The National Galleries of Scotland has a board of trustees who direct its work in the arts world and today the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, announced the appointment of six new Trustees.
The body cares for, develops, researches and displays the national collection of Scottish and international art and, with a lively and innovative programme of activities, exhibitions, education and publications, aims to engage, inform and inspire the broadest possible public.
Alistair Dodds has held senior management positions in the Highland Council over a period of 18 years in HR, Corporate Governance, and was Chief Executive for over six years until August 2013.
He is a former Company Secretary to Eden Court Theatre, Inverness and has a keen personal interest in the arts, having been a Friend of the National Galleries of Scotland for many years.
Mr Dodds has an Economics degree from Edinburgh University, a post graduate Diploma in Personnel Management from Strathclyde University and an MBA (Distinction) from Dundee University.
Edward Green is a specialist in jewellery and antiques. During his 30 years career, he has held the positions of Deputy Chairman of Garrard the Crown Jewellers and Managing Director, Mappin & Webb, and was responsible for taking both companies into Asia. Following that, he was a main board director of Asprey and President of Asprey in the United States.
Mr Green graduated from Strathclyde University with a BA in business and administration (HCM).
Benny Higgins began his career at Standard Life where he qualified as an actuary and progressed to RBS and subsequently HBOS where he was Chief Executive of their Retail Banking divisions. He took the helm at Tesco Bank in 2008 following Tesco’s buyout of the RBS share.
He is a member of the Glasgow Economic Leadership Board and the Commonwealth Games Legacy Board. He is also a non-executive director of Buccleuch Group, a member of the Scottish Government’s Financial Services Advisory Board (FiSAB) and a Princes Trust Ambassador.
Tari Lang is an international advisor to corporations and governments/government bodies providing senior specialist counsel on reputation risk and management, and leadership development. Ms Lang was the Founding Partner of Reputation lnc, a reputation management consultancy in London, Dublin and Dubai and before that, CEO of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in London.
Ms Lang currently sits on the Board of the National Theatre of Scotland, the Edinburgh International Festival Council and the Nominating Council of Women of the Year.
Professor Nick Pearce holds the Sir John Richmond Chair of Fine Art at the University of Glasgow. Since joining the University in 1998, he has held the position of Head of History of Art and latterly Head of the School of Culture & Creative Arts within the College of Arts. A specialist in the arts of China, his career has straddled both academe and museums, having previously held curatorial positions at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Burrell Collection in Glasgow and the Oriental Museum at the University of Durham.
Professor Pearce is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and of the Royal Society of Arts. He is also a Visiting Professor on the Smithsonian Institution’s Masters Program in the History of the Decorative Arts in Washington D.C. and a Trustee of the Textile Conservation Foundation.
Willie Watt is chief executive of Martin Currie Investment Management Ltd. He joined Martin Currie as chief executive in January 2001. Before that, he spent 16 years with 3i Group, latterly as a managing director responsible for the Scottish part of its UK business. He ran specialist venture, buy out and the oil and gas teams.
Martin Currie has developed over the last ten years as a specialist international equities boutique focussing on Global, Asian and Emerging Markets.
Mr Watt received a First-Class Honours degree in Geography from the University of Aberdeen and then went on to complete a 3 year Carnegie research scholarship in Geography and Archaeology.
These appointments are for four years. The appointments of Alistair Dodds, Edward Green, Benny Higgins and Tari Lang will commence on 1st January 2014. The appointments of Nicholas Pearce and Willie Watt will commence on 1st October 2014.
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