies in China.

Prior to that, Mr Holland worked at US life sciences company, Baxter, for 15 years leading their businesses in Russia, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa.

Simon Hamilton was a senior DUP politician until he quit to take up his new role

Belfast Chamber of Commerce

Belfast Chamber of Commerce appointed a new chief executive this year - Simon Hamilton.

The former DUP minister left politics despite being regarded as one of the most promising young stars of the party.

Previously he held the health, finance and economy portfolios in the Stormont power-sharing government.

An accountant by profession, Mr Hamilton refused to say how he voted in the 2016 Brexit referendum, a stance which fuelled suspicions that he disagreed with his party's support for leaving the EU.