Harry Meighan, Marketing Executive at Scottish Financial Enterprise, shares how an unexpected interest in business during his final year at school led him towards a career in marketing. He reflects on choosing an apprenticeship rather than university, beginning his career during the COVID-19 pandemic and discovering the value of learning through hands-on experience.

Psychology graduate and Internal Audit Trainee at Henderson Loggie, Molly Ross shares how curiosity, self-belief and a willingness to embrace uncertainty helped her find a career that brings together her analytical skills and interest in people. She reflects on taking an unconventional route into professional services, learning to trust her instincts and finding a workplace where she can continue to grow.

After an unexpected change in direction, a degree in Business Management with Marketing and a valuable third-year placement helped shape her path into marketing. She reflects on discovering an interest in digital content and consumer behaviour, and why taking a different route can still lead to exciting opportunities.

As part of #NoWrongPath Week, Caitlin shares her journey from medicine and biomedical engineering into business, finance and an internship at SFE, reflecting on how following her curiosity helped her find a career path that brings together her technical strengths and commercial interests.

As thousands of young people across Scotland receive their exam results today, our Chief Executive Sandy Begbie has written a piece reminding young people that there is no wrong path and that your willingness to learn, your mindset and your attitude to challenge matter just as much as exam results.

As part of #NoWrongPath Week, Bruce Fleming, Digital Product Owner at M&G, shares how leaving school at 16, completing an apprenticeship and embracing opportunities beyond his day-to-day role helped him build a fulfilling career in financial services.

Scottish Financial Enterprise’s growth strategy update shows Scotland’s financial and professional services sector has created 21,000 additional jobs since 2023, while increasing its economic contribution to £17.7 billion. Our chief executive Sandy Begbie CBE is calling on the UK and Scottish governments to work together to build on this progress and support further growth.

In the blog, Darcy Hunter-McCallum reflects on her four-week Career Ready internship with SFE, sharing her experience of moving from school into her first office role. She looks back on the skills she developed, the meetings and projects she contributed to, and what she learned about working as part of a professional team.

SFE is pleased to announce that Arlene Stokes, Chief People Officer at Aegon UK, has been appointed as chair of its Gender Equality Network. Based in Edinburgh, Arlene has held senior leadership roles across people and transformation in financial services and other sectors.

SFE can today announce Angela McCann, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley has joined the board of directors. and head of Morgan Stanley’s Glasgow office and the Glasgow finance division, has joined its board.

Scottish Financial Enterprise – in partnership with Royal Bank of Scotland, Financial Inclusion for Scotland and the Money and Pensions Service - has launched a new pilot programme, with support of the FCA, aimed at improving young people’s access to bank accounts and strengthening financial literacy in schools across Scotland. 

Scottish Financial Enterprise's Impact Report 2025–26 sets out our strategic progress over the past year, highlighting key achievements across skills, data and AI, vulnerable customers, and our growth and competitiveness agenda. Explore our milestones, goals and targets, board and governance structure, and more.

Rory Bremner will once again take centre stage as compere for the 2026 Scottish Financial Services Awards, sponsored by EY. The awards take place in Glasgow on 29th October, during Scottish Financial Enterprise’s 40th year.

Angela McCann has been appointed Head of Glasgow at Morgan Stanley. Angela brings over two decades of experience with the firm, including nine years in New York, and will continue in her role as Head of Glasgow Finance alongside her new responsibilities.

We're delighted to announce that international law firm Addleshaw Goddard has strengthened its partnership with SFE in a year which sees the firm grow even further in Scotland, moving into prime new offices in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Scotland’s financial services sector has launched its second Changing Customer Needs report spotlighting the sector’s ongoing commitment to improving customer outcomes against a backdrop of changes to the economic, regulatory and industry landscape. The report highlights the financial services sector’s response to evolving customer requirements across Scotland, and examples of collaboration and innovation that are already making a difference to customer outcomes. 

Edinburgh has risen in the latest Z/Yen Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), climbing four places to rank 28th globally. The move sees Scotland’s capital break back into the world’s top 30 financial hubs, reinforcing its reputation as a premier destination for asset management and Fintech. 

The path to a successful career in finance is evolving. While the "university-first" route was once considered the only gateway to the industry, Ruairidh Kilgour is part of a new generation of professionals choosing to bypass the lecture hall in favour of immediate, high-impact experience. Now a manager at a global consulting firm, Ruairidh opted for a Financial Services apprenticeship to secure a "massive head start" on his peers. By balancing the academic rigor of the ICAS Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification with the realities of client-facing work, Ruairidh’s journey offers a blueprint for how young professionals can build significant career capital from day one.

Sometimes, the most fulfilling career paths are found when you least expect them. For many, the journey into finance is a calculated move, but for others, it's a series of serendipitous moments and pivotal decisions. In this case study, we hear from Jay Robertson, a successful Senior Private Banker at Coutts on how an unexpected apprenticeship sparked a passion, reshaped ambitions, and led to a thriving career in the dynamic world of wealth management.

As we celebrate Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we are shining a light on the diverse paths young talent can take to build a career in Scotland’s world-leading Financial Services sector. Today, we speak with, Ashraf Abdulghaniyy Akeem a Graduate Apprentice at JPMorganChase, who shares how an apprenticeship helped them overcome significant financial barriers as an overseas student, the technical milestones they’ve hit in software development, and why building a community is just as important as writing great code.