Highlights From the Final Session of the Emerging Leader Programme

Our final session of the Emerging Leader Programme, delivered and facilitated by our Talent Development Partner Fiona Skene (who stepped into the fold part way through the programme),concluded last week with our participants gathering at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness.

Developed and delivered internally, the 12-month Programme was designed to discover and develop leadership skills, providing participants with insights into their natural and work-adapted leadership styles. It also explored ways to positively influence by adopting new leadership thinking and approaches.

Striking a balance between valuable content and well-being, the last three days of the programme were jam-packed with discussions, presentations, problem-solving, and facilitated sessions. This included our CFO, Rory Mackenzie, delivering 'Finance for Non-Financial Managers', which involved a business simulation activity co-hosted by our Marketing and Communications Director, Sarah Dunn. Both teams worked through the activity to become the most profitable business. Following this, our Chairman, Roy MacGregor, hosted an intimate and insightful dinner where participants were able to hear directly from him about his own leadership journey and experiences.

The focus of our final day was the business improvement presentations, during which each participant had ten minutes to expertly demonstrate their newly acquired skills. They guided our panelists, consisting of Lisa Winchester (Director of People & Culture), Iona Currie (Managing Director), and Mark Webster (Group Insurance Manager), through business-critical, thought-provoking, and entertaining content.

Lisa Winchester, People & Culture Director, commented: “A huge congratulations to all of our Emerging Leaders. Recognising and championing the emerging leaders in our business is something that I feel really strongly about, and we couldn’t have asked for a better cohort; individuals from all areas of our businesses meant new connections were made across our portfolios, not just as managers or leaders but as people."

Fiona Skene, Talent Development Partner, commented:“Congratulations to the Emerging Leaders for their dedication and hard work throughout the program – I eagerly look forward to tracking their ongoing success and the positive impact I know they will make within their respective businesses."

Iona Currie, Group Recruitment Director, commented:“I thought the presentations were a fantastic standard with a big variety of ideas from across the board. It was a pleasure to see such confident and well thought out deliveries that could be taken by the business now and actioned.”

Mark Webster, Group Insurance Manager, commented: "It’s been a pleasure to be involved in the Emerging Leaders Programme over the last 12months. The programme really has given the participants the opportunity to grow in many areas and to see the progress each and every one of them has made is incredible and very encouraging for the Group going forward. Very well done to all."

Congratulations! And thank you for your participation and contributions, Chris Kennerley, Cody Izatt, Connor Mackenzie, Connor Mckinley, Erin Johnstone, Graeme Webster, Grace Ryder, Joshua Jones, Kirstin Gault, Laura MacIver, Mariya Arbalieva, Mathew Preece, Petya Toncheva, and Stuart Malcolm.