Scotland Tonight

News Presenter

Rona Dougall hosts the Scottish news programme Scotland Tonight.
Formerly the Scotland reporter for Sky News, Rona applied for the Scotland Tonight job when
co-host John MacKay posted a Facebook message about a new STV current affairs
programme. After enquiring whether they were looking for a reporter, Rona was surprised to
be offered the anchoring role on Scotland’s leading news programme.
As well as news presenting, Rona also writes for The Scotsman.

Scottish Government

Cabinet Secretary for Finance

Kate Forbes MSP is from Dingwall, although she spent part of her upbringing in Glasgow and India. Until she was elected as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Kate was employed as an accountant in the banking industry. Prior to that she studied History at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh with a focus on human migration.

On 17 February 2020 she was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Finance.

Scottish Government

Permanent Secretary

Leslie worked in local government in England and Scotland for 20 years before joining the civil service in 2000. Prior to becoming the Permanent Secretary, she was Director General Learning and Justice.

Married with one son, Leslie was born in Northern Ireland and has lived in Scotland since 1985. She attended High Storrs School in Sheffield and studied Music at the University of Liverpool. Leslie champions diversity and inclusion within the civil service as well as opportunities for young people.

Scottish Government

Chief Economist

Gary joined the Scottish Government in 2000 from the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde. He was appointed to the Senior Civil Service in 2006 and has provided economic advice in a range of policy areas over this time including Health, Enterprise and Finance.

Gary was appointed an Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University in January 2011 and is currently a visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.

Scottish Government

Director General - Economy

Scottish Government

Chief Economist

Gary joined the Scottish Government in 2000 from the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde. He was appointed to the Senior Civil Service in 2006 and has provided economic advice in a range of policy areas over this time including Health, Enterprise and Finance.

Gary was appointed an Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University in January 2011 and is currently a visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.

Scottish Government

Deputy Director for Manufacturing and Industries

Dermot Rhatigan leads the Manufacturing & Industries Division at the Scottish Government.

He is a Senior Policy Adviser with responsibilities for manufacturing and non-energy industrial sectors including construction, metals and aerospace, and for industrial projects in which the Scottish Government has invested. His prior experience includes policy work relating to energy markets, the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy, public service reform – both in Scotland and New Zealand – and a spell as Private Secretary to the First Minister. His professional background is economics and before joining the Scottish Government he held economists posts at two Whitehall Departments – the Office for National Statistics and HM Treasury – where he worked on UK macroeconomic issues.

Scottish Government

Director of Procurement and Property

A highly experienced and effective senior leader of commercial and procurement, Nick has a successful and extensive track record of implementing commercial transformation programmes, which deliver significant value for money benefits and continuous improvements in operational delivery.

Following over 25 years within the private sector specialising in procurement, commercial and project management, in roles across the UK, USA, Australia and Spain, Nick joined the public sector as part of HMG’s Commercial Functional Leadership Group. Spending 8 years as Head of Commercial and Procurement at the Department for International Development, he is now Director of Procurement and Property at Scottish Government.

With a passion for the development of both people and the profession, Nick is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Previously a CIPS Regional Chair and regular keynote speaker at conferences, Nick continues to encourage learning for improved practice, including as an active mentor for Procurement and Commercial professionals.

Happily settled in South Lanarkshire with Fiona, his partner of 29 years, Nick enjoys relaxing in the Scottish outdoors. He is a keen cyclist, having competed in both mountain bike and road bike races. Ideally his daily commute is by bike, and his holidays and weekends are spent exploring new places on cycle-touring expeditions and drinking good coffee.

Scottish Government

Director of Procurement and Property

A highly experienced and effective senior leader of commercial and procurement, Nick has a successful and extensive track record of implementing commercial transformation programmes, which deliver significant value for money benefits and continuous improvements in operational delivery.

Following over 25 years within the private sector specialising in procurement, commercial and project management, in roles across the UK, USA, Australia and Spain, Nick joined the public sector as part of HMG’s Commercial Functional Leadership Group. Spending 8 years as Head of Commercial and Procurement at the Department for International Development, he is now Director of Procurement and Property at Scottish Government.

With a passion for the development of both people and the profession, Nick is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Previously a CIPS Regional Chair and regular keynote speaker at conferences, Nick continues to encourage learning for improved practice, including as an active mentor for Procurement and Commercial professionals.

Happily settled in South Lanarkshire with Fiona, his partner of 29 years, Nick enjoys relaxing in the Scottish outdoors. He is a keen cyclist, having competed in both mountain bike and road bike races. Ideally his daily commute is by bike, and his holidays and weekends are spent exploring new places on cycle-touring expeditions and drinking good coffee.

Scotland Excel

Chief Executive

Julie Welsh is the Chief Executive of Scotland Excel, the Centre of Procurement Expertise for local government. As the organisation’s senior officer, she provides leadership and strategic direction to ensure its services are aligned to the needs of the sector. Since taking up her post in September 2014, Julie has implemented strategies to extend the range of services provided by Scotland Excel, extend the influence of the organisation in the wider public sector landscape, and secure its future as a leading shared service.

Julie has more than 20 years leadership and procurement experience in the public and private sector. Before joining Scotland Excel, she spent five years with Renfrewshire Council where she was Head of Procurement and Business Support. Prior to this, she held senior procurement roles at Glasgow Housing Association and Scottish Power, and has worked within the manufacturing, higher education and transport sectors. Julie holds an MBA from Glasgow University and has been a Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply since 2001.

Chief Executive

APUC

NHS National Services Scotland

Director of National Procurement

Scottish Government

Head of Commercial and Project Capability

Gregor Hutton is the Head of Commercial and Project Capability at the Scottish Government. He is passionate about improving skills in public sector procurement, championing the profession and making procurement a career of choice through the Procurement People of Tomorrow programme.

Sustainable Procurement Ltd

Director

Philip is a Chartered Environmentalist and an experienced sustainable procurement adviser, having supported the Scottish public sector and other UK and overseas clients.
This has included development of sustainable procurement tools and a range of topic and category specific sustainable procurement guidance, training, e-learning and support in the development of a range of contract and frameworks. He also has extensive experience of developing Carbon Management and ‘Green’ Plans for public and private sector clients.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

Sustainable Procurement Manager

David manages the procurement function at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and is the NDPB rep on the Procurement and Climate Forum. He is a Chartered Procurement Professional and holds a Masters in Climate Change and Risk Management.
David has worked with a number of organisations during his career to embed sustainable procurement principles and deliver transformational change in procurement practices.

Scottish Government

Head of Diversity and Inclusion

Scottish Government

Race Recruitment & Retention Project Manager

Scottish Procurement

Head of Construction Procurement Policy Unit

Scottish Government

Scottish Procurement Portfolio Manager - Collaborative Procurement (Construction)

Perth & Kinross Council

Team Leader (Procurement)

Vanessa is Team Leader in the Corporate Procurement Team at Perth & Kinross Council, leading a team with responsibility for supporting the delivery of Community Benefits through the Council’s procurement activity. Vanessa has over 20 years public sector experience and joined the Procurement Team in 2008 to deliver the Councils e-Procurement project. Since then Vanessa has worked in a variety of procurement roles, working with teams across the Council to enhance their existing processes and deliver benefits to the Council through better procurement. Her knowledge of both pre, and post-contract activity is extensive.

Argyll & Bute Council

Procurement & Contract Management Manager

Scottish Government

eCommerce Capability Manager

Lawrie Willcox – Senior eCommerce and MI specialist. Lawrie has worked in Scottish Government eCommerce and Procurement for 16 years in various roles. He has extensive experience of the eCommerce Shared Service solutions and is currently leading on delivering improved data analytics and Management Information reporting to the Scottish public sector.