IF there is one man who can’t abide wearing a tie it is Ross Martin, chief executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry. “To me they are useless appendages,” he commented, before pulling one out of his bag in Edinburgh’s Caledonian Hotel last week, and putting it on. “I’m going to a meeting at the New Club,” he explained. “I won’t get in without one.” But to extract his revenge, the former teacher and council leader had chosen a shiny silver tie of lurid design, covered in larger than life characters from the world of Disney.

PROPHETIC fund manager James Anderson, who told an Edinburgh audience last week that 69 of the world’s biggest 100 companies were doomed, also made clear his admiration for Charlie Munger, the wingman of legendary US investor Warren Buffett. Mr Munger claimed to have made only 20 investment decisions in his entire life, Mr Anderson said, adding that he was liable to speak his mind and upset people while his partner was more emollient. Turning to his co-manager Tom Slater he added “you can be Warren Buffet”, and concluded: “I also like Munger because at 90 he makes me feel young.”

FAMILY run housebuilder Springfield Properties is breaking in to the Korean martial art of Taekwondo. Not literally, but by sponsoring Elgin-born Olympic hopeful Damon Sansum. The Taekwondo athlete has won 16 medals, including seven gold, since being recruited by Team GB in 2011 and is currently ranked third in the world. “The sponsorship from Springfield will make all the difference for me,” Mr Sansum said. “I’ll be able to concentrate on my intense training, which will help my chances of taking a gold medal back home to Moray.”