Silent investor
THERE were no artistic airs or graces from WM Mann Group chairman Bruce Mann when we asked him about a £100,000 donation to Scottish Opera to assist with refurbishing Glasgow's Theatre Royal.
The serious bit of his explanation was fine, and indeed commendable. His family had made its money from its commercial lending and property business in Scotland and wanted to support Scotland, through this donation from The WM Mann Foundation.
"It is good to put your money back into where it has been made," said Glasgow-based Mr Mann.
However, unable to resist adding a splash of his understated humour, he said of his family: "We don't sing songs or anything like that, nor do we speak Spanish or Italian."
Mr Mann might not sing, but he made us chuckle.
Business 'n' Pleasure
THE Bottom Line smiled on hearing about a new campaign by Blackpool tourism chiefs to attract Scottish businesses to hold conferences in the seaside town. It might just be us, but the thought of team-building donkey rides and break-out sessions on the Pleasure Beach conjures some interesting images.
Car plan?
NEWS has reached The Bottom Line of a potential new line of company cars.
Edinburgh car firmWild Horses, which specialises in creating classic Mustangs, has just completed its first 1965 Fastback model.
Rolling Stones-influenced owner Allan Fearnley will use the car to impress potential financial backers.
At £80,000, the Mustang is expensive, yet it may appeal to accountants. Cars built before January 1, 1973, are exempt from road tax.
Bottling it
THE Trying Hard award for this week goes to the team attempting to drum up interest in a makeover for Malibu in the UK.
Quite a lot was made of the design of the bottle. Die-hard fans, whoever they may be, described it as a "knockout", with marketing director Patrick Venning observing it was "more slender with high shoulders". We are sure all our readers will be looking out for these improvements next time they decide to mix up a Pina Colada.
JR would be proud
POPULAR 1980s' TV show Dallas would have had us believe the oil industry was a viper's nest of back-stabbing and clandestine deals.
Thankfully, there's a little more empathy in the real world.
Talking on the phone about the imminent departure of finance director David Kemp, Trap Oil chief executive officer Mark Groves Gidney said Mr Kemp would be a "sad loss" to the group, adding his replacement "wouldn't be quite the same".
But with a rapid-fire aside JR Ewing would have been proud of, he added: "I have to say that because he's on the call!"
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