IoD Scotland Summer 2025 final

The official membership

magazine for the Institute

of Directors in Scotland

iod.com/scotland

Direction

Summer 2025

Youth work overflows

with an untapped

pool of talent

Investing in your

‘accidental managers’

The skills issue

Bringing education

and work together

Forth Valley College’s Kenny MacInnes

on how businesses can help create

the next generation of employees

www.iod.com/scotland

WELCOME | DIRECTION

Skills are the currency of progress –

and the driver of economic success

A lack of skilled employees is becoming a

major talking point among business leaders,

and it threatens to hold the nation back,

says IoD Scotland Chair Julie Ashworth

SKILLS is a deceptively

simple word, but it sits at

the heart of every thriving

economy, forward-thinking

organisation, and future leader.

Whether I’m in my role as Chair of

IoD Scotland or as Chair of the

University of Aberdeen, I see it every

day: skills are the currency of progress.

Across Scotland, we are welcoming a

new generation of young professionals

into the workplace - bright, ambitious

individuals who are navigating a

landscape of rapid change, economic

uncertainty, and shifting definitions of

success. We’re seeing growing

appetite for leadership development

to begin before someone steps into a

boardroom or takes on executive

responsibilities. This is a hugely

positive shift and a reminder that

preparing the next generation of

leaders must begin early, with

guidance from education, industry,

and policy combined.

At the IoD, we often work with

directors who are highly accomplished

in their fields – specialists in finance,

technology, healthcare, engineering

and more. But deep sector

knowledge doesn’t always mean

someone is equipped to lead. The

skills required to run a board,

manage people, make ethical

decisions, and uphold good

governance are distinct and need to

be learned, developed, and

supported. That’s where we come in.

Our latest State of the Nation

(SoTN) survey showed that over a

‘‘

quarter of members feel their

organisation lacks the right skilled

employees for current needs, with

nearly a third uncertain they’ll be

able to fill upcoming vacancies. This

is a clear signal that the skills

landscape remains a priority concern

for our business community and

with 88% actively engaging in CPD,

it shows the desire to improve and

grow, both personally and

professionally, is stronger than ever.

In the last issue we touched on the

rising number of IoD members

undertaking the Certificate in

Company Direction and these

numbers matter. Not because of the

statistics, but because they tell a

story about a business community

that recognises the need for

upskilling, futureproofing, and doing

things the right way. The

fundamentals of governance still

apply, but how we prepare and

support people to lead must evolve.

At the same time, the broader

skills landscape in Scotland is

shifting. From the Withers and

Hayward reports, to changes across

the Scottish Funding Council and

Skills Development Scotland, the

environment is busy, complex, and

uncertain. Colleges and universities

face financial pressures and

structural change, making it

harder to deliver at the pace and

scale needed by both students

and employers.

From recent discussions with Ken

Thomson, who serves as our IoD

We’re seeing growing appetite for leadership development to

begin before someone steps into a boardroom or takes on executive

responsibilities. This is a hugely positive shift and a reminder that

preparing the next generation of leaders must begin early, with

guidance from education, industry, and policy combined.

‘‘

representative and Skills and

Education Ambassador on the

Scottish Advisory Forum (SAF) - the

forum, which exists to advise, guide

and challenge the Executive team in

the delivery of our business plan and

wider IoD vision and strategy - it’s

clear that alignment between the

education sector and industry has

never been more critical.

Ken brings with him a wealth of

experience from his time leading

Forth Valley College, chairing the

College Development Network, and

contributing to national working

groups on qualifications reform. His

guidance helps ensure that the IoD

remains connected to Scotland’s

evolving skills agenda - not just from

a governance perspective, but from

a practical perspective that reflects

what businesses and educators

are facing.

Through Ken and the wider SAF,

we’re able to represent your views in

national discussions on talent,

workforce readiness, and the future

of skills. Our ambassadors, like you,

are IoD Scotland members and they

bring their time, energy and

expertise to ensure our voice is

heard where it matters most.

Whether you’re a seasoned

director, an aspiring leader, or

somewhere in between, our role at

IoD Scotland is to support you

with resources, networks, and

training opportunities.

Skills are more than tools, they are

the thread that binds strategy,

leadership, and impact together.

Let’s keep building and investing

in them to ensure Scotland’s

directors are equipped for the

challenges of today and tomorrow.

• Connecting education with the

world of work: see pg 12

SUMMER 2025 03

DIRECTION | WELCOME


Finding the balance between

technical and soft skills

With the digital world advancing so rapidly, it’s vital that

businesses have a keen eye on training up their people,

says IoD Scotland Nations Director Catherine McWilliam

WELCOME to the

summer issue of

Direction. In this issue,

we’re looking at the

wide spectrum of skills, and will

hear from Kenny MacInnes, Principal

and CEO of Forth Valley College,

Erica Cargill, Associate Dean at RGU

and Tim Frew, CEO of Youthlink.

Essential workplace skills are

constantly changing, as technology

gets more advanced and new ways

of communicating are introduced.

Being a millennial, social media

came about in my late teens,

following the birth of Facebook

while I was at university. 15 years

later, social media is now a powerful

platform for networking, building

relationships and connecting with

leaders across the world – although

LinkedIn remains the platform of

choice professionally.

The digital transformation of work

has meant tools like social media,

cloud-based filing systems and

virtual meetings which were once

‘nice to have’ have become the

norm. The most notable shift was

during the Covid-19 pandemic, when

the world had no option but to do

business online. People were forced

to adjust across all roles, which

resulted in a nationwide development

of digital skills, adaptability, resilience,

communication, self-management,

and teamwork.

As well as learning to perfect

banana bread recipes, of course!

My recipe hasn’t changed in the

past five years, but the business

landscape certainly has. We now

operate in a much more hybrid way,

and use technology to make it

seamless. Whether joining meetings

from our laptops at home, or relying

on our phones to send emails while

picking the kids up from school, this

flexibility has had a positive impact

on many people, making a work-life

balance feel more achievable.

The world of digital skills is

advancing rapidly – especially with

the introduction of AI. It’s both

exciting, and a little daunting.

According to our most recent State

of the Nation survey, 84% of you are

already utilising AI within your

organisations. Meanwhile, 92% of

undergraduate students who are

gearing up to enter the workforce

are using it too.

Embedding tools like ChatGPT in

your business has many benefits, but

it’s also important to educate your

team on best practice, policies and

cybersecurity. This means you can

keep up with modern ways of

working, without compromising the

security of your business.

AI can help with a range of tasks,

but it cannot replace empathy,

emotional intelligence, and

creativity. These are vital traits in the

workplace, and a positive workplace

culture will inspire your team to

learn, grow, and develop.

Of course, a happy workforce

often comes from the top. Leaders

must foster an environment where

collaboration and teamwork is not

only encouraged but expected.

Teaching goes both ways, from

experienced employees to new

recruits and vice versa, we all have

something to learn from each other.

Whether you’re technically minded

or have people skills by the bucketload,

the key is to acknowledge that

learning is a lifelong undertaking,

and everyone’s unique skills are

what make up a thriving, diverse,

and sustainable business.

Some of you may excel in

technical and softer skills while

others need to consciously work at

it, but no matter your strengths,

access to training and continual

professional development is

important. The IoD offers several

training opportunities, like our

peer-to-peer mentoring through

Mentor Connect, our Chartered

Director Programme and

Professional Director CPD series.

Continuous learning and being

open to new challenges allows us to

improve our existing strengths, learn

new ones and future-proof our

businesses for whatever the next

big thing around the corner is.

I hope you enjoy this issue of

Direction magazine, and we’re

already looking ahead to our next

issue on Leadership.

GET IN TOUCH

If you have anything you’d like

to contribute on this topic,

please get in touch with me:

catherine.mcwilliam@iod.com.

‘‘

Whether you’re technically minded or have people skills by

the bucket-load, the key is to acknowledge that learning is a

lifelong undertaking, and everyone’s unique skills are what

make up a thriving, diverse, and sustainable business.

‘‘

04

SUMMER 2025


IoD NEWS | DIRECTION

Invest 2035 demands that we harness

the power of skills and education

Marc Strathie,

IoD Senior Policy

Advisor for

Devolved

Nations

LAST month we saw the launch

of the UK Government’s

10-year industrial strategy,

‘Invest 2035,’ which aims to

boost economic growth.

The UK Government has been keen

to emphasise that the strategy would

be focused on key sectors like clean

energy, advanced manufacturing and

digital technologies. An area that IoD

Scotland has regularly been

advocating for is the collaboration

between UK and Scottish

governments to ensure the strategy

benefits Scotland, and it was good to

see this referenced in the strategy.

Although our members will be

pleased to see the reduction of

energy costs, we are concerned this

measure will not begin until 2027 and

in the meantime, our members will

continue to operate in a fiscally

challenging environment.

As the Industrial Strategy moves

towards implementation, the skills

landscape in Scotland is very much in

a period of change. The Scottish

Government has recently announced

that responsibility for national training

programmes, including apprenticeships,

will shift from Skills Development

Scotland (SDS) to the Scottish

Funding Council (SFC). This is part of

a broader reform of Scotland’s

education and skills system, aiming to

simplify funding and governance.

The transition is planned for autumn

2026, with legislation in preparation

at the time of writing.

IoD Scotland responded to this

consultation and we look forward to

seeing how these proposals develop,

particularly in the wake of continuing

frustrations from our members on the

Apprenticeship Levy and how this is

utilised at present in Scotland.

In amidst the new Tertiary

Education bill, has been the recent

challenges facing the University of

Dundee, and the funding landscape of

Scotland’s tertiary education system

continues to be debated. The Minister

for Further and Higher Education,

Graeme Dey, said that Scottish

Government was “actively engaged

with the university sector to look at

developing a sustainable long-term

model.” I was fortunate enough to be

at the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Conference on ‘Tertiary Education in

Scotland’ and it is fair to say that we

all left the event with more questions

than answers.

Across the UK, international student

numbers are falling (not just in

Scotland) and charging Scottish

students alone is unlikely to bridge

some of the huge gaps in funding,

therefore where next for the sector?

Graduate endowment fee is one area

that has been touted but all of these

proposals still come against the

background of an SNP administration

which has vowed never to charge

Scottish students for higher education.

Only in April, Minister for Education,

Jenny Gilruth stated firmly that “my

party, the SNP, is never going to

support a policy where we bring back

tuition fees”.

Lastly, who could forget the famous

quote from former First Minister, Alex

Salmond, who famously said “The

rocks will melt with the sun before I

allow tuition fees to be imposed on

Scotland’s students.”

Scotland stands at a bit of a

crossroads with regards to our longterm

education and skills needs.

Although, as we see the launch of the

ACORN project and indeed the news

that Scotland will become home to

the UK’s most powerful

supercomputer, it is clear that many

aspects of the skills/industrial

ecosystem across Scotland is in a

good place.

The challenge facing government,

business and our academic

institutions is how we collectively

harness this potential to drive a

prosperous and dynamic Scottish

economy for future generations.

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

E: Catherine.McWilliam@iod.com

Relationship Manager - Scotland:

Patricia Huth

T: 0131 557 5488

E: Patricia.Huth@iod.com

Commercial Manager, PD:

Natasha Ure

T: 0131 460 7681

E: natasha.ure@iod.com

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: colin@chambermediaservices.co.uk

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Editorial: Heather Schreuder

Please send press releases or editorial for consideration for future issues of

Direction to Heather at E: HeatherS@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.

SUMMER 2025 05

DIRECTION | IoD NEWS


A just transition: Building the

North-East’s momentum for change

IoD ABERDEEN & GRAMPIAN

THE IoD Aberdeen and Grampian

branch recently hosted an event

which looked at ‘How does the

North-East navigate a just

transition?’ on the topic of energy,

the green agenda and sustainability.

The event was a resounding

success, sparking thoughtful

discussions and meaningful

networking among directors and

senior leaders dedicated to

navigating the North-East’s just

energy transition.

The highlight was the presentation

of Robert Gordon University’s

Energy Transitions Institute (ETI)

report, an insightful yet sobering

analysis of the challenges ahead.

The report underscored critical

concerns: skills gaps, funding

limitations and recognising the

challenges of creating social equity

in the communities where we live

and work.

While its findings were

comprehensive, the intended lack of

immediate solutions left many in the

room asking: What’s next? How do

we turn analysis into action?

Despite these uncertainties, one

conclusion was clear: collaboration

must deepen between industry and

academia. If we are to develop a

sector-agnostic and mobile

workforce, greater investment in

training, apprenticeships and

workforce development is essential.

At the same time, advancing social

equity must remain a priority to

ensure all voices are represented in

shaping the region’s future.

Professor Paul de Leeuw, the ETI

report author, gave a clear call to

action. His message? Become a

storyteller. Change begins with

individuals sharing their experiences,

raising awareness of the reality we

face and shaping the conversation

that drives momentum forward.

Professor Paul de Leeuw

issues a call to action

The room resonated with this

challenge, and the collective

sentiment was unmistakable: The

time for analysis is over - now is the

moment for action. Business leaders

must move beyond discussion and

into collaboration that shapes policy,

drives investment and secures a just

transition for all.

Moving forward, the dialogue must

continue, ensuring leaders remain

empowered to act with clarity, vision

and resolve in the face of an

evolving energy landscape.

For more information on the ETI

report please click HERE.

Left, Erica Cargill

addresses the audience

06 SUMMER 2025

exclusive offer for IoD members



IoD CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Host’s hard work makes for wonderful evening

IoD Central Scotland’s flagship

event, the Annual Dinner, was again

kindly hosted by Forth Valley

College at its Gallery Restaurant in

Stirling, on May 15.

The event offered the chance to

reconnect with members and build

new relationships, while enjoying a

sumptuous three-course meal

prepared by the college’s hospitality

students in a stunning setting on

what was a glorious summer evening.

On the theme of ‘Leadership:

navigating through challenging

times’, we heard from three excellent

speakers: Fiona Doring, CEO, Impact

Arts; Lynne Harrison, Director of

Tribunal Delivery & Deputy Chief

Executive, Children’s Hearings

Scotland; and Jamie Swinney, CEO,

Falkirk FC. All three shared their

experiences and stories of leading

their organisations, people, and

themselves through difficult times.

The bar for this event was set very

high by the success in 2024, so we

were delighted that members

reported that the evening was: “Just

as good as last year!”

A round of applause for the college

team and students who put

together the superb meal

The Central Scotland branch is

thankful to our speakers and guests,

but most of all to the Forth Valley

College students, catering team and

staff for their wonderful hosting.

IoD EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS

Making an impact: Sustainability in

practice at the University of Edinburgh

THE IoD Edinburgh & Lothians

branch launched its new series of

sustainability-focused fireside chats

with an engaging session on

leadership in practice.

The first event featured Scott

Davidson, head of sustainability at

the University of Edinburgh, who

shared insights from the university’s

sustainability journey, revealing that

it ranks second in the UK and seventh

in the world for sustainability.

The discussion highlighted that

sustainability is not about meeting

superficial targets.

Instead, it involves embedding

long-term, values-driven change

across an organisation.

Scott outlined how the

university’s strategy is guided by

purpose, with leadership fostering a

culture where every team is

empowered to contribute.

Attendees reflected on the

challenges of balancing long-term

ambitions with short-term pressures.

The conversation acknowledged

that sustainability cannot be

confined to a single department. It

must be integrated across all

functions, with directors playing a

key role in enabling this shift.

The session also touched on the

pace of technological change and

the need for organisations to remain

intentional and responsive. Directors

were encouraged to consider

where they can make the greatest

impact, using their influence to

drive meaningful progress.

As the first in a series of events

exploring sustainability from

different organisational

perspectives, the session offered

practical insights and a renewed

call to act. It reinforced the idea

that responsible leadership means

embedding sustainability not just

in strategy, but in everyday

decision making.

08 SUMMER 2025


IoD NEWS | DIRECTION

Bringing

together

organisations

to discuss

leadership

matters in the

region,

including

Lewis Gillies,

CEO, Haventus

Ltd, IoD

Highlands and

Islands’

newest

member

IoD HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS

Leadership in the Highlands &

Islands under the microscope

WHAT does the future of leadership

look like in the Highlands and

Islands? That was the focus of a

recent gathering that brought

together the IoD, Inverness, Moray

and West Highland Chambers of

Commerce, Prosper, and Elevator

UK - a cross-sector group

committed to shaping purposeful

leadership in our region.

The session was hosted by our H&I

Marketing and Comms Ambassador,

Kate Hooper, at her StrategyStory

office in Inverness, and it wasn’t

about perfect plans or polished

presentations, but about honest

conversation around what’s working,

what’s not, and what more we can

achieve by working together.

These kinds of discussions spark

fresh thinking and remind us that

leadership is not about status, it’s

about service. In a region built on

resilience, innovation and

collaboration, that mindset already

runs deep. By joining forces with

partners like these, the IoD is helping

strengthen the relationships that

turn ambition into action.

There’s certainly no shortage of

talent in the Highlands and Islands.

We’re delighted to welcome our

newest member, Lewis Gillies, CEO

of Haventus, whose leadership in

energy transition brings invaluable

insight and momentum to our

region’s net zero goals, particularly

as Haventus scales up development

at the new Ardersier Energy

Transition Facility.

There will be more to follow on

this with an in-depth interview with

Lewis which we look forward to

sharing over the summer.

We’re also proud to celebrate

those from the Highlands and

Islands who have been shortlisted

for this year’s IoD Director of the

‘‘

Year Awards. Special congratulations

go to Callum Cruden, our IoD H&I

Sustainability Ambassador, who has

been shortlisted in both the SME and

Sustainability & Innovation categories,

and to Alistair Dodds, Chair of

Highlands and Islands Enterprise,

who has been shortlisted in the

Non-Executive Director category.

With the awards ceremony taking

place on October 9th, we’re looking

forward to a strong Highlands and

Islands presence, showcasing the

leadership and drive that make this

region so distinctive.

• More on the IoD Scotland Director

of the Year awards - see page 34

These kinds of discussions spark fresh thinking and

remind us that leadership is not about status, it’s about

service. In a region built on resilience, innovation and

collaboration, that mindset already runs deep.

‘‘

SUMMER 2025 09

DIRECTION | BEHIND THE DESK


I tell my students to never stop

learning - so I won’t either

Name: Erica Cargill

Position: Associate Dean, Aberdeen Business School

Company: Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

Number of employees: Around 1400 in the University, 120 of whom are in my school.

Short overview of organisation: Robert Gordon University is a vocational university with a reputation for

producing graduates that are highly sought after by employers. Aberdeen Business School was named Business

School of the Year 2020 (THE Awards 2020) and is also accredited by AACSB International (AACSB), an

accolade achieved by 6% of global Business Schools. The School particularly prides itself on its close

relationships with industry. Having been recently re-accredited with the Small Business Charter award, ABS

partners with businesses across Scotland in support of their growth and innovation plans through the Help to

Grow programme as well as other initiatives such as Innovation Vouchers and KTPs.

What is the greatest recurring

challenge you come across in your

role, and what’s your strategy for

dealing with it?

My answer to this question is

‘change’ although, while a recurring

challenge, it is also our biggest

opportunity. Change is affecting the

Higher Education sector in so many

ways, from fast-moving immigration

policy to the changing skill needs

of employers.

Thankfully I am someone who finds

change motivating, and incremental

innovation is my key strategy for

dealing with it. I have been in the

Higher Education sector for most of

my working life and, if every year

had been the same, I would definitely

have become bored by now as

academic years are very cyclical.

However, every year presents

different students, different

challenges and different changes to

adapt to – it never gets boring!

Who, or what, drives you or

inspires you?

I am surrounded by people every

day who have committed to

developing themselves both

personally and professionally – that

is inspiring in itself. Many of our

learners are school leavers and

working with young people who are

just starting out on life’s journey

definitely keeps me on my toes.

However, increasingly our learners

are drawn from much more diverse

backgrounds; they are apprentices,

upskillers and career changers at all

stages of life, each bringing

something different to their learning

journey. It is difficult not to be

inspired by them.

What is your long-term vision for

the organisation that you lead?

My area of responsibility within

RGU’s Business School is teaching,

learning and student experience so

my focus is on creating curricula that

both inspire our learners and enable

them to make a meaningful future

contribution to their organisations

and to the wider economy.

Study at university is changing –

students have such diverse

expectations and needs from higher

education so we need to innovate

and keep finding ways of connecting

with and inspiring our learners,

creating the scale and type of

learning experiences needed.

The key is to be as flexible and

adaptable as possible and, as a

business school, it is also important

to work closely with employers to

ensure that our curricula deliver on

their needs.

What keeps you awake at night?

Two of my kids have just returned

home from university for the summer

so I am currently adjusting to their

nocturnal social life – suffice to say

that this is all impacting on my

sleep patterns!

Seriously though there are so

many things going on in the world

just now that could keep me awake

at night so I prefer to focus on

10 SUMMER 2025


BEHIND THE DESK | DIRECTION

ensuring that I have the resilience to

cope with them and the drive and

focus to find solutions to problems

as they present themselves.

What makes a good leader great?

Keeping an eye on the future whilst

caring about the here and now. For

me, leadership is about being

authentic and bringing people with

you but it is also about learning from

your mistakes and acknowledging

when you get things wrong.

Reflective practice is a key part of

my professional development and I

am continually learning from the

things I get wrong as well as those I

get right.

I am definitely not the finished

article and I never stop learning.

Have you had a mentor, and what did

he/she add to your development?

I am lucky enough to have had

several people who have made a big

impact on my career. My Dad ran a

business and my husband does too

so I have been immersed in the

challenges and opportunities of the

business world throughout my

working life which I hope has kept

me relevant and authentic.

In the workplace, my former Dean

who has had such an impact on my

career recently retired so I am

exploring new ways of developing

myself – one of these is through

reverse mentoring which helps me

learn from both colleagues and

students who are much earlier in

their career than I am.

This is so important as the pace

of change escalates and the number

of generations we see in our

workforce increases.

Even leaders aren’t the finished

article. What’s next in your

leadership development journey?

I absolutely agree with this and I

am constantly learning.

Right now, I am working towards

the completion of a doctorate

which is focused on learning at the

nexus of Higher Education and

the workplace.

Once that is done, hopefully by

Christmas, I am eyeing up the IoD’s

Certificate in Company Direction. I

constantly extol the virtues of

lifelong learning to my students so I

need to practice what I preach!

‘‘ Generative AI has already resulted in transformation. It

is continually stretching us to come up with more

effective ways of embedding AI use into our teaching

so students are armed with the skills they will need to

effect digital transformation in their careers, while also

finding ways to ensure that AI does not compromise

the assessment process.

What is the ‘next big thing’ that will

transform your sector?

I have two answers to this. The first

is Generative AI which, to some

extent has already resulted in

transformation. This is continually

stretching us to come up with more

effective ways of embedding AI use

into our teaching so that students

are armed with the skills they will

need to effect digital transformation

in their careers, while also finding

ways to ensure that AI does not

compromise the integrity of the

assessment process.

The other big thing is educational

flexibility. My interests lie in workintegrated

learning – this is an

umbrella term which captures every

form of learning that takes place

between higher education and

industry. This might be anything

from a short placement which is

integrated into the curriculum to a

graduate apprenticeship where the

workplace becomes the curriculum.

Every work-integrated learning

experience has the potential to be

transformative – both to the student

and the organisation they are

contributing to so there is huge

potential for industry and education

at all levels to work more closely

together to capitalise on this

potential for transformation.

What piece of technology do you

rely on most?

Boring answer to this one – my

phone is my constant companion.

However, being able to collaborate

and keep up while ‘on the go’ is a

real gift and something I rely

on constantly.

Our younger students will never

use email so instant messaging

through MS Teams and other

platforms is continually changing the

way we communicate. The challenge

is keeping up with the multitude of

ways that communication is received

today, which admittedly can feel

overwhelming at times.

‘‘

What is your favourite social media

platform, and what does it bring to

your business/organisation?

I love to keep up with former

students on Linkedin to see how their

careers are progressing post-study.

Linkedin also connects me to the

local economy which is important for

so many aspects of my work.

Beyond this, I try not to spend too

much of my time doomscrolling,

however, our school is about to

launch a short course in Influencer

Marketing which I am excited

about, and this might help me to

put a positive spin on my use of

social media.

What needs fixed?

The Higher Education sector is

going through a very challenging

time at the moment as most will

have seen in the media. However, I

am going to stay safe with this

question and say that I would love to

see an education and skills

landscape in Scotland that enables

every learner to maximise their

potential, all whilst being aligned

with the skill needs of the economy.

We have made great strides in this

space over recent years through the

apprenticeship family and

particularly the introduction of

Graduate Apprenticeships but we

can go much further and enable

seamless access to learning

whenever and wherever it is needed.

What leadership advice would you

give your younger self?

The journey is more important than

the destination. If you have your

sights set on a future role or

achievement, you run the risk of

missing all the learning that goes on

in the space in between now and

then. Grabbing every opportunity

and delivering on it to the best of

your ability seems to have stood me

in good stead and I pass this advice

on to my kids, students and anyone

else who is willing to listen!

SUMMER 2025 11

DIRECTION | THE LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW


Kenny MacInnes first walked through the doors at Forth Valley College as a

student in 1985. Now its Principal, he tells Direction why he thinks it’s more vital

than ever that the business world builds strong connections with education.

‘Want skilled young

people for your

company? Let’s talk!’

THERE is always something

very satisfying about any

story that goes full circle;

when a character’s story

arc winds up with them

somewhere near where they started.

That’s certainly the case for Kenny

MacInnes, Principal of Forth Valley

College, who first walked through

the college’s doors as a student in

1985 before returning as a lecturer in

2017 after a notable career in the

petrochemical, manufacturing and

aero industries.

Did he think, when he first walked

through the doors at what was then

Falkirk College of Technology in

1985, that he would return one day

as its leader?

“No chance,” he says. “I’d have

been amazed if you’d even have

suggested it!”

Mind you, he must have been a

good student: he was named

Apprentice of the Year for his work

in mechanical engineering, before

obtaining a degree in Computer Aided

Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian

University and two Masters Degrees

in Education Leadership and Social

Research respectively.

He joined the college as a lecturer

in 2007, rising to take on challenging

roles in curriculum development

before becoming Vice Principal

under Ken Thomson, and now

Principal after Ken’s retirement.

Today the college that he oversees

has a glowing reputation for forming

work-ready students; well-educated

and with the skills – both practical

and soft - that businesses demand in

the modern workplace.

It has around 12,500 students

across three campuses in central

Scotland that share common themes

and a core curriculum but each with

specialisms of their own.

“Each campus has a focus that’s

linked to its regional mix of

businesses,” Kenny explains. “The

biggest is Falkirk, which focuses on

STEM and construction, linked to its

proximity of the industries around

Grangemouth, while Stirling’s

position as the gateway of the

Highlands lends itself to a focus on

hospitality and tourism, along with

digital and creative media.

“Alloa Campus focuses on health

and social care, which has a

dedicated skills simulation suite,

working in partnership with NHS

Forth Valley.”

All three campuses offer courses in

key areas such as health and social

care, early years provision,

construction, and engineering. These

courses are geared toward one goal:

helping our students be ready for

the world of work.

“The majority of our students are

following a blend of academic and

vocational study; we have 1,100

apprentices, mostly in construction

and engineering but we also offer

HN Qualifications - a great pathway

to university and also a variety of

vocational courses, not only offering

opportunities for school leavers, but

also for those looking to change

their careers.

“In total we’re delivering 750

qualifications – and the

overwhelming majority have direct

links to the workplace.”

The college conducts regular

audits of the regional demand for

skills to ensure its courses are

aligned to the workplace. “We are

constantly scanning the horizon to

ensure we are in a good position to

meet employers’ needs,” says Kenny.

“We are in constant liaison with

businesses large and small, looking

to position our courses to match

the skills they say they will need in

the future.”

The end result is a college that

prides itself on its ability to bridge

the gap between education and

work, though it’s not just practical

skills that are taught.

“The challenge that the education

sector most often hears from

businesses is that it doesn’t produce

enough students with the skills they

need, particularly soft skills,” says

Kenny. “That’s not the case at

Forth Valley. Our apprentices learn

those on the job.”

These apprenticeships can take

many forms, he explains: day

release to study with the college,

periods of block release, or full-time

study with workplace sessions during

the holidays.

“Often they’ll complete core

competence skills with us in areas such

as health and safety before going out

on day release,” adds Kenny.

Continued on page 14

12 SUMMER 2025


THE LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW | DIRECTION

‘‘

We are constantly scanning

the horizon to ensure we are in a

good position to meet employers’

needs... we are in constant liaison

with businesses, to position our

courses to match the skills

they will need in the future.

‘‘

SUMMER 2025 13

DIRECTION | THE LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW


Continued from page 12

“We go the extra mile for our

students on vocational courses by

securing them practical placements

in relevant industry settings. These

help the students to develop the

right habits they’ll need in the

workplace while they are still

studying. They learn how to conduct

themselves at work, how to be

respectful and interact with

colleagues. It’s amazing how far you

can get by simply meeting the

expected norms of the workplace,

around turning up on time and

having the right attitude. It means

when they leave us they’ve not just

got a vocational qualification; but

they also understand what an

employer is going to expect from

them from day one.”

After graduation many of the

students move into employment and

this can be with small to medium

employers. “We appreciate that small

businesses don’t always have a large

budget for training, so we’re always

looking at innovative ways that we

can deliver best value and tailor our

courses to suit them. For bigger

businesses, we regularly work with

them to create bespoke programmes

in line with their business needs.

But there is always a need for more

placement opportunities for the

college’s full-time HND and HNC

students, he adds. “I’d appeal to

businesses to look at whether they

could offer a work placement

opportunity. If we work together we

can give the students the most

realistic experience of work possible.”

‘‘ We go the extra mile for

our students on vocational

courses by securing them

practical placements in

relevant industry settings.

‘‘

It’s a fact that sometimes, there is

talk of a clash between the worlds of

business and education. One claims

the other generates students without

the skills workplaces need; the other

responds that businesses don’t

engage closely enough with

education to explain what skills are

needed. It shouldn’t be a

competition though, as both sides

need to work together to create a

win-win scenario. “In education we

aim to get it right but that can be

challenging at times,” admits Kenny.

“It’s a fine balancing act. We have to

look at the needs of the regional

economy and what courses are

popular with prospective students.

This can lead to difficult decisions for

the college in terms of our offer.

“But, we are in constant dialogue

with the Forth Valley business

community, finding out what skills

are needed most, where the gaps

are, so we can offer courses that

match that need.

“We try to make our programmes

as rounded as possible to cover as

many of the areas that matter to

employers. But to do that effectively

we need business leaders to engage

with us.”

He accepts that for smaller

businesses, creating space and time

to offer a placement, or an

apprenticeship, may feel daunting.

“SMEs and micro businesses often

say they just don’t have the

resources or time, but there is a lot

of help available. For example, if you

take on an apprentice, funding

support and advice is available from

Skills Development Scotland.

“Many of the businesses we work

with will offer placements every year,

as they find it so successful. It’s also

a great way to identify new recruits

and create a talent pipeline for

their business.”

Scanning the horizon, which

sectors have the biggest need for

trained recruits? “Construction skills

are always in high demand, across all

the disciplines, but I’d suggest that

the sector which is crying out most

for new people right now is health

and social care. It’s particularly true

in the care sector, but there are skills

shortages in clinical care, too.”

Kenny expands on this: “Across

Scotland, demand is high for health

care workers due to our ageing

population. At Forth Valley, we work

in partnership with health care

providers to develop clear learning

pathways to meet this demand in

this vital area.”

But new industries are also on the

look-out for new people. “The

renewables and green job sector is

going through an amazing period of

growth as businesses look to lower

their carbon footprint, though the

recent dialling back on net zero

‘‘ When I speak to

our students

around college I’m

always amazed at

their resilience and

how they are

determined to

make the best of

their lives. They are

really inspiring.

‘‘

14 SUMMER 2025

targets has confused the landscape.

But there are plenty of opportunities

for young people or those looking to

upskill to make their mark in an

exciting sector.”

What is clear is that it would be

better if the worlds of business and

education can harmonise better.

“Colleges are central to this and we

can help businesses across the

country to thrive through skills

development, partnership working

and innovation.

“At Forth Valley, we are proud of

our diverse learning community from

a range of backgrounds and abilities.

Seeing how we can support all our

learners to achieve is so inspiring.”

For many students, the college

route – particularly with a clear

vocational angle – is the one best

suited to their needs, but how does

that experience compare with

following the more linear university

path? With university students

struggling under rising debt and

then finding work opportunities

scarce on graduating, is the tide

changing on whether the college

route to work is the better option?

“There is a growing understanding

that colleges like Forth Valley offer

great opportunities post-school, and

that they offer perhaps a clearer

route to work, but it’s going too far

to say we’re undergoing a sea

change and the university route is

less popular,” says Kenny.

“Many of our schools are focused

on the university pathway, and as a

result sometimes the option of going

to college can seem like a second

best choice. That’s wrong. The fact is

college may be the best option for

some people. There is no right/

wrong choice, there is simply the

best pathway for you.”

To Kenny, what often gets

overlooked is colleges’ vital

contribution to Scottish society,

community and the economy. “I

always say that in terms of social

value and impact, Forth Valley

College more than punches above its

weight. We are aligned with the

Scottish Government’s economic

priorities, and our core goal is to help

everyone succeed and be ready for

the world of work.

“For value of public spend I don’t

think colleges get enough credit for

what they deliver.

“If we can talk to more employers

about opening up a pipeline to work,

we can make an even bigger

contribution that will be a total

win-win for everyone.

“We have developed many

relationships with businesses where

we do exactly that, we tailor our

courses around them and they help

us by offering work placements.

But we need to have more

conversations and engage with more

employers to expand it.

“If I was producing a marking

report on the way we all work

together, it would read ‘Great, but

could do better’.”

Kenny’s personal journey is one

he’s happy to share with his

students, as it reflects the college’s

brief that anything is possible. “I can

say to our students, ‘I have

experienced what you are

experiencing’. When I left school,

my job today was nowhere on the

radar, but get the right qualification

behind you and I’m proof, anything

is possible.

“There is no standard pathway to a

great career: work hard, be

respectful to those around you and

understand how the world of work

operates; get that right and the sky’s

the limit for you.”

SUMMER 2025 15

DIRECTION | REFLECTION


Directors’ leadership and good

governance really matter

by David Watt

ONE thing I’ve learnt

during my time with the

Institute of Directors, and

I’ve seen continuously

subsequently, is that good leaders

really make a difference, and that

good leadership matters.

The much-quoted saying that “A

fish rots from the head!” is

absolutely true. But the opposite to

this is equally true: that innovative,

dynamic and positive behaviour

coming from the boardroom

permeates the whole organisation.

I have never found an

organisation with poor leadership

and poor boardroom input, that

actually fully delivers for its clients,

customers, or shareholders. The

correct culture starts at the top, as

does real focus on the purpose of

the organisation. If the board and

other leaders in the organisation

can actually demonstrate this and

get others to follow, there is a real

opportunity for the organisation to

thrive and prosper.

Another thing I have learned is

that there is no particular place

where good governance is found:

the private sector is no better than

the third sector, or any worse than

the public sector. All sectors really

can demonstrate first rate

leadership or sadly also sometimes

can illustrate the opposite.

Sadly, the media tend to focus

very much on bad examples and

actually that is unfair because there

is, in my experience, much more

good positive leadership in

Scotland than there is poor at the

top of organisations. Bluntly if

leadership is poor, it is quite likely

that the organisation will not

survive. The various challenges that

we all can face from time to time

will stress test to failure!

I think the IoD Director of Year

awards recognise excellent

leadership in business and

organisations large and small

throughout Scotland, and are

massively important. Waving the

flag for good behaviour is

important, especially in this era of

the desire in the mass media to

focus on the negative.

This was the thinking behind

starting the Director of The Year

awards: promoting high standards

and seeing these acknowledged by

your peers is invaluable and

rewarding. It allows people to stand

up and be recognised for what they

have contributed to their

organisation, their community and

their country – something which

Scots are not terribly good at!

Excellence in the Boardroom is

enormously important to any

organisation, as is robust

governance which not only checks

for compliance and assurance but

helps create and drive a dynamic

strategy for the future.

I doubt if there have been many

occasions where future strategy has

been more important for all

organisations. The immense impact

of growing geopolitical tensions

and the phenomenal implications of

AI mean that the board and the key

leaders in every organisation will

need to be on their mettle and

ready for all eventualities, probably

in a way that they have never

needed to be before.

These challenges, however, do

not make me pessimistic as I feel

the active directors and their

organisations will thrive despite

these challenges. They are

genuinely unparalleled in modern

times and roll test the mettle of

even the best of leaders.

We will see that demonstrated by

the calibre of directors receiving

their recognition at this year’s

Director of the Year dinner!

• The IoD 2025 Director of the

Year Awards will be revealed on

October 9. See pg 34 for details.

‘‘ The IoD Scotland Director of The Year awards

were launched to promote high standards,

and seeing these acknowledged by your peers

is an invaluable and rewarding experience.

‘‘

16

SUMMER 2025


DOWNTIME | DIRECTION

Another year of

comedy gold

in the capital

MUSIC gigs, comedy shows, and

bustling streets filled with culture

and art – the Edinburgh Festival

Fringe is back!

This year, the festival is welcoming

world-famous comic Miriam

Margolyes, to perform her

show Margolyes & Dickens:

More Best Bits. The awardwinning

actress will take to

the stage at Pleasance EICC

at the Edinburgh Fringe for 14

dates from 9 to 24 August,

delivering hilarious characters, tales

from Dickens, and fascinating stories

about the man behind the classics.

Then it’s over to the audience for a

Q&A with unfiltered, outrageously

honest and hilarious new anecdotes

and opinions.

As ever, high-profile stars like

Margolyes are joined by a host of

other performers, some well know,

others less so. This year Fringe plays

host to more than 3,000 shows

across 265 venues. Alongside

Margolyes, fellow comedians Alan

Davies and Nish Kumar are set to

appear, as are TV personalities

including Hannah Byczkowski

from The Traitors and Scottish baker

Peter Sawkins, winner of the Great

British Bake Off.

Visitors can catch cabaret shows,

circus and theatre performances,

exhibitions, spoken word gigs, dance

shows, and much more.

For more information on shows and

tickets click HERE.

Northern Belle to

bring back the best

of luxury dining

THE Northern Belle, a 1930s Pullmanstyle

train, will arrive in Glasgow and

Edinburgh this August, bringing the

height of luxury dining with it.

Passengers keen to step back in time

will be welcomed at their departing station with a red carpet, a steward to

help you aboard and a glass of champagne. Once seated you’ll have the

option to tuck into the a la carte options, curated by the chef Brian Clark,

who has cooked for royalty, presidents and Madonna.

Whether you want to impress a client over afternoon tea, or take a

break from office chit-chat and enjoy a seven-course lunch accompanied

by the Sommelier’s choice of wine, luxury is guaranteed.

On Thursday, August 7, the Belle will travel along The West Highland

Line, which was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of travel

magazine Wanderlust in 2009. This trip promises stunning views of the

Scottish countryside, passing lochs, waterfalls and mountains.

The following day it will depart from Edinburgh and stop at Glasgow

before travelling to Oban.

To book your ticket, visit: www.northernbelle.co.uk

Take a little ‘me time’ and feel Zen in the Ayrshire countryside

WE spend much of our time working,

and it’s important we take time to

rejuvenate and keep our minds and

bodies fit for the next big challenge.

Spending the day at an awardwinning

spa is one way to do that.

The Gailes Hotel and Spa –

awarded Scotland’s best spa and golf

hotel 2025 – offers a variety of

personalised treatments for your face

and body, from deep tissue massages

with natural oils to facials using their

deep cleansing and healing

techniques, including hand-picked

seaweed from the Scottish Hebrides

to promote anti-aging and revitalise

the skin.

The Thermal Suite is the perfect

chance to feel Zen or treat yourself

to a drink from the champagne bar

and take in the surroundings out on

the spa deck. There’s also a hydro

pool to soothe any aches and pains.

For those wanting to keep more

active, Royal Troon golf club is just 10

minutes from the hotel. Western

Gailes, Dundonald Links and Gailes

Links are also nearby. On site, the

hotel offers Ayrshire’s only Toptracer

driving range with advanced balltracking

technology and a PGA

teaching studio.

For more information, click HERE.

SUMMER 2025 17

DIRECTION | TECHNICAL BRIEFING


Your next growth strategy:

Investing in your organisation’s

‘accidental managers’

The rise of the ‘accidental manager’ – those whose

progress up the company career path owes more to

seniority and habit than talent – exposes gaps in

leadership training, says Sara Cook

MANAGEMENT and

leadership has never been

as much of a challenge as

it is in 2025.

Our workplaces are complex

battlegrounds of polarisation: as

concepts of political and social

leaning, of places where mental and

physical wellbeing must be prioritised,

and workplace environment (home vs.

hybrid) rule town hall agendas.

Layer this with a diverse workforce,

with often four generations of

colleagues represented within the

business, and it’s impossible to keep

everyone engaged and aligned all of

the time.

However, organisations across the

UK are routinely missing the

opportunity to unlock our most

powerful asset in the office – our

middle managers.

A 2023 study from the Chartered

Management Institute found that 82%

of the managers they surveyed had

not received any formal management

and leadership training. This was

“adding to the UK’s stock of

‘accidental managers’.”

It poses the question as to why

organisations are failing to invest in

their people as they progress through

the ranks.

With colleagues across the

workplace encouraged to bring their

‘full selves’ to work, surely we need to

invest in the ability of our middle

managers to support and develop

their teams in the most responsible

of ways?

Accidental managers tend to be

found in organisations without clear

leadership development pipelines,

where executives equate length of

service or competency in technical

roles with leadership potential. Often,

internal culture will dictate colleagues

who are ‘next in line’ for promotion,

based on their previous tenure, and

promotion only leads one way: up.

However, without formal training

and support around leadership,

accidental managers fail most when

it comes to one powerful workplace

tool – feedback.

We know through research and

lived experience that young

colleagues in particular crave

personalised feedback – growing up

in a world with instant feedback

‘‘

Gen Z have grown up

expecting clarity on their

performance, and the

workplace is no exception...

tracking progress in real time is

something they expect.

‘‘

18 SUMMER 2025


TECHNICAL BRIEFING | DIRECTION

‘‘ We know through research and lived experience that young

colleagues in particular crave personalised feedback after

growing up in a world with instant feedback loops such as

comments on social media posts.

‘‘

loops (likes and comments on social

media posts, immediate news alerts

from around the world, instant

analytics on fitness tracking), Gen Z

have grown up expecting clarity on

their performance, and the

workplace is no exception. Tracking

progress in real time is something

Gen Z expects, and that’s not

something that comes with a

standalone annual performance

review. The traditional ways just

don’t cut it anymore. Young

employees expect regular feedback,

coaching, and support for career

development from their managers.

If Gen Z don’t feel they’re growing,

they’re likely to leave for

somewhere else that appears to

offer the solution.

So how do we bring these two

things together: a community of

young colleagues who want to know

how they’re doing, how to improve,

when they can expect to secure the

next rung on the ladder; and a group

of managers who may be sitting in

their roles with very little experience

of how to coach and unlock the

potential within a team?

The answer surely lies in seeing

leadership as a capability, not a

personality type. What would it

mean for your organisation to be

considered great, because it is

underpinned by great managers?

In order to achieve this, leadership

shouldn’t be prescribed through a

training course – instead it should be

learned and lived throughout all

levels within the organisation.

Yes, training is part of it, but it’s

how the learning is allowed to exist

within our teams afterwards that

truly matters.

As senior leadership, taking the

time to coach our middle managers

will enable them to unlock the same

in their direct reports, and

opportunities to engage outwith the

standard team structure will do

likewise – stretch projects,

community volunteering, and

reflective practice all add to

management’s ability to see the

strategic picture, and therefore

impart this on newer colleagues.

Layer this with the ability to have

uncomfortable conversations, how

to ask for help, and in-built feedback

loops for 1-to-1s, and we’re making

great progress.

For too long, the disparity

between the way Gen Z work and

their managers has been seen as

appeasing a generation, and

creating favouritism, but it’s actually

about taking steps to future-proof

your company.

Middle managers who are

constructive, inclusive and

empathetic aren’t a ‘nice to have’ —

they are the key to unlocking

performance, retention and

innovation in a changing workforce.

n Sara Cook is the Head of Corporate

Partnerships at Volunteering Matters

‘‘ Leadership shouldn’t be prescribed through a training

course – instead it should be learned and lived throughout

all levels within the organisation. Yes, training is part of it,

but it’s how the learning is allowed to exist within our

teams afterwards that truly matters.

‘‘

SUMMER 2025 19



Leveraging the IoD as a

leader in charity sector

Michael Wickham Moriarty

C. Dir, FCA outlines the

driving forces that saw

him successfully complete

the IoD Chartered Director

programme

AFTER I trained as a

chartered accountant in

Ireland, I spent the next

stage of my career working

in the charity sector around the world.

As I developed as a professional in

the sector, I first found myself

reporting to charity boards as a

senior manager and executive. Then I

joined boards and board committees

as a volunteer member.

When I was invited to

become a volunteer

governor of the

Rotunda

Hospital,

Ireland’s

busiest

maternity

hospital and

one governed

under a royal

charter, I feared

that my previous

training and

experience may not

be sufficient.

Due to this new

challenge, I joined

the Institute of

Directors in Ireland. I gained access to

training, networking and informal

peer support which helped me in my

new voluntary role.

My career continued to develop. I

left a role as a reforming Head of

Finance in a €20m national disability

charity to join a €70m international

development agency as Director of

Corporate Services where I took on

greater executive responsibility for

governance issues.

Unlike in the private sector, the vast

majority of charities in Ireland and

the UK are governed by boards made

up of entirely non-executive directors.

So, I found myself combining my

experience as a charity executive on

one side of the board table with my

volunteer board experience.

This experience, supplemented by

IoD learning enabled me to

develop a comprehensive

view of charity leadership

and governance.

The PwC partner I had

trained under joined the

board of an Irish headquartered

international

development agency

similar to my employer. At

an alumni event she had

told me about her journey

to become a Chartered

Director. It was something

that interested me

immediately, but it was hard to

find the time to dedicate to it.

Furthermore, because I was

working in the charity sector at the

time, I was reluctant to seek financial

sponsorship from my employer for

the course.

My wife’s career as a diplomat took

our family out of Ireland. But after a

bit of shuffling, I managed to maintain

my career in the charity sector and to

continue volunteering as a charity

board member.

After three exciting years in Lusaka,

Zambia, we landed in Edinburgh for

my wife’s second posting.

I saw this as my chance to invest

some savings and time to get stuck

into the Chartered Director

programme. I chose the accelerated

Certificate in Company Direction

residential course in October 2023.

There was an intensity to it as we

started working on a Sunday

afternoon and worked most days

from early morning until the evening.

The range of other participants

really added to the experience. I

realised how focused I had been in

the charity sector. Working through

the course with a broad range of

colleagues brought my range of focus

out of my charity bubble to the

breath of the private sector from

SMEs to PLCs. What I learned from

the certificate changed my approach

from the very next board meeting

that I attended. I spaced the four

exams out over three months to give

myself adequate revision time to get

through them. Thanks to this I

received a Distinction in my award.

‘‘ The PwC partner I had trained

under told me about her journey

to become a Chartered Director.

It was something that interested

me immediately...

‘‘

20 SUMMER 2025



Coming up on the Leaders

in Business podcast

Balancing family and work

commitments I considered how best

to tackle the diploma programme. It

wasn’t on offer in-person in Scotland

at the time, and I worried that I would

lose some of the peer learning benefit

from the online version of the

diploma course. But after some

reassurance I signed up.

The diploma programme was all

case study based. I found that a new

friend from my accelerated certificate

course was also joining me on the

diploma course.

Again, the majority of my

classmates came from the for-profit

sector rather than charities. But this

meant I had a lot I could learn from

them, and a few things I could share

in return. The diploma exam was an

opportunity to show all that I had

learned from the certificate and

diploma programmes.

The final stages of the Chartered

Director Programme was a portfolio

and interview. I reflected back on

over 10 years as a voluntary board

director in the charity sector. This

journey was from before I joined the

IoD and included how I grew as a

director, applying what I learned.

My friend and I both qualified as

Chartered Directors within a few

weeks of each other and shared our

experiences of the final assessment

over some celebratory whiskies.

While I try to bring my learnings to

each board meeting and work in

between, I’m also conscious that

development doesn’t stop with a

graduation.

I keep picking up formal learnings

in short webinars and at occasional

half-day trainings when I get the time

– and I’ve also enjoyed less formal

events like dinners where members

and guests share views and

experiences on specific topics.

I have recently been appointed as a

member on a new State Board in

Ireland. So, like when I first joined the

IoD in 2017 due to a new board

challenge, I feel like I have experience

to give, but much still to learn.

From retail floors to

ocean adventures

with Julie Ashworth

HAVE you caught up with the latest in

the IoD Scotland Leaders in Business

podcast series?

In the latest captivating episode, host

Marlene Lowe interviews Julie Ashworth

(pictured), Chair of IoD Scotland. Julie

shares her unconventional career path from

filling shelves at Tesco to leading

organisations across multiple sectors. Her

story takes a dramatic turn when she left

corporate life to participate in the Round

the World yacht race — despite not being

able to swim or sail.

Julie’s career spans retail giants like Tesco, Liberty of London, and

Marks & Spencer, as well as IBM’s transition from hardware to

professional services. Throughout her journey, she founded

Broadreach, a leadership consultancy, while simultaneously holding

executive roles. Her leadership philosophy centres on leaving people

better than you found them and championing others when they’re

not in the room.

The conversation explores themes of career transitions, the

importance of networks, giving back to communities, and the

evolving nature of leadership across generations. Julie reflects on

succession planning challenges and how five generations currently

exist in today’s workplace, with 70% of senior leadership positions

held by baby boomers while younger generations bring different

expectations and communication preferences.

Catch up with the latest podcast HERE.

IoD Professional Benefits Programme

Make the most of IoD members’ benefits.

CLICK HERE for full details

Private Health

Insurance

Cyber

insurance

Directors’

Insurance

Professional

Indemnity

SUMMER 2025 21



The business case

for youth work: A

talent pipeline

hiding in plain sight

20 SUMMER 2025



Employers often claim young people

don’t have the soft skills they need,

but if they were to engage with the

nation’s youth workers, they’d find a

ready pipeline of talent that can

demonstrate exactly the skills required

in the workplace, says Tim Frew.

YOUNG people have had a

rough deal recently. In

June, I presented to the

Scottish Covid Inquiry,

about young people’s learning and

social opportunities which were

significantly curtailed during the

pandemic, with long-term health

and wellbeing impacts.

Add to that the cost-of-living crisis,

growing inequality, economic

stagnation and an ageing population,

it is hardly surprising that policy

makers and businesses continue to

fret about the future workforce.

As Chief Executive of YouthLink

Scotland, the national agency for

youth work (see panel), I recognise

all these barriers, but also have the

immense privilege of seeing

amazing success stories of young

people thriving despite the barriers.

In this briefing, I want to shine a light

on a powerful but often overlooked

contributor to Scotland’s talent

pipeline: youth work.

If we’re serious about building a

future-ready workforce, we must

broaden our view of where the

important skills and attributes for

business success come from.

Formal education can only do so

much with pre-determined measures

and metrics of academic success

and a persistent focus on subjects

over skills.

In the Wither’s Report: Fit for the

Future: developing a post-school

learning system to fuel economic

transformation (2023) we see this

desire for change: ‘National Policy

should recognise that skills are not

an alternative to education but an

essential product of learning….and

give equal value to the various

settings and pathways through

which skills development can occur.’

Across communities, thousands of

young people engage in youth work

every day delivered by voluntary

organisations, uniformed groups,

local authorities, often in

partnerships with a wide range of

funders and businesses. These are

not just leisure activities. They are

immersive environments where

young people develop the soft and

hard skills that every business leader

is crying out for.

Youth work is not just a social

good; it needs to be seen as a

strategic investment in Scotland’s

human capital, developing young

people’s confidence, leadership,

resilience, communication, problem

solving skills and entrepreneurship.

As a sector we have mapped these

skills and attributes in the National

Youth Work Skills and Outcomes

Framework. It enables young people to

develop an understanding of their own

skills and articulate their strengths and

learning goals with employers.

ABOUT YOUTH WORK

Youth work is an educational

practice. The youth work sector

with over 55,000 volunteers and

paid staff, works with hundreds

of thousands of young people

across the country on a

shoestring budget even though

it’s SROI has been estimated as

at least £7 per £1 spent.

Skills like leadership, problem

solving and entrepreneurship are

realised because youth work

empowers young people to take

initiative, make decisions, and

influence their peers. Whether

chairing a youth forum, managing a

budget for a project, or organising a

community campaign, they’re

learning real leadership through

practice — not theory.

Many youth-led groups also run

social enterprises, manage funding

applications, and explore creative

solutions to community issues.

They’re already engaging in business

thinking — just without the suits and

spreadsheets. The challenge is that

this potential often goes unnoticed

by employers because it doesn’t

always come with a formal

qualification attached.

Attributes like resilience and

self-confidence are also developed,

especially with a trusted adult in

your corner. The ability to fail, adapt,

and try again is probably a feature in

every group work setting our

outdoor residential experience.

Youth work instils this early.

Young people face challenges

head-on, often in difficult personal

circumstances, and they learn to

keep going.

That grit, forged outside of the

classroom, is the magic ingredient in

any enterprise.

To be self-confident you need time

to reflect on what you are learning,

and youth work provides just that.

As a young person noted recently: “I

feel that I can talk about skills better

now and it means when I apply for a

job, I can share what I am good at

more clearly.” **

At YouthLink Scotland, we are

working closely with education,

enterprise, and government partners

to ensure youth work is recognised

as a credible route into business and

leadership. But we need the private

sector at the table too.

Youth work has a pivotal role to

play in growing the talent pipeline

and many corporations and small

businesses are increasingly

recognising this through sustained

partnerships with national and local

charities and local government,

could you be part of this movement?

This isn’t about charity — it’s about

talent. It’s about finding the next

generation of innovators in places

you might not be looking.

** https://education.gov.scot/

mediacb3bz2g5/a-collaborativeapproach-to-tracking-achievementwith-a-focus-on-skills-in-alvaacademy.pdf

SUMMER 2025 23

DIRECTION ADVERTORIAL | SQA


New SQA Chief Executive issues

100-day pledge to drive change

NEW SQA Chief Executive Nick Page

recently announced key actions for his

first 100 days to fast-track change for

learners and all those who have a

vested interest in a successful

qualifications and assessment

system in Scotland.

Nick – a former teacher with 30 years

of classroom-to-boardroom experience

– said the commitment marks the start of

a new era of collaboration, transparency,

and opportunity.

It also marks an important milestone

on the road to Qualifications Scotland,

which Nick will also lead. The new

national awarding body replaces SQA

and will assumes its responsibilities

in December of this year.

Nick said: “The Education (Scotland)

Bill has given us real momentum and a

clear sense of direction. Learners,

employers and training providers want to

know how change will happen and how it

will make a positive difference for them.

“That’s why we are setting out these

key actions for my first 100 days – so

people can see and feel the progress we

are making, both in the way we work and

in the outcomes we deliver.”

Among the key actions for the first

100 days are to:

n Build new partnerships with industry,

employers, the third sector, and other

stakeholders to ensure skills-based

qualifications are future-focused and

unlock opportunities for learners.

n Accelerate the ongoing transformation

of SQA to ensure Qualifications Scotland

is ready to deliver with and for learners,

training providers and employers from

day one.

n Expand our ‘Your Voice’ campaign to

new and under-represented audiences –

including industry and third sector – to

ensure Qualifications Scotland delivers

for everyone.

n Support the development of new

statutory committees to deliver on the

Education (Scotland) Bill, embedding the

voices of employers and training

providers in it.

n Share progress from our digital

transformation: a multi-year project that

will streamline processes, transform our

services, and ensure Qualifications

Scotland is fit for the future.

‘‘

I look forward to meeting with training

providers, employers and industry bodies to hear

about how they deliver our qualifications and use

them to help recruit, reskill and upskill workforces ...

and hear more about your current and future skills

needs and how we address them...

Nick Page (left)

SQA’s ambitious Prospectus for Change

commits to resetting relationships,

harnessing technology to improve

services, and modernising and improving

the qualifications portfolio.

Ensuring ‘Your Voice’ shapes

Qualifications Scotland

Nick added: “Our skills-based and

vocational qualifications, which unlock

opportunities for learners every day,

should be a priority for everyone who

wants to see Scotland succeed.

“I look forward to meeting with training

providers, employers and industry bodies

to hear about how they deliver our

qualifications and use them to help

recruit, reskill and upskill their workforces.

“I’m keen to hear more from industry,

employers and training providers about

your current and future skills needs and

how we address them in our

qualifications and services. I’m

committed to us continuing to work

together to deliver for learners, your

sectors and for Scotland’s economy.”

Working with you

As part of our commitment to ensure

that our Higher National and Vocational

Qualifications (HNVQs) continue to meet

the needs of our learners and the wider

needs of society and the economy, we

are beginning an in-depth review of this

portfolio of qualifications. This will ensure

that the qualifications are fit for purpose

and fit for the future.

This work will be informed by extensive

engagement with all stakeholders,

including employers and industry bodies,

to further build our evidence base. We

‘‘

will improve how everyone understands

qualification pathways and where

qualifications can take them in life.

“We welcome opportunities to work

with all our stakeholders and bring their

expertise to the heart of qualification

design and development.

Qualifications delivering skills

One way that our qualifications enable

people to progress in employment is

through apprenticeships. These are an

essential part of Scotland’s education and

training landscape, and SQA

qualifications, specifically Scottish

Vocational Qualifications (SVQs), are an

integral part of over 80% of

apprenticeships every year.

These well-respected vocational

qualifications meet the required

Professional Standards and/or National

Occupational Standards outlined by a

host of industries. This ensures that the

skills people develop during their

apprenticeship meet employers’ needs,

and that the people themselves are

work-ready and able to accurately

demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and

experience that they have developed

during their training.

Our dedicated team of Regional

Managers have extensive knowledge of

SQA qualifications and services, including

workplace-based qualifications and

customised awards. They support and

engage with organisations delivering

SQA qualifications in every part of

Scotland and aid the development of new

qualifications to meet the changing

needs of learners and employers.

If you’d like advice on delivering SQA

qualifications, please contact your local

manager. Their details can be found by

clicking HERE.

We look forward to working with the

Institute of Directors and with businesses

– please do get in touch.

24 SUMMER 2025



Agentic AI could provide the human

touch cyber development needs

The digital dial appears to be shifting in

our commercial favour to tackle global

skills shortages, writes Technology

Commentator Bill Magee.

VISUALISE an entire

workforce upskilled and

reskilled in new roles,

centred on closely

collaborating with and managing a

carefully-selected AI agent to get

the job done.

Too good to be digitally true?

Artificial intelligence is certainly at a

crossroads when it comes to

governance, growth and green tech,

the Responsible AI Institute points

out. A McKinsey survey reveals most

organisations remain in the early

stages of adoption of such

undoubtedly innovative technologies.

So there’s time to get it right - as

long as we never forget the human

touch, although this does appear to

be something of a tall order. Such is

Big Tech’s relentless pressure to

favour their AI offering over

numerous others, making artificial

intelligent solutions hard to resist.

Thankfully a dose of cyber relief

appears to be offered up by ‘Agentic

AI’. It signals a key commercial

approach involving automation in

the workplace, and is a key

development that chimes with latest

World Economic Forum (WEF)

strategic thinking on tackling the

worsening skills gap.

Supporting cyber talent

We’re talking a fundamental shift

in how we view technology and how

work is done in this digital era; how

we make decisions and how value is

created. We need to ask how we are

going to strategically position

businesses to lead, innovate and

thrive in an increasingly artificially

intelligent and automated future.

WEF highlights the big picture by

offering up a question: “How can we

bridge the cyber talent gap and

build a future-ready workforce?”

One view on addressing skill

shortfalls is public-private

partnerships (PPPs), by effectively

developing and supporting cyber

talent through combining strengths

to foster skills, career growth and

sustainable talent pipelines.

Benefits can include financial

sustainability, market access and

educational infrastructure,

addressing challenges such as local

awareness, cultural differences and

alignment of goals.

WEF contends PPPs depend on

three foundations: engaging

stakeholders through transparency,

delivering tangible outcomes like

‘‘ Public-private partnerships

can effectively address

skills shortfalls by

developing and supporting

cyber talent through

combining strengths to

foster skills.

‘‘

training centres and ensuring strong

project management with clear roles

and performance metrics.

It’s here that Harvard Business

Review contends Agentic AI offers

“supercharged reasoning and

execution capabilities” transforming

many aspects of human-machine

collaboration especially in areas of

work previously insulated from

AI-led automation.

Three principal benefits are

highlighted: greater workforce

specialisation; informational

trustworthiness; and enhanced

innovation – all applied to key parts

of a business, and to the lasting

benefit of customer service, sales

support, health and social care and,

where applicable, manufacturing.

Powerful force v potential risk

However, HBR warns that while

agentic AI models are explicitly

designed to evaluate choices and

carry out complex sequences of

action “they are not foolproof and

can still make mistakes, just as

humans do.” Review author Mark

Purdy, co-founder and director of

Beacon Thought Leadership,

highlights how learning science

stresses the importance of

‘scaffolding’ to give learners exposure

to real-world practice.

Such essential safeguards involving

supervision and well-defined limits

can be progressively withdrawn as

experience grows “as agentic AI

systems are applied to different tasks

and business areas.”

SailPoint’s ID security provider’s

CTO Chandra Gnanasambandam

claims Agentic AI “is both a powerful

force for innovation and a potential

risk,” while DIGIT News reports an

overwhelming 80% of firms surveyed

say their AI agents have taken

rogue actions.

So IT experts urge caution going

forwards. Furthermore, UK Press

Gazette warns of content stolen using

AI to feed YouTube, in this case

paywall news but with plenty of

intellectual property rights (IPR)/

copyright threats hanging over the

entire marketplace.

AI developing companies argue it is

impossible to build today’s powerful

large-language models – the GPT in

ChatGPT – unless they can freely

scrape copyrighted materials from

the internet to train their systems.

High-time regulators are equipped

with full powers to force Big Tech to

be more responsible?

SUMMER 2025 25



On the march with

Scotland’s Tech Army

SCOTLAND’S Tech for Good

Alliance has assumed a

UK-wide reach in doublequick

time, writes Bill Magee.

Increasing numbers of CSR-minded

organisations are seeking out its

compelling ecosystem-based

initiative to achieve significantly

more meaningful Third Sector

inclusive skills outcomes

Developing IT-based skills for

disadvantaged groups, especially

charities, has grown in significance

as they continue to struggle post-

COVID-19. Hang on! The pandemic

was years ago. Surely old news? Not

really. New cases continue to crop

up daily in Asia where, it is believed,

the pandemic started. Serving as a

wee reminder we cannot rest on our

laurels, cyber or otherwise.

The Lifestyle of a Charity report by

the Scottish Council for Voluntary

Organisations (SCVO) makes for a

sobering read. Of around 800

charities set up annually in Scotland

as of 2022, 600 were wound up or

dissolved, ranging from small

community groups right up to big

household names. To this day it’s all

about survival of declining numbers

of such vital community-based

bodies with pressing needs in

uncertain economic times.

Business and commerce is being

called to increasingly step up to give

a vital helping hand through their

corporate social responsibilities. An

essay I wrote for Scottish Review

emphasised how an IT ‘building

block’ approach can engage folks,

either within a charity itself or those

who have never shown an interest

before in such causes. Digital

upskilling of both staff and

volunteers leads to a real appetite to

engage online along with the more

traditional face-to-face services,

resulting in better care all round.

Impactful solutions at scale

It is here the Tech for Good

Alliance is standing out. With its

mantra ‘social impact through

technology’, developed organically

out of the Scottish Tech Army and

co-founded in 2020 by Edinburgh

‘‘

Of around 800

charities set up annually in

Scotland as of 2022, 600

were wound up or dissolved,

ranging from small

community groups to

household names

‘‘

entrepreneurial duo Alistair Forbes

and Peter Jaco, attracting more than

3,000 registered volunteers and

supporting around 400

organisations to date.

Alistair, formerly head of software

and internet at Mercia Technologies,

told me the alliance was formed in

2022 and is rapidly proving essential

to CSR-minded organisations

throughout Britain, as they respond

to digital challenges faced by many

charities since the first UK-wide

pandemic lockdown.

The alliance has developed a

proven framework delivering

impactful solutions at scale.,

enabling organisations - irrespective

of size - to achieve significantly

more from their corporate

social objectives.

Alistair commented: “The Alliance

is all about social impact through

technology, to accelerate the

development of our ecosystem

helping business and its CSR

projects aid charities across the UK.”

26 SUMMER 2025



Slade Gardens Adventure Playground in Lambeth

“Our mission is clear, to

drive positive social

change and value by

connecting the vast

expertise of the tech

sector with pressing

needs of the 3rd Sector.”

Kirsty McIntosh

Digital check-in tool

Technology solutions supporting

such aims are centred on

environmental, social and

governance programmes and

commitments. Partners include The

Data Lab, GoCodeGreen and techUK

– each playing a crucial role in the

ecosystem and strengthening the

alliance’s mission.

A recent collaboration with Slade

Gardens Adventure Playground in

Lambeth involved independent

volunteers and teams from PwC and

Lloyds Banking Group.

PwC prototyped an early-stage

version and Lloyds developed a

digital check-in tool that captures all

necessary information needed to

inform stakeholders, at the same

time freeing-up staff to support

children and families using the

community resource.

The tool was designed by

volunteers at the banking group

very much with scale in mind and is

now being deployed to three further

charities across the UK.

Kirsty McIntosh, a ‘First

Responder’ to the Scottish Tech

Army, and now Executive Director of

the Tech Alliance for Good, explains

they are building on the army’s

extensive experience and a proven

framework with efforts through

three critical pillars.

These are: advancing social justice,

inclusion and equality, skills and

talent development, and

environment and climate change.

‘Good’ project commitment

A key objective is to double the

alliance’s capacity by encouraging

technology-related companies to

commit just one per cent of their

employees’ time to tech for

good projects.

Such a move transforms CSR into

a deeply integrated skills-based

contribution, one that directly aligns

with companies’ environmental,

social and governance (ESG) goals.

Kirsty McIntosh commented: “Our

mission is clear, to drive positive

social change and value by

connecting the vast expertise of the

tech sector with pressing needs of

the Third Sector.”

A key point in a programme’s

sustainability is the benefits are not

just one-sided, as such volunteering

provides opportunities for

employees to further enhance their

skills and expertise.

Time and time again, it is reported

how it is enormously satisfying to

see the impact they have reflecting

well, not just on the employee but

also on employer. Furthermore, in

the process, helping attract, develop

and retain staff.

Bottom line? Tech for Good Alliance

represents a stand-out gold-plated

CSR-based initiative for organisations

that aims to build a digital

infrastructure fostering greater

efficiencies across the third sector.

“The Alliance is all about social

impact through technology, to

accelerate the development of our

ecosystem helping business and

its CSR projects aid charities

across the UK.”

Alistair Forbes

SUMMER 2025 27

DIRECTION | MEMBER 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

Introducing.... IoD Mentor Connect

Introducing a brand new IoD

member benefit…

The IoD Mentor Connect platform is

designed to connect members

looking for support and guidance on

their leadership journey with those

that want to share the benefit of

their experience.

Whether you are an aspiring or

experienced director, or anything in

between, our platform makes it easy

to find and build your support

network, share your experiences and

learn from others.

Access to the platform is free to all

members.

Find out more by accessing the IoD

Mentor Connect platform HERE

Dundee opens doors on latest

IoD member meeting space

IoD Scotland is pleased to be

partnering with DunEden Business

Centre (formerly Affinity Business

Centre) in Dundee to introduce an

exciting new member hub.

Located just off the A90, DunEden

Business Centre offers users free

parking, gym access and tea and

coffee as well as a variety of hot

desking and meeting space.

Full details of the exclusive IoD

member offer are highlighted below:

n Free 2 x hot desks in a designated

hot desk office space

n Free 2 x hot desking areas in large

canteen room

n Free utilities – gas, electricity, wi-fi

n Free use of gym and showers

n Free teas and coffees

n Free car parking

n EV charge points – charged at

Dundee City Council rates which

are less than all the other private

EV rates at present. (pin provided

by our receptionist – user would

probably have to make payment in

cash or card at end of day)

n Board room hire £20ph + vat or

£140 per day + vat (8hr day).

n Training room hire at special rates.

28 SUMMER 2025


MEMBER BENEFITS | DIRECTION

Hotels, dining and accommodation

Unique offers and discounts for IoD members

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 enjoy up to 15% off on rates

covering free cancellation up to one

day before your stay, use your IoD

corporate special rate code when

booking online. Click HERE.

Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel

Overlooking one of Edinburgh’s

prettiest private garden squares, this

hotel consists of seven interconnected

Georgian townhouses.

With a magestic inner courtyard

and an acclaimed Middle Eastern

restaurant, it’s no wonder the hotel

has become a natural meeting point

and a sociable heart of modern life.

Enjoy up to 15% off on

accommodation when booking

online by using your IoD corporate

special rate code. Click HERE.

Eden Locke

Eden Locke offers the fusion of the

privacy and personality of a designer

apartment with the facilities of a

boutique hotel. Use your online code

The George

to enjoy up to 10% off best available

rates. Click HERE.

Other offers:

Cheval Collection - 20% discount on

accomodation rates.

Angel Share - Get 15% off the base

room rate.

Malmaison - Enjoy a 10% discount on

accomodation and dining at sites in

Edinburgh and Glasgow.

GLASGOW

Native ApartHotel

Packed with history. Updated with

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Enjoy an opulent, art deco setting

situated within the heart of Glasgow,

with a 24-hour reception, two

on-site restaurants and a range of

original features kept intact in this

beautiful Edwardian building.

Enjoy up to 15% off the best

Unlock offers

Interested in accessing these

discounts, or in finding out about

them and other venues across

Scotland where IoD membership

can unlock benefits?

Contact iod.scotland@iod.com

for details

available rates when using our IoD

special code online. Click HERE.

Citizen M

Located just around the corner

from Glasgow Central station, enjoy

the highlights of the city centre on

your doorstep.

This boutique hotel combines cosy

bedrooms with communal living and

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Book online to enjoy up to 10% off

the best available rates using our

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Apex City of Glasgow Hotel

Everything from this hotel’s

modern, eye-catching exterior to its

tasteful interior is designed for

comfort and a unique experience.

Get up to 12% off the best

available rates when using our

promo code online. Click HERE.

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 complimentary breakfast, early

check-in/late check-out and a 5% discount on the room

rate.

To book at a YOTEL, the easiest method is by clicking

on the below link and entering your dates/hotel of

choice:

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Or you can enter your corporate ID straight into the

Corporate/Promo code section of the website, at

www.yotel.com

Top, YOTEL Glasgow.

Inset, VEGA, on the

top floor of YOTEL

Glasgow.

SUMMER 2025 29

DIRECTION | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT


Leading with

confidence in

uncertain times

How the Global Certificate in

Company Direction is redefining

boardroom readiness

Global Certificate in Company Direction

18-24 October 2025

Fairmont St Andrews, Scotland

£19,500 + VAT per delegate

In collaboration with

In an age of accelerated change,

it’s no longer enough for leaders

to rely on experience alone.

Directors now have to navigate

complexity with fluency, respond

to global headwinds with strategic

insight, and drive decisions that

hold up under scrutiny.

That’s the vision behind the

Global Certificate in Company

Direction — a new executive

education programme launched

by the Institute of Directors (IoD)

in collaboration with the University

of St Andrews Business School.

Keynote speaker

Erin Brockovich

30

This unique collaboration marks

a new chapter in professional

development for directors,

bringing world-class rigour and

a global outlook to the heart of

board leadership.

The programme also involves

several masterclass speakers,

including the keynote speaker

Erin Brockovich. These engaging

in-person sessions will explore

some of the key issues leaders are

currently grappling with, stimulating

debate and critical thinking.

Rethinking leadership development

The Global Certificate in Company

Direction isn’t just another

qualification. It’s a transformational

learning experience tailored to the

real-world challenges directors face

today — geopolitical uncertainty,

shifting stakeholder expectations,

digital disruption, and the growing

pressure to lead with purpose

and resilience.

Delivered across immersive

modules and supported by a

senior peer cohort, the programme

blends academic insight with

applied practice. Participants leave

with the confidence to lead and

influence others, and the skills

to drive strategic outcomes in

unpredictable contexts.

Board-ready, faster

When people complete their

IoD qualifications, they report

high levels of satisfaction and

impact — 89% of participants

on other programmes say the

experience accelerated their path

to board roles, sharpening their

decision-making and strategic

lens, as well as expanding their

influence within their organisation

and beyond.

For high-potential leaders,

it’s an opportunity to fast-track

boardroom readiness. While for

seasoned directors, it’s a chance

to refresh, reframe, and reconnect

with evolving standards of

governance and leadership.

The programme’s structure

is designed for immediate

return on investment: 93% of

participants on other directorlevel

programmes say they apply

their learnings straight away,

in situations ranging from audit

committees and risk assessments

to strategic planning discussions.

SUMMER 2025


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | DIRECTION

Ultimately, this creates stronger

boards, smarter decision-making,

and greater alignment between

operational delivery and longterm

value creation.

Beyond the classroom:

a strategic community


Direction offers more than

knowledge — it builds community.

Participants join a network of

senior professionals from across

sectors and regions, gaining access

to different perspectives and

insight, and ongoing peer support.

This global learning community

reflects the complexity of the

boardroom. Diverse industries,

differing geographies, and a mix

of public, private, and third-sector

perspectives ensure discussions

challenge conventional thinking

and sparks new ideas.

Signalling credibility

and commitment


Direction is a recognised mark of

boardroom credibility. It signals

to stakeholders — shareholders,

employees and regulators — that

directors are equipped not only

with technical expertise, but also

with the integrity and insight

required to lead responsibly.

In today’s climate of

heightened scrutiny and growing

expectations, that credibility

matters more than ever.

8 reasons why it matters

Tailored for board members, senior executives,

and aspiring directors seeking looking to expand

their boardroom influence.

1

Board-ready

faster

89% of participants say it

accelerated their path to

board roles.

3

5

7

Immediate ROI

93% apply what they learn —

driving better decisions from

day one.

Strengthen your

leadership bench

Develop high-potential leaders

with board-level thinking.

Trusted by

directors

Earn respect from

experienced board members

and stakeholders.

2

4

6

8

Credibility that

counts

A recognised qualification that

signals boardroom readiness.

Smarter

decision-makers

Build fluency in governance,

strategy, and finance — where

it matters most.

Global

peer network

Participants join a senior

cohort with coaching and

ongoing connections.

Invest in strategic

influence

Equip your leaders to shape

business outcomes — not just

execute them.

Invest in influence

Whether you report to a board or sit on one, the Global Certificate

in Company Direction is a proactive step towards becoming a more

confident, capable, and strategic leader. It empowers individuals to

shape outcomes and helps organisations develop a leadership pipeline

that is ready to meet future challenges.

As the pace of change continues to rise, one thing is clear: the

best-prepared directors won’t just keep up — they’ll lead the way.

Limited availability

Book your place at

iod.com/l/global-certificate

or email: ExecEducation@iod.com

SUMMER 2025 31

DIRECTION | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT


Accelerated Certificate in

Company Direction

Date: September 28 – October 3

Venue: Norton House Hotel, Edinburgh

Cost: Members, £10,695 + VAT; Non-members £13,895 + VAT

The IoD Scotland Accelerated Certificate in Company Direction five-day

intensive residential course is set at Norton House Hotel in Edinburgh. This

intensive residential course for experienced directors is designed to fit around

your schedule, enabling you to be more effective in your director role in just

five and a half days.

Why attend?

Achieve the IoD Certificate in Company Direction in a flexible way and

without taking focus away from your professional life.

Who will benefit?

Any busy director who simply cannot take too much time away from the

demands of their business and who is looking for a fast -track method of

achieving the certificate in company direction.

Using a practical approach, each of the four Certificate in Company

Direction modules will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed for

effective performance, covering the key areas of governance, leadership,

finance and strategy. You will explore different business aspects first-hand by

meeting course leaders and delegates from a mix of sectors and hear

different perspectives, helping to broaden your understanding of your role.

Practical learning enhanced by real-life scenarios and peer collaboration will

provide you with the essential knowledge and skills for immediate application

and maximum impact. As this course is condensed into five days, all parts of

the course are mandatory.

• Click HERE for more details

“My experience of the Accelerated

Certificate programme was probably

the best learning week of my career

so far, so clearly it comes very highly

recommended.”

Bernard Grenville-Jones CDir, MD,

Activate Learning

Leadership for

Directors

Date: November 26-27

Venue: Apex Waterloo Place

Hotel, Edinburgh

Cost: Members, £3,250 + VAT;

Non-Members, £3,750 + VAT

This course introduces a highly

personalised approach to

leadership for directors, helping

you to better understand and

develop your self-awareness and

emotional intelligence.

You will learn different

leadership and decision making

techniques, determine how to

build and sustain high-performing

teams, and evaluate how these

tools can be applied to your own

organisation to contribute to

increased success.


Strategy for

Directors

Date: September 9-11

Venue: Apex Waterloo Place

Hotel, Edinburgh

Cost: Members, £3,550 + VAT;

Non-Members, £4,150 + VAT

This course explores the

relationship between strategy,

governance and risk. It highlights

the importance of a dynamic

strategic process in delivering

stakeholder value and generating

competitive advantage.

You will gain insight into the

board-level knowledge and

practical skills required to create,

implement and evaluate your

organisation’s strategy.


Director

development

Full details of the complete series

of IoD Professional Development

Courses, including the Chartered

Director qualification, can be

found by clicking HERE.

32 SUMMER 2025

DIRECTION | EVENTS


IoD Events diary

Directors in the dock

Embrace excellence

in networking

Date: September 4

Time: 5:30 - 8pm

Venue: Rusacks St. Andrews, Pilmour

Links, St Andrews KY16 9JQ

Join us for the next in the series of

our informal meet-ups for IoD Fife &

Tayside members.

We’re looking forward to an

engaging evening at The Gallery,

Rusacks, and we’d love for you to

join us. It’s a blend of relaxed

networking and genuine

connections, set against the

backdrop of a space where comfort

touches on the grand.

For this event, we have teamed up

with FSB Scotland to widen our

audience and to ensure an even

richer and more productive

networking environment.

Join us any time between 5:30 and

8pm for some stimulating company

and great networking.

Organiser: Patricia Huth

Contact: 0131 557 5488

Patricia.Huth@iod.com

Date: August 26

Time: 11:30am - 2pm

Venue: Robert Gordon University,

Aberdeen AB10 7AQ

Cost: Free to members

What happens when directors take

the stand? You decide in this

unique event sponsored by

Ledingham Chalmers.

Join us for an unforgettable event

where serious boardroom topics

meet courtroom drama — all set in

the fantastic Moot Court on the

Robert Gordon University Campus.

In this unique and interactive

session, we’ll explore key

governance, leadership and legal

issues facing directors today. But

this won’t be your typical panel talk.

Through live courtroom-style

scenes, real-life scenarios will be

acted out — with directors “in the

dock” and the audience playing

judge and jury. Expect thoughtprovoking

challenges, sharp insights,

and a few laughs along the way.

Whether you’re an experienced

director or just stepping into

governance roles, this is your chance

to explore what should happen

when things go wrong — and how

you can ensure they don’t.

Learn by participating and

connecting, not be being lectured

to. All this and a lunchtime

networking session.

Speakers

Jennifer Young, Partner

Ledingham Chalmers Solicitors

Jennifer is an experienced

practitioner, having been accredited

by the Law Society of Scotland as a

construction law specialist for over

two decades.

Having served as the firm’s chair

from 2012 and then managing

partner in 2020, Jennifer returned to

a more client facing role in

November 2024.

Jennifer has particular expertise in

construction dispute management

and resolution.

Sarah Stuart, Partner

Ledingham Chalmers Solicitors

Sarah works within the commercial

team, advising clients on matters

related to commercial contracts.

This includes supply and framework

agreements, development

agreements, collateral warranties

and performance guarantees. Sarah

has a litigation background, and

advises clients in high-value

commercial disputes. She also

manages and delivers training to

help clients and professional bodies

understand commercial and

construction legal issues.


Contact: 0131 557 5488


A night to remember at the Edinburgh Tattoo

Date: August 19

Time: 7pm - 10:40pm

Venue: The Balmoral Hotel

Cost: Members £130 Non-members £140

Come along to see the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military

Tattoo with your fellow IoD members from the Edinburgh &

Lothians branch. We will meet in the Annan Suite at the

legendary five-star Balmoral Hotel, where we will enjoy a fourcourse

dinner including coffee and wine. After dinner we will

head to Edinburgh Castle for the 9.30pm performance of the

Tattoo. Places are limited, so please book now. Members and

non-members are welcome.


Contact: 0131 557 5488 / Patricia.Huth@iod.com

SOLD OUT

34 SUMMER 2025


EVENTS | DIRECTION

Giving back to the community

never felt quite so good

Date: August 27

Time: 10am - 1pm

Venue: IoD Scotland, 12 Queen

Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JE

Join us for the IoD Volunteering

Day with Cyrenians — Edinburgh &

West Lothian

Step away from your desk and into a

day of purpose! The Institute of

Directors is teaming up with the

incredible Cyrenians, an organisation

making real impact by preventing

homelessness and supporting

people in crisis.

We’ll be rolling up our sleeves and

lending a hand across three truly

inspiring sites:

Linburn Walled Garden, Wilkieston

– help cultivate a beautiful space that

supports wellbeing

FareShare Depot, Edinburgh – get

stuck in with sorting surplus food to

those in need

Green Skills Centre, near

Kirknewton – support with planting

and harvesting

When: Kicking off at 10am, we’ll be

volunteering for around three hours.

Why: Because your time, passion,

and skills can spark real change in

people’s lives.

If you’d like to be part of it, just

drop us an email iod.scotland@iod.

com with your preferred site and we

will be in touch with further details

— we’d love to have you involved.


Contact: 0131 557 5488


Kickstart your day,

the networking way

Dates: August 21, October 16 &

November 20

Venue: YOTEL Glasgow,

Westergate, 260 Argyle Street

Glasgow G2 8QW

Cost: Free of charge

Join IoD Glasgow & West of

Scotland committee to network with

fellow members over breakfast. The

event is free – just pay for as much,

or as little, breakfast as you want.

VEGA is on Floor 7 and the

entrance to YOTEL Glasgow is on

Hope Street.

Tales of boardroom success,

from the horse’s mouth


Contact: 0131 557 5488


IoD Business Lunch with Atholl

Duncan, The Edge Consultancy

Date: September 16

Time: 12pm - 3pm

Venue: Editors’ Suite, The Citizen

Cost: Members £40

Non Members £45

Venue: Editors’ Suite,

The Citizen, 24 St Vincent Place,

Glasgow G1 2EU

Join fellow IoD members at the

stunning Editors Suite in The

Citizen Restaurant for a

delicious lunch and a chance

to hear from Atholl Duncan,

leader of The Edge Coaching

and Consultancy.

Atholl blends his wisdom of

having “been there and done it” in a

range of board roles with his

experience from a decade of

coaching CEOs, CFOs, and high

potential leaders.

An excellent opportunity to

network or to host guests or

colleagues. The price includes a

drink on arrival, two-course lunch

and tea/coffee.

Atholl Duncan

Atholl is the leader of The Edge

Coaching and Consultancy. He

currently Chairs three boards –

leadership development and

technology business Black Isle

Group, UK Coaching and Salmon

Scotland, which represents a

one-billion-pound sector of the

UK economy.

He is also a former interim Chair

and non-executive director of the

British Horseracing Authority.

Atholl was a senior

executive at the BBC for

many years. He led the

BBC’s coverage of the

Lockerbie disaster and the

Dunblane shootings.

He holds the Insead

Coaching Certificate and studied

leadership and strategy at Harvard

and Cranfield.


Contact: 0131 557 5488


Introduction to the

Certificate in

Company Direction

Date: September 17

Venue: Online

Time: 9am - 10.15am

Cost: Free to members

IoD is hosting an online introduction

to the Certificate in Company

Direction. Sample and experience

an element of course content

alongside other delegates and IoD’s

course leader.

Have you been considering how

you can enhance your impact and

performance as a director? Do you

want to gain the latest tools and

techniques from expert practitioners

who have a wealth of experience in

board rooms across the globe? Then

this course is for you.

The session will be interactive

featuring a Q&A and a teaser

activity from one of the Certificate in

Company Direction modules.

Organiser: IoD Events team

Contact: events@iod.com

SUMMER 2025 35

DIRECTION | EVENTS DIARY


Meet the award-winners: Celebrating

Scotland’s finest business leaders

IoD Scotland Directors of

the Year Awards 2025

Date: October 9

Time: 12pm - 4pm

Venue: Crowne Plaza Glasgow

Price: Individual ticket (Early Bird

price) £70

Table of Ten (Early Bird price) £648

Crowne Plaza Glasgow, Congress

Road, Glasgow G3 8QT

The IoD Scotland Director Awards

2025 are our chance to honour the

leadership talent, success and

achievements of our country’s

exceptional business leaders.

We will name the winners of 11

awards categories at this extraspecial

event.

Awards Sponsors

This distinguished event celebrates

exceptional leadership across 11

diverse categories including:

n Third Sector

n Start Up

n Operations

n People & HR

n Sustainability & Innovation

n Sales & Marketing

n Specialist

n Non-Executive Director

n Emerging

n Small Business

n Medium / Large Business

A special Chair’s Award to

recognise the contribution of one

outstanding director will also be

announced at the ceremony.

Please note tickets for this event

must be booked via Eventbrite

(fees apply; link below).

If you require accommodation at

the Crowne Plaza on October 8 or 9

we have secured an overnight room

rate inc breakfast at £145 inc vat.

This room rate will be released on

the September 27.

You can book by calling

0141 306 9988, between 9am - 6pm.

IoD organiser: Patricia Huth

To Book: Please book via Eventbrite

Winter treat with sports and broadcast expert

IoD Winter Lunch - Edinburgh

Date: November 20

Time: 12pm - 3pm

Venue: Dean Banks at the

Pompadour, The Caledonian

Edinburgh Hotel, Rutland Street

Edinburgh EH1 2AB

Cost: from £67.44

Join us for an afternoon of fine

dining, sparkling conversation, and

seasonal indulgence in one of the

city’s most iconic settings, Dean

Banks at the Pompadour.

With a menu crafted to celebrate

the best of winter’s fare, this is the

perfect opportunity to reconnect,

relax, and revel in good company.

We’re honoured to welcome Bill

Morris as our guest speaker. With a

distinguished portfolio of industrywide

roles, Bill will share insights and

reflections from his remarkable

leadership journey.

Enjoy a Lunan Gin and

tonic or a fruity cocktail on

arrival with canapés

followed by a delicious

three-course lunch and a half

bottle of wine per person.

After your meal, unwind with tea,

coffee, and the opportunity to

connect with fellow attendees within

a relaxed and sociable setting.

About our speaker

Bill Morris is an acknowledged

leader in international sport, cultural

and ceremonial events, broadcasting

and communications.

He is an expert advisor to the

International Olympic Committee, a

Chair/Trustee/NXD in a number of

national and international event

companies and not-for-profit

organisations and has served

as an independent advisor in

UK Government. He spent

seven years as a director of

LOCOG, the Organising

Committee for the London

2012 Olympic and Paralympic

Games, with responsibility for

Ceremonies, Torch Relay, Culture,

Education and Live Sites. He was

awarded the Olympic Order of Merit

in 2012.

Before London 2012, Bill had an

extensive career at the BBC as a

journalist, broadcaster and producer.

Bill is also Chair of the Royal

Edinburgh Military Tattoo.


Book via Eventbrite

36 SUMMER 2025


EVENTS DIARY | DIRECTION

IoD Aberdeen is planning a

sparkling start to festivities

IoD Winter Lunch - Aberdeen

Date: November 27

Time: 12pm - 3pm

Venue: Union Kirk, 333 Union

Street, Aberdeen Ab11 6BS

Cost: from £67.44

We’re looking forward to hosting an

afternoon of fine dining, sparkling

conversation and seasonal

indulgence in one of Aberdeen’s

most iconic settings, Union Kirk.

With a menu crafted to celebrate

the best of winter’s fare, this is the

perfect opportunity to reconnect,

relax, and revel in good company.

We’re honoured to welcome two

guest speakers to this special

pre-Christmas event. They are:

David Wade, Managing director &

founder of ENERPRO. David’s

leadership journey starts from a

hands-on apprentice to the founder

of Aberdeen-headquartered

ENERPRO Group and is a story of

determination, hard work, and a

passion for building things.

Jennifer Young, Partner

Ledingham Chalmers who will offer

compelling insights and personal

reflections drawn from her journey

as a leader.

Whether you’re reconnecting with

old friends or making new ones, this

promises to be a memorable

occasion in a truly unique setting.

The price includes a drink on arrival,

a delicious two course lunch and half

a bottle of wine per person. After

your meal, unwind with tea, coffee

and the opportunity to connect with

fellow attendees in a relaxed,

sociable setting.

IoD organiser: Patricia Huth

To Book: Please book via Eventbrite

Celebrate Christmas in style

at Rusacks, St Andrews

Date: December 5

Time: 6:30pm - 10pm

Venue: Rusacks St. Andrews,

Pilmour Links, St Andrews

KY16 9JQ

Cost: Members £75

Non-members £85

Step into a realm of extraordinary

elegance, vibrant connections, and

boundless inspiration at the

captivating Rusacks in St Andrews

as we celebrate Christmas with the

IoD Fife & Tayside branch.

This event is designed to immerse

you in the warmth and wonder of

the season while fostering

meaningful connections with fellow

professionals. Against the backdrop

of St Andrews’ rich history and

breathtaking vistas, Rusacks stands

as a beacon of sophistication and

elegance, setting the perfect stage

for a festive celebration like no other.

This event is not just a Christmas

dinner; it’s a celebration of the

vision, dedication, and achievements

that have brought us to this point.

We will share details of the menu

choices closer to the vent time, and

amendments will be able to be

requested to accommodate dietary

requirements.

But you can book now to secure

your place for this Christmas!


Contact: 0131 557 5488


Introduction to the

IoD’s Diploma

Date: October 8

Time: 9am - 10am

Venue: Online

Cost: Free of charge

If you are interested in learning

more about the IoD’s renowned

Chartered Director qualification,

then sign up for this taster session

on the Diploma on Developing

Board Performance.

You will hear from a course leader

who will offer a comprehensive

overview of the programme, giving

delegates an insight into what can

be expected of them over the three

days and the learning outcomes.

Developing Board Performance is

the second level of three stages to

becoming a qualified IoD Chartered

Director. Building upon the learnings

from the modules in the Certificate

the course applies practical real life

scenarios and boardroom

challenges while developing insights

into key topics such as risk and crisis

management.

This session is designed for

delegates who are currently

completing or who have already

successfully completed the

Certificate in Company Direction

and looking to take the next steps in

the Chartered pathway.

It will be an informal relaxed and

interactive session aimed to support

delegates in making a confident and

informed decision about the next

steps in their director development.

“The Diploma provided me with

the opportunity to build new

networks, think through business

cases and work through complex

situations as a simulated board and

the opportunity to learn from one

another” - Aisling Press, Managing

Director of Personal Banking,

Danske Bank UK

After this session delegates will

understand: The context of how this

module fits in the Chartered Director

pathway; how this course will impact

your performance as a director in

the boardroom; exam processes and

application; and the practicalities

(costs, dates, booking process).

Organiser: IoD Events team

Contact: events@iod.com

SUMMER 2025 37

DIRECTION ADVERTORIAL | WHOSOFF.COM

Bringing order to your

organisation’s staff records

WhosOff has a new Staff Hub to organise

records and document storage

Whatever type of business or

organisation you’re in or run, when

you start talking about managing

your staff leave or employee sick

leave, you will struggle not to say

“Who’s Off?”

But Whosoff is actually the answer

to your problems. It is a proven staff

leave application which comes with

a ‘Staff Hub’ area that offers an

at-a-glance overview of your

organisation’s current staffing level.

The application also has a separate

‘Document Storage’ section,

enabling companies to not only

manage leave allowances and other

staff records but also publish

important documents such as the

Company Handbook, along with

other restricted documents and

certificates for individual personnel.

So who is behind Whosoff?

WhosOff is a global brand

managed from Canterbury in Kent

and delivered around the world from

the UK. WhosOff users in the UK

include many high-profile

businesses, led by IoD members.

Going live in 2007, WhosOff is a

true success story of continued

change, growth and innovation that

now sees the application used by

more than 2,700 businesses in over

70 countries around the world, who

trust it to manage their staff leave,

other absence and staff details.

The ‘WhosOff’ brand is owned and

operated by X:drive Computing

Limited. Its CEO, Reg Groombridge,

believes constant change over the

years and continued delivery of

customer expectation are the keys

to the application maintaining its

position as a leader in the staff leave

management market.

Reg said: “With the addition of the

Staff Hub and Documents Storage

areas, we will continue to be a leader

in this area of staff management.”

Whosoff - when they’re working

Many companies still have staff

working from home two or three

days a week, and online tools that

help companies manage their staff

and absence seamlessly, including

on their mobile phones, and make

important records and documents

available, are essential.

Accurate management of all staff

leave is critical to having happy

employee/employer relations. No

one wants to be short-changed on

Instant leave and

overtime

management

n Solving the problem of

staff leave, efficiently & in

your way

n Used by over 700,000

users worldwide

n Manage policies such as

staff to staff restrictions

n Reduce the overhead

time and money spent on

managing leave

their remaining leave balance and to

the same account, an employer does

not want to give away extra days in

error, due to poor leave

management. Employees also don’t

want to find out, after applying for

leave, that too many staff are

already off, or key personnel they

cannot be off at the same time as,

have already booked time off.

With WhosOff everyone can

instantly view the holiday plans of

others at the time they apply.

WhosOff delivers an accessible,

easy-to-use system which also

covers the things you need to record

about your staff, starting with their

leave and absence. The new Staff

Hub area can also store and log

emergency contacts, right to work

details, certificates held, permits,

memberships, job title and

progression, reminders on expiry

dates and renewals, keeping

everything tidy for you.

Take a free trial

IoD Scotland members can try

Whosoff for free. Go to

www.whosoff.com to find out

more.

38 SUMMER 2025

IoD Scotland Summer 2025 final

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