Developing and Implementing Strategy

The Executive Leadership Programme (ELP) 2024 recently launched with a session on Developing and Implementing Strategy. Jointly run by FWB and the University of Edinburgh Business School (UEBS), the programme is designed to enable the next generation of leaders across multiple ownership classes or organisations within a broad range of private, public, and non-profit sectors.

The first session of ELP, which will run until December, was led by Professor Chris Carter, Chair in Strategy and Organisation at the UEBS and Colin Robertson, Founder and Chairman of Robertson Campbell Investments, investing in private equity, commercial property and manufacturing turnaround opportunities. Previously, Colin was Chief Executive of Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), Britain’s largest bus and coach manufacturer, for 13 years before selling it to NFI Group in May 2019 and joining their board of directors as Vice Chairman. He transformed ADL by spearheading its UK market dominance and significant international expansion by relentlessly focusing on customer needs, operational excellence and product innovation. This resulted in a fourfold growth in turnover to £630 Million. Colin was appointed Chair of Entrepreneurial Scotland in 2018 and was awarded a CBE in 2019 for his services to exports and the bus and coach manufacturing sector.

When developing strategy, you effectively have to “play the hand you’re dealt”, but you do have to ensure you involve the right people in the process, step out of your comfort zone, guard against group think, be able to handle the politics of a strategic decision and communicate the strategy to key stakeholders – these are some of the key criteria to take into consideration. Colin also mentioned the need to get comfortable with discomfort and build good strategic networks, as the video clip below from the session explains.

[Those who have attended the ELPs now form part of a hugely diverse network of aspiring business leaders across the Scottish economy]

The session was an excellent practical view of strategy development and implementation illustrated superbly by many stories from Colin’s illustrious business career.

The second session of ELP 2024 will focus on ‘Creating and Leading Business Transformation’ and be led by Professor John Amis, Chair in Strategic Change Management and Organisation and Co-Director of the Centre for Strategic Leadership at UEBS, and Helen Page, NXD Bank of Ireland UK and The Artisanal Spirits Company plc, Chair of Label Sessions; Board Trustee, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and The SSPCA, and formerly Chief Brand Officer CYBG/Virgin Money.

For more information on ELP 2025 please contact elp@fwbltd.com.