Big Issues: Gail Porter lent a helping hand to Diageo this week as the drinks giant held a series of events to promote inclusion and diversity as part of INC Week.

The TV star, whose struggles with mental health were highlighted in a BBC documentary this week, shared some of her own experiences in a keynote address to Diageo employees at its Edinburgh Park headquarters.

Her talk was part of a week-long programme of workshops, panel discussions, and TED-style talks staged by the company at several of its locations in Scotland, where topics ranged from gender, sexuality, and ethnicity to disabilities and wellness in the workplace.

Ms Porter said: “It was fantastic to play a part in INC Week at Diageo’s Scotland HQ. I hope that sharing my experiences of mental health, homelessness, alopecia, and bereavement with employees in Scotland and across the world will encourage them to talk about these issues, and reassure them that things can get better over time.”

High Octane: News reaches us of the frankly mind-boggling economic impact on the city of Baku when the Formula One bandwagon rolls into town.

The value of the F1 race weekend to the capital of Azerbaijan has been worth a more than $500 million to the local economy, a report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers for Baku City Circuit, has found.

We may be going out on a limb here, but we are pretty sure this eclipses the impact made by the Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games when the haggis hurling takes place in the leafy Glasgow suburbs…

Job Swap: Human resources specialist Claire Johnston has switched island life for a job on

the mainland.

Ms Johnston has joined Manorview Hotels & Leisure group, whose outlets include The Busby Hotel in East Renfrewshire, as its new head of people. Originally from Stoke, she arrives at Manorview from the Auchrannie Resort on the Isle of Arran.

Ms Johnston said: “This is an amazing industry. I want more people seeing hospitality as a career choice, and not just as a part-time gap.”