Andi Lothian gave the world ‘Beatlemania’ and now The King has given him an MBE.
The 83-year-old is being recognised in the New Year Honours List for his contribution to personal and professional development as well as for his philanthropic work.
Andi said: “This is very humbling and I’m truly grateful to be honoured in this way.
“When I left school at 17-years-old, I had no idea of the life I would go on to lead, the people I would be privileged to meet and work with, and the legacy I would create.
“I share this award with my wife Sheila, and my family.
“I honour also, my late father Andy Lothian and mum Frances.
“And I cannot forget the many people who have invested their time, energy, and commitment to the empowering work we do at Insights.”
Andi called the tune in the 1960s
Andi’s father, of course, was the legendary violinist extraordinaire and bandleader Andy Lothian who first came to Dundee’s Palais ballroom in 1938 with his touring band.
After leaving school, Andi formed the East Coast Jazz Band.
At just 20-years-old, playing bass to his father’s arrangement of The Piper O’ Dundee, Andi’s band won the Scottish Jazz Championship in front of an audience of around 2,500 people at the Glasgow City Halls.
During the 1960s, Andi and Freddie Saunders started the Top Ten Club at the Palais, which soon garnered a reputation as the place to see top chart stars.
The Top Ten Club attracted some of the UK’s best bands in the Swinging Sixties including the likes of David Bowie, Bee Gees, Manfred Mann and The Kinks.
Andi was also a showbiz agent and promoter who worked with Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cat Stevens, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
He first got to know the Fab Four in 1963 on their first tour of Scotland when they performed in front of “96 drunk young farmers and four women” at Bridge of Allan.
He was convinced these lads were the shiny new future of pop.
Andi and fellow promoter Albert Bonici took a gamble and begged Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein to have the band again for gigs in Glasgow, Kirkcaldy and Dundee.
It paid off.
The Beatles were on the cusp of world domination by the time they arrived north of the border again for the three-date mini tour including the Caird Hall on October 7.
Andi said: “The bouncers were struggling to keep control of excited crowds.
“The chap next to me said: ‘What’s happening Andi?’
“And I said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s only Beatlemania!
“The word itself, for me, was entirely unconscious.”
A week later the term had hit the Fleet Street press.
Nothing would be the same again.
A change of direction for Andi
Andi closed his theatrical business in the late 1960s and, with wife Sheila, established Lothian Insurance Brokers.
During a 20-year career, Andi qualified as a Chartered Insurer (FCII); a Fellow of the Life Insurance Association and chairman of the Examination and Education Board (FLIA dip).
He was a Founding Member of the Society of Financial Advisors (Dip PFS).
In the late 1980s, Andi discovered the work of Swiss psychologist Dr Carl Gustav Jung and analyst Dr Jolande Jacobi.
Andi’s discovery sparked a desire to help people become more self-aware, using the power of increased awareness to support themselves and their relationships.
This began as a small business in 1988 and, after inviting son Andy Jnr to join him, Insights Learning and Development Limited was established in 1993.
Insights flagship solution, Discovery, uses colour to represent Jung’s attitudinal functions, giving people a simple way to understand themselves and others, and improve business performance.
Andi further developed Discovery after his experience of being in Washington DC on September 11 2001 when the Twin Towers were destroyed in a terrorist attack.
Deeper Discovery, an advanced typology more closely linked to Jung, emerged from the ashes of 9/11.
Insights currently employs around 700 people in 19 countries, with its global headquarters located in Dundee.
More than nine million Discovery profiles have been produced and it is used by some of the biggest names in the world of sport, pharmaceuticals and technology including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, LinkedIn and the NHS.
Insights reported sales of £94.6 million for the year ending March 31 2023, an increase of 42% on the £66.5m achieved in 2022.
Andi said: “Discovery’s depth, simplicity and accuracy is cited as having a significant and sustained impact on staff engagement and retention as well as measurable reductions in stress levels and staff absences.”
Andi continues to work full-time in the business, researching the next generation of Discovery, which includes a newly developed questionnaire and a more in-depth personal profile.
Paying it back
In 2017, in memory of his celebrated Dundee musician father, Andy Lothian, Andi created the annual Lothian Family scholarship to support four University of Abertay students each year who face significant financial challenges.
Along with other charitable interests, Andi sponsors several thousand children in five schools in Malawi, who receive a free daily meal and access to education by sponsorship through the international children’s charity Mary’s Meals.
The Insights Foundation, the charitable arm of Insights, recently donated £100,000 to Mary’s Meals and £100,000 to homeless charity Social Bite, which will go towards a £1.9m recovery village in Dundee to help vulnerable people struggling with addiction.
Although born in Aberdeen, Andi is a life-long champion of Dundee. Andi and his wife Sheila have six adult children, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
After 60 years of playing double bass professionally, Andi can still be found playing in the folk group of his local church at the weekends.
Andi’s personal contribution to learning and development was recently recognised with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Abertay.
Previously, in 2008, the university awarded Andi an Honorary Fellowship.
The MBE is the latest chapter in a life story filled with memorable milestones.
Conversation