Welcome to January 2026’s edition of Movers & Shakers.

Scottish tech hit the ground running in the new year, with an array of C-suite appointments in top finance roles, lucrative partnerships strengthening the ecosystem, and expansions set to make Scotland a force to be reckoned with in 2026. 

While the year may just be starting, Scotland’s businesses have already set high expectations for the rest of the year by attracting a range of expansions into the nation, with top talent set to lead transformation and evolution in the sector. 

The days are just starting to get a bit longer, and Scottish tech’s 2026 is starting off bright!

All that and more coming up.

Partnerships

Johnston Carmichael Partners With STAC to Back Scots Startups

Johnston Carmichael, the Scottish-founded accountancy and advisory firm, has announced a strategic partnership with Glasgow’s Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) to support the next generation of tech entrepreneurs in building viable businesses.

STAC, an industry‑led accelerator for product‑driven startups, runs an 18‑month programme that blends mentorship, investment readiness, and access to specialist facilities to help founders launch and scale competitive companies.

Under the new partnership, Johnston Carmichael will work with all thirty-five startups enrolled in STAC’s current programme, delivering hands‑on support across core business essentials, including guidance on finance, tax, and fundraising.

Read more here.

Edinburgh’s brass neck and KMA Marketing Ink Strategic Partnership

Tech content and communications consultancy brass neck has signed a new strategic partnership with common-sense marketing consultancy KMA Marketing to boost the capabilities and drive the growth of each business.

Operating out of Edinburgh, but with clients spread across the UK, brass neck and KMA Marketing will support organisations across the full content, marketing and PR spectrum, including owned and earned media content creation and placement, thought leadership campaigns and strategy.

The two organisations will initially provide Droplet NeverTrust™, the secure vault company, with marketing and PR support. 

Read more here. 

Hop Software Partners with Utah-based Metadesk

A Scottish hospitality tech firm has signed a trans-Atlantic partnership which will help hotels win lost room sales back from third-party booking sites.

Hop Software, co-founded by Highland hoteliers, has penned a partnership which will see its award-winning Property Management System teamed with the metasearch expertise of leading Utah GCommerce firm, Metadesk.

The partnership will enable hotels and resorts to increase direct room bookings by giving them an optimised presence on key platforms such as Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor and Trivago.

Google Hotel ads, integrated into Google apps like Maps and Travel account for between 65% and 85% of all hotel search traffic, globally, and online booking sites spend billions to maintain a dominant presence.

Appointments

Scottish National Investment Bank Appoints New CEO

The Scottish National Investment Bank has appointed David Ritchie as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Al Denholm, who has retired after serving in the role since early 2023.

Serving as the Bank’s chief strategy officer since October 2024, Ritchie helped design and launch the organisation five years ago as one of the national investment bank’s first employees.

Originally an economist by training, before joining the Bank, Ritchie was employed by the Scottish Government and advised ministers in several roles, including as head of the energy industries and hydrocarbons divisions.

Read more here. 

Bank of Scotland Appoints New Glasgow & West Area Lead

Bank of Scotland has announced the appointment of Alison Scott as Area Director for Glasgow and the West of Scotland, underscoring its commitment to driving business growth and prosperity across the region.

Scott will lead a team of experienced Relationship Directors and Relationship Managers and will support a diverse range of sectors including professional services, hospitality, manufacturing, retail and technology.

With more than 20 years of experience in commercial banking, Scott joins Bank of Scotland from Barclays, where she held the role of Relationship Director for Glasgow.

Read more here. 

BGF Strengthens Scottish Leadership Team

The Scotland team of growth capital investor BGF, has promoted several members of its senior Edinburgh-based team, underpinning Scotland’s centrality to its wider strategy.

Patrick Graham, regional partner, who has grown and led the Scotland team by overseeing £400m of investment across 60 companies, will extend his regional investment partner responsibilities beyond Scotland and Ireland to include South West England and Wales.

With over 10 years of experience in BGF’s investment and portfolio teams across Scotland and Ireland, working directly with over 20 company boards, Graham Clarke will step up to regional portfolio partner and oversee BGF’s portfolio across Scotland, Ireland, South West England and Wales. He will also join BGF’s Investment Committee and Leadership Team.

Read more here.

Kick ICT Group Appoints New Chief Executive Officer

Kick ICT Group has announced the appointment of Steven Brown as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Steven brings extensive senior leadership experience from across the technology sector, having held leadership roles at both UK and international organisations, including Telefónica Tech, Incremental Group and Redspire Ltd. Across these organisations, he has built and led high-performing teams, supported customer-led growth strategies, and delivered sustained growth in complex, fast-moving technology environments.

He brings 15 years of expertise across the Microsoft ecosystem, alongside a broad and well-rounded background spanning technology delivery, strategy, operations, customer service and sales.

Read more here.

Angel Capital Scotland Unveils New Board and Chair

Angel Capital Scotland (ACS) has unveiled a refreshed board lineup and announced the appointment of Archangels’ joint managing director Niki McKenzie as its new chair.

Coming on the heels of Margaret Morton’s appointment as ACS’s first CEO last September, the new board brings together figures from angel investment, entrepreneurship, and economic research, who ACS said will help deliver the organisation’s strategy over the coming years.

Acting as chair, McKenzie brings over fourteen years of experience with Archangels, as well as sixteen years in banking and structured finance with KPMG and Lloyds Banking Group, and as a chartered accountant, has overseen investments across Scotland’s technology and life sciences sectors, guiding portfolio companies.

Read more here. 

Perth Fintech Miconex Appoints New Chief Digital Officer

Fintech Miconex has announced the appointment of Idong Usoro as chief digital and operations officer as it continues its global scale up journey.

An experienced technology and business leader and on the back of recent tenures at the helm of Revenue Scotland, Abbeyfield, and global awarding organisation, NEBOSH, Idong will lead on driving digital maturity, investment and operational transformation at the Perth based fintech, following 7 years of supporting Miconex in a strategic advisory capacity.

Idong brings decades of business and technology experience to Miconex, having worked internationally with private, public and third sectors, enterprise technology providers and research institutes in overseeing the execution of commercial strategies, the delivery of corporate and technology transformations and the deployment of scientific and research innovation to businesses and communities.

Read more here.

Glasgow’s Nami Surgical Names New CEO Amid £1.9m Funding Round

Glasgow-based ultrasonic surgery specialist Nami Surgical has appointed Nikki Palfrey as CEO while completing its latest investment round.

The company is targeting the global robotic-assisted surgery market with its ultrasonic technology, with the funding supporting the company’s transition from advanced development to commercialisation.

Nami develops high-performance miniaturised ultrasonic scalpels; its platform has been engineered for integration into articulated, wristed surgical robotic instruments, addressing growing demand for compatibility with next-generation robotic systems.

Read more here.

KPMG strengthens North-east audit team with director promotion

KPMG UK has promoted Chris Brown to the role of audit director in its Aberdeen office, as the firm continues to invest in strengthening its audit practice in the North-east of Scotland.

Chris will play a key role in supporting audit clients across the region, working closely with businesses operating in sectors including energy, infrastructure and the wider local economy.

His promotion forms part of a series of recent investments in KPMG’s Aberdeen audit team, reflecting the firm’s long-term commitment to the region. KPMG has also promoted Chris Stout to audit senior manager, as well as Akosua Asomaning-Agyei, Mona Trofin and Yusuf Madi to audit manager roles within the Aberdeen office.

New NHS Lanarkshire innovation leadership team will ‘help forge dynamic future’ for the region

The third largest health board in Scotland recently announced that it would be joined by Professor W Gordon Mackay as new Director of Research, Innovation and Academic Partnerships, and Stacey Rooney as Head of Research and Innovation.

The additions are expected to help lead the development of new treatments and policies which improve patient outcomes across Lanarkshire’s 655,000 population.

Professor ‘Gordie’ Mackay took up his post – the first of its kind for NHS Lanarkshire – on 5 January while Stacey joined in the latter part of last year.

Innovation Commercialisation Manager at InnoScot Health, Frances Ramsay said: “We are in no doubt that Gordie and Stacey will help forge a dynamic, forward-looking future for the region’s patients while also inspiring staff.”

Bank of Scotland owner Lloyds Banking Group appoints new Group Ambassador for Scotland

Lloyds Banking Group, owner of Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows, has appointed Emma Noble as Chair of its Scottish Executive Committee and new Group Ambassador for Scotland.

In her new role, Noble will focus on supporting Scotland’s sustainable economic growth and on improving investment in the housing sector.

Noble will lead a team of senior colleagues and work closely with local policymakers, businesses, charities and community organisations to help address some of Scotland’s key opportunities and challenges. The Ambassador role is part of the Group’s mission to help Scotland and the rest of the UK thrive and to support development across the nations and regions.

Expansions

Zinc Group announces major UK expansion across Glasgow

Zinc Group, a leading UK Credit Management, debt recovery and customer engagement specialist, has announced a significant expansion across both its operational centres in Scotland and England, representing a major investment in its people, clients, and service capability for 2026 and beyond.

Beginning early 2026, Zinc will expand its Glasgow offices by taking over all remaining space within its existing building—six floors in total, including a lower ground level.

The company is currently upgrading facilities, introducing modern workspaces and new furniture, and creating improved colleague environments including an on-site canteen and breakout area. Two floors will be developed as a dedicated white-label operational hub for two of Zinc’s major UK utility clients, providing increased capacity and tailored brand support.

Glasgow’s Space Sector Grows as Simera Sense Brings High-Tech Manufacturing to Clyde Gateway

Simera Sense, which has a global footprint with premises in South Africa, Belgium and France, will open a high-value electronics assembly lab and office at EastWorks in Dalmarnock – a flagship location within Clyde Gateway’s growing innovation ecosystem.

This move reinforces EastWorks as a Deep Tech Hub at the heart of Clyde Gateway Innovation, where a cluster of pioneering businesses is already thriving. Companies such as Utopi, HyImpulse, Acumen Cyber, BRE and Verdant Energy have chosen Clyde Gateway for its cutting-edge facilities and collaborative environment, making the area one of Scotland’s most exciting destinations for technology and advanced manufacturing.