Direction Autumn 2023 - IoD Scotland members magazine

The official membership 

magazine for the Institute 

of Directors in Scotland 

iod.com/scotland 

Direction 

AUTUMN 2023 

Creating a fair workplace 

culture that ends poverty 

Keep brain healthy – 

and stay happy! 

IoD Events diary: 

In-person and online 

‘Everyone has 

qualities and 

value to add’ 

HR pioneer Edward Obi considers 

Scotland’s EDI journey

www.iod.com/scotland 

WELCOME | DIRECTION 

Business needs – and deserves 

– a seat at the top table 

New research shows a growing and 

worrying disconnect between the 

Government and the business 

community, says Julie Ashworth, 

Chair, IoD Scotland 

What is the true nature of the 

relationship between business and 

Government? The most recent quarterly 

Scottish Business Monitor, produced by 

the Fraser of Allander Institute at the 

University of Strathclyde and the law firm 

Addleshaw Goddard, gave us a sobering 

insight. 

It had a very clear message: business 

leaders feel that ministers do not 

understand the business environment. 

In fact, only 8% felt that Government is 

engaging effectively with the sector. 

Challenging reading, not just for 

Government, but for us too. For a 

business ecosystem to truly work, a 

collaborative relationship with 

Government is crucial. There’s work to do 

across the board, and being part of the 

solution at the IoD is a no-brainer. 

Although many businesses may not 

have a direct relationship with the 

Government, IoD members in Scotland 

do – via the seat we have at the table 

alongside our trade body friends. 

With that seat comes responsibility 

– to tell Government ministers what you, 

our members around Scotland, think. 

What your concerns are. What ideas you 

have for change. What action will help 

you – today, and tomorrow. 

We are constantly gathering the 

information we need to represent you at 

these high-level meetings, and to 

contribute to major policy initiatives, such 

as the New Deal for Business Group 

(NDBG) and its recommendations which 

have just been given the green light by 

Government. 

Whether through one of our IoD 

Regions events, such as His Majesty’s 

Treasury event in Aberdeen, in August, or 

even the recent IoD Scotland golf day in 

Falkirk (see reports inside this issue), our 

team of volunteer chairs is constantly 

“Business leaders feel that 

ministers do not understand 

the business environment. 

In fact, only 8% felt that 

Government is engaging 

effectively with the sector.” 

gathering members’ views and feeding 

them into the national ‘voice’ of 

leadership in Scotland. 

Furthermore, the strengthening of the 

IoD’s Policy Voice (which you should see 

hitting your in-box monthly) gives us 

quantitative information to complement 

the anecdotal evidence we pick up, 

rendering the IoD voice strong, targeted, 

and (given we represent Scotland’s 

business leaders at the highest level) 

highly influential. 

So, while it’s early days with a new 

Government team, we’re confident that 

our voice is making a difference. We’re 

using the opportunity to influence policy 

from the grassroots, as opposed to 

reacting to it once it’s fully formed. 

Conversations have been open, frank 

and honest. 

As we write, the NDBG is working its 

way through Government, and is making 

itself apparent across all Government 

directorates. 

We’re proud to be part of that change 

on behalf of all our members, from 

Stranraer to Stromness. 

IoD Scotland 

12 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JE 

T: 0131 557 5488 

E: iod.scotland@iod.com 

W: www.iod.com 

Nations Director - Scotland: 

Catherine McWilliam 

Catherine.McWilliam@iod.com 

Branch Manager: 

Patricia Huth 

T: 0131 557 5488 

Patricia.Huth@iod.com 

Commercial Manager, PD: 

Natasha Ure 

E: natasha.ure@iod.com 

T: 0131 460 7681 

Direction 

Direction is the official membership magazine of IoD Scotland and is published by: Chamber 

Media Services, 4 Hilton Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3AG 

Advertising sales: Colin Regan 

T: 07871 444922 / 01942 537959 E: colinregan001@yahoo.co.uk 

Production: Rob Beswick 

T: 0161 426 7957 / 07964 375216 E: rob@chambermediaservices.co.uk 

Editorial: Lisa Donnelly 

Please send press releases or editorial for consideration for future issues of Direction to Lisa at 

E: lisa@clarkcommunications.co.uk 

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material contained within this magazine, neither IoD 

Scotland, Chamber Media Services nor Clark 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. 

AUTUMN 2023 03

DIRECTION | IoD NEWS 


Leadership is at the heart of 

tackling poverty 

Welcome from Catherine 

McWilliam, Nations, 

Director of IoD Scotland 

For our Autumn issue of Direction, I’m 

offering a different perspective on 

Challenge Poverty Week in Scotland (2-8 

October 2023). 

Much of my time is spent challenging 

existing perceptions of the IoD. Our 

membership is not made up of 

stereotypical leaders – suited, booted 

and stepping off a London red-eye. 

Thankfully, leadership comes in many 

forms. 

Three-quarters of our members are 

from the private sector, and most are 

SMEs. The majority employ fewer than 

25 people, and their employees live in 

the immediate vicinity of their workplace. 

When chatting with members, I 

frequently hear about the power of local: 

local communities, local economies and 

local connections, with leaders outlining 

how their organisation is deeply rooted 

at the epicentre. 

Therefore, as local leaders, IoD 

Scotland members have a key role to 

play in supporting their communities to 

thrive, and not just survive. 

In August, IoD Scotland joined other 

businesses, public and third sector 

representatives in attending a Scottish 

Government roundtable with Neil Gray 

MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work 

and Wellbeing Economy. 

The session explored how to engage 

businesses in discussions and solutions 

to one day eradicate child poverty. 

Following the valuable discussion, my 

answer was clear: leadership. 

Leadership from Government through 

strong progressive policy; leadership 

from third and public sectors on the 

anti-poverty services we need; and 

leadership from private sector business 

through buy in, attitudinal and eventual 

culture change. 

Within this, IoD has an important role 

to play not just as a cross-sector body, 

but as an organisation championing 

good governance and leadership. 

We need to encourage and support 

members to have conversations about 

fair work, and how leadership can create 

positive and purposeful employers. 

These conversations won’t be easy, 

especially following the turbulence of 

Brexit, an energy crisis, a pandemic and 

ongoing inflation. However, leaders can 

set a tone in their organisations which: 

– encourages a supportive and 

inclusive workplace; 

– ensures employees across all levels 

and roles feel valued and trusted; 

– explores how to equally support 

wellbeing and productivity; 

– and creates an environment where 

every voice and opinion matters. 

IoD Scotland supports members 

through partnerships and collaborations 

which highlight and demonstrate how to 

embed best practice – which is often the 

hardest part. 

While we won’t have all the answers, 

we can raise awareness, facilitate 

discussion, celebrate success and share 

lessons. 

So, IoD Scotland members, my call this 

Challenge Poverty Week is this: How can 

you create a workplace culture which 

supports fair work, inclusion and 

wellbeing? Your community is counting 

on you. 

• Peter Kelly, Chief Executive of The 

Poverty Alliance, see pg 16 

Aberdeen branch welcomes new ambassador 

IoD Aberdeen and Grampian has brought on board a 

new Policy and Communications Ambassador to 

strengthen its team in the north-east. 

Erikka Askeland (pictured) will work closely with 

branch Chair Sarah Downs and the organisation’s 

regional committee in supporting the development 

and professionalisation of business leaders. 

Erikka runs her own consultancy business 

specialising in B2B communications and advice. She is 

a highly experienced business editor, columnist and 

award winning-journalist, working for titles including 

The Press and Journal, Energy Voice, The Sunday 

Times Scotland, The Scotsman, The Herald and 

Scottish Business Insider. 

Erikka said: “The IoD has a great team regionally 

and in Scotland. I’m pleased to be able to use 

my skills and knowledge to support Sarah 

and the IoD’s ambitions to ensure 

business leaders can benefit from 

professional development as well as 

make valuable connections.” 

Sarah said: “The IoD Aberdeen and 

Grampian branch has a busy schedule of 

activities and events coming up and 

having Erikka’s support will be invaluable to 

us. 

“We are increasingly working with business leaders 

in the north-east of Scotland to extend their influence 

and ensure their voice is heard in the corridors of 

power, the marketplace and civic society.” 

04 AUTUMN 2023


IoD NEWS | DIRECTION 

Governments in listening mode as business 

leaders put their points across 

IoD Members encouraged 

to have their voices 

heard at a series of 

roundtable discussions with 

Government officials 

The roundtable discussion with 

Richard Lochhead MSP 

In July, IoD Aberdeen & Grampian 

Branch was pleased to host the Minister 

for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism 

& Trade, Richard Lochhead MSP, for a 

thought-provoking roundtable 

discussion on some of the opportunities 

for Scotland’s north east. 

Key focal points for the discussion 

were opportunities for SMEs and the 

Scottish Government’s strategy to 

support growth and raise awareness of 

the innovation taking place across the 

region. 

In a similar vein, members enjoyed a 

further session with Will Durkin from 

HM Treasury in August, an example of 

how Chancellor of the Exchequer 

Jeremy Hunt is attempting to listen to 

business leaders ahead of the next ‘fiscal 

event’ this autumn. 

The UK Government is keen to get 

feedback on what it needs to do to 

encourage investment in energy 

security, the energy transition and the 

innovation needed to get there. 

Members were asked their views on 

recent big announcements for the 

region such as carbon capture, use and 

storage (CCUS) in Peterhead and 

Aberdeen investment zones. 

Some key views were raised around 

why businesses and investors need a 

predictable and stable policy 

environment. Without this, businesses 

fail to thrive and investors follow the lure 

to spend their cash elsewhere. 

There were strong words delivered on 

the impact of ‘windfall tax’, aka the 

energy profits levy, and frustration over 

the impact of short-term decisions 

driven by political expediency and not 

long-term thinking. The question was 

posed, where is the UK’s energy 

strategy? 

Don’t miss your opportunity to 

contribute to future roundtable 

discussions in the region, and keep up 

to date with future events at 

www.iod.com 

Non-exec path clear 

after meeting 

by Sarah Downs 

IoD Aberdeen & Grampian 


A huge thank you to everyone who 

attended the IoD Aberdeen & Grampian 

Branch roundtable discussion at the 

beautiful Maryculter House on the topic 

of ‘Starting and Building a Non-Exec 

Portfolio’. 

The dinner was kindly sponsored by 

Rathbones Group Plc. 

Our members discussed a number of 

interesting topics on the evening, 

including: 

- How to start your non-exec career 

- What to expect in your first role 

- How to increase your portfolio 

- The challenges non-execs are facing 

- The difference between private, public 

and third sector roles 

- Balancing an exec role with a nonexec 

portfolio 

- Entering a new sector 

- Transitioning to Chair 

- Non-execs’ compensation 

Each and every director contributed 

to the discussion and added value to 

others in the room. 

The transfer of knowledge was 

incredible – and the quote of the night 

was definitely “nose in, fingers out!” 

It was an absolute pleasure to 

facilitate this session and I personally 

learned a lot from the discussion. 

Thank you everyone – and if you are 

interested in attending our events in 

future, please do reach out to me and 

I’d be happy to share. 

• Contact Sarah via the IoD office. 

05



IoD Glasgow and the West Committee prepares for 

season of events and membership engagement 

During the summer, the new Chair of the 

IoD Glasgow and West of Scotland 

committee, Mark Spragg, has been 

reaching out to the local membership via 

a membership survey. 

Mark said, “As we start to build our 

programme for the next 12 months, we 

felt it was important to really understand 

what our members are looking for from 

their local committee, and how they 

would like it to be delivered”. 

The survey, which was sent to the 

members in the region, achieved an 

excellent response from the membership. 

A programme of local events and 

opportunities to network are now in the 

planning, with over 80% of those 

surveyed saying that connection to other 

local members was important to their 

continued membership of the IoD. 

Our membership said that they were 

interested in a wide range of events but 

most of those surveyed were looking for 

opportunities to connect at local 

networking or social events, or were 

looking to learn from keynote 

speakers and other business 

personalities. 

The pandemic has 

changed the way we work, 

with the daily commute to 

work a thing of the past for 

many of us. The same is true for 

business meetings and, while 

most said they would be happy for 

future events to be held in Glasgow, 

there was a strong desire for local 

meetings, particularly in Ayrshire, 

Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire. 

There was also a call for virtual and 

on-line meetings. 

The committee is now looking at how 

to arrange events across the region to 

connect our membership communities 

across the West of Scotland. 

The survey also provided an 

opportunity to find out the local issues 

that were affecting the directors in the 

West of Scotland. The quality of local 

training and skills development, the 

support from the Government 

business agencies such as 

Business Gateway and 

Scottish Enterprise, and local 

transport links were the 

issues causing most concern. 

Also, Mark has been reaching 

out to potential committee 

members to help in the local region 

with events and connectivity with other 

local groups, including local government. 

After an excellent response we will 

shortly be announcing a newly refreshed 

Glasgow and West of Scotland 

Committee. This will coincide with the 

launch of our first new events at the end 

of September. 

Get in touch 

Exciting times are ahead in Glasgow 

and the West. Members that wish to get 

involved either with the local committee 

or in helping to sponsor or run a local 

event can contact Mark directly at 

chair.glasgow@IOD.net 

IoD backs interest 

rate hold 

Commenting on the decision of the 

Monetary Policy Committee of the 

Bank of England to hold interest 

rates at 5.25%, Kitty Ussher, Chief 

Economist of the IoD, said: “Business 

leaders will welcome the decision to 

keep interest rates on hold. It has 

become increasingly clear that the 

Bank’s action constraining demand 

and bringing down inflation 

expectations. That’s why the IoD 

called for a pause in rate rises. 

“The economy shrank in July and 

both core and services inflation were 

lower than expected in August. This 

combined with a more difficult 

external environment, negative PMI 

results, a weakening labour market 

and the anticipated fall in the Ofgem 

energy price cap means that inflation 

is likely to be substantially lower by 

the end of the year, and within sight 

of the Bank of England’s 2% 

medium-term target in 2024. 

“To tighten further would have 

risked administering an overdose 

before the existing medicine has had 

enough time to fully take effect.” 

IoD Central Scotland 

Stepping stone to your first million 

IoD Central Scotland is delighted to 

share a new event series aimed at newer 

Directors, which will be launching across 

the Central Scotland region soon. 

The ‘Your First Million – an 

introduction to Directorship’ series will 

start with a brief presentation by an 

expert to set the scene and context, 

group chats to discuss and explore what 

that means for them in their journey, a 

Q&A session with a panel and wrapping 

up with free networking. 

Your First Million will be open to both 

members and non-members, with the 

option of joining a post-event follow-on 

support network for IoD members only. 

The topics covered will include The Art 

of Strategy, Raising Investment, 

Innovation, Relationships / Networking 

and much more. 

Watch this space for more information 

coming soon! 

06 

AUTUMN 2023


IoD NEWS | DIRECTION 

IoD Fife & Tayside 

Exciting partnership 

sealed with iconic 

St Andrews hotel 

The Fife and Tayside Branch is thrilled 

to unveil a dynamic partnership with 

Rusacks in St Andrews. Building on 

the triumph of our members’ drinks 

event this June, we’re now embarking 

on a series of engaging quarterly 

gatherings hosted at this remarkable 

venue. But that’s not all – an 

exhilarating prelude to our annual 

Christmas dinner is already in the 

works, promising an unforgettable 

festive celebration (see pg 32). 

Nestled in the heart of St Andrews, 

Rusacks has an iconic status as a 

golfing haven that is revered globally. 

The IoD branch’s collaboration with 

this esteemed locale marks a 

remarkable chapter in our journey. 

The melding of inspiring discussions, 

invigorating networking, and 

breathtaking views promises an 

enriching experience that transcends 

the conventional. 

Anticipation is mounting as we 

prepare to unveil future events and 

experiences. Stay tuned for more 

exciting updates as we delve into the 

stories behind Rusacks and its parent 

company, Marine and Lawn Hotel and 

Resorts, over the next few months. 

The Fife and Tayside Branch looks 

forward to embarking on this journey 

with Rusacks, an alliance that 

symbolises connection. 

IoD Central Scotland 

The annual IoD golf event is back 

As the home of golf, Scotland’s business 

sector has always had close links with the 

game, and its ability to seal a deal or 

make new connections. 

With this in mind, Neil Bradbrook, 

Chair of the IoD for Central Scotland, 

launched the IoD Golf Day as an annual 

event for IoD members from across 

Scotland and beyond to enjoy a day of 

golf, networking, and friendly 

competition. 

The inaugural event took place on 

Friday, 25th August at Falkirk Golf Club, 

known locally as Carmuirs. 

The day was well attended by golfing 

IoD members from Glasgow, Edinburgh, 

Stirlingshire, and Perthshire, plus one 

member who travelled all the way from 

London just for the day’s activities. 

The competition for the replica Claret 

Jug went down to the wire, with the top 

two pairs tied on points. Brian 

Williamson, a Central branch member, 

and Lawrence Connelly, from IoD 

Glasgow, took the title on countback. 

The trophy will be permanently 

Brian Williamson and 

Lawrence Connelly 

celebrate with their prizes 

displayed at the IoD Scotland HQ on 

Queen Street in Edinburgh, celebrating 

the winners’ names. 

Everyone had a great time, and 

attendees are already looking forward to 

next year. 

Neil is also Managing Director of event 

sponsor Ahead Business Consulting 

(ABC), which specialises in strategy, 

transformation, and leadership, 

supporting SMEs across the private, 

public and third sectors. He said: “The 

IoD is reliant on sponsors to make 

successful events like this one happen, 

and so we were delighted to be able to 

support such an enjoyable day. 

“Golf is a great way to get time out of 

the office, bringing both personal 

wellbeing as well as an informal setting 

for more natural business conversations 

too.” 

Following positive feedback from the 

event, IoD Scotland aims to double 

attendance at next year’s tournament, 

with several members already registering 

their interest in the 2024 competition. 

07



IoD Highlands and Islands 

Highlands & Islands gain two new chairs 

IoD Scotland has renewed its 

commitment to rural members with the 

appointment of two separate chairs. 

Within the Highlands and Islands 

branch, Alison Wilson from University of 

the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has 

been appointed as Highlands co-chair, 

while Clare Winskill, owner of Coruisk 

House hotel in Skye will take up the role 

as Islands co-chair. Each has a specific 

remit to support and develop the IoD’s 

presence in the region and will 

spearhead a new approach by IoD 

Scotland to build extra capacity and use 

its detailed understanding of local issues 

to support members. 

Alison Wilson (pictured top right) is 

the Director of Advancement and Alumni 

Engagement at UHI, and one of the 

Highlands’ leading business engagement 

specialists. She has over a decade of 

senior experience working across 

Highlands and Islands Enterprise 

and UHI, engaging with the 

with public, business, 

education and third sector 

leaders to drive productive 

industry relationships. 

Clare Winskill (pictured 

bottom right) is the owner of 

acclaimed Skye hotel and restaurant, 

Coruisk House. She has more than 12 

years’ experience building a successful 

business offering luxury experiences in 

one of the most remote parts of 

the Highlands. 

This extensive local 

knowledge, combined with the 

experienced garnered during 

several board roles, will provide 

a strong basis for representing 

the challenges facing rural 

destinations. 

Catherine McWilliam, Nations Director 

– Scotland at IoD Scotland, said: 

“This is an important step in 

IoD’s drive to platform voices 

at a local level across Scotland, 

and represent them at every 

single table where decisions 

are being made. By tailoring 

our support, we can better drill 

down into the issues affecting local 

business, and push leaders’ priorities for 

change, such as adequate 

accommodation for staff, local 

tourism or access to national 

support for international 

trade. Local business leaders 

are often at the epicentre of 

their community with great 

insights into the actions 

needed to unlock economic 

and social wellbeing, and we 

are committed to amplifying their 

voices at a national level.” 

Nine new partners for Anderson Strathern 

Independent Scottish law firm Anderson 

Strathern has significantly strengthened 

its partnership, with the promotion of 

seven new partners and the 

appointment of a further two. 

The appointments come as the firm’s 

Edinburgh team prepares to move to a 

newly-built Grade A office in Capital 

Square later this year. 

Newly appointed are partners Dawn 

Dickson and Sheila Tulloch. Dawn joins 

the employment law team from 

Eversheds Sutherland and Sheila joins 

from Orkney Islands Council, where she 

was Service Manager for Legal 

Services. Sheila will lead the Shetland 

office, growing its market share across 

the islands and the North of Scotland. 

Directors promoted to partner are: 

– A specialist in planning law, Chris 

Devlin is an expert in housing and 

renewable energy who also advises on 

environmental law. 

– Danielle Edgar, a specialist in both 

family law and child law who has a 

particular focus on financial separations 

and cases on behalf of local authorities in 

respect of children. 

– Specialist in property law Neil Fraser, 

who handles complex issues in housebuilding, 

commercial leasing, noncontentious 

construction and even the 

acquisition and disposal of lighthouses. 

– Employment law specialist Musab 

Hemsi - named as one of the Top 10 

influential Muslims in the UK’s legal 

industry by EqualityX – who is accredited 

by the W.S. Society and doubly accredited 

by the Law Society of Scotland. 

– Gillian Murray, a commercial litigator 

with an interest in contentious insolvency 

who acts for commercial businesses, 

private individuals and government bodies. 

– Experienced litigator Sarah Phillips 

has been recognised as a leader in her 

field specialises in fatal accident inquiries 

and defending motor, employer and 

public liability claims. 

The nine 

newcomers 

to the 

Anderson 

Strathern 

team 

– Estate planning and asset protection 

specialist Caroline Pringle has a 

particular focus on succession planning, 

inheritance and capital gains tax 

mitigation. She was previously named 

one of eprivateclient’s ‘Top 35 Under 35’. 

Chair Fraser Geddes said: “Sheila and 

Dawn are outstanding hires, both have 

strong reputations and impressive 

experience in their fields. 

“Being able to promote so many of our 

directors to partner level is testament to 

the wealth of talent we have within the 

business. It’s great to see our next 

generation progressing and to hear their 

visions for the future.” 


DIRECTION | DOWNTIME 


The ‘Nessie run’ 

returns this October 

If you’re a fan of the outdoors, and better still the 

Scottish landscape, the Loch Ness Marathon and 

Festival of Running is a race you won’t want to 

miss. Every year, thousands of runners from 

around the world gather in Inverness to run beside 

the infamous Loch Ness. 

Taking place on the 1st October, this year the event 

will include the Marathon, 10k, 5k and Wee Nessie 

races. The route takes runners from a starting 

point at the south end of the loch in Whitebridge, a 

viewpoint to one of the most incredible scenes in 

the Highlands. Competitors then run alongside the 

loch and finish in Inverness. 

Featured as one of the Top 10 bucket list 

marathons by Runners World readers, it’s a 

must-do for all running enthusiasts. Why not go 

along to watch this year, and sign up for 2024? 

You can find out more information here: 

http://www.lochnessmarathon.com/ 

Good reads that offer an insight into 

the key issues of the business world 

Financial Times and Schroders 

Business Book of the Year 

In August, the longlist for the FT 

Business Book of the Year Award was 

announced, with the winner to be 

unveiled in December. 

From a diverse list, covering all manner 

of business topics, the winner of the 

£30,000 prize will be the ‘book that 

offers the most compelling and 

enjoyable insight’ into business issues. 

The shortlisted books, the writers of 

which all receive a £10,000 prize, will be 

announced at the end of September. 

15 books made the longlist, covering 

topics including cryptocurrencies and the 

future of money, the growing influence of 

China on global business, the challenges 

of AI, how to fight climate change, the 

quest for better jobs, the rise (and fall) of 

billionaires, and how to avoid or face 

failure. 

The longlist comprises: 

■ Beijing Rules, Bethany Allen 

■ Power and Progress, Daron Acemoglu 

& Simon Johnston 

■ Material World, Ed Conway 

■ Cobalt Red, Siddharth Kara 

■ Billionaires’ Row, Katherine Clark 

■ Right Kind of Wrong, Amy 

Edmondson 

■ How Big Things Get Done, 

Bent Flyvbjerg & Dan Gardner 

■ Your Face Belongs to Us, Kashmir Hill 

■ Blood in the Machine, Brian Merchant 

■ Tokens, Rachel O’Dwyer 

■ Unscripted, James B Stewart 

& Rachel Abrams 

■ The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman 

& Michael Bhaskar 

■ The Case for Good Jobs, Zeynep Ton 

■ Five Times Faster, Simon Sharpe 

■ Easy Money, Ben McKenzie 

& Jacob Silverman 



DOWNTIME | DIRECTION 

Business insights – on the go 

Have you listened to the IoD’s podcast, Director Briefing? 

With episodes covering the latest insights on business, governance, and 

ESG, alongside interviews with leading business figures and Government 

ministers, there’s even a Business Book Club featuring reviews of some of 

the very best business books around (including some from the FT longlist). 

With a back catalogue of over 50 episodes, including special editions for 

milestone business announcements, there’s a little of something for 

everyone. Available on your podcast platform of choice, including Spotify, 

Apple, and also on the IoD website. 

Fawkes Festival is bringing 

events back with bang 

This year’s Fawkes Festival, an innovative 

Scottish fireworks festival, will be setting 

skies ablaze with lasers and lights this 

October at Dean Country Park in 

Kilmarnock, Hopetoun House in 

Edinburgh and Gosford House in East 

Lothian. 

Organised by GC Live and 21CC Group, 

Fawkes Festival will take place on 29 

October, 4 November and 5 November, 

and will invite guests to celebrate 

Halloween and Guy Fawkes, two of the 

nation’s best-loved holidays, all in one. 

Featuring fairground rides, pre-show 

entertainment, delicious food and drink 

and a spectacular 20-minute Halloweeninspired 

fireworks display set to music, 

lights, and lasers, there’s something for 

the whole family. 

At all venues families can enjoy an 

evening of spooky fun as they admire a 

spectacular fireworks display and light 

show against a backdrop of some of 

Scotland’s finest historic properties. 

As one of the first events of its kind 

since the pandemic, this year’s events are 

set to be Scotland’s biggest and best 

Fawkes Festival yet, so grab the family 

and get wrapped up to enjoy the show 

– you won’t want to miss it. 

You can find tickets and information here: https://www.fawkesfestival.com/ 

How’s your chat (bot)? 

Has your business been dabbling with 

ChatGPT? Many have but are finding it 

not all that suitable for business, or 

have continued to ‘play’ with it without 

any real conviction, or strategic 

direction. 

Others are using it regularly – with 

reports of up to 100 million monthly 

active users – and interest remains 

phenomenally high. 

Possibly as a response to this, and in 

the biggest development since the 

debut of ChatGPT in November 2022, 

its creator, OpenAI, launched ChatGPT 

Enterprise in August. 

OpenAI hasn’t released pricing 

details yet, with cost potentially being 

based on size and usage, but what we 

do know is that the ChatGPT 

Enterprise version comes with no 

usage caps, and it’s up to 2x faster than 

the previous version. 

At its unveiling, OpenAI also teased 

the business market with plans for 

another tier of usage, called ChatGPT 

Business, for smaller organisations. 

However, they didn’t specify when this 

would be available. 

With such huge interest in chatbots 

and AI, the race is on to dominate, 

with Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and 

Anthropic all battling to attract 

consumers. 

Winning over business is clearly a 

large part of OpenAI’s gameplan. 


DIRECTION | BEHIND THE DESK 


Be brain 

healthy... 

and stay 

happy 

This issue, Dr Dawn Harris 

of the Kedra Clinic is 

answering our questions 

in Behind the Desk 

Name: Dr Dawn Harris 

Position: Founder/Clinical Director 

Company: Kedras Clinics 

Number of employees: 6 

Short overview of organisation: 

Kedras Clinics was started in October 

2022 to provide a wellbeing/mental 

health clinic with a difference. We base 

our understanding of people and their 

problems using up-to-date neuroscience 

and aim to address any difficulties using 

a combination of neurotechnology and 

psychotherapy. The neurotechnology 

that we use has been around for over 60 

years, and while it is widely available in 

the USA and Europe, the UK is only now 

slowly catching up, which is exciting 

times for us. 

What is the greatest recurring 

challenge you come across in your role, 

and what’s your strategy for dealing 

with it? 

Although I’ve been a psychologist for 

over 25 years, Kedras Clinics is still 

relatively young, and so combining an 

array of business and clinical roles has 

been quite a task. 

I learned a long time ago that the best 

way to progress in any role is to know 

your strengths and understand the areas 

you have less experience in. 

So, my strategy sits in this foundation 

of knowing what I can do and what I 

need help to do. This has served me well. 

Who, or what, drives you or inspires 

you? 

People who never give up despite 

experiences of previous adverse events. 

What is your long-term vision for the 

organisation that you lead? 

To become a provider of well-being 

services that people want to engage 

with, not only because we help make 

life/living easier with our neuroscientific 

approach, but also because we treat 

each person as an individual, with 

compassion, warmth and understanding. 

I always try to put myself in each 

“You can do anything if you 

work hard enough and treat 

people as you would like to be 

treated. Understand why you 

do what you do and change if 

you’re not happy. Life is too 

short to be unhappy.” 

person’s shoes that walks into or contacts 

any of our clinics, and I’m developing a 

team and brand that is committed to 

working with compassion but also 

offering a service that is innovative, 

evidence based and provides results. 

If I was seeking help with improving 

my well-being and mental health, I 

would like to know that I was in safe 

hands and treated as an individual who 

could trust that those working with me 

were dedicated to my healing. This is 

what I’m trying to do with Kedras Clinics. 

My goal is to open as many clinics as I 

can that all offer this same gold standard 

approach. 

We’re also in an exciting stage of 

offering remote services and potential 

packages for organisations. 

What keeps you awake at night? 

My to do list. 

What makes a good leader great? 

Listening, delegating, understanding 

people, humour, humility, intellect, 

strategist, and belief in self. 

Have you had a mentor, and what did 

he/she add to your development? 

Yes, I do have a mentor who creates a 



EDUCATION & TRAINING | DIRECTION 

“Regular brain checks are 

becoming more popular... a 

healthier brain can empower 

us to take control of our 

health and make sure we stay 

‘brain young”’ 

framework for learning, guides, facilitates, 

reinforces key aspects of business. 

They have provided structure to my 

journey, calmed my tendency for speed 

and generated the true understanding of 

consistency. 

Is your business 

burnt out? 

As the pace of life increases, so we run 

the risk of burning ourselves – and our 

people – out, says Gillian Thomson, 

founder of Fearless Edge 

Even leaders aren’t the finished 

article. What’s next in your leadership 

development journey? 

Continuing to grow in business 

knowledge, enjoy what I’m doing even 

when I seem to work 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week. Stay focused on the vision 

and find ways to stay ahead. 

What is the ‘next big thing’ that will 

transform your sector? 

Kedras Clinics is using it now! 

Neurotechnology combined with regular 

brain health checks to help create 

longevity. I would like people to start 

thinking of brain health checks as they 

would going to see their dentist to keep 

their teeth healthy, or a doctor to keep 

their body healthy, or an optometrist to 

keep their eyesight healthy. 

Regular brain health checks are 

starting to become more popular – a 

healthier brain can empower us to take 

control of our health, detect any potential 

problems early and make sure we stay 

‘brain young’. 

What piece of technology do you rely 

on most? 

Neurotechnology, phone and laptop. 

What is your favourite social media 

platform, and what does it bring to 

your business/organisation? 

LinkedIn as I get to create connections 

with so many amazing people from 

around the world. 

What needs fixed? 

The world’s poor mental health. 

What leadership advice would you give 

your younger self? 

Believe in yourself more. You can do 

anything if you work hard enough and 

treat people as you would like to be 

treated. Understand why you do what 

you do and change if you’re not happy. 

Life is too short to be unhappy. 


A recent study of 7,487 employees 

globally showed that over 90% had 

experienced burnout in some form. 

Burnout is a state of physical, 

mental, and emotional exhaustion that 

can affect many professionals. While 

some pressure has been shown to 

increase productivity, burnout often 

results from being exposed to high 

levels of demands that surpass the 

capacity to manage them effectively. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, 

emotionally drained, and exhausted, 

here are some signs you might be 

experiencing burnout: 

• Loss of energy: You may feel tired 

even after having enough sleep and 

you could be experiencing physical 

fatigue and muscle soreness even from 

minimal activities. 

• Decreased mental agility: You 

might find you have reduced mental 

ability, difficulty in decision-making, 

and slower thinking processes. 

• Negativity towards work: Are you 

dreading work, having a negative 

attitude towards colleagues, or feeling 

underappreciated? 

• Detachment from work: You could 

feel emotionally disconnected and 

uninterested in your role. 

If that sounds like you, try taking 

some practical steps to manage it 

effectively. 

HR professional and executive coach, 

Gillian Thomson says: “Burnout is a 

very real problem for organisations 

and the individuals that work in them. 

“For too long we’ve praised and 

rewarded the ‘always on’, ‘work as hard 

as you can’ culture. But that approach 

does no one any good in the long run. 

“Burnout impacts productivity, 

wellbeing and workplace culture. As 

leaders, we play a critical role in 

supporting our teams to combat it... 

and a weekly yoga class just doesn’t 

cut it when all the other demands still 

remain. 

“As individuals we need to practise 

self-care. The fundamentals of getting 

enough sleep, exercise, and good 

nutrition play a key role in our ability to 

cope with the demands of work and 

life. Build in short breaks throughout 

the day. A five minute walk around the 

block, or a few deep breaths, can do 

wonders. You could also try practising 

mindfulness. A short meditation 

practice, or taking a few minutes to 

notice what’s around you can help 

ground you. 

“As employers, we need to be 

looking at job structure and content, 

ensuring that roles are doable, that we 

provide the tools and infrastructure 

required and that we support people 

to prioritise, by having a few key goals 

we are focussed on. 

“Enabling people to work on a few 

key objectives and building a culture 

where down time is expected will 

ultimately increase productivity and 

success.” 

Gillian Thomson is Head of People 

at Verlume, a specialist in clean 

energy system integration, 

intelligent energy management 

and energy storage. 

She is also the founder of 

Fearless Edge, an Executive 

Mental Health Coach and 

Leadership Consultant. 

13

DIRECTION | THE LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW 


‘Everyone has 

qualities and 

value to add’ 

Edward Obi, founder and owner of HR Hub Plus, talks to Rob Beswick 

about equality, diversity and inclusivity, and how far Scotland has to go 

before it can be hailed as a truly inclusive society 

Edward Obi’s view of EDI – Equality, 

Diversity and Inclusivity, the phrase that 

every boardroom should have at the 

heart of its structure – is breathtakingly 

straightforward. 

“Many people I speak to seem to think 

it’s complicated, that there is a secret to 

making it work. But it’s simple: it’s all 

about being open-minded and ensuring 

that everyone involved with your 

organisation feels empowered and 

valued – whether they are working for 

you, looking to work for, or engaging 

with you as a stakeholder or customer. 

“Once you get that principle 

embedded in your thinking, the rest slots 

into place.” 

Too often he still sees firms hampered 

by unconscious bias. “I see this in how 

they value employees and in their 

recruitment. Employers are put off by 

surnames that sound ‘different’, possibly 

African or Muslim, and start to imagine 

that with the name comes problems or 

challenges. 

“You need to get past that and ask 

yourself what that person can bring to 

the table, what qualities they offer and 

how you can use them to make your 

business a better place to be. Don’t close 

yourself off to talent just because it 

comes from a different source. 

“Everyone has something to offer.” 

Edward – a south Londoner of 

Nigerian heritage – has come a long way 

with his two businesses, HR Hub Plus 

and Peridot Recruit. The obvious first 

question is, what’s a Streatham lad doing 

in Aberdeen? “That’s easy,” he says, 

laughing. “It’s just the way life works out 

sometimes!” 

“My plan was to be a financial planning 

advisor but I stumbled into HR when a 

friend had a work-related issue. I 

supported him with his dismissal appeal 

and when that was not overturned, I was 

convinced that something was not right, 

and we went to a solicitor who then took 

up the case at an employment tribunal. 

“My friend won and I was left thinking 

that HR was supposed to prevent this 

sort of thing from happening. I then 

decided to change my career to HR, with 

my first HR administrator role at the 

University of Aberdeen. While there I 

enrolled in a HR postgraduate course at 

the Robert Gordon University and then 

progressed swiftly through various senior 

HR roles in different companies. 

“I really enjoyed the job but knew 

pretty much straight away that I didn’t 

want to be pigeon-holed in a corporate 

environment. I wanted to branch out and 

offer a broader level of support to 

businesses, and came up with the idea to 

launch HR Hub Plus.” 

The maxim behind HR Hub Plus is, 

again, straightforward. “We work with 

any organisation that needs HR support. 

Often they are small businesses that 

aren’t at the stage where they can have 

their own people in-house, so that’s 

where we step in. 

“We offer everything from one-off HR 

interventions – perhaps on a disciplinary 

matter – to more comprehensive 

guidance: writing company HR policies, 

performance reviews, TUPE issues. We’re 

a one-stop HR solutions provider.” 

Clients can also access a suite of 

e-learning packages, training and 

specialist areas such as payroll support. 

“Clients can pick and choose what 

services they access, and for how long. 

We offer a retainer package, where we 

can step in when required, but we don’t 

tie people down. Ours is a completely 

flexible approach.” 

It’s an approach that’s going down 

well, with virtually all new work coming 

via referrals – always a positive sign of 

client confidence in your services. HR 

Hub Plus has supported some 250 

companies so far – not bad for a business 

that has only just seen its fifth 

anniversary. 

It helps too that Edward is a highly 

visible figure in Scotland’s business 

community, regularly attending 

networking events, taking part in 

roundtable discussions and offering 

insightful advice on business and, often, 

EDI. 

It should come as no surprise that 

Edward places a huge emphasis on his 

own business’s inclusivity. His team is 

drawn from across every spectrum: “I 

look round the office and we’ve people 

of different colours, different faiths, 

able-bodied, disabled. But they all add 

value and inisghts, all bring something 

unique to the table.” 

Continued on page 14 



THE LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW | DIRECTION 

“We often run EDI training where 

everyone involved is white... to truly 

understand the challenges people 

from minority groups face, they 

have to be in the room. You need 

them to explain what it’s like to 

be in a minority group.” 


DIRECTION | EDUCATION & TRAINING 


“I won’t sugar coat it, I 

was treated differently 

because of the colour of 

my skin... it was cruel and 

demeaning but I didn’t 

let it get me down or 

beat me... I didn’t let 

other people’s views 

define who I was or what 

I could achieve...’ 

Continued from page 12 

But while he acts as a shining example 

of what real ‘EDI’ entails, is that example 

followed through across Scotland? 

In his experience, it’s not. But first, the 

good news: “We’ve worked with a lot of 

companies and you can tell that they/the 

directors understand what EDI means 

and are looking for help to make it work 

within their structures. They want to put 

in place progressive employment policies 

and embrace diversity. 

“But that’s not the case for all. For 

some you can tell it is a ‘tick box’ exercise, 

a case of ‘let’s get someone in to do an 

EDI course, then we can file it under 

done and move on’. To them EDI is a 

buzzword, a nice to have. They don’t get 

to the heart of what EDI means. It 

means putting an end to unconscious 

bias, to look to recruit from different 

communities, different estates, from 

different academic backgrounds. It 

means understanding that some people 

will come to work with a different culture, 

and making sure they feel welcomed and 

their culture understood. 

“It’s being able to bring your wholeself 

to work, without compromise.” 

Some just don’t get what equality, 

diversity and inclusivity really means, or 

how the impact of experiencing the 

reverse of those words can affect people. 

Edward cites one example: “I won’t 

name the company but we were asked 

to do some EDI training with their staff. 

When we got there, as soon as I walked 

into the room I noticed everyone there 

was white. I asked if they had any black 

or Asian employees, and they did, but 

the management hadn’t thought to 

include them in the session. 

“The firm’s attitude was to develop 

‘allies’ in the workplace, and that’s fine to 

some degree. You need people in 

management who will support black or 

Asian employees, but to truly understand 

the challenges people from minority 

groups face, you have to have them in 

the room. You need them to explain 

what it’s like to be in a minority group.” 

It’s a common mistake. “EDI is about 

being open minded, but it can’t be just a 

statement that says ‘we provide equal 

opportunities’; you need to actually do it, 

own it. Top-down change is required if 

you look around and think, ‘we’re failing 

to meet our own standards. Drive change 

through your organisation holistically. Do 

that, and people will thrive.” 

Edward’s quick to point out that this is 

“not all about colour.” 

“Colour is the easy one to notice, but 

true inclusivity brings in people from all 

sections of society. 

“We can see what great strides we’ve 

taken to improve the position on gender, 

but how are we supporting people with 

a different sexual orientation, with a 

disability, or those who have been 

educated differently to ourselves? Are 

backgrounds different to your own 

making you shy away from potentially 

outstanding candidates?” 

So where is Scotland on its EDI 

journey? “Not there yet, but moving in 

the right directon,” says Edward. “It’s 

certainly coming a long way in a short 

space of time. 

“When I set up the HR Hub Plus five 

years ago, even getting directors 

interested in EDI conversations was a 

challenge. I used to get a lot of push 

back when I introduced a module in our 

training programmes; people asked, ‘why 

are we bothering with this?’ 

“That’s not true today. It is an accepted 

part and parcel of any training. That’s 

encouraging, we just need to go the 

extra mile and put the things it covers 

into practice.” 

The first step has to be the 

introduction of an EDI training 

programme for all senior management 

and to have that percolate down through 

the workforce, then look for evidence it’s 

working. 

But one thing Edward is quick to stress 

is that EDI should not be looked at in the 

negative. “Yes, getting EDI wrong can be 

dreadful, but don’t look at it in those 

terms. Instead, accentuate the positives. 

There are great outcomes if you get this 

right. Think of the benefits of having lived 

experiences from every section of the 

community represented at your next 

sales meeting, or board meeting.” 

A final point on this: “Change is 

inevitable. But remember, it’s better 

being driven from within than forced 

upon you from the outside.” 

Talking about change, it feels like we’re 

going through a period of 

unprecedented upheaval, in all areas. 

Does it worry him? 

“No, because I think we can handle it. 

It’s a challenge but I know there is a 

powerful community helping us manage 

it. 

“Everyone thinks about their legacy, 

what they will leave for others. I want 

mine to be that I added my voice at a 

time when it was needed, to get 

companies to treat everyone the same.” 

He’s happy to expand on some of the 

less pleasant experiences of his own life. 

“I’m a south Londoner, from Streatham, 

born of Nigerian parents, so I know what 

it’s like to be treated differently. I won’t 

sugar coat it, I was treated differently by 

some people because of the colour of my 

skin. It felt bad at the time, it was cruel 

and it was demeaning but I refused to let 

it get me down or beat me. I didn’t let 

other people’s views define who I was, or 




“Micro-management suffocates diversity 

of thought. You can have all the diversity 

you want in the workplace but if you get 

everyone to think like you, what’s 

happened to those different viewpoints, 

those new ideas? They’re gone” 

what I could achieve. 

“I’m aware, however, that not everyone 

can do that. Some let those negative 

views crush them, make them fearful of 

venturing out and grabbing their place in 

the world. I don’t but I’ll tell you what 

keeps me awake at night: the fear that 

my three children will be affected by it. I 

want to make sure that doesn’t happen, 

and we’ve got a world where everyone 

gets a fair shot.” 

How would he best describe his 

leadership style? “I am collaborative, and 

a delegator. You’ve got to trust your 

people. I never micro-manage. I go 

through what’s needed, we talk it over 

and then I let people get on with it, put 

their own stamp on it. There’s no point 

asking people to do something and then 

making it all about you, it has to be about 

them. 

“Sometimes it will go wrong and they’ll 

make mistakes, in which case use it as a 

learning experience, build on it and move 

on. 

“Micro-management suffocates 

diversity of thought. You can have all the 

diversity you want in the workplace but if 

you get everyone to think like you, what’s 

happened to those different viewpoints, 

those new ideas? They’re gone. 

“I’m very open minded. I’ll talk to the 

team and I’m happy to consider alternate 

views. There is no one fixed way to 

achieve the results you want. Sometimes 

your people will take you down a 

different path but that’s just them doing 

things their way, bringing their style.” 

“Being a leader is about giving 

everyone an opportunity to thrive.” 

What does Scotland need to do to 

make it the best place to run a business? 

“We need more support from the 

centre, from Government. The SME 

market needs help to grow and to take 

on employees, but any support we get 

tends to be patchy at best, and it 

changes too often. One minute there are 

grants and financial support for area X, 

the next the money is going to area Y. It’s 

all short-term, too haphazard. We need 

consistency. 

“I also think Governments need to 

listen more. I attended some roundtable 

discussions recently, with the Scottish 

Government and HM Treasury, and it 

was a great way to get messages across 

to them. Hopefully we gave them 

insights into what businesses needed. 

“Governments need to listen to 

business leaders. We have a different 

take on things that will help the 

economy. It’s all about accepting 

diversity of thought! 

And what’s in the future? “More 

growth for HR Hub Plus. We’ve been 

going for only five years but I like to think 

we’ve come a long way in a short space 

of time. 

“My ultimate goal is expand the 

business into a franchise operation. I 

want to see the HR Hub Plus name 

known across Britain. My goal is to start 

looking at this from January. 

A final point on EDI? “Remember that 

we are all individuals and all different, 

and we have different interpretations to 

comments expressed about us. At HR 

Hub Plus we don’t look at where 

someone has come from, we look at 

where they can take us. 

“If you have the skills, come and join 

us; add your values, because you are 

unique.” 


DIRECTION | TECHNICAL BRIEFING 


Business leaders believe 

in justice and compassion 

- not just the bottom line 

Peter Kelly, Chief Executive of The Poverty Alliance, 

outlines the role business leaders and IoD members can 

play in lifting more of Scotland’s citizens out of poverty 

Business leaders care about the fact that 

more than one million people in Scotland 

struggle every day in the grip of unjust 

poverty. Some 250,000 of them are 

children – that’s nearly 1-in-4 children. 

They are concerned that being in a 

paid job is no longer a guarantee of 

financial security, with around two-thirds 

of children in poverty living in a working 

household. 

In research we recently carried out 

alongside the Scottish Women’s Budget 

Group, working women told us about 

the stress that low pay puts on their 

health and their home life. 

Sue – a lone parent mother with 

long-term health issues – described what 

it was like to work two part-time, 

low-income jobs. 

Sue described the impact of “working 

extra day and night to try to meet the 

financial pressure” including severe 

tiredness and “not enough quality time” 

with her children. 

She said: “I try to hide my emotions 

from my children, so they do not worry 

about anything...I try to be positive and 

fix all the financial burdens. However, by 

doing this it takes all my time from the 

kids.”. 

Working both jobs means she “suffers 

from daily pain... heightened with all the 

extra workloads”. 

Employers are far from blind to the 

effect that low incomes can have on staff. 

A good example of that empathy was 

found in a survey of Living Wage 

employers in the UK, where a majority 

reported they wanted to continue with 

their support of the Living Wage 

movement because doing so reflected 

their values, and because the scheme 

was contributing to the reduction of 

working poverty both in their own 

organisations and beyond. 

Similarly, London-based businesses 

signalled their concern for the impacts of 

poverty on workers in a survey last year, 

where some 79% agreed that ‘poverty is 

an issue that impacts the people in the 

capital’, 84% said that poverty among 

their own workers should be a concern 

to London businesses’ and 70% said 

they were motivated to help by taking 

voluntary measures above and beyond 

legal minimums – such as paying the real 

Living Wage. 

At the Poverty Alliance, we know that 

business leaders in Scotland are putting 

their values into practice. In partnership 

with the Living Wage Foundation, our 

Living Wage Scotland team has 

accredited more than 3,000 real Living 

Wage employers, including household 

names from a variety of sectors such as 

SSE, ENABLE Scotland, and the 

University of Strathclyde. Some 75% of 

the network is made up of SMEs. 

Living Wage Employers commit to 

paying the independently calculated 

“Employers are far from 

blind to the effect that low 

incomes can have on staff ... 

that’s why there is such 

strong support for the Living 

Wage ... doing so reflects 

their values, many said” 

Living Wage rates – currently £10.90 per 

hour – to all directly employed and 

contracted third-party staff. In Scotland, 

there are more accredited Living Wage 

employers per head of population 

compared to any other region in the UK. 

Why do they do it? Living Wage 

employer Craig Hume, Managing 

Director of Utopia Computers said: 

“Paying a fair wage is a moral imperative 

and a wise business decision. At Utopia, 

we understand that investing in our team 

through the real Living Wage improves 

their standard of living, enhances 

productivity, reduces turnover, and 

strengthens Utopia’s reputation as a 

responsible and ethical employer.” 

Businesses in Scotland are also leading 

the way when it comes to achieving 

Living Hours accreditation. Living Wage 

employers are seeking to provide 

security, alongside a living wage, signing 

up to provide a contract reflecting 

accurate hours worked and a guaranteed 

minimum of 16 hours a week unless the 

worker requests otherwise. They also 

ensure at least four weeks’ notice of 

shifts and guaranteed payment if shifts 

are cancelled within this period. 

That’s important because the Glasgow 

Centre for Population Health has found 

that job insecurity is a strong predictor of 

poor health outcomes, and that the 

quality of people’s jobs is an important 

social predictor of their health. 

We know that IoD Scotland members 

are focused on exploring what a 

wellbeing economy means, alongside 

the WEAll Wellbeing Alliance and others, 

because they know that there is still a 

way to go. 



TACKLING POVERTY IN SOCIETY | DIRECTION 

It’s great to know that 91% of 

employees in Scotland earn above the 

real Living Wage, but that means there 

are more than 200,000 workers who 

still don’t. 

New analysis from Citizens Advice 

Scotland has found that over 1.3 million 

people here are struggling on the 

incomes they do have. Recent data also 

shows that Scotland now has the 

highest rate of zero-hour workers in the 

UK. 

There continues to be a higher risk of 

in-work poverty for certain groups, 

including women; Black and minority 

ethnic people; and disabled people. This 

aligns with the barriers these groups 

experience in gaining access to good 

quality, secure work. We need to make 

sure that we build an economy that 

doesn’t leave anyone behind. 

It doesn’t have to be like this. 

Government, business and workers can 

come together to make a wellbeing 

economy a reality in Scotland, providing 

a secure foundation to build a better 

future for all of us. 

We know these actions are key 

priorities for business leaders across 

Scotland. Ahead of Challenge Poverty 

Week 2023, we’ve been working with 

IoD Scotland national director Catherine 

McWilliam on blogs and video clips, 

sharing why tackling poverty is 

important to the IoD. We would be 

delighted if you would join us in raising 

your voice against poverty during the 

week, highlighting the critical role of 

business in building a wellbeing 

economy. 

A Scotland free from poverty is 

possible – but we need to work together 

to achieve that shared goal. 

Above, volunteers 

prepare food for clients 

at a foodbank. 

Research has found 

that one million people 

in Scotland struggle 

every day in the grip of 

unjust poverty. Some 

250,000 of them are 

children – that’s nearly 

1 in 4 children. 

So what can IoD members do to help? 

Here’s four things that IoD directors can do to 

challenge poverty 

#ChallengePoverty Week: 2-8 October 2023 

povertyalliance.org/cpw 

The first Challenge Poverty Week was launched by the 

Poverty Alliance in 2013. We wanted to highlight the 

injustice of poverty in Scotland, and to show that collective 

action based on justice and compassion can create 

solutions. The week is an opportunity for you to raise your 

voice against poverty and unite with others in calling for a 

just and equal Scotland. We can provide publicity materials, 

and help with ideas about how you can get involved. 

Email Alyson.laird@povertyalliance.org for information. 

difference between surviving and thriving. Employees 

report feeling better valued and appreciated. 

You can find out more about how to become accredited at 

scottishlivingwage.org, or by emailing 

accreditation@povertyalliance.org 

Make poverty a part of your ESG 

More business leaders are using an environmental, social 

and governance (ESG) framework to assess their business 

practices and performance on various sustainability and 

ethical issues. But research by the Social Market Foundation 

has found that the UK’s biggest companies are failing to 

include poverty in their considerations. IoD Scotland leaders 

can take a lead by making the issue part of their assessments. 

Living Wage Scotland 

www.Scottishlivingwage.org 

The real Living Wage is good for business - 97% of 

employers have reported having benefited from Living 

Wage accreditation, with 87% believing it has enhanced 

their reputation. Employers have made savings on 

retention, recruitment and training new staff. They also 

report increased morale and motivation resulting in 

increased productivity. It’s good for workers too, allowing 

people the opportunity to better provide for their 

households and plan for the future. It can mean the 

Strengthen security 

Security is a fundamental part of the Scottish Government’s 

Fair Work principles. These are important for every business 

in Scotland, but especially for those interested in 

Government procurement. As well as paying the real Living 

Wage, staff security can be supported by: building stability 

into contractual arrangements; having collective 

arrangements for pay and conditions; embedding equality 

into your employment practice; giving opportunities for 

hours of work that align with family life and caring duties; 

and commiting to sick pay and fair pension agreements. 


DIRECTION | CYBER SECURITY 


The essential armour in cyber warfare: 

Cyber security awareness training 

In an increasingly digital world, the 

threats we face have evolved far beyond 

the physical realm. Cyber threats, 

particularly phishing scams and social 

engineering attacks, pose significant risks 

to businesses and individuals alike. In 

this context, cyber security awareness 

training emerges not as a luxury, but as a 

necessity. 

Phishing scams are a common tactic 

among cybercriminals. These attacks 

often come in the form of seemingly 

harmless emails or messages that trick 

recipients into revealing sensitive 

information, such as log in credentials or 

credit card numbers. 

As technology advances, these scams 

become increasingly sophisticated, 

making it harder for the untrained eye to 

recognise them. 

Social engineering attacks are another 

widespread cyber threat. Cybercriminals 

use manipulative tactics to deceive 

individuals into performing actions or 

revealing confidential information. These 

methods prey on human psychology, 

exploiting traits such as trust and fear. 

The potency of such attacks lies in their 

ability to bypass even the most robust 

technical security measures by targeting 

the human element of security – the 

users themselves. 

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) 

has added another layer of complexity to 

the landscape of cyber threats. AI 

technology can now mimic voices to an 

alarmingly accurate degree. Imagine 

receiving a phone call from your boss or 

a family member asking for sensitive 

information. The voice sounds exactly like 

them. Would you question its 

authenticity? This is not a far-fetched 

scenario. It’s a real threat that we must 

prepare for. 

In this cyber battleground, awareness 

is our most potent weapon. Cyber 

security awareness training equips 

individuals with the knowledge and skills 

necessary to recognise and respond 

effectively to cyber threats. It transforms 

the human element from the weakest 

link in the security chain into its strongest 

asset. 

Effective cyber security training covers 

a range of topics, from understanding 

the basics of phishing scams and social 

engineering tactics to anticipating more 

advanced threats like AI-voice imitation. 

By arming employees with this 

knowledge, businesses can significantly 

reduce their vulnerability to cyber 

attacks. 

Moreover, ongoing training ensures 

that individuals stay updated on the 

ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. 

Cyber threats change and evolve 

constantly, and so should our knowledge 

and understanding of them. Regular 

training sessions can help keep 

employees sharp and ready to respond 

to new threats. 

Cyber security awareness training is 

not just beneficial – it’s essential. It’s a 

crucial line of defence against an array of 

cyber threats. And as these threats 

continue to grow and evolve, the 

importance of such training will only 

increase. 

So, whether you’re a business owner 

seeking to protect your organisation or 

an individual looking to safeguard your 

personal information, consider investing 

in cyber security awareness training. It 

could be the difference between staying 

safe or falling victim to a cyber attack. 

EBC Group 

EBC Group provides robust cyber 

security awareness training, designed to 

train and educate employees at all levels 

on the dangers of poor security habits. 

The training modules emphasise the 

real-world implications of cyber threats, 

helping individuals to understand the 

importance of good cybersecurity 

practices in both their professional and 

personal lives. Whether it’s dealing with 

phishing attempts, recognising signs of 

social engineering, or implementing 

secure data handling practices, EBC 

Group’s training aims to empower 

employees to be the first line of defence 

against cyber threats. 

In a world where technology is 

advancing at an unprecedented pace 

and cyber threats are evolving just as 

quickly, cyber security awareness training 

stands as our best defence. It empowers 

us to recognise threats, respond 

effectively, and stay one step ahead of 

the cybercriminals. As we look to the 

future, one thing is clear: knowledge is 

power, and in the realm of cyber security, 

it is our most crucial asset. 

Find out more: 

Contact us at 

t: 0121 368 0154 

e: hello@ebcgroup.co.uk 

w: www.ebcgroup.co.uk 




Qualifying Scotland 

On 8 August 2023, around 140,000 

learners across the country received their 

Scottish Qualifications Certificates – the 

record of their hard work and achievements. 

Getting results is a major milestone in 

the life of any learner. SQA qualifications 

support learners to reach their full 

potential, allowing them to progress to 

the next step in their lives; either 

continuing at school, moving on to 

college or university, or entering 

employment or a workplace-based 

training programme. 

Together with Nationals, Highers and 

Advanced Highers, learners achieved a 

wide range of vocational qualifications: 

Skills for Work, Awards, National 

Certificates and National Progression 

Awards, which are part of a broadening 

of the curriculum and preparing young 

people for the world of work in a modern 

economy. 

This year we have seen increasing 

engagement and attainment of some of 

these qualifications and increased uptake 

in areas such as Mental Health and 

Wellbeing, Computer Games Development, 

Engineering Skills, Hairdressing, Cyber 

Security and Digital Media. 

In addition to the results we published 

on 8 August, we issue thousands of 

certificates to learners throughout the 

year, who are achieving a variety of 

qualifications, such as Higher Nationals, 

Professional Development Awards and 

Scottish Vocational Qualifications as well 

as Foundation Apprenticeships. 

Every year, SQA’s role is to evaluate 

performance in assessments in an 

equitable and fair way, while ensuring 

standards are maintained so that 

qualifications remain credible – and this 

year was no different. Learners’ 

demonstrated attainment – evidence of a 

learner’s knowledge and skills in a course 

“Learners can be confident that the 

qualifications they have received are 

credible and fair, and reflect the knowledge, 

understanding and skills they have 

acquired...” 

John Booth, SQA Director of Communications 

measured against the required national 

standard – is at the core of our approach 

and ensures colleges, universities and 

employers – as well as learners 

themselves – can have confidence in 

qualifications. 

This year we recognised that while the 

impact of the pandemic may have been 

less severe than in previous years, things 

have not yet returned to normal. We 

used an approach to assessment and 

awarding that helped to support recovery 

of teaching and learning while 

maintaining the standards and credibility 

of our qualifications. 

The achievements of this year’s learners 

– showcased in their strong results – are 

again a testament to their dedication and 

resilience. Together we have taken a 

further step forward along the path back 

to normal awarding. 

SQA continues to engage directly with 

thousands of learners, parents, carers, 

teachers and lecturers to shape next 

steps. We also work closely with and seek 

advice from partners across the education 

and skills community in Scotland, 

including local authorities, teacher unions, 

employers and universities. 

We thank the many thousands of 

education professionals and specialists 

who work with us throughout the year 

Pupils from Madras College, Fife 

celebrate their exam successes – 

revealed live on Good Morning Britain! 

and play many vital roles in the delivery 

and quality assurance of all SQA 

qualifications. Their contributions are 

invaluable. Scotland’s teachers, lecturers, 

trainers and support staff also deserve 

thanks for their hard work, collaboration 

and dedication, working tirelessly to 

support their learners, as do the dedicated 

and committed staff we have in SQA. 

We help to ensure that the skills, 

training and education systems in 

Scotland are effective, and we are fully 

aware of our responsibility to maintain 

the accessibility and credibility of 

Scotland’s qualifications system. In this 

way we support key public policy goals, 

such as widening participation, narrowing 

the attainment gap, and providing the 

people and businesses of Scotland with 

the skills they need for the future. 

We seek to engage with all those we 

work with and support. We continue to 

gather feedback, evidence and analysis to 

understand how our qualifications, 

assessments and services are operating, 

and this informs how we decide to 

improve them. We also share these 

findings with the wider education and 

skills community to inform their decision 

making. 

SQA makes a difference to lives and 

communities across Scotland. Learners 

can be confident that the qualifications 

they have received are credible and fair, 

and reflect the knowledge, 

understanding and skills they have 

acquired. Universities, colleges and 

employers can also be confident that 

standards and integrity have been 

maintained in 2023. 

Find out more at www.sqa.org.uk 

21

DIRECTION | TECHNICAL BRIEFING 


Mentoring: the simple way 

to pass on experience 

The key business practice of 

mentoring has become 

integral to mass corporate 

culture in this Digital Age. But 

is its ultimate purpose being 

defeated due to becoming a 

wee bit too complex, asks 

tech commentator Bill Magee 

A LinkedIn post to me from the 

esteemed Professor William (Bill) 

Buchanan CBE on mentoring got me 

thinking. He asks us to think back to our 

best teachers who implicitly urged us to 

be a great teacher-mentor to others. 

The good Prof of Applied 

Cryptography at Napier University said 

they were likely to be the ones with high 

standards, who believed in our potential 

and raising our standards to meet theirs. 

Personally, my sixth form and English 

literature teacher was the late, great 

Brian Glover, soon to become a Royal 

Shakespeare Company (RCS) thespian 

and actor much in demand after his 

debut in Ken Loach’s award-winning film 

Kes, including Alien 3! 

He would regale us with tales of his 

Merchant Navy career and part-time 

wrestling stints as ‘Leon Arras, the Man 

from Paris’, then ask: “Now, what about 

this book?” 

Subtle yet profound, an approach that 

has never left me. Ironically, you may 

recall his immortal words on TV’s classic 

sitcom Porridge, when he remarks to 

fellow inmate Ronnie Barker: “I read a 

book once. Green it was.” He was also 

‘gaffer’ on the long-running Tetley TV 

commercial. 

One perceived drawback to the 

mentoring process is how it gets, at 

times, wrapped up in management 

speak buzzwords. Of course, 

management speak shouldn’t be 

altogether maligned. 

A tight-knit team working on a 

particular specialist commercial project 

will often use abbreviations to explain 

and analyse a particular knotty area. 

Acting as a timesaver all round, then on 

to next business to hand. 

However, sometimes things can go a 

bit loopy. I recall one time working in the 

United States covering a tech conference 

- having flown from Edinburgh to that 

other windy city, Chicago – when on 

attending an ‘entrepreneurial guru’ talk, 

specifically aimed at eradicating jargon, 

things fell apart. 

The speaker spent the first 15 minutes 

using jargon to explain how we could get 

rid of, er, jargon. 

I had to leave the room, obviously to 

catch up on my blue sky thinking and 

think outside the box while seeking that 

low-hanging fruit. 

Seriously though... 

I spotted a mentoring/leadership/ 

teaching role advertised on LinkedIn, 

when the successful candidate would be 

expected to contribute towards 

‘delivering authentic brand purpose’ to 

ensure ‘on-the-ground impacts’ creating 

a ‘win-win’ for all. 

I had carried on writing this 

commentary but scrolled back: surely the 

above is a classic example of artificial 

intelligence!? Expect to see a lot more of 

this AI gobbledygook as we attempt to 

communicate open and freely. If it isn’t 

AI, well... 

Such verbosity and opaqueness lacks 

what my old pal ex-FBI senior agent 

Edward Gibson describes as the KISS 

principle. No stranger to Scottish 

business audiences, he elaborated to me 

from Washington DC: “As in ‘keep it 

simple, stupid’”. 

Then there’s renowned author 

C.S.Lewis: “Don’t use words too big for 

the subject.” This from a writer who 

received a First in Honour Moderations 

from Oxford University for his prowess in 

both Greek and Latin literature. 

Or Apple’s Steve Jobs: “Simplify, 

Simplify, Simplify” a useful reminder not 

to make your business any more 

complicated than it has to be (mind you, 

did he have to say it three times?). 

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos: “Focus on simple, 

clear, and concise communication.” 

Or Richard Branson: “Complexity is 

your enemy. Any fool can make 

something complicated. It is hard to 

keep things simple.” 

Finally, Albert Einstein: “If you can’t 

explain it simply, you don’t understand it 

well enough.” 

Also, why do myths persist 

surrounding the process of mentoring? 

Forbes highlights five such myths: 

being a mentor takes too much time; 

mentoring is a one-to-one relationship; 

mentors have to be older/more 

experienced than the mentee; only 

mentees benefit from the relationship; 

and the practice is not measurable. 

Yet surely it makes sense that having a 

mentor in the workplace can actually 

reduce work-related stress and anxiety 

as knowledge and experience is shared 



TECHNICAL BRIEFING | DIRECTION 

Apple’s Steve Jobs had a maxim he lived by: “Simplify, 

Simplify, Simplify”... it’s a useful reminder not to make 

your business any more complicated than it has to be 

(mind you, did he have to say it three times?) 

through personal stories. 

Helping the mentee handle a difficult 

situation they may encounter, deal with 

mistakes that come in their path, placing 

them in a far better position to achieve 

success. 

Sounds to me like real measurable 

benefits leading to a significant increase 

in self confidence and better job 

satisfaction? 

Former IoD Scotland chairman and 

Microsoft Scotland Director, Raymond 

O’Hare, emphasised to me how 

mentoring should no longer be 

considered a “nice to have” or suitable 

solely for those considered to be “higher 

potential” employees. 

Rather, it should be viewed as an 

essential support element for ALL 

employees for two reasons: first, a 

massive exodus of talent and 

experiences will leave many companies 

and organisations over the next few 

years. This is due to planned retirements 

and in some cases, early retirements. 

Many are also overly keen to replace 

their more experienced and therefore 

more expensive employees with younger 

and less costly talent. Their influx is 

essential for the future of both the 

organisations and our economy overall. 

Raymond says: “However, high quality 

mentoring is essential if they are to step 

up, fill experience gaps and ultimately 

fulfil their potential. It must be all about 

creating a balanced workforce.” 

The second reason is purely and 

simply about helping people to enjoy 

their jobs, be happy, interested and 

passionate about what they do. Happy 

and motivated employees are more 

productive and innovative and will make 

a bigger impact. 

Having a mentor will help them reach 

this state of mind in their career, and 

reach it faster. 

He points to the Japan model and that 

particular country’s approach to 

retirement, where it is very common for 

companies to rehire the retiree in a less 

senior position with fewer responsibilities. 

They still retain the experience within 

the company for a further five years or 

so, enabling others to draw on and learn 

from them. “Perhaps there are some 

lessons we could learn from this 

approach?” asks O’Hare, a highly 

experienced strategic thinker and leader, 

and an independent non-executive 

director and advisor with a successful 

track record at corporate, SME and 

start-up levels. 

AI edges into the mentoring sphere 

It’s obvious that artificial intelligence is 

getting in on the act. Big time and 

across every business sector. 

Google DeepMind is testing a 

“personal life coach” AI tool. 

It has already drawn ethical 

concerns over relationships we 

humans, at work and play, develop 

with such chatbots. 

At the heart of anxieties is a call for 

regulation and laws to combat the 

phenomenon’s rapid development. 

DeepMind is Google’s AI arm and 

according to The Guardian, courtesy of 

the New York Times, it will cover at 

least 21 types of professional and 

personal tasks. 

We’re talking life advice, ideas, 

planning instructions and tutoring tips. 

Everything covered really. Bit too 

much though? 

Earlier this year Google merged with 

DeepMind bringing together two AI 

research groups. 

Google and Alphabet chief executive 

Sundar Pichai, declared that to ensure 

the “bold and responsible” 

development of general AI, “we’re 

creating a unit that will help us build 

more capable systems more safely and 

responsibly.” 

Expect other Big Tech outfits to 

follow Google’s lead by offering their 

AI version of an online life coach. 

Let’s earnestly hope Google and 

others stand by those words because 

at stake is an individual’s development 

and welfare. 

Also their confidence that personal 

details remain inviolable at whatever 

stage of their career. 

Scottish Business Resilience Centre 

(SBRC) stresses this sits at the very 

core of its ongoing work – acting as a 

catalyst, making Scotland one of the 

safest and most resilient places to live, 

work and do business. 


23

DIRECTION | MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS 


IoD membership and benefits 

We’re delighted that you have chosen the IoD to support you in 

your development as a director, and we hope you get real value 

from your membership. The IoD Scotland team is always looking 

to enhance your membership with exclusive discounts on 

products and services, helping make your role that little bit 

easier, kinder on the budget and – most importantly – more 

convenient. 

We have outlined some of the key benefits here: for a full 

summary and discount codes, contact patricia.huth@iod.com 

Hotels, dining and accommodation 

Unique offers and discounts for IoD members 

YOTEL Edinburgh 

YOTEL Glasgow 

Inset, VEGA , on the 

top floor of the 

YOTEL Glasgow 

Say hello to Yotel 

IoD Scotland members are now 

eligible for the YOTEL Work Perk 

programme. 

This special offer gives you access to a 

host of great benefits, including 20% off 

retail rates and complimentary breakfast. 

To book at a YOTEL, the easiest 

method is by clicking on the below link 

and entering your dates/hotel of choice: 

CLICK HERE 

Or you can enter your corporate ID 

straight into the Corporate/Promo code 

section of the website, at www.yotel.com 

Your Corporate ID is: INS002 

This rate can be shared at your 

discretion with members and company 

associates such as consultants, etc. 

You can cancel or amend reservations 

until 2pm on the day of arrival, giving you 

maximum flexibility for your travel needs. 

Can YOTEL help you this Christmas...? 

Also, apologies for mentioning the ‘C’ 

word – but if you need any help with 

your festive plans, both YOTEL 

Edinburgh and Glasgow have plans in 

place to suit all. You can find out more 

about our special Christmas events and 

rates HERE. 

Other membership offers: Glasgow hotels 

Kimpton Blythswood Square 

IoD members receive 15% off best 

available bed and breakfast rates. 

• See kimptonblythswoodsquare.com 

or call 0141 248 8888 

voco Grand Central 

Members receive a 15% discount on 

the best available rates for food, 

beverage and accommodation. 

• See grandcentral.vocohotels.com or 

call 0141 221 3388 

One Devonshire Gardens 

Members receive 10% off best 

available rate for accommodation when 

booked online. 

• Book via hotelduvin.com/locations/ 

glasgow or call 0330 016 0390 

Citizen M 

Enjoy best rates at time of booking 

and a welcome drink. 

• See citizenm.com/directors-scotland 

or call 0203 519 1111, quoting IoD offer. 

voco Grand Central 

Malmaison 

10% off best available rates for IoD 

members. 

• See malmaison.com or call 0141 378 

0384 



MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS | DIRECTION 

Hotel membership offers 

EDINBURGH 

The George 

The George, a Grade-II listed hotel, is 

complemented by elegant interiors, from 

the bedrooms to the grand King’s Hall. 

All with the very best of Edinburgh’s 

shopping, restaurants and nightlife on 

your doorstep. 

To take advantage of IoD membership 

special discounts, present your IoD 

membership card at check-in or when 

seated at one of the hotel’s food outlets. 

• Book ihg.com or see 

www.edinburgh.intercontinental.com 

Call 0131 240 7137, or email 

EdinburghTheGeorge Reservations 

@ihg.com 

Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel 

IoD members receive 15% discount on 

food, drinks and accommodation. 

There’s also a 15% discount on the 

Gym & Spa at the Charlotte Square Hotel. 

Quote IoD Scotland member when 

booking. 

Holiday Inn, Edinburgh 

Members receive 15% off best 

available rate. To book call 0131 314 7018 

or emailreservations@hi-edinburgh. 

co.uk, quoting IOD Scotland. 

Other offers: 

Malmaison Hotels – 20% off lunches 

and dinners in Edinburgh. 

Locke Apartments - 20% discount 

Lateral City Apartments - 12% 

discount 

Fountain Court Premier Apartments 

- discounted rates 

Mode Aparthotel, Edinburgh – 

discounted rates. Book via 0131 370 8433. 

Angels Share Hotel, Edinburgh – 15% 

discount. Quote GLC15. 

Eden Locke – 20% off designer 

The George 

apartment. Visit lockeliving.com and 

enter code “LOCKEDIN” for 20% off 

Hawksmoor Edinburgh – a round of 

drinks on us when eating. Quote IoD 

when booking. 

ABERDEEN 

Malmaison 

Up to 10% off accommodation and 

20% off food and beverages. See 

malmaison.com or call 01224 507097 

DUNDEE 

Malmaison 

Take your pick from 91 sumptuous 

rooms and suites spanning six fabulous 

floors. There’s so much to see and do in 

Dundee, and Malmaison is perfect place 

to stay in the City of Discovery. 

Up to 10% off accommodation 

bookings and 20% off food and 

beverages. More at malmaison.com or 

call 01382 339715 

Inverness 

Kingsmills Hotel 

Fabulous four-star luxury hotel in 

Inverness. Luxurious rooms, impeccable 

dining and good old-fashioned Scottish 

hospitality. Book with the hotel’s 

Reservations Team to qualify for the IoD 

discount. Rooms £89 including Scottish 

breakfast. More at kingsmillshotel.com, 

or call 01463 257100. 

Members’ discounted 

consultancy support 

Where Now Consulting Ltd 

provides business advice and 

support to IoD members in Scotland. 

Where Now Consulting focuses 

on the development of business 

models for growth and would be 

delighted to support members in 

any of the following categories: 

Organic growth; In-organic growth; 

and Success Planning 

IoD Scotland offer 

Where Now Consulting Ltd will 

give members a complimentary one 

hour consultancy session to focus 

and develop key strategies for 

success with a further 10% discount 

on further support from Where Now 

Consulting, and a £35 discount on 

the Where Now Consulting Business 

Diagnostic Tool. 

OTHER BENEFITS: 

Member discounts on 

products and services 

The IoD has arranged special 

discounts on a host of products and 

services that are required by 

directors and business leaders, 

including: 

Professional Indemnity Insurance 

Office insurance 

Data risks insurance 

Car and van hire 

Personal private health insurance 

Home and contents insurance 

Private client insurance 

Directors’ Liability/Cyber risk 

CLICK here for more details 

10% off training and advice on imports and exports 

St Andrews Management Centre is 

offering a 10% discount on its export 

and import services to IoD members. 

St Andrews Management Centre 

can handle your import and export 

clearances for an affordable flat-fee, 

with no additional charges for 

multiple commodity codes, as well as 

offer advice on customs processes 

and controls. It also offers 

consultancy support to businesses 

looking to import or export, with 

training and workshops of key issues. 

For a full list of courses, see https:// 

stamc.co.uk/courses-tradenet/ 

The TradeNet International Trade 

Support is available at two levels, 

making it an affordable solution to 

meet your needs. 

Silver Service is for the ‘casual’ user 

and offers on call access to one of our 

International Trade Advisors for 

around 90 minutes per month for 

£250 pcm (+ VAT). 

The Gold Service is for those with 

more complex trading arrangements 

and provides around four hours 

support per month for £450 pcm 

(+VAT) 

WANT TO KNOW MORE? 

Contact St Andrews 

Management Centre, 

14 St Catherine Street, 

Cupar, Fife KY15 4HH 

E: tradenet@stamc.co.uk 

T: 03300 241316 


DIRECTION | EVENTS 


ESG - What it is and how it benefits your business 

Unlocking the power of ESG for directors 

Date: 27 September 

Time: 12:30pm — 1:30pm 

Venue: Online 

Cost: Members,Free. 

Non members, £24 

Discover the power of ESG for your 

business growth in our interactive 

session for company directors 

As a company Director it is vital to 

understand what ESG (Environment, 

Social Impact and Good Governance) is, 

what it means for your business, and the 

benefits you can enjoy by including it in 

your business strategy. 

Join this interactive session to 

understand what ESG is in practice, why 

it’s mission critical for a thriving future fit 

business, and the specific elements that 

are most relevant for growing your 

business in a sustainable way. 

We’ll help you with where to start, how 

to realise the opportunities for business 

benefits and create wide-reaching 

impact for your people, the economy and 

the planet. To help understand where 

you are now, you’ll also get access to a 

free ESG diagnostic to understand the 

priorities for your business. 

About our speaker 

Mehalah Beckett is 

Chief Sustainability 

Officer at B Corp 

Connect Three, 

She is passionate 

about supporting 

businesses to grow 

sustainably in a way 

that is good for people and the planet so 

your business remains relevant and 

thrives well into the future. 

An economist by background, Mehalah 

worked in London as a consultant before 

moving abroad with the UK government 

supporting African states on sustainable 

economic development. She later joined 

the private sector as Africa Director for 

Australian B-Corp Intrepid Travel where 

she proved the theory that business can 

be an incredibly powerful force for good. 

At Connect Three she brings her 

professional business coaching, B Corp 

certification support and sustainability 

consulting together to support 

businesses to grow sustainably. 

Melanie will lead discussions at all of 

the IoD’s ESG-themed events. 

Event Organiser 

Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 

e: Patricia.Huth@iod.com 

Join us for breakfast at the 

new IoD hub in Glasgow 

Morning networking with the IoD 

Glasgow branch 


Time: 8:30am — 10am 

Venue: Vega Yotel, Glasgow, 260 Argyle 

Street, Glasgow G2 8QW 

Cost: Member£15Non-member£24 

Join us for breakfast and networking at 

the new IoD Scotland members hub in 

Glasgow. 

This is an ideal opportunity to 

experience the new hub while 

networking with other IoD members, 

and enjoying an excellent breakfast. 

We look forward to seeing you there. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 


For a full list of IoD events, 

both in Scotland and at our 

regions and nations across 

the UK, see www.iod.com 

For details of the IoD’s 

Chartered Director 

programme, and other 

professional development 

courses, see https://www. 

iod.com/professionaldevelopment/chartereddirector-programme/ 

Find out more about IoD 

membership offers and 

discounts on key products 

and services at www.iod.com 



EVENTS | DIRECTION 

Behind the scenes at the 

Royal Scottish Geographical Society 

100 years of value creation in a geographical context 


Time: 2pm — 5pm 

Cost: Members, £3.60. 

Non Members, £6 

Venue: Royal Scottish Geographical 

Society, Lord John Murray House, 

15-19 North Port, Perth PH1 5LU 

IoD members may be familiar with the 

Climate Solutions Accelerator course, 

which complements our growing 

portfolio of high-quality continuing 

professional development for directors 

and their boards. It is offered as part of 

the IoD membership benefits in 

collaboration with the Royal Scottish 

Geographical Society (RSGS). 

The course itself will be showcased 

during the event along with a selection 

of RSGS’s other inspiring work which is 

highly relevant to “sustainability savvy” 

leaders in today’s modern business 

environment. This will also touch upon 

the place-based ambition of Perth to 

become the “Most Sustainable Small City 

in Europe”. 

Not only this, but the in-person nature 

of the event will enable us to explore the 

fascinating history of the RSGS HQ and 

some of the heritage collections which 

are conserved and curated by the 

society. The event will also provide 

opportunity for networking with our 

co-hosts, Perthshire Chamber of 

Commerce, and Blackadders, a national 

law firm, rooted in the communities it 

serves. 

Join IoD Fife & Tayside, Perthshire 

Chamber of Commerce and Blackadders 

as our hosts from the RSGS welcome us 

to the beautiful and historic Lord John 

Murray House in Perth City Centre. 

RSGS is a small, dynamic, educational 

charity, working across Scotland and 

beyond to promote geographical 

understanding and joined-up thinking. 

They organise inspirational public talks 

and events, publish an excellent 

magazine, share ideas through their 

broad network, engage in important 

policy discussions, champion the 

teaching of Geography, maintain a 

fascinating historical collection, and 

develop exciting projects. 

Speaker 

Mike Robinson 

has been Chief 

Executive of the 

RSGS since 2008, 

during which he has 

overseen its move to 

Perth and rejuvenating 

the charity’s purpose, positioning and 

profile – and that of geography and 

geographers in Scottish civic society too. 

He is an Honorary Fellow of Scottish 

Environment Link and the Royal 

Canadian Geographical Society, and has 

won a number of awards for his 

contribution to climate change, including 

the 2001 Best Renewable Energy 

Initiative, the 2009 Glenfiddich Spirit of 

Scotland Award for the Environment, and 

the 2017 Bernier Medal of the RCGS. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 


Former minister offers insights on SME opportunities 

Join in an online discussion with the 

Scottish Government’s former Minister 

for Business, Trade, Tourism and 

Enterprise, Ivan McKee MSP 

Date: 4 October 

Time: 12pm-1pm 

Venue: Online 

Cost: Free 

IoD Scotland invites members to join us 

online in conversation with Ivan McKee, 

SNP MSP for Glasgow Provan and 

former Minister for Business Trade 

Tourism and Enterprise. 

Hear Mr McKee on the opportunities 

for SMEs from the recent Programme for 

Government particularly as we look 

ahead to both the UK and Scottish 

Government budgets later this 

year. We will also touch upon the 

New Deal for Business Group and 

the principles behind it – 

particularly in relation to research 

published by the Fraser of Allander 

Institute. An online event, the session will 

be chaired to Chatham House Rules and 

provides an excellent forum for members 

to pose questions and discussion with an 

expert when it comes to Scottish 

Government economic policy. 

Ivan McKee 

Ivan McKee served as a 

Minister in the Scottish 

Government in a number of 

business and trade roles 

between 2018-2023. He was 

responsible for the successful 

development and implementation of the 

Scottish Government’s export growth 

strategy ‘A Trading Nation’. 

In 2005 he started his own 

international manufacturing consultancy 

business and from 2009 to 2015 

invested in, and led turnarounds of, 

several manufacturing businesses. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 





Blockchain and NFTs: 

How these disruptive technologies 

are shaping the business world 


Time: 6pm — 7:30pm 

Venue: Online 

Cost: Free 

This webinar will provide a ‘sound, 

practical and safe’ introduction to this 

disruptive technology and the real world 

applications of Blockchain and NFTs 

It is widely acknowledged that 

Blockchain technology is being adopted 

faster than any other technology in 

human history, with more than half the 

Fortune 100 developing Blockchain 

initiatives to stay competitive, according 

to a recent report by Coinbase. 

It took the internet 20 years to reach 

500 million users. On the current 

trajectory it will take Blockchain fewer 

than 10 to reach that number. It took 20 

years for the number of mobile phone 

users to reach 1 billion; Blockchain will 

take less than half that time. 

Although Blockchain adoption is still in 

its early stages, it is growing rapidly. This 

growth is being driven by the increasing 

number of businesses and organisations 

whoi are adopting blockchain technology 

and the variety of applications in the 

ecosystem, such as financial services, 

supply chain management and 

healthcare. 

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and the 

tokenisation of digital assets is a big part 

of the Blockchain ecosystem with NFTs 

becoming a $40 billion market in 2021. 

NFTs are essentially digital ownership 

certificates registered on a Blockchain, 

and one of the reasons they are so 

popular is the fact they can take 

countless forms from digital works of art 

to trading cards, such as video clips of 

NBA plays. 

As the market for NFTs continue to 

grow, we’re going to see the creation of 

more platforms to showcase them and 

manage transactions. They also give 

creators a way to remove the middleman 

and earn from the resales of the asset for 

continuum. 

What business would not want that? 

Despite this incredible growth, for 

many business people Blockchain and 

NFTs are still a mystery. This webinar is 

aimed at people who have heard about 

the two concepts and want to know 

more, as well as those who are 

wondering “what has it got to do with 

me?” 

This webinar will cover points such as: 

• How Blockchain and NFTs work – In a 

non-techie easy-to-follow way 

• What are the benefits of Blockchain 

for business 

• Some examples of the organisations 

who are investing in this disruptive 

technology 

• Some real-world examples of how 

Blockchain is changing the business 

world 

• Different NFT business use cases 

• How you can use NFTs to add value 

to your client base 

• Regulatory and legal issues to 

consider 

Following the webinar you will have a 

much better understanding of 

Blockchain and NFTs, their importance 

for business and their practical 

applications. 


David Gandon 

t: 020 8078 4065 

e: David.Gandon@iod.com 

Speakers 

Alan Sellers is CEO and founder of 

Your Crypto Coach and the Blockchain 

Basecamp, Alan is a specialist adviser on 

the London Chamber of Commerce 

Experts Panel on Blockchain. His crypto 

educational videos have over three 

million views on TikTok. 

Lavinia D. Osbourne is an established 

agent for change in Blockchain and an 

entrepreneur at the vanguard of NFT 

development and futurist for the 

emergent Metaverse. 

Combining her belief in Blockchain’s 

egalitarian ideals with a commitment to 

From left, Alan Sellers, 

Lavinia D. Osbourne 

and Yvonne de Ville 

utilising her knowledge, connections 

and entrepreneurial spirit to bring 

opportunity for all, Lavinia works 

tirelessly to break down barriers by 

raising underrepresented voices 

Moderator 

Our moderator will be Yvonne de 

Ville - chair of the Finance and FinTech 

Group with IoD. She is a Finance and 

Fintech activist and voice for women in 

Finance and Tech. 

“Use of blockchain is growing rapidly. It took the internet 20 years to reach 

500 million users. On the current trajectory it will take Blockchain fewer 

than 10. It took 20 years for the number of mobile phone users to reach 

one billion ...Blockchain will hit that number in less than half that time...” 




The Directors’ Update: 

Business intelligence to 

help you plan ahead 

The E in ESG - 

Environmental 

sustainability for 

your business 


Time: 12pm — 1pm 

Venue: Online 

Cost: Free 

Published exclusively for IoD members, 

the Directors’ Quarterly Update digests 

what has happened in recent months – 

and gives you insights into what is 

anticipated for the months ahead. 

It examines the state of the UK 

economy together with regulation, 

legislation and government policy 

relevant to directors. Its contents help 

you make the right decisions for your 

organisation, even when the economic 

and regulatory outlook is so unpredictable. 

You are invited to register for the 

October Update with the IoD Policy 

Team – so that you can remain fully up to 

date on the issues that matter to 

directors. At this members-only event, 

the Policy Team will summarise the 

report’s highlights and answer your 

questions. 

Join us on 12 October to ask the 

experts and get the inside track on the 

economy and key developments in 

regulation and the business environment. 

Alex Hall-Chen 

Alex Hall-Chen is a 

Senior Policy Advisor at 

the IoD. She is a 

specialist in 

employment, skills, and 

sustainability policy. 

Previously Alex worked in education 

research and as a Policy Advisor at the 

Confederation of British Industry. 

Dr Roger Barker 

Roger is the IoD’s 

Director of Policy and 

Corporate Governance. 

He also served as its 

Director of Corporate 

Governance and Professional 

Standards from 2008-2016. He is 

honorary associate at the Centre for 

Ethics and Law at University College 

London and was previously managing 

director of Governomics Ltd, a corporate 

governance advisory firm. 

He is also the author of numerous 

books and articles on corporate 

governance and board effectiveness. 

Kitty Ussher 

Kitty Ussher is a UK 

macroeconomist and 

public policy research 

professional and the 

Chief Economist at the 

IoD. A former MP for 

Burnley, she served as Economic 

Secretary to the Treasury (the City 

minister) during the early phase of the 

financial crisis and subsequently as a 

junior minister at the Department for 

Work and Pensions. 

She then moved to the private sector, 

delivering public policy thought 

leadership research projects for large 

corporates and charities. She has served 

on the FCA consumer panel and is also a 

NED for an asset manager and a 

fast-growing fintech. 


IoD Events Team 

e: events@iod.com 

Navigating risks and green growth 

opportunities for your business 


Time: 12:30pm — 1:30pm 

Venue: Online 

Cost: MemberFree 

Non-member£24 

What is environmental sustainability 

in the business context? 

We know there is a climate 

emergency and resources are 

increasingly scarce with rising prices 

- but what does this mean for your 

business in terms of both risk 

mitigation and incredible 

opportunities for sustainable green 

growth? 


understand the importance of 

environmental stewardship and 

through real life examples learn 

which areas: energy and carbon; 

land, life and biodiversity; waste and 

circularity; water and natural 

resources, are most material for your 

business. 

Come away with next steps to take 

to mitigate the business risks and 

leverage the opportunities, 

efficiencies and benefits you’ll unlock 

when you start your green growth 

journey and embed it into your 

governance. 

Our discussions will be led by 

Mehalah Beckett (see page 26) 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 





Mind the gap: How to 

ensure gender fair pay 


Time: 6pm — 7:30pm 

Venue: Wheatley House, Cochrane St 

Glasgow G1 1HL 

Cost: Free 

IoD Scotland and Close the Gap invite 

you to join them at Wheatley House in 

Glasgow as they launch their joint 

‘Gender Pay Gap Briefing for Directors 

and Leaders’. 

The Gender Pay Gap Briefing has been 

specifically designed to be a practical 

tool for directors and leaders to use to 

play your part in closing your 

The happy leader 


Time: 9am — 10am 

Venue: Online 

Cost: Member, Free; non-member, £10 

Happy leaders are 

better leaders; join this 

virtual workshop to 

equip yourself with the 

tools to be a happier 

leader. 

Happiness fuels success. It makes our 

brains work better, boosts performance, 

and can help leaders build more 

engaged, energised, and resilient teams. 

This interactive online workshop will 

explore happiness tools and mental 

fitness techniques that will help you and 

your organisation thrive. 

Audrey Mason from workplace 

happiness consultancy Happies Hour 

Club will lead the session, sharing proven 

tools from positive psychology, coaching, 

mindfulness, and neuroscience. Discover 

simple, science-backed practices you can 

build into your working day to help you 

feel happier, more energised, and more 

able to rise to the everyday challenges of 

leadership. 

At the end of the session, you’ll be 

invited to commit to your own personal 

happiness challenge, so you can put 

everything you’ve learned into action. 


IoD Events Team 

e: events@iod.com 

organisation’s gender pay gap. 

Hard copies will be available on the 

night, but attendees will also be emailed 

an online copy in advance of the evening. 

Join us to hear more about the 

background context for the briefing and 

an enjoyable evening of connecting and 

networking with peers in central 

Glasgow. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 


Trio of visionary leaders – and a 

stunning lunch at Gleneagles 

Date: 6 November 

Time: 10am — 3pm 

Venue: The Gleneagles Hotel 

Cost: Members, FREE*. 

Non-members, £120 

Join us for a Exclusive lunch event at The 

Gleneagles Hotel, hosted by IoD 

Scotland Chair Julie Ashworth, featuring 

visionary leader talks. 

The event will bring our Scotland 

members together in one of Scotland’s 

iconic settings to connect, catch up and 

hear from some of Scotland’s truly 

visionary leaders. 

Over lunch, three leading Scottish 

directors will share their passions via a 

series of ‘IoD Director Shorts’ – talks that 

aim to inspire, inform and give insight 

into their successes. 

Speakers 

Gill Erskine is the co-founder and 

Director of WildStrong. Before starting 

WildStrong, Gill founded, scaled and sold 

a food production business and was 

Managing Director of a locally grown 

baby food company in Sierra Leone. 

A natural community builder, Gill 

started WildStrong as she wanted to 

create space for people to spend more 

time outdoors and meet others who 

lived very locally. 

Robin Watson CBE has more than 35 

years of engineering, industry and 

business experience, with the past 20 

years spent in executive positions across 

a variety of market sectors around the 

globe. A breadth of executive and 

non-executive board experience in both 

the UK and US public markets. 

He has previously served as Wood Plc 

chief executive for seven years, 

transforming it into one of the world’s 

foremost engineering and consultancy 

companies, having started a professional 

career with ExxonMobil. 

Vivienne McLaren joined the Scottish 

Women’s Football board in June 2014 

and led its re-brand and grew awareness 

in order to attract commercial partners. 

She was appointed Chair in 2016. An 

avid supporter of women’s football for 

over 25 years, Vivienne is determined to 

play her part in raising the profile of the 

game further, as well as playing a key 

role in growing player numbers. 

*Please note that we expect this event to 

be very popular and will be operating a 

waiting list. Members who book a place 

and do not inform us if they are unable 

to make it with at least 72 hours notice, 

will be invoiced in full for their place. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 





Questions and answers at Holyrood 

First Minister’s Questions followed by member lunch with Angus Robertson MSP 


Venue: Holyrood 

Cost: £35 inc VAT (memebrs only) 

Join fellow IoD members for a unique 

opportunity to sit in the viewing gallery 

during First Minster’s Questions at the 

Scottish Parliament, followed by lunch 

with Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, 

External Affairs and Culture and MSP for 

Edinburgh Central, Angus Robertson, at 

Wedgwood restaurant. 

Places at this event are very limited 

and available on a first come basis, so 

don’t delay in booking for what should 

be a fascinating insight into the workings 

of the parliament and FMQs alongside a 

roundtable discussion with a Cabinet 

Minster and local MSP. 

All attendees will be asked to provide a 

brief biography by email ahead of the 

event. 

About our guest 

Born in 1969, Angus joined the SNP in 

1984. After a distinguished career in 

international journalism, he worked in 

the Scottish Parliament as an expert 

advisor before being elected to the 

House of Commons in June 2001 where 

he served for 16 years. He was a member 

of the European Scrutiny Committee 

2001-2010, and served as the SNP 

spokesman on defence and international 

relations. 

In May 2007, he became SNP leader 

in the House of Commons. He was 

elected to the Scottish Parliament in May 

2021 to represent Edinburgh Central. 

He was appointed as the Cabinet 

Secretary for Constitution, External 

Affairs and Culture in May 2021 and 

reappointed in March 2023. 

*Please note that Mr Robertson has this 

event in his diary and has committed to 

attending the lunch, but there is always a 

small chance that he may be called away 

on urgent parliamentary business. If this 

does happen we’ll still go ahead with 

FMQs and lunch and will try our best to 

find an alternative MSP to join us. 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 


Angus Robertson pictured 

on his way to the debating 

Chamber at Holyrood 

Putting the ‘S’ into ESG ... 

Social impact opportunities for your business 


Venue: Online 

Cost: members, Free 

Non-members £24 

What is Social Impact in the context of 

your business? 

We all know that our people are our 

greatest asset – but what does this mean 

for your business in terms of investing in 

... and the ‘G’ 

Good governance for a 

sustainable business: A guide 

to sustainable success 


Venue: Online 

Cost: members, Free 


Delve into the pivotal role of good 

governance with this event focused on 

‘the G in ESG’. The way you set up and 

your employees and wider external 

stakeholders to leverage social good that 

benefits people, the planet and your 

thriving future fit business? 


understand the importance of looking 

after your stakeholders and how your 

business could drive greater social impact 

by improving staff diversity, engagement, 

and wellbeing, supporting the local 

run your business makes an enormous 

difference to its long-term sustainability 

and its ability to manage risk, leverage 

innovative new practices and create long 

term value. 


understand how you can transform and 

strengthen your business model. We will 

also look how it can help improve 

strategy, accelerate your leadership, and 

improve your decision making and 

accountability mechanisms - including 

community, advocating for regulatory 

change, strengthening your supply chain, 

and delivering greater customer value. 

Come away inspired to make a 

difference with simple next steps to 

unlock the business benefits of looking 

after your people. 

your board and transparency - to drive 

sustainable growth and ensure a thriving 

profitable business into the future. 

Both these ESG sessions will be led by 

Mehalah Beckett (see pg 26 for details) 


Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 





Enchanting festivities await: Celebrate Christmas at 

Rusacks, St Andrews with fellow IoD members 

Date: 8 December 

Time: 6.30pm-10pm 

Venue: Rusacks, St Andrews 

Price: Members £60 


IoD Fife & Tayside branch invites you to 

join them at their inaugral Christmas 

event. This is an opportunity to connect 

with fellow members, forge new bonds, 

and relish the festive magic in the air. 

Embrace the spirit of the season and 

join us for a magical Christmas at the 

luxurious Rusacks in the heart of St 

Andrews. 

With its historic charm and 

breathtaking views, Rusacks sets the 

perfect stage for a festive celebration like 

no other. 

Accommodation Offer 

We have secured exclusive fixed rates 

for overnight stays. To book our exclusive 

accommodation rates, kindly reach out to 

Rusacks by email or +44 (0) 1334 466 

822. When booking, remember to 

reference the IoD Christmas dinner to 

secure your fixed rate. 

MENU 

Welcome drinks on arrival and half a bottle of wine per person with dinner. 

Antipasti: Prosciutto San Danile, Rocket & Parmesan, or Bocconcini, Heritage 

Beetroots & White Balsamic Dressing 

Primi: Casserecce of Woodland Mushroom & Winter Truffle, Truffled Pecorino 

Secondi: Rolle di Tacchino, Roasted Pumpkin Risotto, Chestnut & Sage, or 

Parmigiana di Melanzane 

Dolci: Tiramisu al Panettone or Cannoli Siciliani 

Amendments to the menu will be made to accommodate dietary requirements. 

Embrace excellence: A captivating evening 

at Rusacks, St Andrews 

Join us for the next in the series of our 

informal meet-ups for IoD Fife & Tayside 

Date: 7 March 2024 

Time: 5:30pm — 9pm 

Venue: Rusacks, St Andrews 

Cost: Free 

Indulge in refined luxury, forge 

meaningful connections, and soak in the 

breathtaking beauty of St Andrews at our 

exclusive soirée for members of IoD Fife 

& Tayside, hosted at the prestigious 

Rusacks hotel. 

This exclusive and captivating social 

event is designed specially for IoD 

members. You can immerse yourself in 

an atmosphere of networking, 

collaboration, and celebration as you 

engage with like-minded professionals 

from diverse industries. During the event, 

tantalise your taste buds with a selection 

of delectable snacks provided by the 

venue. Additionally, members will have 

the opportunity to purchase their 

preferred drinks, allowing you to 

personalise your beverage choices 

throughout the evening. 

This social event marks a pillar of our 

Fife & Tayside branch events; a series of 

exclusive gatherings planned for IoD 

members. Through our events we aim to 

create a platform for professional growth 

and meaningful connections. 

Secure your place now – for FREE – at 

this remarkable social event. 

Rusack Events Organiser 

Patricia Huth 

t: 0131 557 5488 



DIRECTION | DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT 


Leadership for Directors 

Learn the latest techniques for influencing, engaging and creating impact. 

This course can be taken as part of the Certificate in Company Direction 

This intensive course highlights the importance of strong leadership in bringing an organisation’s vision to life. It 

provides a valuable opportunity for directors to explore the strategic leadership issues involved in implementing 

corporate strategy. You will gain practical skills and techniques that can be immediately applied in your organisation. 

OBJECTIVES 

This course will give you the knowledge and skills to: 

■ create a culture that focuses on the organisation’s strategic objectives 

■ ensure you are ready to lead your organisation through an ever-changing business landscape 

■ develop effective behaviours for delivering strategic change – as a leader and as a member of the executive team 

■ determine how to measure progress and organisational performance 

BENEFITS 

This course will give you a practical understanding of how to lead your people through strategy implementation. Using 

real-world scenarios, you will assess different leadership and decision-making techniques and ways of handling 

resistance to change. You will evaluate how these can be applied in your own organisation for maximum impact. This 

course can be combined with other modules to qualify for the Certificate in Company Direction. 

COURSE LEADERS 

Our course leaders are expert practitioners specialising in governance, strategy, leadership and finance with exceptional 

real-world experience 

DATES 

Date: 27 -28 November 

Time: 9:30am - 5pm 

Duration: Two days 

Venue: Neospace, Aberdeen, Scotland 

Date: 4-5 Dec 

Time: 9:30am-5pm 

Duration: Two days 

Venue: Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, Edinburgh 

PRICES 

Member: £2,795 

Non-member: £3,295 

all prices inc VAT 

TO FIND OUT MORE AND TO BOOK: 

https://www.iod.com/professional-development/ 

open-courses/leadership-for-directors/ 



DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT | DIRECTION 

From Doubt to Directorship: 

Embarking on a journey 

of growth and impact 

by Marlene Lowe 

Chair for Fife & Tayside and 

Founder of The Emerald Agency 

When I got the chance to do the Certificate in Company 

Direction, my first reaction was “Why me?”. Surely that’s a 

course for directors that already have X number of years 

under their belt? The one’s looking to go for Chartered 

Director? Not a “baby-director” like myself. 

It took speaking to the team in Scotland, asking other 

people who’d done the certificate and a smidge of selfreflection 

to step out of my comfort zone and go back to 

school. 

From signing up, until about ten minutes after sitting down 

around the boardroom table at Apex Hotel in Edinburgh, I 

felt like a fraud. Like I wasn’t ready to take on the challenge 

of completing the certificate. Once introductions had been 

made and the realisation that I was in a room of directors 

from all walks of life, comfort zones and industries, I relaxed 

and felt like I was finally in the right place. 

There were eleven of us, ten who had never done the 

course before and the eleventh who had done it prior 

to the Millennium change over and wanted a refresh. 

Not entirely sure of what to expect, I was pleasantly 

blown away by the amount of information that was 

discussed, and how easy it was to understand what I 

didn’t know I didn’t know. 

The “Role of a director and board” component 

helped me understand my legal, ethical and moral 

decisions as a Director, and also how to set up a 

growing business with all these matters in mind. It 

brought back a love I fostered in university on 

corporate social responsibility, and introduced a 

greater drive to understanding and encouraging 

robust corporate governance. 

“ 

TO 

The Role of a director and board 

component helped me understand my 

legal, ethical and moral decisions as a 

Director, and also how to set up a growing 

business with all these matters in mind 

Rarely have I experienced a two-day course that has 

had such an immediate and profound impact on my 

life. Since attending, I have found myself posing more 

questions in the boardroom, providing suggestions to 

enhance our effectiveness and, most importantly, 

recognising the tremendous value everyone brings to 

the table. 

This new-found knowledge has influenced my 

approach to collaborative projects, how I bid for work, 

and the strategic recommendations I offer to my 

clients. 

I hope you’ll join me in this journey - because I’m 

excited to share it. 

FIND OUT MORE AND TO BOOK: 

https://www.iod.com/professional-development/ 

chartered-director-programme/certificate-incompany-direction/

Direction Autumn 2023 - IoD Scotland members magazine

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