DACC – In Your Shoes – Andrew McLean
This article first appeared on the Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce website, 26th May 2025, click here to view the article.
Monday 12th May
After a weekend of relaxing in glorious sunshine, it is back to my desk in our Edinburgh office. Monday is a day I try to avoid external meetings and look to catch up with my team across Edinburgh and Dundee. With summer holidays approaching and school exams to the fore, there is a slight juggling act between the offices, those working from home, and those on annual leave.
One meeting which piqued my interest was an update on our trial of a new AI assistant, which looks fantastic. We aren’t implementing this to replace people, but to take away some of the more mundane and time-consuming tasks – and so far, the results are hugely encouraging. Less time on administration equals more time with clients – which is vitally important to the business.
Tuesday 13th May
With management of the team taking up more of my time, I have fewer clients than previously – so it was a rare day of seeing two in one day. First up is an early train from Edinburgh to Ladybank to meet a Financial Planning colleague before heading off to the East Neuk. From there it was off to the Dundee office to meet with the Trustees of one of our biggest clients and charitable trusts. With a couple of new Trustees in situ, and markets not particularly playing ball over the last couple of months, we expected some tricky questions – thankfully all went well, and everyone left the room happy.
There was enough time left to catch up with some of the wider team before heading straight back to Edinburgh and the local tennis courts. Letting my wife beat me 6-4 was a nice way to finish the day!
Wednesday 14th May
The day started with me remote dialling into our compliance board meeting. Although not my favourite time of the month, it is a chance to review any difficulties we may have had, challenges on the horizon, and review how we are performing in line with our regulator’s expectations. It is always reassuring to know that we aren’t doing anything that might land us in jail!
My afternoon was spent in our Edinburgh boardroom with a group of peers from the discretionary management industry. Although in many ways we are rivals and competing in the same field, I take some comfort and reassurance in sharing problems, and learning that we aren’t alone with difficulties that arise.
A day in Edinburgh meant I was home in plenty of time to enjoy the last of the day’s sun and get out for a walk with Lucy, and our wirehaired vizsla, Jura.
Thursday 15th May
Thursday was a bit of a flashback day for me, with the afternoon spent in the company of fund managers. When I started in the industry 15 years ago, my primary task was analysing investment trusts and their managers, so it is nice to get back and do it again.
Like day-to-day client management, I don’t spend as much time on the investment monitoring as I once did, but I am keen to ensure that it doesn’t fall completely by the wayside – firstly because I am still required to completed 35 hours of professional development a year, but more importantly it allows me to understand what is going on with client portfolios and how we are invested for them. The day I lose that knowledge and understanding, I believe, is the day I should step away from the industry.
Friday 16th May
Friday was an exciting day, and a whole new experience for me, as we spent the morning locked in a brainstorming session with a local marketing and branding agency. It has been some time since we undertook a refresh, and although we are proud of our branding and name, inertia is the enemy of progress, so it is a valuable exercise to explore whether there is anything we might change or can improve on. We do often weigh up the pros and cons of sharing names with a popular chocolate brand!
Marketing meeting wrapped up, I finished early and headed to my parents’ house in Cupar. It was not all that relaxing an evening, as I finalised a best man’s speech I was giving on Saturday! I’m not sure how many of the jokes are printable – so will leave it to your imagination!
