The Scottish Borders Business Forum’s steering group comprises representatives from the key business sectors in the Scottish Borders. They are drawn currently from the Federation of Small Businesses, Chamber of Commerce, Exporters Association, Tourism Partnership, the Creative Industries, the Construction Industry, NFUS and Education.
Hans Waltl – Chair
Hans represents small business.
Hans is Chair of the Scottish Borders branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Hans is a Chartered Certified Accountant, currently working in business as a director of an international company and locally in private practice. He has set up a number of businesses both in the UK and overseas and brings an essential commercial and financial perspective to the organisation. He is involved with a number of other charities and social enterprises.
Kerry Barr
Kerry represents agriculture.
Kerry is from a strong farming background and was brought up on the family farm just outside Edinburgh. She worked for a local farmer doing paperwork and helping in the shop and butchery before a brief spell working in Edinburgh City Centre. She went into insurance with NFU Mutual in 2010 but moved across to the Union and started working with NFU Scotland as Regional Manager for the Lothians and Borders in October 2013. Kerry’s main roles are to help members with any issues they may encounter and to organise Regional activity in the area.
Jack Clark
Jack represents the Chamber of Commerce.
Jack is the Convenor of the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce, and currently Chairman of the Scottish Borders Business Forum. Until recently, he was Managing Director of John Swan Limited, Auctioneers and Livestock Agents operating at St. Boswells Livestock Market servicing livestock producers in the Borders region and also Wooler Market in Northumberland, servicing buying and selling customers from Shetland to Kent and Cornwall. The company also has two divisions, John Swan properties and Swan and Turner, based in Jedburgh providing an auction house for antiques, fine art and collectibles.
Giles Etherington
Giles represents the creative industries.
Giles is the owner of Brand Satellite, a branding consultancy and integrated design, advertising and marketing agency, based in Melrose. Giles has over twenty five years’ experience working in advertising and design agencies, from the largest agency network in the world to his own one-man business. He has worked in London, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Jersey and Edinburgh. Giles moved to the Scottish Borders in 2006 and has run businesses here ever since. Giles is also a board member of Borders Creative, a mentor for Creative Edinburgh and B2B Creative Services Advocate for the Creative Arts Business Network (CABN).
Stuart Kinross
Stuart is an Economic Development Officer (Business) at Scottish Borders Council where he is responsible for gathering and analysing economic intelligence. Stuart was educated at Penicuik High School, the University of Dundee, and the University of Aberdeen. He has spent most of his working life in Edinburgh and London, having been employed by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Life, and the National Audit Office. Stuart joined Scottish Borders Council in August 2013 and provides secretarial support to the Steering Group.
Heather Ross
Heather represents education.
Heather began her career in manufacturing as a computer aided design operator and pattern cutter for a Scottish company. Her role in the university sector, firstly as a lecturer at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and then as a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, encompassed business consultancy, research and teaching. Heather has been involved in initiatives with national and international brands, Defra, the British Council, the EU and she has acted as an academic advisor to the WTO/UN through the International Trade Centre, Geneva. Currently based at the University of Edinburgh, Heather represents education, skills and training initiatives on the Scottish Borders Business Forum.
Gavin Yuill
Gavin represents the construction industry.
Gavin is a Chartered Architect and Director of Camerons Architects of Galashiels and Edinburgh, and also the Managing Director of the Yuill Community Trust: CIC, based in St Boswells. Gavin grow up in Melrose and studied architecture at the Edinburgh College of Art / University of Edinburgh. Camerons Architects, first established in 1963, provides creative, sustainable solutions for the design or adaptation of buildings in many sectors including domestic, commercial, and public sectors. The award winning architectural practice operates across Scotland, and Northern England. The Yuill Community Trust: CIC is a community development enabler. The purpose of the organisation is to promote, research, design, manage, and assist in the delivery of high quality affordable housing and community buildings within the Scottish Borders and beyond. The Trust has been granted Rural Housing Body status (under Section 43(6) of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003) from the Scottish Government.