Portfolio

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I bought the original family business called A & A Slinger in 2003 as part of a management buy in. Along with my business partner we then went on to develop Astute as one of the leading print, design, stationery, furniture supplies and signage companies in NE Scotland – at its peak employing nearly 40 staff over different locations.

During the next 14 years we then acquired numerous other businesses in our marketplace, thus establishing our place as one of the market leaders in our industry. We also established an agricultural magazine called The Scottish AGRItrader which is currently distributed to 4000 farms and agri businesses in the East of Scotland.

In 2008 we moved into a purpose-built factory and office complex called Caxton House which I designed and helped to project manage and we invested heavily in new technology to advance the company and our offering. This investment totalled nearly one million pounds.

In 2015 after completing another two acquisitions I sold out to my fellow directors. They then engaged me as their MD  for a further 4 years to oversee the day to day running of the group for them.

As Chairman of Forfar Athletic Football Club this new challenge taught me how to work and manage debt in a fast paced, competitive environment. It involved a totally different skill set and took me out of my natural comfort zone. This role placed me into the public domain and taught me how to handle myself in a TV/Press environment and I was involved in making some of the biggest decisions in Scottish football in the history of the game.

I am respected in the field and I was appointed as a member of the influential Football Regulatory Authority Group handling the key legal issues in the game and I was also previously a member of the Scottish Football Congress Board which sits below the main board of the SFA. This board is responsible for ensuring the game stays focused on the diversity and cultural changes within the game at both professional and junior level.

I am served as Vice Chairman of the club having been invited by two of the subsequent Chairmen who succeeded me to assist them in the running of the club. I resigned from the board in January 2024 having served for 16 years.

In 2019 I began to do freelance consultancy work with Business Gateway Tayside. This has allowed me to work with a diverse range of companies and individuals and allows me to use my experience and knowledge to support the growth of their business.  Through 1:1 support I have been able to offer the clients a challenging appraisal of their ideas and situation and help them to set clear business goals and form a strategy to help achieve this.

Alongside Expert Help I was recently asked by them to offer support with their “Survive and Thrive” programme which assists companies that are facing tough challenges which may result in job loss and have a negative impact on the local economy. This is something that I particularly enjoy and has allowed me to work intensely with the clients reviewing their business models, cashflows and internal processes.

My experience and knowledge I have built through business acquisitions and involvement with both closure and takeover of businesses are invaluable for the clients at this tough time and my experience to date has been highly successful including safeguarding jobs, helping to source immediate cash injections, safeguarding personal property and also connecting clients to other support that can assist them legally and financially. 

For the past few years I have voluntarily offered my services as a Mentor as part of the 12 Week Growth Accelerator Programmes. Workng with a range of businesses, my core role has been to challenge their thinking, encourage ideation and guide and support them through the journey.

My approach is open, honest, firm and fair and I use my experience to help them overcome obstacles and mitigate risk.

On completing the programme some of the founders asked that I continue to work with them and I was also fortunate enough to be nominated by two different companies as Mentor of the Year at the Elevator Awards Dinner in 2018.

I was approached by Economic Development within Angus Council to co-ordinate various representations of trades and direct them in a neutral way to achieve a successful event which attracted several thousands of people over 3 year period. 

Spicers were the stationery industries largest suppliers in Europe and I was involved in their national think tank Dealer-Advisory Forum and their Brilliant Partner Group.

This involved meeting at national level with their senior management and marketing team and helping to shape the future of their sector

In 2021 i was elected onto the board of the SPFL acting as director for Leagues 1 and 2. This allows me to gain insight as to how a national organisation is structured and run. I was fortune enough to be re-elected again in 2022 and again in 2023. I was subsequently re-elected for a 3rd term but due to increase work and travel commitments i chose to resign in Jnuary 2024.