Board members

Board Chair Jane Ryder is a specialist in corporate governance and regulation.

Her recent roles include establishing the new charity regime in Scotland, as the first Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Before this, she was the Chief Executive of the Scottish Museums Council, a Board member of the Museum and Galleries Commission and was one of Scran’s original Board members.

She is an experienced non-executive director particularly in the public and not for profit areas. She was awarded the OBE in 2012 for services to the arts and to charity in Scotland.

She is a Board member of Revenue Scotland, the tax authority, and the Scottish Police Authority.

Her appointment as Chair of Historic Environment Scotland started on 19 January 2015 to 18 January 2019 (now extended until 18 January 2021).

Board member Janet Brennan. — Dr Janet Brennan

Dr Janet Brennan is a former Chair of the Scottish Castles Association, and a lecturer and author.

Her book, Scotland’s Castles: Rescued, Rebuilt and Reoccupied, published July 2014, details the stories of more than 100 restored castles. From 2003 to 2005, Dr Brennan and her husband oversaw the restoration of Barholm Castle, Galloway from a ruinous state.  

Dr Brennan is a passionate champion of the historic built environment and gives regular lectures on restoring Scottish castles and castles at risk. 

She has a broad portfolio of trusteeships in the arts, heritage, education and tourism, and much experience in successfully managing people, managing change and working in teams. Dr Brennan is a member of the Board of Management at Dumfries and Galloway College.

Dr Brennan does not hold any other ministerial appointments. Her reappointment is from 19 January 2017 to 21 January 2021.

Board member Trudi Craggs. — Trudi Craggs

Trudi Craggs is qualified as a solicitor in Scotland and is highly regarded as a specialist in planning and transport as well as in governance and public law

She has a detailed knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing the historic environment and of Scottish Government policy in this area.

She is also a member of the Tayside and Central Scotland Regional Transport Partnership and is a member of the board of management of Forth Valley College.

Her appointment is from 19 January 2015 to 18 January 2019 (now extended until 18 January 2023).

Board member Andrew Holmes — Andrew Holmes

Andrew Holmes is a qualified civil engineer and former Director of City Development for the City of Edinburgh Council. He retired in 2008.

Mr Holmes has a strong personal interest in how the physical elements of Scotland’s history are better understood across the whole community.

Previously he worked in a variety of public sector posts dealing with planning, technical and property issues.

Mr Holmes previously served on the Board of National Museums of Scotland.

His appointment to our Board is from 19 January 2015 to 18 January 2019 (now extended until 18 January 2020).

Board member Coinneach Maclean — Dr Coinneach Maclean

Dr Coinneach Maclean is an archaeologist and former Deputy Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland. He is a Gaelic speaker, brought up on the island of South Uist.

A career spanning deer farming, community business development and housing investment has given Dr Maclean an understanding of the economic and cultural challenges facing many communities – particularly those north of the ‘Highland Line’.

Whilst at the National Trust for Scotland, Dr Maclean developed a deep appreciation of the complexities involved in the stewardship of natural and heritage assets.

His doctoral thesis examined Gaeldom’s place in the grand narrative of Scotland as it is presented in its mass tourism industry.

Dr Maclean is a member of the Scottish Committee of the National House Building Council and a trustee of Auchindrain Trust.

Dr Maclean does not hold any other ministerial appointments. His appointment is from 19 January 2018 to 18 January 2022.

Board member Fiona McLean — Dr Fiona McLean

Dr Fiona McLean is Vice Chair of the Board of Governors for the University of the Highlands and Islands.

She has worked in recent years with more than 40 community groups on local and national historic environment projects.

Dr McLean was previously Professor of Cultural Heritage Management at Glasgow Caledonian University. Her international reputation led to invitations to speak at conferences worldwide. Dr McLean’s main research focus was the role of heritage in negotiating identity and in reducing social exclusion.  

Dr McLean does not hold any other ministerial appointments. Her appointment is from 19 January 2018 to 18 January 2022.

Board member Paul Stollard — Dr Paul Stollard

Dr Paul Stollard is an architect who has specialised in the fire safety of buildings for more than 30 years.

He was responsible for the reform of the Scottish building standards and has also been a Regional Director of the Health and Safety Executive (Scotland and Northern England).

Dr Stollard has written extensively about fire safety, technology and architectural history, and has taught architectural design and history in several universities. He has also run an architectural technology company and held various Senior Civil Service posts.  

Since 2017, Dr Stollard has been employed part-time by Scottish Ministers to chair the Review Panel into the consequences for the Scottish fire standards of the Grenfell fire.

His appointment to our Board is from 19 January 2015 to 18 January 2019 (now extended until 18 January 2023).

Board member Ken Thomson — Dr Ken Thomson

Dr Ken Thomson is Principal and Chief Executive of Forth Valley College.

Prior to becoming Principal and Chief Executive of Forth Valley College, he held posts of Depute Principal, Director of Learning and Head of Science. He is also a Board member and Trustee of JISC. Dr Thomson is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

Innovative partnerships led by Dr Thomson have helped to progress plans for the Engine Shed, our education centre for building conservation in Stirling, and to support the college’s unique training facilities for facilities management – in Alloa, with Scottish Power, and in Falkirk, with INEOS. Forth Valley College was awarded the prestigious Association of Colleges Beacon Award for Innovation in Further Education in 2014.

Dr Thomson is a senior countryside ranger and began his teaching career in 1994 at the then Falkirk College lecturing in environmental studies. He went on to become head of science before joining the senior management team in 2003.

He has a degree in zoology from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in veterinary entomology from the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Thomson does not hold any other ministerial appointments. His appointment is from 19 January 2017 to 18 January 2021.

Ian Robertson is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and former Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for Royal Dutch Shell’s global downstream business. He retired in 2014.

His career spans more than 30 years in the international energy business, with extensive experience in business strategy Mr Robertson has held appointments as both executive and non-executive director.

He is a Trustee and President of the Shell Trust Bermuda.

Mr Robertson does not hold any other ministerial appointments. His appointment is from 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2020.

Ian Brennan is Director of Finance and Risk at the Scottish Housing Regulator.

He was a member of the Board of Cardonald College for eight years, serving as Vice Chair for two years. He also chaired the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Organisational Development Committee.

Previously holding positions in higher education, the NHS and the Accounts Commission, Mr Brennan also holds a degree in Business from Strathclyde University and an MBA from the University of Glasgow. He has been a member of the Board of Glasgow Kelvin College and of the Board of Colleges Scotland.

Mr Brennan does not hold any other ministerial appointments. His appointment is from 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2020.

A photograph of a woman with red hair and blue eyes smiling at the camera — Amanda Livingstone

Amanda Livingstone is on a Scottish Government scheme to participate on the Historic Environment Scotland Board for a year.

In her role as a Senior Programme Manager with Standard Life Aberdeen, Ms Livingstone has had the opportunity to take up an external appointment in the public sector with our Board.

With a background in managing change and programme leadership in the private sector, Ms Livingstone brings a new set of experiences and skills to the Historic Environment Scotland Board.

Board members

About the appointments

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