Scotland, particularly the central belt, is a powerhouse of life sciences talent. This region

boasts a rich synergy between companies, universities, colleges and networks, fostering a

collaborative environment that drives innovation. However, a significant challenge threatens

to stifle this burgeoning sector, the acute shortage of suitable lab space.

As we approach the ten-year anniversary of Clarus Networks Group later this year, I am proud to reflect on our journey from a small tech start-up in Bathgate, to a global leader in connectivity solutions with offices in both Scotland and England.

Scottish tech company Clarus Networks Group is playing a key role in uncovering one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history - the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Supporting South Carolina-based marine robotics experts Deep Sea Vision on an extensive deep-water search mission, Clarus provided high speed satellite internet for the team’s search vessel, allowing them to use sophisticated search equipment in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where fast connectivity is otherwise impossible.

You might be surprised to learn that Scotland currently holds the title for both the fastest and slowest average broadband connection speeds in the UK. Lochwinnoch, in Renfrewshire, was found to have the fastest broadband in the UK (a whopping 409Mb average connection), whereas Halkirk, in Caithness, was found to have the slowest (just 2.8Mb). But in 2024, your internet doesn’t have to be a postcode lottery of copper versus fibre, as lightning fast broadband can now be delivered without any wires whatsoever.

Five billion people will use social media globally in 2024. When it comes to the world of business, used in the right way, social media is a powerful tool that can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Cost-effective and highly measurable, the value of quality social media is plain for all to see. The smartest teams will already be planning for the year ahead…

Housing, for most of us, is one of the very few constants in our lives. Our home plays host to some of the happiest moments in our lives, provides us with fundamental security and is the key to improving life opportunities. It is somewhere we should be able to feel safe, warm and part of a community.

With over 358,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland, accounting for over 99 percent of all private sector firms, SMEs are crucial for the economic and social success of this country.

Perceptive Communicators has added to its portfolio of innovative clients after being appointed by The Clarus Networks Group to deliver public relations support, and by George Buchanan Architects in a social media capacity.

Renewables by far dominate electricity generation in Scotland, with our output quadrupling since 2007, and renewables now representing 27,000 jobs. However, there is still work to be done, and the sector needs support to complete the transition in all areas, including renewable heat sources and transport.

Technology and data are not just altering the way we drive, do our jobs, and go shopping. They are also transforming social care and how we look after our loved ones.

Over the winter we saw another wave of pressure on our health services. This is made all the worse by so-called ‘bed blocking’, where patients who are ready to be discharged do not have the appropriate care in place to leave hospital.

Scotland is rapidly approaching its net zero deadline of 2045. When these sorts of targets are set by the government they can seem so far away in the future. To organisations and businesses who are just trying to survive, they can seem irrelevant to the here and now. But in terms of investment, infrastructure, and property, 2045 is just around the corner and must be at the forefront of organisational thinking.

Business is about people, and business success relies on staying ahead of the competition. New technology like 5G gives businesses the opportunity to seek new possibilities, however it requires the effort and collaboration of people, organisations and industries to make it happen.

On a recent car journey, I heard a news item about farmers choosing not to sow seeds as they can’t guarantee workers will be available to harvest crops. You reap what you sow and the consequences of this possible inaction in Scotland, when over 70% of its land area is under agricultural management, is a concern.

Perceptive Communicators has added to its portfolio of innovative biotechnology clients after being appointed by MiAlgae to deliver strategic public relations and social media support.

Many of us are now working on a hybrid basis, partly from home and partly in the office. I am aware of a variety of hybrid working approaches. Regardless of the working model adopted, I am hearing from both my clients that I am coaching and the coaches that I am supervising that the leaders of organisations are struggling. The psychological stamina and emotional resilience needed now is a tall order after the pandemic.

A recent survey by Price Waterhouse about the potential for precision medicine shows that global leaders in the pharmaceuticals industry are aware of its promise; 92% identify precision medicine as an opportunity and 84 percent have it on their corporate agenda.

YouTube, Zoom and Instagram have boosted the popularity of virtual exercise classes and the Couch to 5k mobile app has hit five million downloads since the pandemic started with no signs of slowing down. More people are achieving improvements to their physical and mental health through technology

Scotland is particularly proud of its food and drinks industry - it has a larder full of speciality products and global brands. Accounting for one in five manufacturing jobs and contributing to over 13% of exports, the industry is also a major contributor to Scotland’s economy and a key growth sector.

Some asks are big, unrealistic - a moonshot. Some are achievable with a fair wind behind them. My ask for Social Care is that we are unbridled of obstruction, allowed the conditions in which to flourish, in short, that we can function without friction.