Scotland stands at a crossroads. Economic headwinds are strengthening, public budgets are tightening, and in less than nine months, voters will elect a new Scottish Parliament. In this volatile environment, the organisations that will succeed are those that influence the conversation now, before their competitors do.

Securing the outcomes your organisation needs, whether planning permission, funding, or policy change, requires more than strong business fundamentals. It demands early, sustained engagement with the people who influence your success: politicians, regulators, community leaders, and sector stakeholders. At Perceptive Communicators, we specialise in putting our clients at the heart of their industry’s sphere of influence - turning potential roadblocks, like securing planning permission, into growth opportunities.

Biotechnology in Scotland is stepping out of the shadows. No longer a specialist sector, it has become an essential lever for public health, climate resilience and economic renewal. Life sciences now touch every aspect of modern life, from infection prevention and advanced diagnostics to sustainable materials and digital therapeutics. But if we want biotech to power Scotland’s future, we need to do more than celebrate breakthroughs. We need to connect them.

Scotland’s ecosystem is rich with outstanding universities, NHS-linked research hubs and a growing cohort of entrepreneurial biotech ventures. Yet challenges persist. Translating research into real-world impact remains slow. Early-stage companies face funding fragility and talent retention issues. Regulatory complexity limits market access. And too often, success stories are hidden behind technical language or lack the visibility to inspire and attract global partners.

Pancreatic cancer is a silent killer. Its early symptoms - fatigue, back pain, unexplained weight loss - are easily mistaken for everyday ailments or dismissed entirely. Tragically, the warning signs often go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Despite its quiet onset, pancreatic cancer is one of the UK’s deadliest cancers. Only 8% of those diagnosed survive beyond five years, and just 1% reach the ten-year mark. It is now the fifth biggest cancer killer and the tenth most common cancer in the UK. These stark statistics underscore the urgency to shine a light on its subtle symptoms and make early diagnosis the norm - not the exception.

The future of Masterplanning in Scotland is undergoing a transformative shift, one that puts people, place and sustainability at its core. Instead of a one-size fits all solution, developments are being shaped by local needs and priorities, fostering more resilient communities and places that truly belong to those who live there.

The housing market is increasingly defined by rising land values, tightening regulations, and growing demand for quality homes, meaning developers are rightly focused on viability. But there’s a persistent myth in the industry that good design comes at the cost of profitability. At Studio LBA, we challenge that thinking.

Across Scotland, infrastructure is under strain. Whether it's housing delivery, transport networks, energy transition or workforce planning, the scale of challenge now facing our sector is one we can no longer afford to sidestep—or postpone any further.

We’ve all seen the headlines: multiple local authorities declaring housing emergencies, yet residential completions are down by 4%, new starts down by 11%. Social housing build is at its lowest level in nearly a decade. At the same time, strained water and drainage networks, large highways and rail schemes and a forecasted £45 billion energy spend by 2035 all demand readiness and capacity unlike anything we've known or experienced before.

And yet, what worries me most isn’t the data. It’s the inertia.

In just a year’s time Glasgow will welcome back the Commonwealth Games to our city, albeit a pared back version. This will, just twelve years after Scotland last hosted the Games, showcase Glasgow to the world. Importantly, it will once again show the transformational change that has been made in the communities which played host to the Games back in 2014.

The east end of Glasgow and Rutherglen were at the heart of this, being home to the Athletes’ Village and world class venues like the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Emirates Arena. In the intervening years between the Games, these venues have hosted premier sporting events like the 2018 European Championships, the World Cycling Champions in 2023, and most recently the 2024 World Athletics Championships.

Scotland’s life sciences sector is smashing the targets set for it by the Industry Leadership Group, surpassing an £8bn contribution to the Scottish economy a full year ahead of schedule. With a new, ambitious target now set for 2035, the industry requires strategic action to solidify our position as a global leader in this high growth industry

 This will not be easy in the face of difficult economic headwinds: stubborn inflation, expected rises in global oil and gas prices, higher cost of living for employees. Pair this with sectoral specific issues such as shortages of skilled labour, adequate infrastructure and funding, and the outlook is challenging to say the least.

I often hear people talk about the retrofit challenge as though it’s a mountain too steep to climb. But having spent decades immersed in the engineering detail of social housing and working closely with progressive clients across the local authority and wider construction sector, I believe we can flatten that curve. We just need to work smarter, and faster, together.

There’s no question that the race to meet 2030 net zero goals is intensifying. And rightly so. But for local authorities and housing associations who carry much of the responsibility, the scale of the task can feel overwhelming. In Edinburgh alone, the housing stock is evenly split between Council and housing associations, with much of this in urgent need of retrofit investment.

Last week marked the halfway point of 2025 and it’s fair to say it’s been a whirlwind six months in the digital marketing world. Daily feature rollouts, the explosion of AI tools, and what feels like an identity crisis in SEO have left many teams spinning. But while the digital dust storm rages on, the truth remains clear; the best marketing still starts with a clear understanding of your audience.

There has been an undeniable shift in the role of housebuilders across the UK. With the housing crisis, cost of living pressures, and growing skills shortages all converging, the industry is being called to do more than simply deliver bricks and mortar.

Today, housebuilders must consider the fuller picture of how developments can empower and support the communities they serve. Community benefit is no longer a “nice to have” or a project afterthought. When delivered with purpose, it becomes a powerful tool for long-term social change, boosting skills, strengthening local economies, and building places people are proud to call home.

In June 2024, Homes for Scotland (HFS) took a bold step to fill a glaring gap in our national housing data. Our landmark report, Scotland’s SME Home Builders 2024: Data Review and Industry Insights, brought together for the first time a comprehensive picture of the state of Scotland’s SME home building sector—laying bare the vital role these businesses play, the ground they build on and the pressures threatening their survival.

The findings were sobering: since 2007, the number of SME home builders in Scotland has plummeted by two-thirds. 2023 alone saw a record number of dissolutions. The warning lights are flashing—and have been for some time.

Scotland’s largest vaccine producer Valneva has renewed its contract with Glasgow-based communications consultancy, Perceptive Communicators, for ongoing strategic communications support. Perceptive will continue to provide a range of public relations and stakeholder engagement services to support Valneva’s commercial goals and its impact in Scotland’s life sciences sector.

The recent UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds has cemented its place as a major platform for shaping the future of development across the country. With over 16,500 delegates from across the UK and abroad, it has become a central hub for policy and investment in real estate.

Regionalisation was one of the key topics for discussion this year with many of the regional combined authorities in England, like Manchester, Liverpool and Tees Valley, espousing the value and momentum that their devolved regional investment powers have brought to their respective cities and towns. If you go to any of these areas, you can see for yourself the levels of transformation that have been achieved in recent years.

Albyn Housing Society has appointed Robert Buchanan as a new Director of IT and Business Services to support the operations and resilience of the social housing provider as well as a new Head of Development and Sustainability in Marcie Ballance to help Albyn combat the Highland housing challenge.

Part of the wider Albyn Group, Highland Residential has also appointed a new board member in Margaret Morrison.

A UK government-backed innovation programme has delivered a major boost to regional economies, generating more than £140 million in new investment and creating up to 250 full-time equivalent jobs across the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Glasgow City Region.

Funded by Innovate UK, working with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), early impacts emerging from the Innovation Accelerator pilot programme demonstrate it is already delivering significant economic outcomes.

The recent UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds has cemented its place as a major platform for shaping the future of development across the country. With over 16,500 delegates from across the UK and abroad, it has become a central hub for policy and investment in real estate.

Regionalisation was one of the key topics for discussion this year with many of the regional combined authorities in England, like Manchester, Liverpool and Tees Valley, espousing the value and momentum that their devolved regional investment powers have brought to their respective cities and towns. If you go to any of these areas, you can see for yourself the levels of transformation that have been achieved in recent years.

In a business environment that feels increasingly unpredictable, relationships grounded in long-term thinking and shared trust are more important than ever. From global supply chain disruptions to interest rate speculation and shifting consumer behaviour, companies are facing pressure to adapt quickly while still achieving growth and other priority goals. In this landscape, the need for clear, consistent and strategic communication is growing, but so too is the need to access experts who can solve the problems of the moment whilst enabling a business to stay on track.

At Perceptive Communicators, we’ve always believed that lasting client relationships are built on more than delivering to a brief. Our approach was recognised at the CIPR Excellence Awards in two categories this year, including Best Long-Term Client Care. This highlights the need for businesses to have expert support that will deliver insight-led, impact-focused communications, rooted in commercial understanding.

One year ago, Scotland declared a housing emergency, yet we are still nowhere near tackling this challenge. It’s a stark assessment but not a surprising one for those of us working at the heart of housing delivery.

It’s not just a challenge for the homebuilding industry but one that affects everyone. Having a safe and warm place to call home has a direct impact on educational attainment, physical and mental health. Recent statistics from Shelter report over 10,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, the highest level since records began in 2002, which has detrimental implications that can last a lifetime.

Work is now complete on The Auction Rooms, a distinctive, design-led office development in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town. Led by Edinburgh-based Atom Group, with design by award-winning Studio LBA and interiors by Nicola McMurray Design Studio, the restoration blends original features, such as grand staircases, ornate cornicing, and arched doorways, with contemporary design tailored to modern business needs. 

Students from New College Lanarkshire's Motherwell Campus recently visited the construction site at Ravenscraig, as part of their HNC and HND courses in Computer Aided Draughting and Design (CADD) and Architectural Technology.

The site visit focused on Motus Commercials' new 38,000 sqft commercial vehicle workshop and sales facility, which has commenced construction in Ravenscraig’s dedicated employment area, SevenFourEight.