Jim McColl OBE (Chair)
Published: 30 November 2021
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Clyde Blowers Capital
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Clyde Blowers Capital
Jim McColl left school at 16 to take up an engineering apprenticeship with Weir Pumps at Cathcart in Glasgow. After 6 years having studied part time for City & Guilds, Ordinary National and Higher National Certificates, he left work to take up full time study at Strathclyde University for a BSc Degree in Technology and Business Studies. After graduating with an Honours Degree he returned to Weir Pumps where he remained for three years while studying part-time for a Masters Degree in Business Administration.
In 1992 after various senior management positions in engineering, completion of another three years of study for a second Masters Degree in International Accounting and Finance and a spell as a senior consultant with Coopers & Lybrand, Jim bought 29.9% of a small engineering company based in Glasgow
Over the past 20 years Clyde Blowers has grown significantly and has developed into a global portfolio of engineering companies. Jim has been the chief architect of its impressive growth record. He has a wealth of experience investing and operating businesses through many economic and market cycles. In the past 20 years he has invested in 20 platform acquisitions, overseen 15 exits including 2 public listings. He has led a number of public to private transactions, mergers, demergers, spin outs and turn arounds.
His current focus is on investing in businesses in industrial markets and technology, that advance sustainability and the energy transition globally.
First published: 30 November 2021