High-class hirers

With Edinburgh's elite boutiques thriving, it helps to choose where you work carefully.

Joanna Black of Black Recruitment says it is not unusual for people to come to her with lists of companies they will and won't work for.

She told us: "At the end of last year I had one person who I spoke to who only wanted to work in Edinburgh and only for one specific company."

Who's on the A-list? Edinburgh-based Noble & Company, the corporate finance advice firm which advises on AIM listings and mergers and acquisitions, was recently noted as one to watch for its growing book of environmental deals by the Financial Times.

Fund management boutiques are also hot. Edinburgh Partners, the boutique fund management group founded by former Scottish Widows Investment Partnership chief investment officer Sandy Nairn, has been quickly winning institutional investment mandates from Continental Europe. Founded in 2003 and with more than 500m under management, the company is currently looking for a compliance associate.

Just around the Corner in Melville Street Artemus Investment Management, founded a decade ago has been constantly at, or near, the top of performance tables ever since.

The potential to get rich working in a Scots start-up is reflected by last year's purchase of Walter Scott & Partners by global investment giant Mellon - undoubtedly a healthy move for the bank balances of senior staff at Walter Scott.