Invest in Dundee: Key Sectors for Economic Recovery

Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc – Greig Coull, Chief Executive Officer

Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) is a world leading innovation parc focused on sustainable mobility and low carbon energy. It’s set to play a crucial role in not only the regional plans to become greener but also the wider UK. Greig will share details on how the parc will create a greener future, through innovation for people, place and planet and the benefits the region can sow from this.

Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce – Alison Henderson, Chief Executive Officer

Alison is a well known figure across the region and is responsible for leading the DACC to deliver strategic objectives which look to drive growth and investment across the region. She’ll be hosting the event proceedings utilising her knowledge and experience of multi-stakeholder collaboration to deliver an exceptional agenda.

Dundee and Angus College – Simon Hewitt, Principal

Born in Portadown, Northern Ireland, Simon was educated at Portadown College and left Northern Ireland in 2001 to attend the University of Abertay Dundee, where he obtained a BSc (Hons) in Business Computing. Following a number of IT related roles in both NHS Tayside and BT, Simon moved into lecturing at Dundee College in 2008, specialising in Network Management and Cisco Administration.

In November 2010 Simon was promoted to the role of Curriculum Manager in Computing, at the formerly known, Dundee College and has remained in Academic Management becoming Vice Principal Curriculum & Attainment within the merged Dundee & Angus College.  Simon secured the post of Principal of Dundee & Angus College in August 2020.

Simon is also involved in numerous organisations nationally including: Board member Dundee Science Centre; Board member Workers’ Educational Association Scotland; Non-executive director Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS); Member of the SQA Advisory Council; and Board Member Digital Skills Partnership.

Simon is passionate and proud about the great teaching, learning and the potential of Dundee & Angus College, working with a range of partners, to make a difference to so many peoples’ lives across the region and beyond.

Forth Ports Dundee – David Webster, Senior Port Manager – Dundee, Leith & Methil

David Webster joined Forth Ports Limited initially as the Port Manager in the Port of Dundee on the 27^th of April 2015.  David was promoted to the role of Senior Port Manager in 2018, which brings with it full commercial and operational responsibility for the ports of Dundee, Leith & Methil, and has a direct reporting line into the Chief Operating Officer.

David holds an MBA in Oil and Gas Management from RGU in Aberdeen and a degree in Mechatronics from the University of Abertay.

Prior to joining Forth Ports David worked with Oil & Gas Service Company Weatherford International specialising in Well Construction. His most recent position involved working internationally as a Business Development and Technical Manager for the Sub Saharan Africa region; this was primarily focused on Nigeria and South Africa.  Before this David was a Weatherford Product Line Manager for the Central, Western and Eastern Europe region based in Germany.

Dundee City Council – Robin Presswood, Executive Director – City Development

Dundee City Council is driving forward the £1 billion redevelopment of Dundee’s Waterfront, increasing employment and local economy. Robin will be joining the session to share Dundee’s ambitions around Housing and BtR.

Abertay University – Lorna Edwards, Head of Business Development

Lorna Edwards is the Head of Business Development at Abertay University – the most useful university in Scotland.  Our institutional strengths include design, computer games, cyber security, life sciences and food & drink innovation.  We recognise that harnessing Abertay’s contribution as a local anchor organisation is vital to drive inclusive economic growth and build back better in the Tay Cities Region

The James Hutton Institute – Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive

Colin is Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute and is responsible for leading the organisation and its 500 staff and 110 PhD students. He has broad interest in sustainable development and has developed the vision and mission of the institute around the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As a scientist he has over 30 y of experience in soil science and is a Guest professor in the Swedish Agricultural Sciences University. He has also worked in Australia, South America and China looking at semi-tropical and temperate ecosystems. He is an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies (2017), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a Fellow of Royal Society of Biology.

Colin will talk about how the James Hutton Institute projects in the TCD not only tackle the biggest problems facing our world in terms of the nature and Climate crisis but also how in fact they are a massive opportunity to build a better world, build on our authentic local strengths and create jobs.

Dundee City Council – John Alexander, Leader

There are a umber of significant funding announcements which will be confirmed by the start of 2021 and John will discuss the impact that these will have on the City and also provide an update on their extensive portfolio of development projects.

Eden Project International – David Harland, Chief Executive

Eden Project International are planning a major development at the Central Promenade Regeneration Site on Marine Road Central in Morecambe. The ‘Eden Project North’ project is valued at £125m and aims to be one of Britain’s most popular tourist destinations with targets to attract one million visitors per annum. The development is designed to accommodate 4,000 visitors per day with a maximum of 750 visitors per hour accessing the site at peak times.

Built Environment Networking – Amanda Griffiths, Director

Amanda is one of the Co-Founder’s of Built Environment Networking – formed almost 10 years ago.

She’ll be hosting throughout the day, running the days proceedings and managing the interaction between our delegates and the speakers.

Northern Lights Arena Europe (NLAE) – Luc Delany, Director of Technology and e-Sports

After many years of experience in public policy and strategic advice for the tech sector Luc has increasingly found himself specialising in the world’s largest entertainment sector: video games. He wears a few hats but essentially works to promote the positive impact of the creative technology and video games sectors, whilst managing and mitigating the potential harms.

At the Northern Lights Arena Company, he recently announced a multi-million-pound 4,000 seat esports arena and campus for the City of Dundee, in partnership with Abertay University and Angus College, Amazon Web Services & Education and Dundee City Council.

Luc is a regular media commentator appearing on TV, Radio and in print. He has also testified in public regulatory hearings and have keynoted European Council Presidency Conferences on a variety of issues.

University of Dundee – Professor Sir Mike Ferguson, School of Life Sciences

Mike Ferguson is a life scientist at the University of Dundee, where he helps colleagues to innovate and to commercialise their innovations. He is co-lead on the Growing the Tay Cities Biomedical Cluster element of the Tay Cities deal. He believes strongly in developing and retaining spin-out companies to attract inward investment and generate quality jobs in the region. Mike is also on the boards of the Wellcome Trust and Medicines for Malaria Venture.

Embark Platform – Pete Docherty, CEO/ Managing Director

Embark Group is a fast growing, diversified, financial services business and one of the largest retirement solutions providers in the UK. They operate successfully in both the advised and institutional areas of the retirement market through their leading range of pension, wrap platform, research and consultancy services.