Main Group Members
Ian Marchant (Chair)
Ian joined Southern Electric in 1992 and was appointed Chief Executive of SSE in October 2002, stepping down from this role in June 2013. 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. Ian is a non-Executive Director of Maggie’s Cancer Centres and was made a non-Executive Director of John Wood Group PLC in 2006. He was appointed President of the Energy Institute in June 2013.
Lady Susan Rice (Vice Chair)
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.
Scottish Business in the Community interview »
John Glen (Vice Chair)
John Glen is the Chief Executive of the Buccleuch Group, the banner group for a diverse range of companies owned by the Duke of Buccleuch. The Group covers a broad spectrum of services within the land management sector from visitor services on the four country Estates to commercial property development, Bio-energy and agricultural services. Before joining the Buccleuch Group, John has had a long and varied financial career, spanning several continents and industry sectors. Before returning to Edinburgh in 2008, John was based in Paris as Chief Financial Officer of Air Liquide, the world leader in industrial gases, and was extensively engaged in the development on international accounting standards as the Vice Chairman of the European Financial Reporting Group (EFRAG).
Alongside his work at the Buccleuch Group, John is a non-executive director for BIC and is Chairman of the Board at Alba Trees. John is also a member of the Board for Project Scotland, a national charity helping young people realise their potential through volunteering.
Samantha Barber (Vice Chair)
Samantha has worked at CEO and Board Level in both domestic and international companies and has extensive strategic business experience. With particular focus on multi-stakeholder, complex organisations she has worked across sectors for nearly 20 years, delivering tangible growth & results to effect change.
Samantha qualified with a BAHons in Applied Foreign Languages & European Politics. She also studied at three French Universities resulting in a Post Graduate degree in EC Law from the University of Nancy. Samantha started her career as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament where she worked for four years, focusing on the Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee. She then became the Director of Business for Scotland, followed by nine years as CEO of Scottish Business in the Community led by HRH the Prince of Wales as President.
She was appointed to the Advisory Board of Scottish Power in 2007, post acquisition by Iberdrola, and was subsequently appointed to the Board of Iberdrola in July 2008 where she is also Chairman of the Board CSR Committee. Samantha is also an Advisory Board member for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, sits on the 2020 Group on Climate Change & undertakes consultancy & business coaching.
Peter Lederer (Vice Chair)
Peter Lederer joined Gleneagles in 1984 as General Manager and was appointed Managing Director in 1987 and became Chairman in November 2007. Previously he held operational and senior management positions in Canada for ten years with the Four Seasons hotel group in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, and with Plaza Hotels in Toronto. He was also for two years, a partner in a design and consulting firm providing services to the hospitality industry.
Since joining Gleneagles, he has developed the resort/hotel into one of the premier hotels in the world. The hotel has won numerous awards for its attention to detail, luxurious facilities and personalised standards. During his tenure, the hotel moved from a seasonal golf hotel to an internationally recognised and successful resort, encompassing hotel, a wide range of leisure facilities and real estate developments. Gleneagles is recognised as a leader in the hospitality industry in terms of service, training, marketing and innovation. The hotel has been owned by Guinness/Diageo plc since 1985.
He is committed to improving quality, educational standards and training opportunities within the hospitality and tourism industries. He is Chairman of the International Leadership School, Scotland, President of Enable, a Patron of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and Chairman, One & All Foundation. He was awarded Honorary Doctorates by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh and University of Stirling. In addition, Peter is a Master Innholder and Freeman of the City of London, as well as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Innholders.
Peter was Chairman of VisitScotland from 2001 – 2010, President, Institute of Hospitality 2007 – 2012 and is a board member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Chairman of Hamilton & Inches and the Saltire Foundation. In 1993 he won the Tourism ‘Catey’ award and in 1997 was honoured as Hotelier of the Year. In her 1994 Birthday Honours List, Her Majesty The Queen appointed him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the industry. This was followed by the honour of CBE in 2005.
He was born in 1950, is married to Marilyn since 1981 and has two sons, Matthew and Mark.
He was educated at City of London School (1962-1968) followed by four-year Hotel and Catering Management Course at Hendon College, London (1968-1972) and an Advanced Management Programme at Insead (1994).
Louise Macdonald (Vice Chair)
Louise is the Chief Executive of Young Scot, the national youth information and citizenship agency for Scotland. Young Scot aims to provide an invaluable service to young people aged 11 – 26 by offering information in a range of different formats and channels. With over 380,000 members across Scotland, through Young Scot young people can access what they need to know, when they need to know it, in a way they are most comfortable with. Louise believes that engaging with young people, and providing them with the information, ideas and opportunities they deserve, ensures a brighter, healthier and fairer future for Scotland.
Louise began her professional career as a journalist with local and national media in Scotland and the UK, before embarking on a career in communications with young people in the statutory and voluntary sector. A participant on the groundbreaking WWF Scotland leadership and sustainability project Natural Change, she is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations; a Board member of SCRA (Scottish Children’s Report Administration), as well as the new UK Money Advice Service and ACOSVO (Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations).
Scottish Business in the Community interview »
Michael Alexander
Michael is global head of environment for Diageo with a focus on strategy and communications. His principle responsibility is to drive the company’s environmental strategy and associated communications and reputational programme. Key to this is understanding the evolving and complex environmental policy debates and industry best practice - and sharing this across the business. He joined Diageo in 2007 prior to which he was with Ericsson. A graduate of the universities of Edinburgh and London, Michael is a member of the Institute of Economic Development and the Chartered Institute for Public Relations.
Sue Bruce
Sue Bruce took up the post of Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council on 1 January 2011 having previously been Chief Executive at Aberdeen City Council and East Dunbartonshire Council.
Sue began her local government career with Strathclyde Regional Council in 1976 spending the early part of her career in social and economic regeneration and then in the wider education field.
Sue has held a number of senior positions, serving in the Strathclyde Regional Education Directorate until local government re-organisation in 1996 after which she held the post of Depute Director of Education with East Ayrshire Council. In 2000 she joined East Dunbartonshire Council initially as Strategic Director responsible for Education, Housing, Social Work and Cultural Services and had a corporate lead role in social inclusion and equalities.
She has wide ranging interests, has served on a number of external boards and has worked on several national and international initiatives.
In May 2010 Sue received the Prince’s Business Ambassador award for 2010 from HRH The Prince of Wales and in October 2010 was recognised as the Scottish Public Sector Leader of the Year Award at the Scottish Leadership Awards.
Academic background:
- M. Phil. Politics/Government – University of Strathclyde;
- LL.B Scots Law - University of Strathclyde;
- Diploma in Youth & Community Studies -Jordanhill College of Education;
- Cert. Strategic Public Sector Negotiation - JFK School of Government, Harvard University;
- Elected Fellow of the RSA (FRSA).
She is 55 and married. Her interests include the arts, reading and gardening, and is a Fellow of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).
Professor James Curran, MBE
Professor Curran is the Chief Executive of SEPA. He has worked in environmental science and regulation for 30 years. He has undertaken studies in hydrometeorology, numerical modelling of dispersion in marine waters, and water resources management as well as a spell of direct regulatory enforcement with agricultural and industrial businesses.
He has been a consultant to the Scottish Office and was for some years the Head of Science with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and then Head of Environmental Strategy.
In 2006 he co-founded and then ran Entrading, the UK’s first comprehensive eco-store and cafe in central Glasgow. This was sold a couple of years later and he has taken up a post, again with SEPA, first as Director Science and Strategy and now as Chief Executive. James was awarded MBE for services to the environment in 2007.
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.
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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.
Dave Gorman
Dave is Edinburgh University’s first Director for Social Responsibility and Sustainability, managing a department that provides leadership and advice to the University on delivering its ambitious climate change, sustainability and social responsibility objectives.
Dave was Head of Environmental Strategy at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before coming to take the new role in July 2013.
At SEPA, Dave was responsible for futures and cross-cutting issues, including climate change, energy, sustainability, national planning and strategic environmental assessment, research and development and horizon scanning.
Prior to his move to SEPA in 2000, Dave worked for Falkirk and Dundee City Councils on sustainability, environmental strategy and waste and recycling issues.
Dave has a degree in Engineering and a Masters in Environmental Management, is a Chartered Environmentalist, a Chartered Manager, a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
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.
Andy Kerr
Andy was appointed Director of the Edinburgh Centre on Climate Change (ECCC), a low carbon innovation and skills centre, in 2010. He is also the Policy Director of the Scottish Centre of Expertise in Climate Change. Previously Andy was a Director at E3 International, working with companies to develop strategic and practical management responses to emerging market opportunities in international carbon and biofuel markets. His public policy work has focused on supporting the development of effective national policy frameworks that reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recent projects include the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Inquiry Report: “Facing up to Climate Change: Breaking the barriers to a low carbon Scotland” and the Scottish Government’s “Climate Change Delivery Plan”. Andy also co-authors the book: “Climate Change & Emissions Trading: What Every Business Needs to Know”. Andy has a doctorate in glaciology from the University of Edinburgh.
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.
Gordon McGregor
Gordon McGregor is Energy and Environment Director at ScottishPower. He also serves on the Council of CBI Scotland and on the board of the Scottish European Green Energy Centre. At ScottishPower, he is responsible at a corporate level for environmental management, regulation and R&D. He has wide experience in climate change issues at UK, US and international level. Gordon has worked in the energy sector since 1991 and prior to his present position has held a variety of roles in engineering, sales & marketing, product development, operations and corporate strategy. He is a graduate of the Universities of Glasgow, Heriot Watt and Aberdeen.
Maggie Morrison
Maggie Morrison is the Account General Manager, Hewlett Packard, Scotland and is responsible for growing the company’s business in Scotland. Before joining HP Maggie was with Cisco for 14 years and held several titles within the company, including leadership roles in the UK, the Netherlands and the US. Maggie also held senior sales management positions at 3Com and Cabletron. Maggie is a Non Exec Director of Skills Development Scotland and is also on the Board of e-skills Scotland, Scottish Business in the Community, West of Scotland College and the 2020 Climate Group Scotland. Maggie has rich international experience, having worked and lived in France, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands and the USA as well as the UK. Born and raised in Glasgow, Maggie is a graduate of Aberdeen University (MA Hons French and German) and speaks French, German and Dutch.
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.
Derek Robertson
Derek is Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, Scotland’s leading charity for local environmental issues. Derek sees KSB’s role as crucial in helping the private, public and voluntary sectors educate their employees, customers, stakeholders and members to become aware of Scotland’s global, environmental responsibilities. Keep Scotland Beautiful manages a range of national environmental initiatives including the Climate Challenge Fund, the Sustainable Scotland Network, the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, Beautiful Scotland, national Clean Up Campaigns and Eco-Schools Scotland.
Derek has over 20 years experience of senior management and leadership roles held mainly within the Third Sector and his career extends to time spent in both Scotland and England. Keep Scotland Beautiful is the fourth charity that he has led as Chief Executive.
A keen champion of the role of the voluntary and community sector, Derek has served on a variety of charity boards, Third Sector advisory groups and has assisted a number of voluntary and charitable organisations that have been working through change.
Mike Robinson
Mike Robinson is Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) based in Perth. For the past six years Mike has been heavily involved in many aspects of climate change policy in Scotland and further afield. Since 2006 he has established, chaired and remains a board member of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, sat (informally) on the board of Stop Climate Chaos in London, and represented SCVO at the Climate Agora in Brussels in 2008. He is a grant panel member of the Government’s Climate Challenge Fund and chaired the Scottish Parliament Short Life Working Group on annual targets. He is a board member of a number of other charities and co-ordinates a carbon reduction scheme in his local community.
John J Sheridan, B Sc (Hons), FRICS, FIQ, FCMI
John Sheridan is Executive Director of the Mineral Products Association (Scotland), the country’s principal Trade Association for companies involved in the quarrying, asphalt and concrete industries and he represents the industry on a wide number of issues across the country.
He was a founding Director of Construction Scotland and appointed Vice Convenor (Industry) of the Cross Party Group for Construction in the Scottish Parliament in 2011.
In recent times he has been appointed to the post of Chair of the Industry Advisory Board for the Institute for Sustainable Construction at Napier University.
He is also Co-chair of the 2020 Climate Group Built Environment group and has actively worked to build an alliance linking the various bodies with an interest in sustainability in the Scottish construction industry.
Dr John Sturrock QC
John Sturrock holds a first class honours degree in law from Edinburgh University and an LLM in international law from the University of Pennsylvania.
He joined the Scottish Bar in 1986 and was the first Director of Training and Education for the Bar from 1994 until 2002, establishing the Bar’s award winning advocacy skills programme. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1999 and was named Specialist of the Year at the inaugural Scottish Legal Awards in 2003.
In 2001, he founded Core Solutions Group, now recognised as Scotland’s leading business mediation service, pioneering the use of mediation to resolve disputes in commerce, the public sector and organisations. An internationally recognised mediator, John was named Mediator of the Year at the 2009 Law Awards of Scotland.
John is a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde and a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators. He acts as independent facilitator of the 2020 Climate Change Delivery Group and chaired the Scottish Government’s one day conference during the Copenhagen climate change talks.
John was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by Edinburgh Napier University in June 2010.
Scottish Business in the Community interview »
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.
Scottish Business in the Community interview »
Kate Turner
Kate is a Director of Pinsent Masons and specialises in projects in the energy and natural resources sector.
Kate advises on energy projects (development, construction and financing), trading and regulation. Recent work includes advising on power station (CCGT and CHP) developments, acquisitions/disposals and joint ventures, tolling arrangements, gas transportation and gas storage. Kate has significant experience of advising clients on renewable energy projects; in particular onshore and offshore wind projects, OFTO, anaerobic digestion and biomass projects, new technologies and regulatory matters affecting renewables projects. Kate also regularly advises on UK and European energy trading and credit support arrangements, fuel supply arrangements, grid connection and regulatory issues. Kate is regularly involved in discussion on energy policy and regulation and participates in a number of Scottish Renewables working groups.
Kate is a Governor of Strathallan School and also sits on the 2020 Finance Group.
Terri Vogt
I have been working for over 25 years in the fields of environmental management and sustainability and I am passionate about helping find practical ways we can reduce our environmental impacts in ways that benefit of both organisations and individuals.
In 1999 I started working with FirstGroup one of the UK’s largest public transport providers in a consultancy capacity finally joining the Group in 2008 in the role of Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) before returning to consultancy in January 2013. During this period I have developed an in depth understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with delivering more sustainable transport solutions. I was involved in developing the company’s Climate Change Strategy, developing the sustainable supply chain programme with the purchasing function and all CSR related communication. While at FirstGroup I was also closely involved in industry initiatives working to deliver more sustainable solutions and promote the benefits of public transport such as the Sustainable Rail Programme and the UK Bus industry Greener Journeys initiative. Based on my experience I can add value to projects looking to build the necessary partnerships to develop more integrated travel solutions and have a good understanding of the travel issues and business benefits to organisations looking to improve travel management.
Scottish Business in the Community interview »
Paul Wedgwood
Paul Wedgwood is The Carbon Trust’s Manager for Scotland. He heads up the Carbon Trust’s office in Scotland, leading a small team of people based in East Kilbride.
The Carbon Trust provides specialist advice and support to help business and the public sector boost returns by cutting carbon emissions, saving energy and commercialising low carbon technologies. By stimulating low carbon action, this contributes to key Scottish and UK goals of lower carbon emissions, the development of low carbon businesses, increased energy security and associated jobs.
Paul joined the Carbon Trust in 2009, with 18 years business experience in a variety of commercial and consultancy roles in both large and smaller organisations.
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.
James Withers
James Withers is the Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink.
Scotland Food & Drink is the industry leadership body, established in 2007, to spearhead the industry’s growth to £12.5 billion by 2017. As a membership organisation, it seeks to support food and drink businesses of all sizes and scale to achieve their ambitions. The organisation has 315 companies in its membership.
The organisation has brought together the range of bodies working within the food and drink industry in Scotland. It has defined a common purpose and developed an industry-wide strategy for growth. The strategy supports all sectors of the industry from Scotch whisky and salmon to red meat, dairy and bakery. This level of collaboration, supported by the Scottish Government and their enterprise agencies, is now seen as a model for other sectors of the Scottish economy to follow.
Scotland Food & Drink has a focus on growing the sales of Scottish produce both in home markets and internationally and it seeks to develop Scotland’s reputation as “A Land of Food & Drink”.
Prior to joining the organisation, James was Chief Executive of the National Farmers Union Scotland and spent 12 years there working for the nation’s farming industry, and representing the view of the agricultural industry and wider rural Scotland to Government and other key decision-makers.
His career at NFUS began as parliamentary adviser in 1999, after completing a degree at Aberdeen University. After heading up NFUS’s strategy and communications function for five years, he became Deputy Chief Executive in 2005 and then Chief Executive in 2008. After three years at the helm of NFUS, he moved to Scotland Food & Drink in September 2011, after three years on the organisation’s Executive Group.
James is a member of the Scotland 2020 Climate Group, advising Government on the achievement of its emission reduction targets.
He also sits on the Homecoming Strategic Steering Group and working groups for the Ryder Cup & Commonwealth Games.
He was a member of the Scottish Government Leadership Forum from 2008-2011, developing the National Food & Drink Policy.
James is currently chairing a review of the Scottish dairy sector on behalf of Ministers, which is due to report in Spring 2013.
A member of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, James is 36 and lives in Edinburgh with his wife, Joanna, and their two young children.
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 was also Chair of one of Scotland’s largest business improvement districts. She is also founder of Retail Rocks, a retail led regeneration model currently being utilized by local governments to deliver employability, new start ups, skills development and physical regeneration in underserved markets and high streets. She is a member of the CBI Scotland Council, Member of the First Ministers National Economic Forum, on the Scotland committee of the Institute of Directors, and Member of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Change Delivery Group. On this group she is the co-chair of the Business Engagement group. Jane also chairs another regeneration initiative in Dunbar, in line with her belief that we must create sustainable communities through collaboration, she gives her support to a community cooperative set up to deliver an artisan bakery to the high street.
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 was the winner of the Institute if Directors Scotland Annual Award for Voluntary Sector Director in 2011.
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.
Martin Valenti
Martin works for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as business engagement and climate change manager. Martin also project manages the 2020 Climate Group. Martin has over 17 years experience in the areas of business engagement, environmental protection, regulation and climate change.
Martin has previously worked on secondment to the Scottish Government where he managed some high profile initiatives, including project managing Scotland’s first noise maps and more recently by producing Scotland’s first State of contaminated land report. Martin has also worked for East Renfrewshire Council as an Environmental Health Officer. Prior to joining SEPA, Martin ran a successful Food Safety consultancy in Glasgow.
