Public appointment: Members appointed to Scottish Funding Council Board

The Minister for Higher and Further Education today announced the appointment of Elizabeth Gammie, Steven Grier, Sue Rigby, Joanna Campbell and Danny Gallagher as Members of the Scottish Funding Council Board.

Members

Professor Elizabeth Gammie is an Emeritus Professor at Robert Gordon University and a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). A strategic and forward thinker, with extensive experience in change management, she combines educational experience with financial and business acumen.

Steven Grier is a former Director at Microsoft where he has held several leadership positions over last 24 years, including Country Manager of Microsoft in Scotland. Mr Grier has 36 years of experience in technology leadership across a broad spectrum of business and industry in Scotland and wider UK. A life-long supporter of work-based learning and skills, Grier also chaired the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board Equalities Group and is a SAAB Main Board member.

Professor Sue Rigby is Vice Chancellor and Principal of Edinburgh Napier University, taking this role in January 2025 after seven years leading Bath Spa University. In both roles, Professor Rigby has worked to strengthen links between FE and HE, for example by setting up a University Centre in partnership with New City College. She was a member of the Board of Quality Assurance Agency for five years until 2024 and is a member of the advisory board of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Joanna Campbell is Principal and Chief Executive of Glasgow Kelvin College, bringing extensive leadership experience from across the college sector. She began her career as a lecturer and has since held a broad range of executive and non-executive roles in both education and industry. With a strong record of delivering transformational change, widening access, and driving innovation, she is committed to the role of colleges as engines of growth and social mobility through skills development.

Danny Gallagher has over eight years’ experience of strategic leadership and governance in Higher Education in his current role as a Governor on the Court of Glasgow Caledonian University. His most recent role was as Chief Executive of SEEMiS Group LLP, providing core national education services to all Local Authority schools in Scotland. He was previously a Chief Officer at City of Edinburgh Council and also held senior leadership roles during a lengthy career in the communications sector with Virgin Media, ntl and BT.

Appointment

The appointments will be for 4 years and will run from 03 October 2025 to 02 October 2029.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointments are part-time and attracts a remuneration of £366.65 for a time commitment of 3 days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Elizabeth Gammie, Steven Grier, Sue Rigby, Joanna Campbell and Danny Gallagher 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.

Elizabeth Gammie, Steven Grier, Sue Rigby, Joanna Campbell and Danny Gallagher have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The Scottish Funding Council is the non-departmental public body responsible for Scotland's further and higher education institutions, including its 24 colleges and 19 universities. The SFC is helping to make Scotland the best place in the world to educate, to research and to innovate. Investing around £1.9 billion of public money each year, SFC’s funding enables Scotland’s colleges and universities to provide life-changing opportunities for over half a million people.