Date: Tuesday 15th March             Time: 09.15am-4pm

Join Royal Bank of Scotland at a special event that will bring together female entrepreneurs and industry experts. A hybrid event – Venturing Forward: Sustainable Transition – will see a selection of speakers discuss how we build our knowledge around climate change, understand the benefits of accelerating our climate action journey and activate our sustainable growth strategy whilst championing the race to Net Zero.

There will also be an opportunity to participate in themed workshops, aimed at demystifying Sustainable Transition for your business, and sharing best practice. Themes to include: future sustainability, circular economy, agriculture, accessing finance, and making the most of your ecosystem.

The event will feature a keynote address from Kate Forbes MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, together with a number of panel experts from across the Scottish business community.

Register for the event here: https://eu.eventscloud.com/ehome/sustainabletransition/home/

The Scotsman and Womble Bond Dickinson are delighted to bring you a new webinar on the 23rd of March at 10am: Decarbonising the built environment in Scotland

This event will look at some of the key challenges the industry faces to reach the 2045 target of a greener future for the built environment in Scotland. Companies from across the built environment life cycle cannot achieve this alone, and need to look at how they can work together to succeed.

Key topics include:

  • Skills of the future (reskilling) & Education
  • Innovation: The digital agenda, Industrialisation of the sector
  • ESG and investing in the built environment

The Panellists:

  • Caitriona Jordan, Head of Retrofit Programmes at Construction Scotland Innovation Centre
  • Lisa Dromgoole, Managing Associate, Womble Bond Dickinson
  • David Lee (Host)
  • More speakers to be announced soon…

To book your free place to the event, please click here: www.scotsmanconferences.com/event/decarbonising-the-built-environment-in-scotland/

Delloitte are delighted to invite you to their Eco-nomic series – a programme of events with the intention to share and discuss the latest insights on climate and sustainability. By doing so, they hope to create awareness and an ongoing dialogue of the vital role that business has to play in addressing climate change, as well as contributing to a recovery that ensures a fairer, greener, more sustainable and resilient economy.

At their third event in this series, you will hear from two great speakers.

Dr. Siobhan Gardiner, a Director in our ESG Advisory practice, will talk about the road ahead following proceedings at COP26 in Glasgow. Siobhan will also present the Futures We Want project, a commissioned in 2021 by the UK in their role as COP26 President, which sought to explore what the future could look like in a climate-resilient, net-zero world.

You will also hear from Dr. Ric Simes, Senior Economic Advisor who will talk about our recently published report: Turning point. Time is running out to act on climate change. But rather than climate action being a drain on the economy, our insights show there is a window of opportunity to act now to significantly boost GDP and provide new employment opportunities for citizens.

This webinar will take place on Zoom between 09.00 and 10.00 on Thursday 10 March.

Book your place here: https://deloitte.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kuoQtvz-S8-oRpEAnZrMXA?mkt_tok=Njc2LVJHSS03MDAAAAGChwZIsM3zeWRGSnZXp2ZQIqh-G5uRIj7D7yW1Am6ie_u5dm0h-GacPYxafuDtelCMuraR9DAJv0kTrr88uiQ

Employers that want to find new talent, develop their workforce and build skills they need now, for a sustainable future should join this one hour webinar to find out how apprenticeships can offer the solution.

• Hear from other employers and their apprentices about the benefits of apprenticeships

• Find out from experts about the practical support available to recruit or upskill existing employees through apprenticeships

• Learn how Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships can support employee progression and skills development

This event is for employers of all sizes and sectors across Scotland to find out how Scottish Apprenticeships can work for their business. Panelists include Scottish Power Energy Networks, Sitekit, Pulsion Technology and West Highland College UHI.

Hosted by the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board, in partnership with Scottish Training Federation, Scottish Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses Scotland and Skills Development Scotland. Scottish Apprenticeships are backed by the Scottish Government and play a key role in its work to support Scotland’s people and the economy, including the Young Person’s Guarantee.

Book your place here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/91355543456145423

More information: www.apprenticeships.scot

Forth Ports, in conjunction with Teuchters Landing, has submitted plans to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for the refurbishment of the Category A-Listed Rennie’s Isle Swing Bridge located at the Water of Leith to conserve the landmark and bring the bridge back into use for the community.

The proposed programme of repair and refurbishment for the well-known bridge in Leith will ensure its structural integrity for the future, preserve its appearance and make it accessible for the community as a walkway.

The works will also create the opportunity for part of the bridge area to be utilised as an outdoor seating space as part of the Teuchter’s Landing public house located in Dock Place. An Application for Change of Use has been submitted to CEC for this purpose.

The swing bridge, named after the prominent Scottish engineer John Rennie, was constructed around 1800 as part of the design of Leith docks [see more information in the notes to editors below]. Along with the nearby Victoria Swing Bridge – whose full refurbishment is already under way – these bridges were a key part of Rennie’s design of the docks in the 1800s.

The proposed refurbishment works for Rennie’s Isle Bridge includes: replacement of the timber structure, redecoration, installation of bollards, removal of trolley rails and installation of metal detail, installation of protective mesh and new timber blocks below existing railing uprights.

Commenting on the project, Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive at Forth Ports, said: “The swing bridges in Leith are historical landmarks in the area and we are pleased to be able to submit plans to preserve Rennie’s Isle Bridge for the future. There is a great opportunity to create not only a usable walkway but also to create an attractive outdoor space at Teuchter’s Landing.”

John Tindal, Director of Teuchters (Edinburgh) LTD said: “We are very excited to bring the bridge back to its former glory, working closely with Forth Ports, allowing 24-hour access to the bridge which will be of huge relief to the local community and allowing us to utilise the bridge with very attractive and unique additional seating to our outdoor area with table service.”

The ‘Aspiring Unicorns’ series, produced by leading law firm Addleshaw Goddard, has been launched to help tech businesses find out what they need to know to grow in 2022.

The free seven-part series, which provides crucial insights on a range of essential topics, begins with the first chapter, ‘Rocket Propelled Success: Corporate Finance – capital raising and funding’.

Aspiring Unicorns provides insights which can help business growth strategy for tech firms at every stage right up to the vaunted £1 billion ‘unicorn’ status and beyond.

With the pandemic having accelerated the role of tech across all sectors, and indigenous businesses competing in an increasingly global marketplace, support for aspiring UK-based tech businesses has never been more necessary.

David Anderson, a Corporate and Commercial Partner at Addleshaw Goddard who specialises in tech, said: “The Aspiring Unicorns series is an example of how we support high-growth tech businesses and is a great, freely accessible resource them, and indeed their investors, who are tackling the challenges of scaling up in the current climate.

“The UK tech industry is a hotbed of innovation and things move fast – that’s why we commissioned this series which will provide the latest insights and information and a great starting point for finding out what you need to know to grow.”

Each chapter in the series will be released on a fortnightly basis, sharing insights on topics including: Data & Privacy; Brand Protection; Property considerations; Regulation; Open source software considerations; and dealing with Disputes.

For more information about the Aspiring Unicorns programme, and to download the first chapter, visit: https://www.addleshawgoddard.com/en/insights/insights-briefings/2021/general/guide-aspiring-unicorns-supporting-high-growth-tech/

UK time: 09/03/2022 18:30 – 09/03/2022 23:30
Venue: Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh
Venue address: 1 Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9SR United Kingdom
Join China-Britain Business Council on 9th March 2022 in Edinburgh for the China-Scotland Business Awards and Chinese Burns Supper.

The 5th annual China-Scotland Business Awards will be recognising and celebrating achievements in trade and investment between Scotland and China, with five great awards up for grabs. The winners will be announced at a special ceremony during the Chinese-Burns Supper. To learn more about the Awards and our past winners please click here. View this year’s shortlist here.

Now going into its 9th year, CBBC’s Chinese Burns Supper has become a permanent fixture in the China-Scotland business calendar. The event will feature a fusion of Burns Night traditions with those of Chinese New Year as a backdrop for black-tie networking for the China-Scotland business and educational community.

Please note: Guests attending the event can buy tickets individually or as a table. Each table will seat 10 guests.

Register here: https://portal.cbbc.org/civicrm/event/info?id=2542&reset=1

A MAJOR conference and events business is reporting that 2022 is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels – and looks to expand its headcount by 70%.

In a positive sign for Edinburgh’s crucial hospitality and business tourism sectors, Surgeons Quarter – the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) – has experienced demand for in-person meetings and events well ahead of pre-pandemic levels.

The Living Wage-accredited organisation which manages a vast mix of historic and purpose-built RCSEd venues, as well as Ten Hill Place Hotel, Café 1505 and Surgeons Quarter Travel – has seen events and conferences that postponed due to the pandemic rebook their events for 2022 as well as a high level of new enquiries.

This trend which has included new bookings for major conferences such as the Functional Regulatory Genomic Disease Meeting, a conference which will bring together international leaders in the study of genetics of disease in April 2022, has led to Surgeons Quarter returning to operate at close to maximum levels.

As a result, Surgeons Quarter is set to recruit for 60-70 positions during April, May and June.

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “It’s a pleasure to be in a position to expand our hospitality teams again and add vital jobs to help us service the increasing levels of business we’re bringing in.

“It’s important that we get the recovery right – hospitality and the business tourism economy are integral to the city’s overall prosperity. We can see first-hand the direct effect it has on employment.

“In addition to our busy events calendar, Ten Hill Place Hotel is seeing encouraging occupancy levels predicted to exceed the pre pandemic levels.

“To further boost our activities in 2022, we are actively planning for the full return of the Festival Fringe for which we are one of the largest operators – and at the end of the year, we are looking forward to a busy festive period of celebration, which we have all missed in the past 18 months”.

The organisation is also launching its first TV advertising campaign on 25th February with the theme highlighting guests will be ‘In Good Hands’ as a reference to its surgical connections and charitable aims which should help further raise its profile.

During the first lockdown Ten Hill Place provided free rooms and meals to key workers tackling the pandemic. Over 2,100 rooms were supplied free of charge at a cost to the company of over £100,000.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.

For anyone interested in joining the dynamic and award-winning Surgeons Quarter team, please email recruiment@surgeonsquarter.com

For more information on events, conferences and meeting space at Surgeons Quarter visit: https://www.surgeonsquarter.com/conferences-meetings/

International guests can book directly by visiting Surgeons Quarter’s own travel agency at: https://www.sqtravel.co.uk/

Leading player in the global solar sector, NextEnergy, has signed deals with Goldman Sachs and DLA Piper

Burges Salmon has advised the NextEnergy Group on signing a Virtual Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with part of the Goldman Sachs Group. This follows hot on the heels of advising NextEnergy on its Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with law firm DLA Piper.

Goldman Sachs will benefit from a VPPA, which will be powered by three solar assets in the UK, planned for delivery in 2023. This new renewable capacity will align with Goldman Sachs’ UK electricity demand and support its commitment to source 80% of its renewable energy from long-term agreements by 2025 on its way to achieving net zero in its operations and supply chain by 2030.

The PPA between NextEnergy and DLA Piper relates to the energy generated from a new build solar farm in the UK, as part of DLA Piper’s drive to reach its decarbonisation targets. The solar farm, to be built in Somerset, will produce 13 megawatts of renewable power.

NextEnergy Group is a leading player in the global solar and renewable energy market with a mission to generate a more sustainable future by leading the transition to clean energy. The Group has over 200 global staff, operates in nine counties across Europe, the Americas and India, and is made up of three key independent specialist solar companies and a charitable foundation.

The Burges Salmon team advising on the deals was led by partner and Head of Renewable Energy Ross Fairley, along with director Alistair Rattray, associate Charlotte Robinson and solicitor Andrew Parmar-Yee.

Ross Grier of NextEnergy Capital comments: “We very much appreciated Burges Salmon’s assistance in bringing this corporate PPA to fruition. Their insight and experience in corporate PPAs was a valuable complement to the NextEnergy deal team.”

Ross Fairley adds: “As one of the leading players in the global solar sector, these Corporate Power Purchase Agreements mark two significant deals for NextEnergy. We have developed a real specialism in these PPA arrangements and this is another example of us facilitating organisations to tackle their net zero targets. It was a pleasure to work with the NextEnergy team on these PPAs.”

 

Leading independent law firm MacRoberts has launched AMLIFY, a dedicated anti-money laundering consultancy service, in response to the growing importance of AML compliance in the legal sector and at local and national level.

Headed by Fraser Sinclair, MacRoberts’ Head of AML and former Law Society of Scotland AML specialist, AMLIFY works with AML-supervised firms to ensure their AML and CTF processes are up-to-date, robust and reduce firms’ vulnerability to financial crime.

Whether firms are looking for reassurance on small points of compliance or a full risk review, AMLIFY offers consultation advice on firms’ policies, controls, procedures and file reviews. AMLIFY supports firms whether they are pre-, mid- or post-AML inspection, supporting them in preparing for inspections and responding to reports and findings from the Law Society of Scotland.

AMLIFY also offers tailored training and workshops to help firms ensure compliance with AML laws and regulations and best practice. These sessions can be provided to MLROs or to all staff for general CPD purposes.

Fraser, who was the Law Society of Scotland’s first AML Risk Manager, also designs and delivers the Society’s official accredited AML specialist course to solicitors in Scotland each year. This course gives MLROs and AML Managers the opportunity to be taken through the fundamentals of compliance and grow in confidence in their approach

Fraser Sinclair, Head of AMLIFY, said:

“The legal sector is clearly defined as being at high risk of money laundering and, as such, it is vital that legal professionals have the correct processes and procedures in place to ensure they won’t unwittingly support criminal activity through financial transactions in their firms.

We know that AML compliance can be daunting, the regulatory framework can feel unclear and the scope for firms to tailor their own risk-based approach can often leave firms wondering if they are doing the right thing – the purpose of AMLIFY is to support legal, and other AML regulated, firms in their compliance journey and ensure they are fully-equipped with the right tools to ensure their legitimate services are not used for an illegitimate purpose.”