Agenda  

Follow along during the day and join the conversation using the hashtag #EDAS25. You can find us on X, Bluesky and LinkedIn. 

1:30 Welcome from Neil McInroy, Chair of EDAS and Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative. 

Featuring ‘Quartercentury’ recital by Brian Connolly, Specialist – Innovation Ecosystems, Scottish Enterprise 

1:45 Ministerial Address: Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Employment & Investment, Scottish Government 

2:00 Exploring economic futures and the role for economic development: Grace Blakeley, Economics and politics commentator, columnist, journalist and author. 

2.20 Audience Questions 

2.35 EDAS Board Member Charlie Woods, with EDAS Chairs past and present, sharing their perspectives on what economic development means for them. 

Featuring, Jean Hamilton (EDAS Founder & Chair, 1999 – 2005), Robert Pollock (Chaired twice between 2013 and 2022), Neil McInroy (Chair, 2023 to present) and Clare Stoddart, (Chair, EDAS Future Leaders Network, 2024 to present). 

3:00 Comfort break 

3.20 Countering Cataclysm Capitalism: Professor Julia K Steinberger, Professor of societal challenges of climate change, University of Lausanne 

3.40 Audience Questions 

3.55 Special awards honouring contributions to EDAS and to economic development 

• Contribution to Economic Development 

• Lifetime Achievement 

• Outstanding Early Career Achievement 

4.15 Drinks Reception with music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

Attendee list