26 August 2015
Non-Executive MembersRe-appointed to the Board of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
The Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reformtoday announced the re-appointment ofProf. Keith Nicholson,Dr Lesley Sawers, Dr Richard Dixon and Prof. Bill McKelvey as Non-Executive Members of the Board of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Prof. Keith Nicholson–is an internationally recognised scientistand award-winning company director with over 30 years’ experience in environmental surveys and data modelling. As a chartered chemist and chemistry professor working on environmental and energy systems he has worked in universities in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Denmark and Scotland until he moved full-time into consultancy. Keith is also a Board Member of Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Funding Council andChair of Revenue Scotland. He brings technical, risk management, environmental forensics and commercial expertise to SEPA.
Dr Lesley Sawers–is Vice Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor for Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), a positionshe took up in July 2013. Her key role is to drive and support the University’s enterprise and innovation strategy. Prior to this, Lesley was CEO of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, Scotland’s leading economic development think-tank, and CEO of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. She has also held senior appointments in the public, private and voluntary sector organisations including VisitScotland, Event Scotland, Royal Mail, Action for Children and Scottish Power. Lesley is also a Non-Executive Board Member of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and a Trustee of Glasgow Life, with a focus on city growth, equalities and social justice.
Dr Richard Dixon- after obtaining a PhD in Astrophysics, Richard completedan Energy andEnvironment MSc at GlasgowCaledonianUniversity. Richard has worked for Volunteering Matters (formerly CSV) and Strathclyde Regional Council and was appointed Head of Research at Friends of the Earth (FoE)Scotland in 1994. Subsequently, Richard became Head of Policy with WWF Scotland in 2002 and then Director in July 2005 where he continued to work on energy, climate change and air quality issues. Richard then became Director of FoEScotland in early 2013. He helped set up Transform Scotland and serves on the Boards of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and SNIFFER. Richard is also Chair of the Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative and closely involved in the Postcode Culture Trust.
Prof. Bill McKelvey OBE–Bill holds a first class honours degree in Veterinary Science from the University of Glasgow, a postgraduate diploma from the University of Guelph, Canada, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen. In 2011, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburghin recognition of his contribution to scienceand was awarded an OBE for services to agriculture. He brings significant experience of land management and agriculture issues to the SEPABoard. Bill was Chief Executive and Principal of the former ScottishAgriculturalCollege for ten years until early 2012. He is a moderator of the UK Council for the awards of the Royal Agricultural Societies and is a past Member of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee and Court of the University of the Highland and Islands. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Glenrath Farms and Deputy Chairof the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute in Northern Ireland.
All four re-appointments will be for 4 years and commence on the 1st of January 2016 and will end on the 31st of December 2019.
These re-appointmentsare part-time and attract a maximum remuneration of £8,289 per year for a minimum time commitment of 24 days to a maximum of 30 days per year.
These reappointmentsare regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.
All Ministerial public appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years to be made public. Prof. Keith Nicholson,Dr Lesley Sawers, DrRichard Dixon and Prof. Bill McKelvey have declared that they have not engaged in any such political activity in the past 5 years.