Meet the Trustees

British Army - Army Officer: joined the WRAC (Women’s Royal Army Corps) in 1980 and left the service in 1993, serving 13 years in various jobs mainly in training. I won the communication skills prize for the 3 colleges at Sandhurst.

National Trust for Scotland: joined as a guide at Crathes and the position of corporate sales for the North East organising concerts, dinners and weddings in various castles.

VSA – Trustee: 2004- 2014

In the 10 years that I was a Trustee of VSA I contributed to decision making on significant issues, including the Major Strategic Review developed by the Board and Managers in 2006 and agreeing the role of Trustees in relation to operational activities.

I have been passionate about the work of VSA and over the years I have taken on a variety of volunteering roles. Throughout my time with VSA I have embraced my role as an Ambassador for VSA, seeking out opportunities to promote the work that VSA does, making contacts through relevant networks, giving time and energy to support the fundraising strategy and offering practical help and positive influence at events.

After several years as Trustee, I took on the role of Vice Chair and then Chair of the Board. My work in helping to shape the strategic direction in previous years gave me a good understanding of VSA priorities, and the challenges we faced. I had good oversight of the tremendous progress made by VSA over the previous decade, and the positive regard in which we were held. During my tenure as Chair I continued the work of previous Chairs to strengthen our governance process. When my planned successor as Chair was temporarily unable to take up the post, I continued as Chair for a further year.

For the past 4 years I have supported VSA in a different way as a Vice President continuing to promote the organisation and the impact that we have to benefit the City. I would be delighted to join the Board again and take up the role of Chair; bringing an understanding of the recent history of VSA, and a proven ability to lead and manage the Board of Trustees.

As VSA approaches its 150th anniversary I feel I have the skills to make the most of the opportunities, while ensuring that we uphold our values and commitment to quality.

In October 2018 I was delighted to accept the position as Chair of Trustees.

Chartered accountancy qualification Edinburgh 1976. Thereafter twenty years in commerce focusing on the emerging Scottish oil industry and the expanding computer industry based in London and the south east of England. Returned to Scotland in 1993, joining the NHS in Inverness as deputy head of finance.

Achieving further accountancy qualification as a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, moved to NHS Grampian to become deputy finance head and in 2004, Director of Finance for NHS Grampian until retiral in 2011. Currently director of social firm Solstice Nurseries which provides employment support for those affected by mental health issues and now trustee and Treasurer of VSA.

Born and educated in Aberdeen, I commenced my tertiary education at Aberdeen University. This was followed by periods at Stirling University and London School of Economics. I qualified as a social worker at the London School of Economics in 1976.

After obtaining a social work qualification I returned to the Aberdeen area and spent the next 34 years working in Grampian Region and Aberdeen City Council, initially working with a variety of service users. A move towards specialisation in the delivery of services resulted in a choice to work with children and families. Originally my roles involved front-line delivery of services but I progressed to a job which involved chairing meetings which helped to formulate plans for children who were in the care of the local authority. My final pre-retirement role was managing the Looked After Children Review Service, the Child Protection Case Conference Team and the Children’s Rights Service. Each of my roles involved working with a broad spectrum of other providers, including Aberdeen Voluntary Services. In these roles I also took part in Scottish Executive working groups, which helped to inform the development of policies.

Post retirement in 2010, I undertook some work for a voluntary agency, also for Aberdeen City Council. Currently I act as an independent chair for the Aberdeen City Council Adoption and Permanence Panel. My other role is as a chair of the Arts Society Grampian.

Gillian is a Chartered Accountant and has worked in a number of organisations. She was brought up in Falkirk, studied at Stirling University and then carried out her professional training with KMPG in Edinburgh.

Post qualifying, Gillian worked for GE Capital, Scottish Widows and JP Mor-gan. These roles were all in financial services but Gillian found herself graduating towards team and people based roles. These encompassed leading large teams, working in corporate change programmes and also in a training role, gaining a HR qualification en route. During this time, Gillian spent a year travelling round the world, working in Sydney for Kimberley Clark to finance the trip.

Gillian lives in Aberdeen and has enjoyed family life in Houston, Texas for a few years, returning in 2012. 

In addition to her commitment to VSA, Gillian volunteers with Home Start, Aberdeen and has also worked with Guide Dogs for the Blind and has been involved in training puppies.

Solicitor

Partner, Ledingham Chalmers LLP

Advocate in Aberdeen

Burgess of Aberdeen

Member of the Weaver Incorporation of Aberdeen 

I am a senior partner and head of corporate at Ledingham Chalmers LLP. Ledingham Chalmers is a full service law firm with approximately 160 personnel. I qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and was assumed as a partner in 2002. I have served on the Ledingham Chalmers board for the last 8 years. I directly line manage a department of approximately 20 people across four cities.

As a solicitor I regularly advise clients on commercial negotiations, contracts, corporate governance, compliance issues, funding and business sales/restructures.   In the course of my profession I work with and for local and national not for profit organisations. My work with the third sector/charities covers industry groups, schools, heritage groups and religious organisations.

 I am the Registrar to, and a trustee of, the Episcopal Diocese of Aberdeen. I am a council member of Moray Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Weaver Incorporation of Aberdeen (one of the Seven Incorporated Trades). I provide business mentoring services to entrepreneurs and business executives through a scheme run by Scottish Enterprise. I was previously vice chairman of Albyn School.

 I live in Bieldside and am a member of St Kentigern’s Church (Ballater), The Royal Northern & University Club and Aberdeen Petroleum Club (Kippie Lodge).

Current position: Independent consultant and writer, enthusiastic, articulate, experienced.

37 year career as teacher and educational leader, in state and Independent sectors, in Scotland with head teacher experience abroad.

Seeking to use skills and experience in new contexts in governance, consultancy, creative and non-executive roles in business, education and voluntary sector.

Particular Interests In education and training, strategic plannlng, writing and communications and integrated marketing.

Areas of experience include history, Scottish culture, wildlife and nature.

As a chartered marketer, I have a passion for business and marketing, with a consistent track record in improving marketing effectiveness. I have enjoyed the opportunity to ‘give back’ by providing support and guidance to a local organisation which demonstrates clear purpose and with whom I have a personal affiliation.

I have over 14 years PR and marketing experience gained across a variety of sectors, and both B2B and B2C segments. From a strategic perspective I have worked with brands, products and services to identify opportunities, clearly define them and develop strategies for new service/product development, market penetration and to rejuvenate existing offerings. From a tactical perspective I bring multi-channel experience and expertise across the full marketing and digital mix. Delivering activity that raises brand awareness, generates leads (retaining clients, acquires new ones), contributes to growth and transformation; always demonstrating a clear return on marketing investment. From a leadership perspective I bring over 10 years managerial experience, with responsibility for people, projects, budgets and external stakeholders.

As Head of Marketing for Lloyd’s Register’s £200m Oil and Gas business, I deliver on the above, on a daily basis, on a global scale. The experience I’ve gained from working with renowned marketing agencies, outstanding marketing and business professionals and delivering award winning campaigns ensures that the advice I impart helps VSA meet, if not exceed its social and corporate objectives. 

I understand first-hand the needs of a portion of VSA service users/clients. I also understand how this impacts families and the wider community, and the importance of raising awareness and correctly positioning VSA in the minds of the public.

Being a team player and bringing everyone along on the journey are key strengths of mine. This ensures employees, stakeholders and other board members are brand advocates who willingly demonstrate a level of ownership and influence on success. Enthusiasm can be infectious.

Business Background

Motion Software was set up by myself in 2005 and has grown to be the industry leader in inspection and compliance software solutions across a wide range of industry sectors including Renewables, Oil and Gas, Construction and Insurance. Motion has 30 staff and continues to grow at 30% per annum as part of a strategic plan which has been developed as part of a strategy to remove me from operational responsibility and to focus on business growth and planning

Aside from the day to day running of our organization, one of the key objectives this financial year is the enhancement of our internal systems in order to optimise efficiencies. Whilst we are a software company we believe in the approach of utilising proven technologies – I mention this as I am aware of your desire to implement a more centralized approach to systems.

Personal Background

Competitive Golfer and have represented club and district, inactive Badminton player – capped at Under 21. Immediate past chairman of Guide Dogs for the Blind Charity committee – who organised and ran the very successful Shades of Summer Ball.

Following receiving a professional qualification in Social Work, with a specialism in Psychiatric S.W. I worked for most of my career in Hospital settings. For many years I was a Senior Social Worker leading teams dealing with patients with serious illness, disability, rehabilitation and terminal illness across the North East.

I was a Practice teacher for students from R.G.U.In 1999 I was seconded to the first jointly funded Health and Social Care post in the area and I set up and managed the Rapid Response Team with both NHS and social care staff working together under one umbrella. This team became quite famous nationally for its' success in preventing hospital admission and facilitating hospital discharge through effective joint working and laid some of the foundations for the current Integration of Health and Social Care.

The last four years of my career were spent working on the changes in practice and policies needed to enable staff of all organisations to work effectively together. Before joining the V.S.A. Board I was Chairman of North East Sensory Services for some years.

Relevant Experience

Provision of agency and general valuation/development consultancy advice throughout Scotland.  

Experience in providing strategic advice to a wide cross section of clients including developers, investors and occupiers.

Specialist in appraisal of development projects.  Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Substantial experience in acting for Landlords/tenants in rent review negotiations

Professional Summary

Graeme is one of FG Burnett’s industrial agency specialists and has in excess of 30 years’ experience in the sector. Graeme not only advises on all aspects of the property disposal process, he also consults on valuations and development appraisals while undertaking rent review negotiations for a wide range of Landlord and Tenant clients on projects throughout Scotland.

Graeme is also a RICS Registered Valuer and has overall board responsibility for the FG Burnett Valuation and Rating Departments. 

Profile

With over 20 years’ experience within the industrial rental market, he is a high achieving senior manager/director with proven entrepreneurial skills. He has also personally developed his own thriving storage business whilst simultaneously acting as MD of a £multi-million portable and modular building hire company. Known for bringing new and successful ideas to the table, he strives to bring the best out of people both within the business, and as an external entrepreneurial mentor and volunteer.

From 2013 to 2018 Kevin was with Befriend a Child. Established in 1975, this excellent charity is aimed at affording vulnerable or deprived children from troubled backgrounds (parents suffering from, e.g., drug or alcohol abuse) the opportunity to experience positive adult relationship on regular occasions. This is carried out by volunteers who will spend time with them 1:1 on a fortnightly basis, providing, for example, proper meals, trips to the country or seaside, and everyday experiences they would not otherwise have. Kevin was not only an active director, but also Chair of the charity.

PERSONAL SUMMARY

An oil and gas professional with a history of volunteering, both in practical and governance capacities. At VSA I will be able to apply this experience along with my professional career, including my ability to provide strategic analysis, my financial acumen and my commercial experience, in a new setting and to contribute to the building of a better community.

Dr David PB Watson, MbChB, FRCGP, FRCP^Ed, AFOM, DRCOG

Dr David PB Watson is an Aberdeen graduate (1984) and GP Partner at Hamilton Medical Group in Aberdeen since 1990. He is a full time doctor who as well as working as a GP has worked since 2005 as a GP with special interest in headache in the Neurology Department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

David is also a part time lecturer at Aberdeen University working in the medical school. He has been involved in Scottish national work in neurology and headache. Outside of work he is a keen cyclist.