Eight Scottish wholesalers have beat off stiff competition to win sponsorship to undergo an intensive training programme that aims to improve their negotiating skills.
The individuals, who have been awarded sponsorship by the Scottish Wholesale Association, will undertake The Gap Partnership’s Complete Skilled Negotiator, a three-and-a-half day residential programme designed to advance their skills and their company’s commercial goals.
Kate Salmon, executive director of the Edinburgh-based Scottish Wholesale Association, said: “This is a significant investment for us but one we are willing to make in order to ensure that our industry has strong leadership – we need highly-skilled individuals to take our industry forward, people who are not afraid to take risks in order to grow their businesses, come up with innovative ideas and motivate their staff.”
The course, called GAP II, will take place at Crieff Hydro later this month, and follows the trade association’s previous Essential Negotiator sessions in association with The Gap Partnership, a specialist negotiation company.
Sandie Holmes, principal consultant at the SWA’s training partner, 121 HR Solutions, said: “Each of the 24 delegates who participated in our Essential Negotiator workshops in 2014 and 2015 were eligible to apply. However, with just eight places for this more intensive workshop available, individuals had to go through a stringent application process.”
The candidates chosen are Stuart Harrison of JW Filshill; Asim Sarwar and Anshu Chandra of United Wholesale; David Rowan, of Dunns Food and Drinks; Patricia Harding and Imran Ambalia of Sugro; Karen Kelly of 3663 and Seonaid Holsgrove of Gordon & MacPhail.
“This month’s course will bring together a group of our members’ most talented and ambitious people whose roles range from managing director to assistant and junior buyers. Each one has secured their place on the Complete Skilled Negotiator based on their own merits – they are the lifeblood of our industry,” added Kate Salmon.
