Local Heroes: How Loch Fyne Oysters Embraced Employee Ownership and Business Success - Hardcover

Erdal, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670917540 ISBN 13: 9780670917549

Publisher: Viking, 2008

Synopsis

"Local Heroes" relates the extraordinary evolution of Loch Fyne Oysters, the highly successful and environmentally pioneering seafood company from the west coast of Scotland. A remarkably eloquent and inspiring read, it describes how two men from entirely different walks of life founded and built the company, and how the employee buy-out transpired and developed. The founding partners were Johnny Noble, an extrovert estate-owner drowning in debt, and Andy Lane, a marine biologist who was committed to environmentalism from the age of eight. The sudden death of Noble precipitated four bids from large companies keen to acquire the brand, but in 2003 an all-employee buyout fought off the would-be 'predators', then faced the challenging but energising process of managing an employee-owned company.

About this title

Review:

'Amid the gloom of the credit crunch and the glower of the Scottish weather, Erdal's book is a welcome beacon of hope.' -- Spectator Business

'An engaging little book. On the one hand, it gives a stylish account of Loch Fyne Oysters, a seafood company based in the rugged grandeur of the West Highlands of Scotland. On the other, it is a handbook and manifesto for the gospel of employee ownership'
-- Financial Times

'An extraordinary story of personal commitment and vision which led to commercial success and community achievement. Employee ownership works.' -- Sir Ming Campbell

'An interesting and valuable account of employee-owned business based on hard-won experience. There is also much to be learned from this book that is applicable to more conventional business managers.' -- Sir George Mathewson, Royal Bank of Scotland

'As business books go it is in a class of its own... A rip-roaring yarn with the absolute minimum of financial jargon and always lucidly explained.' -- The Oldie

'Compelling and inspiring, this is a book about global heroes - people who see the future first and make it happen' -- Sandy Balfour, Chair, Divine Chocolate

'David Erdal has taken us to a story of ordinary people creating a company out of the mists of Scotland for the benefit of all the employees. Loch Fyne Oysters is a fabulous business success yet it is as far away from city slickers and fat-cats as you can possibly get. Read it and realise that there is "another way".' -- Andy Law, author of 'Open Minds'

'Honest, inspiring, uplifting and, above all, a good read'
-- Insider Magazine

'The story of Loch Fyne Oysters is inspirational. The model of employee ownership at Loch Fyne Oysters shows what can be achieved when people are empowered and trusted, and fairly rewarded for their efforts.' -- Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland

About the Author:

David Erdal studied Chinese at Oxford, then worked as a teacher in Mao's China. After gaining an MBA at Harvard, he returned to Scotland and led the family paper mill, Tullis Russell, into all-employee ownership. In 1989 he won the Scottish Business Achievement Award. After obtaining a PH.D. at St Andrews on the psychology of sharing, he went on to be MD of Baxi Partnership, which structures and funds all-employee buyouts of medium-sized companies. He lives in St Andrews.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0670917540
• ISBN 13: 9780670917549
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256