Meet the REP Members

Councillor Rob Davidson (SNP)

Joint Chair of the REP

Dumfries & Galloway Council - Depute Leader

First elected to D&G Council in 2007, prior to that mainly employed in political roles for MSPs

• MSP for Dumfriesshire from 1999 - 2011
• Formerly shadow ministerial roles in Environment and Enterprise roles.
• Before politics worked in scientific research and was a lecturer with the Open University.

Councillor Elaine Murray (Labour)

Vice Chair of the REP

Dumfries & Galloway Council - Leader

• Graduate of Edinburgh University
• Trustee and founder member of Dalbeattie Community First Responders
• Member of the Rocks & Wheels steering group - which aims to create a high-quality outdoor activities destination in Dalbeattie to help deliver community-led economic regeneration.

Councillor Ian Carruthers (Conservative)

Dumfries & Galloway Council - Chair of Audit, Risk and Scrutiny

Councillor Andrew Wood (Conservative)

Dumfries & Galloway Council

• Farmed for 40 years in a mixed upland farm producing 2,00 fat lambs and 250 store cattle.
• Took on Directorship within Scotmas Ltd, charged with the auditing and training of hygiene within food processing factories across the UK.
• Elected to represent Mid & upper Nithsdale within D&G Council.
• Board member on South of Scotland Forestry Forum.
• Past member of Loreburn Housing management team
• Started up AWP Contracting, doing Ground works, Commercial, Agricultural & Forestry.
• Spare time is taken up with 12 grandchildren, cycling, country sports and travel.

Councillor Shona Haslam (Conservative)

Scottish Borders Council - Leader

• Over 20 years working in the Third Sector for various charities with a focus on lobbying and campaigning
• Focus is on building the skills and workforce for the future in the Scottish Borders.
• Twitter: @shonahaslam

Councillor Mark Rowley (Conservative) - Chair of REP

Scottish Borders Council - Executive Member for Economic Regeneration and Finance

• Councillor for largely rural Mid-Berwickshire I've a real focus on remote rural issues.
• Recently elected in 2017 I campaigned as a sceptic of local government; I increasingly applaud the value it adds.
• I work delivering and promoting high quality and value tourism projects in Scotland
• As a previously reluctant engager with any social media I'm now evangelical about its value - particularly Instagram for tourism, twitter for building connections and encouraging community engagement.
• When not facing a digital screen I garden organically, grow veg, walk terriers & cook. Mixed success with all.

Councillor Simon Mountford (Conservative)

Scottish Borders Council - Executive Member for Enhancing the Built Environment and Natural Heritage and Depute Leader of Scottish Borders Council

• Board Member and former chair of Scottish Borders Housing Association.
• Retired, previously a career as a business journalist, and ran own financial and corporate relations consultancy for over 20 years.

Councillor Stuart Bell (SNP)

Scottish Borders Council

• Degrees in Physics and Business Administration
• 35 years experience in manufacturing operations improvements and management in businesses across Europe
• 'Cycles carefully and sometimes swims smoothly'

Professor Russel Griggs OBE

South of Scotland Enterprise

Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise

• Hands on business experience in pharamaceuticals, and textiles industry.
• Business Development and Investment Banking
• Various oversight and review roles in the financial sector and HM Treasury
• OBE for promotion of Scottish Industry
• Numerous advisory roles with public, third sector and charitable sector.

Duncan McConchie

South of Scotland Enterprise

GG's Yard / Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre

Hospitality Industry

• Tourism and Hospitality Industry
• Passionate about the South of Scotland
• Previously worked in the Television and Media Industry

Kate Rowell

South of Scotland Enterprise

• Regional Board Member for NFUS
• Member of Just Transition Commission
• Interested in sustainable farming and local supply chains.

Hazel Smith

South of Scotland Enterprise

ReTweed

• Third Sector and Social Enterprise
• Gender equality, and promoting womens participation in education, enterprise and the labour market
• LinkedIn: Hazel Smith

Matt Foreman

Dumfries & Galloway

Managing Director of Dumfries & Galloway Housing Partnership

• Managing Director of Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership, Scotland's second largest Social Housing Landlord, delivering a range of housing and support services to over 10,000 homes across the region.
• Over 20 years' experience working in in a number of large and small housing organisations.
• Significant experience working in public sector organisations and local authorities in the North East of England.

Julia Mulloy

Scottish Borders

Chief Executive of Scottish Borders Housing Association

• Leading SBHA since 2011.
• Over 30 years' experience in housing, working in the public, private and community sectors
• She has held a range of senior leadership positions throughout her career, radically rethinking and transforming services with a focus on building resilience fit for the future.
• In 2016, Julia joined the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) as a Board Director and is part of the collective voice on the future of affordable housing in Scotland.

Sue Berry

Scottish Borders

Management Consultant, TimelessTime Ltd

• Human Resources and Organisational Development support to SME managers
• Evidence-based mentoring and consulting
• Co-author of Because Your People Matter: a playbook for management excellence
• Trustee and Chair of Operations, Scouts Scotland
• Strong belief in empowering young people with life skills that are relevant and transferable
• Hill walking, growing vegetables, and looking after five rescue chickens

Sheena Horner

Dumfries & Galloway

Food from Farming and Galloway Chillies

• Lifelong involvement in the agricultural sector, diversified into growing chillies and herbs.
• Coordinator of both the Ayrshire and the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Food Groups
• Chair of Wigtown Food and Drink Festival
• Chair of D&G Economic Leadership Group
• Member of DG Local Employability and Skills Partnership
• Member of SCDI South of Scotland Committee
• Twitter: @sheenahorner & @foodfromfarming
• LinkedIn: Sheena Horner

Trevor Jackson

Scottish Borders

Owner - St. Boswells Fuels Ltd. Charlesfield Farms Ltd; Founder - St. Boswells Biogas Ltd., Jackson Distillers Ltd.

• Chairman for South East Region of Scottish Land and Estates;
• Past President of Melrose Rugby Club and Chairman of Melrose Rugby Limited;
• Trustee of Borders Energy Agency;
• Winner of the inaugural Iver Salvesen Green Business Award

Hamish McLeod

Dumfries & Galloway

Director at BSW Timber

• Lived in Dumfries almost 30 years
• 28 years with Howie/BSW Timber at a senior level
• Represented forestry sector on various organisations, including six years as non-exec Forestry Commissioner and Chair of Forestry Commission Scotland National Committee
• Active Rotary Club in Dumfries on various community projects

Crick Carleton

Scottish Borders

• Former vice-chair and coordinator of local Development Trust
• Lead author of his local community Town Action Plan & Whole Town Master Plan
• Former Community Councillor
• Development economist and business analyst
• Academic training in the natural, social and management sciences
• Has advised UK and Scottish governments on policies relating to fishing, the seafood industry, marine conservation, and supporting coastal communities

Keith Dickinson

Scottish Borders

Chair of Gavinton, Fogo and Polwarth Community Council and Resilient Communities Coordinator

• Also chair of Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund
• Background in Higher Education, academic management, teaching and research, and held senior positions with Universities and Higher Education providers in the UK and Overseas.

Harry Harbottle

Dumfries & Galloway

• Senior management experience in private sector / local government
• Lifelong involvement in third sector
• Experience of chairing third sector boards at national / local level
• Member of International Standards Organisation Working Group on Risk Benefit Assessment in Recreation and Leisure
• International speaker on children, risk and play
• Member of Dumfries and Galloway Leader Programme Local Action Group
• Keen open water swimmer

Norma Austin Hart

Dumfries & Galloway

Chief Executive of Third Sector Dumfries & Galloway

• Former Councillor with City of Edinburgh Council - leading on culture and sports, and on Economic Development
• Ran own business for 13 years providing project management and consultancy
• Former Chief Executive of D&G Tourist Board
• Extensive experience of non-executive directorships on a wide range of boards at national, regional and local levels

Peter Renwick

Dumfries & Galloway

Langholm Facilitator (SURF) and Programmer for Creetown Initiative

• Board Member Midsteeple Quater.
• Freelance Arts Worker
• Recently working with The Stove, Dumfries Theatre Royal, and the Galloway Agreement.
• Father of one, since lockdown a slow but enthusiastic cyclist.

Angela Cox

Borders College

Principal and CEO

• Over 25 years' experience in the further and higher education sector in Scotland and England.
• Passionate about providing life changing opportunities through education and equipping people with the skills and knowledge to be global citizens.
• Committed to creating a fairer and more inclusive society through a progressive and green economy.
• Previously sat on the Local Enterprise Partnership board representing the Visitor Economy in Liverpool and I am currently a Trustee at LIVE Borders.
• Chair of the Borders Learning & Skills Partnership
• A member of the Implementation Steering Group for the Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland and the National STEM Strategy Implementation Group.

Joanna Campbell

Dumfries & Galloway College

Principal and CEO

• 23 years as a lecturer in Computing before progressing into Senior Management
• Joined as Principal in June 2019, from City of Glasgow College
• Previously Chair of Regional Learning and Teaching Group and Glasgow Regional STEM Hub.
• Established first STEM strategy for Fife College, and secured Forth Valley College as first STEM Assured College.
• Chair's Scotland IS Digital Skills Partnership Board and The Data Lab Skills Advisory Board

Nick Sparks

SRUC

Dean of South and West Faculty

Dame Barbara Kelly

Chairman Crichton Campus Leadership Group

• Director of farming enterprise.
• Main interests in consumer affairs, equality issues, education and training, rural and environmental issues and the arts.
• Actively involved in public service for 40 years including Chairmanship of the Scottish Consumer Council; Equal Opportunities Commissioner for Scotland; a Board member of SE and SNH. Recently on Board of SOSEP.
• First woman Non Exec Director of the Clydesdale Bank plc. and BP plc Scottish Advisory Committee.

Professor Fiona Waldron

Heriot Watt University

Head of School of Textiles and Design

• Started her career in clothing production engineering in the clothing industry as a Product Developer, engineering products for commercial manufacture.
• Academic career spans 28 years
• Has championed a focus on education being informed by industry practice in all aspects of product development.
• Research interest centres around size, shape and movement in products and the commercialisation of design.
• Has held a number of posts within and outwith the University including work with the QAA, review panels, external examining, SQA advisory panels and has been a visiting lecturer in a number of international institutions.

Chloe Dudgeon

Dumfries & Galloway Council, Youth Activity Worker

Chris Brodie

Skills Development Scotland

Head of Skills Planning and Sector Development

Rob Dickson

Visit Scotland

Director of Industry and Destination Development

James Dunphy

Scottish Funding Council

Director of Access, Learning and Outcomes

• Leads SFC's work on all aspects of learning provision including widening access and inclusion, equality and diversity, skills and learning quality.
• Responsible for negotiating outcome agreements with Scotland's Universities and Colleges and for ongoing performance assessments.
• Previously a Director at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen
• Chair of Scotland's Centre for Work Based Learning

TBC

Scottish Enterprise