Liquid Gold Conference: The Potential of Business Archive Collections

Cheryl Traversa, Global Archive Manager at The Macallan, with the opening keynote speech.

Last week, we travelled to Glasgow, Scotland, for the annual joint conference from the Business Archives Council of Scotland (BACS) and the Business Archives Council (BAC).

The Macallan hosted the event at the Edrington Group’s head office, and we were thrilled to be one of the sponsors, alongside Naomi Korn Associates and Preservica.

With the theme ‘Liquid Gold: Realising the Potential of Your Business Archive Collections,’ the event brought together industry-leading experts, archivists, and historians for a day full of insights, networking, and inspiration.

The conference explored the richness of business archive collections, highlighting their value as corporate assets and their broader significance to society, as well as their potential for academic research and public engagement.

Session A:

Following a delightful networking breakfast, the conference kicked off with a keynote by Cheryl Traversa, Global Archive Manager, and Felipe Ferrari, Senior Marketing Manager at The Macallan. They discussed and showcased the ways in which archives help to capture the essence of a company's key milestones. 

Philippa Mole, Head of The Guardian News & Media Archive, discussed the role of their archives in celebrating The Guardian’s impressive 200-year history.

Anne-Grethe Jensen and Michael-John Jennings from News UK shared their experiences using archives to commemorate major anniversaries.

To conclude the first session, our very own Sales Executive, Nathanael Liu, took the stage to provide an overview of TownsWeb Archiving's services. He covered everything from digitisation - scanning and indexing archival materials and converting them from physical to digital formats, including still images and audiovisual content - to data capture using Handwritten Text Recognition, Handwritten Transcription, Optical Character Recognition, Audiovisual Transcription, and Data Entry.

While digitising archives is an essential first step in preservation, publishing and making them not only discoverable but fully searchable is where the real excitement lies. This can be achieved through our innovative publishing solutions, including our PastView platform and Virtual Tours.

Nathanael Liu (TownsWeb Archiving Sales Executive) presenting on stage

Nathanael Liu (TownsWeb Archiving Sales Executive) presenting on stage

Nathanael Liu (TownsWeb Archiving Sales Executive) presenting on stage

Session B:

Tracey Panek, Historian and Director at Levi Strauss & Co. Archives, and Kitty But, Head of Archives at Hongkong Land Corporate Archives, both showcased the power of archives in building brand stories and creating social memory.

Christopher Kermovant, Founder & Scientific Director at Teklia, and Fabienne Moreau, Head of Heritage at Hennessy, gave a fascinating presentation illustrating how they use AI to enhance archival storytelling.

Tracey Panek, Historian & Director of Archives at Levi's.

Session C:

The afternoon sessions explored innovative uses of archives, with Dr. Rachael Matthews, Associate Director for Research & Engagement at Coventry University; Dr. Grace Chapman, Heritage Advisor at Reckitt; and Tim Crumplin, Business Archivist at Alfred Gillett Trust/Shoemakers Museum, highlighting the community and commercial value of archival collections.

Lisa Mason, Assistant Curator of Modern & Contemporary Design at National Museums Scotland, shared the vibrant story of the Bernat Klein Collection, showcasing the unique potential of design archives.

Session D:

The closing session, chaired by Amanda Noble of the Business Archives Council of Scotland, underscored the importance of archives in preserving business history and supporting brand heritage.

A presentation slide from Anders Sjöman, with a quote by Gustav Mahler.

Presentations by Anders Sjöman, Head of Client Projects & Communication at the Centre for Business History in Stockholm; Matthew Edmondson, Senior Archivist at Swire Archives; and Aymée Thorne Clarke, Archivist at Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, demonstrated how archives can serve as invaluable assets for organisations.

Finally, David Powell, Archive Manager at DC Thomson & Co., and Kay Foubister, Acquisition Curator at the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive, concluded with insights into unlocking the potential of early TV adverts.

David Powell (DC Thomson & Co.) with Kay Foubister (NLS Moving Images Archive).

Evening Reception:

We ended a truly inspiring and insightful day with a whisky tasting session, with two of The Macallan's finest liquid gold offerings, as well as some canapés, networking, and celebrating the collective commitment to preserving business heritage.

A special thank you to the Business Archives Council and Business Archives Council of Scotland for the opportunity to attend and sponsor this wonderful annual event.