Business and Industry

Aberdeen Harbour

Aberdeen City and Shire is recognised for its outward looking, pioneering spirit. Over the last 30 years, the city has reinvented itself from a regional port dependent upon fishing, farming and tourism, to the centre of the UK’s energy industry and one of Europe’s most enterprising regions.

High Economic Activity

The city has a population of over 200,000 people whilst Aberdeen City and Shire combined has 440,000 and an unemployment rate that is one of the lowest in Scotland - consistently under 2%.

The area enjoys high economic activity, with a GDP growth rate above the Scottish average. It boasts the second highest rate of business formation and Aberdeen has the most knowledge based businesses in Scotland.

Global links

Support is provided for doing business around the world including in Houston, Nigeria, Angola, and the Caspian. The city also holds strategic alliances designed to encourage the sharing of knowledge and opportunities to assist regional economic development with:

Aberdeen is also a founding member of the World Energy Cities Partnership.

International Companies

International companies with a presence in Aberdeen include Aberdeen Asset Management, Accenture, Amec, BP, BT, Chevron, Conoco Philips, EDS, Ernst and Young, First, Fugro, Halliburton, Marathon Oil, Price Waterhouse Coopers, SAIC, Schlumberger, Shell, Talisman and Total.

Main employment sectors:

  • Tourism and Distribution (56,000),
  • Public Administration, Education & Health (48,000),
  • Oil and Gas (41,000) 
  • Banking, Finance & Insurance (38,000),
  • Manufacturing (11,600),
  • Agriculture, Food and Fish Processing (8,500),
  • ICT (5,000),
  • Construction (5,000),
  • Paper Making (3,000).