Iod scotland summer

Scotland

Summer 2014 www.iodscotland.com

Published for members of the Institute of Directors in Scotland

We’re leading the way Directors from the energy and web sectors land IoD awards

IoD Conference: Speakers announced for Fairmont MAKING PROSPERITY A REALITY

Save the date: October 30-31

Chairman’s welcome

Referendum debate needs to return to a respectful tone W

The independence debate is starting to plumb new depths – and that’s a reason for considerable disquiet, says IoD Scotland Chairman Ian McKay

e have done this before. We should be getting better at it. We are not. Instead, we are regressing badly.

After the 1992 General Election there was a massive demonstration in Edinburgh, driven as much by frustration as anger, that Scotland found itself governed by a party it had not voted for and which had virtually no presence in the Scottish body politic.

What was remarkable about that demonstration was those who were there – teachers and business people, priests and church ministers, trade unionists and academics. They were angry at the glaring democratic deficit in our country and wanted fairness and change.

I still have the poster hastily produced 100 days after that election with the ‘Declaration of Calton Hill’ which among a fine list of demands, called for a ‘referendum to determine the will of the People of Scotland’.

That referendum happened and we have enjoyed a Scottish Parliament since 1999. The conduct of our present Referendum debate is in danger of undoing so much we achieved at that time and since.

I remember Prof Alice Brown, then Professor of Politics at Edinburgh University, pointing out to me the enormous achievement of the Scottish Parliament campaign, where fundamental democratic changes in governance had been achieved through civic society activity and without violence – in stark

Contacts & details Executive Director: David Watt iod.scotland@iod.com For email enquiries, iod.scotland@iod.com Web www.iodscotland.com or www.iod.com/scotland Address IoD Scotland: 29 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh EH3 6QE Tel. 0131 557 5488 Fax. 0131 557 5818

contrast to even our near European neighbours in Ireland or Spain. Happily, that absence of physical violence remains a feature of the present but what is new is a sickening and puerile web-based campaign of vitriol and abuse which pervades far too much of the debate.

Anyone – not just media commentators and professional politicians – who dares present a public view, will be the subject of this abuse. Calton Hill’s demand that ‘Nobody should feel or be prevented from shaping and determining their environment, their society or their country’ sounds like something from far, far away.

If this is to be changed, then our elected leaders must lead by example, not set a bad example. Witnesses from civic society giving evidence in the committee structure of the Parliament we fought for are shouted down and insulted by elected Parliamentarians; the right-hand man of our most senior and respected political representative feels it is right to whisper bad things to newspapers about a young woman voicing a view in this debate, and our First Minister feels that is acceptable behaviour. There are references to Nazis, trolls and liars peppering the debate and we think this is the way to behave. Believe me, it isn’t.

IoD has taken a simple view from the outset. Tell us the facts, let us decide. It started well, with a voluminous White Paper and the Government meeting representatives of civic society to set out an honest stall.

I was there and it was impressive. I asked a question: ‘What will the cost be to the Scottish Exchequer of the system set out in the White Paper to deliver our letters?’ The First Minister promised me an answer I still haven’t had. Not even whispered behind a hand or from the keyboard of a cybertroll.

Treat our institutions, our heritage, our nation and our people with the respect they all deserve in what is left of this campaign or otherwise we will lay the foundations for a post-September Scotland – Independent or not – that no one will want to win.

IoD Scotland is the official membership magazine of the Institute of Directors and is published on its behalf by: Chamber Media Services, 4 West Park Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3JX. Advertising sales: Colin Regan t: 01925 292002 / 07871 444922 e: colinregan001@yahoo.co.uk Production: Rob Beswick t: 0161 426 7957 / 07964 375216 e: rob@chambermediaservices. co.uk

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material contained within this magazine, neither IoD Scotland nor Chamber Media Services can accept any responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in its editorial or advertising content.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IoD. The carriage of advertisements or editorials in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

Cover picture: Robin Watson, Wood Group PSN and Mark Logan, Skyscanner, receive their Director of the Year Awards from Raymond O’Hare. See pg 8.

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 03

Executive director

Referendum? Just the facts, please David Watt Executive Director IoD Scotland

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lot of conversations recently have seen me being asked me what business organisations are doing in terms of the forthcoming independence referendum.

Well, the IoD in Scotland – working under the guidance of the Scotland committee – has developed a clear policy stance and planned course of action to deliver support and relevant information.

The IoD in Scotland, which is a nonpartisan business organisation, obviously retains a close interest in constitutional change as it affects members, business and the economy. That’s why we have staged a number

IoD Pall Mall set for major refurbishment The planned refurbishment of the IoD’s HQ in London, 116 Pall Mall, will begin this summer.

The design team, Russell Sage Studio, has worked with members to ensure that the redesign offers you a greatly improved experience for meeting, working, networking and entertaining, as well as being entirely sympathetic to a much-loved and historically important space.

The new designs and room layouts will offer members a greater choice of formal and informal working spaces.

The refurbishment is scheduled to start on 14 July with the Directors’ Room and the Brasserie.

These areas will be closed for around four weeks and will re-open before the start of the second phase, which includes the Morning Room, Spears Room and the Restaurant. This second phase should last from mid August until the end of September.

The final phase, which will include the Reception and staircase, is planned for the end of the year. By scheduling the works during the quieter weeks of the summer we aim to limit the disruption to members.

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of events to enable members to question both sides and we are promoting many such opportunities staged by others.

In addition on our Scottish website – www.iodscotland.com – we have many links to the various campaign, academic and thought papers with the intention of offering as much information as possible to members to allow them to make a well-informed judgement.

We have also delivered a free Press Data service for members to enable them to keep up to speed with current issues an developments.

All our efforts are focused on impartial delivery of facts, views and information to all our members and other business leaders. They will make their decisions and we must support as best we can.

For the IoD itself the continued focus is on growing membership and better supporting the ones we have.

We are very aware of the “soft” bits of our

membership and we are working hard to address them.

We already have a significant number of activities in the area of gender and are working hard – not just talking – to get more women into the boardroom.

We are also beginning to address “young” directors – emerging directors as we call them.

Recently we had a conference in Glasgow with a range of excellent speakers. We will review that event and build a programme to encourage that group.

In addition we have launched a series of director development sessions aimed at the family business and that too recognises where we could do more.

Fundamentally we are here to build an IoD in Scotland to support and increase membership. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome, and the future looks bright if we can continue to build and grow for the future.

200SVS opens for members IoD Scotland has been delighted with members’ response to its new facilities in Glasgow, at 200 St Vincent Street (200SVS).

A complementary base to the Edinburgh HQ, it provides a luxury venue in the heart of Glasgow city centre for members, with free wi-fi, hot desking, serviced offices, small meeting rooms, impressive boardrooms and conference facilities for up to 250 people.

There’s also the superb Mind, Body and Soul Spa in which you can unwind and be revitalised before your next meeting starts!

After undergoing a multi-million pounds restoration, the Grade A-listed Art Deco building has been completely transformed across all six floors, creating a space to meet all of your business needs.

It combines cutting-edge technologies with luxurious surroundings and first class service: it is the perfect venue for any meeting or event.

With fully integrated IT and AV systems as well as video conferencing facilities, 200 SVS is sure to exceed your expectations.

With all of the amenities 200 SVS has to offer under one roof, and transport links on

your doorstep, (Queen Street and Central Station are a 10 minutes walk or threeminute taxi ride away) you can network, meet, work, relax and dine in stylish sophistication. Visitors can park on street meters outside or the Q Park, only a couple of blocks away. Glasgow Airport is a 20-minute taxi ride.

To access 200SVS, members must present their membership card upon entry and can bring up to three guests – all of whom need to sign in. Members will benefit from free wi-fi, a complimentary tea, coffee or bottled water.

If you wish to use any of the facilities or book a private meeting or conference room, the IoD has negotiated special rates our members.

Find out more by calling 0141 222 3934 or info@200svs.com The full address is 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5RQ.

ScotRail offers IoD members exclusive First Class upgrade

IoD Scotland’s longstanding partnership with ScotRail aims to raise awareness among IoD members of the productivity and cost benefits of moving business travel from road to rail.

A recent study by the Fraser of Allander Institute highlighted that ScotRail contributes £1.5 Billion to the wider Scottish economy.

To further this all-round benefit, ScotRail has agreed to offer IoD members a free upgrade to First Class on ScotRail Services*.

The offer will be open to all IoD Scotland members. The IoD membership card must be presented to the Conductor on-train along with a valid ticket type for that journey.

This offer is valid on the following ticket types, where First Class accommodation is available: u Anytime Single u Anytime Return u Off Peak Please note there are exclusions: 07.00hrs – 08.00hrs inclusive, Monday – Friday between Edinburgh and

Glasgow (both directions) 17.00hrs – 18.00hrs inclusive Monday – Friday between Edinburgh and Glasgow (both directions) 06.41hrs, 16.41hrs and 17.41 Glasgow to Aberdeen.

This benefit is not available on Caledonian Sleeper services.

Members whose businesses use train travel regularly could also sign up to ScotRail’s Business Direct service, a solution designed to help support with managing your business travel programmes, saving you time and money.

For more information See www.scotrail.co.uk/businessdirect or call 0141 335 4015 to find out more. *Subject to availability Terms and conditions:

Valid on ScotRail operated services only, this offer cannot be used by other people travelling with you (either family or work colleagues etc).

The offer is valid from 2nd January 2014 and replaces any previous member benefits.

ScotRail reserves the right to withdraw with a month’s notice.

Safety first

CSSC Scotland - Helping to keep Businesses safe and secure during Scotland’s year of major events The cross-sector Safety and Security Communications (CSSC) Scotland project began in January 2013 and represents a partnership between the public and private sectors in Scotland. It is being set up in preparation for a year in which Scotland is regularly to be placed in the global spotlight, with major events being hosted including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup 2014.

During this exciting and busy year, CSSC Scotland will facilitate the two-way sharing of safety, security and resilience information between the public and private sectors so that businesses can make informed, appropriate decisions and keep their operations running and their people, assets and customers safe.

CSSC Scotland is a joint initiative between Police Scotland, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and other partners from the public and private sectors.

It is currently sharing information to help businesses prepare for the Commonwealth Games and other events and will share daily information during the Games so that businesses are able to receive a single briefing which updates them on security, transport and resilience matters.

CSSC Scotland aims to continue functioning after the Games, standing up to issue messaging if there is an unexpected incident/ emergency or when the public sector have advance notice of an event that may impact on businesses.

IoD Scotland believes this is a very valuable initiative, one which will help businesses of all sizes to make the most of opportunities that these large events bring, knowing that they have a direct link into the public sector and can receive timely and authoritative information when needed.

The IoD will share CSSC Scotland information with its members when appropriate, however, if your business would prefer to sign up directly for CSSC Scotland messaging or you would like more information about the project, please visit the website at www.cssc.gb.com or contact the team on scotland@cssc.gb.com.

‘CSSC Scotland will facilitate the two-way sharing of safety, security and resilience information so that businesses can make informed, appropriate decisions’

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 05

Branch news: Edinburgh and Lothian

Alan eager to use IoD brand to help local members

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he new chairman of IoD Edinburgh and Lothian has a clear view of how he wants to help the branch develop over his time in office. Alan Thornburrow, Chief Executive, Scottish Investment Operations, wants to see the branch exploit the IoD’s brand and the significant contribution its membership makes to the Scottish and UK economy by attracting high-profile speakers to lead its events.

“There are a lot of organisations putting on events in Edinburgh and we don’t want to compete on quantity. I want us to follow a strategy of less is more, with highly targeted events, led by high-profile speakers, who will really help our members develop and deliver ideas and lessons they can take away from the event and implement in their own organisations.”

As a case in point, he highlighted the recent event the branch held with former Olympic rowing star Ben Hunt-Davies. “It was a great event that really drove home the importance of team working. Ben highlighted how his rowing crew eradicated internal competition over ideas – it wasn’t a case of fighting to get your idea implemented, but agreeing on whose contribution fitted best their motto: ‘does it make the boat go faster’. A perfect illustration of teamworking at its best.”

Future events would be largely driven by membership demand. “I am really keen to hear from members as to what they want from us in the way of events,” he said.

But Alan hopes to develop the branch by offering other benefits of membership, too. “I am keen to expand our mentoring by tapping into the wealth of experience that exists within our membership and utilise it to support other members.

“For our emerging directors, this chance to develop their skills and experience is a key area where IoD membership can really be a benefit.”

The increasing use businesses and organisations are making of non-executive directors is another area where Alan sees the IoD playing an important role. “I’d like to see us helping those experienced directors looking to step into NXD roles.”

There is an obvious link between this support and the IoD’s director development courses, Alan says.

Alan is something of a newcomer to the IoD. “I joined a few years ago but allowed the membership to lapse. I didn’t make the most of it and would admit to not getting involved the first time round.”

However, his role with Scottish Investment Operations prompted him to reassess the value IoD membership could bring. “I re-joined around a year ago because I thought I needed to access a broader network of senior business professionals, and the IoD was the obvious choice.

“Scottish Investment Operations is a professional body working on behalf of the Scottish investment industry. We partner with our member companies to promote the industry and develop skills and qualifications. Through that I had a pretty extensive network in the financial sector but felt that I needed to improve my links with the

I re-joined because I thought I needed to access a broader network of senior business professionals, and the IoD was the obvious choice. wider business community to get an idea of the bigger picture of the economy.

“The IoD was the ideal vehicle for that.”

Alan appreciates that every member has his or her own reasons for joining the IoD. “Members I’ve spoken to have a whole range of reasons for joining. Some have done so solely to take advantage of the facilities open to members – whether it is the regional hub offices or access to airport business lounges.

“Others have used the support services, such as the legal helpline, or the discounts on third party services. In many ways this wide variety of reasons for joining makes it challenging to know what members want once they are with us – which is why I’m so keen to hear from Edinburgh members as to what they want from their branch.”

He’s also keen to refresh the branch committee. “I took over the chair because my predecessor’s job was making it increasing difficult for him to co-ordinate the branch. He was being asked to spend a huge amount of time away from the city – in Aberdeen and London mainly – and felt that he couldn’t give the IoD the attention it deserved.

“I took the view that if I got involved with the committee, it would help me get the most possible out of the IoD – my philosophy is definitely to get the most out of something, get involved! I decided that if I shuffled other interests around I could devote some of my time to leading the branch.”

Alan is keen to speak to other IoD members who want to follow his philosophy, of putting something in, to get something out.

“The branch committee has a lot of experience but I’d like to broaden its skill base. We are well-stocked with members from the finance sector, but I’d love to see a more diverse mix on the committee, with public sector, PR and manufacturing sectors, among others, represented.”

The time taken up by the committee isn’t too onerous, says Alan. “It’s not a second job. It requires a certain level of commitment but if we have more committee members we can share the duties around.

“If you are interested in getting involved, contact me on 07809 364 089.”

IoD branch goes from ‘Good to Great...’

Chair, IoD Glasgow and West of Scotland

There was a definite theme with IoD Glasgow & West of Scotland events in spring and early summer, with two fully booked events on two consecutive days, with around 50 members and guests, very much focused on the principles of Jim Collins’ highly referenced book, Good to Great.

First, Eleanor Cannon of Vistage, the CEO of the private advisory group network, took the guests at HBJ Gateley through a fantastic six-step tour of what makes leaders and organisations not just good, but great.

We learned about Level 5 leadership and about getting the right people in the right seats on the bus. We heard about why it’s better to be a hedgehog than a fox and about getting the flywheel flying – all very thought-provoking and no one left the event without at least a

couple of key takeaways.

The following night we hosted an Influencers’ Dinner with one of Scotland’s top business leaders, Ian Marchant. Recently appointed Chairman of the Wood Group, Chair of Maggies’ Cancer Charity and of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Delivery Group and Infinis Energy, Ian is also a non-executive director of Aggreko, and a few other companies in that very broad and comprehensive portfolio.

As well as an excellent meal provided by 200SVS in sumptuous surroundings, we were afforded a fascinating and insightful half-hour glimpse into Ian’s own leadership journey and specifically 10 lessons learnt. After dinner, an open and honest discussion followed, covering

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everything from succession issues to the challenges of juggling a heavy portfolio of commitments, from developing and living according to your values, to staying humble, and being clear about what’s keeping you grounded.

In the next few weeks, as we wind down for our summer of sport with the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup (and I believe there’s some sort of football tournament on as well), we have a fabulous networking and whisky tasting dinner toasting the best of Scottish Food and Drink, at Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery, with Glengoyne distillery.

Just to add a bit of variety to our events programme....!

It’s better to be a hedgehog than a fox... and how to get the flywheel flying... a couple of key takeaways...

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Laura Gordon

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 07

IoD Director of the Year Awards

Internet pioneer and oil man take home IoD top awards

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wo leaders from very different business sectors but who have delivered similarly outstanding results over the past 12 months were honoured at the IoD Scotland’s 10th Anniversary Director of the Year Awards.

The judges selected Robin Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen-based international energy services company Wood Group PSN and Mark Logan, Chief Operating Officer of Edinburgh firm Skyscanner, as IoD Scotland’s Directors of the Year for Businesses with over £35m Turnover and Businesses up to £35m Turnover respectively.

IoD Scotland Executive Director David Watt hailed the pair’s contribution to Scotland’s business community.

“Both men represent the very best of our nation’s business leaders. Robin has built Wood Group PSN into a genuine world player with successful results which reflect this. Growth has been secured in a planned and systematic way in an industry known for volatility and risk – which is quite simply a world-class achievement thanks to his all-round leadership skills.”

While the energy sector is one of Scotland’s older businesses, Mark Logan’s story was of success in a much newer field. He joined the internet airline flight search agent Skyscanner as Chief Operating Officer in early 2012, since then “he has consolidated and accelerated the rise of one of Scotland’s recent success stories, delivering solid results with attention to detail.

Growth has been fast but achievable and with his CEO, they have produced a solid, winning

The Rt Hon The Lord Smith of Kelvin KT receives the IoD Scotland Chairman’s Award from Ian McKay leadership where the sky is not the limit.”

The awards, at a prestigious ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow, also saw the IoD honour the lifetime’s work of the Rt Hon The Lord Smith of Kelvin KT by presenting him with its Chairman’s Award.

IoD Chairman Ian McKay said: “The Chairman’s Award exists to allow us to go beyond the normal categories of leadership and reputation and recognise exceptional talent.

This year’s recipient clearly matches that criteria. Not content with a business career which is truly stellar, Robert, Lord Smith of Kelvin – or just plain ‘Robert Smith’ as he is known by so many here this evening – has been

generous of his time in public life and works.

He served first in areas close to his accountancy background, on the Boards of both the FSA and FRC. He was President of ICAS; an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Internal Auditors and not surprisingly has been installed in the British Venture Capital Association Hall of Fame.

“More broadly his service would do justice to half-a-dozen Who’s Who entries: A trustee of the British Council, Chair of the National Museums of Scotland and a BBC Governor, where he chaired Children in Need.

“More recently we have seen his hard work bearing fruit as he heads up the organising team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He is a worthy recipient of this special award.”

Other winners included Bonnie Clarke, Director for Scotland for the executive recruitment company Badenoch & Clark, who was named the IoD’s Female Director of the Year, and Martin Dorchester, Chief Executive, David MacBrayne Limited, who took home the Public Sector award.

Ronie Walters, Financial Director, Orkney Micro Renewables Community Interest Company, was the winner in the Third Sector category, while Dr Tom Stratford, Chief Executive, ProStrakan Group plc, was named the IoD’s Emerging Director.

Three awards were presented for specific business initiatives or sectors. Peter Bruce won the Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing category for his work as Chief Executive Officer, Entiér Limited; Dr Howard Dryden, Chairman and Founder,

Dryden Aqua Ltd, was rewarded with the Sustainability Leadership Award for the way he has ensured his company delivers safe, clean water and does so ethically and sustainably; and Jane Wright, Chief Executive, Law At Work, took home the award for her commitment to Flexible Working within her organisation.

The IoD Scotland Non-Executive Director of the Year was Peter Lederer, who has been widely praised for his roles on many Boards, including the Saltire Foundation, Gleneagles Hotel and Diageo.

Earlier in the evening, the keynote speaker, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, presented awards to two younger directors.

Ailie Bryson, formerly a student at Wallace Hall Academy, was named Young Enterprise Scotland Director of the Year for her work with her school-based company Record Time.

The Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland award went to Gregor Mackintosh, who after support from the charity has established Mackintosh of Glendaveny as the largest producer of cold-pressed rapeseed oil in Scotland.

The evening also saw IoD Scotland’s branches name their own Regional Directors of the Year. These winners were Ben Murray, Managing Director, Keltic Seafare (Scotland) Ltd (Highlands & Islands); Dr Nigel Kerby MBE, Managing Director, Mylnefield Research Services Ltd (Tayside); Carol Graham, Marketing Director, Graham’s The Family Dairy (Fife & Central Scotland); Alan McLeish, Managing Director, QTS Group Ltd (Glasgow & West of Scotland); Louise Wood, Managing Director, Prodrill Energy Resource Solutions (Aberdeen & Grampian). Mark Logan was named Edinburgh, Lothians & the Borders’ Director of the Year in addition to his overall award.

From left, Robin Watson and Mark Logan with their awards, presented to them by former IoD Chairman Raymond O’Hare

More Awards pictures – See pages 10-11 IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 09

IoD Director of the Year Awards “We are, of course, looking for the best of the best – the very top directors in each category – but the quality of nominations across the board was genuinely outstanding, so congratulations to everyone who was put forward for an IoD Award.”

Kaye Adams, event host (left)

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6 3 1 Dr Howard Dryden, Dryden Aqua Ltd, receives the Sustainability Leadership Award from Jane Wood, Scottish Business in the Community 2 Bonnie Clarke, Badenoch & Clark, IoD’s Female Director, and Don McIntyre, The Glasgow School of Art 3 Ronie Walters, Orkney Micro Renewables Community Interest Company winner of the Third Sector Director Award – presented

by John Downie, SCVO 4 Jane Wright, Law at Work, receives the Director Award for Flexible Working Policies from Aileen Campbell MSP 5 Sandy Kennedy receives the Non-Executive Director Award on behalf of Peter Lederer CBE, with award presenter Jack Perry

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6 Dr Tom Stratford, ProStrakan Group plc, was named Emerging Director, presented by Graham Birse, Edinburgh Napier University

Regional glory: IoD branches honour local heroes

Left, Alan McLeish, QTS Group Ltd with Laura Gordon, IoD Glasgow & West of Scotland Above left, Carol Graham, Graham’s The Family Dairy, and Stephen Westwood, IoD Fife & Central Scotland

Ben Murray, Keltic Seafare Ltd, receives his regional award from Alex Paterson, Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Above right, Mike Macdonald, Prodrill Energy Resource Solutions, receives the IoD Aberdeen & Grampian award from branch chairman Mike Bowyer on behalf of the winner, Louise Wood

Dr Nigel Kerby MBE, Mylnefield Research Services Ltd, with Richard Ellison, IoD Tayside Branch Chair

First Minister Alex Salmond presents Ailie Bryson with her Young Enterprise Scotland Director of the Year award and (right), with Gregor Mackintosh, Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland winner

Above left, Peter Bruce, Entiér Ltd, took home the Director Award for Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing, presented by Margaret Burns CBE, NHS Health Scotland

The right direction

Martin Dorchester, David MacBrayne Limited, the Public Sector Director of the Year, with sponsor Ken Robertson, mclcreate

Avril Gall, IoD Director Development, presented Diplomas in Company Direction to two members at the awards.

Brian Martin, director at Caltona and Colin Taylor, director of Neat (UK) Ltd

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 11

Making

prosperity a reality IoD Scotland Conference 2014: heads for The Fairmont, St Andrews: Thursday 30 & Friday 31 October 2014::

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ave the date – make sure you are free to attend one of the highlights of Scotland’s business calendar – the IoD Scotland Conference. Every year this prestigious event draws high-profile business leaders from across the sectors to a day of thought-provoking and inspiring lectures, debates and workshops.

A networking event par excellence, at this year’s conference some of the most knowledgeable and successful speakers from across the business world – genuine experts and proven business leaders – will talk from their practical experience on our principal theme – how we can make prosperity a reality for Scotland, today and in the future.

The conference programme will be delivered through a panel debate, plenary sessions, speaker-hosted lunch-time discussions and high-level workshops, and will provide time to network and to meet with key influencers and business leaders during the conference and at the conference dinner on Friday evening.

This year’s guest speakers include: n Katherine Garrett-Cox CBE, Chief Executive, Alliance Trust, who was honoured this year for her services to the asset management industry and her charitable service through the Baring Foundation. n Sir John Elvidge KCB, former Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, Chairman of Edinburgh Airport Ltd and Non-Executive Director of Scottish Opera. n Mark Logan, Chief Operating Officer, Skyscanner, the Edinburgh-based flight comparison specialist, who was named Director of the Year for businesses up to £35m turnover. n Robin Watson, Chief Executive of the Wood Group PSN, a division of Wood Group, and the largest provider of brownfield services to the oil and gas industry, who was named Director of the Year for businesses of over £35m turnover. n Charles Spinosa, Group Director at Dublin-based VISION Consulting, who provide innovative solutions that help create

breakthroughs by transforming management practices to profitably reinvigorate their relationships with customers and partners.

New for this year’s event will be a preConference afternoon session on the Thursday before the main Conference day, which will focus on corporate governance and director development programmes via workshop sessions, followed by a leadership lecture – Leadership Reality in 2020 Scotland. An informal networking supper in the Rock & Spindle Restaurant will finish off the evening in preparation for the Conference early on Friday morning.

The day will be rounded off in traditional style with the IoD Scotland black-tie Conference Dinner in the ballroom – a fitting finale to the end of conference on Friday evening.

Register your interest now to secure your place by emailing conference@firstcityevents.co.uk or by calling 07711 432745.

CONFERENCE SPEAKER: CONFIRMED::

Katherine Garrett-Cox cbe

Katherine is Chief Executive of Alliance Trust, one of the UK’s leading investment and savings businesses and has worked in financial services for nearly 25 years. She is a member of the supervisory board of Deutsche Bank AG, a founder member of The CityUK Advisory Council, Vice-Chair of the Baring Foundation, a member of the UK Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group and, in January 2014, was appointed a UK Business Ambassador for Financial Services. In addition, Katherine is a member of the Scottish Business Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Katherine has been listed in the Financial Times’ ranking of the Top 50 Women in World Business and was nominated a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum in 2005. She is also a member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals, CFA Institute.

Katherine was awarded a CBE in the 2014 New Year Honours List for services to the asset management industry and charitable service through the Baring Foundation.

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CONFERENCE SPEAKERS: CONFIRMED::

Sir John Elvidge KCB

Sir John is Chairman of Edinburgh Airport Limited and holds a variety of chairing and non-executive roles in the arts, charity and academic sectors. Following his earlier career in the Civil Service, culminating in his seven years as Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government and the introduction of major reforms in 2007, he now works with a number of overseas governments on the leadership of change in government and on innovation in public policy.

Sir John is an Adjunct Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and contributes to international programmes on leadership and change in conjunction with OECD, Oxford University and INSEAD, as well as working on UK government issues as an Associate of the Institute for Government.

Charles Spinosa, Ph.D

Charles is a Group Director at Dublin-based VISION Consulting. For 20 years, he has helped clients develop and deploy innovative customer propositions and faster moving, more incisive, enthusiastic cultures to deliver the propositions. His clients achieve significant, profitable increases in market share and share of wallet.

Recent UK clients include SSE, RSA, UK Post Office Financial Services, Southern Water, and the Impellam Group.

Charles publishes widely and has just published Transforming Crippling Company Politics in Organisational Dynamics with Chris Davis and Billy Glennon, and earlier with Don Sull, Promise-based Management in the Harvard Business Review.

Register your interest now Receive news first of booking details by emailing conference@ firstcityevents.co.uk or by calling 07711 432745.

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS: AWARD WINNERS:: IoD Scotland is delighted that our two principal winners at the IoD Scotland Director of the Year Awards, Mark Logan and Robin Watson, have agreed to address Conference.

Mark Logan

Mark joined Skyscanner in early 2012 as Chief Operating Officer, where he has overall responsibility for sales, marketing, engineering, strategy and operations.

Skyscanner is Europe’s leading flight search engine, with over 30 million unique monthly visitors and 30 million mobile downloads.

Since Mark joined, with a remit to transform the business and drive growth, Skyscanner’s revenues tripled in 2012 and

doubled again in 2013, to £65M. Previous roles included VP of engineering at Atlantech, sold in 2000 for $180m, CTO at Sumerian and director of Advanced Services at Cisco.

In March 2014 Mark was named IoD Scotland Director of the Year (businesses up to £35m turnover).

Robin Watson

Robin became Chief Executive of Wood Group PSN in 2012, and was appointed to the board of John Wood Group PLC in January 2013. Prior to this he was UK Managing Director of Wood Group PSN. Robin has over 30 years of engineering and industry experience, with the past 24

years spent in a variety of senior leadership roles, within both the operator and the service sectors of the oil and gas industry.

Prior to joining Wood Group, Robin was with Petrofac and Mobil Oil, working both in the UK and globally.

For more than 10 years Robin has played an active role in some of the oil and gas industry’s representative bodies, namely as a board member of Oil & Gas UK and the Oil & Gas UK Contractors Council, a member of the Step Change in Safety Leadership Team and co-chair of the Step Change human factors work group.

In March 2014 Robin was named IoD Scotland Director of the Year (businesses over £35m turnover).

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 13

PR and marketing

Know your way round the new media landscape Ken McEwen PR & Marketing

T

hirty years ago, when I set up my previous PR business, my professional world was a very different place. Communication was conducted by mail, or landline. For urgency the fax was a technical marvel and when we got our first brick-like office mobile phone, we thought we really had joined the jet-set!

With the internet and email things have changed dramatically.

One early recollection of the revolution was receiving our first internet photograph for a news story. It could hardly have been a more dramatic demonstration of the internet ‘shrinking the world’ as it was a picture of a client’s timber-frame construction project in the remote Falkland Islands.

Now, we usually take this instant worldwide communication for granted. But, just occasionally, something makes you stop and think. One such occasion was earlier this year, when I wrote and issued a press statement for a client from the deck of an inter-island ferry in New Zealand.

The internet has brought not only a

revolution in how we communicate, but also an explosion in the channels we can use for mass communication. Armed with nothing more than my smartphone, I can broadcast news around the world in seconds using social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

You dismiss these new media as frivolous at your peril. They offer huge potential for extending the reach of your business.

Working for an oil industry recruitment specialist we grew their social media following to more than 8,000 people in 45 countries.

That’s 8,000 people who had chosen to receive their news and who would potentially act as brand ambassadors in their own actual and online communities. The value of that is obvious.

How is it achieved? As with an effective website, ‘content is king’.

Why would you return to a website if it doesn’t offer something fresh and interesting on each visit? Equally, why would you follow any organisation on social media if it didn’t offer something that you want?

That something can include links highlighting interesting content, news and blogs on your own website. But it can also include links to third party sites containing useful insight and advice. It can also include special offers as an added incentive.

One enterprising example was the restaurateur who issued a special offer instantly

if his restaurant had a number of vacant tables.

A discounted party of diners is better than no diners!

Get social media right and you have an opportunity to communicate directly with a growing number of customers and potential customers. Your words will not be filtered by a third party editor and your videos will not be cut. With many journalists monitoring social media for potential stories, you may even find that your stories are also picked up for conventional print or broadcast media.

Even if you don’t embark on social media as a strand of your marketing programme, I believe it is important for business people to know enough to find their way around.

Websites, blogs and social media have been at the centre of campaigns that have rocked governments and huge multinationals.

Whereas the traditional media had all sorts of editorial checks and controls built in, ‘social media’ puts mass communication power into the hands of individuals and pressure groups with their own particular agenda. They can instantly project messages around the world from their smartphones, while sheltering behind the relative anonymity of the web.

Knowing the way to use social media could add a real positive dimension to your business.

But, not monitoring what is happening out there and not knowing how and when to respond could also prove critical.

• Ken McEwen, the past chairman of IoD Aberdeen, is the managing partner of Ken McEwen Public Relations.

See www.kenmcewen.com for more details

‘‘

Get social media right and you have an opportunity to communicate directly with a growing number of customers and potential customers.

‘‘

14 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

IoD Director development

IoD Scotland Director Development Director development within the IoD takes many forms, including committee-organised events, IoD Scotland-managed Director Development courses and Chartered Director programme courses, which are managed from London

Course details

Interested in attending an IoD course? Below are some details of forthcoming courses; on the facing page, upcoming courses.

Role of the Non-Executive Director The backbone of our Professional Director Series, this one-day course identifies the various roles of the non-executive director (NXD) in a variety of corporate settings – family company, subsidiaries, third sector and public sector; how their appointment can help balance a board and how they make an effective contribution to a board’s work. It also examines methods for their selection and reviews their motivation, induction and reward.

What kind of leader are you?

There is no template for a leader. All are different as everyone has their own strengths.

This workshop explores participants’ preferred leadership styles and how they can make the most of them. Improve how you interact with other styles and cope with that diversity within your boardroom.

which reveals what persuasion techniques really work.

The Creative Advantage

Being creative and fostering creativity in others are key leadership skills. Doing things differently is often a critical component in market place success. Find out how to foster and develop creativity within your organisation to give you the advantage.

Presentations to win business

Make an impact when making a presentation. Develop the ability to put a presentation together speedily without jeopardising quality as well as being so relaxed that presenting to any size of group is a group is a rewarding experience and not an aversive one.

Winning Board Behaviours

The rules of engagement in the boardroom; what to say, how to say it, when to say it – and why this is important for effective boardroom governance.

How to influence others and handle difficult people Gain the skills to handle even the most challenging people. Influencing skills are essential for good leadership as the job ceases to be about you and all about those working with you. Learn about the latest research

‘You never know who you might sit beside on one of our courses...

Ian Marchant was one the delegates on the latest IoD Winning Board Behaviours course’ 16 | IoD Scotland Summer

Role of the Chair

This course explores the pivotal role of the chair. Perhaps the single most important area within which a board can improve its effectiveness is how it is chaired.

This requires two things to happen – the chair leads the board and the understanding by the other directors of the rules of engagement.

The ability to chair any meeting is an important facet in the development of managers; once appointed to a board there is more than likely to be a requirement to chair board sub-committees or lead the board itself at some time in the future.

Confident Leadership

What is confidence and how can you get more of it? Power has acquired a bad name.

How can leaders change that perception and use power to make the tough decisions while supporting and caring for staff.

Autumn/Winter schedule 2014 Master Classes, Certificate Courses and Workshops Course name Date Time Venue

Certificate in Company Direction 14/09 to

19/09/14 9-5 What Kind of Leader are You? – Ros Taylor Master Class 16/09/14 9-1 Role of the Non-Executive Director (Inverness) 30/09/14 9-5 Leading from the Front – Ros Taylor Master Class 02/10/14 9-1 Confident Leadership – Ros Taylor Master Class 14/10/14 9-1 Role of the Chair 16/10/14 9-5

How to influence others & handle difficult people – Ros Taylor Master Class 11/11/14 9-1 Governance Masterclass 13/11/14 9-5

The Creative Advantage – Ros Taylor Master Class 19/11/14 9-1 Role of the Non-Executive Director (EDIN) 20/11/14 9-5 Role of the Chair 27/11/14 9-5 Presentations to win business – Ros Taylor Master Class 02/12/14 9-1

The George Hotel, Edinburgh

Members Non-mems Cost Cost

£7,330.00 £8,730.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00

£175.00

Inverness

£299.00

£325.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00

£175.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00 200SVS, 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow £299.00

£175.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00 200SVS, 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow £299.00

£175.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00

£175.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £299.00 The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £299.00

£325.00 £325.00

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh £150.00

£175.00

£325.00

£325.00

Chartered Director programme Chartered Director (CDir) is the only professional qualification for all directors that demands both knowledge and experience of how to make boards effective, as well as a commitment to continuous Professional Development.

Courses can be taken individually if the Certificate is not the goal. If an award is preferred the four courses can be spread over two years before sitting the exam.

Alternatively, a one-week Accelerated Programme is also offered. Directors can test their current level of knowledge using the Directors’ Knowledge Toolkit. Costs in 2014 for a two-day CDP course held at Edinburgh are £1,695 (members) and £2,035 (non-members). Three-day courses are £1,795 and £2,155. The Developing Board Performance course is currently only run in London at a cost of £2,850 or £3,330.

The Certificate in Company Direction consists of four modules: Role of the Director and the Board; Director’s Role in Strategy & Marketing; Finance for Non-Financial Directors; and the Director’s Role in Leading the Organisation. Once completed, The Diploma in Company Direction can be taken, with a three-day Developing Board Performance course.

This is followed by the Chartered Director module.

For further information contact: Avril Gall, Director Development, IoD Scotland, 29 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6QE, Tel: 0131 557 5488, Email: director.scotland@iod.com

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 17

IoD Events

Learning from the masters Four of Scotland‘s top business leaders to deliver masterclass on leadership for the IoD Date: Time: Venue:

Cost:

16th September Morning including lunch New Riverside East Building, Garthdee Campus Robert Gordons University, Aberdeen Early Bird Discount until 31st July £99 + VAT for members & non members From 1st August £130 + VAT for members and non members

This event is designed to inspire current and future generations of business leaders. The half-day in the new RGU facilities attracts 150+ Scottish business leaders and will include workshops lead by exceptional individuals who are recognised country-wide as having achieved outstanding

success in their industry sectors. Already confirmed for the event are: Robin Watson, Group Director Wood Group PSN (Energy Services) Edel Harris CEO Cornerstone (Third Sector) Michael Urquhart, MD Gordon McPhail (Whisky) Peter Bruce, CEO Entier (Hospitality) This high-profile quartet will talk about some of the key factors that contributed to their success, share their insights and give the opportunity to answer questions. n To book on this event contact Julie Blackwood, Regional Administrator, IoD Scotland on 0131 557 5488 or book through www.iod.com/scotland or www.iodscotland.com

Be a great sport this summer 200 SVS offers IoD members superb discounted sports-themed events packages Let 200SVS host your business event or meeting and we’ll make sure it’s an event your team will never forget as it’s played out against the backdrop of this summer’s great sporting spectaculars.

Let the Games Begin! from 23rd July - 3rd August

Celebrate in style with our exclusive Commonwealth Games packages. In addition to the five-star service synonymous to 200SVS, the atmosphere of the Games will be transferred through to your event. Celebrating Glasgow’s host city status, you will be treated to first-class locally sourced cuisine, and experience meetings and events like no other.

Enjoy plasma screens with connection to Games coverage, Commonwealth-themed decor and games and sports quizzes while you get on with your event.

Day delegate rates: from £45 per person, including Scottish-style snacks and buffet lunch Dinner packages: from £60 per person, including three-course themed menu, 1/2 bottle wine or beers

Tee off at 200 SVS! from 23rd -28th September

Get into the swing of the Ryder Cup with our exclusive Ryder Cup packages. In addition to the five-star service synonymous to 200SVS, you will experience outstanding entertainment and be treated to sumptuous Scottish cuisine from our bespoke menus, created specifically to represent the host country of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Plasma screens with connection to golf coverage, golf decor and games and golf quizzes while you get on with your event.

Day delegate rates: from £45 per person, including Scottish-style snacks and buffet lunch Dinner packages: from £60 per person, including three-course themed menu, 1/2 bottle wine or beers

To arrange your Event or for further information, please contact 0141 442 0066, or email info@200svs.com All prices exclude VAT and are subject to availability and minimum numbers.

Offer applies only to advertised timeframe. Bookings are non refundable and non transferrable 18 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

IoD Events

Raising finance:

What’s best for my business and how can I secure funding today?

Venue: Date: Time: Cost:

200SVS Ltd, Glasgow 4 September 08:15 - 14:00 Members £50 Non-members £60

Listen to the experts share experience and provide clarity as to how to find and secure finance today in the West of Scotland.

Following the success of this event in Edinburgh, IoD Scotland is taking this topic round the country to give clarity to business on the changing face of sources of finance.

The morning session in Glasgow, including lunch, will cover the conventional sources of equity finance, bank lending, and soft funding schemes, together with crowdfunding and peer to peer lending.

Maurice Taylor

The morning kicks off with Maurice Taylor, founder and CEO of Chardon Management entrepreneur who will share his experience of raising finance through his 40-year career.

The session will be facilitated by Stephen Westwood, an accomplished business leader with a successful track record of fund raising in the public and private markets.

Equity presentations will include angel funding and venture capital providers, advice on IPOs and the role of the Scottish Investment Bank and the Business Growth Fund.

Bank lending will be presented by David Morrison of Barclays and Andrew Craig, of Maven Capital Partners, who is the fund manager for the Scottish Loan Fund.

Soft funding and other alternatives, such as : crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending, will also be discussed.

The event will be followed by Q&A session, lunch and networking opportunity.

This event qualifies for three CPD hours.

For the latest news on IoD Scotland events, and to book, see www.iodscotland.com

The Referendum Debate: Question a high-profile panel over business case for ‘staying or going’ Date: Wednesday, August 20 Time: 11.45am - 2.00pm, including buffet lunch Venue: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness Cost: Free to members of the partner organisations Chair: Damian Bates, Editor in Chief,

Press and Journal Panel: Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP, Secretary

of State for Scotland; John Swinney MSP,

Cabinet Secretary for Finance,

Employment and Sustainable Growth;

Lorna Jack, Chief Executive,

The Law Society of Scotland

Additional panel members TBC. The independence referendum on September 18 will be a pivotal moment in deciding the future direction for businesses in Scotland.

Do we stay in the UK or go it alone?

This is your chance to hear different perspectives and get involved in the discussion as the leading business organisations in the Highlands & Islands join together to play host to Alistair Carmichael and John Swinney, who will represent the UK and Scottish Governments

respectively. Lorna Jack will add a legal perspective and additional panel members will be confirmed as soon as details are available.

Media partners The Press & Journal will provide the post-event summary.

This is a joint event organised by and on behalf of the members of the Federation of Small Businesses, the Institute of Directors, Inverness Chamber of Commerce and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry.

It is free to all members of those organisations.

So whether you want to know more about the effect on pensions or the Pound, energy or exports, join the audience and be part of the debate.

Please register through the online booking page at www.scdi.org.uk/events/355-RefDebateHI If you have any questions regarding the event please contact Lesley Rhind on 01463 231878 or lesley.rhind@ scdi.org.uk

Ready to debate: John Swinney and Alistair Carmichael

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 19

News

Who’s a bright spark?

Entrepreneurial spark -the world’s largest free business accelerator Entrepreneurial Spark (ESpark) has been providing support for over two years to an array of businesses, ranging from pre-trading start-ups to businesses that have been trading for up to five years. It offers its help to any sector. It was set up in 2012 by its current CEO – that stands for ‘Chief Executive Optimist’ – and Satire Fellow Professor Jim Duffy, with the vision of kickstarting an entrepreneurial revival in and from Scotland.

ESpark has grown to three spaces in Glasgow, Edinburgh and West Coast, which are currently home to over 130 businesses. They are sites where growing business can receive up to 18 months’ free support including office space, printing and wi-fi.

But more than the physical help, these units offer access to specialised mentors, networking opportunities to collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs, workshops and more.

ESpark businesses also have the support of the ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ Sir Tom Hunter, Lord William Haughey and Ann Gloag OBE, who regularly speak to new businesses, sharing

20 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

their advice and knowledge.

The ESpark Team is there not only to support but challenge each business daily with the overall goal of helping them grow. The whole programme is aimed at making businesses more investable – the focus is on the individual, developing entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours to enable acceleration and growth.

For the businesses that come into ESpark, instilling entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours are key to their progress. This approach has proved highly successful, demonstrated by the fact that 80 per cent of the businesses that graduated from ESpark are still trading today. Last year 280 early stage and growing ventures were supported, generating over 500 jobs and £15million for the economy.

Applications to Entrepreneurial Spark are open now, with a new intake in February and August each year.

Hatchery Hits the Street is a bi-annual event, showcasing the entrepreneurial talent based in Scotland, it brings together high net worth individuals to network and celebrate the

progress these new businesses have made.

For the first time, pitching at 27th June’s Hatchery Hits the Street has been opened up to external businesses, giving them the opportunity to pitch to win £2,000.

For more information visit www.

Entrepreneurial-Spark.com.

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 23

Techs and Balances

Only Cloud in Silicon Valley is one that offers long-term answers to data storage

by Bill Magee from Silicon Valley

A

ny company unsure about the way forward in the Cloud as they cope with record volumes of data in their everyday operations were given words of reassurance here in Silicon Valley by Joe Tucci, Chairman and CEO of EMC. The planet’s largest provider of computer storage – with a key emphasise on what EMC describes as “software defined” – is developing a growing base in Scotland, as it fast emerges as one of the smartest tech kids on the block when it comes to helping harness the agility of the Cloud.

Tucci said it is all about achieving an “easy access of your information while simultaneously securing a highly mobile and collaborative workforce”. He outlined at EMC World how private and hybrid Cloud solutions from its information intelligence group are being increasingly called upon to redefine the marketplace.

Employees, customers and partners alike can collaborate in a seamless fashion in a commercial atmosphere “where work feels a little less like, well, work!” he told 15,000 delegates (and me) at the Valley’s official “conference centre” in sunny Las Vegas.

The hybrid Cloud computing environment is emerging as a ‘halfway house’ online solution, one where an organisation can manage some resources in-house while others are provided externally. For example, it might use a public Cloud service for archived data, allowing it to maintain in-house storage for operational customer information.

Add to this that the hybrid approach also allows a business to take advantage of scalability and costeffectiveness that a public cloud offers, but without exposing critical applications and data to a third party.

Your in-house IT manager, or outsourced tech consultant, will readily tell you how today’s technology landscape spans the physical to virtual – on-premise to public Cloud – and everything in between. The only constant in all of these processes is the data.

Tucci’s colleague Russell Stockdale, vice-president (data protection and availability division) told me that for an ambitious company to achieve a well-run

22 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

operation, top priority is a secure hybrid Cloud strategy, but one that is secure.

As to be expected, emerging technologies and innovations are currently developing at a lightning pace. But it remains the case that making the right tech choice now will prove crucial for an organisation to optimise its enterprise workloads.

Back home, and Brian Murray, head of infrastructure and integration at Edinburgh IT outfit Exception, says this is a challenging time for the IT function. He highlighted continuing change around an increased adoption of virtualisation, automation and approaches around various cloud models.

Whether talking about Cloud, BYOD mobility or Big Data, there is now a clear trend towards technology commoditisation. It runs together with a recognition that business value from IT should be focused around improving staff productivity and supporting clear insight from corporation information sets.

Here, critical to an organisation’s future success is understanding how staff across all business functions utilise IT, as well as ensuring that the IT staff continuously evolve to lead the transformation of the IT function.

• Kelvinside Academy J5 pupils greatly boosted their ‘Micro Society’ project by a visit to Microsoft’s Scottish HQ at Waverley Gate, Edinburgh, for an Office 365 Immersion Day organised by Glasgow IT consultancy IA Cubed.

The objective was to really open up the J5 pupils’ minds about the opportunities that new exciting technologies are bringing - including Office 365, Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Publisher, SharePoint and Yammer.

It represents a project that can be duplicated in other schools.

The children are creating their own society within the classroom and establishing institutions required by that society including government, civil service, business and an economy. They are also putting together a business plan to present to Barclays Wealth.

Catch my Daily TechPost (most days!) on Twitter #billamagee and regular tech microblog at www.Kiltr.com/

Hands up for Micro Society... students from Kelvinside Academy on their Office 365 Immersion Day

Lighthouse awards turn the spotlight on Scotland’s design genius

T

he influential design director for Jaguar, Ian Callum, recently launched the Design Impact Award 2014.

Speaking about the award, Ian said: “I am thrilled to be on the judging panel for a Scottish design award, particularly one that evaluates the impact of design on our everyday lives.”

The award aims to recognise the impact that design across many sectors and how creative innovative thinking will help to drive the economy.

Only work which is completed, has found a buyer or is in use can be entered. A business with a stand-out product, in a physical or technical form, should encourage entries and by doing so, recognise the importance of design and the impact on business.

Design advances being made in business are eligible for inclusion in the second Design Impact Awards, run by The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Design and Architecture, with a prize value of £5,000.

IoD members are being asked to consider nominations for the award, which has been launched across Scotland.

Caroline Parkinson, director of creative development at Creative Scotland, the principal funder of the Award added: “The impact that design can have in society, in business, and in all aspects of our everyday lives is immense but good design often goes unnoticed, simply because it is good design.

“The process and innovation of design can go unheralded and is not as well understood as it might be. We have many incredible designers in Scotland and our support for the Design Impact Awards in Scotland gives them an important platform and a vital engagement with the public.

The entry deadline is Friday, 5 September with the shortlist being announced on Friday, 19 September. From Thursday, 9 October to Thursday, 23 October an exhibition of the shortlisted entries will be open to the general public in The Lighthouse, where they can vote for their favourite entry.

Further information can be found at www.thelighthouse.co.uk or follow @The_Lighthouse and #DIAScot on Twitter for news and updates.

Recent winners

Glasgow-based designer Josh Reid, Core PD Ltd, won the award for his Poolpod, a submersible swimming pool platform lift which enables people with limited mobility to get in and out of swimming pools.

“I’d like to encourage all designers to enter the competition, particularly those in the first few years of their business. The prize will not only increase awareness for the product but can assist with further research and development, which is key to evolving any product.”

The Award is funded by Creative Scotland and supported by Glasgow City Council.

The influential judging panel, headed by Ian Callum, also includes; Philip Long, director of V&A Dundee, Caroline Parkinson, director of creative development at Creative Scotland, Keith Bruce, Arts Editor, The Herald, Ross Hunter, managing director of Graven and Ian Elder, who manages The Lighthouse.

“I am thrilled to be on the judging panel for a Scottish design award, particularly one that evaluates the impact of design on our everyday lives.”

Ian Callum

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 23

Training

eLearning: Where do we go now?

Technological advancements and widespread access to digital platforms have promoted eLearning to the top of the agenda as far as employee training is concerned - so are you taking advantage of the opportunities created, asks Pauline Dingwall in this article, which follows up on her editorial in the Spring issue

O

ne thing is certain in this world of uncertainties: eLearning is here to stay. As computer ownership grows, so eLearning is becoming an increasingly accessible option. Internet connection speeds are getting faster and with that, opportunities for more multimedia training are becoming a possibility.

With the improvement of mobile networks in recent times, being able to take all the remarkable features of eLearning on the move with smartphones and other portable devices is now an everyday part of life. Social media is also changing education constantly into something that is a ‘now’ feature.

According to the OFCOM Communications Market Report 2013, the proportion of households with access to the internet has remained steady at 80 per cent. However, the ways people are connecting continues to change. Half of respondents (49%) said they use their mobile phone to access the internet (up from 36% in 2012), driven by growth in the smartphone market. Nearly all tablet owners (98%) say they use their tablet to connect to the internet.

So things are changing, and how we learn has to change with it.

Generally speaking, learning is expensive, takes a long time and the results can vary. eLearning has been trying for a considerable length of time to make the way we learn more effective and measurable. The result is that there are a number of tools now that help create interactive courses, standardise the learning process and/or inject informal elements to an otherwise formal learning process. Several eLearning trends give us a view to how eLearning and learning tools will be shaped in the future.

LMS stands for Learning Management System (often referred to as a Virtual Learning Environment – VLE) and it’s a computer system specifically developed for managing online courses, distributing course materials and allowing connection and collaboration between learners and their tutors/mentors. An LMS will allow you to manage every aspect of a course, from registration of students to storing test results, as well as allowing you to accept assignments digitally and keep in touch with your students.

There are many LMSs out there. An eLearning authoring tool is a software package which developers use to create and package eLearning content deliverable to end users. A good LMS will often provide reporting tools to generate and store progress reports. When talking about

24 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

the success of a LMS, it primarily means that we want an eLearning site that will be easy to navigate, is wellorganised and contains high-quality material.

According to Wikipedia, “a content-authoring tool is a software application used to create multimedia content typically for delivery on the world wide web”. Many programmes can be considered authoring tools, including Flash and PowerPoint. However, only a small group of programmes specifically include support for eLearning content standards such as SCORM (Shareable Content Object Reference Model), which is now 10 years old and is probably in line to be superceded soon. There are word processing packages and HTML editors available now that make formatting your text or web pages easy to do. There are also lots of online services available that you can use to create interactive elements for your courses, such as quizzes and games.

Anyone may be able to create a simple online course; however, creating an effective eLearning course is different altogether. An effective course takes a good deal of time, hard work and commitment to high quality content.

To present an effective course it should address the following: • Know your subject material well: The time for developing a course is variable, but what is certain is that you need to take your time to research your material well before making it available to your learners.

• Online courses should appeal to all learning styles: The design of the online course should take every learning style into consideration. Some learners respond better to verbal and some visual.

‘‘

eLearning has been trying for a considerable length of time to make the way we learn more effective and measurable. The result is that there are a number of tools now that help create interactive courses, standardise the learning process and/or inject informal elements to an otherwise formal learning process.

About the author: Pauline Dingwall

• Facilitate contact: learners and tutors/mentors should be able to establish contact and be able to specify which means of communication they prefer and when.

• Platform should be easy to navigate and be fully functional: an easy-to-navigate site is fundamental to encouraging leaners to persist with their learning. If it’s too difficult their enthusiasm wanes.

• Set and communicate clear goals: this is vital. One of the reasons learners are unable to achieve goals is not having clear enough guidelines on how to reach them.

• Course documents must be available for students to view, particularly at the beginning of their course. This keeps their enthusiasm for learning alive.

Blended learning is a combination of offline (face-to-face, traditional learning) and online learning in a way that the one compliments the other. It provides learners with the chance to enjoy the best of both worlds.

For example, a learner might attend classes in a real-world classroom setting, and then supplement the learning plan by completing online multimedia coursework.

Blended learning is often also referred to as “hybrid” learning, and can take a variety of forms in online environments. It’s been suggested that students who complete online coursework followed by interactive, face-to-face class activities have richer educational experiences. Tools and platforms that complement blended learning include LMSs and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

Micro-learning is a term that is being mentioned more frequently now as the ‘new’ way to learn. It has been known about for some time and can provide benefits to

Pauline was a long-serving public servant, with a career encompassing roles with the Scottish Office, Lothian Council, Highland Council, Manpower Services Commission and Highlands & Islands Enterprise over a period of more than 30 years.

Pauline is now the HR and operations director of eColl Ltd and of P2Partners, a board member of Albyn Housing, and also as a non-exec Director of Birchwood Highland a third sector organisation based in the Highlands.

Her main areas of expertise are HR and H&S, but she has a passion for developing people and has wide experience in that area by development and delivery of direct training courses, identifying and applying competency programmes and writing self-paced modular on-line learning programmes. She has wide experience in developing organisations, working with quality standards and ensuring organisations have appropriate corporate governance in place.

She is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, a member of the Institute of Directors, a member of the UHI Foundation and is a committee member of the Highlands & Islands Branch of the IoD.

both learners and tutors, primarily because it can provide the knowledge and skill sets that online education typically offers without overwhelming the learner. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular emerging eLearning trends.

Micro-learning involves learning in smaller steps and goes hand-in-hand with traditional eLearning. It usually features short-term lessons, projects or coursework that is designed to provide the learner with ‘bits’ of information at a time. For example, rather than trying to teach learners about a broad subject all at once, aspects of the topic will be broken down into smaller lesson plans or units.

Micro-learning gives learners the ability to gather information in bite-sized chunks, helping them absorb and retain information more effectively. It is an ideal solution for those who may not have the time to devote to a long course with lots of information. You learn at your own pace and avoid the risk of becoming overwhelmed by too much information at the one time. Micro-learning can also be done on-the-go, which means that you can work through smaller lessons that help you progress toward your goal.

Learning is changing. Best we accept it!!

• Pauline is operations director with HR responsibilities for www.p2partners.co.uk and www.ecoll.net

Blended learning is a combination of offline

(face-to-face, traditional learning) and online learning in a way that the one compliments the other. It provides learners with the chance to enjoy the best of both worlds. For example, a learner might attend classes in a real-world classroom setting, and then supplement the learning plan by completing online multimedia coursework.

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 25

Education

SQA’s new National Qualifications will benefit Scotland’s employers

T

he Scottish Qualifications Authority’s (SQA) new National Qualifications are helping to bring about a step-change in the way young people are preparing for further education, training and employment.

Employers may start to see application forms and CVs containing National 1 to National 5 qualifications from as early as August 2014, when SQA issues the first results for the new qualifications. The table at the foot of the page shows what to look for.

There are changes to the way the new qualifications are graded, in comparison to the previous or existing National Qualifications. Those sitting National 1 to National 4 are awarded either a pass or fail, with credit for any units they have achieved, and those sitting National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher will be awarded grades A to D. While the new qualifications retain the importance of knowledge and understanding, they also place more emphasis on developing practical skills like data collection, literacy, numeracy, teamwork and presentation skills.

There is a greater focus on deeper learning, to make sure young people are equipped with skills and experience; that they can take what

they have learned within the classroom and apply it in real life. This will be essential when entering the workplace and employers can look forward to recruiting young people who are used to doing things on a practical level.

Dr Janet Brown, Chief Executive of SQA said, “There are lots of exciting changes happening in the world today that are transforming the way people live, learn and work; as well as the skills and expertise that are needed.

“Change can also bring about fantastic opportunities and we want to give Scotland’s young people the best possible chance to fulfil their potential.”

The new qualifications have been developed to support Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which introduced a new, more flexible style of learning to schools and colleges across Scotland.

The new National 1 to National 5 qualifications were introduced in August 2013 and replace Standard Grades (which had previously replaced O Grades) and Intermediate qualifications. New Highers and Advanced Highers are also being introduced in August 2014 and August 2015 respectively.

SQA has also developed a number of wider achievement awards that complement both

new and existing qualifications, including awards in Personal Development, Enterprise and Employability and Leadership. There are also a number of qualifications available that help learners to prepare for the world of work, including Skills for Work Courses, National Progression Awards (NPAs) and National Certificates (NCs).

Want to know more?

To find out more about SQA awards, visit www.sqa.org.uk/awards For more information on the new National Qualifications, and to download SQA’s handy guide for employers, visit www.sqa.org.uk/ cfeforemployers

SCQF level

Previous/Existing National Qualifications

Grades

New National Qualifications Grades

7

Advanced Higher

A to D

>

Advanced Higher

A to D

6

Higher

A to D

>

Higher

A to D

5

Intermediate 2

A to D

>

Standard Grade (Credit level)

1 or 2

>

National 5

A to D

4

Intermediate 1

A to D

>

Standard Grade (General level)

3 or 4

>

National 4

Not graded

3

Standard Grade (Foundation level)

5 or 6

>

Access 3

Not graded

>

National 3

Not graded

2

Access 2

Not graded

>

National 2

Not graded

1

Access 1

Not graded

>

National 1

Not graded

26 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

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Developing directors

IoD offers stepping stone for emerging directors I n response to our largest entry ever in the Emerging Director category at this year’s Director of the Year Awards, IoD Scotland ran its very first ‘Emerging Directors’ Masterclass’ in June, with the theme of ‘Inspire and Challenge in the Boardroom’. The event was sponsored by ACCA. An interactive workshop kicked off the day with Don McIntyre, programme director of the Institute of Design Innovation (InDI) at Glasgow School of Art, taking delegates through some innovative problem-solving techniques.

David Harris, group finance director at British Polythene Industries plc, took a personal approach to his own experience of joining a board of a public company.

They were followed by Kevin Miller CEO of RunRev and Mark Logan, COO of Skyscanner and winner of the IoD Scotland Director of the Year Award for a Business with turnover below £35m, who provided fascinating insights into how vision and values provided the drivers of their success. Both agreed that the principal focus has to be on getting the right people on board, in the right seats, and then empowering them to make things better.

Helping emerging directors develop into Scotland’s future leaders was at the heart of Lynn Drennan’s address on her experiences

Looking to the future: Mark Logan (above) while participating on the IoD’s director development programme and the considerable and David Harris explain their philosophy merits she sees in achieving Chartered Director on business success to the delegates status. The programme director, Avril Gall, outlined the courses on offer and funding options available.

The event included the long-awaited draw for VIP Ryder Cup tickets, which were won by a delighted Michael Mauchline of IBM Digital Front Office Consultant. IoD Scotland members raised £1,500 through the draw, which was donated to Quarriers – the official Ryder Cup Charity.

The day was chaired by Tony McIlroy of Tesco plc.

Such was the success of this, IoD Scotland’s first official Emerging Directors’ event, that it will now be an addition to our annual calendar of events and will take place again next spring.

Make the most of IoD membership Access to meeting rooms and hubs around Scotland and the UK, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and other major cities Free HR and legal advice through exclusive IoD helplines Cash offer key services such as business, professional and personal insurance, car hire, hotel and travel services and procurement services Director development, CPD events and networking opportunities 28 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

Treating waste as a resource In January of this year the introduction of the new Waste Regulations fundamentally changed how Scottish businesses present their waste.

It’s no longer acceptable to send recyclable material to landfill. Metal, plastic, glass, paper and card must be collected separately from food and non-recyclable waste.

The Regulations represent a significant milestone in Scotland’s journey to build the circular economy and become one of the most resource efficient economies in Europe.

Zero Waste Scotland estimate that the average cost of waste disposal is now four-five per cent of annual turnover, and up to 10 per cent in some cases1.

The new waste regulations are an opportunity for your business to review the way it manages waste and reduce waste, carbon and costs. By applying the waste hierarchy, resource use is minimised, valuable resources are not disposed of in landfills, and waste is sorted into separate streams for reprocessing, leaving only limited amounts of waste for mixed waste treatment, energy from waste and landfill. Waste is treated as a resource.

Changeworks Recycling is the only waste and resource management company in Scotland that delivers separate collections and enables your business to comply with the new

regulations. If it can be recycled: we recycle it!

We collect the widest range of materials of any waste and resource company in Scotland.

Separate collection means waste stream specific separation. That is to say, a separate container is required for each dry recyclable and the subsequent handling must be sufficient to maintain that separation through the management chain.(DUTY OF CARE – A CODE OF PRACTICE 2012, P. 28).

Separate collections ensure the high quality of the materials recycled is maintained promoting the circular economy.

Michael Apter from Paper Tiger knew the introduction of the Waste Regulations would be good for business “It’s always been our ethos to minimise waste and recycle as much as possible, however during the run up to Christmas in 2012 I knew we could do more with the amount of waste we were having to dispose of.

“I resolved to let the new Waste Regulations be the catalyst to look at how we could recycle even more and minimise our waste”.

Want to know more?

For more information email info@changeworksrecycling.co.uk Call 0800 694 0158

“The new waste regulations are an opportunity for your business to review the way it manages waste and reduce it...”

1 Source: Measuring to manage: the key to reducing waste costs.

IoD Scotland Summer 2014 | 29

Opinion

Talk to your peers Can peer-to-peer groups cut through the isolation many CEOs feel and help drive business leaders’ growth and development?

Y

ou’re the CEO. It’s your responsibility to make good decisions that are best for the company as a whole. While you may have a terrific senior management team and a highly engaged board of directors, the people giving you advice also have a personal stake in the outcome.

Now I’m not suggesting you don’t listen to your senior people or your board, who are, in most cases, sincerely offering their best input and advice, but it begs this question: Would a CEO also benefit from being asked tough questions and receiving support and advice from fellow CEOs, who have no personal vested interest in the outcome?

Here are five key benefits a CEO will realise by regularly engaging with a group of his/her peers, in addition to, or complementary to, IoD membership: 1) Empathy: If you’ve never been a CEO, it’s nearly impossible to put yourself in a CEO’s shoes. It’s difficult for most of us, regardless of how much we care or how objective we believe we are in offering advice to our CEOs, to imagine what that’s really like.

Fellow CEOs aren’t looking through the lens of marketing, finance or HR, they’re looking at the whole picture because it’s what they do every day. The empathy that one CEO shares with another is a priceless benefit of the CEO peer advisory experience. Its impact is not only felt professionally, but personally as well.

2) Objectivity: An employee or board member will always have a personal stake in the outcome. Fellow CEOs from non-competing businesses are not burdened with that extra layer of consideration. They can ask the hard questions without regard for sacred cows, personal relationships or other organisational/industry blinders.

It’s an eye-opening experience for many CEOs, when his or her peers looks at a specific challenge through a completely impartial lens.

3) Shared challenges: While the CEOs in the peer group may serve entirely different types of customers in widely varying industries, they share common challenges regarding employees, growth, profitability, executive development, technology, and uncertainty, just to name a few.

The more they talk, the more they realise how much they have in common and how much they can learn from on another.

4) Learning: While they have shared challenges, the myriad industries they represent set the table for rich conversations about common practices in one sector that are often quite different from practices in another sector.

Sharing ideas across industries help CEOs learn from one another.

What’s more, these CEOs will also share their personal

30 | IoD Scotland Summer 2014

triumphs and failures. This display of trust creates an environment where the CEO can be truly vulnerable to learn and grow.

And unlike one-to-one executive coaching, which can be a rich complement to the peer advisory experience, there’s nothing quite like the power of the group dynamic.

5) Accountability: As CEOs share their challenges and aspirations with their peers, the peers tend to be serious about holding them accountable to make the tough choices and deliver on their stated courses of action. In fact, this atmosphere of shared accountability may be the most powerful dynamic of all when it comes to the peer-advisory experience.

Andy Lothian, chief executive of Dundee-based Insights, has been a member of such a group for over 10 years as well as his IoD membership. He has no doubts as to its value to him and to his business: “The group I work with provides exceptional value for CEOs and senior leaders. In the ten years I have been a member my business has grown revenues 20 times and profitability substantially more. The challenge, accountability and coaching provided by the group is very powerful.” n Laura Gordon is Chair of IoD Glasgow and West of Scotland.

“The group I work with provides exceptional value for CEOs and senior leaders... the challenge, accountability and coaching is very powerful.”

Andy Lothian

Can open discussions with a peer-to-peer network help reduce some of the isolation CEOs often feel, and challenge them to up their game?

Go for gold at the Games The Commonwealth Games is fastapproaching. It’s an opportune time for Scottish business to connect with visiting Commonwealth countries, explore opportunities, win future business and build lasting relationships.

Four of the visiting Commonwealth countries will share the spotlight at unique Scottish Enterprise Scotland House events in Glasgow – Scotland’s business hub during the Games.

Join us to learn how to develop your international trade and make the most of partner opportunities and our connections with key Commonwealth markets.

The four – Canada, Australia, Singapore and India – are big, growing economies – and a combined GDP that has nearly doubled in a decade, according to Global Trader 2012 Guide to Commonwealth Markets. The Commonwealth is clearly a hard-to-ignore business opportunity.

The opportunity for Scottish companies in ‘intra-Commonwealth trade’ is significant, as Linda Murray, director of the Glasgow 2014

team at Scottish Enterprise points out.

She said: “The combined GDP of the Commonwealth will grow three times faster than the Eurozone in the next five years.”

“India, Singapore, Canada and Australia are certainly no exceptions to this growing reality. That’s why our series of ‘Commonwealth Connections’ market awareness events at Scotland House will be putting the focus on each country, and highlighting the help we can offer you to get your share.”

A place with a deep affinity for all things Scottish, Canada is one of our strongest and most enduring trading partners. It’s among Scotland’s top 20 export markets. While the USA remains Scotland’s biggest export market, Raymond McGovern, head of the Americas region for SDI advises Scottish firms to ‘look to Canada as a gateway to North American markets.’

Australia has benefited from the rapidly emerging economies of the East, Australia is already in the top 20 of Scottish export destinations. It is, for example, the third

largest market for our oil and gas expertise.

Software, financial services and food and drink are other areas where the Aussies have proved to like ‘buying Scottish’.

Topping the World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ charts for seven consecutive years, Singapore is the ideal springboard for Scottish companies to reach the three billion people across the Asia Pacific region.

One exporter said Singapore is ‘Asia for beginners’. English is the business language and the red tape to set up a company is relatively straightforward.

Finally, India’s phenomenal growth is well-documented. The seventh largest country in the world by area, India’s economy is the third largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) and tenth largest by GDP. Its economy is the second fastest growing, with a rapidly expanding consumer base – more than half the population under 25 – and economic growth forecast by World Bank at 5.5 per cent this year, accelerating to 6.6 per cent by 2017.