Galbraith Recruitment Matters 2025 by Galbraith

Recruitment

Welcome to our 2025 edition of Recruitment Matters

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Since our last edition, we have made some fantastic progress across our business and we are delighted to share a selection of career stories, demonstrating the diverse nature of our employee base and the amazing breadth of opportunity available at Galbraith.

This edition is packed with a snapshot of our employee career journeys, from those who joined as a graduate, to more alternative routes, to long serving employees, and gives a fascinating insight into what interests them inside and outside of work and what keeps them motivated.

I have also shared my perspective on what I see as a significant addition to our employee benefit offering, with the introduction of Private medical insurance (PMI) in 2024 and the roll out of this across the Firm. We understand the importance of our employee experience and offering a well-rounded benefits package, where employee needs are evolving.

Personally, I am delighted to include an article from our outgoing Marketing Director, Jane Ritchie, who retires from her role this year after 15 years leading our Marketing journey. She shares her account of what Galbraith has meant for her and what’s next!

We hope you enjoy the read and please do contact our People & Culture Team if you would like to discuss a potential career with Galbraith.

Stefanie Bennett Head of People & Culture

@stefanie bennett LinkedIn Email: hr@galbraithgroup.com

Galbraith is a leading independent property consultancy. Drawing on a century of experience in land and property management the Firm is progressive and dynamic employing over 200 people in offices throughout Scotland and the North of England. We provide a full range of property consulting services across the commercial, residential, rural and energy sectors. Galbraith provides a personal service, listening to clients and delivering advice to suit their particular opportunities and circumstances.

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Cultivating Connections: From Young Farmers to Rural Surveying with Galbraith.

Getting To Know… Josh Lamb.

The introduction of Private Medical Insurance (PMI).

The Extracurricular Life with Philippa Orr.

A Rewarding Career Change: From Pharmacy to Commercial Property.

Embracing Change: My evolving role at Galbraith.

The Events of Galbraith with Katie Peoples.

Gaming, Writing, & Web Design: A Perfect Creative Blend.

Reﬂections with Jane Ritchie.

19 Corporate Social Responsibility.

No Wrong Path: From into the unknown to associate with Aaron Edgar.

Cultivating Connections:

Galbraith is a great supporter of SAYFC in many ways whether this be supporting local club’s events throughout the year to being involved in the Young Farmer of The Year Competition.

Olivia Smith

From Young Farmers to Rural Surveying with Galbraith

My journey to Galbraith began when I started studying Rural Business Management at SRUC Edinburgh. It was throughout my time there that I discovered I may want to head down the route of becoming a rural surveyor.

Having grown up on a mixed beef and sheep farm in Central Scotland, we have looked at many ways to diversify our farming business and add that something different to enhance its functionality and proﬁtability in becoming a sustainable unit. This led me to being interested in a different side of rural businesses and to explore what other opportunities there are for farming businesses.

Throughout my journey I have been an active member of my local young farmers club which has given me access to several educational talks and farm visits in and around the farming community within West Fife. This has been particularly beneﬁcial as not only has it provided me with an insight into different rural businesses and farm enterprises, but it has also opened up a number of connections with people and businesses within my area which could be key throughout my career.

Keeping these factors in mind I graduated from SRUC in July 2021 where I then secured a job as a graduate surveyor at a thirdparty Firm in the North of England. After a year and a half, I decided to relocate back home to Fife, where I obtained a graduate job at Galbraith’s Stirling Office. In October 2023 I passed my APC where I qualiﬁed as a Rural Chartered Surveyor.

I now carry out a range of valuations and sales across central Scotland and the west coast, I enjoy my job within Galbraith as no two days are the same. You get to go out and about a lot and meet a variety of different people along the way whilst seeing different areas of the countryside.

I definitely think it was a benefit having studied at SRUC and being an active part of young farmers, this comes down to the additional knowledge of different types of farming enterprises and diversifications which I now tend to witness on several farms whilst carrying out valuation or sales pitches.

In combining Galbraith and Young Farmers, Galbraith is a great supporter of SAYFC in many ways whether this be supporting local club’s events throughout the year to being involved in the Young Farmer of The Year Competition which takes place annually in November. I have attended many events throughout the years which have been supported by Galbraith both as a Galbraith representative and again on the other side being a young farmer. Throughout the winter many of the events we sponsor are individual clubs' concerts with the summer seeing more on the farm events such as stock judging and summer shows across the counties along with young farmer calf rallies.

Personally, I think it is great to see Galbraith be involved in these events and showing support to the association of young farmers as it raises awareness of the Firm and making the connection with young farmers and the farming community which in time will hopefully become future clients as they progress in their farming careers.

Olivia Smith

01786 434 600 olivia.smith@galbraithgroup.com

Josh discusses his role as a Senior Building Surveyor

1. Can you tell us about your role at Galbraith?

I am a Senior Building Surveyor based in the Edinburgh Office. I provide Project Management and Contract Administration services across a variety of sectors as well as a full range of professional services throughout the UK.

2. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to choose a career in Building Surveying?

I always had a keen interest in the built environment, so I naturally knew that was the area I wanted to pursue a career in. I considered a handful of different career paths before beginning my degree, but I was drawn to the day-to-day variety that you get as a Building Surveyor from managing projects to undertaking different types of surveys. Another key point for me was the ability to get out and about, visit sites, travel throughout the UK and have a good variety of work.

3. Now two years with Galbraith, has the role changed?

I joined in April of 2023 as a graduate and had previously gained two years of experience at another Building Consultancy practice. I became chartered in November of 2023 and was then promoted to Senior Surveyor in March 2024. Since becoming both Chartered and a Senior Surveyor, the fundamental role has not changed, but the opportunities to

Getting To Know… Josh Lamb

Charlotte House

Gordon Lamb House

Since becoming both Chartered and a Senior Surveyor, the fundamental role has not changed, but the opportunities to be involved in and deliver more complex instructions have become available as my experience continues to grow which is fantastic.

Josh Lamb

be involved in and deliver more complex instructions have become available as my experience continues to grow which is fantastic. I am also now involved with developing our graduate surveyors and assist them with both their APC and general career development.

4. What have been some of your favourite projects to work on?

Since joining Galbraith I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work on a great variety of instructions. I work all over the UK and across a variety of sectors. I have delivered several roof projects in the south of England, managed drainage and civil engineering projects in the Midlands, a demolition project in the Scottish Borders, several CAT A ﬁt-outs across the central belt of Scotland and in Inverness as a few examples. I currently have some very interesting projects running in the centre of Edinburgh, which include a roof project and replacing listed Crittall windows on a Category B listed building within the World Heritage Site.

5. What’s the best advice you could give to someone considering a career in Building Surveying?

I would strongly recommend that they should try to get some industry experience either before or during their degree. The insight you get whilst getting these brief snapshots into the industry and the job role itself is brilliant. I was fortunate to have several summer placements, which led to an internship at a global Firm. The placements and internship helped solidify that this was the right career choice for me while I was going through university.

Josh Lamb

0131 240 6960 josh.lamb@galbraithgroup.com

The Introduction of Private Medical Insurance (PMI) at Galbraith

The world of work has changed signiﬁcantly in the last ten years, with the demographics of the workplace displaying a huge shift in proﬁle. With this, comes the challenge of meeting everyone’s needs at different stages of life.

In the People & Culture Team at Galbraith, the health and wellbeing of our ever-changing employee population is massively important and we continue to reﬂect and consider what we can be doing to continually improve our support.

Part of this, is ensuring that we are continually reviewing our beneﬁts offering and remain competitive in a challenging talent and recruitment market. It is important that we continue to look after the health and wellbeing of our current employee population and do this with thought and understanding.

Private Medical Insurance (PMI) was a consideration for some time, and positively we were able to introduce this across the Firm in late 2024. This has been positively received by our employees with over 90% of them having joined the scheme.

PMI offers employees fast access to diagnostics and medical treatment should they need it. This is especially important when referral and waiting times in the NHS are taking longer.

This is a beneﬁt provided and paid for by the Firm and is offered from date of employment. Employees can also add their family members, at their own cost, which again is something that has also received positive uptake.

The key to ensuring any new beneﬁt is successful on introduction, is clear communication and repeated messaging to ensure it is utilised when required and not forgotten about. All employees were provided with the information they required to make an informed decision and we designed a designated area on our intranet where all the relevant information is available, with detailed Q&A and the provider’s policy details so that this can be accessible at any time and kept up to date.

Importantly, every new employee is taken through their entitlement to PMI as part of their People & Culture Induction so they are clear on what it means, given time to consider if they wish to take it up and then the opportunity to review this at annual intervals.

We are delighted that this was met with such positive feedback and hope that this provides some comfort to employees, in times where they require support with their health.

Stefanie Bennett Head of People & Culture

The Extracurricular Life at Galbraith

I joined Galbraith as a Graduate Rural Surveyor in September 2017. Fastforward seven years and I am now in a more senior position within the Energy and Rural Business Streams.

The reason I became a surveyor was because I didn’t want a career in which I sat at a desk day in and day out. I certainly don’t get that with my day job regularly being “out and about” whether it’s doing valuation inspections, reviewing damages for compensation claims, carrying out walkovers for Single Application Forms or attending a site visit for utility or renewable projects. I really do enjoy the variety that my job has due to my involvement in two different business streams.

Galbraith is not all about the day job, there is also a lot of extracurricular activities to get stuck into and during my time with the Firm, I have made sure that I get involved as much as possible and grab any opportunity with both hands!

I grew up on a beef and arable farm in Fife and as such I spent a lot of my childhood at the Bull Sales and now, I attend the Bull Sales on a more professional level. Galbraith are the main sponsors of the United Auctions Stirling Bull Sales which are held in February, May and October each year and sees the showing and selling of hundreds of pedigree breeding bulls. I always enjoy attending the Bulls Sales to watch the showing of the different breeds and as the main sponsors we get to hand out the prizes to the best of the best.

Show Season is always a highlight! With offices across the country, we attend several local shows either by having a stand or a marquee or by sponsoring classes. In some cases, you will simply ﬁnd our team walking around (we’ll always be in

our branded gilets!) As a member of the Cupar office, the Fife Show is our biggest event of the year with our stand looking over the main ring. However, the Royal Highland Show is where we come together as a Firm and welcome new and old clients for a bite to eat and a little beverage. Come rain or shine, you are guaranteed to have a good blether at the Galbraith marquee on Avenue O’ so if you see us at your local show, do stop by and say hello.

In my time at Galbraith, I have participated in several Firm-wide charity events, raising money and awareness for some worthwhile causes. These have taken place in the form of charity cycles. In September 2021 we cycled from Lands End to John O’ Groats raising money for RSABI and My Name’s Doddie Foundation (MND5) We

Competing in the Farmers Trophy

went even bigger in March 2024 with the ‘All Roads Lead To Rome’ cycle, which was an initiative organised by the former Scotland Rugby Captain, Rob Wainwright which again saw money and awareness raised for the great work at MND5! These events have seen Galbraith staff cycle well over 2300 miles and raise over £22,000 for our chosen charities. There is always a little bit of friendly competition between offices, and I look forward to taking part in our next charity challenge!

I have also represented Galbraith at some external events. The one I particularly enjoyed is the Great Glen Challenge. It is a one-day team challenge in which teams compete against in cycling, kayaking, walking

and running, covering a 49km route from Fort August to Fort William all to raise money for RSABI. It is a very well-run event and always good fun, so I would recommend anyone to put their name down to take part!

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is imperative as a Registered Valuer, but we try to make it a little bit more fun. Galbraith arrange Land Agent training days throughout the year. We pick locations across Scotland and Northern England, be it estates that we manage or venues that Galbraith have been involved in project management, and all get together for a day of work related activities. These regular meetings are fantastic opportunity to hear

from our colleagues or other professionals in a relaxed environment. Last year our venues included the Black Isle Showground, Active Kids just outside Perth and Whitelee Wind Farm south of Glasgow.

Galbraith organises the Farming Seminar at the home of Scottish Rugby, Scottish Gas Murrayﬁeld, where we are joined by our clients to hear speakers from the world of agriculture. The long-standing partnership with Edinburgh Rugby allows for current and former players to contribute to the discussion. I was honoured to be asked to be on a renewables panel in 2023. It was my ﬁrst time public speaking in a professional setting and certainly one of my biggest highlights in my career so far. The conference ends with an Edinburgh Rugby game and regardless of the score, the half time pies are always a winner!

Throughout the year, there is a range of networking events where we can come together with other professionals and like-minded people. In my time with Galbraith I have been to drinks receptions, BBQs, treasure hunts, Edinburgh Fringe shows, hockey and touch rugby tournaments and recently a day of curling, with networking at the forefront of these events.

The now bi-annual Galbraith summer parties are always fun. The entire Firm comes together for a day of laughs. Last year we went wild at Blair Drummond Safari Park and I was very impressed with the effort some people went to win the fancy dress prize.

This is just a handful of the extracurricular and social activities that I have been involved in during my time at Galbraith so far and I am excited to see what else lies ahead. There is no doubt a lot of other activities and conferences that I have not mentioned that I know my colleagues have attended so this is just a small snapshot. Along with enjoying the day job, it really is important to get stuck into everything else that a job has to offer as it is a fantastic opportunity to meet colleagues and other likeminded people across your industry.

Philippa Orr Senior Associate 01334 659 980

philippa.orr@galbraithgroup.com

At the Fife Show

The energy team at Whitelee Wind Farm

No Wrong Path

From into the unknown to Associate with Aaron Edgar

My career started with Galbraith in June 2013, having no previous experience within the property industry, an interest in property yes, but no further than being a fan of Kirsty & Phil’s “Location, Location, Location” and Homes Under the Hammer!

I was pointed in the direction of the job advertisement in the local newspaper, through a local solicitor & ﬁnancial advisor, I applied, interviewed, and started in the role of Assistant Property Agent 6 weeks later, overlapping my existing seasonal job in Events for the ﬁrst few months.

The ﬁrst day was daunting, I did not know what a Home Report was! Terminology such as stamp duty, Land & Building Transaction Tax, additional dwelling supplement & “Missives” lots of terminology which then, seemed so alien but now part of regular discussions.

The strength of the team put me at ease. Gradually, through time, your knowledge grows as you absorb the key information needed and listen to those you are working with, in their advice but also in how they handle the everyday calls, questions and enquiries in dealing with clients. As my knowledge and conﬁdence grew, I was afforded more responsibility and with that you learn increasingly through experience. Whilst my focus was always sales, taking on rental property responsibilities whilst challenging, provides an

exposure to different scenarios and circumstances from which you need to deal with and learn. With the reassurance that there is a team around you, not only within the office but across all offices that have a vast amount of experience to “tap into” and were always happy to help. A real strength of the Firm is the depth of knowledge across the country in the various business streams!

I quickly realised this was an industry I was passionate about, and I was keen to cement that interest. Galbraith supported me in obtaining my Property Mark Level 6 qualification in 2015, allowing study time, and paying for the study materials and examinations. This industry recognised qualification strengthened my knowledge and give confidence to clients that they are dealing with an appropriately qualified Estate Agent.

Moving forward I was increasing in sales and continuing to learn, develop, establishing key relationships and clients within the industry. Handling sales of property ranging from £50,000 to those more than £1,000,000, property of all different types across the region.

In March 2023, almost 10 years on, I was promoted to the position of Associate. To date, my proudest moment in the industry. It was a real marker for me and a Firm-wide recognition to my development and effort since the start.

I did not come from the traditional accredited RICS degree, I had no experience but my journey underlines that is not an obstacle, Galbraith supported me from the start and have guided me in my path to where I am today. The important thing for me, I do not like to ever feel like I am standing still, and such is the opportunity within the Firm to progress I do not believe that to be the case and so, I will continue to work hard daily and strive to continue in my progression. The ﬁrst 12 years have been so rewarding, and I very much look ahead with positivity to the next 12!

Aaron Edgar 01556 505 346 aaron.edgar@galbraithgroup.com

The entire Firm comes together for a day of laughs at the now bi-annual Galbraith summer party. Last year we went wild at Blair Drummond Safari Park...

A Rewarding Career Change: From Pharmacy to Commercial Property

Changing career is never an easy decision, but for those seeking greater job satisfaction and a role that aligns with their passions, it can be incredibly rewarding.

My journey into the commercial property sector is a testament to the opportunities available at Galbraith and the support they provide to “career changers” like me.

My professional background began in pharmacy, where I built a successful career spanning over a decade. While pharmacy was a fulﬁlling profession in many ways, I found myself drawn to the world of property. I always had an interest in real estate, undertaking renovation projects on residential

properties alongside my career. Eventually, I realised that my passion lay in property, and I decided to make the leap.

In 2021, after consulting with a career advisor, I enrolled in Edinburgh Napier University and pursued a Master’s in Real Estate Management and Investment. This RICS-accredited degree was the key to unlocking new opportunities in the industry. After completing my studies, I was fortunate to receive offers from

various ﬁrms. Ultimately, I chose to join Galbraith in August 2022 as a graduate commercial surveyor, a decision that has proven to be one of the best of my career.

During my time as a graduate, I received exceptional training and hands-on experience across various disciplines, including Investment, Agency, Valuation, and Professional. This broad exposure provided me with the ideal foundation to successfully pass my APC and qualify

as a RICS Chartered Commercial Surveyor in Autumn 2024.

Since qualifying, I have continued to develop my expertise and take on greater responsibilities within Galbraith’s commercial property team, working across Agency, Professional, and Asset Management disciplines. The company’s commitment to professional development and mentorship has been instrumental in my growth, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every step of this journey.

For those considering a career change into commercial property, I cannot recommend Galbraith highly enough. Their structured training, diverse opportunities, and supportive environment make it an ideal place to build a successful and fulﬁlling career in the industry.

David Stevenson Senior Surveyor

Embracing Change: My Evolving Role at Galbraith

I joined Galbraith in July 2015 as a Personal Assistant (PA) to the Building Consultancy department based in the Edinburgh office.

After working in London for several years, I decided to have a change and move back to Scotland, and it was fortunate timing that the move led me to an opportunity at Galbraith.

Since starting at Galbraith, there has been lots of change. I have seen Galbraith evolve and diversify, especially during Covid, resulting in the Firm embracing a hybrid working culture which has improved with ﬂexible working arrangements throughout the Firm.

The Building Consultancy department has grown and over doubled in size since I started, with my team currently spread between the Edinburgh, Inverness and Stirling offices. I am fortunate that working in Building Consultancy brings a lot of cross over with the other business streams within the ﬁrm, which results in plenty of exposure and interaction between other employees and offices. My role has also changed since I started, with the added responsibility of the day to day running of the Edinburgh office and being involved in more ﬁrm wide parts of the business.

More recently, I have assisted with office moves and I am currently coordinating office refurbishments across our office locations and I was also on the organising committee for the Galbraith Summer Party 2024, an event for all employees, which is always fun and great to have everyone together.

There is so much variety in my role and no day is the same, with most days being unpredictable, which I enjoy.

I am now approaching ten years with Galbraith, and there has been so much that has happened since I ﬁrst joined all those years ago, I am not sure where the time has gone!

Ana Maclean PA to the Building Consultancy department

The Events of with Katie Peoples

The Galbraith Events & Marketing Coordinator talks about her career in the events management industry and what’s in store for the year to come.

In 2018, I graduated with a BA Hons in International Festival and Events Management with Entrepreneurship from Edinburgh Napier University, which opened a wide range of opportunities within the events industry. Since then, I’ve had the chance to explore various paths.

My career initially focused on hospitality and weddings, where I discovered my passion for development and creation. This led me to transition into event production, a completely new area for me. I quickly realised how valuable it was to understand the logistics behind both large and small events, and the skills I gained in this role have been invaluable.

In October 2024, I joined Galbraith as the new Events and Marketing Coordinator and based in the Stirling office. The journey so far has been

incredible. No two days are the same—while some days might be desk-based, I often ﬁnd myself on the move, organising equipment, coordinating event details, and interacting with colleagues. One of my favourite aspects of the role is working with suppliers and external partnerships. From small ‘pop-up’ events to large-scale like the Royal Highland Show, the attention to detail and relationship-building are key.

We started 2025 on a high note by hosting our ﬁrst ‘Burns Breakfast Seminar’ at Ayr Rugby Club. The event was a resounding success, offering an excellent opportunity to bring together our valued clients and strong partnerships. In addition to ongoing smaller events, I am also preparing for some of our ﬂagship events, including the Royal Highland Show and our Agricultural

Conference. Ensuring every detail, from logistics to entertainment, is meticulously planned and crucial to their success. I am truly enjoying working on these projects and continuing to build on Galbraith’s legacy at these key events.

I’m fortunate to be part of such a supportive team. As part of the Galbraith marketing team, we brainstorm and continuously generate ideas to showcase how fantastic the business is. I was nervous at ﬁrst, managing events for 13 offices across country, but the support I’ve received since day one has been exceptional. I have so much fun in my role, always seeking new opportunities and implementing positive change with the full backing of my team.

I never imagined I’d be working in a Firm with such a diverse range of expertise such as chartered surveying, property consultancy, and land management. This role keeps me

As part of the Galbraith marketing team, we brainstorm and continuously generate ideas to showcase how fantastic the business is...

Katie Peoples

engaged, thanks to constant learning opportunities. Providing event and marketing coverage for these teams requires learning about a variety of key components to each business stream.

I’m also part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee, which focuses on community engagement and charitable activities. It’s exciting to brainstorm ideas that turn into real opportunities to give back. Additionally, I’m a Mental Health first aider, which I find particularly progressive. Galbraith offers several benefits that prioritise both mental and physical health, including flexible working—which has been a wonderful benefit for me.

At the time of writing, I am still relatively new to the company, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here and am excited to see what the future holds.

Katie Peoples

01786 434 638

katie.peoples@galbraithgroup.com

Gaming, Writing, & Web Design... A Perfect Creative Blend

Well, I have been an avid video gamer since the mid-90s, starting humbly with Pokémon Yellow and fostering a love for the hobby over the following years.

Working at Galbraith is a fantastic experience. As the company's sole website developer, I have a lot of creative and technical expertise that is used to try and keep Galbraith at the forefront however, what does a website developer do outside of work?

The stories and worlds you can experience through the window of a video game are numerous and wonderful, it is a fantastic way to get some mental stimulation while unwinding after a hard day's work. This, partnered with a love of reading and creative past-times such as drawing lead to an unexpected blending of hobbies, into what I enjoy now.

Around 10 years ago I wrote and submitted my ﬁrst game review and was quickly swept up into the arms of a supportive community where I have now contributed more than 200 pieces of writing, supporting content like videos and podcasts and more. Having access to the latest games, covering events and movies, there is never a dull moment.

A grand example would be last year where I got to travel to London to cover a Nintendo game release!

These pursuits have become a passion and can frequently beneﬁt my work at Galbraith by offering a place for me to practice content creation and keep up with social media, design, and SEO trends. Hobbies and work life balance have always been top billing when I am looking for work and so far, my time at Galbraith has been fruitful, friendly, and exciting. There are loads of opportunities to expand my skill set with a variety of training for web and content that I can then apply in my extracurricular life as well.

Enjoying the pursuit of a passion is also a wonderful way to ﬁnd a thread with colleagues throughout the business as it offers a great chance to explore their passions over a cuppa as well. Don't worry, the cat makes sure I am distracted enough to leave my screens!

Sandy Kirchner-Wilson Galbraith website developer

Corporate Social Responsibility

As you can imagine, as Management Accountant for Galbraith, I spend a lot of my day working with numbers, pouring over spreadsheets, and developing systems.

Being selected to be part of our Corporate, Social and Responsibility (CSR) committee back in 2023 allowed me to explore some of my creativity and passion for helping others.

As a committee we are charged with the goal of ﬁnding ways in which Galbraith can support communities, charities and our employees by helping give back - whether it is via one of our initiatives or our annual charity fundraiser.

Galbraith encourages employees to volunteer their time to causes they hold close to their hearts or take a keen interest in, allowing one day of leave a year (or two half days) to be utilized as volunteering days. The CSR committee also runs a Volunteer of The Month scheme whereby employees can win a £25.00 Amazon voucher. Throughout the month, staff are encouraged to nominate their worthy colleagues before we sit down and decide the winner. Our past winners have included volunteering at a soup kitchen, marshalling at international golf tournaments and refereeing local rugby/football matches. If you are taking time out of your busy days to help a worthy cause, or your local community, Galbraith wants to celebrate that.

The committee also supports employees in their fundraising activities through match-funding. Galbraith will match funds raised up to £250.00 per employee – this often sees our employees doubling the amount raised for charity.

Last year the CSR Committee launched our newest initiative to help promote ‘giving back’ within Galbraith: ‘The Galbraith Charity Lottery.’ The Galbraith Charity Lottery runs quarterly where employees nominate a charity of their choice to be considered for a £250 donation.

The Charity Lottery runs quarterly where employees nominate a charity of their choice to be considered for a £250 donation...

We appreciate that not everyone can volunteer or take part in an event where they access match funding, so this initiative offered another opportunity to support charities important to our people.

At the time of writing, 2025 will soon see the committee involved in their second Firm-wide fundraiser, ‘March Around the World’. Supporting Samaritans, Galbraith's challenge is to travel around the world (24,901 miles) virtually across the month of March. Achieved via tracking steps walked, miles ran or cycled, lengths swam, steps completed in an exercise class (if you’re moving, we are tracking). This is an excellent way to involve all of Galbraith exercising and getting out in the fresh air, aiding our mental health as we support an incredibly worthwhile cause.

Looking back on my time being part of CSR committee, I have thoroughly enjoyed the time away from the usual day to day activities. I work with like-minded positive individuals who get excited about the prospect of helping our fellow colleagues support their local communities and amazing charities. As a company Galbraith encourages us to “give back” in any way we can, and I am grateful to be part of a company that sees the importance in supporting their workforce in and out of the officeto help them help others.

Amanda Merry Finance Operations Manager

Reﬂections with Jane Ritchie

As Director of Marketing at Galbraith for 15 years, Jane Ritchie has seen the landscape of the industry change signiﬁcantly. As she looks forward to a well-earned retirement she sits down with Matt Findlay for a chat about her time with the Firm and beyond.

Matt: Jane, 15 years at Galbraith are coming to a close. How do you reﬂect on your time with the business?

Jane: First of all, it's gone very, very quickly. I can't believe it's been 15 years! It’s been an exciting timeI’ve seen lots of positive changes, promotions, and various staff comings and goings. The Firm has evolved enormously during that time.

When I ﬁrst joined, I was responsible for marketing the estate agency side of the business. Within a year, I was asked to take on marketing for the whole Firm, which I did. However, managing that alone wasn’t sustainable so we soon appointed a marketing and social media coordinator.

That was an interesting time because many people across the Firm believed social media was just a platform where their children went to ﬁnd their next party! There was a lot of education required to show how it could be used for business, however we achieved that successfully and fairly quickly. Since then social media has gone from strength to strength and has become an essential marketing tool in the overall marketing mix, and of course the sheer volume of output has necessitated growth and career opportunities within the marketing team - we’re now a team of four.

Matt: You were already an experienced marketeer when you joined Galbraith, so can you tell us about your career prior?

Jane: I suppose we should go back to the start. When I was at boarding school, I loved going home during the holidays to drive tractors and help bring in hay. I wanted a career in farming and applied to Cirencester but at that time they didn’t accept girls! I was bitterly disappointed.

So, I completely changed direction and moved to London, where I studied business management. From there I ended up helping to organise large society events such as The Woman of the Year Luncheon which attracted many female celebrities and the annual society Snowball Ball at the Hilton Hotel.

My Father used to joke that the only time I ever smiled was when I was heading for an airport. Naturally, I ended up working for Qantas Airways. Initially I joined in an administrative role but I quickly became their sales and marketing coordinator and then their marketing manager for the UK and Ireland.

It was a fabulous job-great fun and suited me perfectly. My first project was working with Boeing, Rolls Royce and our head office in Sydney co-coordinating and promoting the first non-stop flight from London to Sydney which took 20 hours and nine minutes – never to be a commercial option, just a proving flight to show that with no passengers the aircraft and engines were

Meeting Greg Norman

capable! I spent lots of time at airports, traveling the world and working with teams like the Australian rugby and cricket teams. We even had a sponsorship deal with golfer Greg Norman who would phone me from his helicopter saying, "I see you down there, I’ll just land now!" It was hugely entertaining-truly the perfect job.

After about twelve years at Qantas, I met the love of my life who lived out of London and so I moved to South Buckinghamshire, took a new career turn and worked for a property developer managing luxury residential projects. Later I joined Knight Frank to head up residential development for Oxfordshire, eventually becoming an associate partner.

For family reasons I moved back to Scotland and reached out to several ﬁrms, including Galbraith, to see if there were any suitable roles. After about four months, the now retired Partner, Bob Cherry invited me for a conversation and the rest is history!

Matt: Let’s talk the highlights with Galbraith, I’m sure there’s been a few?

Jane: There have been quite a few. One of the key challenges when I joined was that people didn’t really know what Galbraith did. With such a broad range of services, it was difficult to communicate our full offering.

To address this, we launched a publication called Energy Matters, which quickly expanded into a suite of publications covering rural, forestry, commercial property, recruitment and more. These had a huge market impact, driving traffic to our website and sparking direct client engagement.

Another highlight has been our sponsorships. We took our ﬁrst big step with the Royal Highland Show, securing a prime corner plot, which proved to be a great success. From there we explored other sponsorships including Edinburgh Rugby which has provided massive exposure beneﬁts and opportunities.

Many people assume sponsorship is just about writing a cheque and waiting for results, but the real value comes from building strong relationships. That’s what we’ve done with Edinburgh Rugby and the RHS and I believe that’s why they have been so successful for us.

with Tony Lanfranchi

Matt: You've seen signiﬁcant growth in the marketing team and a shift into the digital era. Do you feel Galbraith has adapted well?

Jane: Absolutely. I think we were ahead of the curve for a long time. Some agents have only recently embraced social media and digital marketing, whereas we recognised its importance years ago.

Galbraith operates in a competitive space - we’re up against major UK-wide ﬁrms, who have huge budgets, but also smaller local agents.

Maintaining a strong proﬁle against both is crucial and I believe we’ve done a great job. In fact, I’ve had partners tell me that Galbraith "punches above its weight," which is great to hear.

Matt: Who has been the biggest inﬂuence on your career?

Jane: There were a couple of key ﬁgures at Qantas. One was our country manager, who was always very supportive but pointed out that I assumed if I could do something, anyone could. He suggested I was sometimes too tough on my team because not everyone would put in as much effort as I did. I didn’t see that as a bad criticism, though!

Another inﬂuential ﬁgure was an equity partner at Knight Frank. He always took time to listen to me, which meant a lot, and reinforced the importance of perseverance.

Matt: What’s the one lesson you’d like to pass on to your colleagues?

Jane: Never give up.

That’s why I have it written up in my office. A former Galbraith colleague used to remind me of it whenever things got tough. If you truly believe in something, ﬁnd a way to make it happen.

Matt: Now that you’re retiring, what’s next for you?

Jane: At ﬁrst, I felt pressure to jump straight into something new, but I’ve realised I need to take some time to relax. After working all my life, switching off will be a challenge.

One of the scariest parts is that I won’t be hearing insights from experts I respect. Take energy, for example—it’s such a crucial topic, and I’ve loved discussing developments with people like Mike Reid and Richard Higgins. Now, I’ll have to rely on media coverage, which isn’t always the most reliable source!

In the short term, I plan to visit friends, take a holiday, and possibly travel to Australia in June for the British & Irish Lions tour. By the autumn, I’d like to be working a couple of days a weekthough I’m not sure in what capacity yet. I’ve had some interesting approaches, so we’ll see.

Matt: Finally, you’ll always have Galbraith in your heart. Will you still be keeping an eye on things?

Jane: Absolutely. I’ll be watching with great interest! We’ve built a fantastic team, and I’m excited to see where it goes next. There’s huge potential here!

round the world yachtsman

Aberdeen 01224 860 710

aberdeen@galbraithgroup.com

Ayr 01292 268 181

ayr@galbraithgroup.com

Blagdon 01670 789 621

blagdon@galbraithgroup.com

Castle Douglas 01556 505 346

castledouglas@galbraithgroup.com

Cupar 01334 659 980

cupar@galbraithgroup.com

Edinburgh 0131 240 6960

edinburgh@galbraithgroup.com

Hexham 01434 693 693

hexham@galbraithgroup.com

Inverness 01463 224 343

inverness@galbraithgroup.com

Kelso 01573 224 244

kelso@galbraithgroup.com

Morpeth 01670 331 500

morpeth@galbraithgroup.com

Penrith 01768 800 830

penrith@galbraithgroup.com

Perth 01738 451 111 perth@galbraithgroup.com

Stirling 01786 434 600

stirling@galbraithgroup.com

Galbraith operates from 13 offices across Scotland and Northern England, bringing our clients a wealth of experience in:

• Building consultancy

• Commercial forestry & woodland management

• Commercial property sales & management

• Estate, farm & forestry sales & acquisitions

• Estates, farming & land management

• Natural capital & carbon

• Property lettings

• Renewables and utilities

• Residential estate agency