The first summit of the Fellows of Entrepreneurial Scotland (ES) was held today (Thursday 21 April) at Gleneagles Hotel as part of the ES annual conference. The summit brought together some of the country’s most senior entrepreneurial leaders to support Entrepreneurial Scotland’s ambition for Scotland to become the most entrepreneurial society in the world.
The first cohort including: Chris van der Kuyl, Ann Budge, Sir Bill Gammell, Martin Gilbert, Ann Gloag, Lord Willie Haughey, Les Hutchison, Sir Tom Hunter, Bob Keiller, Hugh Langmuir, Jim McColl OBE, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Roy McGregor, Alan Revie, Lord Robert Smith of Kelvin, Sir Brian Souter and Gareth Williams are already committed to broadening the Fellows network to ensure it addresses every sector of Scotland’s economy and society.
The Fellows have agreed to be active ambassadors for Entrepreneurial Scotland, to share their leadership skills and experience with ES networks and to actively inspire and help ES members. The first topic on the ES Fellows agenda will be how to support leaders of organisations to gain the skills and experience they need to scale-up, driving economic growth and creating jobs.
ES Fellow, Chris van der Kuyl, Chairman of Entrepreneurial Scotland, said:
“Although Scotland nurtures a growing number of start-ups and increasingly celebrates entrepreneurial success, evidence from around the world shows us that when it comes to scale-ups, Scotland lags behind the US and other leading economies.
“ES has a role to play in addressing the scale-up skills gap in Scotland. We need more entrepreneurial leaders with the skills and experience required to scale organisations. This is the first of several topics that the Fellows will agree to focus on. This initial group of ambassadors have been there and done it so I am excited to get started.”
ES Fellow, Jim McColl, Chief Executive of Clyde Blowers, said:
“It’s a great honour to become one the first Fellows of Entrepreneurial Scotland and I am looking forward to playing my role in helping members to reach their scale-up ambitions whatever sector they are working in.
“I have been really fortunate over the years to have had access to people who have been able to help me build my businesses. Being able to break through and enjoy sustainable growth involves tenacity and the support of important networks. Entrepreneurial Scotland is providing just that.”
