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Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow's Lord Provost accepts honorary university degree
Jacqueline McLaren was one of 11 names to be given the recognition from Strathclyde Uni at graduation ceremonies this summer. She said: "I'm just an ordinary woman from Maryhill who, in my youth, worked at Boots the Chemist and Virgin Records. "It gave me a great grounding in recognising the value of honest toil and the importance of showing up, smiling and trying your very best every single day." Glasgow's First Citizen recalled how a local campaign in 2015, Save the School Buses, sparked her political journey. She continued: "Little did I think that campaign would change my life so dramatically. "To the graduands here today, my philosophy for life, love and all the other big, important questions is simple: don't give up and don't dwell on mistakes. "When times are tough, putting one foot in front of the other and simply carrying on is enough." (Image: Guy Hinks (Image: Guy Hinks READ NEXT: Famous Glasgow names to be awarded honorary degrees We previously reported that Gorbals-born, Lord Willie Haughey, crime writer Denise Mina and Mary Robinson, former President of the Republic of Ireland (1990-97) and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002) also received the honours. Joining them were Professor Dame Anne Johnson, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Co-Director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London, Jon Stanton, Chief Executive of the Weir Group, Fiona Drouet MBE, founder and CEO of the Emily Test charity, Dr Ruth McKernan, neuroscientist and venture partner, SV Health Investors, David Garbutt, Chair of NHS Education for Scotland, Lady Eileen McDonald, Ambassador for the University of Strathclyde. Awards of Alumnus and Alumna of the Year were also made to, respectively, Colin Gray, Head of the Scottish Government in the USA, and Lena Wilson, former CEO of Scottish Enterprise.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
'An ordinary woman from Maryhill': Lord Provost accepts honorary university degree
Glasgow's Lord Provost was awarded an honorary university degree. Jacqueline McLaren was one of 11 names to be given the recognition from Strathclyde Uni at graduation ceremonies this summer. She said: "I'm just an ordinary woman from Maryhill who, in my youth, worked at Boots the Chemist and Virgin Records. "It gave me a great grounding in recognising the value of honest toil and the importance of showing up, smiling and trying your very best every single day." Glasgow's First Citizen recalled how a local campaign in 2015, Save the School Buses, sparked her political journey. She continued: "Little did I think that campaign would change my life so dramatically. "To the graduands here today, my philosophy for life, love and all the other big, important questions is simple: don't give up and don't dwell on mistakes. "When times are tough, putting one foot in front of the other and simply carrying on is enough." (Image: Guy Hinks (Image: Guy Hinks READ NEXT: Famous Glasgow names to be awarded honorary degrees We previously reported that Gorbals-born, Lord Willie Haughey, crime writer Denise Mina and Mary Robinson, former President of the Republic of Ireland (1990-97) and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002) also received the honours. Joining them were Professor Dame Anne Johnson, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Co-Director of the Institute for Global Health at University College London, Jon Stanton, Chief Executive of the Weir Group, Fiona Drouet MBE, founder and CEO of the Emily Test charity, Dr Ruth McKernan, neuroscientist and venture partner, SV Health Investors, David Garbutt, Chair of NHS Education for Scotland, Lady Eileen McDonald, Ambassador for the University of Strathclyde. Awards of Alumnus and Alumna of the Year were also made to, respectively, Colin Gray, Head of the Scottish Government in the USA, and Lena Wilson, former CEO of Scottish Enterprise.
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Singer Dave Dobbyn is left broken-hearted after legendary music manager dies: 'It's a very sad day'
New Zealand singer Sir Dave Dobbyn has led the tributes after his beloved long-time manager Lorraine Barry died on Monday. Originally hailing from Northern Ireland, Barry found her second home in New Zealand, where she played a pivotal role in managing icons such as Dobbyn, rapper Tom Scott, and bands like Avantdale Bowling Club and Home Brew. She died at her Auckland home, after suffering a long illness. Her death was confirmed in a heartbreaking social media statement. 'Our wonderful Lorraine died yesterday. She was at her beautiful Titirangi home, lying in the sun and very peaceful,' the statement began. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'To everyone who knew her, was mentored, inspired or supported by her, we know you will be feeling this loss too. We are sending love to the music industry and wider community on her behalf.' Barry's illustrious career included a 16-year tenure as international marketing manager at Virgin Records in the UK. Across her career, she collaborated with legendary figures like the Spice Girls, Massive Attack, John Lee Hooker, the Chemical Brothers, Ice T and Soul II Soul. Slice of Heaven singer Dave Dobbyn paid tribute to her by sharing a heartfelt throwback photo of them together, which he captioned with some heartfelt words. 'It's a very sad day for my family and friends and for anyone who knew Lorraine. She was a straight shooter, her aim was true,' Dave began. 'We clicked from the start. I got so used to confiding in her as she had great instinct and a canny intelligence.' He added she had been an incredible manager in the two decades she had represented him. 'She had a great way with people and didn't suffer foolishness. Twenty-one years later and I'm at a loss to be without her. 'What would Lorraine think about this and that moving forward? Well she would tell me not to be anxious and to stick to the path we have nurtured. 'All who dealt with her had a deep respect for her. Rest in eternal peace.' NZ Six60 bassist Chris Mac also paid tribute, writing: 'She will be missed. Grateful to have known her.' 'Sending so much love. Such a kind brilliant woman,' NZ radio presented Sharyn Casey chipped in. 'A gem of a woman. Heartbroken for us all,' added NZ country singer Tami Neilson. Barry is survived by her long-term husband Ross.
RNZ News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Respected music manager Lorraine Barry dies
Lorraine Barry in 2018. The international music manager has died at home in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Yadana Saw New Zealand's music community is paying tribute to a well-respected manager who has died. Lorraine Barry came from Northern Ireland but made her home in New Zealand managing Sir Dave Dobbyn, Tom Scott, and groups such as the Avantdale Bowling Club and Home Brew. She was a board member for the New Zealand Music Commission and a mentor of developing artists. During her 16 years as international marketing manager for Virgin Records in the UK, she worked with international artists including John Lee Hooker, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Ice T, Soul II Soul and the Spice Girls. Sir Dave Dobbyn and Lorraine Barry at the Silver Scrolls in 2019. Photo: RNZ In an interview with RNZ's The Mixtape in 2018, Barry said music was a personal thing that said so much about someone and she liked to stay in the background. "I think that's my role as a manager... My musical tastes have sort of been mine and people don't really know much about me and now you are totally exposing me to the world." Barry said she grew up in "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland - the conflict from 1968 to 1998 between Protestants and Catholics over whether Northern Ireland should stay part of the UK or become part of Ireland. Barry said it began when she was about 10, and nightlife was restricted, forcing teenagers out of Belfast and into the suburbs. This influenced her exposure to music and in her mixtape the first song she chose was the 1980 hit My Perfect Cousin by The Undertones, a rock band from Derry in Northern Ireland - partly for the accent. A death notice online said Lorraine Elizabeth Barry passed away peacefully at home in Auckland after a short illness. "Loving partner to Ross, daughter to Betty and sister to Denise. Lorraine will be sadly missed and remembered by brother in law Kenny, her nephews Robert, Philip, Andrew and David and the wider family circle." The notice said a service would be held in her home town of Whitehead, north of Belfast, at a later date. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CNBC
13-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Richard Branson: People have told me I'd fail on many occasions—how I know when to trust myself anyway
Richard Branson says the biggest reason he's a billionaire today is because he trusts his instincts — and he's not discouraged when people tell him a new venture is "crazy" or doomed to fail. Instead, Branson takes those doubts to heart: He listens to his advisors so as to consider every possible pitfall of a new venture. Once those issues are identified, Branson says he takes the necessary precautions to "protect the downside" before forging ahead. That mindset has helped the British founder push past the objections of naysayers, particularly when he strongly believes that one of his seemingly "crazy" ventures can bring something new to a market that's ripe for disruption, Branson, 74, wrote in a LinkedIn post on April 28. "Since we launched, there have been many occasions where people told me we'd fail. But we've stuck by our belief that if you can create something better than everybody else, then you at least have a chance of succeeding," Branson wrote. Branson's risky decision to launch Virgin Atlantic in 1984 is a prime example of the billionaire's philosophy, he wrote in the LinkedIn post. "People thought we were crazy to launch an airline," wrote Branson. "I went against everyone's advice. Friends, experts, the press, the pundits — and on paper, they were right." Branson "had no idea how the aviation world worked" at the time, having previously only worked in the music industry since founding Virgin Records more than a decade earlier, he wrote. But he was convinced that he could improve upon the flying experience offered by most traditional airlines, mostly because it was so "subpar," he noted. It was a huge challenge — one that Branson acknowledged "was very risky" due to the fact that he was taking on much larger, established rivals in a highly competitive industry, he told CNBC Make It in April 2024. Branson took those risks seriously. Rather than dismiss anyone who disagrees with him, Branson advocates for surrounding himself with intelligent people and then spending "as much time as possible listening" to alternative points of view, he wrote on LinkedIn in February 2015. Branson prioritized "protecting the downside" by starting out small and negotiating an escape hatch in case he was wrong. In the case of Virgin Atlantic, that meant starting the company by leasing just a single 747 aircraft from Boeing: "In case my instinct was wrong, I negotiated the right to hand [Virgin's first plane] back to Boeing at the end of the first year," Branson said. "The most the airline was actually going to cost — apart from my reputation, which is obviously very important — was roughly a year's profits at Virgin Records." Fortunately for Branson, his instincts ultimately paid off: Virgin Atlantic is still in business after more than four decades. It has overcome ups and downs, even emerging from bankruptcy proceedings in 2021. More recently, the business posted record annual revenue of nearly $4.5 billion in 2024 that returned the company to profitability, the company announced in March. "Virgin Atlantic is proof that you don't need to stay in your lane," Branson wrote. Without that mindset, Branson never would have launched Virgin Atlantic, much less continued branching out into new industries like telecommunications, hospitality, and even spaceflight. "There's many things that we've done that we wouldn't have done if we'd listened to accountants," Branson told CNBC Make It. Not every decision has been a success. He launched some short-lived brands, like Virgin Cola and Virgin Clothing, that never panned out. Even Branson's spaceflight play, Virgin Galactic, has suffered "significant losses since inception," including losing $346 million in 2024, the company said in its annual report in February. In the case of Virgin Galactic, Branson mitigated the risk to Virgin Group by selling the bulk of its stake in the public space tourism company to investors. Ultimately, though, Branson's overall track record speaks for itself. He boasts a net worth that Forbes currently estimates at $2.8 billion. At the same time, Branson still refuses to think of himself purely as a businessman. "[I'm] somebody that loves to create things that I can be proud of," he told CNBC Make It.
