I've worked for MacRoberts my entire professional career, having
joined as a trainee in 2009. I specialise in pensions law,
principally providing legal advice to the trustees and employers of
occupational pension schemes and supporting other departments in
the firm (such as the Corporate, Employment and Projects Groups) on
pensions matters. We also have a trustee company, MacRoberts
Trustees Limited, which provides professional trustee services to
occupational schemes.
In 2010, MacRoberts' Glasgow office was moved to the Capella
building on York Street. It was a transformational change, in terms
of our office environment (from an old tenement on Bath Street to
the tallest building on the Broomielaw) and in our working culture.
It was definitely a positive move, and it's fair to say that anyone
who visits our office is hugely impressed by the panoramic views of
the city, which takes in Glasgow Green, the River Clyde and the SSE
Hydro, as well as a couple of well-known football
stadiums!
The IFSD is a great place to work in, and momentum is clearly
building with the likes of HMRC, Barclays and CYBG investing hugely
in new premises in the area. The IFSD is well-served for food and
drink options and there are some great independent restaurants and
coffee shops. You will probably find me in Where the Monkey Sleeps
most days of the week!
As a city with a real community feel to it, Glasgow has been
a brilliant place to develop my professional network. A big part of
that development was down to joining the organising team of
Glasgow Young
Professionals, a networking group for those in the
early stages in their careers. The membership has grown from just a
handful of people at the first ever event in 2010 to over 2800
today. During the time in which I helped run GYP, I met people from
a huge array of professions at events - not just people from
'traditional' networking spheres such as financial services and
law, but also entrepreneurs, doctors, pilots, magicians,
professional golfers and opera singers! As well as being a great
way to get to know the city, GYP events are ideal for anyone who
would like to develop their networking skills and meet like-minded
professionals in a relaxed environment.
Speaking of the environment, I am also a member of the
Leaders Network of the 2050 Climate Group,
having completed the charity's Young Leaders
Development Programme (YLDP) in February 2018. The
2050 Climate Group is an incredible organisation, bringing together
over 130 under-35s each year from across Scotland who are
passionate about the environment. It trains them in how to change
their lives and influence others in personal, political and
professional terms.
The YLDP is an immensely energising course, and has inspired
me to look at various aspects of my life from a whole new
perspective. In the context of living and working in Glasgow, the
2050 Climate Group is a great forum for discussing how we can shape
our city to ensure that it can be enjoyed by people for generations
to come - both for business and for pleasure. I think that the very
nature of how we utilise city space will change dramatically in the
coming years - particularly with the rapid rise of online shopping
- but we should not just view this as a challenge: it is an
opportunity too.
Most of my friends and family still live in Glasgow, so when
I'm not visiting new countries I spend time with them, going to the
cinema, playing football (poorly) or tennis (terribly). It's also
an unofficial personal goal of mine to visit every destination in
the Southside brunch scene!
Discover more about Richard by connecting with him on
LinkedIn.
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