Member Article

Ward Hadaway supports groundbreaking leadership course delivering digital innovation

Leading northern law firm Ward Hadaway, with offices in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle, is partnering with IN4.0 Group and the University of Central Lancashire, supporting the delivery of a groundbreaking disruptive innovation accelerator programme, IN4.0 ACCESS.

The programme aims to support pioneering manufacturers, helping to develop their businesses through digital and technological transformation and allowing them to scale and succeed at pace.

Ward Hadaway joins leading innovation experts including Accenture, BAE Systems and NatWest amongst others, partnering to deliver real-world insights and solutions. The business leaders will share their considerable experience supporting manufacturers looking to digitise their processes and products, helping them reap the commercial advantages of investing in new technologies.

Ward Hadaway Partner Gareth Yates, said; “Our team has a rich history of partnering with ambitious companies looking to start, scale and succeed and we’re delighted to be supporting the IN4.0 programme. Digital transformation plays a role in the growth of all businesses and understanding how to apply and commercialise innovations is key to success.

“We’re looking forward to answering questions and delivering advice and guidance on how to safeguard intellectual property from a legal perspective as well as how to make sure that the procurement of any new technologies enables businesses to deliver tangible results. We know from experience that the digitisation journey can be daunting but with the right knowledge and guidance the process can deliver business growth at an accelerated pace.

“We work with many suppliers of technical innovations in the manufacturing space and that gives us a unique perspective. The procurement and implementation of new technology can be complex but being an early adopter has many business benefits. We advise clients to engage a legal professional at the very start of the purchasing process, so they can ask the right questions of suppliers upfront and ensure there are no nasty suprises further down the line. This enables them to purchase and seamlessly integrate new technologies within the existing business, bringing competitive and first-mover advantage to keep them profitable and ahead of their rivals.”

Ward Hadaway became involved in the IN4.0 ACCESS programme after IN4.0 Group CEO Mo Isap spoke at the annual Fastest 50 event in Manchester, the firm’s celebration of those leading businesses experiencing rapid growth in the region. It was clear that there were synergies between IN4.0 Group and Ward Hadaway, both companies being active in the digital and innovation sectors.

Mo commented; “Partnering with Ward Hadaway and leading experts from the business community brings real-world insights and we’re delighted to have them on board. I would encourage ambitious manufacturers to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to upskill your employees through taking part in the course. IN4.0 ACCESS provides a unique opportunity to gain insight from experienced industry leaders, technical disruptors and innovators. Taking and applying learning into any business will ensure it is at the forefront of the digital manufacturing revolution and ultimately drive growth. Those companies that fail to adapt and change, risk being left behind.”

IN4.0 ACCESS, which can be funded through the Degree Apprenticeship Levy, enables companies to up-skill their technical staff to to UCLan Postgraduate Diploma Engineering Competance Level and MSc Engineering (Design & Development) level. It is a joint venture between IN4.0 Group and the University of Central Lancashire, supported by industry change experts and business owners.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rachel McBryde .