Days after Ian Marchant announced his retirement, the chief executive of SSE seemed to be demob happy.
Never one previously known for startling audiences with his public speaking, Marchant veered towards a near rant during what might have been expected to be a more measured speech at a recent £300-a-head energy conference in London.
Apparently, despite running a utility himself for the last 11 years, he said: “I hate the term, ‘the Big Six’.” Instead, he said he thinks of the “Big Five” and went on to ascribe each with their own unique animal characteristics.
His verdict on the energy zoo was as follows: “Centrica is the lion. He struts around, roaring, thinking he is king.
“EDF is probably the leopard – they pretend they are interested in customers, but they can’t change their spots – we know it’s nuclear they really care about.
“E.On have also taken action, but like the buffalo, they are just following the herd.
“NPower is the elephant, blundering around and leaving a lot of mess; and finally ScottishPower is the rhino – thick-skinned and impossible to describe and predict.
“I will leave it to you to attach an animal to SSE.”
So, answers on a postcard, then...
Double the Wattage
We WERE initially surprised to hear that Arts & Business Scotland has chosen David Watt to succeed Barclay Price, who is retiring as chief executive in April – we thought Watt was busy running the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Scotland.
But it turns out that the Watt in question is the current director of Glasgow Sculpture Studios, who has helped find the group a splendid new home at the Whisky Bond, Spiers Lock in the growing creative neighbourhood on Glasgow’s canal.
He said he was delighted to be moving to Arts & Business Scotland at “an exciting and challenging time for the organisation”.
David Watt at the IoD also got a start when seeing the news. “Didn’t think there could be two like me!” he quipped.
Blazing a trail to new job
WHO wants to drive a tram in Edinburgh city centre when it finally starts rolling? Lots of people apparently – 350 applied for just 12 driver jobs. But Robin Worsnop, chief executive of tour company Rabbie’s Trail Burners, reckons people would have more fun driving his buses.
As long as you have a “big personality”, they reckon they can train you up. Their current batch of employees has a mixed range of skills including former accountants, radio producers and even a bomb disposal expert.
New face, old source...
A change of the guard already at the fledgling Edinburgh-based Green Investment Bank. Omar Mohammed, hired from Royal Bank of Scotland to run the press office, has left. The new man is also from RBS: Stephen Moir, head of strategic communications, will be swapping one government-backed bank for another.