Joe Pacitti, MD:
A little early, but as I was sitting on the train post out traditional CeeD Board & Team meetup and Xmas Curry, it allowed me to reflect on the past 12 months and share a few thoughts for our end-of-year and Christmas celebration blog. I found myself thinking about the themes that stood out this year – sparked by the tradition of that annual meet up.
Recently, I heard an interview with Irvine Welsh discussing the rise of nostalgia as a response to a perceived lack of creativity in recent years. With all the talk about Oasis reforming, it struck me that a little nostalgia might be fitting for us too! So, we dipped into the archives for one of our previous Christmas images – not because we don’t embrace innovation or the power of AI, but because a retro image felt right for celebrating winter festivities and sending good wishes for 2025.
Of course, this time of year brings a wave of nostalgic movies to our screens, and it’s hard to avoid the Frank Capra classic It’s a Wonderful Life. Those who know me will recognize that I often draw inspiration from such moments for my year-end reflections – and this year was no different.
It made me wonder: what would 2025 – and indeed the last 20 years – have looked like for Scotland’s manufacturing and engineering community if CeeD had never been formed? (As you know, we celebrated our 20th birthday at our Awards back in March!)
I am confident that without CeeD, some supply chain connections would not exist, some lifelong learning journeys might never have started, and certain products, processes, and business models might not have emerged. In short, there would have been less innovation. While we can’t claim that other forms of collaboration would not have happened, would they have been as effective or frictionless? Honestly, we don’t know.
What we do know is this: Scotland’s manufacturing, engineering, and technology sectors have benefited from the peer-to-peer knowledge sharing that defines the CeeD community. This was reinforced recently during a meeting with policy – making executives, who told us that CeeD’s “superpower” is its ability to convene an active, engaged community – to bring a room together. We often quote our favourite line: “The smartest person in the room is the room.” That is why we work tirelessly to ensure the best knowledge sharing through peer-to-peer exchange. It is what we do – and it is our superpower.
Of course, with great power comes great responsibility (thank you, Spider-Man – those Marvel fans will get that!!). We feel a deep responsibility to contribute to the significant economic and social impact our members and wider community create.
This year, I have leaned heavily on film, music, and literary references – so I would love to hear your thoughts and reflections, sprinkled with your own favourite references. Here’s to celebrating the past, embracing the future, and continuing to make a difference together.
Wishing you all a joyful festive season and a successful 2026!