The Prince's Ambassador

The Prince's Ambassador - Brendan Dick, Director - BT Scotland

At our celebration dinner in May 2008, Brendan Dick, Director - BT Scotland was presented with the SBC Prince’s Ambassador for CSR in Scotland award.

Brendan's ambassadorial theme for the year will be "Building Business, Protecting the Planet", focusing particularly on the importance of economic growth and environmental resposibility for organisations.

The issues around running a sustainable business, and how information communications technology can assist businesses facing an increased focus on their environmental credentials, is currently high on his agenda.

 He hopes to bring his substantial knowledge to bear on his year as ambassador for Scottish Business in the Community.

Corporate responsibility is nothing new to Dick. He has driven BT’s devolved CR activities for more than a decade, with the focus on using technology to make a real difference to lives.

He has developed, and funded, numerous social inclusion initiatives working with groups ranging from school children and over-65s to those from socially deprived backgrounds and the homeless community in Glasgow.

He has also fostered long standing partnerships with the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust, Young Enterprise Scotland and Citizens Online, among others.

Dick leads BT’s climate change and environmental programmes in Scotland, and has a key role in BT’s work in developing renewable energy resources at a UK level. He is a member of Scotland’s Climate Change Business Delivery Group, driving leadership in creating a low carbon economy for Scotland.

He has an extensive network within the public, private and voluntary sectors: as chair of Edinburgh Business Assembly; a board member of SCDI, a member of the CBI Scotland Council; a past board member of SCVO and the Edinburgh International Science Festival and a graduate of Common Purpose Edinburgh.

One colleague said: “Brendan is a natural leader who, despite his own intensive schedule, always has time to inspire and motivate others. He gets personally involved in supporting colleagues to reach their full potential.

“He is widely regarded, both in BT and externally, for these qualities as well as the depth of his expertise. He has a hands-on leadership style, practices what he preaches and has a rare ability to stimulate and lead cultural change. 

“He is also able to transcend business need and intricate politics to bring about genuine partnerships and open collaboration in the outside world – an important skill in an organisation as complex as BT.”

Excepting two years with a small IT services company, he has spent his entire career with the telecoms giant, with a front-row seat at its transformation in the last 10 years to a thriving global provider of communications products and services.

Described by colleagues as dynamic and competitive, in his personal life Dick has a love of all things active and outdoors. A keen sportsman, his passion is golf but also includes cycling as a means of recreation and as a means of getting work without throwing more carbon into the atmosphere!

He has had a long-standing involvement in the Scout movement in Edinburgh and with the Territorial Army’s Lowland Reserve Forces and Cadets’ Association.

Married with a teenage son and daughter, he spends his summers on the isle of Arran, where, thanks to modern technology, he can indulge his Blackberry habit.