Marketing Edinburgh has completed the final stage of an on-going board restructure with the appointment of three City of Edinburgh Councillors.
Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Frank Ross, Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron and Cllr Susan Webber will make up the final members of the 12-strong Marketing Edinburgh Board, tasked with shaping the future direction and global positioning of Scotland’s capital city.
Their appointments follow the announcement in June of five high-profile non-executives Board members from across corporate, marketing and financial backgrounds: Sandra Blake, Head of Talent and Development, Scottish and Southern Energy; blue-chip marketer Claire Harrison-Church; energy consultant Paul Rowllings; finance marketing and customer service expert Stephen Ingledew; and Dr Gordon Rintoul CBE, Director National Museum of Scotland.
Instigated by Marketing Edinburgh’s Chair, Gordon Robertson, Director of Communications at Edinburgh Airport and Marketing Edinburgh Chief Executive John Donnelly, the Board restructure and stream-lining was an essential step in allowing the organisation to move forward, building on past success while addressing new challenges and opportunities for the city.
Meeting this month for the first time, the new board members will be actively supporting Marketing Edinburgh in its partner collaboration, with the first task to create a three to five-year strategic plan that will echo the timing of the Edinburgh 2050 City Vision.
As part of the Capital Coalition, Frank Ross was the Leader of the SNP Group and Depute Leader of the Council. Prior to being elected as Leader of the SNP, Cllr Ross held the role of Economy Convener. A key figure in major Scottish businesses, Cllr Ross brings experience of working in manufacturing/engineering, with blue chip companies such as Racal, Chubb, Tomkins and Motherwell Bridge.
More recently Frank has operated as a self-employed Interim Manager focussing on Company turnarounds. This allowed Cllr Ross to become more politically active resulting in his election to the Council in 2012.
With a professional background in HR, Public Affairs, Strategic Policy and Events, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, spent seven years in Sydney undertaking MBA studies and working in the marketing and supply chain divisions of a global logistics company. Re-elected to the City of Edinburgh Council in May 2017 as Labour Councillor for the Liberton/Gilmerton ward, she was then appointed as Deputy Convener of the Housing & Economy committee and as a Bailie.
Elected to City Edinburgh Council in May 2017 Cllr Susan Webber represents the Pentland Hills ward. Living in Juniper Green, the Conservative councillor’s professional background is in the healthcare industry, providing products and services to hospitals and medical professionals.
2016/17 was Marketing Edinburgh’s most successful year on record, with the organisation achieving or exceeding the majority of its strategic KPIs across its marketing campaigns, membership targets, corporate partnerships and increased economic impact of business tourism and film to the city. Generating revenue growth to a record level of £1.98M, Marketing Edinburgh delivered an ROI of 103:1, across all its activities on behalf of the city.
Gordon Robertson, Chair Marketing Edinburgh said: “I am delighted to welcome the Councillors and all our new board members to the Marketing Edinburgh family. The out-going board played a significant role in Marketing Edinburgh’s success over the last four years and I commend their foresight in supporting this significant restructure to allow the organisation to evolve and grow.
“The wealth of experience, ambition and skills-set our new board members bring, combined with the increased agility of our leaner Board, puts Marketing Edinburgh in a position of strength, positively shaping Edinburgh’s future development and global promotion.”
Members of Marketing Edinburgh’s new Board:
- Gordon Robertson, Chair of Marketing Edinburgh (ME) and Director of Communications for Edinburgh Airport
- John Donnelly, Chief Executive, ME
- Dr Gordon Rintoul CBE, Director National Museum of Scotland, Non-Executive ME Board member
- Claire Harrison-Church, Non-Executive ME Board member
- Paul Rowllings, Non-Executive ME Board member
- Sandra Blake, Head of Talent and Development, Scottish and Southern Energy, Non-Executive ME Board member
- Stephen Ingledew, Non-Executive ME Board member
- Cllr Gordon Munro, Leith ward for City of Edinburgh Council
- Cllr Jo Mowat, City Centre ward for City of Edinburgh Council
- Frank Ross, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh
- Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron, Liberton/Gilmerton ward for City of Edinburgh Council
- Cllr Susan Webber, Pentland Hills ward for City of Edinburgh Council
- (Elaine Ballantyne, ME Board Observer)
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