2001 - Eligible - The Scotsman

THE ELIGIBLES
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
PHOTOGRAPHS: KEN MACPHERSON/STEPHEN MANSFIELD/PHIL WILKINSON/PAMELA GRIGG/WALTER NEILSON
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SIMON FRASER
ARISTOCRAT, 24
Lives Beauly, Inverness-shire,
but mainly
in London.
Who he? Fraser Clan
Chief, the 18th Lord
Lovat is now worth
£10m. Younger brother
of model Honor, he
followed his sister into the world of
modelling after graduating from Edinburgh
University with a degree in Business
Studies.
Mating call Send him a rude e-mail. Fraser
loves them, the cheekier, the better.
Conquests A stream of pretty models.
Pluses Blue blood and beautiful genes.
Minuses Forced to sell off the family seat.
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1
NEW
PETER SAMSON
PR WHIZZ, 39
Lives Glasgow
Who he? Award-winning
journalist who
set up PDS Media, a PR
company, three years
ago. Their client list
consists of Swedish
furniture giants IKEA,
celebrity hairdresser Taylor Ferguson, celebrated
goldsmith and jewellery designer
Eric Smith and Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.
Conquests A few serious relationships but
still searching for the right partner.
Minuses A man who socialises for a living
might run out of time for you.
Do mention How much you love diamonds.
Don’t say I hate flat pack furniture.
Pluses Loves travelling. Marked the
switch from his newspaper career to selfemployed
PR with a three-month roundthe-world
trip. Off to China soon to mark
the big four-oh. When you’re not jet-setting,
you’ll be hanging out with a man
who classes eating out and partying as his
favourite hobbies.
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NEW
MIKE SMITH
INVESTMENT BANKER, 40
Lives Born in the USA,
now lives Edinburgh.
Who he? Vice President
of the private banking
division of Merril
Lynch, managing the
investments of the
seriously wealthy.
Conquests A few flings but single for now.
Haunts London beckons at least twice a
month for work but when in Scotland
Build quality:
Alan Pert of
Zoo Architects,
is at number 32
props up Kay’s Bar in Edinburgh’s New
Town. Tries to avoid the ‘Rick’s’ scene as
much as possible.
Mating call If you’re from the ‘Hare and
Hounds’ set, he loves hill walking and
grouse shooting in the Borders. Even
though he admits, “everyone’s going to
hate me for saying that.”
Pluses He’ll invest your nest egg
NO CHANGE
DAVID MURRAY
BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR, 49
Lives Edinburgh
Who he? Murray is the
chairman of Rangers
and committed to driving
forward the commercial
expansion of
the club.
Track record His wife
died of cancer nearly a decade ago. Wellpublicised
romance with Sarah Heaney.
Minuses Between running one of the
biggest privately owned companies in
Scotland, Rangers and kids at home, time
is thin on the ground.
Haunts Eating out in the Central Belt or
scoffing pies in the director’s box. Failing
that, he might be at his spectacular
home on Jersey.
Pulling power As befits someone on firstname
terms with Sir Sean Connery and
Jack Nicholson, he has his own private
jet to chauffeur him around to those
golfing weekends with the lads.
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NEW
HAMISH CLARK
ACTOR, 34
Lives Remote village of
Newtonmore while
filming Monarch of the
Glen or London.
Who he? Although hailing
from Broughty
Ferry, Clark studied at
the Welsh College of
Music and Drama. After appearing in a
couple of feature films, he is better
known as the face of Vodafone or as the
angst-ridden Duncan from the BBC’s
popular Sunday night drama.
Pluses A right good laugh and a good jig
round the dance floor. His on-screen character
may be unlucky in love but Clark is
more successful in real life. He can also
show you round the picturesque Ardverikie
Estate and Loch Laggan in his classic,
white, convertible MG.
Minuses A bit touchy about the ad work
which earned him a fortune, so don’t ask
him to get you a deal on a mobile.
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DEREK MARSHALL
CHEF, 34
Lives Glasgow.
Who he? The man
behind one of Glasgow’s
best, most consistently
brilliant
restaurants, Gamba,
winner of a prestigious
Restaurant of
the Year award, two years running. Marshall
has worked his way through some
of the best restaurants, earning a reputation
as one of the country’s best chefs.
Conquests Very single after several disappointing
flings.
Minuses It’s difficult to have a social life
when you are a busy chef. When you do
get him out, no restaurant will be up to
his standards. Also, he is known for his
cheek and sarcasm. So beware.
Do say Do you fancy getting a bite at
Nobu (his favourite restaurant).
Pluses Frequent gym workouts mean he’s
sporting a great six pack.
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NEW
NEW
BLAIR NIMMO
ACCOUNTANT, 41
Lives Glasgow’s leafy
West End.
Who he? Interest in
accountancy began at
Edinburgh University.
He is now Head of
Corporate Recovery at
the Glasgow office of
international accountants KPMG.
Nimmo was acting liquidator for Airdrie
Football Club and responsible for dealing
with the liquidation of Big Beat but says
his best job ever was working as a Saturday
boy in a sports shop.
Conquests One ex wife, several girlfriends
since the divorce.
Haunts Any good restaurant. Nimmo
loves fine dining and excellent wine.
Minuses Supports Falkirk football club.
Pluses Tall, dark, handsome and smart –
what more could you want?
SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY ◆ 18 NOVEMBER 2001
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