Members

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

SEPA Chairman
SEPA Chairman, David SigsworthDavid Sigsworth

David Sigsworth took up office as Chairman of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on 1 January 2008.  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.

During the latter part of his career at SSE, he had responsibility for all of SSE’s environmental issues and managed one of the largest and most diverse generation fleets in the UK with over 10,000 MW of plant.  He was also responsible for a £1bn programme of investments in renewable generation technologies.

He now undertakes a range of non-executive roles and is Chairman of Sigma Capital Group plc.  Other directorships include companies developing or manufacturing photovoltaics, fuel cells, offshore wind generation, and electricity load management.

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 is also Chairman of the Dundee Science Centre, Vice President of the Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA), a board member of Energy Action Scotland, a member of the Advisory Board of NaREC, as well as a trustee of the think tank Sustainability First.

 

SEPA Chief Executive, Campbell GemmellDr Campbell Gemmell, Chief Executive Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Campbell has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency since 2003. He joined SEPA in 2001 as Director of Strategic Planning and prior to that was Chief Executive of the Central Scotland Countryside Trust.

He is a member of the Resilience Advisory Board for Scotland, which provides strategic direction for emergency planning in Scotland and he chairs the frontline delivery group of the Government-led Scotland’s Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) partnership. He is also a former chairman of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group.

In his earlier career he worked in the fields of economic development and environmental consultancy. During the 1980’s he held a post-doc research lectureship at Christ Church, Oxford and was involved in a range of scientific expeditions and field studies in Alaska, Iceland, Kenya, Norway and Switzerland. In the 1990’s Campbell was Chairman of Landwise, and a member Scottish Ministerial groups dealing with Forestry for People, Rural Focus and Sustainable Development. 

Campbell has a first class honours degree in Geography and a PhD in Glaciology from Aberdeen University. In 2007 he was appointed an Honorary Professor in the Faculties of Information and Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences at Glasgow University.  In 2009 Campbell accepted an invitation to become a Member of Court at Stirling University.

 
Lesley Bloomer, Deputy ChairmanAgency Board Member, Lesley Bloomer

Lesley Bloomer has a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from Glasgow University and a PhD in Marine Physiology and Genetics from University College London. She worked at the Scottish Development Agency on agribusiness and on education and training matters and, while there, gained an MBA from Strathclyde University. After a spell in consultancy dealing with major non departmental public bodies, Lesley joined the public sector watchdog, Audit Scotland, becoming Director of Performance Audit for Education, Enterprise and Justice. She also carried lead responsibility for performance audit work with Scotland’s local authorities. Lesley left Audit Scotland in 2003 to work freelance advising public sector bodies on performance management. 

 
SEPA Board Member, R J Fred DinningFred 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 chairing the Edinburgh Research Programme's Energy Advisory Group.  He also serves on 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, Ian DoigIan Doig

Ian Doig’s focus in SEPA is on strategy, financial management and corporate governance. He is a member of the SEPA Board and also serves on SEPA’s Audit Committee.

Ian is a self-employed independent consultant, a qualified accountant and an admitted member of CIPFA, ACCA and AAT. Previously he was CIPFA Director for Scotland and was previously employed by several local authorities, working with services including Environmental Health, Industrial Development and Planning.

Ian is a Council Member of the Scottish Social Services Council, a member of the audit committee of the Care Commission, a member of the audit committee of the Scotland Office and a community councillor in Merchiston, Edinburgh.

 
SEPA Board Member, Bob DownesBob Downes

Bob Downes (DipTP, M Phil) is Director Openreach Scotland (part of BT Group) which  delivers installation and maintenance services, providing the ‘first mile’ of network  services to home and businesses.

Bob is also a member of the Scotrail Advisory Board.  Bob has been with BT Group since 1999 where he 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, 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

 
SEPA Board Member, Drew EdwardDrew Edward

Drew Edward is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He spent his early working life in power generation and subsequently in the fertiliser and agricultural industry. From 1992 to 1999 he worked as a safety, health and environment adviser with W L Gore and Associates.

As a Labour councillor on Fife Council from 1997 to 2007, he was heavily involved in environmental issues, including the development of the Fife Area Waste Plan. He is a member of the Scottish Labour Party. Mr Edward holds no other ministerial appointments.

 
SEPA Board Member, Alison HayCouncillor Alison Hay

Cllr Alison Hay is COSLA's Regeneration and Sustainability Spokesperson. Formerly a civil servant, she is a member of the Scottish Liberal Democrat Group on Argyll and Bute Council and was Leader of the Council itself from 1999 to 2001.

She is a member of the Agency Board of SEPA and Chairs the Board of Auchindrain Museum and is a board member of  Kilmartin Museum.  She sits on the First Minister’s Energy Agency and The Rural Development Committee.  She is a foundermember of GRAB, the Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute.

 
SEPA Board Member, Susan WalkerSusan Walker

Susan Walker has geography and a civil engineering background.  From 1980 to 1999 she held a number of posts in the National Rivers Authority and subsequently in the Environment Agency.  Latterly she was Regional Water Manager of the Agency’s North West Region until she left in 1999. She was a member of the North of Scotland Water Authority from 1999 to 2002 and also served on the Board of Scottish Natural Heritage. She is currently a Board member of the Deer Commission for Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. She is also a Member of Waterwatch Scotland. She has not been politically active in the last five years.

 
SEPA Board Member, Helen ZealleyDr 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 the President of Scottish Environment LINK and a Trustee for Waverley Care.