In this latest issue we have focussed on the benefits of founding a space tech start-up in Scotland; how Prestwick Spaceport is quietly positioning itself to lead UK launch ambitions; the steady rise of a Scottish space tech provider; and the future of the Scottish space industry.

There’s huge interest in the space sector, from academics doing research, to governments looking to foster its development, to investors looking for growth, to companies seeking more business opportunity. While Scotland is well positioned to take advantage of this interest, we can’t rest on our laurels.

This article outlines the growth in the sector, why it’s important to focus on the wider benefits it offers, and why the work of organisations like the Scottish Space Leadership Council will continue to be so vital in the years ahead.

Rod Ellis has worked in finance and compliance for over 30 years. Having started his working life as an auditor at KPMG in the UK and Hong Kong, he then spent the lion’s share of his career working for Invesco in Asia, the US, and Europe, where in the last decade he focused on transformation projects in finance and compliance.

I recently had a conversation with Rod to explore the regulatory landscape for UK asset management firms, and why they should start preparing now for a UK version of the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act. What costs are involved? What are the benefits? What are the pitfalls? Here’s Rod’s take on what UK asset management firms can learn from the US experience.

Founded by three University of Dundee PhD students and their supervisor in 2002, STAR-Dundee was one of Scotland’s first purely space-focused tech companies. With their pioneering work on SpaceWire onboard networking technology for spacecraft, the company soon found itself in great demand amongst major spacecraft manufacturers and space agencies on four continents.

Here, Stuart tells us about STAR-Dundee’s growth, which has seen it open a location in Barcelona alongside its Dundee headquarters. What does the future hold for the company, its pioneering space technology, and the Scottish spacetech sector as a whole?

Some people question how many spaceports the UK can sustain. However, if the UK can offer a reliable, responsive, and affordable small satellite launch capability, then the world will beat a path to our door.

In this article, I explore some of the potential challenges that lie ahead. I’ll also set out why Prestwick Spaceport is well-placed to lead the UK’s future spaceflight ambitions, as well as the many potential benefits we offer to investors, partners, and local economy ‘beyond launch’.

In this Q&A, space entrepreneur Daniel Smith discusses the meteoric rise of his strategic marketing company AstroAgency, and why the industry needed a dedicated company that fully understands and can properly promote, analyse, and connect the sector.

We talk about his award-nominated series of online networking events, and the important work of the Scottish Space Leadership Council – which he co-chairs – in fostering the future growth of the sector both in Scotland and across the UK.

We have seen a nearly 50% increase in hiring from the same period in 2020. Over the last three months, the activity has largely been around upgrades, firm’s launching new strategies and hiring in equity investing & fundraising.

Matthew Stevens has worked in financial services marketing for over 15 years, with many senior global marketing and director of marketing roles. His extensive experience has seen him restructure and realign marketing teams, execute complex rebranding programmes, and lead extensive digitalisation projects, one of which achieved a global marketing award.

Since late 2018 he has worked as a senior marketing consultant and interim, and he is also part of Sheffield Haworth’s interim community. So I took some time to interview Matthew about the benefits of engaging interims and the biggest challenges and trends facing the marketing departments of asset management firms.

Sheffield Haworth hosted a symposium with the HR and business leaders from ten global and European real estate fund managers.

During the conversation the group discussed the following topics and themes:

◼ Returning to the office
◼ New ways of working
◼ Technology
◼ Maintaining corporate culture