Scottish Business Network

Nadeem Sarwar, the founder of Scotland-based digital pharmacy Phlo, explains the extraordinary growth of his business, accelerated further by the impact of the pandemic crisis. Nadeem explains why this will continue to be a significant growth area, and how Phlo is seeking to build on it with a crowdfunding campaign launched on 12 October 2020 (lasting for 30 days). This is is the first episode in...

Growing up in the Peak District and then the Sidlaw Hills, Simon Milne developed a passion for nature, conservation and the great outdoors at an early age. Discouraged from a career in conservation by his school, he embraced a long and rewarding career in the Royal Marines. However, after being invalided out, he returned to his first love and is now Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinb...

Is there still a place for clans in modern Scotland? Madam Pauline Hunter of Hunterston certainly believes so. She is Chief of Clan Hunter, and argues that clans have a key role to play in drawing the Scottish diaspora back to the old country, and helping to create business opportunities. And for her part, she’s highly active in pulling together Hunter clan members from all over the world to celeb...

In 1999, Poonam Malik arrived in Scotland from India with two suitcases, £35 and a British Council scholarship to Glasgow University. 21 years on, she is an extraordinarily well connected scientist, academic, businesswoman, investor, consultant and mentor – and a passionate advocate for social enterprise and encouraging diversity everywhere from business start-ups to the boardroom. And all this ca...

Ian M Houston is a dual US/UK citizen, with a strong Scottish heritage, who knows the political world of Washington DC inside out. He has wandered the corridors of power, advising and lobbying, with a mission to create opportunities for the disadvantaged. In this extended episode, Ian talks us through his journey from academia to enterprise, the challenges for diplomats under current US foreign po...

A long career in corporate banking gave Graham McWilliam a taste for branching out on his own. And after a couple of successful entrepreneurial adventures, followed by further spells at RBS and Clydesdale, he took over the reins of a very unusual business. Glencraft is an Aberdeen-based social enterprise founded in 1843 to provide dignity to the disadvantaged through work. The company had speciali...

When the pandemic crisis arrived, lots of people talked about 'pivoting' or starting a new business but Hassan Peymani went further, springing into action with a new venture. Concerned at the problems he encountered getting hold of face masks for his at-risk father and pregnant wife, Edinburgh-based Hass launched his own business to supply high-quality masks at a fair price without disrupting PPE...

What a transformation we've seen in 2020 as organisations embrace the benefits of remote working. And as business leaders recalibrate to seek new opportunities post COVID-19, the broader issue of flexible working is likely to be high on many people's agenda. Step forward then Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey, founders of Flexibility Works, which is part-funded by the Scottish Government and the Tom...

After growing up in Glasgow, Mark Bamforth spent spells working in the oil and whisky industries before embarking on an outstanding career as a biotech entrepreneur in the United States, where he has been based for many years. Mark talks through his career, and also shares his thoughts on Scottish innovation, the impact of COVID-19 and the way business needs to respond to the BlackLivesMatter prot...

After an idyllic early childhood in New Zealand, Sara Roberts endured severe bullying when she returned to the UK, leading her to leave school at the age of just 14. That experience inspired her to succeed on her own terms, launch several businesses and thrive on her own self-reliance and resilience. Sara is now the entrepreneur behind Healthy Nibbles, providing healthy vending machines and snack...

Mel Young is one of Scotland’s greatest social entrepreneurs, responsible for establishing the Big Issue and founding the Homeless World Cup. And as well has having a hugely positive impact on the lives of the disadvantaged in Scotland, he has demonstrated considerable business acumen and leadership skills. Mel talks us through his career, the ways in which he would like to see charities and busin...

Despite only turning 30 this year, Edinburgh-based Mollie Hughes has climbed to the summit of Mount Everest not one but twice. And in January this year, she became the youngest woman in the world to ski solo from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, No wonder she's now making such a big impact as a motivational speaker. Interviewed by Fraser Allen on 18 May 2020. [For enquiries to book Molli...

Hailing from an Italian/Scottish family in Ayrshire, Michael Mancini could have got involved in the family ice cream business but, from an early age, he had a passion for woodworking and furniture design. His company, 1718, now creates outstanding furniture for clients across the world. Here he tells the story of his career to date. Recorded pre-lockdown, in Glasgow, February 2020.

Fraser Allen interviews Alasdair McKinnon (CEO of the Scottish Investment Trust), Ellen Wong (Principal Officer at the US Consulate in Edinburgh and Adam Hunter (Chief Commercial Officer of the online pharmaceutical delivery service PHLO). All three share their experiences of managing their way through the COVID-19 crisis and the lessons they have learned to date.

Kicking off a new format for the podcast series, Fraser Allen interviews three personalities from the Scottish business world about the way the coronavirus crisis is affecting them, how they are managing the situation and what they have learnt from the experience so far. It's a truly international episode. We speak to Tom Simpson from the China-British Business Council in Beijing; Becky Woodhouse,...

As well as many other endurance feats, Mark Beaumont has cycled around the globe twice, breaking the world record both times – a record he still holds today. Yet few realise that Mark is as comfortable in a business suit as he is in cycling Lycra. His experience in defining a venture, developing the finance, building the team and then successfully marketing the concept has led to a portfolio of ac...

There are two luxuries that John Newlands won't do without: dry cleaning and a good lunch. It therefore seemed only appropriate to convene over the latter to discuss his wonderfully colourful career in banking, commodities and investments. From an Edinburgh upbringing to a career in the City of London, via Brazil and Cuba (including a bold dinner-table challenge to the late Fidel Castro over the c...

Brian Duffy describes his Glasgow childhood as a tour of the city’s housing schemes – which is quite a stretch from his current role as CEO of the luxury brand Watches of Switzerland. The story of how he got there, which includes launching the Playtex Wonderbra in the UK, working with Ralph Lauren and serving as a director with his beloved Celtic FC, is highly entertaining and full of unassuming b...

The tables are turned in this episode as podcast host Fraser Allen is himself interviewed – by Sue Stockdale, host of the Access To Inspiration podcast. Fraser discusses the sale of his agency, White Light Media, his career to date (via selling magazines in the playground and narrowly avoiding jail in Turkey), plus observations on the world of marketing.

Norman Jackson is a chartered accountant who travelled the world working in the oil industry, going on to help many SMEs with strategic planning and corporate finance, and holding several non-exec director roles – including one for the past 11 years with London Scottish rugby club. To mark the start of rugby's Six Nations Championship, Norman offers us valuable and entertaining parallels between t...

Before we kick off our regular series of in-depth podcast interviews for 2020, we speak to Russell Dalgleish about the exciting plans he and Scottish Business Network co-founder Christine Esson have for the year ahead. Interviewed by Fraser Allen over a rather unpredictable Skype line.

Ross Mickel hails from one of the great Scottish housebuilding dynasties, McTaggart & Mickel, which has built thousands of homes in Scotland and beyond since 1925 – although its origins actually go back to Victorian times. The company has also made a significant mark on the architectural and cultural landscape of Glasgow having been responsible for building many of the much-loved tenements in the...

Sue Stockdale left school at 16 to join British Gas, and quickly climbed her way upwards – whilst also representing Scotland in athletics. An expedition to Kenya with Operation Rayleigh then proved a tipping point which led to further adventures, such as skiing to the North Pole and competing in Channel 4's Superhuman contest. These rich experiences – as well as building and then selling her own b...

Rosemary McGinness is Chief People Officer at the Weir Group in Glasgow, overseeing 15,000 employees across 50 countries. Recently named by the Financial Times as one of the 100 most influential women in Engineering sector, she has built a highly impressive career around the world, making her way to the Weir Group via the likes of Rocco Forte and William Grant, Rosemary was interviewed by Fraser A...

Ivan McKee describes his ministerial role as that of 'Sales Director for Scotland' and combines his passion for Scotland's potential with the acumen of a highly successful businessman who knows a good MBO opportunity when he sees it. In this interview, he gives a rare insight into his business career, his adventures around the world and why he believes Scotland can thrive as an independent nation....