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A new charity partnership initiated by accountancy firm Azets is spearheading efforts to reduce maritime plastic pollution with the first-ever European plastic pick-up to mark UN World Oceans Day. The Azets Plastic Pick-Up Day has been created in partnership between corporate charity Azets 4 Kids an

Perth-based insurance giant Aviva has revealed that the proportion of insurance claims tainted with fraud increased by 13% in 2021. Aviva uncovered more than 11,000 instances of claims fraud last year, worth more than £122m. That is equivalent to detecting more than 30 bogus claims every day,

Kilmarnock-based construction firm McConnell has appointed Kenny Downs as its new group finance director. A Chartered Management Accountant, Mr Downs has previously held a number of operational and strategic finance roles within the construction industry with Urban Union, Keepmoat and City Facilitie

Property factoring business James Gibb has acquired the residential factoring division of Dundee-based J Reavley Factoring Limited. The acquisition will increase the number of properties currently under management at James Gibb by 1,400 units, taking the number to well over 52,000 units.

Scottish businesses were the least confident in the UK, although confidence remains in positive territory, according to a new survey by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Business sentiment tracked by ICAEW’s Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) for Scotland, publ

Legislation to support smaller businesses to raise finance, helping them maintain income and address rising business costs has been published by the Scottish Government. The Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill will give new opportunities to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other busin

The world’s largest bottle of whisky, containing 311 litres of 32-year-old Macallan single malt, has been sold at auction for £1.1 million. The 5ft 11in tall bottle, called The Intrepid, was bought by an anonymous, international buyer at Edinburgh-based auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull ye

Digital driving licences used by millions of Australians are remarkably easy to falsify without detection, researchers have found. Since 2019, motorists in New South Wales (NSW) have been able to use a smartphone app to prove their identity to police or when buying alcohol in shops and restaurants,

Commercial fit-out and renewables specialist McGill has appointed Louise Gibson as its new head of finance. Ms Gibson brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the group as it prepares for a full pipeline of work into 2023 and beyond. She has amassed years of experience in accountancy, mos

Orkney-based engineering company Orbital Marine has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £4 million to help kick start the next phase of its business. The firm intends to use the funds to enable the long-term commercial operation of a tidal stream turbine off the coast of Orkney.

The Embassy of Switzerland in the UK and the Chartered Institute of Taxation, in conjunction with the Edinburgh Tax Network and Terra Firma Chambers, will host a high-level panel discussion on “ESG investing - political ambition and practical reality: how can professionals and trustees support

Corporate finance specialist Dow Schofield Watts has opened a new office in Glasgow as it continues to build its presence in Scotland. It is the second new location within weeks for the firm, which opened an office in Edinburgh in April and which has an existing office in Aberdeen.

Experienced leaders from business, academia, third sector and trade unions have been appointed by the Scottish Government to the new delivery board promised in the National Economic Strategy to deliver Scotland’s long term economic ambitions. The National Strategy for Economic Transformation D

  A £4.3 million project to significantly improve the inner harbour at Ullapool in Wester Ross has secured an investment of up to £1.086m from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Sandy Manson, chair of Johnston Carmichael and former CEO, is stepping down from the role at the end of this month after 31 years with the business. Mr Manson, a highly regarded member of the wider Scottish business community, was CEO for 12 years, seeing the firm grow from 350 people and revenues o