From Chilli Piper to whisky boss
I’m the general manager of The Macallan Estate, having worked my way up through the ranks of parent company Edrington over the last eight years.
But before that I created, was MD of and for years performed with the famous bagpipe band the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (RHCP) – and there were so many incredible moments.
As part of the band I played T in the Park with The Darkness, toured the world, met musical legends, and one year we had the biggest-selling album in Scotland, for example.
However, I eventually ended up having to step down from playing after developing a medical condition called task-specific focal dystonia, which is referred to as musicians’ cramp, and is essentially the same condition as “golfers yips” or “dart-itis”.
When I only wanted one finger to move, all the fingers would – so it was really affecting my ability to play. I started to suffer from it in 2008 – I consulted some of the most eminent specialists around the world, but I couldn’t get back to playing the way I could prior to developing the condition, and it was very, very frustrating.
In August 2011, we were headlining at the Milwaukee Irish Fest, playing to a crowd of around 40,000. I was thinking about how I’d started the band in my bedroom, and now felt like a good time to stop. I still remained in the RHCP business for while, but all of a sudden my life opened up with my diary no longer being full, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I moved to New York when I was trying to find myself a little bit.
I’d always seen the whisky industry as quite an interesting path, so I embarked on a mission to start a career in the sector.
And there were definitely some transferable skills from my time as a bagpiper. RHCP had grown to more than a £1 million turnover – it was a fairly big business. We were entertaining the world, showing people what the bagpipes could do, and had created a very clear brand. Also, when you play in a group, you've got to be collaborative and creative, which are key skills in business. Furthermore, touring has given me good appreciation of different cultures.
Being a musician can also help you present to and influence people – I've got a very can-do, positive attitude, and I try to influence people in the right way to get the best result for the growth of The Macallan and the wider Edrington business.
My career change was helped by being accepted onto the Saltire Fellowship in 2012, which saw me spend eight months getting an “experiential” MBA from Babson College in Massachusetts. Looking back, it’s probably the most important thing I’ve ever done. The whole experience gave me the toolkit to move into a corporate life.
When I got back I secured a threemonth placement with The Famous Grouse team – at Edrington – and I was literally the first in and the last to leave every day. Thankfully I was given an opportunity to stay, eventually being promoted to my current role in February 2019. It lets me tap into my ability to hold a crowd – I can demonstrate my passion for The Macallan in what is quite a consumer-facing role. As general manager you are fairly visible to consumers and I welcome some of our highest-value clients from all over the world to The Macallan Estate. As told to Emma Newlands.