June 2023 Business Bulletin - Inspirational Leaders

Sir Howard Bernstein exclusive column

The UK’s leading authority on urban regeneration writes for Business Bulletin.

Page 4

Overcoming adversity and handling a crisis

Communication chief diagnosed with dyslexia in her thirties shares her inspiring story.

Page 28

How £16bn will transform the North-east Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce publishes the 6th edition of its Investment Tracker.

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ISA’s state of the art Preschool is a caring, supportive, and stimulating environment that encourages creativity, exploration, and investigation across our curriculum.

From Preschool age upwards, we pride ourselves on ensuring children are free to be themselves, encouraging natural curiosity and a zest for learning.

www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk

An early start to develop a passion for learning

Europe’s energy capital, Aberdeen needs to find renewed energy

Town centres and cities across the UK are being reinvented, with both post-pandemic and pressures to meet net zero targets prompting or accelerating key changes. While different communities will have their own distinctive set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to regeneration, one thing unites them: no city or town centre will achieve its maximum potential without successful leadership. Place leadership has never been more important and is not just desirable for local authority leaders, but essential.

In England, the resurgence of many big cities and towns has had more to do with good place leadership than anything else.

Although Aberdeen has significant advantages, many of them derived from the successful industries it hosts, it also faces challenges. There is a perception that its infrastructure and amenities need some attention, and that it needs to secure a new sense of purpose that shines through in its buildings, streets, and spaces.

Aberdeen’s net zero vision will position it as a climate positive city while helping to lead the world on the rapid shift to a net zero future and support the global energy transition by leveraging its unique assets and capabilities. We know to achieve net zero, it is going to take collaboration from leaders across all countries, sectors, and societies to make it happen. Companies in the energy and industrial sectors are at the forefront of this change and their investment in technology and innovation will be critical.

Companies like Deloitte are ideally placed to take a leading role in connecting the ecosystem of businesses, innovators, regulators, and thought leaders that will make this change possible. We will only achieve a “connected energy future,” if we’re all in it together, armed with a common purpose.

So, reinventing cities in the aftermath of the pandemic to meet changing societal and local priorities, while also boosting local growth, progressing net zero ambitions, and increasing levels of participation in the labour market, require not just strong civic leadership, but a collaborative approach with the fullest range of stakeholders. This applies particularly to the several public service providers who have a direct impact on places and their residents.

Place leadership structures, then, must develop strong and compelling visions about how their long-term success can be supported.

It is from building on this understanding that Manchester, for example, started to integrate a public service reform agenda as part of a comprehensive growth strategy which considered how different neighbourhoods and stakeholders were relevant to successful delivery.

This distinctive approach informed the way in which Manchester City Council was organised: outward facing, and with a focus on growth, communities, and resident engagement.

There is now a wider acceptance of the need to re-think the relationship between local and national

government, which goes to the heart of devolution of powers and resources, extending the toolkit available to place leaders to work collaboratively with key partners to affect change.

But greater autonomy in this space must be earned. Key stakeholders need to be part of the journey and be willing to play a full part in both the vision and delivery, and national government must have the confidence that new powers and resources will be deployed appropriately.

Good place leadership also requires partnership and trust between local authorities and the private sector, engaging national government and influencing policies to boost local growth.

In Aberdeen, and indeed in Scotland, the journey could be longer than in England given the absence of Metro Mayors and how little of devolved arrangements have been transferred to places and communities. However, for places like Aberdeen, which has such a range of assets at its disposal and a growing, diverse economic base, the case for strong place leadership is compelling, and something I hope is a subject of future national debate in the months ahead.

Sir Howard Bernstein, former Chief Executive of Manchester City Council

A note from Russell

Since 2015, the North-east Regional Economic Partnership has been delivering strongly against the Regional Economic Strategy. With representatives from Universities, big business, Opportunity North East, Scottish Enterprise, the Chamber and local authorities among others taking collective stewardship of the big ticket items that already are and will continue to shape our future economy.

However, it would be fair to say that although this region is known to have a strong and active senior management team, it does lack the overall focal point of a single charismatic leader of the type that have driven positive change in other successful parts of the UK in the recent past and currently taking the form of high profile Metro Mayors in some English regions. Following a strong period of delivery is there a risk that we may start to suffer from strategic drift? How do we address this?

It’s also important that all of the participants share and demonstrate the same definition of working in partnership and play their ‘A’ game when collectively bidding for projects and funding.

Everyone is clear that public finances are stretched like never before but it’s vital that this doesn’t lead to lack of vision and ambition. The Chamber believes that it is the role of local government to create the framework and conditions that will act as a catalyst to enable the private sector, investors, companies and entrepreneurs to do their bit. Unchecked, simply repeating that there’s no money will become a damaging, self-fulfilling

Sir Howard Bernstein has been there, done it and got an interesting range of T-shirts! The Chamber and Deloitte are bringing him to Aberdeen on 6th June to enable groups of invited stakeholders to tap into his wisdom.

Good place leadership also requires partnership and trust between local authorities and the private sector, engaging national government and influencing policies to boost local growth.

Our premier partners

As well as helping our member businesses to be better through a range of activities, the Chamber is committed to investing a significant amount of energy in moving forward the economic growth agenda and lobbying for change on key issues to create the conditions for success. Our regional renaissance.

Without the support of our Premier Partners, we would not be able to undertake much of the good work that we do. Their engagement is hugely valued and appreciated.

Welcome to the Chamber

Evolve iMS Limited

Evolve offer a range of digital transformation services including all aspects of Microsoft Power Platform, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Evolve can assist with all the stages of your business transformation from discovery, planning through to execution.

T 01224 545363

W www.evolveims.com

E info@evolveims.com

C Lisa Reid, Operations Director

RAG Engineers Ltd

RAG Engineers Ltd is an autonomous multi-discipline consultancy offering engineering services and project delivery across UK and Asia, with particular emphasis on safety, sustainability, and innovation. Its services include, but are not limited to, civil and structural engineering, piping, process safety, mechanical, E&I, project management, and resource management. RAG Engineers Ltd focus on the quality of deliverables, and with the leadership of over 34 years of experience and a deeply structured resource pool, are committed to delivering superior results that exceed its clients’ expectations.

T 01224 025383

W www.ragengineers.com

E info@ragengineers.com

C Ramesh Kumar, Director

International Society of Automation

The International Society of Automation (ISA) is a non-profit professional association founded in 1945 to create a better world through automation. ISA advances technical competence by connecting the automation community to achieve operational excellence. The organisation develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its members and customers around the world.

T +18439927119

W www.isa.org

E mfoor@isa.org

C Morgan Foor, Director of Communications and Events

Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts

Aberdeen’s largest Performing Arts school with classes in all styles of dance, singing, acting and musical theatre. Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts is the Northeast of Scotland’s only acrobatic gymnastics club and specialists in pre-school performing arts and gymnastics classes.

T 07753 766113

W www.academyperformingarts.co.uk

E Rachel@aapa.dance

C Rachel Mearns, Principal and Head Coach

MCR Pathways

MCR Pathways is a national, award-winning mentoring programme. The company’s vision is for all young people who are care-experienced, experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage, to have equality of educational outcomes, career choices and life chances with their peers nationally. It achieves this through 1:1 relationship-based mentoring.

T 07483 950803

W www.mcrpathways.org

E mhairi.middleton@mcrpathways.org

C Mhairi Middleton, Partnerships and Mentor Recruitment Manager

Digitising Reality

Digitising Reality utilise the latest drone and associated technology to create highly sophisticated Digital Twins and Accurate 3D models to reduce costs and time, and assist in planning maintenance and ensuring optimal operational output. Its data is key to supporting health and safety and reducing carbon emissions.

T 01224 007681

W www.digitisingreality.com

E hello@digitisingreality.com

C Damian Bates, Chairman

Urbane Media

Urbane Media is an Aberdeen-based video production company dedicated to creating refined video content that reaches the heart of our clients’ stories. Its goal is to produce engaging video content that targets the right audience and delivers results.

T 01224 047062

W www.urbanemedia.co.uk

E info@urbanemedia.co.uk

C Kevin Stride, Creative Director

Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale is a membership warehouse club, dedicated to bringing its members quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. Categories include groceries, appliances, tyres, toys, jewellery, books, furniture and office supplies all under one roof.

T 01224 745560

W www.costco.co.uk

E gklovane@gmail.com

C Gita Klovane, Marketing Manager

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VSA announce ‘Charity of the Year’ corporate partnership with Acteon

VSA, the social care charity supporting the people of Aberdeen and North-east Scotland, has announced a new corporate partnership with Acteon Group Ltd, a marine energy and infrastructure services company.

Greig Slatter, Corporate Business Development Manager for VSA, says: “Vulnerable children and adults, now more than ever, urgently need help and support. Corporate organisations have the power to make life better for children and adults who are living in poverty; living with a mental health diagnosis; living with learning disabilities or living in loneliness and isolation. Our corporate partnerships are an integral part of the support network of VSA. Together, we have the power to drive forward social change and make a real difference in people’s lives. We are delighted to welcome new charity partner Acteon and look forward to developing a meaningful relationship to create a shared vision that is aligned with their company’s ESG goals.”

Greig continues: “There are many ways in which we work in partnership with our corporate partners, from making philanthropic donations to help drive social change, to creating corporate volunteering programmes and our ‘Charity of the Year’ partnerships. The most important goal we set together is one which maximises an organisation’s impact on making a difference in vulnerable children’s and adults’ lives.”

Andy Norman, Head of Marketing Communications at Acteon, says: “Our core values at Acteon align with VSA and their ongoing mission in supporting the people of the northeast of Scotland. We actively listen to and build partnerships with our customers so we can help solve their challenges and enable their ambitions, and we wanted to do the same for the third sector. We value people, take responsibility and champion succeeding together, so the focused corporate partnership fitted with everything we stand for as a team and organisation. Acteon House, Westhill, is proud to be supporting VSA over the next year and looks forward to getting behind everything we can, from events to volunteering programmes to make life better for vulnerable children and adults.”

RGU innovators win big after pitch perfect displays wows judges

Six new Aberdeen businesses have been awarded a share of £30,000 of equity-free funding at the latest Robert Gordon University Startup Accelerator Showcase.

Now in its fifth year, the entrepreneurial programme has supported over 120 businesses across the region that have gone on to create employment and contribute significant economic and social impact in the North-east and beyond.

The heavily anticipated Showcase event offered the final 16 entrepreneurial teams an opportunity to exhibit their venture before eight selected finalists took to the stage to pitch in front of three judges, an engaged audience, and hundreds more via live stream.

Success stories on the night included Codelion, winner of the Innovation Impact Award, and Members Guest, who claimed the Community Impact Award. Both early-stage businesses won £8,000 of equity-free prize money for their startup enterprise.

Packed Up donates lifesaving defibrillator to New Machar Primary School

In a commendable display of community support and commitment to safety, local packaging company, Packed Up, has donated a defibrillator to New Machar Primary School.

This invaluable contribution will enhance the safety measures at the school and provide peace of mind to students, staff, and parents alike. The idea for the donation came from the company’s Director, who read an article about a campaign to get defibrillators in schools. Realising the importance of having such a device on the school grounds, Packed Up decided to donate one.

Packed Up Director, Sam Wright, expressed her enthusiasm about the donation, stating, “We believe in investing in our community. Donating a defibrillator to New Machar Primary School is a small step towards a safer future.”

Inspirational Sir Jim still leading from the front at 82

The line-up of prominent business figures in Aberdeen is always changing.

The international nature of many energy-sector firms operating in the North-east means that top bosses are constantly moving on to new postings elsewhere.

But there have been some exceptions to this revolving door for industry leaders in Europe’s oil capital.

One successful local entrepreneur who is now 82 has been a prominent member of the business community in the Granite City for many decades.

Sir Jim Milne, Chairman and Managing Director of Balmoral Group, is still loving his work and has no plans whatsoever to slow down.

He saw at first hand the birth and massive growth of the North Sea oil and gas sector from the 1970s onwards – and the huge opportunities it was creating in the Aberdeen area.

The ever-changing fortunes of the offshore industry since then have brought frequent financial highs and lows to the city and its inhabitants, but the entrepreneur has always managed to rebound from any setbacks.

He said: “You can draw your own conclusions from this. You might think I’m either a

genius, completely mad or perhaps, more realistically, somewhere in the middle.”

The businessman, who left school at 14 with no qualifications, believes that the way to get on in life is to take calculated risks, make mistakes and learn from them - and he admits to making quite a few in his time.

Sir Jim is often quoted as saying that he hasn’t come a long way in life. His company’s HQ is located less than a mile from where he was born and brought up on the family farm, just outside Aberdeen.

It was back in 1980 when he set up Balmoral with just five employees designing and manufacturing glassreinforced plastic products.

Today, it employs around 600 people providing design and manufacturing solutions to the global subsea, renewable energy, civil and environmental engineering sectors.

From his early years, the entrepreneur always had a vision that one day he would be his own boss.

“From when I was probably just eight or nine, I knew that I wanted to do something on my own.

“I wasn’t sure what that would be, but I definitely knew that I would control my own destiny.

“While at school, I was growing lettuce and mushrooms to sell, and also buying, renovating and selling cars.”

So, did he have a business mentor?

Sir James S Milne CBE, DL, Hon DBA, Hon FRIAS, Chairman of the board, Balmoral

Sir Jim said: “I don’t think mentoring was a thing back in my formative years.

“However, Jimmy Morrison - my boss while I was serving my engineering apprenticeship at Barclay Ross Hutchison - was a great motivator in his own way.

“I also believe in lifelong learning, and have met many inspirational individuals over the yearsincluding global business leaders, presidents of the US and UK Prime Ministers.”

The businessman has always had a very strong work ethic - and has encouraged others to think the same way.

He added: “Tenacity, positivity and determination have seen me, and my company, through good and bad times alike.

“I also think it’s important to have a sense of humour - a bit of levity can help raise the spirit even in the toughest of times. It’s good for the heart, soul and mind.”

He is also a great believer in teamwork and positive thinking.

“We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but when we pull together, heading in the same direction, that’s what brings results.

“If you have good people, then look after them. I can certainly say we have an abundance of good people at Balmoral that have supported me and the company exceptionally well.”

Sir Jim has some advice for any aspiring entrepreneur wanting to succeed in business.

He said: “Know your market better than your competitors; know your competitors better than they know themselves; never stop researching your market and opportunities for diversifying; develop long-standing relationships with your customers, don’t just go for the single sale; learn from your mistakes and build a strong team around you.”

So what kept driving the entrepreneur on when the oil and gas sector hit low spots?

“My faith, most importantly, as well as sheer tenacity and a belief in my own ability to turn things around. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to work hard to find it.”

Though he is now in his 80s, the businessman still has more drive and enthusiasm than many people half his age. He has no plans to take the foot off the pedal – quite the opposite actually, as he seeks opportunities to grow Balmoral further.

The entrepreneur said: “The group is doing well across our offshore energy and tanks businesses. We have invested heavily in research and development for both operations and now have a major presence in the offshore renewables market as well as significantly growing our export revenues for Balmoral Tanks.

“Balmoral is a very strong, independent organisation. With a solid financial base, we are constantly seeking opportunities and have brought a number of new products to market for the renewables sector while our oil and gas offering remains robust and successful.

“85% of what we produce in the UK is exported. You will find Balmoral

products on every continent in the world.

“Quality products supported by a problem-solving approach and a commitment to world-class service is a powerful and profitable mix.”

Sir Jim has received many honours over the years, and he was knighted last year for services to business and charity.

He is joint Founder and Chairman of Friends of ANCHOR, a charity established in 1997 that supports Aberdeen’s cancer and haematology care unit, as well as financing many ground-breaking research programmes.

“I am very proud of the charitable work that I have been fortunate enough to be involved in around the world,” added the businessman.

The entrepreneur has never forgotten the agony of losing his first wife, Jill, to cancer when his daughters were aged just eight and three.

As he walked into the oncology ward in Aberdeen, he saw so many people of all ages struggling with various forms of cancer.

It lit a flame in him, which led to Balmoral becoming the key sponsor of Friends of ANCHOR.

Sir Jim said: “Friends of ANCHOR continues to go from strength to strength. With the opening of the new ANCHOR unit scheduled for later this year, our fundraising target of £2million has now been reached. This is over and above our normal operations which support wellbeing initiatives, medical equipment, research and clinical excellence.

“The recent Courage on the Catwalk and Brave events at the Beach Ballroom raised a record-breaking sum of over £300,000 thanks to our fantastic fundraising team, volunteers and the phenomenal generosity of our sponsors and supporters.”

Away from the office, Sir Jim loves spending time with his family and grandchildren and also has an active interest in gardening and the outdoor life.

You can draw your own conclusions from this. You might think I’m either a genius, completely mad or perhaps, more realistically, somewhere in the middle.

Sovereign Grooming launch exclusive new product range

A top Scottish barber with salons in Aberdeen and Edinburgh is launching its own range of products for men.

Sovereign Grooming - which was recently named Scotland’s Best Barbershop - has created an exclusive range of five new products designed to give customers a five-star grooming experience at home.

Kyle Ross, Co-founder of Sovereign Grooming and winner of Best Barber UK, said the range was the natural next step for the business, which delivers over 15,000 haircuts per year from its shops on Union Street in the Granite City and New Waverley in the capital.

“Creating a unique and tailored grooming experience is not just about cutting hair, it’s about understanding individual style and empowering confidence,” he said.

“With Sovereign Grooming’s new range of products, we aim to elevate the daily grooming routine and provide our clients with the five-star Sovereign Grooming experience at home.

“Our new range includes everything you need to achieve a perfectly-groomed look, from a Sea Salt Spray and clay, to pastes and matte hairspray.

“Each product has been carefully selected by our expert barbers using the finest ingredients, and are paraben-free and cruelty-free, so you can enjoy a great hairstyle without harming the environment.”

The product range can be purchased online at sovereign-store.com.

Official opening of the Njord field – ready for 20 more years

The Njord field in the Norwegian Sea has officially been opened by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy in Norway, Terje Aasland. The platform and the floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) have undergone extensive upgrades and are now ready for doubling the field life – and more than doubling production.

The Njord field started production in 1997 and was originally supposed to produce until 2013. However, systematic work with increased recovery means that there are still large volumes of oil and gas left. New discoveries in the area can also be produced and exported via Njord.

In 2016, the platform and FSO were disconnected from the field and towed to shore for extensive upgrades. On December 27, 2022, production resumed from the Njord field.

“This is the first time a platform and an FSO have been disconnected from the field, upgraded and towed back offshore. We have now doubled the field life,” says Grete B. Haaland, Equinor’s Senior Vice President for Exploration and Production North.

“It has been a big and demanding job, partly carried out during a pandemic, and I would like to thank everyone involved in preparing Njord for continuing its supply of oil and gas to the market. With the prices we anticipate in the coming years this comprehensive upgrading project will be repaid in in just under two years after startup.”

Cala submits planning application for proposed Banchory development

Cala Homes (North) has submitted a planning application to Aberdeenshire Council for proposed new homes in Banchory.

The site, located just off Raemoir Road at Upper Lochton in the town, would comprise of 78 properties with 25 percent of the proposed homes affordable properties in line with planning requirements.

The housebuilder held a community consultation event in November last year to provide the local community with the opportunity to see plans and share feedback.

The proposed development would see a mix of two, three, four and five-bed detached homes built, appealing to couples and families keen to enjoy the high quality-of-life Banchory has to offer, with stunning scenery and a strong community spirit, whilst also being close to Aberdeen and the many amenities that the city provides.

bp Coast 2 Coast charity cycle raises more than £2million

Cyclists who have taken part in bp’s Coast 2 Coast cycle across Scotland have raised more than £2million for local charities through their annual fundraising efforts.

A total of 35 local charities of all sizes in the North-east have been helped to deliver vital services within the community.

The Coast 2 Coast committee anticipates raising £120,000 which will be shared evenly between the four nominated charities - Ythan Valley Rotary/Rotary Club Kharkiv International in Ukraine, as well as Northsound Cash for Kids, ACIS Youth and The Archie Foundation Baird Family Hospital Appeal.

Appetite for Business named one of Britain’s best places to work

The team at Appetite for Business is celebrating after being named in the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023 list alongside household names such as David Lloyd Leisure, FatFace and Pizza Express.

The annual Top 100 identifies UK organisations with the highest employee engagement and wellbeing levels, which in turn helps retain and recruit employees. The award is based upon the organiser’s trust index employee survey and culture audit.

In addition to being featured in the rankings, Appetite was also highly commended in the Best Places to Work for Women category.

Located in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, Appetite is a people-focused technology consultancy that specialises in Microsoft 365 and associated applications to support organisations achieve significant cost savings and process improvements through better understanding of how employees engage and interact with technology.

Neptune Energy awarded industry-leading ESG rating

Neptune Energy has announced it has received its best environmental, social and governance rating to date from Sustainalytics, putting it in the top 3% of all global oil and gas companies rated by the organisation.

Neptune’s industry-leading rating of 21.4 was awarded in recognition of its enhanced disclosure and performance across a range of areas including greenhouse gas risk management, equality, diversity and inclusion and community involvement.

Local hero named Cost of Living Champion

Working as a special needs teacher, Danielle Flecher-Horn witnessed children coming to class without adequate clothing, and so after much discussion with her motherMichelle Herd, Danielle set up an operation in her garage to collect and distribute nappies and formula milk to babies across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Before a year was out, the CV19 pandemic had arrived, resulting in job losses, and reduced furlough payments, causing great financial hardship, leading to more and more families living in poverty.

Three years later, AberNecessities operates out of a large headquarters in Dyce, and distributes individually collated packages to families five days a week. A proudly female-led organisation, AberNecessities has a team of 12 employed staff, alongside a group of enthusiastic volunteers, who everyday sort donations and lovingly curate packages for families who cannot afford to provide basic essentials for their children.

A mother-of-four, Danielle is proud of the part AberNecessities plays in helping local families. Currently at least one in five children in Aberdeen are classed as living in poverty. AberNecessities has expanded from providing formula milk and nappies to clothing, footwear, baby equipment, beds, toiletries and non-perishable food for young people up to the age of 18.

This March, Danielle was named a ‘cost of living champion’ by Save the Children UK, with her efforts, and those of her team, expecting to support over 10,000 local children this year.

Danielle’s mother Michelle, who is Co-founder and Operational Director for AberNecessities, commented: “Dani has always been driven to help other people. Her initial idea to help children at school, as well as new mothers by providing nappies and formula milk, came at the right time. The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis has left so many in need. Dani has put together a fantastic team with some impressive people, who are all committed to helping less fortunate people in our community. Dani’s enthusiasm and desire to help is infectious – and despite having four young children of her own, she is always keen to move the organisation forward. We have some exciting new projects in the pipeline which we know will help large numbers of families. She is a truly inspirational leader – and we are very proud of her.”

Danielle Flecher-Horn

What makes an inspirational leader?

From Presidents to Prime Ministers, monarchs to megalomaniacs… I’ve met quite a few in my time. But what makes one leader glorious and inspiring, while another mediocre or disastrous? It’s difficult to pinpoint one thing, but we’ve all worked for leaders you love to engage with and others that are narcissistic frauds you can’t bear to be in the same room with. For me, there’s an aura about a great leader that feels innate somehow - an ease in the position as they set the standards the rest follow. They inspire confidence in yourself and give you the freedom and flexibility to do the job you’re paid to do. In my opinion, great leaders don’t preach, or pontificate, they set a cogent and enthralling strategy, and step aside to allow their fired-up team to get on with it (while being approachable to support, facilitate, and guide). Much of a strong leader’s energy is focused on the future; what lies ahead - how do we improve, what opportunities can we engage with? But they are also there – often – to give people the confidence to tackle their challenges in a way that suits their skills. Sometimes you don’t know you’re in the presence of greatness until the bomb drops. Early in my journalistic management career I made an almighty cock-up when a sailing ship went missing at sea. I named the wrong one. My boss stood by me as he took the heat. He was calm, supportive, and assured - and gave me the chance to prove my worth providing I learnt from it. For that, Geoff, I shall always be in your debt. But none have ever been the complete package – I would love to see, in an ideal world, all leaders get six months to step away, inhabit another sector and then return to the fray with new skills and understanding of a different world to add to their portfolio of attributes. But life’s not like that - most leaders just have to try their best and project an air of confidence, even if they are faking it like the rest of us.

Damian Bates, Co-founder and Director, Digitising Reality

What makes an inspirational leader? Honestly? Well, I would never claim to be one. Rather, it is something to aspire to. For me, the journey in leadership starts with understanding that not everyone will share your passion and vision for the business. It is essential to accept that your team members have their own individual goals, strengths, and limitations. Communication is key. Listening to your team members’ concerns, ideas, and feedback and using this to improve the business. I also try to communicate my vision in a way that inspires the team to work towards a common goal, using positive language to motivate them to perform at their best, while maintaining a positive and supportive work environment. I try to lead by example and inspire our team to achieve their goals by being passionate, authentic, brave and empathetic. Every day, I aspire to be someone who helps my team unlock their motivation and drive for the job they do and turn it into feeling like a hobby instead of an obligation or chore. Being able to provide your team with opportunities for growth and development is something I have taken inspiration from others and implemented into my own leadership style. It creates a supportive work environment that fosters learning, innovation and creativity. I understand that my team members are the key to growth and success, and I know the business would not be where it is now without them. Tough love is sometimes needed to get someone to where they should be. Do not be a pushover. Sugar-coating something is not going to help your team learn their strengths and weaknesses. I try to lead our team by being my own humble self, leading with authenticity, and always learning and growing, embracing the fails, and celebrating the wins.

Kenny Robertson, Managing Director, KR Group

Finnies the Jeweller invests seven-figure sum in Aberdeen City Centre

One of North-east’s leading independent family businesses is to invest a seven-figure sum expanding its presence Aberdeen city centre.

Finnies the Jeweller has doubled the size of its flagship George Street showroom after acquiring neighbouring premises.

And further development is to follow as the firm enters its seventh decade of trading from the same location.

The investment comes amid new hope around the future of Aberdeen city centre, with the Bon Accord Centre under new ownership, the former John Lewis building under offer and a huge community-led effort to regenerate Union Street underway.

Finnies was founded in Aberdeen in 1957 Ron and Peggy Finnie, and from humble beginnings as a watch repair business on St Nicholas Street, the family grew the business into one of the city’s best-loved brands.

Finnies is now owned by second generation, Sarah Dawson and her brother Matthew Finnie, who run the store alongside four other members of the family spanning three generations - Stewart Dawson, Declan Dawson, Dominique Dawson & Dominique’s husband, William Blake.

Matthew and Sarah said investing in George street was now “second nature” to the family.

“Within Finnies the ground floor has nearly doubled in size, with a beautiful new extension sitting alongside the existing showroom,” they said.

“The enlarged space successfully blends past and present, providing a bold statement of intent and the demonstrating confidence and commitment to both George Street and the wider Aberdeen area.”

The store is renowned for its expertly-curated jewellery collections, which are a combination of Finnies’ own designs alongside an edit of highly-desirable branded jewellery, across a broad spectrum of price points.

It also showcases some of the world’s finest watch brands, including many limited-edition timepieces.

Matthew and Sarah said balancing the shop’s rich heritage with its future ambition was a challenge, but that the family are proud of their expanded city footprint.

They added: “For any retail business, well into its seventh decade of trading from the same location, the prospect of development can often bring equal parts excitement and trepidation.

“Balancing the need to evolve whilst retaining the identity that has brought you to this point is crucial, and when the business in question is also family-owned, with multiple generations working side-by-side, the challenge of delivering something that everyone can be equally proud of should not be underestimated.

“However, we are delighted with the results and look forward to welcoming customers, old and new, through in the months and years ahead.”

Maggie’s Culture Crawl to hit the streets for its sixth year

The sixth annual Maggie’s Culture Crawl is set to hit Aberdeen’s streets on Friday, June 16, when hundreds of fundraisers will walk eight miles to raise money for those living with cancer.

The event will take place in the city centre with fundraisers set to stop at some of the city’s iconic venues enjoying refreshments, live entertainment and surprises throughout the crawl.

Maggie’s Aberdeen Fundraising Manager, Richard Stewart, commented: “I am overjoyed to be able to hold our annual Culture Crawl again in Aberdeen city centre. I look forward to this event more and more each year. It allows us to stay active, walk with friends and family, explore local venues, and raise as much money as possible for those living with cancer.

“The event allows for local businesses and communities to come together to rally behind the walkers, allowing us to celebrate our city’s culture at each stage of the walk. The valued contribution of Aberdeen businesses helps make the event more impactful year after year.

“I would like to extend my thanks to our amazing staff at Maggie’s and our valued fundraisers for allowing the culture crawl to continue for another year through their continued support. I cannot wait to see our fundraisers hit the streets and begin raising money for those who need it most.”

A fantastic £58,000 was raised from last year’s walk, and the team at Maggie’s is hoping to keep the positive momentum going again this year.

XIC brings the North-east’s largest health and safety expo to P&J Live

Creative printer and experts in durable printed safety products, XIC, is bringing the North-east’s only dedicated QHSE event, The Safety Expo, to P&J Live on Thursday, September 21.

Open to everyone, but particularly suited to QHSE and procurement professionals, the expo is free to attend and aims to highlight local businesses’ immense talent for health and safety products and services.

Showcasing training providers, workwear and PPE suppliers, equipment demonstrations and safety literature specialists all under one roof, the event provides the ideal opportunity for attendees to network with exhibitors and discover innovative solutions that align with their operations.

A number of local businesses have already signed up to exhibit at the event, including this year’s gold sponsors, Aquaterra, Clyde Training, Drager, Omniscient Safety Innovations (OSI), P3 Business Care, Red Wing, STC INSISO, Step Change in Safety, Total Safety, Synergy and Steven J Innes.

Bringing the latest in QHSE equipment, attendees will be able to witness in-person demonstrations from a variety of organisations including AquaTerra, Drager, Forest Training and Total Safety.

Jason Moir, Director at XIC and organiser of The Safety Expo said: “The North-east has incredible organisations on our doorstep which are paving the way for QHSE advancements on a global scale.

“The forward-thinking approach to this sector needs to be celebrated, and following smaller scale expo’s in the past, we’ve witnessed first-hand the demand for this type of event.

“The 2023 Safety Expo is back and bigger than ever before and our primary aim is to not only help unlock the potential of these businesses but enhance QHSE operations across the region as a whole.”

To find out more visit www.thesafetyexpo.uk

Jason Moir and Murray Alexander

HR Hub Plus celebrates five years of business success

HR Hub Plus Limited celebrates its 5th anniversary as a leading provider of HR services in the UK.

Under the leadership of its Director, Edward Obi, HR Hub Plus Limited has become a reputable organisation, providing a wide range of HR services to businesses across the UK.

“We started with a vision and a passion for providing outstanding HR services to our clients, It’s been an amazing experience to see our company grow from its humble beginnings into the reputable organization it is today.” said Edward Obi.

Central to HR Hub Plus Limited’s success is the 200+ clients who have placed their trust in the company’s services. From small businesses to large enterprises, HR Hub Plus Limited has been honoured to serve as a trusted HR partner, providing comprehensive solutions and exceptional support to help clients achieve their HR objectives.

“I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to our clients for their unwavering support,” continued Edward Obi. “Your trust and confidence in our services have been instrumental in our growth and success, and we are committed to continuing to deliver excellence in all we do.”

OEG Offshore continues growth with Pelagian acquisition

OEG Offshore (OEG) has announced the acquisition of Pelagian Ltd (Pelagian), a leading provider of consultancy, engineering and installation management services to the submarine cable and offshore renewable energy industries.

Pelagian Ltd is an established UK-based company with over 20 years of experience in the subsea cable industry. Their worldwide expertise in the provision of subsea cable construction services makes them a valuable asset for OEG Offshore.

With this acquisition, OEG will be better equipped to support the cable sector across different end markets including telecommunications and interconnectors as well as offshore wind.

Commenting on the acquisition, OEG Offshore CEO, John Heiton, said: “We are excited to welcome another expert business to the OEG family. Their experience in the subsea cable industry will be invaluable to us as we continue to expand our services in the offshore renewables sector.

“This acquisition is a strategic move for us, and we look forward to working with Pelagian to provide our clients with innovative and reliable subsea cable solutions.”

Karen Arthur is an multi award winning Executive Coach and Trainer. At KA Coaching & Training we work with ambitious driven leaders and teams, to deliver high performers and business results.

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John Brebner, Chief Executive Officer, Charlie House

When was your business established?

Charlie House was founded in 2011 by Aberdeen-based mum, Tracy Johnstone, who is determined to help local families, like hers, who do not have access to the support they require when they need it most.

What does your business do?

Charlie House supports children in North-east Scotland who have lifelimiting or life-threatening conditions to live life to the full and make memories for the whole family to treasure.

Our vision has always been to build a specialist care facility for local families, so they don’t have to travel 100+ miles to get the support they deserve.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We work in partnership with individuals and businesses big and small, in varying industries, tailoring their donor options to meet their business needs so we can provide vital funds to maintain the work we do at Charlie House.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

It’ll be no surprise that the continuous need for funding and the cost-of-living

What does your business do?

crisis is a threat to our work. We rely on the generosity of donors, but when they themselves are struggling to make ends meet, donating to charity may not be high on their agenda.

And the biggest opportunity?

Our greatest opportunity is adding to the community in Aberdeen and the North-east. Not only are we creating a place for 1,800 families to go to receive the support they require, but we will be creating jobs and using local contractors to build the facility. It’s a huge community effort.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

Providing accessible support and activities for families at no expense to them, while working hard towards our goal of building our specialist centre, is paramount to us. We offer experiences to families that many never thought possible, like paddleboarding, giving them much needed respite and opportunities to meet other families like their own.

Brian Ritchie, Managing Director, Denholm Environmental

When was your business established?

Denholm Environmental is part of Denholm Energy (formerly Denholm Oilfield Services) which can trace its corporate ancestry back almost 150 years.

Operating from strategically located bases in the Central Belt, Highlands, Aberdeenshire and North of England we are a leading one-stop provider of asset cleaning and decontamination solutions to the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation and utilities industries. Denholm Environmental works closely with domestic and international customers to provide bespoke, uncompromising solutions which give the option to combine services whilst considering key issues such as cost and schedule delivery.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We work with clients, from private domestic jobs to large multinationals, across a range of sectors including oil and gas, utilities, petrochemical, brewing and distilling, waste energy, power generation, and paper manufacturing. With bases in Invergordon, Inverurie, Grangemouth and Carlisle our footprint extends from the Highlands of Scotland to the Northwest of England, and we have one of

the largest privately owned offshore equipment fleets in western Europe. The kit also includes a large, state-ofthe-art fleet of modern tankers, and it’s still growing thanks to continuous investment.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

In a word, costs. There is a lot to consider and we, like so many other businesses, are getting hit from all angles just now including fuel costs, energy costs and labour costs. We are currently working hard to remain competitive and retain our high quality of service levels against rising costs.

And the biggest opportunity?

There is a huge opportunity for us to continue to build our brand based on pillars of trust, quality of service and reputation. Our ethos remains firmly committed to the importance of internal and external relationships, trust and ethics and the value of that is evident in the good levels of repeat work we win.

Paul Davidson, Account Manager, Dräger Marine and Offshore, Draeger Safety UK

When was your business established?

Founded in Lübeck in 1889, Dräger has grown into a worldwide, listed enterprise and is in its fifth generation as a family-run business.

What does your business do?

Dräger manufactures medical and

safety technology products, and operates in multiple industries, including marine and offshore. We protect, support, and save the lives of people working in hospitals, with fire departments, emergency services, authorities, and in mining as well as the offshore industry.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

As a subsidiary of Dräger, at Dräger Marine & Offshore we co-ordinate with all stakeholders involved in marine and offshore activity within the UK Continental Shelf both onshore and offshore, from Tier 1 operators to third party sub-contractors and everything in between.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

External factors always play a part in the marine and offshore industry, and every company in the gas detection marketplace has encountered global supply chain issues due to shortages of microchips. However, Dräger Marine & Offshore in Aberdeen have managed to

What does your business do?

Commercial and personal insurance broking.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

Mathew Johnston, H & R Insurance Services, Commercial Account Executive

When was your business established?

The business was established in 1972 – the company recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is the last locally established independent insurance broker based in the area. I joined in November 2022 and have 15 years’ of insurance industry experience.

We can cover any type of business operating in the oil and gas, IT, hauliers, motor traders, sports and leisure, hospitality and retail sectors. As well as cleaning companies, construction contractors, general tradesman, property owners (commercial and personal), property factors, manufacturing companies, pharmaceuticals, and professional services such as accountants, architects, estate agents and solicitors. Plus, personal household and private motor.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

The rising cost of overheads in the current climate and increased regulatory requirements imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority. Also, trying to get clients to understand the

combat this for the most part through collaboration, a strong hire fleet and proactive measures to ensure there is no additional downtime to our client base.

And the biggest opportunity?

New markets such as decommissioning and clean energy. In Aberdeen, we have played a significant part in keeping individuals safe from hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on well abandonment campaigns for key North Sea operators. We also support operators and vessels within the offshore wind marketplace as well as developing key opportunities within areas such as carbon capture and hydrogen.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

The teamwork – we truly are “One Dräger” and we all constantly try to pull in the same direction to achieve our goals, I’ve never experienced it to such a degree in any other workplace.

impact rising inflation has on the rebuild cost of buildings, which inadvertently leaves clients underinsured in the event of a claim.

And the biggest opportunity?

As an independent insurance broker, we have the flexibility of a large panel of insurers to offer to our clients. We offer face-to-face reviews and take this time to fully understand our clients’ business. We conduct a full review of your insurance programme to ensure that the correct covers are in place, with a view to making savings where possible.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

Providing a personal customer service experience for all our clients and helping solve insurance related challenges.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he will head to Aberdeen to engage with the oil and gas sector as he draws up the party’s energy policy.

The Leader of the Opposition has accepted an invitation from Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce to visit the North-east to hear directly from the people and companies impacted by the energy transition.

Addressing business leaders at the British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London, he said the mistakes made in coal-mining communities in the 1980s “must never be repeated” as the energy transition gathers pace.

Sir Keir has led the charge for an even-tougher windfall tax on oil and gas companies, and has indicated that a Labour government would be against new hydrocarbon developments in the North Sea.

He accepted that this has made workers in the Northeast “anxious”, but has vowed to travel north to hear their concerns first hand.

“As we transition, it needs to be a fair and just transition that takes communities with us,” he said.

‘People are anxious’

“Many people in well-paid and secure jobs in oil and gas are anxious about what happens when we transition.

“I think this can be handled well. If you look at offshore and floating wind turbines, we have more skills in these areas than any other country. And many of these are located in the regions where we need to see the transition happen.

“The worst thing we could do is not engage with these communities and have a plan, or to do what happened at the end of coal mining and simply saying to people, we’re moving on.

“The effects of the post-mining decline are still felt across many communities today, and we must never ever make that mistake again.”

In a speech to the conference, Sir Keir stepped up his efforts to woo businesses ahead of the general election, saying he wanted “robust private-sector growth” and a partnership with industry.

The Labour leader also said he wanted to see the price of houses come down, relative to incomes, as he accused the Tories of killing off the dream of home ownership.

Labour leader makes Aberdeen promise as he draws up energy plans

mistakes made in coal-mining communities in the 1980s must never be repeated

Amid the late-night deals, plotting and back-stabbing, what is life like in the corridors of power at Westminster?

Join us for this exclusive Business Breakfast on July 5 where we will explore how power works in the UK with one of parliament’s most notorious figures (and voices), John Bercow.

During a decade as Speaker of the House, Mr Bercow became a household name thanks to his colourful screams of ‘orduuuurrrrrrr’.

He is now heading to Aberdeen to share his experiences – good and bad – from 25 years at the sharp-end of British politics.

About John Bercow

John Bercow was successfully elected as Speaker of the House of Commons in 2009 and was re-elected unopposed at the commencements of the Parliaments in 2010, 2015 and 2017.

This made him the first Speaker since the Second World War to have been elected four times, as well as the first since then to have served alongside four Prime Ministers.

He also served as Member of Parliament for Buckingham in England between 1997 and 2019, when he left politics.

Date: July 5, 2023

Time: 7am-9am Place: The Chester Hotel

Tickets on sale at www.agcc.co.uk/events

Dandara launches national partnership to tackle mental health crisis in construction

Independent housebuilder Dandara, which has developments in the East of Scotland and Aberdeen, has officially launched its first national partnership with Lighthouse Club, a charity which provides mental health and wellbeing support to people working in the construction industry.

Lighthouse Club provides a range of support services for all construction workers, including subcontractors, agency workers and people in allied trades. It operates a confidential helpline and has over 350 volunteer drop-in centres that provide a safe, supportive environment for people to talk about the problems they face or have faced.

It also offers a 24/7 text-back counselling service, a support app with information about medical conditions and coping strategies, and masterclasses to help people deal with a range of issues including stress, bullying and financial management, as well as alcohol and drug problems.

Bill Hill, CEO of Lighthouse Club, said: “We are excited to welcome Dandara as one of our company supporters. We receive no public funding, so it is only through the generosity of people in the industry that we can provide much-needed support to people working in construction and their families.”

Port of Aberdeen’s 2022 results pave the way for future growth

Port of Aberdeen has announced its return to prepandemic levels of activity in 2022, a full year ahead of forecast.

The port increased its turnover by 17% to £39.2million as vessel arrival numbers surpassed 6,800, up 12% on the previous year, and more than 27.7million tonnes of vessels and goods moved through the port. An operating profit of £21.3million was earned, representing a 22% increase compared to 2021.

The Northern Isles ferry service continued its recovery with 163,000 passengers travelling through Aberdeen representing a 47% increase compared to 2021.

These increased activities have positively impacted the local economy, creating jobs, attracting local supply chain spend and investment. As a Trust port, the profits are reinvested to enhance facilities for future generations.

As construction at the transformative Aberdeen South Harbour expansion nears completion in the coming weeks, the port is poised to capitalise on future growth, supporting the oil and gas, renewables, decommissioning, general cargo, and cruise sectors.

Repsol Sinopec rolls out OPEX’s AI software

Following the successful pilot of emissions.AI, Repsol Sinopec is extending the use of OPEX software to several of its UKCS operated assets in alignment with its Emission Management Plans.

The extended rollout will see the technology adopted across four installations as part of the company’s commitment to emissions reduction and net zero.

Repsol Sinopec initially deployed OPEX’s emissions.AI on its Piper Bravo asset for a trial period of three months to evaluate and demonstrate how the technology can identify sources of operational emissions and provide tangible reduction opportunities.

Legasea launch circular economy apprenticeships

Legasea has announced the launch of its apprenticeship programme. The programme will offer two positions for Circular Economy Engineering Apprentices and one position for a Business Administration Apprentice.

Apprentices will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects at Legasea. This will give them the chance to learn from experienced professionals and to make a real impact on the company.

“We are excited to launch our apprenticeship programme and to help create the next generation of circular economy leaders,” said Ray Milne, Operations Director at Legasea. “These apprenticeships will provide young people with the skills and knowledge they need to make a real difference in the world. We are committed to creating a sustainable future for the subsea industry and these apprenticeships are a key part of our strategy to achieve this goal.”

Surge in GDPR audits sparks business growth

An innovative Aberdeen-based IT solutions provider has reported a significant uptake in business as it marks its seventh anniversary.

Care App Solutions has experienced a significant increase in demand for its services, fuelled by an 80% increase in its IMPACT® GDPR audits in the past year.

Founded by Susan Mackie in 2016, Care App Solutions provides software development, GDPR and regulatory reporting support, including a range of services such as business analysis, process and data mapping, eDiscovery, tailored dashboards, IT training and software development/ implementations. The company also provides mobile, desktop and wearable solutions to the community and acute health and care industries on a subscription basis.

Innovative JBS secures £3million worth of contracts

JBS Group, the innovative multi-disciplined engineering solutions and products provider, has had its best ever start to a year with £3million worth of contracts secured.

The latest contracts involve fabrication work, screw conveyors and its patented Sea Axe subsea excavation technology.

Peterhead-based JBS has increased its team from 50 to 62 in the past six months which includes the addition of two apprentices.

Jo McIntosh, Sales and Marketing Manager at JBS, said: “The work we have landed makes this our best start to a year. The quality of our fabrication and our screw conveyors has been recognised by clients, while we also received a greater number of enquiries about our blast containment products.

“Our Sea Axe forms a central part of our offering. We’ve received excellent feedback from companies about our technology and how our in-house team supported those projects.

“We have ambitious plans for growth in 2023 and beyond. We are continuing to invest in training and developing our apprenticeship programmes. More than half of our staff have come through this programme.

“Our innovative approach and ability to solve a range of complex engineering issues across several disciplines has been welcomed by the market.”

The success of JBS in international markets led to the business winning the Going Global Award at the 2023 Northern Star Business Awards.

P&J Live first in Scotland to be SAVI Accredited

Aberdeen-based live events venue, P&J Live, has become the first venue in Scotland to be awarded the five-star Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (SAVI) accreditation.

The star-rated award scheme, run and delivered by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, aims to provide safer and more secure environments for managers, staff, customers and the local community by promoting four Licensing Objectives: The Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Public Safety, The Prevention of Public Nuisance, and The Protection of Children from Harm.

Ross McLeod, Head of Security at P&J Live, said: “The safety of our visitors in our number one priority and by receiving this accreditation, and applying various different strategies for safety, such as ‘Ask for Angela’, we can ensure our customers feel safe and comfortable at all times when visiting our venue. We’re delighted to be the first licensed venue in Scotland to receive this standard.”

Madness comes to P&J Live in November

One of the biggest and most loved British bands Madness have announced their ‘C’est La Vie 2023’ tour.

Beginning on November 30 in Aberdeen’s P&J Live, the 13-date tour will hit all the major cities including Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, London and more and culminate with a huge show in Birmingham on December 16th.

Known for their raucous live sets, the C’est La Vie tour will be teeming with hits from the nutty boy’s unrivalled back catalogue along with some songs from the new album.

Louise Stewart, Interim Managing Director at P&J Live says: “We are thrilled to welcome British music legends, Madness, back to P&J Live for the first date of their 2023 UK tour! As one of the country’s most loved bands, their unrivalled sound will sure turn the venue into a House of Fun… this will be one popular show not to miss out on!”

Full artist line-up revealed for Nuart Aberdeen 2023

An exciting line-up of artists, including the internationally acclaimed Thiago Mazza (Brazil), Swoon (USA) and UKbased artist Stanley Donwood and artist duo SNIK, will descend on the Granite City this month to create murals and art on the city’s walls as part of Nuart Aberdeen.

In total 13 globally renowned street artists hailing from Brazil, the USA, Europe, the UK and Iran will come together to create breath-taking pieces of street art using walls in Aberdeen city centre as the canvas for their work.

The line up of artists revealed for the 2023 festival, which runs from Thursday, June 8 until Sunday, June 11 will draw inspiration for their creations from the festival’s ‘Rewilding’ theme and will come together in the city with the common aim of strengthening the connection of people and communities to the city through their art.

The award-winning festival, made possible by partnership from Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council, has so far resulted in more than 50 stunning works spread across the city centre and it is expected that the contributions of this year’s artists will further elevate and enhance the reputation of Aberdeen as a leading street art destination.

Trendy ways to crunch the numbers

Polling can only ever be a snapshot of public opinion. It is made up of specific answers, to specific questions, from specific people, at a specific point in time. That is why the most revealing thing in a poll is not specific numbers in a particular data set, but the trend, which provides a greater indication of not only where public opinion is at a specific point, but also where it is moving to.

The public’s attitude to the future of the oil and gas industry is a case in point. In the latest True North/Survation poll, 61% of people thought the North Sea industry was a positive thing for the UK economy. That in itself is an impressive and useful figure, which reflects the importance the public place on continuing domestic oil and gas production to provide energy security in the here and now.

But it becomes even more significant when we look at the trend. Compared with the figures from earlier this year, 5% more people viewed the North Sea industry as a positive thing for the UK economy. Much of that change was due to people who were previously unsure whether it was positive or negative changing their mind to the former. Meanwhile, the number of people viewing the impact of the North Sea industry on the UK economy negatively fell by two points to just 9%.

The trend is therefore clear, and far more informative than the headline number alone. It reveals that not only does the North Sea energy sector have popular support but that that support is growing, particularly among people who were previously ambivalent.

This should provide comfort to the industry that perhaps the argument is beginning to be won around a more ‘reasoned debate’ on maintaining a domestic oil and gas baseline in our energy supply, throughout a managed transition towards net zero.

Indeed, there is further encouraging news in the True North/Survation poll. For instance, a total of 75% of people in Scotland believe the UK should meet its oil and gas needs from domestic production – an overwhelming majority – while just 11% disagree. All this should give succour to those who work in and support the North Sea oil and gas industry, which not only enjoys a substantial base of public support

but, as trends suggest, one which is growing.

The trend is also important when we turn to the national political picture. Across the various Westminster and Holyrood voting intentions, the True North/ Survation poll suggests the SNP is still well ahead of its rivals, often by a considerable amount. Yet it is the trend, which suggests public support is continuing to move away from the SNP, that will trouble party strategists and the new First Minister.

There is, however, comfort for Humza Yousaf when it comes to the question of independence, which continues to sit stubbornly at 52% opposed, 48% supportive. SNP strategists will hope this is a base from which they can begin to rebuild their support. Only time will tell if that is possible, but the independence question is nevertheless a useful reminder that a trend does not always mean a change – sometimes the trend is very much for things to stay the same.

A total of 75% of people in Scotland believe the UK should meet its oil and gas needs from domestic production – an overwhelming majority – while just 11% disagree.

Fergus Mutch, Policy adviser, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce

What impact, if any, do you think that energy companies operating in the North Sea have on the UK economy?

Which of the following statements is closest to your view?

If the Westminster Election was taking place tomorrow, and there was a candidate from all political parties standing in the your constituency, which party do you think you would vote for?

Scottish National Party (SNP)

Scottish Labour Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Another Party

In the next Scottish Parliament election you will be given two votes. One of those votes will be for a single person to represent your constituency in the Scottish Parliament. If the election were tomorrow, for which party would you be most likely to vote using this constituency vote?

Scottish National Party (SNP)

Scottish Labour Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Another Party

RGU awarded funding to set up hydrogen testing facility

RGU has been awarded £1.2million of funding by the Scottish Government to establish a hydrogen testing facility at the National Subsea Centre (NSC) in Aberdeen. First Minister Humza Yousaf publicly announced funding for this project at the All-Energy Conference in Glasgow last month.

The funding comes as part of the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, a £7million capital funding stream of the Emerging Energy Technologies Fund (EETF), designed to support the development of renewable hydrogen technologies needed to support the Scottish Government’s ambition of 5GW installed hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

The testing facility, Hy-One, is a comprehensive one-stop hydrogen storage testing facility, providing plug-and-play testing and demonstrations for hydrogen storage systems and prototypes. The facility will support the development, demonstration and implementation of small-to-largescale compressed hydrogen storage vessels and their accessories.

Professor John McCall, NSC Director, said: “This fantastic award from the Scottish Government is a major boost for the National Subsea Centre’s Integrated Energy research programme and will build on the existing research strengths of our team.

“As one of the globe’s pioneering hydrogen cities, Aberdeen is the ideal location for the new testing facility as its importance as a green energy hub grows.”

Professor James Njuguna, School of Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at RGU and RSE Fellow, said: “Receiving this funding represents a very exciting opportunity as the Hy-One testing facility will directly impact Scotland’s increasing production of green hydrogen and will enhance renewable energy and zero carbon production.

“Hy-One will fast-track the availability of local testing and support services on storage materials, accessories and products to acceptable industrial standards. As a result of this, research and development costs will be lower and design time to commercialisation routes will shorten.

“We envisage that the certification process will provide third-party confidence in quality assurance of the tested components while also supporting academic research, job creation and training on green hydrogen.”

TGT to establish UAE Technology Hub to support international growth

TGT Diagnostics has announced it has signed an agreement to build a new technology hub in Abu Dhabi.

The category leader in diagnostics for the hydrocarbon energy sector said it will make a significant investment in a new state-of-the-art facility under an agreement with Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi - KEZAD Group.

Gary: Tank Commander to star in His Majesty’s Theatre pantomime

Gary: Tank Commander will be entertaining the troops at Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre this festive season as he joins the cast of this year’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty, Aberdeen Performing Arts has announced.

Gary joins panto Dame extraordinaire Alan McHugh as Nurse Nellie Macduff, comic actor and River City Star Paul J Corrigan as Slimeball and Aberdeen’s own Danielle Jam who returns this year as The Spirit of Pantomime.

Aberdeen Performing Arts Director of Programming and Creative Projects, Ben Torrie said: “We are pure buzzing to say Hiya to Gary and give him a huge HMT welcome this festive season alongside our beloved Dame, Alan McHugh, our favourite cheeky chappie PJ Corrigan and the fabulous Danielle Jam. There is nowhere more magical than His Majesty’s Theatre in panto season and we can’t wait to see what this amazing cast have in store!”

Wellhead Electrical Supplies collaborate in industry-first deal

Aberdeen-based Wellhead Electrical Supplies (WES), providers of electrical and hazardous area equipment, has announced a new collaboration that is set to drive growth in the offshore industry.

Thanks to a recently renewed partnership agreement with Orga, WES has upgraded its range of Tideland signal marine lanterns and supportive spares, in a deal that marks a significant step change for the offshore and marine sectors.

The partnership between WES and Orga aligns with Wellhead’s growth trajectory as the company steps up to become the leading global supplier of Tideland signal products and the only partner in the world to hold stock items. WES has been working alongside Orga for over 25 years, with this new agreement lighting the way for a new chapter to bring a host of benefits to an existing client base and prospective new markets.

Specsavers Aberdeen honours long-serving employees

Specsavers in Aberdeen recently held a dinner to celebrate the dedication and commitment of its staff.

Fifteen long-service staff of more than 10 years attended a special dinner at the No. 10 Bar and Restaurant in the heart of the west end of the city to commend their dedication.

The event brought together 15 current staff and past director David Quigley, who served at the store for 25 years. Together, the attendees have over 260 years of service shared between them.

David McGinty, Ophthalmic Director at Specsavers Aberdeen, says: “Our store and Specsavers at large, pride ourselves on the extensive career opportunities and the rewarding workplace culture that we have curated over the last 30 years.

“All of us here are proud of our work which improves the quality of life for people all across the city. I have no doubt that many of my colleagues will be able to say the same in another 25 years.”

Doqaru publishes its second annual report

Aberdeen-based Sales Enablement Consultancy, Doqaru, has launched its 2nd annual sales research report, which outlines the state of sales skills in UK SMEs.

The report shows that there needs to be a deeper understanding of the skills required in each type of sales role. For instance, the hiring process focuses more on recruiting likeable, technically minded salespersons and less on actual selling skills. Once the salesperson is in the door, they are less likely to improve their sales skills, with 8 out of 10 SMEs having no budget for sales training.

Charity’s healthy eating campaign doubles with Anasuria grant

A healthy eating initiative established by local family support charity, Home-Start Aberdeen, will double in size thanks to a significant donation from North Sea operating company, Anasuria Operating Company (AOC). The Recipe for Life project will support families with practical cooking skills, advice on food budgeting, shopping and healthy living.

“It’s fantastic to be doubling our efforts on Recipe for Life with this support from Anasuria, and we’re absolutely delighted to be their chosen charity for 2023/24,” says Eleanor McEwan, CEO of Home-Start Aberdeen.

“Coming hot on the heels of a global pandemic, the current cost of living crisis has left more families struggling to cope, with an estimated 1 in 5 of Aberdeen’s children now living in poverty. There are many parents out there with little or no practical cooking experience who want to make changes but don’t know where to start. Through Recipe for Life, we can help parents build their cooking skills and confidence and gain a better understanding of how to improve their family’s diet.”

Through the provision of one-to-one cooking sessions in families’ own homes with a trained volunteer, food packs, recipes, kitchen equipment, group cooking and food sharing sessions, the project improves family diets, and increases their knowledge, skills and confidence around cooking and healthy eating.

Richard Beattie CEO of Anasuria Operating Company said: “Anasuria Operating Company (AOC) is delighted to be supporting Home-Start. Our business is fully aligned with the charity’s aim to provide children with a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow and thrive, something we all want for our children. We recognise the importance of giving back to the local community, especially during these challenging times and we hope that Anasuria Operating Company’s support plays a small but important part to help address some of the broader social issues that affect families in the Aberdeen area. We are thrilled to begin this partnership and provide ongoing support to Home-Start.”

Airport among locations earmarked for Nuart 2023

Aberdeen Inspired has unveiled the city walls earmarked to be transformed into eye-catching Nuart murals next month. One of the highly anticipated locations is the car park at Aberdeen International Airport.

A world-class line-up of street artists will descend on the Granite City on June 8 to turn a number of buildings into vibrant works of art under the theme of “rewilding”.

These include the Primark building at Rennie’s Wind, Annan House on Poynernook Road, and walls on Flourmill Lane, Crooked Lane, Thistle Lane and Rose Street.

Imagine being handed a diagnosis that made you question everything, including the job you have been doing every day for over a decade.

For more than 10 years, Suzanne Edmond had been working at an elite level in corporate communications, dealing with crises where reputations were on the line.

All of a sudden, she was presented with a diagnosis which left her with

a crisis of her own, and left her concerned for her own reputation. She was dyslexic.

“I didn’t find out I was dyslexic until I was in my early thirties,” she told Business Bulletin.

“It drove my love of storytelling, spurred my creative thinking, and enabled me to always see the big picture. I was often accused of rushing or jumping to the end, but really, I was just joining the dots in a different order.

“True, my spelling and grammar lack finesse, and my memory recall for facts rarely gets me invites to pub quizzes. However, by understanding my strengths and weaknesses, I was able to develop the perseverance to overcome both.

“However, I was lucky. I had an amazing coach who identified my dyslexia and supported me throughout. I was even luckier to then work in an organisation where

people were encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Not everyone is.

“If sharing my story helps inspire even one person to recognise, embrace and celebrate their dyslexic thinking, then it’s worth it.”

Her inspirational story is one of achievement, and Suzanne has worked in some of the most highprofile, and high-pressured, roles in her industry.

During five years as Director of Communications at the UK Government during Brexit and the CV19 pandemic, she operated within an organisation which was in a perpetual state of crisis.

She has also worked for some of the biggest companies in the FTSE 100, including Shell and Centrica. So how do you stay calm - and communicate clearly - when chaos is all around you?

On August 25, Suzanne will host a masterclass in crisis communication at Aberdeen Arts Centre as part of the Chamber’s Ultimate Masterclass Festival, in association with TotalEnergies.

Ahead of the event – which is being sponsored by Aspect – we asked Suzanne to share some tips:

Can you describe some of the high-pressure communications situations you have worked in?

“Gosh, where to start! I spent the first half of my career planning

Suzanne Edmond, Director, Moxy Communications Ltd

for crises, mainly in the oil and gas sector for Shell and Centrica Energy International, then the more recent part managing them. I’ve led the communications response to several crises, including for the collapse of Thomas Cook and FlyBe, where we were able to prepare to some extent about how to handle it.

“Ones that struck entirely out of the blue stick in the mind, like drones at Gatwick and the unexpected closure of the UK-French border in Christmas 2020. As do ones that are better defined as permacrisis, like managing domestic and international travel restrictions during CV19.

“I promise I’m not a bad omen…”

What do you think are the key things people need to do when dealing with crisis communications?

“There are three things that I believe are critical to leading during a crisis: calm, control, and compassion.

“Being calm is key, however you may feel inside, because otherwise things can very quickly escalate in high-pressured situations. That’s especially true when dealing with your team and Executive Committee, Board or – as it was in my case for many years – the Government’s COBRA meetings.

“Showing you’re in control will reassure others. Having a clear

plan helps, and the better prepared you are the easier this part is to execute. So, it’s hugely important to prioritise regularly reviewing, updating, and exercising your crisis communications plan.

“Finally, while we often must adopt a more command and control approach in a crisis, forget compassion at your peril. Leading communications in a crisis is very similar to any other time, just magnified. You need a clear strategy, a great team to deliver it and that extra ingredient that makes people want to go the extra mile to deliver it with/for you.”

What are the most common mistakes you see in crisis communications?

“Losing sight of the big picture. While checklists can provide helpful prompts, it’s far more important to stand back, take a deep breath and look at the big picture of what’s going on.

“I’ve seen leaders crumble due to lack of sleep, reluctance to delegate and losing their perspective as a result. A crisis doesn’t need a superhero, it needs a justice league! (other franchises are available).

“However, the biggest risk, is storing up problems for the future. You can become so focused on managing the incident at hand, that sometimes you can miss something even bigger on the horizon. If you want to hear the worst mistake I ever made on that front, you can ask me when I’m up in August….”

What can neurodivergence bring to an organisation?

“When neurodiversity is recognised and properly supported, it brings with it a wealth of creativity and new perspectives. When it’s not, and I speak from experience here, it slowly erodes away your confidence and leaves you struggling on tasks that you’re not necessarily best suited for. That also means that organisations miss out on the many talents that neurodiverse people have.

“We need to embrace diversity and inclusion in its widest sense and learn from each other, as that’s the only way we can all make the most of our potential as individuals and help build the best possible teams.

“I founded my business, Moxy Communications, on the belief that dyslexic think can help us find the creative solutions to today’s unprecedented communications challenges. And let’s be honest, we have a lot to contend with right now, so the more diverse ideas the better.

“Besides, some of the best inventions we have today were the product of dyslexic thinking.”

Tickets for Don’t Panic: How to communicate in a crisis are available now and can be purchased at umf.events

If sharing my story helps inspire even one person to recognise, embrace and celebrate their dyslexic thinking, then it’s worth it.

World’s first fully remote offshore wind ROV inspection

The world’s first fully remote inspection of offshore wind farm assets has been successfully carried out by Fugro, using one of its Blue Essence® uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) with Blue Volta®, an electrical remotely operated vehicle (eROV).

The inspection at the Aberdeen offshore wind farm in the North Sea (also known as the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre) was jointly funded by Vattenfall and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. This partnership gives innovators in the offshore wind supply chain the opportunity to test and prove technologies in realworld conditions to support innovation in operations and maintenance.

Blue Essence® is the first USV to receive approval from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to operate fully remotely with an eROV and undertake surveys in UK waters. The eROV, which was remotely launched and recovered from Fugro’s remote operations centre (ROC) in Aberdeen, delivered a number of inspections on the structure of the wind turbines to assess their stability and safety. A detailed map of the seabed was also created using data gathered from a deepwater multibeam echosounder sensor mounted on the hull of the vessel. The acquired Geodata was accessed in real-time, allowing Vattenfall to make quick decisions about their asset maintenance programme.

Blue Essence® forms part of Fugro’s wider strategy towards more uncrewed operations for greater agility, safety and sustainability; the vessel can spend up to two weeks executing inspection activities at sea without refuelling resulting in a 95 % reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional ROV support vessels.

Registration open for SPE Offshore Europe 2023

Registration for the 50th anniversary edition of SPE Offshore Europe 2023 is now open. Free-to-attend, the milestone event will be held at P&J Live, Aberdeen from September 5-8, 2023 and themed ‘Accelerating the transition to a better energy future’.

Jonathan Heastie, Portfolio Director – Energy & Marine at RX (Reed Exhibitions), Co-organiser with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) said: “We look forward to welcoming visitors from more than 120 countries to Aberdeen in September, to meet and do business with over 750 exhibitors who can help them accelerate our transition to a better energy future.”

Register to attend at www.offshore-europe.co.uk.

Biggest Midnight Runway Run set to return

The unique Midnight Runway Run at Aberdeen International Airport is back this month and is expected to be the biggest yet.

With a course like no other, 400 runners will be given the opportunity to take on the extended 4km course raising money for charities.

CHC Helicopters and Aberdeen International Airport are partnering up to bring the run to the Dyce terminal on June 24 for a fourth year.

Mark Beveridge, Operations Director at Aberdeen International Airport said: “Last year’s sold-out event was a huge success raising more than £40,000 for charity. We’d encourage runners of all abilities to apply for a space in the most exclusive running event in the region. We’re delighted to open up our runway to our runners once more and look forward to working in partnership with CHC Helicopter to raise essential funds for worthy causes.”

Creative marketing agency celebrate multiple design award wins

Local creative marketing agency Mearns & Gill celebrated multiple wins for its clients in the global Indigo Design Awards 2023. The Aberdeen-based agency scooped seven brand awards in total for its client work for Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA), the Mind Yer Mind campaign in association with Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership and Clan Cancer Support for its ‘Big Hop Trail.’

Mairi MacLeod Gray, Creative Lead at Mearns & Gill said:

“As a team and design studio we are proud to accept these awards on behalf of our fantastic clients. Mearns & Gill is passionate about supporting not-for-profit, third sector and voluntary organisations and bringing awareness of what they do, so to win in the NGO, non-profit and branding for social change categories is very humbling.”

Area of expertise?

Augean offer a unique ability to manage the full waste life cycle from start to finish in a modernised, fully compliant, and greener way than ever before. By truly finding resilience in end-of-waste treatments and re-using post process materials, Augean has a variety of eco-friendly solutions that will aid in reducing your carbon footprint.

What should people know?

We take compliance and customer service very seriously. We ensure that our waste solutions are sustainable by monitoring forthcoming legislation so that compliance objectives are understood and communicated to our operational teams and clients, and new protocols are implemented as necessary ahead of regulatory deadlines.

What’s the biggest mistakes companies make?

Mistake might be the wrong word, as what we’ve seen from our clients, is nothing but a commitment to the waste hierarchy and reducing carbon emissions. Waste segregation is key to maximizing waste disposal.

What’s your top tip?

Health and safety, rightly so, has dominated the sector for years now. The next step, however, is a more focused approach to carbon neutrality and making the best use of reuse and recyclable opportunities. We, as an industry, can be far more sustainable to protect the planet for future generations.

Area of expertise?

We are bespoke chemical solutions providers, committed to developing sustainable solutions for companies in the energy and oil and gas sector. We also work with firms in the marine and agriculture industries. Our range of products encompasses cleaning products, sealing solutions, pipeline products, lubricants and protective coatings. Our custom-built on-site laboratory, knowledge and supply chains allow us to offer unique services in research and development to create bespoke chemical solutions that increase the lifespan of assets and equipment, resulting in significant cost savings to our clients.

What should people know?

With businesses transitioning towards more sustainable practices, it is more important than ever for companies to focus on the maintenance and upkeep of their assets. Taking the time to source and develop the correct chemical solutions, while establishing its optimum performance level can contribute significantly to an effective asset maintenance and integrity programme. Selecting the wrong or incompatible chemical solution will mean you can end up with ineffective performance, having wasted a significant amount of money in the process. Customer satisfaction is key at Cistom. We take great pride in being able to create innovative, bespoke, environmentally friendly products that fulfil and often exceed our customers’ expectations.

What’s the biggest mistakes companies make?

Time should always be spent ensuring compatibility of chemical solutions before each application. It’s safe to say that some companies are afraid of trying new things, but sticking with what you know isn’t always for the best. We have seen first-hand the difference a tailored solution can make to operations compared to an off-the-shelf product. The industry is so fast moving, and by working with chemical solution providers to review chemical usage and the effectiveness of its performance can often result in an enhancement of chemical efficiency, effectiveness, environmental profilesoften with a cost saving.

Kevin Laing, Business Development Manager, Augean

Graeme Kidd, Director, Cistom

Area of expertise?

Petrasco is a specialist, multi-disciplined logistics provider with nearly 50 years’ experience and global reach through our offices in the UK, Middle East and USA. Our core service is to provide logistics solutions and expertise for the energy sector, which has unique and pressing logistical requirements. Through a range of air, sea and road freight services, we play an important role in our clients’ supply chain, keeping vital components flowing to maintain production and operations around the world.

What should people know?

Selling goods and services internationally has never been more attractive, with more countries looking to take advantage of the quality and expertise that UK businesses have to offer and new opportunities in emerging markets. However, like the UK, all countries have varying rules and regulations when exporting and importing and it’s crucial to understand these differences before doing business to avoid any potential pitfalls.

What’s the biggest mistakes companies make?

Misunderstanding or agreeing to the wrong Incoterms when negotiating responsibilities between buyer and seller. At the outset, the buyer and seller decide who will be liable for each stage of export/import process and getting this wrong –or failing to agree Incoterms – can have significant financial ramifications. When exporting out of the UK, it is the seller’s responsibility to ensure all commercial paperwork is completed accurately so that customs declarations can be submitted correctly to HMRC.

What’s your top tip?

Do your market research and ask your logistics partner for advice if you’re in any doubt about your responsibilities as an exporter or importer. It can be the difference between success and failure or profit and loss, especially when entering a new international market for the first time. With nearly 50 years’ experience in the freight forwarding and logistics sector, there are very few countries in the world where our team hasn’t been involved in a shipment to and from.

Area of expertise?

At Sealand we have sustainability experts, in-house who specialise in carbon reporting and reduction management. We not only measure your carbon footprint, but also suggest reduction measures and help you to define your net zero strategy. We believe that by tapping into our expertise, we can accelerate your business to net zero.

What should people know?

Carbon accounting is compulsory for large organisations (annual turnover>36m). You may think this does not apply to SMEs but it actually does. SME’s Scope 1 & 2 emissions contribute to these larger organisation’s Scope 3 emissions, therefore, large organisations are pushing their own supply chain to report. So sooner or later you will need to start reporting.

What’s the biggest mistakes companies make?

Capturing business’ annual carbon footprint can be more complicated than one may first think. There are so many free carbon accounting softwares out there, but without expert knowledge on how to frame your organisational boundaries, scopes and targets, one can easily get lost. Carbon accounting is a very different area of expertise, which comes under ISO 14064, it’s a new subject, that was not previously covered under the typical HSE umbrella.

What’s your top tip?

Rather than spending time and effort in tackling the carbon measurements yourself, get some expert help. Once it’s completed, it’s easier for you to repeat for the next year, as you will have the knowledge and access to state of the art software. But do get that external help during the first year, it will save you huge amount of time, effort and money.

Ross Cochrane, Commercial Manager, Petrasco Energy Logistics

Ash Penley, Net Zero Manager, Sealand Projects

Business lessons I’ve learned

What was your first job?

Working with Teddy Scott, the kit man at Aberdeen Football Club.

When would you like to retire?

I like to think I have a few years left, so it’s not something I am thinking about at the moment.

What did you have for breakfast?

Black coffee… I’m not a breakfast person.

Who, or what, inspires you?

My dad for his work ethic, and my mum, as she taught me to always follow my gut instinct.

Greg Taggart, Region Business Development Manager, Hunting Energy Services

What does your company do that others don’t?

Hunting is a key supplier in the energy industry, specialising in the global manufacture, sale and rental of high-quality equipment to service and operator groups. Our manufacturing capabilities enable us to participate in a diverse range of sectors other than oil and gas. Hunting’s expertise continues to support other industries including aviation, medical, power generation and space. Our strong focus on quality assured products and intellectual property ensures we can deliver energy projects quickly, more efficiently and with minimal impact on the environment.

What are the most pressing challenges that your industry sector faces today, and why?

The biggest challenge we face as an industry is the oil and gas companies cutting back on investments in the UK due to the challenges posed by the windfall tax. This could have a massive negative impact which will drive investment out of the UK to more financially attractive and less volatile regions, leaving the UK more reliant on imports to meet its energy needs.

What is the hardest lesson you have learned in your career to date?

Don’t take rejection personally. I have learned through my experience working in sales that no matter how big your company is or how good a product you have, there will always be customers that will say no. Stay positive, be professional, don’t fear rejection, and most importantly never give up.

What is the most valuable piece of business advice you have ever received?

Build a strong network. Invest time in developing your communication and networking skills, as strong relationships are key to expanding your brand, unlocking business opportunities and ultimately being successful.

What’s been your proudest career achievement to date, and why?

I wouldn’t single out any one specific achievement as being my proudest. There have been various periods throughout my career that have led me to where I am today, and I look back on them all with pride.

What’s the last book you read / film you saw? The Gentlemen with Matthew McConaughey. Really enjoyable film and I thought Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell were fantastic.

Achieving career satisfaction, in a role that I enjoy and where I feel I can make a difference on a daily basis is an achievement I am extremely proud of. Success should not be measured on material things like salary or job title but should be based on having a balance between a fulfilling career, happy and stable family life, peace of mind and your health.

If you could make one thing happen tomorrow that would benefit North-east Scotland, what would that be?

The regeneration of Union Street. I think it’s safe to say that Aberdeen city centre needs an injection of life, as Union Street has been on the decline for several years now. The pandemic obviously hit local businesses hard, and it’s time that we all got behind the plans that are in place and do our bit to help rejuvenate our city centre.

J G Ross crowned Retail Baker of the Year

J G Ross (Bakers) Ltd of Inverurie are on a roll after picking up three product awards and being crowned Retail Baker of the Year in the prestigious Scottish Baker of the Year Awards following a gala celebration in Glasgow.

In the morning roll category, the company won the Best in Region Gold Award for its softie, a bronze award for its seeded softies, and a national bronze award for its buttery. The pinnacle of the evening was being crowned Retail Baker of the Year.

“We were absolutely delighted at winning these awards which reflect our commitment to staff development, emphasis on craft skills, investment in premium ingredients and continual reinvestment in our business,” said Cameron Ross, Product Director.

“Despite the economic challenges we have purchased additional larger shops in Mastrick and Banchory and completely refurbished them to offer a wider range of products. We have achieved growth by extending opening hours and making a range of our products available via online delivery partners,” added Graeme Ross Commercial Director.

First Bus invest in solar power

First Bus has invested £2.5million in solar power with the installation of over 6,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels across 20 depot sites as part of its net zero emissions strategy.

This investment is the latest step in First Bus’ pledge to reduce the overall emissions generated by its bus operations, as it looks to achieve the ultimate goal of net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. This sits alongside its goal of achieving a zero emission bus fleet by 2035.

As one of the UK’s largest bus companies, First Bus is on a mission to make its depots self-sustaining with the solar PV panels enabling the 20 sites to generate their own renewable power for lighting, heating, office equipment and the engineering bays.

RAM Tubulars provides opportunity for local children to hit the slopes

Aberdeen-based RAM Tubulars has unveiled a dynamic partnership with local charity Sport Aberdeen to sponsor a new ‘Learn to Ski School Programme’ at its dry slope, Adventure Aberdeen Snowsports Centre.

The exciting new sponsorship will provide local children in Primary 5 the chance to take part in free ski lessons at the snowsports centre in Garthdee.

RAM Tubulars’ Managing Director Jim Stewart chose to sponsor the programme having learned to ski himself as a pupil at Woodside School and understanding first-hand the benefits of the sport.

Jim said: “Putting something back into the community is really important to me, and RAM Tubulars has supported a variety of worthy sporting causes over the years. We’ve built up a business based on identifying new opportunities, and I like to apply this ethos to community projects too, opening doors to new opportunities for personal development.”

Graeme Dale, Head of Sport and Active Communities, said: “We are delighted that RAM Tubulars has chosen to sponsor our new ‘Learn to Ski School Programme’, providing local children with the opportunity to take part in free ski lessons.

“Skiing is a great sport for improving balance and coordination as well as a means to have fun in a social environment and gain more confidence along the way.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for local children and we are hugely grateful to RAM Tubulars for the sponsorship.”

New era for North-east tourism

Port of Aberdeen welcomed the first cruise ship into the transformational £400million Aberdeen South Harbour expansion.

The 202-metre-long AIDAaura, with capacity for more than 1,200 guests, is the longest vessel to visit Port of Aberdeen to date. The vessel arrived from Hamburg, Germany for a full day visit as part of a Scottish cruise.

The AIDAaura berthed on Castlegate Quay and the guests were greeted by a 50-strong pipe band and Highland dancers from Robert Gordon’s College and ‘Welcome to Aberdeenshire’ volunteers.

Aberdeen will welcome 39 cruise calls between May and October this year, with up to 31,000 guests visiting the region which could boost the local economy by £4.2million.

Bob Sanguinetti, Chief Executive, Port of Aberdeen, said: “It is fantastic to see the first cruise call arrive at South Harbour, which marks a new dawn for tourism in the North-east of Scotland. While the tourism industry is still recovering from the impact of the pandemic, we’re very encouraged with the number of calls to the port secured for this year and next.

“Port of Aberdeen is a gateway to the amazing attractions of North-east Scotland. We look forward to growing our work with the international cruise industry in the coming years, as tens of thousands guests experience the incredible scenery and culture that the region has to offer.”

Milltimber School wins prestigious architectural award

The new Milltimber Primary School has won a prestigious architectural award.

The £16.4million facility, located within the Oldfold Farm development, has won the Aberdeen Society of Architects (ASA) Education Design Award 2023.

The school was completed as a replacement by Robertson Construction – part of a £100million investment by Aberdeen City Council in four new schools.

The state-of-the-art facilities will offer enhanced outdoor play spaces and PE facilities to promote health, fitness and wellbeing as well as improved opportunities for outdoor curricular learning and social interaction. With an increased capacity to 434 pupils and an additional 60 Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) places this can ensure that pupils in the growing catchment area can continue to attend their local primary school.

W M Donald leads the way in developing apprenticeship scheme

Over the past two years, W M Donald has been focused on and leading the development of a two-year Apprenticeship Scheme for the construction and civil engineering sector in the north of Scotland.

The company’s goal of ensuring the sustainability of the industry for future generations motivated its HR and operations teams to “make it happen!” Through effective stakeholder engagement, W M Donald completed the development of the two-year Apprenticeship Scheme and successfully recruited eleven apprentices for the first intake.

The apprentices were, and continue to be, supported with everything from getting to Glasgow College for their block release to addressing any literacy, numeracy, or financial issues they may have. After the first block release, W M Donald’s HR Manager attended the course in person and provided the college with feedback to improve the quality of training being offered. She also met with North East Scotland College (NESCol) and was instrumental in the reintroduction of a Civil Engineering foundation course.

Now, just two years later, W M Donald has twenty-six Civil Engineering Apprentices, one Plant mechanic Apprentice, and four Graduate Civil Engineering Apprentices in the business, with only one of the apprentices leaving the programme to date. This achievement is a testament to everyone’s commitment to supporting these fantastic young people who are suited to their roles and passionate about their careers in construction.

Renewables contract wins deliver global growth for ACE Winches

ACE Winches continues its strategy to further expand its global renewables expertise following the award of multiple contracts in Europe and the Far East.

The projects, with a combined seven-figure value, advance the Aberdeenshire-headquartered company’s drive to increase its market share in the renewables sector, an area identified as a key part to its continued international growth.

ACE has been awarded a contract to provide equipment and personnel to support the delivery of a 300-megawatt offshore wind farm in Taiwan, which is expected to be installed over several campaigns during the next few years.

The company is also supporting the development of an additional offshore wind farm in Taiwan, which will be completed in 2025.

ACE Chief Commercial Officer Gary Wilson said: “The recent contract awards in both Europe and the Far East demonstrates our capabilities in delivering high-quality work in a fast-growing sector, and it is something we will continue to grow.”

Aberdeen International Airport launches Campus Watch

Aberdeen International Airport’s disruptive passenger campaign has been launched ahead of the 2023 summer season.

In partnership with Police Scotland, Campus Watch was introduced to tackle disruptive behaviour at Aberdeen International Airport.

While incidents of disruptive passengers at the North-east’s biggest transport hub are extremely rare, the safety of passengers and staff remains a priority at the airport. Part of the initiative helps provide training, advice and support to staff who interact with passengers throughout their journey.

Airport staff will report individuals displaying disruptive behaviour, such as those under the influence of alcohol or abusive to staff to the airport’s central control room.

This information is shared with staff across the airport campus via a rapid text alert system and passengers can be given warnings about their behaviour, monitored by police and airport staff, or even refused alcohol at all bars and restaurants.

What does your business do?

We provide professional executive coaching, training programmes and facilitated courses and workshops to CEO’s, MD’s, Directors, Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

Our client’s companies are diverse and cover many sectors. Currently we are working with oil supply, property, recruitment, health and wellbeing, education, catering, and FM companies, as well as charities from the third sector. Our clients include local, national and international companies and organisations.

When was your business established?

KA Coaching was established in May 2017. In August 2018 we added our training arm to the business.

When was your business established?

The Aberdeen Douglas Hotel Ltd is an independently owned business, established in 2005. Through the past 18 years of major investments, we have since grown to include Malones Irish Bar in 2009, the Royal Athenaeum Suites in 2014, and the Shiprow Village development in 2020.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

The workplace is a dynamic environment, particularly now. It’s important we ensure our products and services stay current to meet our client’s needs and successfully deliver

What does your business do?

Our primary service is accommodation: hotel and serviced apartments. We also specialise in various dinners, dances, and meetings in our Grand Ballroom. We have inhouse dining in Molly’s Bistro and the Shiprow Village area offers a selection of food and beverage outlets including Malones, Ivy Lodge and The Old Workshop.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We have good business relationships with many corporate companies within Aberdeen, and further afield, spanning the oil and gas industry, shipping companies, accountancy firms, governmental establishments, as well as the leisure-based sector. Our Grand Ballroom plays host to events and meetings for all sectors of business.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

Energy prices, business rates, and

new skills, knowledge and add value and results.

And the biggest opportunity?

Because the workplace is a dynamic environment right now, it creates opportunities for business to grow and change. This can mean personal growth for individuals to take on new responsibilities which will create opportunities for executive coaching, training programmes and facilitated courses or workshops.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

The business has a strong culture supported by our core values and key value proposition. We are really proud of this achievement and are passionate to ensure anyone who interacts with us will experience our key value proposition, which is to enhance the professional and personal results of all our clients.

the general cost of buying goods are challenging. Also, recruitment for the hospitality sector has its difficulties. We have also noticed a drop in corporate travel since CV19 due to new technologies being available to companies and reducing the requirement for travel.

And the biggest opportunity?

We are growing our corporate and leisure accommodation business within all sectors, especially with the Port of Aberdeen welcoming cruise liners. We are receiving a lot more enquiries to our Ballroom for meetings and events. Plus, Shiprow Village creates a huge opportunity to attract customers, especially in the summer.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

I am very passionate about building and retaining the team within the business as I believe this to be our biggest asset in the hotel, and coming through the challenging times of the pandemic, always delivering excellent service.

Karen Arthur, Founder, KA Coaching & Training

Gavin Paterson,General Manager, Aberdeen Douglas Hotel & Royal Athenaeum Suites

Laura Mearns, Owner and Director, Northwood

When was your business established?

Northwood is a family business, which was established by my husband Steven and I in June 2008. We opened our doors in Rosemount Place in January 2009 (six months after the birth of our first child!). Our second office in Inverurie opened in 2021.

What does your business do?

Northwood specialises in residential sales and leasing across the Northeast. Our estate agency - Bespoke by Northwood - offers clients a tailored plan to find the right buyer for their home. An established letting agent, we specialise in providing clients with our unique guaranteed rent service, and traditional property management and tenant find services.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We work with a variety of landlords and buy-to let-investors, as well as contractors across the city who provide our landlords with a professional and reliable maintenance service. We love working and supporting local businesses in the Rosemount and Inverurie areas where we operate.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

The ever-changing legislation that the Scottish Government continues to introduce to the Private Rented

competitive market, I decided that with the right initial staff I could make CLR a success.

What does your business do?

CLR service, sell and install commercial catering, laundry and refrigeration equipment. We mainly work in Grampian, Highlands and Tayside with our target market in private and public schools, colleges, universities, private estates, oil and blue chip companies.

Matthew McKenzie, Managing Director, CLR Service and Sales Ltd

When was your business established?

Starting with three employees in March 2017, CLR now employs 20 full time members of staff. After working in commercial catering for 17 years, I decided to start up on my own. I’ve never backed down from a challenge and in an already aggressive,

What sort of companies do you do business with?

One week, we’re repairing equipment in a university, next we’re designing and delivering a major project from inception to completion. We’re lucky to work with clients who truly appreciate what we bring to the table. They trust us to provide honest, reliable advice and an exceptional level of service.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

Availability of stock is a problem for many industries currently and we’re no exception. Due to the pandemic we had

Sector (PRS). Along with increased buy-to-let mortgage rates, these have forced many landlords out of the PRS, resulting in a shortage of stock as demand for rental home increases, leaving many without suitable homes, particularly the student market.

And the biggest opportunity?

Supporting landlords through the everchanging legislation landscape and providing them with robust professional advice to help them make decision regarding their investments. We are also excited to step up our sales service, Bespoke by Northwood. This provides sellers in the North-east a truly tailored approach to selling their home.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

The Northwood team – they are dedicated, love to help people, and always go over and above for our clients. One of our proudest moments was in 2019, when we won the Northwood Franchise of the Year Award. With over 90 offices across the UK, this was a significant achievement.

to rethink our entire business model to hold stock in both Inverness and Aberdeen of critical equipment, loan equipment and increase our workshop stock as well as our engineers van stock.

And the biggest opportunity?

To build on our success in the sectors we’ve been lucky to work in and grow the company strategically in line with our values. Many tender processes can take a while to come to fruition but we don’t give up. We know the type of work we want and we’re focused in achieving our goals.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

I’m passionate about being at the top of our game and I’m proud of the culture of shared learning we’ve built here. Our engineers pass down their knowledge to a new generation through our apprenticeship scheme with updates at our weekly meetings where focus is always on maintaining high standards.

Business lessons I’ve learned

What was your first job?

I was a Sunday morning paper boy for my local newsagent.

When would you like to retire?

I can’t imagine retirement; I think I need to be active in both body and mind.

What did you have for breakfast?

Banana on toast.

Who, or what, inspires you?

My children, Stefano and Sofia. They smile every day and make everyone around them experience joy. They are an inspiration.

What’s the last book you read / film you saw?

Paul Bertolotto, Assistant Principal, Preschool and Elementary, International School (ISA)

What does your company do that others don’t?

Given my experience in over 100 other schools and universities, I can honestly say that I’ve not been in another school that provides such a holistic experience and care for children. Children at ISA experience their learning through real life meaningful engagement with their community. It is from these experiences, and the support network available, that learners (in my opinion) gain and retain their learning most successfully. As an ISA staff member, I feel very privileged to work and learn with such an inspirational team.

What are the most pressing challenges that your industry sector faces today, and why?

This is an interesting question. Many of my colleagues will point to the 4/5-year political cycle that impacts upon education and often reprioritises key approaches/ strategies. Others may point to the impact of CV19 on children and the fact that so many were deprived of the social dynamic at such an early age. For me, the main challenge has and always will be differentiation. A commitment to ensuring that

children are given experiences that both challenge and inspire them is the most challenging, yet most rewarding, part of my role at ISA.

What is the hardest lesson you have learned in your career to date?

In teaching I feel it important to recognise that, irrespective of your experience, there is always something to learn from and to experience yourself. Admitting to children, who are aged between 3 and 12, that you simply don’t know the answer to their question (YET!) is often an extremely difficult thing to do and to witness in the child who considers you the fountain of all knowledge. The key word for me is ‘yet’. The challenge is then to learn closely with the child to ensure that we find the answer to that wonderful question and that I help model a positive approach to lifelong learning (even if I am an old man).

What is the most valuable piece of business advice you have ever received?

This piece of valuable advice came from my father when I was a young adult. My father, a successful businessman himself, shared the

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Sonic 2 (My movie watching is now heavily influenced by Stefano and Sofia).

contextual wisdom of the need to ‘speculate in order to accumulate’. I feel that whether taken literally or metaphorically this is such a powerful message. Be prepared to work hard in order to gain the rewards of your labour.

What’s been your proudest career achievement to date, and why?

My career is an interesting one. I have lectured at Edinburgh University and I have been a Head Teacher of an independent school. I must state however that my proudest achievement was becoming the Assistant Principal to Mr Kajiwara of the PreSchool and Elementary at ISA. Both Mr Kajiwara and Mr Little (The Head of School) are the most inspiring educationalists that I have had the good fortune to work with. They possess the very rare blend of theoretical knowledge coupled with a genuine child-centred approach. ISA is definitely the place for me.

Vanguard idea comes to life as large letters land in Castlegate

Creating cool social media content will be easy as A-B-Z for visitors and locals alike, after Aberdeen’s new landmark giant letters popped up overnight at the city’s Castlegate.

The letters, which spell out ABERDEEN, stand around 2m tall and are illuminated by 98,000 light bulbs, 750m of cables and 69,850 microchips.

Manufactured here in Aberdeen, the letters have in-built interactive technology to allow them to feature animated digital displays and change colour to celebrate holidays and events.

The project has been funded and led by city centre BID Aberdeen Inspired, which will manage the letters, Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, VisitAberdeenshire and the Scottish Government’s Scotland Loves Local fund, administered through Scotland’s Towns Partnerships.

The idea was drawn up by city business leaders to help encourage visitors to the city centre, as well as positively promoting the city on social media platforms such as Instagram.

The Aberdeen Letters project has been developed from an idea that emerged through Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Vanguard initiative, to encourage creative suggestions for the future of the region.

The letters will be located at the Castlegate with Union Street as its backdrop, but have been designed to be detachable and able to be moved to different locations around the city.

Created by local design and fabrication firm, Luxous Group, it is hoped the letters will become a must-have feature to welcome visitors and delegates to conferences, festivals, graduations and other events.

Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said the letters would broaden Aberdeen’s offering and enhance the city centre as a destination for cruise passengers and national and international tourists, including visitors to the European Pipe Band Championships this June and the Tall Ships in 2025, as well as locals keen to show off their home.

He said: “We are delighted to see the Aberdeen Letters project reach fruition and be unveiled to the public and we hope to see lots of people visiting the letters to snap a photo for their social media channels while they are spending time in the shops, bars, restaurants and taking in a show or exhibition,”.

“Many cities around the world already have similar schemes and they have become a ‘must-do’ for visitors but we hope that different animations being displayed from the letters, as well as being moveable, takes the concept a step further and will ensure the letters remain a unique focal point for that perfect Instagram picture.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to support the regeneration of Union Street and the Our Union Street initiative, we are keen to create new reasons to visit the city centre and encourage footfall.”

David Edgar, from the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Group, said: “All of the Vanguard team, who helped to shape the plans, are delighted to see that the Aberdeen Letters have become reality on the streets of our city.

“We want these signs to be a bright symbol of the new Aberdeen, helping define our international identity. We’ve seen from other cities, such as Toronto, Gdansk, Amsterdam and Brisbane, that these signs often become a top tourist attraction, because visitors and locals alike want to share a ‘selfie’ in front of them. This will help Aberdeen reach places it otherwise wouldn’t on the feeds of the thousands of people visiting our city centre every year.

“The choice of materials for the sign tie very nicely in with the heritage of Aberdeen while the displays on the letters will help promote the cool, modern and vibrant city that we are.”

The letters were part-funded by the Scottish Government’s Scotland Loves Local Fund, administered by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), which spearheads the wider Scotland Loves Local campaign.

Almost £16billion of investment to flow into North-east over next decade

Almost £16billion of investment will be poured into the Northeast economy over the next decade, according to new research.

The 6th edition of Investment Tracker - published by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce - shows record levels of investment coming into the Aberdeen city region between now and 2033.

On top of £6.5billion worth of projects already delivered since the report was launched in 2016, further infrastructure and regeneration activities totalling £15.9billion is in the pipeline.

The new report, which has been published in partnership with Invest Aberdeen and Opportunity North East, includes:

• £780million in planned innovation and infrastructure projects as part of the City Region Deal, including £200million earmarked for speeding up rail travel times between the North-east and the central belt.

• £315million worth of investment in the region’s town and city centres, including the new international food market under construction on Union Street.

• £4.2billion worth of transport projects, including ambitious £250million plans to construct a rapid transit scheme in Aberdeen.

• Commercial and residential developments worth £1.75billion, including a £200million plan to expand Union Square, the £30million Denholm Seafoods fish processing facility and the £137.5million Cloverhill housing development at the Bridge of Don.

• A further £403million is being invested in schools throughout the region as part of a near £1billion investment in health and education.

• £368million is being invested in sport, leisure and culture, including £32million developing adventure tourism in the region.

• And £7.45billion is being invested in energy projects across the region, including £1billion+ in the Kintore Hydrogen project alone.

Projects now delivered since the last tracker include the £420million South Harbour development at the Port of Aberdeen, which will be central to Scotland’s energy transition plans, and the ONE BioHub, which will create a unique life sciences ecosystem for research and development in Aberdeen.

Commenting on the launch of the 6th edition of the Investment Tracker, Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “Since the first in the series was published in 2016, the tracker has demonstrated, at-a-glance, the exciting plans for our city region - it shows that this area has big ambitions for the future and that rumours of the demise of the place that has become Europe’s oil capital are greatly exaggerated.

“Our economy remains strong, with Aberdeen consistently ranking in the UK top 10 for foreign direct investment, regional GVA per capita, and average earnings that are among the UK’s highest. So, if you are not already thinking about business opportunities in the Northeast of Scotland, you should be.

“We have the backing of both governments to become a globallysignificant renewable energy hub, building on 50 years of pioneering

energy activities in the North Sea, protecting and creating tens of thousands of high-value jobs.

“At the same time, great progress continues to be made with the sector diversification strategy, stimulating new activities in our other key areas of strengthhealthcare, life sciences, digital technologies, food, drink, tourism, agriculture and fisheries.”

Jennifer Craw, CEO of Opportunity North East (ONE), said: “Northeast Scotland is confident about its place in the future economy. It has a clear purpose in diversification and achieving a just transition to a net zero economy.

“The approach to economic transformation pioneered here has identified, developed, secured funding and delivered transformational projects with private sector leadership to boost growth and productivity in established and emerging industries.

“Opportunity North East (ONE), Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council, working with partners including Scottish Enterprise, have established an exemplar model for private and public sector regional economic development.

“The message is clear; more investment here will deliver outcomes with a national economic reach. ONE is entering a new investment phase, and, with the right investment, is excited about how much more this region can achieve.”

Commenting on behalf of Invest Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire Council leader Mark Findlater said: “The Aberdeen city region, like many others, has experience significant economic challenges in recent years. However, despite global challenges

and uncertainty, we continue to deliver transformational projects and attract investment across the key sectors of our economy.

“The 2023 Investment Tracker highlights that North-east Scotland is a region of innovation and ambition, and we continuously draw on our rich industrial, commercial and international heritage across all sectors. The tracker showcases the many projects due to be delivered under our ambitious investment pipeline.

“The Aberdeen city region is a diverse and vibrant corner of Scotland, with a wealth of skills and knowledge across a range of sectors. Now, more than ever, our focus must remain on maximising this potential and delivering new opportunities to the region.”

www.agcc.co.uk/investment-tracker

The 2023 Investment Tracker highlights that North-east Scotland is a region of innovation and ambition, and we continuously draw on our rich industrial, commercial and international heritage across all sectors.

Chancellor voices concern over home working impact

Jeremy Hunt has voiced concern about the impact home working is having on business creativity.

The Chancellor told business leaders that the “default” location for workers should be in the office unless there is a good reason to work from home.

Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London, he said that, while working remotely had produced “exciting opportunities”, he was worried about “the loss of creativity” when it is permanent. “The default will be you work in the office unless there’s a good reason not to be in the office,” he said.

Flexible working has become the norm for many workers since the pandemic.

Mr Hunt said it was “something for businesses to find their own way through,” but added he believed the default for many would be to work from offices.

“I worry about the loss of creativity when people are permanently working from home and not having those water-cooler moments, where they bounce ideas off each other,” he added.

“I think that’s why businesses are saying they want people back unless there’s a reason.”

Mr Hunt admitted that there were “some very exciting opportunities created” by workers being able to use programmes like Zoom and Microsoft Teams to conduct meetings remotely.

He suggested that it helped parents with childcare and it also helped people with mobility issues.

The chancellor’s comments came after the boss of the BCC warned UK business needed a “fresh relationship” with the government.

Director-general Shevaun Haviland said it was a “pivotal moment for the voice of British business” with an election looming.

Opening the BCC’s annual conference, Ms Haviland said companies had been hit by “eye-watering” energy bills, rising interest rates and a “cripplingly tight labour market”.

Bank of England Chief warns of wage-price spiral

Andrew Bailey has admitted that the Bank of England is struggling to keep a lid on inflation.

Addressing business leaders at the British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London, the Bank governor signalled that the UK faces a longer crisis than expected in the battle to tame inflation.

It comes as new data shows that private-sector wages grew by 7% in the three months to March, far higher than is consistent with the Bank’s 2% inflation target.

“Some of the strength in core inflation reflects the indirect effects of higher energy prices,” Mr Bailey said.

“But it also reflects second-round effects as the external shocks we have seen interact with the state of the domestic economy.”

His warning also suggests that inflation could take much longer to fall than initially expected, meaning interest rates would have to stay higher for longer.

Mr Bailey said: “While we expect CPI inflation to fall quite sharply as energy costs begin to ease, albeit at a somewhat slower pace than projected in February given the near-term outlook for food prices, the outlook for inflation further out is more uncertain and depends on the extent of persistence in wage and price setting.”

He said that, while there were signs of the labour market starting to loosen, it was happening more slowly than the Bank had predicted a few months ago.

The Bank has already raised interest rates 12 times to 4.5%. Mr Bailey said policymakers would have to lift borrowing costs further “if there were to be evidence of more persistent pressures”.

He added that “near-term indicators suggest that pay growth could ease further later this year”.

Join us for a special business breakfast with the strategist behind some of the UK’s most memorable campaigns, Paul Hadfield, who will discuss how he turned a plant-based pastry into a national conversation and more.

If you want to tell the world about what you do, this is an event you don’t want to miss!

Improve your Professional Confidence

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Understanding Export and Export Documentation

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Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace

Understanding mental health and how employers can support employees in the workplace.

Essential Supervisory Skills

Bridge the gap between doing and supervising and become confident in delegating tasks.

A Beginners Guide to Importing

Develop a high-level understanding of the import process from a practical perspective.

July 07

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Dealing with Difficult Situations

Finance for Non Finance Managers

Gain an understanding of many aspects of finance and how it impacts business.

Emotional Intelligence for Business

Develop situational awareness and influence positive outcomes.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Develop effective communication techniques.

Project Management

Understand the principles of project management and the complexities of scale.

Sportschallenge scores three-year deal with P&J Live

Sportschallenge, the North-east’s premier sports-themed corporate fundraising dinner, has agreed to a three-year deal with Aberdeen’s P&J Live that will see the event held in the prestigious venue until 2025.

Following on from last year’s successful event, which saw over £75,000 raised for five Scottish charities, Sportschallenge will return to the P&J Live on Thursday, September 14 this year.

A highlight of the region’s social calendar, Sportschallenge brings together teams from businesses across the region to compete in a Question of Sport-style quiz in a bid to lift the coveted Sportschallenge trophy. Previous hosts include well-known sporting personalities Alan McInally, Jim White, Ally McCoist and Andy Nicol.

The event, which is sponsored by Piper Sandler with support from CNR International, is now in its eighth year and has raised nearly £700,000 for various North-eastbased worthy causes.

AAB Group announces largest acquisition

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group has announced their largest acquisition to date.

French Duncan, a leading provider of professional services in Central Scotland for over one hundred years and employs more than 200 people across offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling has been acquired for an undisclosed sum.

The company provides a wide range of accountancy and business service solutions to support small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) as well as individuals to reach their business and personal goals.

Aberdeen Beach to welcome the Big Hop Bungee for Clan

Clan is calling on adrenalin junkies to take a huge leap of faith with the charity’s latest challenge – a bungee jump at Aberdeen beach.

Daredevils will plunge themselves 160ft from a 60-tonne crane specially erected by sponsors Global Crane Services on the old tramlines near the Beach Ballroom, giving jumpers a spectacular view of the North Sea before their descent.

The challenge, known as The Big Hop Bungee, will take place on August 19, coinciding with the charity’s sculpture trail The Big Hop.

The event is the only known bungee jump registered to take place in Aberdeen this year.

This deal brings the headcount of the AAB Central Scotland team to 350+, further strengthening the team to deliver client-focused services to businesses and individuals across a key growth region for the AAB group.

Graeme Allan, Chief Executive at AAB Group commented: “This is our largest strategic acquisition to date and significantly strengthens our market position in Scotland.

We are truly delighted to welcome the French Duncan team to AAB. We share a passion for supporting clients to achieve their goals by offering an unparalleled range of services to the businesses and individuals who choose to work with us, and I know our teams will be able to provide an even better service to our clients as a result of this deal.”

Graeme Finnie, Managing Partner of French Duncan added: “This deal is a superb next step for the French Duncan team. We have admired the journey AAB has been on and by joining the group ourselves we will create unmatched opportunities for our teams and our clients through enhanced technology, investment and expertise.”

Graeme Allan and Graeme Finnie

New trade deals with Australia and New Zealand get underway

The UK has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand and Australia which will make exporting to both countries cheaper, faster and more secure for UK businesses.

Businesses are expected to be able to use the new agreement from May 31, 2023 to start enjoying new benefits including:

• more flexible rules of origin when exporting goods that are better suited to modern supply chains

• equal treatment and improved business environment for UK businesses operating in Australia and New Zealand

• easier travel rules for UK businesspeople wishing to deliver services in Australian and New Zealand

Some of the provisions in the new FTA will apply automatically, whilst others may require you to take action first before you can benefit.

The action(s) you will need to take also depends on the type of goods or services you are selling.

Both countries share a common language and culture with the UK, as

well as business and legal practices such as intellectual property (IP) protection and the rule of law. This makes it easier for UK companies to do business there.

The Chamber has welcomed these new deals, which will lower tariffs, simplify customs procedures, allow for greater freedom of movement for labour and provide stronger market access for the UK’s world-leading services sector.

But the success of any free trade agreement comes down to whether businesses use it, so it’s vital the Government shouts from the rooftops about these new opportunities.

A recent British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey also found almost a quarter of firms (23%) said finding a business partner or distributor overseas would encourage them to either start exporting or export more.

We have strong Chambers in both Australia and New Zealand and will be working with them to get the most out of these trade deals for all our economies.

There are opportunities for UK companies across a broad range of industries in these countries.

Our trade advisers have identified particular opportunities for UK businesses in infrastructure, technology, agri-technology and e-commerce.

At Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, we can advise you on all aspects of international trade in countries around the world, supporting your business and helping you succeed in overseas markets.

If you would like to discuss taking your goods to the world, we would love to hear from you.

Learn more about exporting to Australia here:

Learn more about exporting to New Zealand here:

Lorraine Neish, International documentation team leader Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce

Sharon Burgess

Aberdeen Performing Arts’ board has announced Sharon Burgess as the new Chief Executive of the arts organisation. She is an experienced global arts leader, most recently as Chief Executive of ARTRAGE, a non-for-profit cultural organisation based in Perth, Western Australia.

Caroline Lofthouse

NOF, a UK businessdevelopment organisation for the energy sector, has appointed longserving team member Caroline Lofthouse as its new Director of Business Development. Since joining NOF in 2006 she has complemented her degree in business studies (marketing specialism).

Susan Davies

Scottish environmentalist, Susan Davies, has been named the new Chair of the James Hutton Institute. Susan has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre since 2019 and is also a former Director of Conservation at the Scottish Wildlife Trust. She has been on the Hutton Board since 2017 as a trustee.

Nick Dunn

Score Group has announced the appointment of Nick Dunn as the new CEO. He was previously Director of Corporate Development. Nick has held senior roles around the world with large organisations specialising in oil and gas production equipment and business operations.

Laura Petrie

Brodies has strengthened its dedicated Aberdeenbased oil and gas practice with the promotion of Laura Petrie to Partner. Laura joined Brodies as Legal Director in 2019. She specialises in providing corporate and commercial advice to upstream oil and gas clients, as well as having significant service sector experience.

Iain Bridges

Iain Bridges has been promoted to Finance Director at civil-engineering contractor WM Donald, where he has been Financial Controller for the last six years. His new role will see him lead the finance function as the firm looks to continue its growth across the North-east.

David Gray, Ian Walland & Rebekah Widdowfield

Independent scientific research organisation the James Hutton Institute has welcomed three figures to its Board of Directors. David Gray, Chair of the Gannochy Trust, Professor Ian Wall, former CEO of the EDI Group, and Dr Rebekah Widdowfield, Vice Principal at St Andrews University, have been formally adopted on to the institute’s board. Together, the new Directors bring a wealth of experience from across government, education, academia, finance and public engagement.

ITWORK UK has promoted Kyle Brebner to Service Desk Supervisor as a response to the company’s growth. He began his career at the firm after graduating from Robert Gordon University, in computer network management and design. Starting over five years ago in a systemstechnician role, Kyle progressed to Systems Engineer before being promoted to his new role.

North Star has appointed James Bradford as its Chief Technology Officer as the organisation scales up its onshore operations for further growth in the offshore wind sector across Europe. He has more than 30 years’ strategic and operational experience in the maritime sector. He joins from ship management specialist V. Group, where he was Global Head of Technical.

Intervention Rentals has announced the appointment of a new Commercial Sustainability Director, Alex Leddy, who plans to pivot the organisation towards sustainable activities, technologies and growth. For over seven years, he has been involved with green projects.

Aberdeenshire Chef and Entrepreneur Peter Bruce has been appointed to the board of the Federation of Chefs Scotland - also known as Scottish Chefs. Peter is CEO of Entier. The new appointment sees him join the board alongside culinary experts from across Scotland.

Alexander Carle, Linda Clarke and Carol Reid

The North-east’s largest Registered Social Landlord, Grampian Housing Association, has announced the appointment of three new Directors as it sets out on delivering a new business plan. Alexander Carle becomes Director of Asset Management while Linda Clarke becomes Director of Finance and Carol Reid, Director of Customer Services. They join Craig Stirrat, Group CEO and Malcolm McNeil, Depute CEO in a strengthened executive team. All postholders have considerable experience with the Association as well as from the wider public, private and charitable sectors.

Liza Cooper and Angus Wilson

Laeso Fish has welcomed Angus Wilson as an Assistant Buyer and Liza Cooper as Operations Manager. Liza previously worked in various similar industries, while Angus is a Marine Biologist.

Kyle Brebner

James Bradford

Alex Leddy

Peter Bruce

Jacqui Johnston

North East Services has named Jacqui Johnston as the new Office Manager. As the company continues to expand its operations, Jacqui’s appointment was a strategic move to bring in an experienced professional with a proven track record in business development.

Eric Hendry

Hunting Energy Services has announced a key appointment for its well intervention rental division as it continues to grow and expand into new markets. The firm has welcomed Eric Hendry as the Rental and Service Manager. Eric has held various global technical positions spanning more than 40 years.

Escone Solutions has appointed Sarah Hafil as Business Applications Support Analyst to help develop the firm’s further expansion and continued growth. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Sarah most recently worked as a business solutions analyst for a housing association.

Miriam Blair

Eserv has announced the appointment of Miriam Blair as Product Marketing Manager. As the company continues to grow and expand, Miriam’s appointment was a strategic move to bring in an experienced marketing professional to help grow the business domestically and internationally.

Mike Ogg and Hannah Goonan

Aberdeen-based packaging company Packed Up has announced two additions to its team. Mike Ogg, an experienced Chef with a 40-year offshore-cooking history, has joined the warehouse team. Hannah Goonan, who has taken on the role of Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator, has more than a decade of experience in marketing and working with children.

Colette Cohen and Myrtle Dawes

After nearly seven years at the helm of the Net Zero Technology Centre, Colette Cohen is standing down as CEO with Myrtle Dawes taking up the role. Colette launched NZTC in 2017. Myrtle joined NZTC in 2019 as Solution Centre Director.

Sarah Hafil

Roddy Mitchell and Sheena Anderson

North-east charity Charlie House has strengthened its Board by appointing Roddy Mitchell and Sheena Anderson as Trustees. Following a career spanning 35 years in the construction industry, Roddy retired from MTM Construction in December 2020. Retired chartered accountant Sheena Anderson was a Founding Partner of Anderson Anderson & Brown.

David Wishart, Sharon Adan and Niall Sharry

Aberdeen’s McHardy Group, which trades in the city as McHardy Financial, has announced three new hires as part of its continued company growth, bringing their staff count to 60 across Scotland. Niall Sharry and David Wishart join the Senior Financial Planning team, and Sharon Adan comes on Board as a Chartered Financial Planner. All three were previously with Ascot Lloyd.

Jack Patterson, Fiona Duncan & Dylan McDonald

Airpac Rentals has strengthened its team at its Kintore HQ with three new faces. Jack Patterson has been appointed as Assistant Accountant after graduating with an MA (Hons) degree in accountancy and business management.

Fiona Duncan has joined as Marketing Co-ordinator after working in marketing in a variety of industries including retail, property and oil and gas. Dylan McDonald has joined as a Financial Business Analyst. He is combining work with studying under the UK’s Graduate Apprenticeship scheme and will study with Robert Gordon University to attain a BA (Hons) degree in business management.

Peter Exley

A former President of the American Institute of Architects has been appointed as the new Dean for the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture & Built Environment at Robert Gordon University. Professor Peter Exley is Founder of internationallyrecognised practice Architecture is Fun, a Chicago-based architecture and design firm.

Amanda Elrick

REDA Energy has welcomed new HSEQ Coordinator Amanda Elrick to the business. She has over eight years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Amanda joined from Intertek, where she worked as a Laboratory Analyst.

Neospace celebrates twoyear anniversary

May marked a significant milestone for neospace as it has now been two years since opening the doors for the first time and welcoming the first member in.

Riverside House, now Neo House has been in the Knox Group since 2012 and in 2019/2020 the neospace concept was born. This concept is where you can find work, rest and play under one roof. Home to flexible, hybrid, tech-led spaces, blended with warm hospitality, sustainably operated wellness facilities and a thriving community.

The community spirit has grown into a beautiful mix, with over 40 companies from all walks of industry and talented individuals with great opportunities to collaborate and network.

CFINE shortlisted for national charity award

CFINE is set to star at this year’s Scottish Charity Awards. Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrate the best of Scotland’s voluntary sector.

CFINE CEO Fiona Rae said: “CFINE is delighted to be shortlisted for The SCVO Charity of the Year Award. The positive impact we make across the communities we support to alleviate the pressures people are facing due to being affected by poverty, would not be possible without the hard work, passion, commitment, and enthusiasm of all the staff and volunteers; it is fantastic recognition for the team”.

The 2023 Scottish Charity Awards winners will be announced at a celebratory awards ceremony in Edinburgh on June 23, 2023 - hosted by TV presenter Sally Magnusson.

Thousands ‘Fighting for Air’

The boss of Scotland’s leading asthma charity has called on the Scottish Government to “wake up” to the crisis facing thousands of sufferers.

Martina Chukwuma-Ezike issued the call as the Asthma and Allergy Foundation launched a policy report designed to help asthmatics whose symptoms, she says, are desperately out of control.

University launches new topical podcast series

The University of Aberdeen has launched a news-based podcast series exploring the current stories making the press.

‘Into the Headlines’ takes a conversational dive into the news agenda, both those stories released by the University itself and the regional, national and international issues and events impacting society as a whole.

Usually topical, frequently fun and almost always thoughtprovoking, episodes are released on a Friday across platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Sticher, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music, as well as the University website.

Jennifer Phillips, Head of Communications, said: “Home to a community of more than 130 different nationalities, the University boasts a broad spectrum of experts and interests, from groundbreaking medical and environmental research to politics, business, sports, arts, science specialisms and more.

“Through this new podcast series, we hope to explore some of the big ticket news stories coming from our academics that are having a direct impact on the world around us, as well as providing a platform for our experts and other invited guests to share their thoughts on the topical issues making the headlines in Scotland, the UK and beyond.”

The study, ‘Fighting for Air’, blames worsening air pollution, higher rates of poverty, underfunding in education and an increasingly overwhelmed health service for the worsening situation.

The policies it promotes are an increase in the Scottish Child Payment for families coping with the respiratory condition; priority social housing; a commitment to face-to-face asthma reviews with GPs; live air pollution monitoring by local authorities and a nationwide roll-out of asthma training in schools, workplaces, and other organisations.

Mrs Chukwuma-Ezike said: “Scotland has one of the worst problems with asthma anywhere in Europe and it is time for ministers to wake up to the crisis hundreds of thousands face, particularly children living in straitened conditions.

“There is a kind of ambivalence towards the condition and services are woefully underfunded. “Of the 72,200 children in Scotland with asthma, one is admitted to hospital every 20 minutes with an attack. If you are living in poverty, you are three times more likely to be one of these children.”

She added: “In an age where health services face a multitude of problems, we feel asthma is ignored by those with the power to help. We have launched this policy paper in the hope that we will get it into the hands of decision-makers who have the will and ability to introduce meaningful change for a constituency of people who are, quite frankly, lost at sea without any hope in sight.”