As a child well-known Aberdeen businesswoman Zoe Ogilvie had aspirations of being a jockey or a vet.
But it was a week’s work experience that gave her the first taste of what would turn out to be the start of her journey in to the word of PR and marketing.
Having spent some time living in France and working in Aberdeen pubs she knew a career in PR was for her.
Now 40 years later she’s co-founded multi-million-pound PR agency Big Partnership and made history becoming the first female to join the board of Aberdeen Football Club
It’s been a eventful journey for Zoe, who even found herself trying her hand at being at artist.
But one thing that’s very clear is the passion she has for Aberdeen and her efforts to help the city become a better place.
‘I wanted to be a jockey’
Growing up she had an unusual ambition but knew she had to change career paths.
She said: “I was too big to be a jockey and absolutely rubbish at science.
“I’ve got the left brain rather than the right brain. Couldn’t do science so I had to quickly realise that veterinary science was out for me.
“I ended up doing languages.
“When I was at school your career options were very limited, particularly in a small private school.
“If you weren’t going to be a doctor, lawyer or accountant you had to decide what you were actually going to do.”
School work experience saw PR become an option
Zoe was offered a week’s work experience at Aberdeen based marketing agency Mearns & Gill when she was still at school at the age of 16.
The former St Margaret’s School for Girls pupil said: “I thought it was more advertising and marketing that I wanted to do.
“I remember everyone used to say to me I’d be good in PR but when you are at school you don’t really know what that is.
“But I loved languages so I decided I’d spend six months in France and six months in Germany and then go to university.”
Test of artistic skills in France
However, Zoe’s six months in France turned in to seven years.
She said: “I went to Paris and I just loved it. I became fluent in French and was working in tourist shops.
“I did portraits at Montmartre to earn a bit of money.
“That was hilarious because I was doing charcoal portraits of American tourists and I wasn’t doing very well.
“I remember saying to some of the other artists “how come you’ve got a queue and I don’t?”
“They said American tourists come to Paris to get their portrait done by a French artist so I then had to pretend I was French.”
Break in to PR and marketing
Zoe also worked in restaurants and it was while there she was offered a job at new marketing agency Score in 1987 where she spent seven years before returning to Aberdeen.
She spent some time working at city pubs which were run by her dad including The Abbott in Kincorth and Murdo’s in Cornhill before getting a job as public affairs manager at Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce.
She said: “I always say dealing with customers in pubs is a good grounding for diplomacy in PR.
“The chamber of commerce was a great place to work. I always credit the chamber with giving me the platform that then enabled me to go on and do other things.
“You were in the cut and thrust of business in the city which was very good.”
Start of Big Partnership
Zoe, who has been married to Bill since 2012, was then headhunted to set up the Aberdeen office of Beattie Media in 1999.
It was there she met Alex Barr and Neil Gibson who went on to become her partners in Big Partnership which was founded in 2001.
It was in 2002, while Zoe was still on maternity leave having given birth to Francesca, that she set up the Aberdeen office with four members of staff.
She said: “It’s always challenging. My maternity leave was cut very shorth through my choice but I didn’t mind that so much.
“I always thought there was other ages where they need you more. The time I struggled the most was the so called terrible twos.
“When you are desperately trying to get ready for work and you’ve a toddler that goes absolutely rigid and won’t get in their clothes, screaming the place down.
“You do go through some moments where you wish you could be in two places at once.
“I did find it hard sometimes having to say I had to go to pick up my daughter from nursery but I think nowadays it’s so much easier.
“Employers and people are much more flexible about it.
“I’ve always told my staff you’d got to go to sports day, the plays and awards, you can’t miss out because of work.”
‘Working hard and playing hard’
Big now employs more than 100 people across its headquarters in Glasgow and satellites in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Manchester with a turnover of £8 million.
She said: “We started really small and grown it now to where Big has just under 100 staff.
“It’s something I’d always wanted to do. The appeal of being your own boss and working for other places you see both the positives and the negatives of how people run businesses.
“I wanted to leave the negatives behind and take on the positives. For me it’s always been about creating a really good environment to work in.
“We all work incredibly hard at Big Partnership and I’m very fortunate to have some fantastic people that work for me.
“But it’s about looking after them. Working hard and playing hard in a good environment.”
Making history at AFC
In 2021 she became Aberdeen Football Club’s first woman director in its 118-year history.
Zoe, once ranked 14th in a poll of the top 50 most influential women in communications and the media, admits it been a “challenging” at times but believes fans are now starting to see chairman Dave Cormack’s vision come to fruition.
She said: “The club was a client of Big’s for a number of years. I’d worked on and off with them for about 20 years.
“It was during Covid when we did the Still Standing Free campaign that Dave and I worked closely together.
“I’d always been a fan but that’s when I saw the power of football.
“When you’ve got the club working alongside the community trust and the Red Army you’ve got a huge force for good in the region.
“When Dave asked if I would like to join the board I was incredibly honoured and flattered. I jumped at it.
“It’s certainly been challenging. We’ve gone through a few managers. It can be tough at times because you get a real pasting from the fans.
“And there are things, like any business, you can’t be transparent about because there’s maybe commercial sensitivities.
“We’ve tried as a club to have communication a key objective and make that engagement with the fans really important.
“I’m so pleased for Dave at the moment and the whole club since he’s come on as chairman. All the positivity on and off the pitch.
“His strategy and vision for the team is finally being seen. There’s lots of work in the background to get the team to where it is today.”
‘My life does revolve around football’
Football has always played a big part in Zoe’s life with her daughter Francesca playing since she was 11 years old.
For the past four years she has played for AFC Women’s team.
She said: “My life does revolve around football. My husband is involved with Arbroath and my daughter plays for Aberdeen so before we do anything as a family we have to check three fixture lists.
“Francesca started football when she was 11 at Stonehaven. Then went to Cove Rangers ladies and then signed to Aberdeen four years ago.
“Watching her progression has been amazing.
“It’s hard to raise the investment for the women’s team but it’s the fastest growing sport in the world.
“It’s growing in the north-east and we’ve got a good strategy in place. Hopefully we’ll be able to be a fully professional team soon.”
‘Take my foot off the gas’
In 2016 she led an £11 million management buyout at Big, which saw Alex and Neil transfer ownership, becoming its majority shareholder.
Earlier this year Zoe decided to take a step back from running Big’s Granite City office and sold her stake in the business.
She is now a strategic adviser to the business working three days a week.
Although now living in Lochearnhead she still makes regular visits to the city.
Zoe, a keen waterskier, paddleboarder and swimmer, said: “At 56 I got to a stage when your business has been pretty much everything for so long and the buck always stops with you.
“In PR you are always on. Whether it’s on call for any crisis that might happen or clients suddenly need something at the last minute.
“I’m just at a stage where I want to take my foot off the gas a little bit. As my husband said I’m going down to three days but that’ll be five. At least it’s better than seven.
“I have a fantastic team in Aberdeen.”
As well as her work for AFC Zoe is also on the board of Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen Science Centre.
She said: “I passionately believe in helping our city centre. The science centre is not just a good attraction to have in the region it’s great for getting kids interested in science, technology and stem subjects.
“It in turn supports the energy industry.
“I’m fortunate because my board positions are things I’m really passionate about whether it’s football or city centre regeneration.
“As much as I’ve moved down the road I’m still so committed to Aberdeen.”
Aberdeen city centre facing ‘huge challenges’
More than 10 years on Zoe still believes a mistake was made by Aberdeen City Council rejecting plans for Sir Ian Wood’s £140m City Garden Project (CGP).
She said: “I was heavily involved with Sir Ian Wood when we were looking at Union Terrace Gardens and I was absolutely passionate about that project.
“I still feel a sense of disappointment that it didn’t go ahead as I think it would have solved a lot of the problems we are now facing.
“Having said that I think a lot of the improvements to Union Terrace Gardens have been great.
“I don’t think they’ve been as transformative as we could’ve had but I think they’ve been great. Some of the things going on with the overall masterplan, if it can be delivered, is good but there are huge challenges facing the city centre and we’re not unique.
“A lot of city centres are facing challenges and whether that’s as a result of the changing habits in shopping or a legacy of Covid you have to keep reimagining what the high street can be like.
“I think what we are trying to do with Our Union Street is really good and there’s been some successes.
“It was my idea to hold an emergency summit on the state of Union Street and it was from that summit we got Bob Keiller involved.
“It’s having all the organisations like the council, chamber and others all playing their part.
“But we’ve still got huge challenges to address.”
Aberdeen beach needs a ‘focal point’
She also has strong view on the planned seafront revamp for Aberdeen beach.
Zoe believes a “focal point” is a must for the project to be a success.
She said: “The beach plans are quite ambitious. I’ve always felt we’ve got a fantastic asset in the beach but yet in Aberdeen we seem to have turned our back on it almost.
“Not metaphorically but physically. A lot of the buildings that were built along the beach backed on to the sea.
“It always felt crazy. Let’s get more vibrancy down there. But again, there needs to be a focal point. An anchor.
“To quote Stewart Spence years ago when the Trump thing was going on he said “sand dunes don’t create jobs”.
“I always say urban parks don’t create jobs. If you are going to have successful regeneration you need that focal point.
“The anchor could be the stadium or community/leisure centre.
“But I think we’ll just go round and round with that at the moment.”
Looking ahead Zoe is looking forward to more time doing the things she enjoys which includes watching football, paddle boarding, water skiing, swimming and walking.
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