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Following their 30^th anniversary in September 2023, MIS Group are delighted to announce they have expanded their senior management team as they look towards their next major milestone. Joanne Maguire, David Reid, Lindsay Lee and Jessica Crawford have been appointed as Associate Directors, joining an already established and strong senior management team of Managing Director, Jonathan Ogilby, and Directors, Debbie Lennon and Stuart McClean.

Like most businesses, MIS Group have faced challenges in the post-Brexit and Covid world with one of the biggest challenges being the sourcing and retention of skilled staff.

MIS are grateful to have retained a workforce of talented and dedicated staff and state that the four new appointees are reflective of the calibre of their workforce in general. The new Associate Directors have a diverse skill-base, range of experience and qualifications. Their hard work, dedication and determination over a number of years have made their appointment an obvious next step in the development of the Group.

The business ethos of MIS is to provide the highest quality service in the most efficient manner. The new Associate Directors will bring a fresh input to aid the continuation, adaptation, and expansion of this ethos as the business continues to grow.

MIS Group has seen their turnover increase by 39% in the last two years which they state could not have been achieved without the hard work and commitment of their existing team.

Managing Director, Jonathan Ogilby says ‘’I am delighted to welcome our new Associate Directors whose appointment will strengthen relationships with our current business partners and will assist us as we expand into new areas of business.‘’

MIS are delighted to have partnered with Willis Insurance and Risk Management to provide their Private, Commercial and Motor Fleet clients with the opportunity to purchase our Breakdown Recovery Assistance product. Pictured above are Stuart McClean, Director, MIS Group and Michael O’Kane, Commercial & Private Clients Project Manager, Willis Insurance & Risk Management.

Part of WF Risk Group, Willis Insurance and Risk Management is an independent, family run business that has been providing their service for over 40 years. Their motor clients, who opt to buy the service, will now have 24/7 access to the MIS Breakdown Assistance 365 days a year meaning they will always have someone to answer their call at their time of need, further enhancing the insurance services that Willis provide.

Clients will be able to avail of local tow, home-start assistance, puncture assistance, fuel-shortage/mis fuel, mainland European Cash benefit and more* which will give them peace of mind when out and about on their travels.

We are very pleased to enter into this partnership with Willis which will see their clients being given the opportunity to avail of the Breakdown Service provided by MIS Group. It is great to be working with Willis who have a renowned name not only in the local Insurance market but beyond as well.This is yet another indication of the direction MIS Group continue to grow and evolve in, as we look to expand our business partners portfolio further in the coming months.

Stuart McClean, Director, MIS Group

Richard Willis, Managing Director of WF Risk Group added:

Willis Insurance & Risk Management are delighted to be partnering with MIS Group on their Breakdown Cover offering. MIS has been among the leading providers of breakdown cover for many years and this new partnership signifies the Group’s ongoing efforts to create beneficial added-value service options for our clients.

Having had relationships with other partners for over 20 years, we hope this is the start of a flourishing and lengthy relationship with Willis Insurance and Risk Management too and we look forward to working with them to provide the best possible service to their clients.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Willis Insurance & Risk Management is a trading name of Willis & Company Insurance Brokers Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority – 309124

MIS Group were privileged to sponsor the Ladies’ Open Stableford at Shandon Park Golf Club on 20th July 2021 during the club’s open week.

Whilst the temperatures were soaring, the golf balls were flying off the tees as 58 members of the club and 28 visitors took part in the Open competition.

One of our MIS Electric Vehicles delivered much needed bottled water and goodies to the players at the club to keep them well hydrated whilst they made their way round the course.

A massive congratulations to the prize winners, we look forward to seeing you at the prize-giving!

Since 2002, the Glentoran Community Initiative has catered for the under age team network at Glentoran, which was initially set up to give back to the community that has supported Glentoran for over 130 years. In 2008 the Glentoran Academy was founded in order to add a more professional approach to this groundwork.

With the tremendous success since 2008, The Academy have continued to grow and now cater for both girls and boys from as young as 3 years old with their mini soccer programme, right up to Under 18 including children of all ability levels. The Academy have also established the first dedicated Foreign Language Academy as well as a disability football programme for boys and girls.

”Glentoran FC as a locally recognised brand believe our academy has a very important role to play, not just in providing players to our 1st team squad and beyond, but with the on-going issues of social interaction, cross-community efforts, ethnic inclusion, and general fun & fitness for all children of all abilities.”

Glentoran Academy has played a massive role in the development of young football players in Northern Ireland with many young players progressing on to play for the 1st team as well as trialling with professional teams across the water. With the development of the Academy, it is clear to see that the progression of social and community aspects within the youth is greatly important to the Academy, not just the development of football skills. MIS Group are proud to continue to support this continuous development in all areas and look forward to seeing what the year ahead holds for the Academy.

The transition period ended on 31^st December 2020.  The Government announced that the Treaty agreed with the EU will allow personal data to flow freely from the EU (and EEA) to the UK, until adequacy decisions have been adopted, for no more than six months.

The Information Commissioners Office recommend as a sensible precaution, before and during this period that businesses that work with EU and EEA organisations who transfer personal data to them put in place alternative transfer mechanisms, to safeguard against any interruption to the free flow to EU and UK personal data.  

On the 19^th February 2021 the European Commission published its draft decisions on the UK’s adequacy under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) and Law Enforcement Directive (LED). In both cases, the European Commission has found the UK to be adequate.

The draft decisions will now be considered by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and a committee of the 27 EU Member Governments. 

However, an adequacy decision is not guaranteed, and it has been widely recommended by various regulatory bodies and indeed Brokers Ireland that at a minimum, company’s ensure that GDPR appropriate safeguards in place, such as SCC’s with business partners to ensure business continuity. In being proactive MIS took steps to issue SCC’s ahead of the initial extension period expiration date April 2021.  A further extension has now been agreed to end June 2020.

We would like to take this opportunity to explain that the SCC’s relate to our Breakdown Recovery Service in the Republic of Ireland.  Whilst we endeavour to administrate this service from our local Irish office it may become necessary for overflow to be actioned by our Belfast Office.  With the nature of this service, we wish to be in a position to assist customers quickly and efficiently.

MIS Underwriting Limited, Dundalk will continue to administrator all MIS Underwiring Insurance Products exclusively.

We would hope that the UK will receive the adequacy decision and the SCC’s will not be required, however we feel it is best to be prepared ahead of time. 

With the recent announcements from Ford, Volvo, Volkswagen and many other vehicle manufacturers, electric cars are a prevalent topic of conversation. With these manufacturers announcing their plans for electric vehicles in the future and many advising they will no longer be manufacturing combustion engines in years to come, electric sales are on the rise.

We are seeing many more electric vehicles on the roads in NI and ROI and many are harnessing the economical benefits that the electric vehicles provide. With running costs at a third of those of combustion engines and with improving range it is the most beneficial solution to many new car buyers.

At MIS, we provide like-for-like replacement hire vehicles to those who have been involved in a non-fault accident. With the increase of electric vehicles on our roads it is predicted that the number of electric vehicles involved in accidents will in turn increase also (not due to the fact it is an electric vehicle in itself). We don’t want to see these drivers suffer. We want to be able to continue like-for-like vehicles to all clients including electric vehicle owners.

MIS are extremely excited to announce that we have now added the first electric vehicles to our wide ranging fleet to provide these replacement vehicles to those in need. Electric vehicle owners should not have to revert back to combustion engines following an accident in order to keep them on the road and our fleet will change/develop in line with consumer trends over the next 10 years.

We appreciate that many electric vehicle owners have opted to drive these to help in the conscious effort against climate change and we don’t want them to feel they have to diminish these efforts by reverting to a combustion engine whilst awaiting on their electric vehicle to be repaired.

We are excited to continue to move forward in this venture in a conscious effort to help the public and the environment!

On 1st March 2021, staff of MIS, family, friends and business companions set off on a ‘virtual’ journey around the perimeter of Ireland. Taking on 1970 miles, the staff were split into teams to challenge each other in walking the quickest around Ireland.

The Mighty MIS Walk Around Ireland page was one of the most successful Just Giving pages in the month of March. Out of thousands of fundraisers we were in the top 1%! This is an achievement we are very proud of. We must also mention that we have received substantial offline donations and we look forward to announcing the total raised when all teams have completed their walks.

Macaulay Wray Solicitors, one of our panel solicitors in Northern Ireland formed a team and have already made their way around Ireland (and a little extra). They were the first and currently the only team across the finish line! We would like to say a big thank you to the team for their effort, support and donation and of course well done for being the first to complete the challenge.

McCartan Turkington Breen, another of our panel solicitors have also joined us on the ‘virtual’ journey. Despite being a smaller team of walkers they are making great headway so far. A massive thank you to all at Team MTB for their support and donation to Hope House.

Thank you also to our recovery agents and other companies who have donated also. We are grateful to work with such fantastic companies throughout NI & ROI.

We could not have achieved this recognition without the help of everyone who has taken part and those who have donated. To the members of the public who have also taken part in the walk, we want to say a massive thank you too! We are overwhelmed with the support we have been shown during this challenge and are proud to raise money for such a worthy charity, Hope House Ireland.

Follow our social media pages to keep up to date with the location of the teams. If you still wish to donate you can do so via our Just Giving page.