By Karen Peattie

DIGITAL skills company AND Digital is to open its first Scottish office in Edinburgh and create 100 jobs over the next 18 months after securing £11 million equity investment. The investment from BGF will support the company’s continued growth and global expansion. It currently operates "Clubs" across the UK with the Edinburgh Club its tenth, joining a network which includes London, Manchester, Reading, Leeds, Halifax and Maidenhead. AND Digital's business model sees it work with companies to "meet their digital goals by providing fast access to tech talent while working alongside in-house teams to speed up product development". Pointing to Scotland's worldwide reputation in the digital and tech sector, the firm's founder and chief executive, Paramjit Uppal, said: “AND was created to accelerate the digital capabilities of ambitious organisations of all sizes, but while technology is seen as an essential key to success, the digital skills gap can prevent businesses from realising their investment in technology as quickly or as completely as they’d like. "We provide immediate access to the tech talent they require and co-create their products in partnership with them. Not only does that mean a better digital product shipped faster, but it also means our clients are building the digital skills of their in-house teams, effectively future-proofing them for ongoing success." AND Digital said that while Scotland’s tech sector contributes a robust £4.9 billion annually to the country’s economy, according to Skills Development Scotland's 2019 Scotland’s Digital Technologies report, recruiting specialist talent remains a challenge for many businesses with more than 13,000 unfilled digital positions each year. The company employs over 600 technology experts across its Clubs network and says this "agile and nimble model provides businesses with quick access to highly sought-after digital talent, while ensuring AND Digital remains highly responsive to client requirements". Its new Edinburgh office will be seeking to recruit UX designers, platform developers, full stack engineers, product analysts and Scrum masters. Mr Uppal added: “Scotland’s close-knit, supportive tech community is the beating heart of its blossoming digital sector and we look forward to becoming part of that community as we work in partnership with businesses across Scotland.” AND Digital boasts a client roster that includes British Airways, IAG Cargo and Gousto.