From spreading cheer to backing a regional renaissance — meet document controller, Jonny Burns

Jonny Burns is known for spreading a bit of cheer — and making sure our documents are stored and backed up properly, of course — in his role as document controller. But the last place you’ll find him is languishing in his comfort zone.

For example, last year he stepped out of the office and into the limelight, presenting for his team at the Vanguard Conference where groups pitched ideas to reinvent the region’s economy.

We caught up with Jonny, who’s been with us for more than six years, to find out a little more.

What do you like best about your job?

I get to interact with everyone quite regularly, and I’m very privileged to get to do that. I work with an amazing and diverse group of people.

Any unusual hobbies you’d like to tell us about?

I was a Taekwon-Do instructor for six years. Taekwon-Do originates from Korea and literally translates as ‘the way of the foot and the fist.’

Martial arts fascinated me ever since I re-enacted scenes from Karate Kid with my brother. And while all the other kids in my street who took up Taekwon-Do at the same time gave up, I stayed the course and reached 2nd Dan black belt.

Teaching techniques to people aged between three to 60 called for creative thinking, and it’s probably where I honed a sense of communicating in fresh and interesting ways.

What has been your most rewarding career moment?

In 2005, I won the British Taekwon-Do Championships for patterns at 1-3 Dan by defeating the European silver medallist in the final round. Mind you, it’s probably more impressive that my fuel the night before was a Big Mac and fries.

And presenting for my team at the Vanguard Conference in front of some pretty important people was a nudge out of my comfort zone, but highly rewarding. If we are to achieve a better future for Aberdeen, this is something that needs attention: we need to relentlessly promote all the good things that are underway and in the pipeline.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

To walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat, meaning comfort zones generally lead to plateau and stifle the human spirit. Outside the comfort zone is where the magic of life happens.

Oh, and get a good sleep.