The Business School Advisory Board provide insight and guidance from employers about the development of new and existing courses.
Paul Atkinson, Partner at Par Equity
Paul is a Founding Partner and active investor with Par Equity, one of the UK's top performing Venture Capital firms, supporting high grow technology businesses in the North of the UK.
Previously, he was founder of Direct Resources Ltd and RecruitmentScotand, both of which achieved successful exits. He also founded Head Resourcing Ltd, which evolved into the Global Talent business, Taranata Group, following the acquisition of Change Recruitment Group. He continues to Chair this business.
Paul also provides guidance and advice to other business Founders. In particular he is Chair of PR & Cummunications business, Clark Communications and also the fast growing Digital Transformation business, xDesign. He is also Chair of Crowdx, which a private capital markets platform.
Alastair Bell, Commercial Director at Leviat UK
Alastair has a BSc and MBA from Strathclyde University and 30 years experience in sales, marketing and management roles in manufacturing companies including Black & Decker, Saint-Gobain and CRH. Alastair has held various positions in the UK and internationally with nine years based in Paris, Alastair currently serves as Commercial Director at Leviat UK.
David Bond, Director at McGregor Bond
David is an experienced executive search director, founder and Director of McGregor Bond. He is also the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) Director for Scotland. A Chartered Accountant (FCA), David previously worked with KPMG in the UK and overseas. He is also Vice Chair at Melville Housing Association, based in Dalkeith.
Audrey Cumberford, Principal at Edinburgh College
Marshall C. Dallas, Chief Executive at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)
Marshall is an experienced, award-winning Director who has consistently demonstrated success in financial management, controlling and developing a wide range of businesses. As a naturally strong leader, he ensures business success by creating a real sense of purpose with all his wide-ranging teams, giving clarity of direction and valuable assistance from himself and his key players whenever necessary.
Sue Dawe, Head of Financial Services at Ernst & Young
Kevin Havelock, Regional Director at Royal Bank of Scotland
Kevin has worked with Royal Bank of Scotland for more than 25 years in commercial and corporate banking and is their Regional Director, Commercial Mid Markets. He is also a Governing Council member of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and Treasurer for Families Outside, a charity that works on behalf of families in Scotland affected by imprisonment.
Mark Hull, Higher Education Relationship Director at Lloyds Banking Group
Mark supports Higher Education customers across Scotland, Ireland & the North of England with their financial services needs ranging from day to day banking, asset finance & pensions to complex debt solutions & private placements. Mark has extensive experience in Corporate Finance and Relationship Banking.
Murray McCall, Managing Partner at Anderson Strathern
Murray McCall is the Managing Partner of Anderson Strathern LLP – Scotland’s oldest law firm. He has responsibility for overall management of the firm and plays a leading role delivering the firm’s strategy.
Before stepping into a management role, Murray spent most of his career as a specialist employment lawyer acting for major companies and public bodies. He joined Anderson Strathern in 2006, combining a busy caseload whilst also establishing the Glasgow office of the firm and heading up the HR function. He was elected Managing Partner in September 2014 and is about to enter his fourth term of office.
Murray has won various awards including Managing Partner of the Year at the Herald Law Awards 2021, Law Firm of the Year at the Herald Law Awards 2019 and Firm of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards 2020. In 2020 he was shortlisted as SME Director of the Year at the Institute of Directors Scotland Awards.
Murray is the key account manager for a wide range of clients of the firm including a number in the commercial, public and education sectors.
He has also been a Non-Executive Director of Anderson Strathern Asset Management Limited for 8 years.
Niki McKenzie, Joint Managing Director at Archangel Investors Ltd
Niki is a Chartered Accountant with a strong background in Corporate Finance. Having trained with KPMG, she subsequently held various senior roles with Bank of Scotland, including in Structured Finance and Lloyds Bank Group’s International division.
Niki joined Archangels in 2011 and has oversight of the portfolio. She has responsibility for portfolio issues and has worked with the management teams to deliver the exits of Blackford Analysis, CXR Biosciences, Bloxx, Touch Bionics and ZoneFox.
Jacqueline Miller, Project Manager at Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG)
Jacqueline is a Tourism Management graduate from Edinburgh Napier University and currently works with Forever Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Tourism action Group (ETAG). Jacqueline has held roles previously with Visit Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance and the National Library of Scotland.
Gill Scott, Gill Scott Consulting
Gill is an experienced Non Executive Chair, Board and Committee member in the Charity and Education sectors, with significant Executive, HR and Transformation experience in Financial Services. Gill has exceptional experience of overseeing, leading and managing strategic change, is skilled at creative problem solving in highly regulated, governed and cost constrained environments, and has a proven ability to engage with and influence a broad range of stakeholders, act as senior advisor and mentor to CEOs and their senior teams.