Duke of Argyll all praise for Dubai

Saturday, Feb 06, 2010

Gulf News

Dubai The Duke of Argyll has sung the virtues of doing business with the UAE's "social elite".

Torquhil Ian Campbell, who was in Dubai for the inaugural Desert Palm Nations Polo Tournament, sees the UAE as a very important market in his role as a brand ambassador.

He said: "I have been coming to the UAE for over ten years now and it has changed a lot over that period. A lot of outside influences have come into the country and there is a high-end luxury market here. We are committed to Dubai from both an image and a business perspective.

"Dubai speaks for itself does it not? Everybody enjoys a little bit of sunshine and Dubai is still a very exciting place to be. Despite the global economic recession, the city remains a global hub and a lot of people pass through here.

"Furthermore, Polo is ‘the king of sports' and it is associated with royalty, prestige, power and strength so an event such as this is a good way to meet prospective consumers. The crowd here is the social elite; they are glamorous people who want the best in life." At the age of 41, Torquhil is the youngest duke in the UK having succeeded aged 33 when his father died suddenly following heart surgery.

Gradual process

Speaking about the relationship he had with his father, Torquhil said: "We had our highs and lows; just like every father and son. My father never trained me for the role I am doing now; it was more of a gradual process.

"How you conduct yourself [as a duke] is all about personal interpretation. You have to see it, live it and breathe it. Times change and you cannot be your father; all you can do is what you think is best. I think being a duke aged 41 is exciting; I am young, enthusiastic and adventurous." Torquhil has no fewer than 29 titles including the Master of the Royal Household of Scotland, Hereditary Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, Admiral of the Western Coasts and Isles and the chief of Clan Campbell.

The Duke is also the captain of Scotland's elephant polo team, which won the 2004 and 2005 World Elephant Polo Association world championships. Torquhil has work commitments all over the globe but his main seat of residence is at Inveraray Castle in western Scotland, which he describes as his "favourite place in the world".

He added: "I run the family business at home in Argyll, Scotland. We have got a big estate based around tourism, forestry and renewable resources. The castle is the showcase of the estate and we host numerous exclusive events there. I also work very hard on behalf of the scotch whisky industry.

"I think it's important to get out and travel in order to see the market and speak to people. But I always look forward to going back home to Scotland; I miss the rain!

"The Scots are a great race of people; you only have to look around the world to see what they have achieved. Scotland is a beautiful country steeped in history; it has so much going for it," he adds.

The Duke married Eleanor Cadbury, a descendant of the Cadbury chocolate dynasty, in 2002. They have three children together.

By Kevin Scott