A leading figure in Scotland’s finance industry has “come home” to Tayside to start a new role in a distinguished career.
Jim Pettigrew has launched his year as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland by holding meetings with members in Perth and Dundee.
They were the familiar first venues of his tour to promote the strategy of Icas on globalisation, diversity and ethics.
The 56-year-old has reached the top of the business world from the starting point of an accountancy office in his native Dundee.
His journey has taken him to the chairmanship of both the Clydesdale Bank and Edinburgh Investment Trust as well as a host of non-executive directorships.
Spells with the Sedgwick Group, Icap and Ashmore are on his CV before he became chief executive of financial spread-betting firm CMC.
Attributing his success to his chartered accountant’s qualification, he was delighted to accept the Icas presidency to advance the cause of the organisation.
It was also his chance to give something back to the profession that has given him so much.
“My role is to build our professional communities and continue the excellent work of past presidents who have led the institute down the years,” he said.
“The world is going global and Dundee started that a long time ago by importing oranges and jute.
“We have to think about what is happening around the world but of course not forget what is happening locally.”
The meetings in Tayside, where Icas has more than 1,000 members, were stimulating and he found it especially rewarding to meet the new entrants.
The former Dundee High School pupil’s own career began when after university he trained in his native city with Arthur Young McLelland Moores, now Ernst & Young.
“I had the privilege to be on audit teams for some fantastic Dundee companies William Low, Brown and Tawse and Keiller’s,” he said.
“I had exposure to all these marvellous businesses and that is one of the great things about being an accountant learning how businesses work.”