Brought together by a dynamic group of Aberdeen business representatives, North-East Scotland Business Academy (NES Business Academy) is inspired by the success of Blackadders Aberdeen HR Club and a growing demand from business owners for clearer, more integrated guidance as they start, grow, scale and plan for exit.

Blackadders is collaborating with Prospect 13, ActionCOACH and Hall Morrice to create the Business Academy which launches at Park Inn by Radisson, Aberdeen on 23rd April (8.30am – 11am). The events will be free to attend, running quarterly in May, August, November 2026 and February 2027 with future topics shaped by delegates to ensure each session stays relevant to the real challenges facing SME’S and owner managed businesses.

NES Business Academy has been designed to bring something new to the region, breaking away from traditional speaker-and-networking formats. Each session will focus on real-world scenarios and the kinds of practical insights typically shared in a client meeting, including risks, common pitfalls, the right questions to ask, and simple actions businesses can implement straight away.

“The problems SME’s and owner managed businesses face rarely sit neatly in one box but instead require input from varied skill sets including legal, accounting, marketing and coaching disciplines. NES Business Academy brings joined up expertise together, so business owners can anticipate this and be proactive, not reactive. The emphasis here is very much on learning and creating a single hub to deliver practical guidance. The kind you can use the next day.”

“I jumped at the chance to get involved in something that I would have hugely benefited from when I started my business back in 2018. In my experience, business growth is rarely a straight line. It’s momentum, setbacks, pivots, learning and correction, often all at once. NES Business Academy has been built with that reality in mind. We are creating a trusted expert learning hub where founders and leaders get practical insights from multiple disciplines in once place, so they leave with clarity and next steps, not just inspiration.”

“We’re serious about being useful. Every event will deliver real tools and actions, and we’ll keep it human, down-to-earth and commercially grounded.”

To book a place, visit:

To find out more about the North-East Business Academy (NESBA), email hello@nes-ba.co.uk