Highlight of the day

Highlight of the day

NEARLY two decades in charge of CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Scotland has made Iain McMillan an accomplished media performer.

Asked this week what he had planned for his final day at the business lobby group, Mr McMillan did not miss a beat when he replied the high point would be an interview with The Herald.

"I've got a few loose ends to tie up, but the highlight of my day was my interview with you!"

It is not every day journalists are so warmly received.

Report is chic

BROWSING the Pernod Ricard annual report we were delighted that a certain type of French style and artistry was retained in a company document.

Scattered across the 128 pages were photographs of the drinks company's staff.

Not your typical corporate shots though as these ones, featuring juggling and tug of war, are portraits by Paris based Australian artist Vee Speers.

C'est chic.

No rest for veteran

RETURNING to Iain McMillan and the business veteran's retirement from the CBI will not see him quietly walk off into the sunset, not yet at any rate.

Mr McMillan has a range of board appointments to fill his time, including his chairmanships of the University of Strathclyde Business School's Advisory Board and the Scottish North American Business Council. He is also the incoming chairman of Workplace Chaplaincy Scotland.

While he is looking forward to spending more time on Arran, where he and his wife have a home in Brodick, Mr McMillan insisted: "I'm not planning to bring out the rocking chair just yet!"

Bar is magic

NEW Order frontman Bernard Sumner gave fans a glimpse of the financial chaos which legendary - and now defunct - Manchester music label Factory has ultimately become synonymous with at a book signing and talk at Waterstones in Glasgow this week.

Asked to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the making of 1989 album Technique, he reveals bass player Peter Hook and band associate Terry Mason were detailed to visit Ibiza to explore the possibility of recording the album on the Balearic island.

Sumner said the pair duly reported back with both good and bad news. The bad news, he recalled, was that "the studio was s**t.

"The good news was it had a 24-hour bar and it served great cocktails."

With that information to hand, the band duly packed their suitcases and headed to the Mediterranean.

If only all business decisions were that simple.