6 October 2005

Atlantic Power and Gas Founder and Former Chairman Fuels Student Enterprise

Event Notice: FRIDAY OCTOBER 7TH, 1 pm.
SUPERCOACH SESSION AT ENTERPRISE GYM
BAXTER CONFERENCE SUITE,
UNIVERSITY TOWER BUILDING

Mr John Milligan, former chairman and founder of Atlantic Power and Gas, will energise young minds on Friday afternoon (October 7th) at the first 'Supercoach' session for members and partners of The Enterprise Gym, the University of Dundee's new initiative to promote enterprise amongst its student community.

Mr Milligan, who started his working life as an apprentice fitter with the National Coal Board before going on to form his own highly-successful business, will draw on his own life story and personal business experience to focus on challenge, inspiration and motivation in business and enterprise.

Ken Edward, Director of The Enterprise Gym, said 'We are absolutely delighted to have John as our very first `Supercoach' - he sets an exceedingly high standard for our future speakers and he will be a very difficult act to follow. John’s experience gives us a rare first hand insight into what makes outstanding business people tick and this is absolutely invaluable for all our students'.

Professor Geoff Ward, Deputy Principal of the University, commented, 'John’s breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of small and big business combined with his interest in business start-ups and the enterprise agenda in Scottish education makes him an ideal person to deliver this inaugural 'Supercoach' session. We feel privileged to have him come to speak to our students and partners of the Enterprise Gym.'

Following a return to higher education, Mr Milligan became an engineer, and worked in a number of engineering posts until 1973, when he formed Strathclyde Process Engineering. In 1982 he formed Atlantic Power & Gas, remaining its CEO/Chairman until 2000. Mr Milligan is also a non-executive Director of Aberdeen Development Capital as well as a former Chairman of Aberdeen Enterprise Trust and Chairman of Head Start Aberdeen.

Through his role as Chairman of the University of Dundee Court Mr Milligan continues to maintain his long standing interest in the education community, being formerly Chairman of the Board of Governors at Robert Gordon University, and a sponsor of an Industry / Education Partnership with Kincorth Academy.

This first "Supercoach" session is being held on Friday 7th October, in the Baxter Conference Suite, Room 1.36 in the Tower Building at the University of Dundee.

The `Supercoach' sessions will be a regular feature of the EGym, bringing in business figures of national standing to pass on the benefits of their business experience to students.

Meanwhile, the EGym programme continued to gather pace with another successful training workout yesterday (THURS Oct 6th). The programme is now in its third session and the training workout members have split into business teams, last week sharing £600 of prize money for their business idea submissions

At this latest session Alan Honig, Managing Director of Ross & Bonnyman Ltd, spoke to students about effective ways to conduct market research.

Ross & Bonnyman is one of the UK’s market leaders in the manufacture of column tail lifts and shutter doors, and is active in markets across Europe.

The students then gathered with others in Braes, to absorb some of the business advice and enthusiasm of Angus Robb, of city nightclub Fat Sams, and Brian McNicoll, a University of Dundee graduate who is one of the founders of successful start-up company Dynamo Games.

Further details of The Enterprise Gym are available from Alex McCooke, 07950 358612, e-mail: a.mccooke@dundee.ac.uk.