Linda.Urquhart.1

Marie Curie Cancer Care has announced today the appointment of high profile Scottish business leader Linda Urquhart OBE, as a trustee.

As chairman of Morton Fraser, one of Scotland’s largest law firms, and as non-executive director and board member to a number of UK businesses, Edinburgh-based Linda brings a wealth of experience to the role.  Linda will help lead the strategic management of the charity, supporting people with a terminal illness across the UK.  In Scotland, this care is delivered through the two hospices in Edinburgh and Glasgow and in the community through the Marie Curie Nursing Service.

Linda has led Morton Fraser for nearly fifteen years, first as Chief Executive and now as chairman. Trained as a commercial property lawyer, she has advised businesses of all sizes across a variety of sectors.  Linda is a member of the board of the CBI and Scottish Enterprise, Chairman of Investors in People Scotland and is a non-executive director of Scottish private bank, Adam & Co and Edinburgh Airport Limited.

Linda joins four other UK-based individuals appointed to the Council of Trustees led by chairman, John Varley.  Their combined expertise includes communications, marketing, healthcare, finance, business, retail, services and law. Their experience covers both public and private sectors.

The appointments address Council member succession, as well as the recruitment of additional trustees to enable greater representation across the devolved nations.

Commenting on her new role with Marie Curie, Linda said: “I am passionate in helping organisations to deliver their best and to make an impact in their field.  Nowhere is this more important than for a charity such as Marie Curie who provide an essential service to patients and their families who need very specialist and tailored care and support.

“I’m excited to be joining an ambitious organisation that is investing in services across the UK and is striving to deliver care to people no matter where they are.  With my fellow trustees I look forward to helping the charity raise awareness of its value to the healthcare sector and achieve its full potential.”

John Varley, Chair of the Trustee Council of Marie Curie, said: “We are delighted to welcome the new trustees to Council at a time when the charity is embarking on an ambitious new five year strategy to meet the growing need for our services across the UK.  An ageing population with increasingly complex and diverse needs, and divergent health and social care systems across the UK, make it very important that we continue to provide the best possible care for people with terminal illnesses.

“Moving forward we are committed to doubling our funding of research; sharing ways to improve the experiences of all terminally ill people regardless of circumstance, including support for families after the death; and working to improve the delivery of healthcare better to meet the needs of patients and their families.

“I look forward to drawing on the expertise of our new trustees and existing Council members to help Marie Curie meet these challenges.”

+ posts

John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.