Public appointment: Members appointed to Historic Environment Scotland

The Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development and Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine, Mr Gray, today announced the appointment of Gemma Butterfield, Joe Doogan, Simon Hodge, Gary Jebb, Ann Leslie and Anne-Marie O’Hara as Members of Historic Environment Scotland.

Members

Gemma Butterfield is an operational leader and manager within cultural and natural heritage visitor attractions, focusing on commercial sustainability, culture change, and visitor journey. She is currently the Business Manager for National Trust for Scotland, North East region, where she is responsible for business planning and analysis. She has worked in heritage organisations such as National Museums Scotland, Science Museum Group, and National Trust, and holds an MA in Cultural Heritage Management from York University. She has been a member of the board for Fife Cultural Trust. She brings a passion for the sustainability and sharing of Scotland’ heritage.

Joe Doogan has over 40 years’ experience in manufacturing and engineering across a variety of industries concentrating on mainly shipbuilding and automotive. He gained a broad engineering education attending college in both Perth and Dundee and ultimately being awarded a masters in business administration by Strathclyde University. Joe is currently employed by Babcock International as Director of Operations at Rosyth Shipyard on the Forth. He has extensive experience in delivering major capital programmes, infrastructure investment, site maintenance as well as supporting the creation and introduction of innovative recruitment and training programmes. For the last 20 years, he has been engaged in international business with particular emphasis on the United States.

Simon Hodge lives in the Scottish Borders and is married with two grown up children.  A forester by training, Simon has a life-long interest in the historic environment.  Previous roles include chief executive of two public bodies, Crown Estate Scotland and Forest Enterprise Scotland, which involved the care of many significant heritage assets.  Simon also has extensive experience in working with local communities, sustainable land use and public commercial activity.

Gary Jebb is Director of Place at the University of Edinburgh and has extensive experience in the management, operation and development of a large, complex historic property portfolio, this includes the delivery of major estates projects and facilities management. Gary joined the University of Edinburgh in 2014, initially as Director of Estates, and was responsible for one of the largest and most diverse University estates portfolios in the UK, including over 150 listed buildings such as the iconic McEwan Hall, Old College and New College.  Since becoming Director of Place in 2020 Gary now has strategic responsibility for Accommodation, Catering and Events and the Estates Department together with aspects of the University’s relationship with the City. He moved to Edinburgh from Queen’s University Belfast in 2014 where he had held the position of Director of Estates. Gary graduated in Geography from Queen’s University Belfast and worked in private practice. He became a Professional Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in 1988 and was elected as a Fellow in 2001.

Ann Leslie was appointed as Chief Executive of Lar Housing Trust, a mid-market rent charity, in March 2016. Under her leadership, Lar has grown from a start-up to being a fully operational charity, with hundreds of homes across Scotland and a number of further sites in construction or in planning. Many of Lar's sites involve reusing derelict and abandoned buildings, some of which are listed, and transforming them into good quality affordable homes and community use buildings. . She graduated from Glasgow University, with an LLB in 1993 and spent her career as a commercial lawyer at one of Scotland's largest law firms, MacRoberts solicitors, leaving as a partner in early 2009, to spend time with her young children before joining Scottish Futures Trust in 2011, where the concept of Lar was developed.

Anne-Marie O’Hara has worked in various property, charity and grant-giving roles mainly in the heritage sector. She was Head of the Capital Team at The BIG Lottery Fund and led the Property Planning, Projects and European Funding Team at the National Trust for Scotland. Anne-Marie retired recently from her post as CEO of an Edinburgh-based charity and social enterprise providing affordable space for the third sector. Anne-Marie is on the Board of The Ethical Property Company and chairs their Governance & Human Resources Committee. She is a non-executive Director of Eala Impacts CIC and Chair of the charity Co-Housing for Independent Living. She is also a Member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.

Appointment

The appointments will be for four years and will run from 20 March 2023 to 19 March 2027.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointment are part-time and attracts a remuneration of £228 per day for a time commitment of two days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Gemma Butterfield, Joe Doogan, Simon Hodge, Gary Jebb, Ann Leslie and Anne-Marie O’Hara 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.   

Gemma Butterfield, Joe Doogan, Simon Hodge, Gary Jebb, Ann Leslie and Anne-Marie O’Hara have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

Historic Environment Scotland are the lead body for the historic environment in Scotland and are an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) dedicated to protecting and promoting our nation’s historic environment. As such, they operate within the context of the Scottish Government’s national outcomes and strategic objectives, including public service reform. Like other, similar cultural organisations, they are also a recognised Scottish Charity and operate within the framework of charity regulation.

Historic Environment Scotland are core funded by the Scottish Government, but also derive a substantial proportion of their income from operating their estate of key visitor attractions and ancillary, commercial activities.