Biographies

Steve Cook

Steve is currently Chief Executive of Empire HR Ltd, an Aberdeen based HR and Health & Safety Support services company.   The company was subject to a management buy out in September 2007, successfully led by Steve.   Empire HR currently employ 26 people on a full-time and part-time basis with additional staff planned for 2012. 

Steve is active within the Aberdeen community and is currently Chairman of Enterprise North East Trust (ENET), who deliver the Business Gateway contract into both the Grampian & Tayside regions and who also have a major property portfolio.  ENET, a “not for distribution of profit” organisation, employ around 70 staff and have a turnover just short of £4m. Steve is also on the Council of the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

Steve is also a Patron and fundraiser for Cancer Link Aberdeen & North (CLAN) and is involved with the Aberdeen International Football Festival, an annual football quiz on behalf of Alzheimer’s and also the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. 

Until the MBO in September 2007, Steve was a director & shareholder of Linkfleet Ltd, an Aberdeen based independent investment company providing financial resources and management support services to a range of small to medium sized businesses.  Linkfleet held majority investments in a number of different investments including environmental recycling & compacting, onshore & offshore industrial services, container services and professional services with group turnover of £8m.

Steve was previously employment law specialist and Managing Director of Empire Business Services Ltd having set up the company in 1996 and then becoming Regional Director of Croner Consulting Scotland following Croners’ acquisition of Empire in 2002.   Empire grew to become one of the biggest independent Personnel & Health & Safety consultancies in Scotland.  When combined with Empire, Croners in Scotland had approximately 50 employees and an annual turnover in excess of £4m. 

Steve has held various senior positions over the last fifteen years and in total he has over twenty five years experience within the Energy Industry.

Resident in Aberdeen and married to Pauline, Steve has 2 boys aged 16 & 18.

Hobbies consist of; Golf – member at Meldrum House Golf Club; Football - unfortunately not playing any longer – instead watching Aberdeen FC although attained Highland League status at one time; Entertaining his wife and sons; Good wine, good food, travel, music, walking, meeting friends. 

Scott Martin

Scott is Chairman for the newly established oil services company, Glacier Energy Services, formed following a management buy out of Wellclad & Roberts Pipeline Machining from  MB Aerospace, with private equity backing from Maven & the Simmons Fund. From 2007 to 2009, he was CFO of private equity-backed international oil services group Noble Denton, playing a key role in its significant growth and subsequent sale.

From 2003, he was CFO in the 3i-backed management buyout of RGIT Montrose, which was successfully sold to Petrofac in 2004, with Scott then performing various senior financials roles in Petrofac up to 2007, ultimately as Group Head of Mergers & Acquisitions.

From 1998 to 2003, Scott performed senior financial roles in Howco Group plc, which was backed by 3i, being Group Financial Controller initially, and then CFO from 1999. Between 1994 and 1998, Scott held various financial roles in Motorola. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant, having trained with Ernst & Young.

Murray Strachan

Murray is Managing Director of Strachan & Partners, a specialist business advisory consultancy, and Chief Executive of Albyn Ventures, a business investment group and Vice Chairman of The Entrepreneurial Exchange.  He also holds a number of Non-executive Chairman & Director positions in a diverse range of companies throughout the UK, many of which he is a shareholder in, including  outsourced payroll, employment law / hr consultancy, local radio, specialist landscape planning & property reports, men's fashion accessories, golf practice products, retail & oil/gas services. 

Prior to February 2007, he was a Director and Chief of Staff of the Petrofac Operations Services Division, a major international oil services business. Until May 2006, Murray was the Chief Executive of the Petrofac Training Group, the leading training & consultancy business to the international oil and gas industry. Petrofac Training was created in February 2004, when Petrofac acquired the RGIT Montrose Group, which had been acquired in April 2003 by a MBO Team led by him. Prior to RGIT Montrose, he worked for divisions of Liberty Mutual and the AP Moller / Maersk Group in a number of senior management or strategic change management roles.

Murray is also a non executive director of &/or holds board positions with a number of charitable causes &/or organisations in Scotland and was a top 3 finalist for the Scottish Director of the Year in 2004.  RGIT Montrose, under his leadership, was the winner of the Small/Mid-Size Company Deal of the Year 2003/4 and was runner up of overall Deal of the Year 2003/4.  In 2007, Murray was appointed Honorary Professor of the Robert Gordon University, joined the Board of the Entrepreneurial Exchange in Scotland and joined the Development Board of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.  Murray is also Vice Chairman of the NE of Scotland cancer charity CLAN with whom he has been a director since 2001.

He lives between Bridge of Allan & Aberdeen with his partner Carol and their three children.