Hydro boss takes to the stage at Business Week event

21st November 2014

Glasgow business figures received a unique insight into the growth of the Scottish Exhibition Centre campus and its impact on the city at an event hosted by Clydesdale Bank.

The session – An Audience with Peter Duthie – was held at Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Glasgow on Thursday November 14. Peter Duthie became CEO of the SECC and SSE Hydro in April 2014.

The event, organised as part of the Bank’s third Business Week, reviewed the growth of the SECC and SSE Hydro, which together have attracted a host of stars from Bob Dylan to Beyonce to the city.

It is estimated that the SECC delivered £378m of economic value to Glasgow last year. The SSE Hydro, which opened just over a year ago, has since produced a net additional expenditure of £131m for the city. The SSE Hydro was recently named as the third busiest entertainment venue in the world and recently hosted the MTV European Music Awards.

Clydesdale Bank is official banking partner of the SSE Hydro.

Robert Gibson, Head of Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Glasgow, said: “The SSE Hydro has been a significant addition to the city, boosting the hospitality sector and raising the city’s profile internationally.

“I’d like to thank Peter for sharing his inspiring experiences and the growth journey of one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

“We’re proud to be a partner of the SSE Hydro and look forward to expanding our partnership with the venue next year.”

Clydesdale Bank’s Business Week was held from November 10-14 to help businesses invest, connect and network where it matters most.

Business Week has seen more than 250 events staged at the Bank’s UK-wide network of Business and Private Banking Centres, including many across the West of Scotland. Among the events staged locally were maximising business value for exit, advice from Scottish Enterprise on the grants that are available to support SMEs, effective branding and workshops on how the Bank assesses funding applications.

Research* commissioned by Clydesdale Bank as part of Business Week suggested that Scottish small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are ready to invest nearly £5.3bn into the economy over the next 12 months. According to the research, 82% of Scotland’s 326,000** SMEs are ready to invest, with each small business spending on average 5% of turnover. Key areas such as new equipment, staff training and increased marketing are at the top of their shopping lists.

*Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 802 UK adults aged 18+ from 9th-17th October 2014. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria. www.opinium.co.uk

**Department for Business Innovation and Skills SME population figures