advisory board
Ivan Broussine - Chair
Ivan is Chair of Co-operative Development Scotland and brings a breadth of economic development experience in public and private sectors. He was formerly founding Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Forum, the lobby group for Scotland's tourism industry. He has worked in many sectors, with past experience of working with the co-operative sector.
Johnston Birchall
Johnston is a Professor of Social Policy at the University of Stirling. The author of several books on co-operation, he is currently advising the UN on co-operative responses to the global crisis. Key interests include the potential for membership-based associations to meet their members’ needs in ways that avoid the excesses of state bureaucracy and market competition.
Bruce Davidson
Bruce is Managing Director of employee-owned Loch Fyne Oysters, where his goal is to grow the business into new markets while retaining its core quality and values. He was previously Imperial Tobacco's Group Sales and Marketing Director, a main board appointment, and Development Director Asia for Inchcape, based in Singapore with the primary role of Chief Executive,Timberland Asia Pacific. Bruce has also held various sales and marketing roles with British American Tobacco based in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
James Graham
James is Chief Executive of SAOS, the development body for co-operative and collaborative enterprise in Scotland's agricultural and rural industries. The member-owned society has helped pioneer strategies including the development of farmers' markets and co-operative rural labour management. James has many years hands-on development experience spanning Scotland's farming and forestry industries.
Linda Hanna
Linda is Director of Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise. After establishing a career in the food production sector, Linda joined Scottish Enterprise in 1991, initially in a business advisory capacity working with businesses in Ayrshire. Her current role is focused on supporting the growth of businesses in Scotland. Her remit covers the management of policy, processes and national delivery teams including the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, Co-operative Development Scotland and the Global Companies programme.
Iain Macdonald
Iain is Director-General of the International Co-operative Alliance, which represents co-operatives globally, and has a long career in co-operative and community development. He is also an observer to the International Labour Office Governing Body and the UN Economic and Social Council; Board Vice-Chair of the Committee for the Advancement and Promotion of Co-operatives (COPAC) and member of the USA's Freedom from Hunger's Ambassadors Council.
Alasdair Macmillan
Alasdair is a Director and co-founder of Atomised, an ethical web design and development co-operative based in Fife. His career has spanned digital media, software development and music, including co-founding the community record label Moojuice. He has degrees from The University of Edinburgh (American Studies) and The University of St Andrews (IT Postgraduate) and a strong interest in helping grow new technology co-operatives.
Donnie Macaulay
Donnie Macaulay is Regional Director - West at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with geographic responsibility for Argyll and the Islands and the Western Isles areas. After an early career as a teacher and consumer adviser, Donnie joined Highlands and Islands Development Board as a Development Officer in 1980. He managed the Stornoway office of HIDB from 1984, and became Chief Executive of the Local Enterprise Company for the Western Isles - Western Isles Enterprise - in 1991. He has held his current position since 2008 well as a Director of Northern Energy Developments, which develops renewable energy from forest resources.
Colin Mann
Colin is Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, an employee-owned forest management company with annual sales of over £40 million. He has worked in forestry development since graduating from Aberdeen University with a BSc (Hons) in Forestry in 1977. He is a member of the leadership group of various industry/professional bodies, as well as a Director of Northern Energy Developments, which develops renewable energy from forest resources.
Jeremy Miles
Jeremy is Managing Director of Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative, a successful bicycle retailer with outlets in Scotlan. d and the North of England. He has been instrumental in growing revenues from £2m to £11m and building the company's structure. Most recently, Edinburgh Bicycle has developed its governance model, introducing a bespoke share ownership scheme and a Board of Directors.
Geoff Miller
Geoff Miller is Group Finance Director of Tullis Russell Group, the employee owned papermaking, coating and converting company. He joined the company in 1986 and was part of the team that facilitated the employee buyout
in 1994. Geoff has been instrumental in developing employee ownership at Tullis Russell and currently manages the employee share schemes and employee trusts. He is an appointed representative and past Chairman of the Employee Ownership Board (EOB), which represents the employees as shareholders, and is a trustee of all three employee trusts.
Hollis Smallman
Hollis is President of the Scottish Midland Co-op Society (Scotmid). His extensive co-operative experience includes working with Scotmid for 45 years before taking early retirement in 2003. He was elected President of Scottish Midland in May 2005 and is also Chairman of the Trustees Pension Plan, Joint Venture Boards, Search and General Purposes Committees. He is a member of the Co-operatives UK working group on Social & Co-operative Performance Indicators.
Robin Stewart
Robin has been active in many co-operatives throughout his adult life and is currently Chair, Scotland & Northern Ireland Board, The Co-operative Group. He is also a Director of Co-operatives UK and a member of the Board of Management of The Co-operative College. He serves on the Board of the Scottish Fairtrade Forum and of Co-operation & Mutuality Scotland and is Vice-Chair of Co-operative Education Trust Scotland.
Fergus Younger
As Agricultural Strategy Development Manager for Argyll and Bute Agricultural Forum, Fergus helps set up and manage rural development projects in the Argyll and islands area. Successful collaborations have included the Argyll Hill Lamb Producers Working Group and Argyll Food Producers, a co-operative. Fergus has a strong background in agriculture and nature conservation and previously worked for Scottish Natural Heritage.