Business areas
Data, AI and Robotics
DLME has worked with the Data-Driven Innovation initiative in Edinburgh on many projects, including:
- Shaping and hosting four full-day annual conferences (two online, one in person) - DataFutures (2023), Data for Diversity (2022), Doing Data Better (2021) & Doing Data Together (2020).
- Hosting the ongoing Data Capital podcast series - looking at topics including We Begin As Data with leading tech commentator Stephanie Hare plus Computer Says No: Algorithms and Recruitment Bias with Dr Nakeema Stefflbauer and Making A Difference about two young female data entrepreneurs. All episodes are available by searching Data Capital on all the main podcast platforms.
- Writing and editing regular supplements on data, AI and robotics, including recent features on The wartime codebreaker who brought AI research to 1960s Edinburgh and Human-robot interaction
Environment and Sustainability
This is a subject that increasingly cuts across all of my work. I’ve hosted numerous live and online events on sustainability, including Kick-Starting Scotland’s Green Economic Recovery and Leadership for a Sustainable Future - as well as the Sustainable Scotland podcast series, including episodes on Places People Love to Live and the first Adam Smith Chair in Sustainable Capitalism.
I also presented the Royal Bank of Scotland’s podcast series A Greener World Needs A Plan - including How small businesses can make the shift to net zero.
Sustainable Scotland, a 32-page supplement which appeared just after COP26 in November 2021, assessed whether Scotland can hit net zero by 2045. I edited the supplement and wrote most of it, with the opening article concluding with this quote about whether Scotland can make it: “If you’re asking me the art of the possible, then yes, we can achieve this target, Are we going to? If I was a betting man, I’m not sure.” Read this article here and the whole supplement here.
Forestry and Rural Affairs
I’ve supported forestry and wood trade body Confor since 2010 - hosting events, producing election manifestos and other publications, writing articles and advising on PR, social media and political engagement, with PA Cooperative colleague Neil Cuthbert. We also work with private forestry businesses.
I’ve organised and hosted 60+ in-person and online events for the sector, including several at Westminster - including annual policy conferences at the QEII Centre in 2022 and 2023, and regular meetings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Forestry and Tree Planting. I also host Confor's annual awards dinner.
I've also produced forestry manifestos for UK, Scottish and Welsh elections, most recently: A Manifesto for Trees and Timber in Northern Ireland (2022); Building A Greener Future (Holyrood 2021), The Wood and The Tree: A Forestry and Timber Manifesto for Wales (May 2021). I have hosted the Scottish Land & Estates conference three times, from 2020-2022.
Life Sciences
I’ve been involved in this fast-growing business sector for a number of years. I established The Scotsman/Life Sciences Scotland annual conference and organised and hosted it for several years. I have also written the supplement that appears before the conference – and the report afterwards – for many years.
Law and Legal Affairs
I’m very active in the legal sector as an event and podcast host, communications adviser, editor of The Scotsman’s long-running legal pages, and the longest-serving judge in the Scottish Legal Awards In autumn 2023, I've hosted Law Society events on topics as diverse as conveyancing, anti-money laundering and the new partner practice management course.
If you would like to find out more about what we could do for your business or sector, email us using the link below.