In business, it’s not often someone goes back to a previous employer after 15 years.
For Murray Strachan however, rejoining Bilfinger Salamis earlier this year was hardly a return to the same business.
Mr Strachan, who was appointed strategic development director at the offshore service contractor in February, said that although it still occupied the same premises as when he left in 1998 it had changed beyond recognition.
He said: “I was a general manager when I left. The company has more than doubled in size since I was last here.”
Mr Strachan also pointed out the firm’s ownership had changed; during his eight years with the business, known as BIS Salamis at the time, Maersk was the ultimate parent but it has since changed hands, with Bilfinger taking control.
The 48-year-old said that the current owner, an industrial service business, opened up new opportunities for Bilfinger Salamis.
He added: “If there are other aspects of Bilfinger’s work that we can offer to clients, we intend to do that. We want to grow Bilfinger Salamis organically, but we are also looking at acquisitions which would help us grow the business in a number of areas. Ultimately, we want to double the size of the business in the next five years.”
The company is already enjoying strong growth, having reported record turnover of £156million last year. Last month, Bilfinger Salamis – which employs 150 people at its office in Aberdeen and a further 1,600 offshore staff working from the Granite City – announced plans to add more than 200 people to its workforce.
Mr Strachan is no stranger to overseeing rapid expansion at oil and gas businesses, however. After leaving Salamis he joined the occupational health and safety division of Liberty Mutual, but after two years took his expertise to RGIT Montrose and worked his way through the ranks to become MD.
He led a management buyout in 2003 and oversaw the firm’s subsequent sale to Petrofac a year later. In 2007, Mr Strachan stepped down from the role of director and chief of staff at Petrofac’s operation service division, having decided to “step off the corporate merry-go-round” and work as a consultant.
He was still kept busy, however, thanks in part to his work with the Entrepreneurial Exchange, where he is vice-chairman.
Mr Strachan described the business organisation as a network for both young and experienced entre-preneurs, giving them the chance to learn from one other. He said: “It is about putting something back and helping others grow their business; we want to help make Scotland a more entrepreneurial country.”
Mr Strachan has been involved directly in young companies too, having supported the likes of SuperTie, which sells a zipped tie invented by young businessman Chris Gibson.
Mr Strachan said: “It was a typical example of what I did at the time; if someone had an idea and I liked the individual, I tried to help them exploit it.”
Mr Strachan – who lives at Bridge of Allan with partner Carol and has two grown-up children, Lauren and Christopher – also has a few ideas on how to exploit Bilfinger Salamis’s potential. He said: “Bilfinger is very ambitious and demanding of us in terms of our growth, but it is no secret that companies are looking to move into decommissioning and we have to look at that.
“Bilfinger already works in other energy areas like windfarms as well, so that is a natural fit for us too.”
Recommended for you
