Members

The Board is appointed by Scottish Ministers and comprises a chairman and ten members, including the Chief Executive

 

SEPA Chairman
David Sigsworth

 

David Sigsworth took up office as Chairman of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 1 January 2008.  Since that time David has been influential in driving changes in the way SEPA delivers its environmental services.  The organisation is now spearheading improved approaches to better regulation and environmental science whilst implementing financial efficiencies.

 

David was appointed Chairman, Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum in September 2011.  A Chartered Electrical Engineer by profession, David is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee. 

 

He also undertakes a range of non-executive roles and is Chairman of Sigma Capital Group plc, Chairman, SeaEnergy plc, Chairman, Flexitricity Ltd and Chairman, Dundee Science Centre.  He is also Vice President of the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) and a Trustee of the Think Tank Sustainability First. 

 

Before joining SEPA, David’s career spanned 43 years in the utility sector. He held several positions on the Board of Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) and had previously been Commercial Director of Scottish Hydro Electric plc since 1995.

 SEPA Chairman, David Sigsworth
 

James Curran, Chief Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency MBE

James Curran has worked in environmental science and environmental regulation for 30 years. He has undertaken studies in hydrometeorology, numerical modelling of dispersion in marine waters, and water resources management as well as a spell of direct regulatory enforcement with agricultural and industrial businesses.

 

He has been a consultant to the Scottish Office and was for some years the Head of Science with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and then Head of Environmental Strategy.

 

In 2006 he co-founded and then ran Entrading, the UK's first comprehensive eco-store and cafe in central Glasgow. This was sold a couple of years later and he has taken up a post, again with SEPA, as Director of Science and Strategy. James was awarded an MBE for services to the environment in 2007.

 
Fred Dinning

Fred Dinning is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Environmentalist, a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, of the Energy Institute and of the Chartered Management Institute.  Prior to retirement from full time employment he was the Energy and Environment Director of the Scottish Power Group during which time he advised on the strategic impacts of environment policy in the UK and US.  

 

In addition to the SEPA Main Board position, his current portfolio includes chairing the Carbon Trust's Consultant Accreditation Board and serving on the Court of the University of the West of Scotland.  He also is a member of WWF Scotland's Advisory Council, is convenor of the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council's groups examining energy and environmental issues, and is a member of the Sustainable Development Panel. 

 

He serves on the FREDS Community Renewables Implementation Group and is involved in a project with Climate Strategies on decarbonising the power sector.  He is active in a variety of outdoor pursuits in Scotland and is a qualified Yachtmaster.  

 SEPA Board Member, R J Fred Dinning

Dr Richard Dixon

After a PhD in Astrophysics, Richard completed an energy and environment MSc at Glasgow Caledonian University. After working for CSV and Strathclyde Regional Council, he was appointed Head of Research at FoE Scotland in 1994.  He worked on issues as diverse as climate change, bathing beaches and fish farming.  He moved to become Head of Policy with WWF Scotland in 2002.  In this role Richard led a 6-strong policy team working on marine, freshwater, climate, education and resource consumption issues. 
 

Richard became Director of WWF Scotland in July 2005.  Richard helped set up Transform Scotland and has been particularly involved in creating the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, which pressed for Scotland’s strong climate targets and aims to help deliver them.  In 2011 WWF Scotland won the Great Places to Work award for best charity workplace in Scotland.  In January 2013 Richard became Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, where we continues to work on energy and climate issues, as well as air quality.  He serves on the boards of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and SNIFFER. 

Richard Dixon

Ian Doig

Ian Doig has been a SEPA Board Member since 2006 and also serves on SEPA’s Audit Committee. His focus is on developing SEPA’s effectiveness as a regulator, financial governance, risk management and partnership working with stakeholders.

 

Ian is a qualified accountant member of CIPFA and ACCA. He is a self-employed independent consultant and a non-executive director.

 

He is also a Board Member of the Care Inspectorate, Board Member of the National Records of Scotland, Audit Committee Member of the Scottish Court Service and a Community Councillor.

 

Previously he held executive posts as CIPFA Director for Scotland and senior finance directorate posts with several local authorities, working with services including Environmental Health, Industrial Development and Planning.

 

 SEPA Board Member, Ian Doig

Bob Downes

Bob Downes (DipTP, M Phil) runs an investment and advisory services business.  He is also a non executive Director of Care Visions Group; a Governor of the Glasgow School of Art; and a member of the Glasgow University Business School and Scotrail Advisory Boards.  Until September 2011 Bob was a senior Executive Director Network with Openreach (part of BT Group) which delivers installation and maintenance services, providing the 'first mile' of network services to home and businesses.

 

Bob was with the BT group since 1999 and has been Director BT Scotland and Director BT Regions.  Prior to BT he was a Director in Scottish Enterprise and also a Director of Conran Roche, a London based consultancy.

 

He has served on the Sir Patrick Carter Review on PAYE for Small Businesses for the UK Treasury; as a board member of International Council for Urban Development (Washington DC) and has advised or been a board member of a wide range of voluntary organisations including the Wise Group of Glasgow, Ulster Community Investment Trust (a community bank), the Flax Trust in Belfast, and the Scottish Ensemble.

 

He is a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and the Open University.

 SEPA Board Member, Bob Downes

Alison Hay 

Alison was previously a Councillor with Argyll and Bute Council and spoke for COSLA on Regeneration and Sustainability issues until May 2012. Her portfolio included Climate Change and the environment; she brings 20 years of local government experience to SEPA’s Board. She is also the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Auchindrain Museum and is a Member of the Kilmartin Museum Board.

 

Professor Bill McKelvey OBE

Bill McKelvey was Chief Executive and Principal of the Scottish Agricultural College for ten years until early 2012. He now holds a number of Non Executive roles including membership of the Scottish Food Advisory Committee and of the Court of the University of the Highlands and Islands. He has also recently been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Northern Ireland.

 

He 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. He is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies, serves as a member of the Veterinary Policy Group of the British Veterinary Association, and is a member of the Governance Review Group of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

 

In May 2011, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, in recognition of his contribution to science, and was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours (June 2011), for services to agriculture.

William McKelvey

Professor Keith Nicholson

Keith Nicholson ( PhD, CChem, CISA, CISM, MIoD, FAAG, FRSC) is an internationally recognised scientist and award-winning company director with over 30 years’ experience in environmental surveys and data modelling on energy and environment systems.  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 decided to move full time into consultancy.

 

As CEO Keith founded and managed several firms including EnviroSurveys (NZ) and The TP Group, which was a first-mover into eCommerce, and has held Directorships in a range of environmental and technology firms.  He has acted as a scientific advisor to past governments in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and, as Fellow of the RSC, UK MPs, specialising in environmental forensics and impact analysis.  He is presently a specialist consultant providing strategic advisory services in cybersecurity, technology and business development and is a Board Member of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Keith Nicholson

Dr Lesley Sawers

Lesley Sawers is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), a position she took up in March 2008. 

 

She joined from the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce where she was Chief Executive.

 

She has also held a number of Board and non-executive appointments across a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations including VisitScotland, Event Scotland, Royal Mail Group, Business Club Scotland, Action for Children and Scottish Power.

 

She has a degree in economics from Glasgow University and a PhD from the Institute of Retail Studies in Stirling University. 

Lesley Sawers
Dr Helen Zealley

 

Helen Zealley retired as Director of Public Health with NHS Lothian in 2000, having spent her professional career as a public health doctor. She is currently a Board Member of the Central Scotland Green Network, a Trustee of the Waverley Care and Fred Edwards Trusts, an Honorary Fellow of Scottish Environment LINK and a member of the Advisory Council of WWF in Scotland.

 

 SEPA Board Member, Helen Zealley