My own policy and communications consultancy.

The Scotch Whisky Association in Edinburgh is the representative body for the Scotch whisky industry, with an international reputation. A member of its senior management team for nearly 7 years.

Main responsibilities:

- Represented, negotiated and co-ordinated industry policy, strategy and guidance on production and technical subjects, across a broad remit including cereals, Customs and Excise, energy, environment, food safety and scientific matters, health and safety, training, transport, water etc

- Acted as the industry’s interface with, among others, European Commission, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, HM Revenue and Customs, Food Standards Agency, Health and Safety Executive, National Audit Office, Office for National Statistics, Scottish Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Water etc

- Co-ordinated a dozen or so multi-disciplinary and scientific/technical industry committees

- Managed and led a department of 5 people, with a budget of c £150k pa.

Significant achievements:

- One lobbying campaign won outright the UK CBI’s (Confederation of British Industry) Business of Representation Award, 2003

- Successfully handled the industry’s response to major regulatory initiatives including:

- Establishing a new Spirits Energy Efficiency Company to manage the Climate Change Agreement and energy use statistics/targets for the entire UK spirits industry

- Twice leading the opposition to the UK Chancellor’s (Gordon Brown’s) proposals for tax stamps on spirits bottles, and twice turning the issue around in the industry’s favour

- Negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding for all UK spirits producers with HM Revenue and Customs on excise fraud

- Recognition from the Health and Safety Executive for our partnership with them over many years as having improved health and safety, and being a model to other sectors.

Acquired experience of:

- a fast-moving, globally-active, commercial membership organisation, its processes and structures, both formal and informal

- professional delivery of diverse services, information, products and projects to members

- co-operation and communication, internally and externally, with people at all levels

- effective campaigning and lobbying: when, how and whom to lobby; building alliances; co-ordination with sister EU and US trade associations; using the media etc

- influencing, consensus-building and negotiation

- official, political and parliamentary (including select committee) process at Scottish, UK and EU levels; and legislative and regulatory affairs

- collating and submitting committee papers, reports, data, briefings, consultation responses, policy and lobbying documents, newsletters and publications (including training videos, interactive CD-ROMs etc)

- speaking and presenting at board and committee meetings, government working groups and in public.

Developed wide experience of policy and projects on industry training, health and safety, cereals, and Customs and Excise issues; and anti-theft tagging of whisky bottles.