• Linda Urquhart OBE Chairman, Remarkable

Linda Urquhart OBE

Chairman, Remarkable

Linda Urquhart holds a number of non-executive roles, bringing business experience with a background as a former lawyer to the board table.  She was Chairman of Edinburgh based law firm Morton Fraser (where she was previously the firm’s Chief Executive for eleven years), and is now Chairman of Remarkable, a board member of the CBI and a non-executive director of Scottish private bank Adam & Co and Edinburgh Airport Limited.  Linda co-chairs the Fair Work Convention and was previously Chairman of CBI Scotland.  She was awarded an OBE for services to business in January 2012.  In the charitable sector, Linda is a Trustee of Marie Curie and the Royal Scottish Academy Foundation and an Ambassador for Girlguiding UK.

• Maria Bradshaw Head of People Development, Scottish Enterprise

Maria Bradshaw

Head of People Development, Scottish Enterprise

Maria is the Head of People Development at Scottish Enterprise with responsibility for provision of high quality staff development across the organisation with particular focus on people management & leadership development, coaching, engagement, talent management and youth employment. She is a qualified HR professional with a broad HR background with experience including employee relations, recruitment and selection, performance management and job evaluation.

• Jane Brydon Human Resources Director, HEINEKEN

Jane Brydon

Human Resources Director, HEINEKEN

Jane is the HEINEKEN Human Resources Director joining HEINEKEN in March 2014. Her previous role was at Sainsbury's Bank where she was the People and Communications Director. Prior to that, Jane was the HR and Communications Director for Scottish Widows from January 2009 to August 2010, and was the Group Functions HR Director for HBOS between 2004 and 2009. Jane has a strong background in HR, change management, programme management, colleague engagement and communications.

 

• Alana Durnin Group Finance Director, Oak Tree & Cloch Housing Associations

Alana Durnin

Group Finance Director, Oak Tree & Cloch Housing Associations

Alana Durnin is the Group Finance Director for Cloch and Oak Tree Housing Associations, which provide quality, affordable housing to over 3200 tenants within Inverclyde.  Alana has a passion for finance and people management and balances this with her day to day role and involvement in Remarkable as Non-Executive Director.  Alana has worked in the Housing Sector for 5 years in senior finance positions and prior to this was the Commercial Support Manager at North Ayrshire Council’s Building Services for 4 years.  Alana has also worked within the private sector in Finance & Corporate Services roles and has a Masters in Business Administration from the Open University.  

• Gaynor Gilespie HR Director, BNP Paribas Real Estate UK

Gaynor Gilespie

HR Director, BNP Paribas Real Estate UK

Gaynor Gillespie is a Non-Executive Director of Remarkable and a Non-Executive Director of Hanover Housing Group.

Her current full-time post is as UK HRD of BNP Paribas Real Estate.

BNP Paribas Real Estate operates from London with 9 offices across the UK and covers every stage of the property life cycle providing targeted expertise and advice for institutional investors, building users, property developers, the public sector, private buyers and private investors. Part of the BNP Paribas Group, a global name in banking and financial services.

• Linda Hanna Managing Director, Strategy & Sectors, Scottish Enterprise

Linda Hanna

Managing Director, Strategy & Sectors, Scottish Enterprise

Linda Hanna has been part of the Scottish Enterprise team since 1991 and is currently Managing Director of Scottish Enterprise’s Strategy and Sectors divisions. She oversees our response to the Government’s Economic Strategy with an emphasis on global competitiveness and internationalisation and developing our understanding of key opportunities and issues facing the Scottish economy.

• Peter Russian Chief Executive, Remarkable

Peter Russian

Chief Executive, Remarkable

As Chief Executive of Remarkable, Peter has overall responsibility for its long-term growth. He works directly with organisations of all types and size giving him excellent insight and understanding of leadership and management issues across Scotland.

His previous work experience includes roles with IIPUK, the Management Charter Initiative, London Underground and Westminster City Council and non-executive roles with the Centre for Enterprise, Social Investment Scotland.

In 2012 he was awarded the HR Network Award for “Outstanding Contribution to HR in Scotland”.

Married with three children, Peter's interests include cooking, skiing, tennis and the occasional game of cricket.

• Charles Thompson Marketing & Communications Director, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

Charles Thompson

Marketing & Communications Director, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

Charles Thompson is a Director at ORE Catapult having previously run Regard Communications, a small, strategic communications and reputation management consultancy, working with private, public and third sector clients across the UK. He was previously Communications Director of BAE Systems' Maritime division, with responsibility for all internal and external communications for the defence giant's naval businesses in the UK. He has extensive prior communications and stakeholder engagement experience in large and medium sized companies and consultancy, working in the UK, Europe, the US and southern Africa. Charles is a passionate fly fisherman, keen cook and occasional golfer. 

• Christina Thorne (Company Secretary) Principal Solicitor, Scottish Enterprise

Christina Thorne (Company Secretary)

Principal Solicitor, Scottish Enterprise

Christina is a qualified solicitor and an employee of Scottish Enterprise having worked the organisation for over 11 years. Christina grew up in Aberdeen before settling in Glasgow where she trained with international law firm Masons (now Pinsent Masons). Christina spent 5 months on secondment to the Royal Bank of Scotland before joining Scottish Enterprise. She enjoys a varied and challenging workload at Scottish Enterprise and was appointed as Company Secretary of Remarkable in March 2012.

• David Oxley Acting Director of Business and Sector Development, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (HIE)

David Oxley

Acting Director of Business and Sector Development, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (HIE)

David Oxley is currently Acting Director of Business and Sector Development with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (HIE).

Originally from County Durham, David qualified as an accountant working in industry in the early 1990s, and spent 15 years at a senior level, mainly in the food and drink sector in the East Midlands.

He joined HIE in 2004 as Head of Operations in Lochaber, based in Fort William. In 2011, he became the agency’s Area Manager for Moray, and has been Acting Director at HIE since August 2016

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