Business leaders of the future will be given a lesson on the sometimes risky business of growing a successful organisation during the prestigious 2008 Absoft Entrepreneurship Lecture at The Robert Gordon University.
Scottish entrepreneur Dr Melfort Campbell OBE, Chairman and Chief Executive of Imes Group, will deliver RGU’s 12th annual entrepreneurship lecture to an audience of more than 200 students at the Aberdeen Business School on March 13.
Since establishing the company in 1985, Dr Campbell has steered its evolution from its origins as Water Weights – a novel methodology for testing crane-lifting integrity – to a highly focused specialist global engineering group that has diversified and expanded into many other markets including defence, marine, oil and gas and construction industries.
During the lecture, which is entitled Diversification: The Path to Success, Dr Campbell will discuss the risks and benefits of such growth strategies for entrepreneurs – and particularly those based in the north-east of Scotland.
The entrepreneur joins an elite list of high fliers who have taken part in the lecture series since its inception in 1996. These include John Milligan of Atlantic Power, Steve Remp of Ramco Energy and Jamie Smith, founder of the Ice Factor, as well as serial entrepreneurs Sir Tom Hunter and Chris Gorman. Scottish business software expert Absoft Limited has sponsored the University’s prestigious lecture series since 2002.
Susan Moult, entrepreneurship lecturer at the AberdeenBusinessSchool, said: “This lecture series was created with the aim of motivating and inspiring students by letting them interact with some of Scotland’s top entrepreneurs. It is particularly gratifying this year to welcome Dr Campbell, who is an ideal role model for illustrating the type of opportunities that local north east companies and individuals can aspire to with the right mindset and entrepreneurial strategies.”
Absoft’s managing director Ian Mechie said: “Entrepreneurs initiate and take the risk of operating a business for profit, but they do not make successful companies alone. They rely on the strengths of the teams they build around them, enjoying the talents of others to help them realise their goals.
“This year’s lecture promises to give an incisive insight into how existing entrepreneurs and those whose ideas and practices will drive the economy of the future alike can benefit from a shared knowledge across the business spectrum.”
