SEPA Boards | Agency Board | Members

David Sigsworth is a Chartered Electrical Engineer, a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, and an Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee. After spending over ten years as a main board director of FTSE 100 utility companies he retired in March 2005 following a career spanning 43 years in the energy sector. He held several appointments in Yorkshire Electricity Board before joining the North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board in 1987. He was appointed as Commercial Director of Scottish Hydro Electric plc in January 1995 and subsequently held several positions on the board of Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE).

During the latter part of his career, 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. Projects included a large new hydro scheme on Loch Ness, tidal stream developments, various micro-generation systems as well as major on and offshore wind farms including the deepwater Talisman project in the Moray Firth.

David is now active in promoting high technology start–up companies, involved in the renewable and sustainable energy markets, and holds several associated Non-Executive Directorships. He is also Chairman of Sigma Capital Group plc, 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 Boards of ITI Energy and the New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC), as well as a trustee of the think tank Sustainability First.

Campbell Gemmell has a first class honours degree in Geography and a PhD in Glaciology from Aberdeen University. In his early career he was a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey and a research lecturer at Christ Church College Oxford. Subsequently he was an Executive with the Scottish Development Agency’s Policy Unit, then a Senior Consultant with ECOTEC Research and Consulting, working from offices in the UK and Brussels on a range of economic and environmental issues for the European Commission and others. He spent 3 years working on policy and strategy development for Scottish Enterprise, including leading the development of its Business and the Environment Programme, before joining the Central Scotland Countryside Trust as Chief Executive in 1994.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 12k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - 16k pdf

Lesley 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 NDPBs, Lesley joined the public sector watchdog, Audit Scotland, becoming Director, Performance Audit for Education, Enterprise and Justice policy areas. She also carried lead responsibility for performance audit work with Scotland’s local authorities. Lesley left Audit Scotland in 2003 to work freelance. She is a Board Member of the Care Commission.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 13k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - 10k pdf

Fred Dinning is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and of the Energy Institute. Prior to retirement from full time employment he was the Energy and Environment Director with the ScottishPower Group during which time he advised on the strategic impacts of environment policy in the UK and US. In addition to the SEPA 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 Board and is convenor of the Church of Scotland Church and Society Council's groups examining energy and environmental issues. He is active in a variety of outdoor pursuits in Scotland and is a qualified Yachtmaster.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 21k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - 19k pdf

Ian Doig is a qualified accountant member of both CIPFA and ACCA. He was previously CIPFA Director for Scotland. Ian’s focus in SEPA is on strategy, financial management and corporate governance. As well as membership of the SEPA Board, he serves on the Audit and the Planning and Finance Committees. He has experience of a wide range of public services and of building partnership working between organisations to achieve mutual objectives. Ian has been employed by several local authorities, working with a wide range of services including Environmental Health, Industrial Development and Planning. He is an independent consultant and assists organisations to achieve their corporate objectives, modernise their services, deliver best value and maximise public benefits. Ian is also a Community Councillor in Merchiston, Edinburgh, a Council Member of the Scottish Social Services Council and a member of the Audit Committee of the Care Commission

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 49k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - 13k pdf)

Bob Downes is Director Openreach Scotland. Openreach, part of BT Group, delivers installation and maintenance services, providing the ‘last mile’ of network to telephone and Internet Service Providers. Openreach Scotland has a workforce of 2500 managing a network which carries 30 million telephone calls every day from three million customer lines, stretching from Shetland to Stranraer.

Bob has been with BT Group since 1999 where he has had a range of leadership roles in strategy and retail. Bob is a member of the Glasgow University Business School Advisory Board and an advisor to a number of small technology businesses.

Bob was involved in the support to Scottish Rugby, Hampden, the Euro 2004 bid and also the successful BT involvement with the London Olympics 2012 bid.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 26k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None

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 fertiliser manufacturing and agricultural merchanting. 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 1997 to 2007 he was heavily involved in environmental issues including development of the Fife Area Waste Plan. He is a member of the Scottish Labour Party. Mr Edward holds no other Ministerial appointments.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 14k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None

Councillor Alison Hay is a member of Argyll and Bute Council. She was Leader of the Council from 1999-2001 and is a member of the Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute. She is also a member of the Scottish Low Pay Unit. She is COSLA’s Spokesperson for the Regeneration and Sustainable Development.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 13k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None

Russell Imrie is a Labour councillor on Midlothian Council. During most of his working life, from 1965 to 1999, he was a telecom engineer with British Telecom. As a local councillor he has become heavily involved in environmental issues and is currently COSLA spokesperson on waste management and Chair of REMADE (not remunerated), a partnership of public bodies and the private sector set up to encourage and generate markets for recycled goods. Russell is also Chairman of SESTRAN South East Scotland Transportation Partnership made up of the ten Local Authorities. He is a member of the Scottish Labour Party.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 13k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None

Susan Walker has a 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. She retired as Regional Water Manager of the Agency’s North West Region in 1999 to form her own consultancy company which specialises in sustainable and integrated river basin management. She was a member of the North of Scotland Water Authority from 1999 to 2002. Susan Walker is currently a Board member of Scottish Natural Heritage, Deer Commission for Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. She has not been politically active in the last five years.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 14k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None

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 non-executive director of NHS Health Scotland, the Chair of Friends of the Earth Scotland and a Trustee for Waverley Care.

--- Declaration of Registered Interests - 13k pdf
--- Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality - None