FOUNDATION SCOTLAND - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Investment Executive
- Social Investment Executive
Ali is a Social Investment Executive in the Social Investment team with responsibility for assessing funding applications for social enterprises and monitoring the loan portfolio.
Job Titles:
- Central Systems Support Assistant
Alison joined Foundation Scotland in May 2020 and is part of the Finance and Operations department.
Angus has worked as an investment manager for almost 40 years. In 2006, he founded the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust. He retired in 2017 and now serves as a non-executive company director, charity Trustee and lay member of the HM Inspectorate of Education.
Annabel has been with the Foundation since 2008 and is responsible for donor stewardship. She supports donors to get the most out of their charitable giving.
Barry's career has focused on protecting, supporting and developing the resilience safety and wellbeing of citizens and communities, at home in Scotland and abroad. He has served in leadership roles working globally with the United Nations, NATO, the UK military, and in Scotland with the NHS, Health and Social Care and Policing.
Chris has been with Foundation Scotland since the end of 2022 and is part of the Communities Team. He joins us with a wealth of experience from his previous roles as a funding officer.
Job Titles:
- Head of Social Investment
Chris leads the social investment team, providing flexible finance opportunities to social enterprises across Scotland.
Chris brings extensive expertise in community-based arts practice and grassroots sports development. Chris is part of the Communities Team, working with fund panels in the North East and Argyll.
Dani supports all brand communications for the Foundation including website and social media updates, press releases and marketing collateral.
Debbie is part of the Communities team and works with fund panels in the North East and Argyll and Bute.
Deborah is responsible for all external communications for Foundation Scotland including press, digital and social media.
Dimana assists the Finance team in providing its core services.
Eilidh joined Foundation Scotland in 2015 and supports and develops community funds in Caithness and Sutherland.
Job Titles:
- Social Investment Executive
Beth is part of the Social Investment team responsible for assessing funding applications for social enterprises and monitoring the loan portfolio.
Job Titles:
- Chief Finance and Operations Officer
Elizabeth is responsible for the Foundation's finance team and operations.
Felicity joined Foundation Scotland in 2023. She will be supporting the Communities team in the delivery of a range of funds with projects across Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Funds Adviser
- Member of the Philanthropy Team
Fiona is a member of the Philanthropy Team and is responsible for donor stewardship and delivering a range of grant programmes throughout Scotland.
Giles focuses on working with colleagues to bring the strategic plan to life; ensuring the role of the Foundation remains informed, relevant and impactful across Scotland's communities.
Job Titles:
- Head of Philanthropy and Quality
Helen joined the Foundation in 2003 and currently leads the Philanthropy Team supporting our portfolio of corporate donors, charitable Trusts and Foundations and UKCF programmes.
James is passionate about the power of communities to achieve more for themselves and to expand social enterprise as the key to social inclusion. He now provides social enterprise consultancy bringing 25 years of third sector experience to clients
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager at the Foreign
Jen is a Programme Manager at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Prior to joining the FCDO, Jen worked at Comic Relief where she was instrumental in establishing their first social investment function, as well as managing key strategic partnerships with third sector and corporate organisations.
Job Titles:
- Funds Adviser
- Now Funds Adviser
Jennifer joined Foundation Scotland in 2005 as a Grants Administrator. Now Funds Adviser, Jennifer supports our corporate and charitable trust donors to deliver a wide range of grant programmes throughout Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Central Systems Support Manager
Kathryn offers systems support to all teams across the Foundation. From processing grants and donations to helping with evaluations and reporting, Kathryn is our CRM master!
Kirstine assists in developing relationships with new and existing donors and raising the profile of the Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Central Administration Executive
Laura joined Foundation Scotland in 2017, working within the Finance and Operations team, her role includes management of the offices, supplier procurement and managing various other projects.
Job Titles:
- Central Systems Support Assistant
Leanne has been with Foundation Scotland since 2015. She is part of the Finance and Operations department and manages the Online Giving Account.
Leslie is a former corporate executive with more than 25 years of international experience, primarily in the mining and consumer goods industries. A versatile business leader, he has held several Board and executive roles, with responsibilities for his past employers' corporate social investments in various countries.
Linda joined Foundation Scotland in April 2014 and is part of the Philanthropy Team.
Linda is part of the Communities Team, working with fund panels in South Ayrshire. She brings experience of working in local charities at various levels, including management in the local Third Sector Interface (TSI).
Livi helps the Philanthropy Team by assessing grant applications, supporting grant-making, and assisting with the administration of funds and programmes.
Malc manages the portfolio of place-based funds and Communites Team staff across Central Scotland, particularly supporting communities to manage and distribute community benefit funds from wind farms.
Following a 30-year career in science journalism, Mamta co-founded Chemical Watch in 2007, a digital publication providing intelligence on regulatory compliance and broader chemicals risk management issues. After selling the business in 2020, she applies her knowledge and experience on a select number of charity and business boards to support membership development, diversity and inclusion, social mobility, and sustainability issues.
Marion supports community funds in Ross-shire and in Moray. This includes several EDF Corriemoillie community funds as well as an Education & Training scheme. She also supports EDF Dorenell Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.
Mary joined Foundation Scotland in 2021 and works with communities across the central belt supporting the management and distribution of community benefit funds. Her goal is to support local Panels in grant-making activities which maximise the opportunities these funds offer.
Mercedes joined Foundation Scotland in January 2021 to support the growth, development and delivery of our grantmaking programmes across Scotland. Coming from the European Solidarity Corps she brings extensive funding experience.
Niome joined Foundation Scotland as part of the Communities Team in August 2023. Niome's experience stems from community and place-based development projects as well as volunteering projects within her local community.
Job Titles:
- Grants Officer
- in 2023 As a Grants Officer
Rachael joined Foundation Scotland in 2023 as a Grants Officer in the Communities Team, supporting them with the administration of funds and programmes across Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Head of Communities and Impact
Rachel has been leading our Communities Team since 2011, developing place-based funds with communities and donors across Scotland.
Sam joined the Communities Team in July 2018 and coordinates a number of funds benefitting Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and the Scottish Borders.
Sarah has over 37 years of experience in the finance and investment sector. Since 2018 she has been focused on voluntary roles which include being the President of St Andrew Boat Club. She is also an External Director of Rakuten Inc.
Sharon has a financial background, spanning the private sector, health service and Scottish Government, where she was previously the Director of Internal Audit and Assurance. She has also worked on a voluntary basis with a number of charitable organisations, with a particular focus on young people.
Shona was Head of Marketing at Tesco Bank, where she spent 15 years leading the marketing strategies that leverage Tesco's brand and unique assets. She is currently with Sainsbury's Bank leading the Marketing partnership with Nectar and the retail business. Before financial services, Shona worked in creative agencies working with organisations such as The Scottish Government, Visit Scotland, Scottish Power and Scottish and Newcastle.
Job Titles:
- Revitalising Trusts Adviser
Steff joined the Foundation in 2021 to work in partnership with OSCR to deliver the Revitalising Trusts Project. The project was established to help ensure funds from apparently inactive or dormant charitable trusts are ‘unlocked' to support good causes across Scotland.
Stephen has extensive experience in the financial sector, where he's held many senior positions. He's maintained a long interest in supporting business involvement in the community and recently retrained as a business coach to provide support for individuals working in the third sector. He also chairs a charity working to improve partnership links with organisations in Malawi.
Stewart is a former Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Governance in local government and is now an Operations Director for a start-up company. Stewart has worked across a range of organisations, large and small, not for profit, private and public. He also has experience as a Board Member of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), Chair of Finance Committee and former Board member of Social Investment Scotland, as well as being a current Non-Executive Director.
Sue supports the day to day finance function within Foundation Scotland.
Suzy Mercer - Community Funds Manager
Suzy joined the Communities Team in July 2018 and now manages the South of Scotland Communities Team. Suzy also supports the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company, the Blackcraig Community Fund and does development work.
Toby's background is in property and, more particularly, in the activities that this property hosts. In London, this has included the formation of the Brompton Design District and the pedestrianisation of Exhibition Road.
Vicki has responsibility for developing relationships with new and existing donors to Foundation Scotland and developing awareness of Foundation Scotland with allied professional service firms.