Marie Christie
Marie Christie has worked at a senior level in the Events and Festivals sector for more than twenty years. She currently heads up the Development department within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, leading teams with responsibility for Events Industry Development, Events and Exhibitions, Themed Years and Growth Fund. Joining the EventScotland management team in 2003, Marie designed and ran EventScotland’s successful National Events Programme, working with a wide range of events across the country. Marie also led the delivery of Homecoming Scotland 2009 – a year-long celebration of Scotland’s culture and heritage which influenced an additional 95,000 visitors to travel to join the celebrations generated an estimated £53.7M additional revenue for Scotland. Prior to her current post, Marie was EventScotland’s International Cultural Events Director with responsibility for leading and delivering the strategy for supporting Scotland’s major cultural events and for securing new ‘one-off’ events such as MTV Europe Music Awards and the Turner Prize.
Julie Pearson
Julie Pearson is the Head of Events at Glasgow Life leading the events team to deliver Glasgow’s Events Strategy and calendar of major annual and one-off sports and cultural events to drive economic, social and wellbeing benefits for the city and enhance Glasgow’s reputation as a global events powerhouse. This involves working with partners, industry and the local community to identify, attract, create, grow, promote and deliver events that generate significant value, whilst ensuring the city continues to provide the perfect event experience. In addition to leading the delivery and animation of Glasgow’s major one-off events and programmes, including the UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 in Glasgow, European Capital of Sport 2023 and World Athletics Indoor Championships 2024, Julie manages the delivery and growth of Glasgow’s annual events portfolio, including the Merchant City Festival, World Pipe Band Championships, Winter Festival and Great Scottish Run.
Dr Victoria Hollows
Victoria Hollows is chief executive of Renfrewshire Leisure, she was appointed to this role in October 2018 as the organisation sought to build on its success in delivering outstanding sport, cultural and leisure services. Victoria is a recognised leader within Scotland’s cultural sector and previously managed some of the UK’s most visited and iconic attractions at Glasgow Museums and its award-winning public programmes. At Renfrewshire Leisure, Victoria leads some 800 staff in the delivery of accessible and affordable cultural and leisure services to support the health and wellbeing of people who live, work and study in Renfrewshire. Victoria is passionate about social justice and the role cultural and leisure activities have in delivering fairer outcomes and opportunities. Her teams are also developing new cultural services through the redevelopment of the Paisley Museum and Coats Observatory, central library and Paisley Town Hall. These developments build on recent high-profile initiatives such as the highly praised Paisley UK City of Culture bid and are designed to combine a great offer for local communities as well as drawing visitors to the region from further afield.
Alistair MacDonald
Alistair MacDonald worked for many years in the UK civil service in different government departments including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. During his time in government he worked on a broad range of social, cultural and economic policy areas and legislation, including everything from broadcasting to local government finance. For the last 14 years he has worked at the British Council, first heading up the Council’s Parliamentary and Government relations work and then leading on research and policy development on soft power. He is the author of several reports on soft power, including the Sources of Soft Power and, most recently, Global Perceptions 2025, and has also commissioned and edited research reports by academics and think tanks in the UK and around the world on cultural relations, trust and soft power.
Alastair Evans
Alastair Evans (Creative Scotland) is the Head of Knowledge and Research at Creative Scotland. He has a background in social research and worked across a range of public policy areas before specialising in the cultural and creative sectors. Alastair is currently a member the Steering Group for pan-European research on the economic spillovers from the Creative Industries, sits on the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) panel for Art and Design and the Research Advisory panel for the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies. His own interests include electronic music, photography and film.
Paul Zealey
Paul Zealey is Skills Planning Lead at Skills Development Scotland. In this role Paul is responsible for continuing the implementation of the Enterprise and Skills Review alongside senior stakeholder management and the development and implementation of regional economic strategies. Paul has leadership for Digital Economy programme and for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, supporting 40% reduction in youth unemployment.
Alex Johnston
Alex Johnston has been working in events, sport and funding for almost 25 years. His events journey began at Spirit of 2012 where he helped set up the Trust to take forward the legacy of London 2012. Over the last 12 years he has worked with major events and commemorations to use them as a catalyst for positive change for people and communities, making them feel happier, more included and changing perceptions of disability. This includes Glasgow 2014 where he volunteered to take part in the closing ceremony and where his love affair for the Commonwealth Games began. He is currently Legacy Manager at Commonwealth Sport and works within the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company to help build a lasting legacy which goes beyond the Games. He is Chair of LEAP Sports Scotland and vice-Chair of Dennistoun and Area Community Sports Hub. Alex believes events and sport are powerful tools in bringing about change. He lives in Glasgow in the athletes village built for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Dr Ken Emond
Dr Ken Emond is the Head of Research Funding at the British Academy. Ken was born in Elderslie and went to school in Paisley. He is a graduate of the University of St Andrews with a doctorate in Scottish History. After working in the Department of Transport, Ken joined the Academy in 1992. As Head of Research Funding since 2008, Ken is responsible for the administration of the Academy’s UK grants and fellowship schemes, and he has extensive experience in advising on research funding matters. His book, The Minority of James V: Scotland in Europe, 1513- 1528 was published in November 2019. He was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in November 2022.
Daria Tuhtar
Daria Tuhtar serves as the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Policy Manager. Prior to this, she worked for the Scottish Government undertaking Strategic Environmental Assessments of government plans, programmes, and strategies, and has a decade of experience in environmental consulting in Canada. She has a MSc in Environmental Protection and Management from the University of Edinburgh and holds additional degrees in anthropology and environmental science. Daria is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and was a founding member and current Membership Secretary for Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard, a group dedicated to preserving and promoting the unique cultural heritage of one of Scotland’s most iconic destinations. She was a contributing author to their debut book, The Dead Centre of Edinburgh: Stories about Greyfriars Kirkyard, published with support from Edinburgh World Heritage.
Carron Tobin
Carron Tobin runs her own consultancy ruralDimensions Ltd in Callander and is Exec Director and founder of SCOTO CIC – the Scottish Community Tourism Network. A career starting in planning and landscape architecture and experience in the public and private sectors led to an exec director role with Scotland’s first National Park before branching out on her own in 2009. Carron has a sound grounding in people, place, culture and heritage – and a strong belief in community led solutions. She is on her second term as a member of the Scottish Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and is one of five mission leads championing Community Led Tourism. .
Andrew McKean
Andrew McKean is the Tourism Officer for Renfrewshire Council, and has worked for VisitScotland, EventScotland, Scottish Canals and Scottish Enterprise amongst others. He is the main Council contact on the Renfrewshire Tourism Leadership Group and represents the region on the Glasgow City Region Tourism Group. He led the development of the first holistic destination development strategy for the area, the Renfrewshire Visitor Plan 2018- 2021, and leads on the current Renfrewshire’s Tourism Today, Tourism Plan 2024-2027. He is Chair of the SLAED Tourism Group (Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development) and represents them on the national Visitor Management Strategy Steering Group. Andrew has postgraduate and professional qualifications, including the Scottish Enterprise and Edinburgh Napier University Destination Leaders Programme, MA (Hons) from St Andrews University and MSc from Edinburgh Napier. He has been an invited speaker, ranging from undergraduate to CPD courses, has chaired the ICOMOS-UK Cultural Tourism Committee, and published in peer-reviewed journals for work on tourism related regeneration of Scotland’s Canals, which he presented at international conferences.