The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has announced the appointment of eight new directors to its board, strengthening its leadership team with a diverse range of expertise from across the tourism sector. The new board members are:
- Fiona MacConnacher, head of public affairs UK and Ireland at Booking.com
- Jane McFadzean, senior director for global sustainability at Trip.com
- Emma Simpson, group people director at Gleneagles & Estelle
- Rob Wicks, managing director at P&J Live
- Geoff Ellis, chief executive at DF Concerts & Events
- Stephen McGowan, partner and head of licensing (Scotland) at TLT Solicitors
- Ian Stokes, chief operating officer at House of Gods Hotels
- Martyn Wilson, head of commercial at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Commenting on the announcement, Chair of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, Rebecca Brooks said:
“We are delighted to welcome eight new Board Directors of such calibre and industry standing to complement our current, committed Board.
“We have recruited a strong cross section of industry experts ensuring that we have achieved the balance of Senior Executive, Non-Executive, Owner, and Operator director experience in our selection. As Chair I am confident this will stand the organisation in good stead in taking the STA to the next level as we continue to advocate for our members.
“The STA Board has always been a cohort of the willing, dedicated, and passionate. We believe in recruiting for the next phase of our industry representation, we have distilled these attributes, and I look forward to our next chapter.”
CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, Marc Crothall MBE, added:
“The STA has a strong vision to make tourism everyone’s business and today’s appointments follow a recruitment process which attracted candidates of the highest calibre.
“We have leaders with knowledge and experience in critically important areas including sustainability, licensing, major events, and the nighttime economy. Some of the most important businesses in the country are represented.
“We had an overwhelming response to our recruitment process, which we undertook with the support of Odgers Berndtson, with more than three hundred expressions of interest in the opportunity. The quality and volume of applicants is testament to the work of all who have been part of the STA, helping build the organisation’s reputation as the leading voice for the industry, over the past thirteen years.
“The role of the Scottish Tourism Alliance has never been more important, both in supporting the industry as it faces new challenges, but also in influencing national and local government to ensure the best possible conditions exist for businesses to flourish. We now have a substantial alliance in the STA that will do all we can to deliver for our sector and the Scottish and UK economies.”
The new directors will complete an onboarding period, shadowing existing and outgoing board members, before their official appointment at the STA’s Annual General Meeting on 2 October at the Social Hub in Glasgow.