Latest news with #StephenGoldie
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Scottish firms embrace AI with ‘Open Arms' as 52% of businesses believe adoption will drive local growth
Scotland is in the midst of an AI revolution if current adoption rates and optimism surrounding the technology are to be sustained. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... According to data published by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, 52% of Scottish businesses believe greater AI adoption will be a major driver of local economic growth. The figures show that of the 61% of businesses already utilising artificial intelligence, 81% have seen an increase in productivity as a result, while 79% claim that it has improved their profitability. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The AI boom is already sweeping through different Scottish industries at a rapid pace. Recently, Stephen Goldie, managing partner of Edinburgh-based law firm Brodies, claimed that his firm is welcoming the technology with 'open arms.' Dunrobin Castle, Golspie Meanwhile, in the healthcare sector, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian, and AI evaluation company Aival have begun testing a £1 million AI integration project designed to integrate with existing clinical systems and workflows. Additionally, a study conducted by Henderson Loggie spanning the Scottish legal sector found that while more than 60% of firms aren't currently using AI tools, many expect to trial or adopt the technology in the near future. Building Scotland's AI Infrastructure Huge infrastructural initiatives are set to drive Scotland's adoption of artificial intelligence in the years to come. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One major catalyst for future growth stems from the government's AI Opportunities Action Plan, which aims to create a series of AI Growth Zones across the country, with a particular focus on post-industrial towns and coastal areas in Scotland. Thanks to significant energy resources that will help supply power to AI data centres in Scotland, the project, which has already attracted £25 billion in investment, could help position many Scottish towns and cities as artificial intelligence hubs. Scotland's role in AI has been bolstered further by the recent news that Edinburgh is set to host the UK's most powerful supercomputer, which will cost £750 million to build at the University of Edinburgh. The supercomputer is expected to help strengthen the United Kingdom's push to become an AI leader, with the potential to drive innovations and discoveries that could benefit businesses across Scotland. With the potential to scale up the country's AI computational power by a factor of 20, Edinburgh could be at the centre of a technological revolution. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Boosting Scottish Employment It's expected that AI innovations in Scotland can help to tackle unemployment by opening thousands of new roles for local workers. In recent months, Scotland has boasted lower unemployment rates than the rest of the United Kingdom. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the unemployment rate for those aged 16 and over in Scotland in Q2 2025 fell 0.5% on the previous quarter to 3.7%, well below the UK average of 4.7%. Scotland's growing relationship with artificial intelligence could help to lower unemployment rates further, thanks to the expected job growth that the technology will bring. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to McKinsey data, the AI boom could see overall spending on technology increase by more than 50% between 2015 and 2030, helping to significantly increase jobs related to developing and deploying new technologies. As a result, forecasts suggest that this trend could create between 20 million and 50 million new jobs worldwide, and Scotland's leading role in AI research and development is likely to see a higher concentration of new vacancies. We're already seeing early signs of this trend emerging. Plans by a renewable energy developer to transform a former steelworks in Ravenscraig to become a major national data centre in a £3.9 billion proposal are expected to generate 2,400 jobs nationwide, with 1,044 becoming permanent North Lanarkshire roles and 440 to be predominantly based on-site. Unlocking Productivity Surveys also show that more small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland are upping their AI investments as a means of enhancing their productivity. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As much as 88% of firms believe that artificial intelligence will lift productivity levels within their organisations, with 90% intending to invest in the technology. With the ability to automate workflows and remove instances of human error from repetitive processes through AI management systems, more businesses believe that artificial intelligence can support their scaling strategies. The technology is even transforming marketing strategies, with businesses capable of introducing promotions and competition across multiple channels with automated payouts to customers. With the AI in marketing market set to grow at a CAGR of 26.7% between now and 2034, we can expect businesses to transform not only their own productivity but also how they interact with their customers at scale. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Future of AI Artificial intelligence will play an intrinsic role in the growth of Scottish businesses. With expectations for a seismic infrastructure plan sky-high, cities like Edinburgh will become hubs for technological growth and innovation. While it remains to be seen how the technology will transform employment in Scotland, it's expected that AI will be a driving force for job creation throughout many sectors, which could open the door to more opportunities and chances for the existing workforce to upskill accordingly.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'Picturesque' Scottish estate with walled gardens for sale
Strutt and Parker is marketing Pluscarden Estate near Elgin which it described as an 'exceptional mixed-use estate'. It covers 1,365 acres and is offered for sale as a whole or in six lots. The agent said: 'The estate includes around 775 acres of arable and pastureland, as well as 545 acres of predominantly coniferous woodland, offering both immediate and long-term timber income potential. 'The main house, completed in 2008, sits in an elevated position and has been designed in a traditional style, with generous proportions and modern finishes throughout.' The estate includes arable land. (Image: Strutt & Parker) The agent also said: 'The gardens themselves are a highlight - mature, colourful and thoughtfully laid out, with sweeping lawns, established borders and a sheltered walled garden that hints at the property's more ornamental past.' The estate includes a second house - a traditional four-bedroom property known as Woodside - as well as a further cottage, a bothy and a range of traditional and modern outbuildings. It also includes a general-purpose agricultural building, workshops, garaging and traditional barns that could suit a range of future uses. The gardens are 'a highlight'. (Image: Strutt & Parker) The agent said: 'Pluscarden's location is part of its appeal: tucked into a quiet corner of Moray but just a short drive from Elgin's amenities, the sandy beaches of the Moray Firth, and the Speyside whisky trail'. Inverness is around 45 miles west, while Aberdeen lies 70 miles to the east, which the agent said puts the estate within reach of airports, mainline rail connections and the A96 corridor. Euan MacCrimmon, of Strutt and Parker in Inverness, said: 'Pluscarden Estate is an exceptional mixed-use estate - it's got the balance right. The combination of mature woodland, well-managed commercial forestry and prime farmland gives it strong fundamentals, while the principal house and gardens offer that lifestyle appeal. It's rare to find something of this scale, diversity and accessibility in this part of Scotland.' The estate is being marketed at offers over £6.5 million. Scottish law firm defies 'global headwinds' An Edinburgh-based legal giant has signalled an increasing appetite for deal-making across key sectors in Scotland as it booked a 15th consecutive year of growth. Stephen Goldie, managing partner of Brodies, offered an upbeat assessment of the corporate outlook following a tumultuous first half of the year defined by macroeconomic and geopolitical upheaval. The firm, which employs nearly 900 people across offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, and London, highlighted the 'resilience and ambition' of its clients amid the domestic and global headwinds as it reported an 11% rise in turnover to £126.7 million for the year ended April 30. The rise in turnover, which was driven by growth across all of the firm's core practice areas – banking and finance, corporate and commercial, dispute resolution and risk, personal and family, and real estate – helped lift operating profit above £50m from £49.2m the previous year. Profit per equity partner was recorded at £885,296. Scottish 'centre of excellence' sold to French giant A French group specialising in testing, inspection and certification has acquired a second business in Scotland in the latest of a series of "strategic investments" to strengthen its building safety and compliance services.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
15th year of growth triggers bonuses for staff at Scottish legal giant Brodies
Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Brodies, the Scottish legal heavyweight, has racked up its 15th consecutive year of growth, triggering a 5 per cent bonus for hundreds of staff. The firm's latest results reveal that total revenues rose to £126.7 million for the year ending April 30, 2025 - an increase of some 11 per cent from £114.3m the previous year. Operating profit also grew, reaching in excess of £50m, up from £49.2m, with profit per equity partner recorded at £885,296. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Continued investment in several key areas saw headcount increase by about 5 per cent, from 837 to 883. This included the appointment of banking and finance partner James Wilson and seven internal partner promotions. Stephen Goldie is managing partner of law firm Brodies. Edinburgh-headquartered Brodies - widely seen as being Scotland's largest indigenous law firm - awarded a 5 per cent bonus to all eligible colleagues, alongside individual performance bonuses and salary increases. All the firm's core practice areas are said to have made progress during the past year, including banking and finance, corporate and commercial, dispute resolution and property. The full-service firm saw growth in instructions for work in Scotland, the UK and internationally. Cash balances at year-end stood at £23.7m, up from £20.9m the previous year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latest results come as Iain Rutherford steps up to chair, succeeding Christine O'Neill, who completed four three-year terms in the role. She continues in her role as a partner. Managing partner Stephen Goldie said: 'Achieving progress amid continuing domestic and global headwinds reflects the resilience and ambition of our clients in Scotland, across the UK, and internationally. 'Recording our 15th consecutive year of growth is testament to the strength of those relationships and the dedication of our colleagues to deliver exceptional legal services. 'As we enter the second year of our current three-year strategic cycle, we remain focused on those plans - recognising the talent and contribution of our colleagues, encouraging greater collaboration across our firm and with our clients, and investing in our offices and in technology that augments the high standards our clients expect.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'We also welcome our new chair, Iain Rutherford, and extend our utmost thanks to Christine O'Neill KC for the considerable wisdom and unwavering commitment she brought to the role of chair. 'The year in review marks my first full year as managing partner. In that time, it has been my privilege to work closely with many colleagues across the firm.' Highlights from the financial year in review include acting for Parkmead Group on its sale of the entire issued share capital of Parkmead (E&P) to Serica Energy, and being the lead legal adviser in the creation of new template agreements to encourage landowners and investors across the UK to participate in woodland and peatland carbon projects. The firm also acted on the build to rent (BTR) investment acquisition of Granary Quay, Glasgow for £70m.
