2020 Climate Group Biographies

Ian Marchant

Ian was appointed Chief Executive in October 2002 having been Finance Director since 1998. He joined Southern Electric in 1992 and joined the Board on becoming Finance Director in 1996. Previously he worked for Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), including a two-year secondment to the Department of Energy working on electricity privatisation.

Ian is a past Chairman of the United Kingdom Business Council for Sustainable Energy and chairs the Climate Change Business Delivery Group. He is a member of Ofgem’s Environmental Advisory Group, the Coal Forum and of the Energy Research Partnership. Ian is a non-Executive Director of Maggie’s Cancer Centres and was appointed as a non-Executive Director of John Wood Group PLC in 2006.

Professor Robert M. (Bob) Kalin BSc MSc PhD CEnv FICE FRSC FGS

Prof Bob Kalin is Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Chair of Environmental Engineering for Sustainability, University of Strathclyde, and Director of the David Livingstone Centre for Sustainability (DLCS). The DLCS is a trans-disciplinary Research and Knowledge Exchange unit that engages in a wide array of knowledge exchange pertaining to sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation around the built environment, international development and broad environmental concerns. The foundations of the DLCS were established in 1973, and during the past four decades the DLCS has evolved as a premier training, research and knowledge exchange provider. Bob has considerable experience in knowledge transfer that takes blues skies ideas through to practical solutions in industry and government policy, and throughout his career he has published over 150 peer reviewed papers in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Science, Climate Change and Geosciences, and Medical and Forensic Science.

Brendan Dick

Brendan Dick is Director of BT Scotland. His prime responsibilities are to develop BT’s Group wide activities in Scotland, reflecting the country’s unique situation within the UK. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, much of Brendan’s early career was spent in information technology.

His external interests are many and varied. Brendan is Chair of Scottish Business in the Community and e-skills Scotland. He is Honorary President of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, a board member of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry and a member of the CBI Scotland Council, Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group and a business representative on the Lowland Reserve Forces Regional Employer Support Group. Previous appointments include board membership of SCVO and the Edinburgh International Science Festival plus being on the advisory panel of Common Purpose.

Brian Souter

Brian Souter is one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs and transport innovators. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group, the international public transport operator, which runs some of the UK’s most recognised transport brands and is a market leader in delivering greener, smarter travel. Stagecoach Group was founded in Perth, Scotland, in 1980, with just two buses. Listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1993, the Group now operates around 13,000 buses, coaches, trams and trains and employs around 30,000 people in the UK, United States and Canada. A qualified chartered accountant, Brian has been a long-standing supporter of business in Scotland and has also pursued a number of ventures within the transport sector outside Stagecoach.

He is also a former Board member of Scottish Enterprise. Brian still lives in his hometown of Perth and is married with four children. He has received a number of awards for his business acumen, his personal achievements and his significant contribution to the development of the public transport sector in the UK. Stagecoach has been at the forefront of the major UK public transport groups in promoting the use of greener, smarter public transport and in making its own business as sustainable as possible. The Group is involved in a package of measures as part of its wide-ranging carbon management programme, including investment in renewable fuels and cleaner engines, state-of-the-art energy efficient facilities, water and waste recycling initiatives and offering businesses green travel incentives for their employees.

Dr Campbell Gemmell

Campbell has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency since 2003. He joined SEPA in 2001 as Director of Strategic Planning and prior to that was Chief Executive of the Central Scotland Countryside Trust. He is a member of the Resilience Advisory Board for Scotland, which provides strategic direction for emergency planning in Scotland and he chairs the frontline delivery group of the Government-led Scotland’s Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) partnership. He is also a former chairman of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group.

In his earlier career he worked in the fields of economic development and environmental consultancy. During the 1980s he held a post-doc research lectureship at Christ Church, Oxford and was involved in a range of scientific expeditions and field studies in Alaska, Iceland, Kenya, Norway and Switzerland. In the 1990’s Campbell was Chairman of Landwise, and a member Scottish Ministerial groups dealing with Forestry for People, Rural Focus and Sustainable Development. Campbell has a first class honours degree in Geography and a PhD in Glaciology from Aberdeen University. In 2007 he was appointed an Honorary Professor in the Faculties of Information and Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences at Glasgow University. In 2009 Campbell was invited to become a Member of Court at Stirling University.

David Lee

David Lee worked in newspapers for more than 20 years, with a decade of that time spent in senior executive roles. He left The Scotsman as Senior Assistant Editor in summer 2009 to set up his own business as a freelance writer and media and events consultant. He was involved in organising regular debates and events while at The Scotsman, including a partnership with the Sustainable Development Commission to present its first 'Green List' of Scotland's environmental heroes in April 2009. David was also closely involved in producing The Scotsman's pioneering Green Issue in January 2008.

David Wilson

David Wilson is Director of Energy in the Scottish Government, with responsibility for renewable energy and energy markets. He has recently taken on responsibility for climate change as Programme Director: Climate Change across Scottish Government. Before that he was Director of the Business Enterprise and Energy Directorate (which was split at 1 April into two Directorates, Business and Energy. Outwith the Scottish Government, he was Deputy Director General of Electricity Supply for the UK-wide electricity regulator/watchdog, Ofgem. David is an economist by training.

His previous post was Marine Director in the Scottish Government, which has devolved policy responsibility for fisheries issues and marine management in Scotland, working in the European context. In earlier roles, David was Head of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's Policy Unit, with responsibility for strategic thinking for the Scottish Executive (at the time), and prior to that helped develop the Smart, Successful Scotland strategy. He was also Secretary to the "Cubie Committee" on Tuition Fees and Student Finance.

Gordon Grant

Gordon was educated at Bo'ness Academy and went on to Heriot Watt University where he was awarded an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. His early career was spent as a Maintenance Engineer with BP Chemicals at Grangemouth. He has subsequently held posts in HR, Operations and Business Units for BP Chemicals and BP Exploration and now INEOS, including Site Manager roles at Wilton, Sullom Voe and Grangemouth.

Gordon is a Director of INEOS Manufacturing Scotland Ltd and is currently Works General Manager for the Grangemouth Site. He is also a Council Member of the Chemicals Industry Association and a member of the Chemical Sciences Scotland Leadership team. He is currently Chairman of the Scottish Sector of the CIA and Chairman of the Grangemouth Development Group. He has also held Directorships in UK and European businesses and has been a Trustee of Lerwick Port Authority and Shetland Education Trust. Gordon is married with 3 boys. His main interests outside of work are sport and keeping fit.

Graham Hutcheon

Glasgow born Graham graduated in Chemical Engineering from Strathclyde University in 1985. He moved to Speyside to take up a trainee role in the Scotch Whisky Industry on ‘Live Aid’ day of the same year. Having worked in a number of roles within the Industry, Graham moved to The Edrington Group in 2000 as Director of Distillation based at The Macallan Distillery. In 2003 Graham was appointed Group Operations Director and moved to Edrington’s Glasgow headquarters. He is responsible for all the operational aspects of getting brands like The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Highland Park and Cutty Sark produced and delivered to consumers around the world.

He also has the recently acquired Dominican Republic rum ‘Brugal’ in his stable. Graham sits on the Scotch Whisky Association Operations Committee, chairing the Environment Committee, is a director of Lothian and North British Distillery and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in Riccarton. Graham has also recently joined the CBI (Scotland) Council.

Grahame Smith

Grahame Smith is General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC). A graduate of Strathclyde University, where he obtained an Honours Degree in Economics and Industrial Relations, he has worked at the STUC for 20 years. He was previously Deputy General Secretary and headed the STUC's Policy and Campaigns Department before being appointed General Secretary in December 2006.

Ian McKay

Ian is the principal representative of the Royal Mail Group (Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd and Parcelforce Worldwide) in Scotland, joining the company in August 2003. Ian is a member of the Scottish Council of the CBI, the Executive Committee of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry and the Institute of Directors. Ian is a member of the UK Pay Review Body for Nursing and Other Health Professions and sits on the Board of the Scottish Business Crime Centre and the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being. He is also a Trustee of the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust and a member of the Advisory Group of Arts & Business in Scotland.

Before joining Royal Mail Group, Ian was Assistant General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), Scotland’s largest teacher professional association. Ian is a graduate of the University of Stirling and has BA Joint Honours in Education and English studies. He also has a teacher qualification from the University.

James Withers

NFU Scotland is the nation’s leading agricultural organisation, representing 9,000 farming, crofting and other rural businesses the length and breadth of the country.

James joined NFU Scotland in 1999 as part of its communications team. He headed up the Union’s communications team for a number of years before being appointed Deputy Chief Executive in 2005 and then in April 2008 he was appointed NFUS Chief Executive.

James is a member of the Scottish Government’s Food and Drink Leadership Forum and the independent Regulatory Review Group. He is also a member of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists.

Jan Bebbington

Jan Bebbington is Professor of Accounting and Sustainable Development in the School of Management at the University of St. Andrews and the Director of the St Andrews Sustainability Institute. She is also Vice-Chair (Scotland) of the Sustainable Development Commission. Jan has extensive experience of educating for sustainable development, both within her discipline of social and environmental accounting as well as in interdisciplinary settings. Jan’s own research interests focus around the themes of corporate social reporting on sustainable development; full cost accounting and modelling; and governance for sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Commission is the Government’s official advisor on sustainable development

Jane Wood

An experienced and high level strategist and communicator, Jane has worked with both national and local governments on developing public/private sector partnerships in the areas of regeneration, community asset management, retail-led regeneration and corporate responsibility. Previously Head of Corporate Affairs for Scotland and Northern Ireland for Alliance Boots, Jane is also Chair of Essential Edinburgh, Scotland's largest Business Improvement District. She is a member of the CBI Scotland Council, a non-executive Director of Edinburgh Chambers of Commerce. Prior to Alliance Boots, Jane worked as the Scottish Director of one of Europe’s largest Public Affairs Consultancy, and as a Marketing Director for a major retail and commercial property developer. Jane is also a Governor of Pitlochry Festival Theatre Jane, who was educated abroad and in St. Andrews, has a keen interest in the arts. She has four children and lives in East Lothian with her husband, Scottish contemporary artist, Christopher Wood RSW.

Jo Bucci

Jo Bucci is the Managing Director for the People's Postcode Lottery in the UK. Prior to her position with the Postcode Lottery, Bucci spent three years as the Managing Director of Century Radio between 1999 and 2002. With an incredibly successful career in broadcast media, she has lent her talents to a number of roles, including Commercial Managing Director of Gcap Media plc and as a Commercial Managing Director for Capital Radio. Following this Bucci became Deputy Chief Executive for Leicester City Football Club.

In June 2007 Jo was tasked with expanding the People’s Postcode Lottery into Scotland. The Lottery launched in Scotland in November that year, and Jo has continued to work across the UK business and is UK Managing Director for the Peoples Postcode Lottery.

Scottish Business in the Community interview »

John Mason

John Mason is Director of Climate Change & Water Industry for the Scottish Government. He was born in 1956 and brought up and educated in Chichester in West Sussex. He graduated from Oxford University in 1978 with a degree in geography and from University College London in 1980 with a postgraduate degree in town planning. He has been a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development since 1997.

He initially worked for Kent County Council as a town planner before moving to the former Department of the Environment in London in 1985. He joined the former Scottish Office in 1990 and has held a series of policy posts since then dealing with housing, industry and tourism, culture and sport. He was Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister in 2001/2. He was seconded to Registers of Scotland in 1994/96 as Deputy Chief Executive to establish the Agency as a Trading Fund. He took up his current post in January 2006 as Head of Environment Group now titled Director of Climate Change and Water Industry and Environmental Quality Directorates due to restructuring. His responsibilities cover climate change, the water industry, environmental protection, flood prevention, waste and pollution reduction and international environmental commitments.

Josh Kane MSYP

17 year-old Josh Kane was elected as a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Coatbridge and Chryston in April 2009, in one of the largest elections of its type in Europe with over 9,000 young people voting in North Lanarkshire. Josh is the Scottish Youth Parliament’s Transport, Environment and Rural Affairs Convener.

Josh represents the Scottish Youth Parliament on the Scottish Government’s 2020 Delivery Group which aims to ensure that all sectors of Scotland's economy and civic society contribute fully to achieving the Climate Change Delivery Plan which includes the target of a 42 per cent reduction in emissions over the next decade. He is the only young person on the group. Josh is a pupil at St. Andrew’s High School in Coatbridge.

Michael Tracey

Michael Tracey is a well know innovator and leader in the field of waste and resource management and features in the Top 100 Entrepreneurs in the UK, 2009. Born in 1961, Michael was brought up in Paisley and educated at St Aloysius, Glasgow. On leaving school, Michael joined his father, William Tracey, in the family business and took over the position of Managing Director of William Tracey Ltd in 1984. Throughout this time Michael has been successful in growing the company from a Tyre Recycling business to a multi faceted Waste and Resources company boasting 10 sites and a number of innovative waste processing and recovery plants. The William Tracey Group now turns over in excess of £50M. Michael holds traditional business values and the personable relationships he has with many of his long term customers and suppliers is key to the success of the business.

His positions within the Environmental business community have included a term as SESA Chairman for 4 years and at a national level, Michael sits on the ESA Board who represent the UK's waste management and secondary resources industry. In addition, Michael is a committee member of the Scrap Metal Association and was Chair of The Wood Recycling Association for the first 4 years of its existence.

Mike Robinson

Mike Robinson is Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) based in Perth. He was previously, Head of Development for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (responsible for the John Hope Gateway building, membership and patrons programmes). From 1994 to 2004 he was Head of Marketing for RSPB in Scotland. He has helped raise over £35M for environmental projects and for more than 100 charities and community groups. He is Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland; observer, SCC UK board; Board Member Scottish Environment Link; panel member, Climate Challenge Fund; Council Member, National Trust for Scotland; board member, Friends of the Earth Scotland; Development Board Member, UK Soil Association and is an active member of local community, raising money and running schemes for his village and chairing the parent council of his local school. He was previously a trustee of Survival International.

Nicola Shaw

Appointed to the Board of FirstGroup in January 2009 as Director responsible for Bus in the UK, Ireland and Germany. She joined the Group in May 2005 as Managing Director UK Bus from the Strategic Rail Authority where she was Managing Director of Operations. Her career in the public transport sector, both in the UK and overseas, has included roles at the Office of the Rail Regulator, Bechtel, Halcrow, the World Bank and London Transport.

Nick Horler

Nick was appointed Scottish Power CEO in June 2008 following a career in which he has held senior strategic roles in major companies both in the UK and abroad. His appointment follows the company’s successful integration with Iberdrola,- one of the world’s largest energy companies. Scottish Power has quickly become a key part of the Iberdrola Group, employing over 10,000 people in the generation, transmission and retail of energy in the UK.

Before joining Scottish Power, Nick was Executive Director of E.ON UK plc and has held other senior executive positions in that group for more than 10 years. Prior to this he spent twelve years with Phillips Petroleum (now ConocoPhillps) where he progressed to Sales and Marketing Director. Nick is married with a family of three. He attended the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and subsequently gained an MBA from Warwick University.

Richard K Ackroyd

Richard Ackroyd was appointed as Chief Executive of Scottish Water on 25 March 2008 and has twenty years experience in the water industry. Prior to joining Scottish Water Richard had been Director of Regulation and Investment at Yorkshire Water since 1996 with, amongst other issues, responsibility for regulatory matters and investment programmes. Richard was also Chairman of Water UK from 2006 to 2008. He is a solicitor by profession and has previously been Head of Legal Services for Yorkshire Water following a period in private practice.

Ronnie Hinds

Ronnie is married with two children. He attended Universities in Edinburgh, Canada and Oxford He started work and trained as an accountant with the Greater London Council in the early ‘80s during the Ken Livingstone era. He later qualified as an accountant just as the GLC was being abolished and worked for the London boroughs of Croydon and Southwark before coming back to Scotland to join Lothian Region until they were abolished in 1996. He worked for the City of Edinburgh Council as Head of Financial Services and North Lanarkshire Council as Director of Finance. Was Controller of Audit at Audit Scotland from 2000-2003. In June 2006 took up the post of Chief Executive, Fife Council. He describes this as his ideal job and Fife as Scotland’s best kept secret – for now!

Dr Simon Pepper

Simon previously served as WWF's Director in Scotland for 20 years to 2005, a leading figure in the environment movement in Scotland; he held positions on Board of Forestry Commission, Deer Commission and Scottish Executive Cabinet Sub-Committee on sustainable development.

Stuart Goodall

Stuart Goodall is Chief Executive of the Confederation of Forest Industries (ConFor). ConFor represents forestry and wood-using businesses across the UK. Stuart has over 20 years experience in forestry and wood, working both in the public sector for the Forestry Commission in a variety of policy development and representational roles, and in the private sector with ConFor. ConFor has been in the forefront of promoting forestry and wood in a low carbon economy, and Stuart regularly writes and speaks on forestry and climate change matters.

Lady Susan Rice

Lady Susan Rice is Managing Director of Lloyds Banking Group Scotland. Susan is Senior Independent Director of SSE and a member of the Climate Change Business Delivery Group. She is a director of Scottish Business in the Community, Scotland’s Futures Forum and sits on the Business Advisory Forum of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. Susan is a strong advocate of corporate responsibility and throughout her career, both in the United States and UK, has driven the financial and social inclusion agendas.

Tony McElroy

Tony McElroy manages Corporate and Government Affairs in Scotland for Tesco. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Scottish Retail Consortium. Tony joined Tesco in 2008 has extensive experience in Scotland’s policy, media and political community. Prior to joining Tesco he was Head of Media and official spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party and media advisor to Gordon Brown. A member of numerous public sector, NGO and private sector policy working groups, Tony regularly represents Tesco in a number of key arenas including job creation, regeneration, food and the environment. Tony also sits on the Public and Business Engagement sub-group.