LAND COMMISSION - Key Persons
Andrew has over thirty years of experience in leadership roles in the public, private and third sectors. He coordinated the work of the Agricultural Holdings Legislation Review in 2014. His previous public sector roles have included Crofters Commissioner, Chair of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage, and until 2022 Chair of Scottish Canals.
Job Titles:
- Project Assistant, Modern Apprentice )
Bruce is based within the policy team and performs a variety of assistive duties across the Land Commission, including administrative, organisational and project management-related responsibilities. As a modern apprentice, Bruce is working towards a diploma in Project Management, integrating his experience at the Commission with his studies.
Caron is responsible for managing and supporting the Commission's business functions. Providing support and guidance to the organisation in HR, employee wellbeing, Data Protection, FOI, information management and board secretariat.
Charlie leads the Commission's work on broadening access to land, focussing on how a changing rural sector offers opportunities for innovative governance models. She is a rural business manager with a background in conservation and sustainable development, specialising in large-scale environmental land management, working with a range of private, institutional, corporate & community bodies across Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Business Systems Manager
Claire is responsible for managing and supporting the Commission's finance and business functions to support effective operational delivery and compliance. This includes co-ordination of internal and external audit, IT and Cyber security, and ensuring the commission has appropriate corporate governance policies in place to meet its duties as an NDPB.
David's main areas of work are on land, housing and place. His remit at the Scottish Land Commission includes work on land assembly, placemaking, and housing land markets.
He joined the Land Commission from the SFHA where he led on new build affordable housing, planning reform, energy efficiency and regeneration. Before that he worked for housing associations and for Edinburgh City Council on housing and regeneration.
He is a board member of Rural Housing Scotland and was previously on the board of PAS, the planning and place charity, and a community based housing association in Greenock.
Job Titles:
- Tenant Farming Commissioner
Bob is a retired public servant with extensive experience in public policy, in particular in land management and forestry, Bob was the Scottish Government Director for Environment and Forestry between 2012 and 2015, and before that served as the Director of Forestry Commission Scotland and in many other roles in the Forestry Commission. He was a partner in a 650-acre hill farm for 15 years. He is also currently a Board Member of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Sally is an Agricultural Consultant (with a PhD in mathematical ecology); she is currently working within the Community Land Sector as Development Officer with Carloway Estate Trust (Urras Oighreachd Chà rlabhaigh). An active crofter and livestock keeper, she contributes to a number of activities which benefit the community. She currently coordinates the Lewis and Harris Greylag Goose Management Scheme on behalf of SNH.
Job Titles:
- Head of Land Rights & Responsibilities
Emma is responsible for the Land Commission's work shaping change on the ground to ensure more people benefit from Scotland's land by supporting the practical implementation of the Scottish Government's Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement (LRRS).
Job Titles:
- Land Rights and Responsibilities Manager
Gemma Campbell is the Land Commission's Land Rights and Responsibilities Manager, and focusses on helping people to embed responsible land ownership, use and management in practice. She manages a programme of engagement, guidance and advice that supports key stakeholders across all sectors to strengthen their adoption of Land Rights and Responsibilities principles in their strategy and delivery.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Business Assistant )
Gilly is our Finance and Business Assistant. Her role is varied but the main purpose is to support the Commission's finance and business functions to help effective operational delivery and compliance.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Officer
- Chief Executive & Accountable Officer )
Hamish is Chief Executive and accountable officer of the Scottish Land Commission. He is a former chartered surveyor with experience of land use policy, management and research in the public and private sectors. His previous roles include director posts at the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Deer Commission for Scotland, and working for a national firm of property consultants. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
Hanna leads on the Commission's delivery of high quality evidence and analysis by designing, conducting, and commissioning research on land reform. She previously worked as a senior researcher on land and housing for the New Economics Foundation.
James leads the Commission's work around land and human rights, governance, and ownership. This touches upon a range of land reform issues from developing policy and legislative proposals to reform Scotland's land market, to articulating the nature of carbon rights and what ownership means, to modernising the Common Good property regime, to improving access to land for new entrants to agriculture. James hails from a family farming background and brings broad experience from the private, public, and third sectors to his role.
Jess Barbier-Marsden joined the Commission in 2019 and has worked across the private and public sector. With a background in media and communications gained within local government and the MOD, Jess is responsible for delivering the Commission's communications strategy including social media.
Job Titles:
- Good Practice Adviser - Land Rights and Responsibilities )
As a Good Practice Adviser, Karen works across sectors to help embed principles of fairness, transparency, balance and opportunity into land use and land use decision-making in Scotland. This includes offering support in the form of training, advice and guidance, and working with individuals and organisations to increase understanding and alignment with the principles of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement.
Lisa collaborates with colleagues across the Scottish Land Commission to design and deliver their impactful programme of training, resources, and support. Her work is shaped and informed by her teaching and learning experiences as a university lecturer, in youth work, and community arts.
Lorne has had an interest, and involvement, in land reform for many years. He was a founding director and, latterly, was the Chairman of Community Land Scotland, and has been a director of the community land buyout groups in Eriskay, South Uist & Benbecula, and the Isle of Gigha. He was Highlands & Islands Enterprise's first Director of Strengthening Communities, and prior to that was Chief Executive of Skye & Lochalsh Enterprise. He is a chartered accountant, and director of a retail and distribution business in the Isle of Skye.
Megan has 20 years' experience working on land reform internationally, particularly throughout Southeast Asia, with community groups, NGOs, governments, international organisations and large agribusiness companies. She has considerable expertise in protecting land rights, land management, community empowerment, natural resource governance and human rights. She grew up on Skye and is now part of a crofting family in Applecross, where she also works as a Local Development Officer for the Applecross Community Company.
Sara is responsible for supporting the delivery of successful external and internal engagement and communications including building the reputation and increasing the profile of the Commission and the role of land reform in contributing to Scotland's success.
Sarah supports the role of Tenant Farming Commissioner who is responsible for fostering good relations between landlords and tenants. Advocates best practice in the tenant farming sector by supporting TFC in issuing Codes of Practice and guidance. Promotes the TFC role and facilitates stakeholder engagement through the Tenant Farming Advisory Forum. Assists TFC in dealing with enquiries and conducts investigations into alleged breaches of the codes as set out in the Land Reform 2016 Act. Promotes alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.