Six Months : Inverness – Our Highland Home
Six months ago GLM announced ‘Inverness here we come’ and what a six months we have had in the Highlands.
For those who haven’t yet had the full story, here’s a summary : it began about 18 months ago, in May 2018, on a road trip round Speyside when I first pitched the idea of a regional office. Ian McKee, Managing Director, spent August 2018 exploring both Scotland and the idea further. We built a business case and a marketing strategy and the result is GLM’s first regional office in the heart of Inverness, now celebrating 6 months since opening.
It has been a privilege to be welcomed into the Highland Business Community and I am immensely grateful for the warm, friendly reception both I and the wider GLM team have received. For those who like a few numbers we have met eighty four people for a one-to-one (double what we first hoped for) and attended thirty six events all resulting in opportunities for collaboration with those seeking to carry out similar work in the Highlands.
My appointment as a Director of Highland Business Women and the opportunity to work closely alongside an inspiring group of women to enable networking, sharing and inspiring is both a delight and a privilege.
Furthermore, Women in Property has recently launched in the Highlands & Islands following a hugely successful networking lunch in September, attended by over 40 women from a wide range of disciplines. Following my three years of involvement with the Central Scotland branch, led by Samantha McCabe, and with my recent move to Inverness we organised the event to gauge interest in setting up a satellite branch to cover the Highlands & Islands. Following its success, I am delighted to announce that I will Chair the Highlands & Islands branch for its first term and that GLM are proud sponsors. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and look forward to connecting women who work in all aspects of property across the region to #AspireSucceedInspire.
The vision for GLM’s Highland Office was, and remains, to create an on-going and sustainable presence in the Highlands, to win more local work, be part of the Highland business community and support growth and development of Highland talent. As we look ahead to the growth we are delighted to be seeking to grow the team in our Inverness Office and will shortly be advertising a selection of positions to enhance our Highland service offering. Keep an eye on our website and social media if you would like an opportunity to join Team GLM.
Ian McKee, GLM’s Managing Director, said ‘As a business we could not have asked for a warmer welcome from the Highland community in Inverness and beyond. We’ve had so many great projects in the region over the decades, from Ackergill to Cawdor, John O’ Groats to Inverness bus station (believe it or not!), and this new office has demonstrated just how much activity and potential there is in the Highlands. We look forward to building on Hannah’s great work by developing a truly Highland office, with local technical staff delivering our unique blend of Building Surveying, Architecture and Project Management. The values of the business community are very clear, and it has been gratifying to see how closely they match our own – of trust, of sustainability, of cautious due diligence along with the determination to see a good idea through. With this in mind we look forward to continuing to build our presence and meeting and working with many more of the fantastic businesses, landowners, developers and residents of the Highlands.’
All that’s left to say is a huge thank you for welcoming us in to the Highlands, for taking the time to meet us and for everything that is to come. If you haven’t caught up with us yet, drop us a line and pop in for a coffee.
Associate Director
Chair of Women in Property Highlands & Islands