Scottish Global Investment Summit,

It was a privilege to open the first ever Scottish Global Investment Summit, an event I'm proud to have co-founded with Sandy Begbie CBE FRSE, CEO of Scottish Financial Enterprise. This summit was born from a shared vision: to showcase Scotland as a global investment hub and unlock capital for its most dynamic sectors - from financial services and fintech to life sciences and clean energy.

We were especially pleased to welcome Rt Hon Darren Jones MP. Collaboration between government and industry is crucial to drive and attract long-term investment.

Scotland is home to over 200 fintech firms, manages more than £700 billion in assets from Edinburgh alone, and contributes nearly 7% of the UK’s financial and professional services exports. The summit will showcase the nation’s strengths in green finance, banking, and advanced data-driven innovation - demonstrating why Scotland is not just a regional centre, but a strategic national asset.

The Scottish Investment Summit saw me chairing roundtable discussions focused on two of Scotland’s most forward-looking sectors: life sciences and renewable energy. The level of innovation, ambition, and investment potential is clear.

We've had some insightful contributions from leaders across finance, government, and industry, including Hannah Gurga, Kate Forbes MSP, Professor Juergen Maier CBE FRS FREng, and Keith Anderson as we discussed the evolving investment landscape and the opportunities for deeper UK-wide collaboration.