HIGH SCHOOL OF DUNDEE - Key Persons
It won't just be members of the School's CCF that will want to give a fond salute to Colin McAdam as he begins his retirement.
Colin joined the School in 1992 as a Geography teacher, after serving in the armed forces, and immediately stamped his unique approach of military order alongside ‘peace and love'.
It was this approach that made him an obvious choice to be part of the original HSD guidance team, being appointed PT Guidance in 1999.
As a passionate rugby player, Colin was also delighted to be able to help with coaching of HSD teams.
I was appointed to the Board in August 2020.
I am a Director of DC Thomson & Co Ltd., an international media and investment business which has had its roots in Dundee for over 100 years.
My three children are all currently being educated at the High School and I am also a former pupil.
I am a qualified CA, having trained with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Edinburgh. I spent 3 1/2 years in the Audit Department before moving to the Public Private partnership team and joined DC Thomson in 2003.
I previously sat on the V&A Dundee Board where I chaired the Finance & Risk Committee. I currently am a trustee on the V&A Dundee Foundation. I am a non-executive on British Ice Skating and also sit on the Advisory Board for Eden Scotland.
I joined the High School of Dundee Board in 2019 as a proud former pupil of the school, having graduated in the vintage year of 1975! After studying Psychology at Oxford and gaining postgraduate degrees at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, I worked as an educational psychologist before joining HM Inspectorate of Education in the mid-90s. After a series of roles in HMIE and the Scottish Government's Education Directorate between 2002 and 2008, I moved south to become HM Chief Inspector of Education and Training for Wales in 2008. Returning to Scotland to head up the Scottish inspectorate in 2010, I then became CEO of Education Scotland, the national quality assurance and improvement agency established in 2011, a position I held until 2017.
I am currently working part-time as an international consultant, providing support to projects on promoting quality improvement in education systems in Europe and beyond. I am also Convenor of Audit and Risk for the Scottish Care Inspectorate, a member of the Board of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and a member of the British Council's Scotland Advisory Committee.
I am married with two grown-up daughters, one of whom lives and works in Dundee. When not focusing on family and work I am a keen cyclist and mountaineer. My wife and I are keen consumers of all forms of arts and culture, an area in which Dundee has a great deal to offer!
Job Titles:
- in Science, Physics Teacher
In Science, Physics teacher Dr George MacKay is retiring after 22 years of enlightening our pupils about the laws of matter and energy, while Senior Science Technician Isobel Pimbley is also stepping down after many years keeping our laboratories in pristine working order.
Dr Morrow has for nearly 35 years been actively involved in the community and civic life in Scotland. He has been involved with numerous charities, community activities and civic duties.
He has been a member of the Faculty of Advocates for some years now, previous to which he was a solicitor both in private practice and in the voluntary sector. He is at present employed as President of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland and formerly President of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland. He is a national figure in the Tribunal movement in Scotland and he is a recognised leader in the application of mental health law.
He was appointed Lord Lyon King of Arms in 2014, King's Counsel in 2015 and given an honorary Doctor of Laws by Edinburgh Napier University in 2016.
In the past, he has served as a Justice of the Peace for the City of Dundee, sitting from 1984 till 2002. He was also, for 8 years during that period, a member of the Visiting Committees of Her Majesty's Prison Perth and Her Majesty's Prison Friarton. He has in the past been involved in family mediation work and was also a member of the Licensing Committee and Licensing Board of Dundee City Council.
Dr Morrow is a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and was Chancellor of the Priory of Scotland.
He has over a considerable number of years always responded to the civic and community needs of the City of Dundee and surrounding area. He is at present Vice Lord Lieutenant of the City of Dundee. He was elected Lord Dean in 2022. He is also Honorary Colonel of the Angus and Dundee Cadet Battalion.
Dr Morrow is also a Trustee of a number of charitable Trusts in Dundee, which distribute considerable sums of money to the good causes within the City.
In July 2018 he was invested as a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty The Late Queen at the Palace of Hoyroodhouse Edinburgh.
Co-opted Directors Elaine Russell I started my career as a PR/marketing professional in Hong Kong more than 30 years ago, working with blue chip companies as well as arts organisations. Marriage took me to Dundee, where I have worked for Abertay University for over 15 years in various business development roles. Before joining the Board of the High School of Dundee, I was a Trustee of DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts) for 8 years. I feel excited joining the Board and bringing my diverse working background to serve such a quality school. I travel a lot for work (and for pleasure). But Dundee is my home and nothing is worth more than seeing our HSD pupils going to explore the world themselves. I feel honoured to be part of their journey.
Co-opted Directors Garry Westwater I was appointed to the Board in December 2022. Born in St Andrews, I was raised in Fife - though I consider Monifieth as my home these days. My career has spanned several sectors including manufacturing, Government, NHS, management consultancy (Deloitte) and my own company. However, since 1998 my time has been spent in Education. I have worked in several Universities and FE Colleges - and locally with the University of Dundee, Dundee College, and Dundee & Angus Colleges. Presently, I work for Bolton College/University of Bolton as Executive Director of Finance/Group Finance Director Designate, respectively. I hold several Non-Executive Directorships also. Outside of work my time is spent with my partner, my three children and my three granddaughters. My hobbies include sports - particularly football and golf. I am a member of golf clubs in both Monifieth and Bolton. My other passions are travelling, good food, real ale, malt whisky and British Cinema.
Job Titles:
- I Was Appointed to the Board in October 2019
Nominated by the Guildry Incorporation of Dundee Ian Mathers I was appointed to the Board in October 2019. A native of Montrose, I retired after nearly 40 years in Corporate Banking holding Senior management positions reporting to Board level within Bank of Scotland and HBOS. An itinerant professional career took me to several locations around the UK including Aberdeen, Dundee, London, Edinburgh and Chester. Relocated back to Tayside and now working part time with owner-managed businesses, acting as mentor to executives as they look to grow their businesses in new and existing markets. Throughout my professional life, I have held several non-executive positions including Chair at Perth College, University of the Highlands & Islands, Vice Chair of Air Service Training (a commercial subsidiary of Perth College) and a Board Member & Chair of Finance Committee at Abertay Housing Association, Dundee. Currently a Trustee of Dundee Disabled Children's Association and Collector of the Guildry Incorporation of Dundee. Recently stepped down as Vice Chair and Chair of Finance Committee at Leisure & Culture Dundee after 8 years on their Board. I have always been keen to be involved in and supportive of the local community, primarily as a member of Rotary International for more than 30 years and president of the Rotary Club of Dundee in 2012. Interests include gardening, golf, travel and music. My wife and I both enjoy the wide range of cultural offerings in our City.
Co-opted Directors Ian Simpson I have recently joined the Board at High School of Dundee and was formerly responsible for Estates and Campus Services at neighbouring Abertay University, covering all aspects of estates and facilities management, student residences and the Student Centre, which incorporates hospitality, retail and catering. I was also responsible for health and safety, business continuity and corporate insurance. I am a Chartered Quantity Surveyor by profession and hold an LLM in Construction Law. Prior to joining Abertay University, I was Projects Manager for Fife Council's PPP schools building programme, leading on the new build development of two secondary and ten primary schools across Fife. My career has focused almost exclusively on the development and operation of educational buildings and has included part-time secondments with Dundee College, advising on the £47 million redevelopment of their Gardyne Campus, and Fife College, where I advised on the business case for their £90m West Fife Campus project. I have experience in non-executive positions as an elected Court member at the University, as a director of the charity Solar Cities Scotland and as a co-opted member of the Finance and Risk Committees of Design Dundee Ltd, the delivery vehicle for the V&A Dundee. I am married and live with my family in St Andrews.
Jean-Christophe Granier (JC) is Joint Managing Director of the global manufacturing company J&D Wilkie which focusses on Advanced Textile Technology and has its Head Office in Kirriemuir. In 2019, JC won both the Scottish and UK EY Entrepreneur of the Year "Transformational Leader" awards. He has also served as a mentor for the Saltire Foundation and firmly believes in the importance of collaboration with colleagues and our customers to ensure that we are best able to meet their needs.
Nominated by the Old Girls' Club Katie Hughes I was delighted to be appointed to the Board in January 2023. I am a dedicated marketing professional, with over 20 years' experience gained both agency and client side. I am currently Head of Client Services for a global brand and creative agency, I also form part of the leadership team. I previously also ran my own successful consultancy for 7 years. I have been fortunate enough to work in almost every sector and am proud of the creative campaigns and results I've been involved in. I have a wealth of school marketing experience and have supported the training of school marketing professionals for the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS). I train other communication professionals and act as a mentor. I am a former pupil of the School (Class of 2000) and I am also a current (and delighted!) Junior School parent. In my spare time, I'm a keen equestrian and in addition to my horse, I have two mischievous labradoodles. As a family, in the summer we enjoy exploring the East Neuk coastline in our RIB, spotting an array of wildlife and in winter we love watching rugby together.
Nominated by the Parents' Association Kerry Busfield I have worked for NCR for the past 18 years, starting in London, then relocating back to Scotland 5 years ago. I have worked in a number of roles and I am currently HR Leader for the UK & Ireland. I am a highly experienced Human Resources Leader in Compensation, Labour Relations, Management, Interviewing, and Succession Planning with a Masters' degree from the University of Westminster, with a research focus on Personnel and Development. I have a daughter in F2 at HSD which means I feel I am ideally placed to ensure that the Parent perspective is fully represented both at a whole Board level and in sub-committees and groups. I am very much looking forward to working in tandem with the Rector, SLT, wider staff, and Parents Association Committee. I love to keep active and fit and enjoy lots of family walks with our beloved dog, Archie. I also love to travel the world, visiting as many different places as possible and spending time in London with dear friends.
Mr Donaldson is a former pupil of the school, a current member of the Board and has a wealth of experience having previously served Regional Chair for Young Enterprise Scotland, Education Convener and Trustee for The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee and as trustee of The Dundee Educational Trust. Having worked initially as a Civil Engineer then running a successful food and drink business and latterly in education bringing a broad range of diverse skills to the role.
Nominated by Nine Trades of Dundee Bruce Donaldson I am very excited at the opportunity to contribute and help shape the future direction of the school that I am a former pupil of, a school that continues to be an important part of the City of Dundee and our surrounding region. On a community level I am the Ex- regional Chair for Young Enterprise Scotland. Young Enterprise has been running this SQA Level 6 approved program for over forty years allowing 5th and 6th year students to create and run a fully registered business throughout the academic year. We fully support and mentor the students taking them through a valuable journey of awakening as to their place in the "real world" allowing them to learn a host of valuable soft skills along with business acumen. I am also the current Education Convener and Trustee for The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee and as such have a close hand in looking to further the trades involvement in education within the city on a range of levels, seeking to find where they can support and further the endeavours of education overall. I am also a trustee of The Dundee Educational Trust that looks to support students financially through their College and University journey. As for my professional background I have had a varied range of experiences and roles held. From qualifying and initially working locally as a Civil Engineer, to working as a professional musician throughout the UK and Europe; setting up and running a successful food and drink business covering all of Scotland and beyond; and my most recent role as Sector Development Lead for the Science, Engineering, Construction and Land based departments at Dundee and Angus College. I therefore see myself as having a broad range of diverse skills which I can bring to bear on this exciting role. I live locally and enjoy spending time with my family and being in the outdoors, cycling, walking and trying to keep fit as my children now approach that time when they can outrun/cycle me!
Job Titles:
- Deputy Head, Senior Years - Staff & Academic Systems
Job Titles:
- Deputy Head, Senior Years - Pastoral
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Treasurer of the Old Boys' Club
David left the School in 1999 after being an enthusiastic participant in rugby and hockey teams, and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). After school he read Economics at the University of St Andrews before starting a career in financial planning and investment management with Bell Lawrie, now Brewin Dolphin. David currently heads up the Financial Planning team in the Edinburgh office of Investec Wealth and Investment and is a Chartered Financial Planner. In his limited spare time, David enjoys playing golf in East Lothian and spending time with his young family.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- President of the Old Boys' Club
After leaving the High School in 1991 as the youngest of six Wedderburn siblings to attend the School, Dominic went on to study Economic History and graduated from the University of St Andrews in 1995. Following on from this, Dominic worked for his family's farming and property business in North East Fife and then proceeded to complete a Masters in Land Economy at Aberdeen University, which he graduated from in 1999. He then specialised in the sale of prime country houses and worked for Savills in Edinburgh and Perth for 6 years before relocating to southern France to broker the sale of homes to the international market. Dominic returned to Scotland in 2009 to work for Galbraith, initially in Glasgow and more recently to his native town of Cupar, handling the sale of a wide range of property in Fife, Dundee and Angus. Dominic was part of the 2019 DHS Old Boys' Team that came first in the Cateran Yomp 54-mile challenge. There are currently still three Wedderburn children at the School and Dominic's wife, Diane, works as a French & German Teacher in the Modern Languages Department.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Vice - President of the Old Boys' Club
Job Titles:
- Deputy Rector - Head of Junior Years
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Mrs Pratt is Chair of the Board of Directors and a former parent of the School. Since joining the Board in 2019, she has also been heavily involved in the School's Wellbeing and Child Protection Working Group.
I joined the Board of Directors in 2019 having been heavily involved in the School's Wellbeing and Child Protection Working Group over several years. I was appointed to the position of Chair at the beginning of the 2022/23 session.
I was educated at Morgan Academy, Dundee and St Andrews University. My children both attended the High School of Dundee and my grandson will commence in Junior School in 2023.
I have held a number of senior managerial positions within the NHS over more than 40 years having worked in London, Fife and Tayside in a wide variety of roles covering diverse areas of health care such as Blood Transfusion Services, Mental Health Services, Medical & Cardiovascular Services and Children's Services. Whilst undertaking the role of Child Health Commissioner for NHS Tayside I lead on the development of the local child health strategy and contributed to national child health policy. Most recently I have been the Projects' Co-ordinator for two major capital projects for NHS Tayside. I retired from NHS Tayside in June 2023.
Previous voluntary positions involving children have included being on the Board of Children's Health Scotland, being a member of Barnardos' Scottish National Advisory Board, being a Trustee of The Archie Foundation and being Chair of the 5th Dundee (Downfield) Scout Group.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Rector - Head of Senior Years
As the former Head of Early Years, Mrs Leadbitter worked for the High School of Dundee for 30 years. She is also a former parent of the School.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Vice - President of the Old Girls' Club
In the summer of 1990, Aimi left the High School having spent six years there and having been part of the second generation of her family to attend the School. Both Aimi's parents had been pupils throughout their primary and secondary education. Come January 1991, she moved to Switzerland, planning to stay for a year or 18 months maximum. 25 and a half years later, having ran her own restaurant, been a retained firefighter for 18 years and worked for the airport police in Kloten (Zürich), Aimi finally returned to Scotland and was invited to join the Old Girls' Committee. She is looking forward to the year ahead in her most recent role as Vice-President to the Club.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- President of the Old Girls' Club
Attending the High School of Dundee from 1980 all the way through until 1993, Ashley thoroughly enjoyed her time at the School along with brother Richard and now-husband Robert Petrie. After leaving the School, Ashley went on to work for MAJR Group as a Business Manager before joining Human Associates in January 2018 as their Operations Director.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Secretary of the Old Girls' Club
Along with brother Douglas, Maureen attended the High School of Dundee, and thoroughly enjoyed playing hockey and tennis, with a particular academic interest in mathematics. Upon leaving in 1976, Maureen went on to study Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. However, she decided that this was not the path that she wished to follow and instead went on to work in the Medical Research Department at a laboratory at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. Later in life Maureen became self-employed, producing embroidery for school sports teams and other bodies.
Job Titles:
- Member of Committee
- Treasurer of the Old Girls' Club
A member of the class of 1985, Alison has held the role of Treasurer since 2015, having initially joined the Old Girls' Committee five years prior in 2010. One of a long line of Burnetts to grace the High School corridors, Alison went on to study at Edinburgh University and stayed in the capital raising her family until 2007, at which point she returned to Dundee, with her three children consequently enrolling at the High School. This gave her the opportunity to reacquaint herself with the school, and she has since enjoyed supporting the Old Girls' activities through a variety of roles and projects.
Co-opted Directors Nial Chapman I was appointed to the board in January 2023. I am the Strategic Director of the Altar Group and Managing Director of Blue2 Digital. I have over 20 years of management experience in providing integrated digital solutions to a diverse client base across Scotland, the UK, and abroad. I have a record of success in strategic lead generation, opportunity conversion, account management, team leadership, and the creation of digital strategies that cut through and prove transformational for clients. I studied at the University of Aberdeen and obtained a joint honours degree in Computing Science and Psychology, and an MSC in E-Commerce Technology. Before that, I attended Perth Academy. My son recently finished F6 at the school and my daughter is currently in F1. I play cricket for DHSFPCC and am the current club secretary. I also golf, play football, and enjoy watching pretty much all sports!
I am a farmer based near Coupar Angus where we specialise in potato and vegetable crops as well as growing cereals and oilseeds. Grewar Farming is a very modern agricultural business farming land across Perthshire, Angus and as far North as The Black Isle and Easter Ross. I also currently chair the Board at East of Scotland Farmers, which is an agricultural cooperative whose main purpose is the handling and marketing of nearly 200 members' grain, mainly to supply the whisky industry.
Co-opted Directors Scott Williamson I joined the High School of Dundee Board in 2019. I am a former Chairman of Blackadders, Solicitors and retired from practice in early 2022. I was appointed Lord Dean of Guild for the city of Dundee in October 2018, serving in the position until my term ended in 2022. I have a wide variety of experience in private client legal work including Trust Creation and Administration. I have also been involved in setting up and running charities, including acting as a Charity Trustee.