Grey Matters, a joint initiative from Elevator and Scottish Enterprise, is looking for up to 20 experienced individuals from the sector to create a number of oil and gas businesses with high-growth potential.

A new entrepreneurship initiative to support senior oil and gas professionals who are facing redundancy, or have been made redundant, is set to be launched in Aberdeen.

Grey Matters, a joint initiative from Elevator and Scottish Enterprise, is looking for up to 20 experienced individuals from the sector to create a number of oil and gas businesses with high-growth potential.

Graham Morgan, deputy chief executive at Elevator, said Grey Matters is the first project of its type, and will provide a unique opportunity to tap into the extensive knowledge which exists within senior oil and gas professionals.

He said: “There is currently little or no support out there for senior oil and gas professionals who have spent 20-plus years in the industry, and have a vast amount of knowledge, not to mention key skills in leadership, collaboration, problem solving and building teams.

Applicants will be required to take part in a 12 weeks to the programme designed to set participants on the “right steps to creating and building high-growth, scalable businesses that can have an impact on the global energy sector”.

Grey Matters will be managed by David Christie, a former military officer, who also runs his own business focused on entrepreneurship, leadership and management.

Eleanor Mitchell, Scottish Enterprise’s entrepreneurial growth director, said the programme was “a response to the challenging economic conditions in the Aberdeen region”.

She added: “Entrepreneurial activity flourishes in a time of economic uncertainty, and we believe that there is an opportunity to catalyse entrepreneurship within executives in the Oil and Gas community with experience of operating in a global market.

“Grey Matters is part of the Energy Jobs Taskforce which, to date, has supported more than 800 businesses and 3,500 individuals in areas such as business resilience, efficiency, leadership, internationalisation and innovation.”

There will be a Grey Matters Information Session taking place at Elevator's Centre for Entrepreneurship on Thursday 13th April 2017. To book a free place at this event, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grey-matters-info-session-tickets-33397364416

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