Our Team
Here is the team at Social Investment Scotland. SIS is also governed by a Board of 9 individuals drawn from a mixture of stakeholders in SIS and other strategic partners.
Alastair Davis Chief Executive
Alastair joined SIS in May 2009. Upon joining SIS Alastair was the lead fund manager for the Scottish Investment Fund. Currently Alastair is fulfilling the responsibilities of chief executive on an interim basis as well as leading on all investment activities within Social Investment Scotland. A graduate of Strathclyde University, Alastair joined SIS from Bank of Scotland Community Banking and has a wealth of experience dealing directly with social businesses.
Contact: 0131 3000637 m: 07595 465084 e: alastair.davis@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Debbie Zima Operations Manager
Debbie joined SIS in June 2009 and is responsible for all aspects of investment support from initial loan enquiry through to drawdown. In addition, she helps manage existing relationships. Debbie has spent time working in Spain and the USA, where she worked for nine years with the Illinois Facilities Fund (IFF), a large Community Development Financial Institution.
Contact: 0131 3000636 m: 07595 465100 e: debbie.zima@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Katie Handy Investment Manager
Katie is in charge of the management and delivery of the Scottish Investment Fund, on behalf of the Scottish Government, as well as providing support to the wider investment activities of Social Investment Scotland. With a finance background within the private sector, most recently in the Corporate Finance Advisory team at Deloitte LLP, Katie has significant experience of working closely with organisations from a wide range of sectors, assisting them in all aspects of the fund raising process.
Contact: 0131 3000638 m: 07860 455308 e: katie@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Alistair Johnstone Investment Manager
Alistair joined in August 2011 and is responsible for the investment activities of Social Investment Scotland. With extensive experience in relationship management following a successful career with Bank of Scotland. Alistair brings a wealth of knowledge and professional expertise across many sectors.
Contact: 0131 3000917 m: 07900 571485 e: alistair.johnstone@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Mel Grossman Social Impact Manager
Working closely with the SiS team and our customers, Mel is responsible for ‘Telling the Story’ of the social impact that Social Investment Scotland has had. Through developing, measuring and communicating how SiS operates, Mel will highlight the great work that has been achieved through our investments across Scotland. With a Marketing and CSR background within the charity sector, Mel has recent experience of working with various organisations and corporate partners to deliver and convey shared social objectives.
Contact: 0131 3000639 m: 07590 963381 e: mel@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Marie Duguid Investment Assistant
With experience of working in a Social Enterprise and the Third Sector, Marie assists the SIF Investment Manager in delivering the Scottish Investment Fund, on behalf of the Scottish Government, as well as providing support to the wider investment activities of Social Investment Scotland. Most importantly Marie will help SIF customers through the entire investment process from initial enquiry to post-investment support.
Contact: 0131 3000640 m: 07584 028777 e: marie@socialinvestmentscotland.com
Our Board
Alf Young, Chairman
Alf's business involvements include Chairman, Riverside Inverclyde, a pathfinder urban regeneration company dedicated to redeveloping the industrial - waterfront in Inverclyde and Trustee - Caledonian Publishing Pension Scheme.
Nick Baxter
Social Entrepreneur and former social worker Nick Baxter founded learning disabilities charity Cornerstone Community Care in 1980. Nick was one of the driving forces behind the development of Cornerstone over the next 28 years into one of the leading providers of services for people with learning disabilities in Scotland, operating from over 140 locations and with annual turnover in excess of £20m. Nick served as Cornerstone's Chief Executive from 1999 until his retirement in May 2008 and his contribution to the development of the organisation was recognised in 2005 when he won the prestigious Upstarts Social Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Kenneth Ferguson
A highly experienced Chartered Accountant with experience of the Private and "Not for Profit" sector. Kenneth recently bacame the Chief Executive of the Robertson Trust, prior to this he was Director of Finance and Resources with Aberlour Child Care Trust, Stirling. He has close contact with OSCR through the Institute of Chartered Accountants Charity Committee and is interested in developing different financial mechanisms for helping the voluntary sector.
Lynn Hendry
Trained initially as a Secondary School Teacher, Lynn has worked for over 10 years in and with the "Not for Profit" sector. She has experience of both local and central Government and in these roles has been a member of national working groups both within the UK and in Europe. She has participated in national policy consultation and sounding boards for the development of both enterprise education and health promotion strategies for young people.
Adrian Lucas
Has 17 years experience as a Chief Executive with the last 8 years as CE of the Scottish Ambulance Service, now retired but is now working as an independent Consultant and Executive Coach. He has strong public sector knowledge and understanding of political processes. His other business involvements include, Non executive Director with NHS Borders and Chairman of an independent London based training, recruitment and development company.
Peter Russian
Chief Executive of Investors in People in Scotland, working with more than 3,000 organisations. He is a very strong advocate of training and learning with good Board level experience. Worked towards self-sustaining IIP and has excellent contacts with Scottish Government and other strategic partners. His other appointments include the following: Non executive Director, Centre of Enterprise, Member of the CBI Council Scotland, Board Member, Public Service Improvement Framework, Member of the UK Advisory Panel on Leadership and Management and Scottish National Training Awards Panel Judge.
Sarah Smart
A Chartered Accountant with mainstream finance and charities experience, Sarah runs her own management consultancy business, SmartCats Consulting, specialising in improving financial and operational effectiveness for dynamic, ambitious organisations. She has substantial experience as a pension trustee being Chair of The Pensions Trust and a Board Member of London Pension Fund Authority and also has good experience of financial instruments and governance issues.
Michael Stoneham
Michael recently bacame a partner in the legal firm Brodies prior to a long successful career with Dundas & Wilson, and is an acknowledged leading practitioner in banking, project and housing finance. Michael qualified in 1980 in England, and is an experienced banking lawyer with extensive experience of PFI/PPP projects, housing association financings and energy financings.
Jill Farrell
Jill Farrell became Director of Financial Services and West at Scottish Enterprise in August 2010, having previously held various positions within Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International in Scotland and the United States.
Jill is a Director of Dundee Design Limited and Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company.