Globe–trotting is paying dividends

Glasgow-based design agency Alienation Digital is clearly keen to hang on to the services of developer Hadrien Jouet – managing director Neil Barr has agreed a relocation package that will allow him to travel the world while still working full-time for the company.

Jouet, who has been at the agency for five years, is combining his travels to San Francisco, Montreal and South Korea with spearheading a focus on research and development at the company.

He is keeping in close contact with Alienation’s teams in Glasgow and London across continents and time zones through a combination of Skype, Gmail and the company’s internal online portals.

Barr said the firm was already reaping the rewards of having a member of staff in a US tech hotspot.

He said: “Hadrien’s relocation to San Francisco has really helped the business as he’s continually picking up ideas from peers within the technological capital of the US.

“Developing upon his feedback and ideas has become part of the daily routine at home in the UK, with all of us looking forward to this attributing to another successful financial year as a result.”

Continental expert joins SVM team

Ex-BNP Paribas portfolio manager Alasdair Birch is moving to Edinburgh after landing a job as European equity analyst for investment boutique SVM Asset Management. Fluent in several European languages, Birch took a degree in physics and astronomy from the University of Durham before entering the world of finance.

He will use his expertise on continental matters to offer analysis of European companies, providing support to SVM’s European equity and global equity teams.

Managing director Colin McLean said: “In Alasdair we have recruited a talented investment analyst with excellent knowledge and experience of European markets.”

Ian Bowie takes on ‘irresistable’ role

It’s all change at the top of Perth-based insurance broker Clark Thomson, which has tempted Ian Bowie into the role of chairman following the recent appointment of Ben Bailey as managing director.

Bowie takes over from founder John Clark, who remains chairman of holding company Mountlodge. Derek Barnes, the previous managing director, has stepped down as part of a phased retirement plan but remains on the company board.

Bailey was previously a director of Willis Insurance Brokers for 14 years and latterly led the commercial division across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Bowie previously established and developed his own successful insurance broking business.

He said: “To join John and Ben in Clark Thomson is an opportunity I could not resist.”