Smith scores
LORD Smith of Kelvin, who takes a keen interest in the affairs of Partick Thistle, evoked one of football’s most illustrious names when explaining to journalists why he took up the role of chairman at Scottish Enterprise.
The Glasgow-born peer, now 75, has had a long and distinguished career, having chaired such heavyweights as Weir Group and SSE.
Asked whether the position at Scottish Enterprise was a job he had always wanted, he said: “I’m not saying that, but it is time. I don’t want you to think it is George Best used to play for Manchester United, then it was Hibs or Buckie Thistle.
“This... is the country I was born in, [and that] I love. I have travelled the world and worked in lots of different places, and it’s about time.”
In the dark
WHAT happens next with Brexit is anyone’s guess. Even bosses at Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s biggest drinks companies, admit they are in the dark about which way it will go.
Speaking to journalists in Glasgow last week, Jean-Christophe Coutures, chief executive of Pernod firm Chivas Brothers, said: “If could make a joke, I would say that it is very difficult to follow!
“Could we rewind the Q&A, because we have some questions to ask you!”
Lord annoyed
BACK at the Scottish Enterprise briefing and Lord Smith admitted that he had never been approached about the chairman role at the agency before.
“That’s quite annoying, isn’t it? Maybe they thought I had too much on!” he quipped.
And neither was he a shoe-in for the job. “I had to go through an interview process,” he said. “This isn’t a wee, ‘we’ll get Smithy in, he doesn’t cost too much’”.
Confidence high
KISSING with Confidence, the Glasgow-based training firm, is building its international reputation. Founder Russell Wardrop recently spoke to at an international conference of surgeons in Spain. More than 80 surgeons, who specialise in the treatment of trauma and disorders of the face, attended.
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