BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Honorary President
Guy Clark, FSI, JP, Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire
Honorary Vice Presidents
Geoffrey Duncan, BL, NP
John Ritchie
Dr Helen Laird, OBE, DL,MA, PhD
Ron Kennedy, TD, FCII
Governance
Members of the Board of Directors - Governors of the School - are responsible as Trustees for the running of the School to the Office of Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR). Each year a full report and a statement of Accounts has to be filed. As well as holding an Annual General Meeting, the Board meets at least twice a term but frequently more. It operates mainly through Committees; this allows Governors, the majority in full time employment, to share out the work most effectively. Thus we have Finance, Education, Development, Estates, Charitable Status Compliance, Health & Safety, Property Development, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. These committees report to the Full Board at each meeting when decisions can be discussed and confirmed. The Rector, the Business Manager/Senior Depute Rector and Company Secretary normally attend all Governors meetings and a wider category of Staff attend Committee meetings as appropriate. It is customary for the Chair of the Parents Association to attend Governors meetings for the first item to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The Board appoints new Governors at an Annual General Meeting and elects its Chairman and Vice Chairman. The Nominations Committee suggests candidates for new members, taking into account the need for individual expertise, e.g financial, legal, educational building etc. There is also an attempt made to balance the Board on grounds of age, gender and expertise. Because a high degree of commitment is required from members it normally means that those chosen have had some involvement with the School as Parents, Former Parents, or Former Pupils through which they feel a close identity and a sense of obligation.
Board of Directors
Colin McClatchie, BSc (Econ) (Chairman)
Born in Belfast, Colin graduated with a Honours Degree in Economics from Queen's University. He pursued a career in press and publishing, culminating in a position as Managing Director of News International Newspapers for Scotland and Ireland. He is a former Chairman of the Institute of Directors, Scotland, and a former Director of Scottish Enterprise, where he chaired the Nominations and Renumerations Committees. He currently sits on a number of company boards; he is Chairman of both Scottish Opera and Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. He also acts as a consultant to various companies.
Colin is married to Claire, and has two daughters, both of whom attended St Columba's. He has lived in Kilmacolm for over 25 years. He enjoys family life, opera, theatre, and golf.
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Dr Aileen Findlay, BSc, MB ChB, MRCGP
(Deputy Chairman)
Aileen is married to Iain; they have five children - Douglas, Alastair, Iain, Caitlin and Gavin, all of whom have been at St Columba’s - three of whom have now moved on to further education.
She was born in England and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. She works eight sessions as a partner in the Bridge of Weir/Houston General Practice, where she is the educational supervisor for the GP trainees. In her spare time she likes to walk her dogs.
(Convener of the Education Committee and member of the Charity Compliance Committee & the Remuneration & Nominations Committees)
Nicola Watson, MCSP
Nicola is a former pupil of St Columba’s, leaving Senior VI in 1998. She qualified as a physiotherapist of Robert Gordon's, Aberdeen in 2002, which has allowed her the opportunities to work in the Outer Hebrides, New Zealand, the NHS, private sector and in her current role with the military. She now lives in Glasgow and enjoys catching up with friends, playing sport and music.
(Member of Health and Safety Committee)
Sara Bishop
Sara is married to Bob and lives in Kilbarchan. They have two daughters, Sally and Lucy, both of whom are at St Columba’s. With a father in the Forces, much of her youth was spent abroad. At school she particularly enjoyed the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and was awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.
Sara worked in marketing and client liaison for an investment management company and has also run a 500-member club in St Andrews. She moved to Oslo for five years before coming back to London and ultimately Scotland. She has a holiday lets company based in the East Neuk of Fife. She likes travel, sailing, golf, family time and keeping up with friends.
(Member of Marketing, PR and Fundraising Committee, acts as Community Parking Liaison)
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John Broadfoot, BA, MEd
John Broadfoot was Rector at Kelvinside Academy from 1998 until his retirement in 2009. Prior to that, he taught English and held a number of positions in both the state and independent sectors. He has a longstanding connection with Kilmacolm, indeed his sister, mother, aunt and uncle (Darden) all attended St.Columba's. His interests include travel, mountaineering and Scottish culture. He is married to Cecilia and has three grown up children.
(Member of Education Committee)
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Graham Cunning, BAcc, CA
Graham was brought up in Glasgow and attended Hutchesons' Grammar School. Graduating from the University of Glasgow with a Bachelor of Accountancy, he went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG, and then spent two years in Pittsburgh, USA with PwC. His business experience is in Corporate Insolvency, Corporate Finance and Banking, dealing with companies across a variety of sectors from start up through to FTSE 100 PLCs. Graham has worked with Clydesdale Bank PLC for eight years and now heads up their Acquisition Finance business across the UK.
He is married with three children, all of whom attend St Columba's. His wife is also an FP. Graham loves most sports and played rugby both at school and afterwards for GHA. Sports now include skiing, golf and the dreaded gym! Graham also has a passion for live music.
(Member of Finance Committee & Marketing, PR and Fundraising Committee)
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Hugh Currie, BSc, CEng MICE
Hugh is Managing Director of Lithgows Limited, an old Scottish family-owned business, and due to the diverse nature of the business, in aquaculture, boat building, ship repairs, renewable energy and property, he travels extensively.
He has been married to Lesley for thirty-seven years and they have two daughters, Jennifer and Jillian, both of whom attended St Columba’s, and both of whom are now lawyers. They also have one grandson, Sebastian. His hobbies are skiing, golf and salmon fishing.
Hugh is a former Chairman of CBI Scotland, a former Vice Chairman of Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire before its dissolution and a former member of the Greenock Academy School Board. He has been a Governor of St Columba’s School for ten years, during which he has sat on most of the key committees. This has given him a good knowledge of the School’s strengths and greatly assisted in identifying areas for improvement.
(Member of the Education, Finance Committees, Convener of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee and of the Charity Compliance Committee)
Katharine Hardie, LLB (Hons), DLP
Katharine is a solicitor and partner in national law firm McGrigors LLP. She is the Business Group Head of the Real Estate team and sits on the Board of the firm. Originally from Aberdeen, Katharine has worked in Glasgow since qualifying as a solicitor and now lives in Kilmacolm with husband Michael and daughters Hannah and Grace, both of whom attend St Columba's. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, music, theatre and dancing.
(Member of Development/Building Committee)
James McAlpine
James joined the Glasgow based CBC Ltd in 1984, initially as a Trainee Surveyor before progressing through the ranks to become a Director in 1990. He was promoted to Managing Director at the end of 1999. He is a past President of Scottish Contractors, the major organisation representing construction companies and sub-contractors in the west of Scotland.
James and his wife Pauline live in Kilmacolm and have three children, all of whom have been educated at St Columba’s. Golf is a favourite pastime of James and his family, and he enjoys nothing more than to relax on a Friday evening by dining with his wife at their usual table in local restaurant Windyhill.
(Convener of the Development/Building Committee)
Helen MacConnacher
Originally from Glasgow, Helen has lived in Kilmacolm for nearly thirty years since marrying Ian. She was educated at the High School of Glasgow and worked for the Clydesdale Bank, before, following a career as a full-time wife and mum.
Son Jamie is a St Columba's former pupil and father-in-law Ian is a former Governor. Helen was involved in organising rugby hospitality and still maintains her direct contact with School, assisting with Duke of Edinburgh hikes. Helen is also a member of the Kilmacolm Community Council. In her free time Helen enjoys home life, travel, reading and hiking and her enjoyment of all sports is mainly focused on rugby.
(Member of the Marketing, PR and Fundraising Committee and Community Group Liaison)
George Morris, LLB, MBA
George lives in Kilmacolm and is married to Jacqui. They have three boys, Lochie, Archie and Keir, currently all at St Columba’s. Having originally trained as a corporate lawyer and then gained an MBA in Australia, he is now Chairman of Morris and Spottiswood. George is also a founding Director of the Scottish Family Business Association and the Chairman of the Fruitmarket Gallery.
When he is not attending to the above, he likes to golf, fish, look at contemporary art and watch Madmen.
(Convener of the Marketing, PR and Fundraising Committee, advises the Board on Risk Management )
Paul Yacoubian, BAcc, CA
Paul Yacoubian is the Managing Director of Craig Corporate Limited, a management consultancy focused on business management, corporate finance and taxation. Paul and his wife Paula have been resident in Kilmacolm for twenty years. They have four sons, all of whom have received (and, in the case of the youngest two, are still receiving) their education at the school. Paul joined the board in November 2006.
(Convener of the Finance Committee and member of the Remuneration and Nominations, and Charity Compliance Committees)