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Bailie Group

Investing in people and ideas that make a positive difference and properties that inspire

About Us

Bailie Group is a family owned group of agencies and consultancies with the collective mission to improve people’s lives by sharing knowledge. We want to make a difference. We work on projects which keep people safer, helps the UK transport system move effectively, connects citizens with social services in their local area, provide content channels for industries like the automotive sector and get equipment to the front line so it’s safe to use and train our military to be the best they can be.

Our Group mission is to create an entrepreneurial organisation of collaborative specialists. The companies are empowered to utilise technology and expert knowledge to create solutions which enable our customers to maximise their potential through intelligent use of information, content and data.

As a Group our purpose is simple: invest in ideas and people which make a positive difference and properties that inspire. We have invested millions of pounds into projects to enable our group companies to thrive and grow, whilst making a positive contribution to their communities.

Our intention is to continue with a programme of internal investment and acquiring companies which meet our philosophy and purpose, for the benefit of future generations.

The Group is profoundly conscious of the threat climate change poses to the economy, nature and society at large and we have committed to take action immediately in order to :

  1. Halve our greenhouse gas emissions before 2030
  2. Achieve net zero emissions before 2050
  3. Disclose our progress on a yearly basis

Bailie Group is a proud member of the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that empowers small and medium sized companies to take climate action and build more resilient businesses. By joining the SME Climate Hub, we commit to lowering our impact on the environment through authentic action, halving our emissions by 2030. In making the SME Climate Commitment, we have joined the UN Climate Change High Level Champion’s Race to Zero campaign.

Bailie Group is proud to have achieved the Planet Mark certification. You can read more about our carbon reduction efforts and plan here.

You can hear more about our sustainability objectives in this video.
You can visit PlanetMark where you can see our certificate. Also available for you to read are our Environmental Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility Policy and our Sustainability Policy

Our Companies


CDS is a multi-award winning communication agency providing Insight, Content, Digital, Print and Technology services to clients across the UK.

Our Purpose is to make a positive difference through exceptional communications. Our Vision is to be the adventurous agency that challenges thinking through transformative communications.

We simplify complexity, through straight thinking, to make a positive difference.

At its core, our 170-strong team exists to simplify complexity. We use logical-thinking in order to ensure everything happens in a neat, quietly efficient manner – turning an initial business problem into a brilliant, timely solution.

Website

CDS DS is a consultancy with a deep understanding of engineering, training & learning and cyber security & information assurance within the defence and security sector.

Our Purpose is to make the world a safer place. Our Vision is to be recognised as a leading member of the Defence & Security Community delivering world class, innovative services.

We use our expert knowledge to improve your organisation’s operational effectiveness, maximise people performance through sustained behavioural change and reduce risk. We provide innovative and cost-effective learning, engineering support and digital resilience for the defence and security industry.

Digitalisation, novel contracting methods and more rapid adoption of modern technology are now commonplace and present significant opportunities for our industry.

Our team has significant experience serving on UK military operations, giving us a realistic context upon which to base our advice and services.

Website

Newspress is the official automotive news source for journalists globally.

Our Purpose is to enrich the world’s automotive public relations. Our Vision is to be a world-leading automotive public relations agency with the industry’s foremost editorial database and distribution channel.

Newspress is the hub that connects automotive manufacturers and supply chain to their global audience.

We provide press release creation services and a variety of technology tools to ensure the message reaches its largest possible audience, a dedicated online platform for journalists and media site creation. Newspress operates in key global automotive markets including UK, USA, Germany, Spain and Australia.

Website

Loop is an automotive PR and communications agency with a focus on advanced automotive communications. The agency works with automotive manufacturers, industry supply chain and anyone with a vision to change the way the automotive sector works.

We provide a range of services to help enhance the profile of brands and to help boost performance in the automotive sector, be that consumer, technology or engineering.

Our enthusiasm and understanding of everything from historic vehicles to electric car technology and consumer habits to industry trends means see we opportunities as they emerge and work with clients to deliver effective PR and Marketing to meet business goals.

We help by understanding the needs of the automotive sector in an unrivalled way, and add value through strategic communication planning, product PR, product launches, content creation, event management, social media, insight and brand strategy.

Website

Meet The Board

Profile photo of Roy Bailie

Roy Bailie

OBE, CBE, Chairman

Roy, a graduate of Harvard Business School, is a well respected and experienced businessman who remains passionately involved in the activities of the Group and the wider business community.
Starting his print career as a hot-metal compositor, he soon developed leadership potential. In 1977 he led the management buy-out of W&G Baird Ltd from the British Printing Corporation. After forming W&G Baird (Holdings)Ltd, now known as The Bailie Group, Roy embarked on the acquisition trail, purchasing MSO Ltd in 1984, Biddles Ltd in 1989, Thanet Press Ltd and Blackstaff Press Ltd in 1995, Corporate Document Services Ltd in 2000 and Newspress Ltd in 2006. On the way a number of smaller acquisitions were also made and absorbed into existing Group companies. Roy is Chairman and majority shareholder of The Bailie Group.
Roy is currently a Senate Member of Queen’s University Belfast and Chairman of Opera Northern Ireland.

Roy’s previous directorships include:

  • U.T.V. (Ulster Television)
  • MSO Cleland Ltd.
  • BPIF

Past non-executive posts include:

  • Bank of England (Court of Directors)
  • Northern Ireland Tourist Board – Chairman
  • British Printing Industries Federation – President
  • Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland
  • CBI (Northern Ireland) – Chairman
  • Bank of Ireland Court of Directors
  • Bank of Ireland (N.I. Advisory Board)
  • Tacade (The Advisory Council on Alcohol & Drug Education)
Profile photo of Frank Hayden

Frank Hayden

Non-executive director

Frank brings to Bailie Group a wealth of experience, having led the strategic and operational transformation of a number of high-technology businesses, including LAND ROVER, BMW, AIRBUS, BAE SYSTEMS and ROLLS-ROYCE. He played a leading role in the launch of the BMW Mini, Airbus A380, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Rolls-Royce engines for the Boeing 787 & Airbus A350.

He now works as a consultant and non-executive director and has served more than 300 client leadership teams, across a wide range of industries all over the world. Frank was called upon to serve the UK Cabinet Office in 2020, leading the work to accelerate the scale up of Covid-19 rapid test devices. Most frequently, he helps the owners of medium size, high-technology businesses to accelerate their business growth and resilience plans.

Frank’s passion is coaching senior executive teams, to help them plan and implement ambitious business transformation strategies.

Profile photo of Fergus Bailie

Fergus Bailie

Chief Executive Officer

Fergus Bailie has a strong commercial background, which started with a law degree at Durham University, continued with a Chartered Accountancy Qualification achieved during his time with PWC, and with qualifications in Business Management and Strategy from Columbia University and Strategic Agility from Harvard Business School.

Following 5 years at PwC in audit and mergers & acquisitions, Fergus joined CDS in 2007. After a period as a Digital Consultant involved in various technology projects Fergus was appointed to the Board as Commercial Director responsible for finance, commercial contracts, HR, as well as Group responsibility for Newspress’ performance and strategic direction.

Fergus was appointed CDS MD in January 2010 and during his time, the company has experienced profitable growth in all areas of the business and diversified the service offering to existing customers as well as moving into new sectors such as Financial Services and Transport.

Having achieved growth in each year as CDS MD, Fergus took responsibility for all Group activities as Bailie Group CEO in 2017, having restructured the Group to put independent MDs and Operating Boards in place.

Fergus has a passion for entrepreneurial activities and as well as incubating several new services through Bailie Group, Fergus dedicates time to business start-ups as part of his voluntary role as Business Mentor for The Prince’s Trust, helping dozens of young people start their own business since 2010. Fergus is also the Chair of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) for Yorkshire & the Humber, providing leadership for the region's businesses and lobbying Central and Regional Government.

When not at Bailie Group, Fergus enjoys spending time with his wife Kate and 2 daughters Nora and Oona, is a huge Ulster and Ireland rugby fan, suffers through Everton matches and enjoys the occasional round of golf and bike ride!

Profile photo of Kieran Eblett

Kieran Eblett

Chief Financial Officer

Kieran brings over 20 years of experience in the finance industry at several high growth firms, including as Managing Director of a well-known lighting specialist in the retail space, Lights4Fun.

As an ICAEW Fellow Chartered Accountant, Kieran has played central roles within finance including at firms such as PwC, Microgard, and Northern Foods, as well as charitable work with Abriendo Mentes in Costa Rica.

With his first appointment in a finance director role at just 29 years of age, his proven track record of bringing firms to successful sale evidences his breadth of experience, promising profitable growth for Bailie Group.

Investment

We are an ambitious Group seeking to grow and acquire organisations which match our philosophy of ambition and making a positive difference. Currently we are seeking companies operating in the following sectors:

Marketing Agencies

Cyber Security

Artificial Intelligence

Training Providers or Edtech

Creative Agencies

Data Consultancy

SAAS Start Ups

Content Creation Agencies

Would you like to discuss investment opportunities?

Contact Us

Our Story

As a Group we can date our history all the way back to 1862 and have constantly been driven by innovation and future change to transform the Group from a single printing company in Belfast to a global group of communication agencies and consultancies, pushing the boundaries with technology.

The Group changed its name on 29th June 2020 to ‘Bailie Group Ltd’ from ‘The Baird Group Ltd’

Group Vacancies

We are always looking for talented individuals to join the Bailie Group team. Explore our current vacancies listed below and click on the job title for more information or to apply

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Media

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Investing in people and ideas that make a positive difference and properties that inspire

Our Locations

Riverside House, 7 Canal Wharf,
Leeds, LS11 5AS
0113 399 4000

Greystone Press,
Greystone Road, Antrim,
Northern Ireland, BT41 2RS
028 9446 6107

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The Bailie Group is committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business transactions and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our business and supply chain. Read More

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