Milestone Group PLC Milestone Group Plc : Final Results

 
TIDMMSG 
 
   MILESTONE GROUP PLC 
 
   ("Milestone" or the "Company") 
 
   Final Results 
 
   Milestone, the AIM quoted (AIM: MSG) provider of digital media and 
technology solutions, announces its final results for the year ended 30 
September 2015. 
 
   Highlights 
 
 
   -- Research and development work across all product ranges is all but 
      complete and marketing has commenced 
 
   -- Passion Project formally launched at the Cass Business School with 50 
      Founding partners 
 
   -- Fee paying corporate members, sponsors and key ambassadors supporting the 
      Passion Project 
 
   -- Nexstar joint venture established with Black Cactus Holdings Pty Ltd 
      offering multiple revenue opportunities 
 
   -- First contract signed for Nexstar with Procurement International Ltd, 
      post year-end 
 
   -- White-labelled version of the Nexstar Rewards site agreed with Milestone 
      Foundation 
 
   -- Key Personnel recruited for Passion Project and Foundation 
 
   -- Pilot of Passion Project community programmes commenced 
 
   -- Passion Project featured in key industry events 
 
   -- Development of additional modules for both OnSide and OnGuard 
 
   -- Release of Disorder Magazine in both print and digital versions 
 
   -- Winning in the Game of Life ("WITGOL") being rolled out into 100 Schools, 
      post year-end 
 
   -- Expanded the Spirituality for Kids ("SFK") licence with the US 
 
 
   Deborah White, CEO and Interim Chairman, commented: 
 
   "The vision to build a brand synonymous with the generation of 
shareholder value and the creation of social change has been the raison 
d'etre behind the repositioning of Milestone since my joining in March 
2008. Creating both a business model and a product that was a true 
differentiator in the media and technology marketplace was key to 
fulfilling that vision. I am delighted to confirm that, whilst this has 
taken longer than anticipated to materialise, the building blocks are 
now complete and key partners engaged. 
 
   "This has been a year of consolidation, with the Passion Project now 
firmly established as our flagship product and our business model of 
creating shareholder value and social impact realised as a leading 
innovator in the commercial marketplace. This coming year will be 
pivotal for Milestone as we concentrate on revenue generation now that 
the research and development phase has been completed." 
 
   For further information 
 
 
 
 
Milestone Group PLC 
 Deborah White, Chief Executive                      Tel: 020 7929 7826 
 
  Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, Nominated Adviser    Tel: 020 7148 7900 
  Liam Murray / Avi Robinson 
 
  Hybridan LLP, Broker                               Tel: 020 3764 2341 
  Claire Louise Noyce 
 
 
   CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT 
 
   Foreword 
 
   The vision to build a brand synonymous with the generation of 
shareholder value and the creation of social change has been the raison 
d'etre behind the repositioning of Milestone since my joining in March 
2008. Creating both a business model and a product that was a true 
differentiator in the media and technology marketplace was key to 
fulfilling that vision. I am delighted to confirm that, whilst this has 
taken longer than anticipated to materialise, the building blocks are 
now complete and key partners engaged. 
 
   This has been a year of consolidation, with the Passion Project now 
firmly established as our flagship product and our business model of 
creating shareholder value and social impact realised as a leading 
innovator in the commercial marketplace. This coming year will be 
pivotal for Milestone as we concentrate on revenue generation now that 
the research and development phase has been completed. 
 
   There is an ever-growing understanding of the Passion Project, its 
purpose and the commercial opportunities available for products and 
services offered by Milestone in supporting its development and 
delivery. The DNA of the initiative, to help young people become life 
ready as well as work ready, encapsulates the growing realisation and 
public acceptance of the need for a work force with "emotional 
intelligence" as well as work related skills training. 
 
   Requests for the Passion Project's attendance at Industry events is a 
clear demonstration of acceptance and a result of significant groundwork 
that has been carried out behind the scenes over recent years. This is 
perhaps best demonstrated by the granting of Platinum sponsorship status 
to the Passion Project at the Annual Apprenticeship 4 England event at 
the Emirates Stadium, post year-end, on 25/26 February 2016. 
 
   The operational team required to commercialise the initiative is in 
place and is industry proven. The team's knowledge of the marketplace 
has resulted in the Passion Project's inclusion in numerous partner bids 
along with being actively promoted throughout a growing industry 
community. The Passion Project now has over 100 founding partner 
organisations engaged. 
 
   The Government's Employer Ownership of Skills programme coming into 
effect shortly, combined with the forthcoming Apprenticeship Levy in 
April 2017, is helping to realise the market opportunity for the Company 
via the Passion Project initiative and we have already been approached 
by a number of blue chip companies to help them with this new government 
initiative. 
 
   As was demonstrated at the launch of the Milestone Foundation at the 
House of Lords, post year-end, in October 2015, the need for assisting 
our future talent is topical attracting over 300 industry guests and 
also marking the establishment of the 500 Quality Apprenticeship 
programme. 
 
   The significant and untapped commercial opportunities our multi-channel 
services offer via our Joint Venture, Nexstar, is a welcome addition to 
the Company's skill set, further supporting its ethos of audience 
aggregation, activation and amplification, offering a technological 
unique selling point ("USP"). 
 
   It is the Board's belief that the combination of our relationships, 
along with our product set and structure offer the Company an exciting 
commercial opportunity and a clear market advantage. 
 
   Developments 
 
   Passion Project 
 
   The Passion Project has continued to attract attention and has gathered 
momentum throughout the year. 
 
   In December 2014, the Passion Project was formally launched at the Cass 
Business School, with over 200 guests, including the Project's 
ambassadors and over 50 Founding Partners, such as Big Invest, Ambition 
UK, NCVO, Be the Best 21(st) Century Legacy, Each One Teach One and many 
others. 
 
   All Founding Partners share the Company's vision of using the Passion 
Project as a common platform through which to help inspire, educate and 
empower young people whilst helping to tackle youth unemployment. 
 
   The Project's structure is designed to aggregate all parties involved in 
the engagement, education and employment of young people whilst also 
providing a surrounding ecosystem through which to provide both 
commercial and social opportunities. The Passion Project process has 
been designed to ensure that its audience is equipped with the tools and 
skills it needs for life and the world of work, and the employers and 
industry partners are best placed to identify and engage tomorrow's 
talent and manage the increasing need for support driven by new 
Government employment directives. 
 
   In the run up to the launch event, it was announced that Erith 
Contractors and The Rank Group Plc had signed up as the first fee-paying 
corporate members. It has since attracted others including Higgins 
Construction Plc, Hammersons Plc, Mitre Group Plc, HR in Flow, STM 
Security Group UK Ltd, BGP Global Services, Box Pensions, Hill Group, 
Oak Futures, PW Interiors (UK) Ltd, Sonru and others. 
 
   The Passion Project's digital platform is now under development with the 
following key stages: 
 
 
   -- Registration / Profile - allowing individuals and corporates to sign up 
      using a variety of devices from desktop, tablet and mobile. Following 
      sign up, the portal will deliver relevant content to users. 
 
   -- Game Part 1 - A shortened version of the full game, which will use 1-16 
      character traits to indicate which areas of employment are most relevant 
      to the user. The platform will now deliver targeted content and the users 
      will gain rewards for registration and completing this initial stage of 
      the Game. 
 
   -- Activities - This development will allow activities to be displayed 
      within the platform with sign up functionality, online booking and third 
      party payment functionality. 
 
   -- Game Part 2 - The full game, enabling users to match their profile with 
      relevant jobs. 
 
   -- Employment - the ability for employers to post jobs and for users to 
      search and apply for them. 
 
   -- Passport and achievements - this is a tracking and progress monitor which 
      will allow users to pull in information to show they are growing their 
      experiences and connections to enrich their employment profile. 
 
 
   Attracting fee-paying corporate members and sponsorship, including 
GBP130,000 in January 2015, was a key milestone in the product's 
lifecycle, highlighting the early stage commercial viability of the 
offering. Further commercial discussions are underway, including 
membership, data, advertising, sponsorship, events and competitions. 
 
   During the year the initiative has also attracted ambassadors including 
rapper, songwriter, actor and film director, Ben Drew, primarily known 
as Plan B, Rosie Chan, (Composer & Pianist) Akram Khan (Dance), Ali 
Tenant, (Singer/Composer), Amy Bailey (Actress) Jermain Jackman, (Winner 
of the Voice 2014) Wendy Smith (paralympian) and most recently in 
December 2015, Alex Pritchard, Tottenham Hotspur professional 
footballer. These relationships will support the initiative by actively 
raising awareness of it through social media - this campaign is 
scheduled to commence in Spring 2016. 
 
   Education and Training

February 26, 2016 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)

   The Report and Accounts of Milestone Group PLC, including the Notice of 
Annual General Meeting will be posted to shareholders shortly. 
 
   A further announcement will be made by the Company at such time. 
 
   This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on 
behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. 
 
   The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely 
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information 
contained therein. 
 
   Source: Milestone Group PLC via Globenewswire 
 
   HUG#1989613 
 
 
  http://www.milestonegroup.co.uk/

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 26, 2016 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)

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