Member Testimonials

I joined JCI Edinburgh in 2005 when I moved from Glasgow to Edinburgh to take up a promoted post with Bank of Scotland Corporate. Keen to get to know people outside my day to day working environment, particularly in a city which has a reputation for being unfriendly, joining JCI was a great way to meet a whole range of like minded, fun, young people in a new city.

I’d be the first to admit that coming along to my first event made me feel anxious and nervous, however once I got over that hurdle and felt the warm welcome from other members, I was quite quickly filling up my diary with JCI events and getting involved with a community project. From that initial small step on my JCI journey I’ve continued to take many more and it has changed me as a person- quite quickly I gained a further promotion at Bank of Scotland and took on a full board role around six months after joining. Before I knew where I was I had agreed to take on the role of President and seven years later, after a whole lot of fun and laughs, am still actively contributing to an organisation that has given me so much.

There are so many highlights from my time as a member that I could not possibly write them all down here- just be sure to ask me about them next time you see me. A huge personal step was making my first efforts at public speaking- albeit helped by a couple of G&Ts- but this is a key skill that I continue to use in my day to day working life today. Another highlight was my first International conference in Tallinn, Estonia in 2006 and who could forget Toasting the Lassies at our Burns Supper in 2007?

I’m quite certain that my involvement with JCI has continued to benefit me professionally. Two years ago I left the Bank to take up my current role within a much smaller organisation. This was a risky move , but the confidence and interpersonal skills I had developed in my time with the organisation gave me the confidence to take this step and I continue to use the techniques and skills I have learned in JCI, as well as the network of business contacts I have built up. The best part of it is I have almost ten years of membership left- who knows what might happen next?

If you are considering joining JCI, or are a member already, I would encourage you to take that step and find out more, come to an open evening or attend your first event. Challenge the other members and the current board to get you involved in projects or programmes. If you are unsure about anything, just ask the current President or any member of the board. I can promise you that by starting to use your membership for your benefit in even just a small way could reward you and surprise you in ways you might not even have imagined.

Alastair Davis

Past President of JCI Edinburgh and JCI Senator

Investment Director, Social Investment Scotland