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.

This blog, authored by Scottish Financial Enterprise Young Professional's Climate Change & Journey to Net-Zero Workstream, reflects on a recent roundtable discussion with professional and financial services members of SFE on the topic of financing the transition. Read the full blog post here and join the conversation on how we can achieve our net zero goals together

SFE can today announce that Emma Noble, Group Director Conduct, Compliance and Operational Risk (CCOR) at Lloyds Banking Group has joined its board. Emma replaces Jackie Leiper who stepped down from the position at the end of 2025.

A new report from TheCityUK and PwC calls for faster, more decisive action to strengthen the UK’s competitiveness as a global financial centre. Download the report here.

SFE is pleased to announce that Ross Liston, CEO of M&G Advice, will serve as chair of its Wealth Management Group.

With a career dedicated to improving customer outcomes, he is recognised for championing professional standards, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration across the financial services industry. 

Scottish Financial Enterprise has launched an update to its skills action plan to help prepare the industry for rapid change in the wake of AI. The update comes as rapid advances in emerging technology and a competitive hiring landscape are reshaping the industry and seeks to highlight how best to prepare the workforce for an AI led world.

Scottish Financial Enterprise and leading law firm Burness Paull have joined forces to launch a new guide for firms considering locating in Scotland. The guide aims to build momentum from Scotland’s Global Investment Summit, co-hosted by SFE and the Lord Mayor of London earlier this month, which brought global investors to Edinburgh to showcase the best of Scotland’s investment opportunities across three key sectors.

We are delighted to announce that Rushad Abadan, Group General Counsel at Aberdeen Group, will become SFE deputy chair in place of Jackie Leiper who is retiring from Lloyds Banking Group later this year, effective from 1st January. Rushad will also chair the Nomination Committee.