SCOTS industry leadership body Scotland Food & Drink have announced four new appointments to their senior team.
The company is strengthening its senior team following the launch of a new 10-year national food and drink strategy, ‘Sustaining Scotland. Supplying the World.’
The appointments include Gemma Gillespie as finance director and the promotion of Amanda Brown to programme director.
Amanda Brown joined the business from the Scottish Agriculture Organisational Society and has over 30 years of experience working in the Scottish food and drink sector.
As programme director, Amanda will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of Scotland Food & Drink’s programme of projects which emanate from the new strategy.
Carol Saunders has taken on the role of head of insights at The Knowledge Bank, with over 20 years of experience working with brands including Coca-Cola Enterprises and Heineken.
Carol will lead The Knowledge Bank team to identify and develop new market opportunities to deliver sustainable growth for all businesses in the Scottish food and drink industry.
Amanda Brown said: “I am delighted and privileged to be taking on this new role at this pivotal time for our industry.
“We launched a refreshed strategy in June which maps out the key opportunities to build growth, sustainability and resilience in our industry by working together across our Partnership.
“I am looking forward to putting in place initiatives that will help businesses access and realise market opportunities in our key markets in Scotland, the wider UK market and in key international markets.”
To prepare itself for the next chapter of its new 10-year food and drink strategy, the industry leadership body has also appointed Gemma Gillespie.
She joins the team from Beatson Cancer Charity as finance director, bringing extensive financial and corporate services experience across a variety of industries.
Claire Bisset has also been promoted to the role of HR director, having been with Scotland Food & Drink for just under 10 years.
Gemma Gillespie said: “It’s an exciting time for the food and drink industry in Scotland and I am delighted to have joined the team at this moment, delivering the new industry strategy.
“Our organisation has a key role to play in supporting and nurturing the food and drink industry, and I look forward to building upon our previous success and seeing the increased impact that we will achieve in the sector.”
Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “These positions strengthen our senior leadership team allowing us to put our best foot forward as we aim to deliver on our strategy and become a £20 billion industry by 2028.”
