Visit Scotland

Board

Peter Lederer CBE - Chairman

Managing Director of Gleneagles Hotel, he was appointed Chairman for a three year tenure in April 2001, renewed in April 2004 for a further three years, having been a Board Member since 1995. He has a strong background in the hospitality sector and a passion for improving standards across the tourism industry through education and training. He is a Trustee of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and the Springboard Charitable Trust, which helps people into tourism and hospitality careers. He is also on the Board of the Leading Hotels of the World and patron of The Queen Margaret University College Foundation. [On 1 November 2007, stood down as Managing Director and appointed Chairman of Gleneagles Hotel]

Mrs Pat Buchanan

Has worked in the accommodation sector for over 30 years. She is Chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise Caithness and Sutherland and a Member of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands. She has a particular interest in tourism and the environment and in sustainable tourism based on cultural and natural heritage. A former Vice-Chairman of the Highlands and Islands Tourist Board she has also served on the Board of the Scottish Museums Council. She is a Founding Trustee of Caithness Archaeological Trust.

Cllr Willie Dunn

Willie Dunn is Deputy Leader of West Lothian Council and Convenor of the Council's Enterprise and Development Committee. He is also COSLA spokesperson on economic development and tourism matters. He has been actively involved in tourism for a number of years, having sat on the Steering Group for the integration project. He is a member of the Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh & Lothian Board, West Lothian Chamber of Commerce and West Lothian Ventures Ltd.

Mr Donal Dowds

Has a strong tourism pedigree through his previous position as Divisional Managing Director of BAA Scotland and USA before moving to London earlier this year. He is a Board Member of the Airport Operators Association and a member of the Secretary of State for Scotland's Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems. He is a past Chairman of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI). He was also a member of the Secretary of State's Friends of Scotland Advisory Group; a former Vice-Chairman of Edinburgh & Lothians Tourist Board; former council member of the Scottish Tourism Forum; and former member of Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley Tourist Board.
* Donal Dowds stepped down from the Board on 31 March 2007.

Mr Brian Houston

A Management Consultant and Board advisor, he was formerly a Board Director of the PA Consulting Group. He served as Chairman and CEO of PA's European practices and as CEO of Worldwide Strategy Consulting. The early part of his career was spent as a manager and consultant with several Scottish companies and public bodies. He is currently a Director of Plato Consulting and advises a number of corporate clients in turnround situations.

Mr Alex Pagett

Former Group Corporate Affairs Director for Hilton Group plc and a Board Member of Hilton International Hotels. An experienced communicator with extensive experience in both public and private sectors, he is also an active lobbyist on behalf of Scotland's tourism interests. Prior to working at Hilton, he was Group Corporate Affairs Director at Bank of Scotland and before that Stakis plc. Earlier in his career he was Chief Press Officer at the then Scottish Office.

Dr Lesley Sawers

Lesley Sawers is Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. She spent time with VisitScotland as Strategic Communications Advisor in 2003/04. Prior to working at VisitScotland Lesley was Director for Scottish Affairs at Royal Mail. She currently serves as a Board Member of Glasgow Business Services, Glasgow Exports, Glasgow City Centre Management, the Local Economic Forum and the Community Planning Partnership. She is also a member of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Steering Committee and is a business advisor to Arts & Business Scotland.

Management Team

Chief Executive: Philip Riddle

Philip was appointed Chief Executive of VisitScotland on 16 July 2001. A graduate of Cambridge University, Philip has worked primarily in marketing and general management. For 23 years he worked with the Royal Dutch/Shell Group in a number of senior managerial posts across their worldwide network. He has obtained an MBA from Edinburgh University and is also involved on a voluntary basis with the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust.

Director of Industry Engagement: Eddie Byers

Eddie joined VisitScotland in June 2004 from Scottish Development International to support the development of the new industry engagement plan. He has previously held senior marketing and business positions in several multinational companies including 3i and HSBC developing and implementing worldwide commercial marketing strategies for business customers.

Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Communication: Riddell Graham

Educated at Galashiels Academy and with a degree in Ecological Science from Edinburgh University, Riddell has worked in tourism for 27 years. He was Chief Executive of Scottish Borders Tourist Board from 1996-2005. Riddell previously held the positions of Assistant Director of Tourism and then Director of Tourism with Scottish Borders Tourist Board and prior to this he worked with Scottish Borders Council.

Director of Visitor Services and Quality: Willie Macleod

A graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Scottish Hotel School, Willie spent seven years in the hotel industry in a variety of positions before joining the former Scottish Tourist Board. In 1985 he joined the London-based tourism consultancy practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers and in 1990 he returned to Scotland as regional director and director of the tourism consultancy team of SQW Limited. In September 2001 he joined VisitScotland as Director of Industry Services before taking up his current appointment in February 2005 as Director of Visitor Services & Quality.

Director of Corporate Services: Ken Neilson

A graduate of Glasgow University, Ken is a chartered accountant with extensive experience as both a finance and general management director. He completed his CA training with KPMG before going on to work in a number of roles in organisations which were undergoing significant change through integration or either internal or external growth, including British Aerospace, Life Technologies & Serologicals Ltd. Ken is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (CA).

Director of Network Operations: David Noble

David has a law degree from Glasgow University and a Professional Diploma in Management. He qualified as a solicitor before entering local government and tourism management. David was Chief Executive of the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board from 1997 until January 2005. Prior to this he worked in local government, latterly as the Chief Executive of Skye and Lochalsh District Council and as an Area Manager with Highland Council.

Director of Marketing: Malcolm Roughead OBE

Malcolm joined VisitScotland from Diageo in May 2001. He came from Guinness World Records as Global Sales and Marketing Director. A graduate in Modern Languages from Glasgow University in 1981, Malcolm previously held a number of senior marketing positions with Guinness in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America. He has also worked in marketing with Nestlé and Beechams in London. In March 2004, Malcolm was awarded the title of Scottish Marketeer of the Year at the Scottish Marketing Awards. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing and a Fellow and Chair of the Marketing Society in Scotland.