Public appointment: Appointments to the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the appointment of Claire Bishop and Ed Ikin as Members of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 

Trustees 

Claire Bishop has worked in the horticulture industry for over 30 years. She has worked for Dobbies for 14 years and is currently Senior Buyer. She has held that role for four years. She has also been named on UK indoor plant/houseplants industry leaders list by Hort Week  For the last nine years, Ms Bishop has served on assessment panels for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace flower festival and has been Chair of assessors for the last three years for all RHS shows. 

Ed Ikin is currently Chief Executive of the Ernest Cook Trust, an educational trust, grant maker and large-scale landowner. He is an experienced horticulturist and previously Director of Wakehurst, Kew's wild botanic garden in Sussex, where he led the development of the American Prairie and Nature Unlocked research programme. Mr Ikin has also held horticultural positions with National Trust and Chelsea Physic Garden. He is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute, a Clore Leadership Fellow and a former chair of London Gardens Trust and holds the RHS Master of Horticulture and an MA in Garden History. 

Appointments 

The appointments are for four years from 1 August 2025 and ending on 31 July 2029. 

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The time commitment is ten days per year. Trustee roles are not remunerated. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Claire Bishop and Ed Ikin do not hold any other public appointments. 

Political activity 

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. 

Claire Bishop and Ed Ikin have had no political activity within the last five years. 

Background 

As a world-leading research institute with a mission “to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants”, the Royal Botanic Gaden Edinburgh (RBGE) contribute significantly to Scottish Government’s National outcomes by protecting and restoring habitats, bolstering economic development and providing education, skills development and social inclusion. Working in around 40 countries they are also major proponents of international cooperation. 

Their work is guided by three themes: 

• unlocking knowledge and understanding of plants and fungi for the benefit of society; 

• conserving and developing botanical collections as a global resource; and 

• enriching and empowering individuals and communities through learning and engagement with plants and fungi.