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Rugby star talks business

The man who led Scotland’s rugby team to the memorable Calcutta Cup victory which denied England a Grand Slam is to be the keynote speaker at this year’s Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce AGM.

Now a successful banker, Andy Nicol won 23 caps for Scotland, including seven as captain, and also played for the British Lions in tours of New Zealand and Australia.

The theme of his speech to Chamber members at the meeting at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa on Thursday (June 23) will be Winning in Sport – Winning in Business.

It’s a topic he’s well qualified to speak on. Apart from that win over the “Auld Enemy” at a rain-soaked Murrayfield in 2000, his five-year stint at Bath RFC saw him become the first captain to lead a British team to European Cup success and he was only the 23^rd player to be inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame.

Rugby has always been in his blood, he started playing at the age of six at Broughty Ferry, Dundee, then played for Dundee HSFP before being called to the Scotland squad, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who represented his country in 1932. He moved to Bath in 1994 and retired from rugby in 2003.

Since then he has been a regular part of BBC TV rugby coverage and also the BBC Radio team. He has also coached and was a much sought after motivational and after-dinner speaker.

In 2006 he joined RBS Private Banking where his roles included Business Development Manager and Area Manager for a team of 12 relationship managers. In August 2010 he moved to Adam & Company Private Bank as Head of Business Development where he leads a team of six business development managers.

He has found that the skills he learned and developed as a captain and team players have transferred well to the world of business.

“When I was involved in professional sport, I was told on many occasions that there are many similarities between sport and business,” he said. “I was quite happy to believe this as I had no way of knowing as I had never really been in business for any length of time. I could see that values such as drive, passion, teamwork and a desire to win, so prevalent in rugby, could be very applicable in business.

“But having been working in business now for five years, I can now see, at first hand, how right these people were. The DNA of a sportsman or woman is one that can allow them to exist and excel in the world of business."

The Chamber AGM, which begins at 5.45 for 6.15pm, is open to all members. It is free of charge but booking is essential, online at  www.agcc.co.uk/events .

Media enquiries to: Kate Yuill, Policy & Communications Manager, kate.yuill@agcc.co.uk; 01224 343913