You have to be tough to survive a career in energy and banking – a long stretch at RBS would leave its mark on anyone and if you saw Sandy Begbie in a pub, you wouldn’t pick a fight with him. Initially, Sandy was reluctant to take up an opportunity in HR, but today, he is one of the UK’s highly respected practitioners. Jason Spiller interviews the Group People and Operations Director at Standard Life’s London HQ, in the Swiss Re (aka the Gherkin building).