Staff & Board

Telephone: 0141 425 2908
Email: gerry.higgins@ceis.org.uk

Gerry was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of CEiS in February 2006 having previously been the founding Chief Executive of Social Firms UK.

Gerry assisted the DTI to create the first Social Enterprise Strategy for the UK and was a founding director of the UK Social Enterprise Coalition.

Gerry is currently a director of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition, CEiS Ayrshire, DSL Business Finance, and is on the Steering Group for Social Enterprise World Forum following the CEiS initiative to host the inaugural world forum in Edinburgh.

Gerry is a member of the Scottish Third Sector Research Forum and is working with the Scottish Investment Fund to introduce and develop the range of finance and investment options for social enterprises.

Gerry is working with Government, Third Sector Partners and Public Authorities to build the capacity of social enterprise in Scotland and to ensure the implementation of community benefit clauses for contracting relating to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 leaves a lasting legacy for the Third Sector in Scotland.

Telephone: 0141 425 2908

Email: fiona.mclune@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• HND Secretarial Studies

Fiona joined CEiS in January 2012 as the PA to the Chief Executive. Fiona has 16 years of PA experience at Director-level.

Telephone: 0141 425 2903
Email: terri.colman@ceis.org.uk

Terri joined CEiS in April 2006 as a Bookkeeper. Terri has over 20 years experience of bookkeeping and deals with the company’s day to day processing of suppliers’ invoices and production of sales invoices.

Telephone: 0141 425 2904
E-mail: amanda.donaghy@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• Diploma in Human Resource Management (in process of completing)
• Member of CIPD

Amanda joined CEiS in August 2010 as Office Services Manager.   In January 2011 she took on the assisting role in HR issues, and is now working towards her diploma in HR Management.  Before CEiS, Amanda was the office manager for a firm of architects for 11 years.

Telephone: 0141 425 2902
Email: deborah.nicol@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA CA

Deborah joined CEiS in October 2004 as the Company Secretary/Accountant. Deborah’s specialism’s include financial and management accounting, budgetary control, forecasting and general management. Deborah previously worked with AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Telephone: 0141 425 2918
Email: anne-marie.allan@ceis.org.uk

Anne-Marie joined CEiS in July 1995 as a Consultant and became Enterprise support Manager in January 2001. Anne-Marie manages the consultancy team as they engage with around 70 client organisations.

Her particular responsibilities are for project planning and management, quality assurance and client satisfaction.

She also has responsibility for coordinating the Scottish Executive’s Women Entrepreneur Women Managers programme delivered by CEiS and Glasgow’s LDCs.

Telephone: 0141 425 2917
Email: emma.stratton@ceis.org.uk

Emma joined CEiS in 2008 as the Administrator for the Enterprise & Communities Team.

She is responsible for providing general administrative and programme management support for the team and assisting the Operations Manager in ensuring the smooth day to day running of the department.

Previously employed within the private sector, Emma has several years experience working in a variety of administrative and project management roles.

Telephone: 0141 425 2909
Email: john.hughes@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA Marketing & Communication
• Diploma in Business Consulting (Premier Adviser)
• Member Chartered Institute of Marketing
• Member Institute of Consulting

John joined CEiS in August 2003. John’s specialisms include business planning, marketing promotion of CEiS services and client managing social economy organisations. These organisations range from small community childcare organisations to major charities with turnovers in the millions and cover all aspects of the social economy.

John has supported each of these organisations with Strategic Planning, Development Planning and Funding Strategies.

Before joining CEiS John worked as a Business Adviser with Business Gateway in Glasgow. John has completed Premier Adviser and is now a member of the Institute of Business Advisers.

John is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. John won the Institute of Business Advisers, Social Enterprise Business Adviser of the Year 2006.

Relevant Experience

• Lead contact on aspire to enterprise programme
• Marketing & promotion of CEiS
• Conducting business health checks
• Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire Account & Client Management of Social Enterprises
• Inverclyde Local Social Economy Partnership Social Economy Growth Programme
• North Ayrshire Social Economy Growth Programme

Telephone: 0141 425 2910
Email: john.black@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• M.A. (Hons) in Politics & Economic History
• M. Litt. (Research) Degree in Single Homeless Provision in Glasgow
• Master of Business Administration
• Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
• Former full member of Institute of Housing

Since moving to CEiS in 1998 John has worked with over 250 organisations and has had a very varied portfolio of clients ranging across childcare groups; housing associations and wider action activities; disability organisations; equalities and BME groups; money advice based organisations; community regeneration organisations to support lottery applications; credit unions; and working with local Councils to help them develop their  financial inclusion activities.

A particular focus in the last three years has been advising organisations on organisational and legal structure options to develop their social enterprise activities and enhance their economic and financial sustainability.

Telephone: 0141 425 2937
Email: roy.crosby@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• SHNC in Accounting
• Institute of Cost and Management Accountants – PP1

Roy joined CEiS in 2009 and works with a diverse range of Third Sector organisations in West Central Scotland to deliver assignments principally to achieve growth, sustainability, strategic/business plans and accounting/financial planning.

In addition, Roy takes a leading role in the design and delivery of financial training for Third Sector organisations across Scotland.

Telephone: 0141 425 2912
Email: james.finnie@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA (Dist) Business Economics with Marketing

James joined CEiS in 2005. He is experienced in delivering work on behalf of the Scottish Government, many of Scotland’s local authorities and with both large and small social enterprises.

In 2010 James led the set-up of one of the largest social enterprise start-ups in Scotland in many years, Specialisterne Scotland, to provide employment for people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Prior to joining CEiS, James worked for Motorola Semiconductors for 12 years, holding 7 different positions up to European Management level.

Telephone: 0141 425 2915
Email: gillian.gray@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• Liberal Arts Degree (USA)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Napier University, Edinburgh

Gillian has recently celebrated 10 years with CEiS as a Business Advisor, joining in March 2001. In this time she has worked with a wide variety of social enterprises large and small providing support and development with business planning, action planning, Board development, strategic reviews, ideas generation, feasibility studies, market planning, funding strategies  and partnership development.

Gillian previously worked within the social economy sector for 7 years developing employment related programmes for those hardest to reach.

Telephone: 0141 425 2929
Email: tania.morlan@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• Post Graduate Diploma Business Administration (CBA) – University of Glasgow
• Advanced Diploma in Communication Studies – The Communication, Advertising and Marketing Education (CAM) Foundation
• MSc Information and Administrative Management – Glasgow Caledonian University
• MA (Hons) History – University of Glasgow

As Development Officer, Tania supports communities and local groups to identify, design and deliver projects (including the development of community assets) which meet the needs of local people.

This involves providing one to one advice and support to groups on a range of issues including community engagement,  project development, management and delivery structures, support to complete grant application forms, environmental and financial sustainability; business planning, and governance.

Tania has worked on BIG Lottery’s programmes including Growing Community Assets and Our Place. Before joining CEiS in 2008, Tania was Programme Manager for the ESF Objective 3 European Structural Funds Programme in Scotland.

Telephone: 0141 425 2911
Email: alex.rooney@ceis.org.uk

Alex is one of our Business Advisers within the Enterprise & Communities Team and joined CEiS in 2000.  He currently specialises in providing support to clients within the childcare and credit union sectors.

Alex is also involved in providing clients with support in all aspects of financial reporting. This includes book-keeping, financial projections and budget assistance as well as support in installing computerised accounting systems.

He has recently supported organisations undertaking full cost recovery exercises for tendering opportunities and was also part of the delivery team for the Scottish Government Financial Management Training Programme.

Previously, he worked in the electricity supply industry for 19 years with Scottish Power.  Most of this time was spent working within the Management Accounting Division, where he was involved in most aspects of financial reporting, producing both historical and forecast information.

Telephone: 0141 425 2913
Email: kevin.smith@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA (Hons) Marketing from University of Strathclyde
• Diploma in Marketing, Chartered Institute of Marketing
• Member of Chartered Institute of Marketing

Kevin joined CEiS in January 2005 and works as a Business Adviser. His specialisms include business planning, marketing, and learning and development for private, public and third sector organisations. Areas of interest within the social economy sector include health and social care, social firms and models of business replication.

Previous to working with CEiS, Kevin had six years sales experience with NCR; 3 years as a business consultant with CCA; 3 years managing Glasgow Opportunities’ Management Development Programme; 2 years as Marketing and Production Manager with Design Corporation.

Telephone: 0141 425 2914
E-mail: roddy.stewart@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• FCCA (Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants)
• B.Acc. Glasgow University

Roddy joined CEiS in 2009 as a Business Adviser within the Enterprise & Communities Team. A qualified accountant, Roddy currently specialises in providing business planning and finance support to social enterprises in the recycling, regeneration and community transport sectors.

In addition Roddy advises clients on how access public sector procurement opportunities and how to write effective tenders. He also supports public sector procurement agencies with the development of community benefit clauses.

Telephone: 0141 425 2916
Email: russell.walker@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA Business Studies – University of Stirling
• Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research – Market Research Society (MRS)

Russell joined CEiS in 2007 and his role involves market research for the Enterprise & Communities Team. Previous to working with the organisation Russell studied at the University of Stirling, graduating with a BA in Business Studies.

He has experience in conducting a number of research projects including feasibility studies, mapping studies, market assessments, community and stakeholder consultations for social enterprises across various industry sectors.

Projects he has worked on include a feasibility study investigating the development of a market garden for Glasgow City Council, a mapping study of Social Enterprise in the Scottish Borders and a community consultation on the Isle of Coll for the Big Lottery.

Telephone: 0141 425 2923
Email: lynsey.johnston@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma
• BA (first class honours) Film & Media and Marketing
• Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Marketing

Lynsey joined CEiS in January 2009 and is an enthusiastic team-worker and a great communicator who has a wealth of experience in conference organisation and event planning. Her team specialism is work-plan construction and coordination to ensure events are planned efficiently and operated to the highest possible standards every time.

Lynsey is also responsible for CEiS marketing and promotion and our design work and her creativity enables her to design graphics for exhibitions, brands, publications and literature.

Having this in-house resource means that our events are visually strong and client event marketing and design can be incorporated into events briefs.

Lynsey has led a range of large scale national and international events including CEiS Conference September 2010 and 2009 (the largest social enterprise conference in Scotland), the 2011 Social Enterprise World Forum visit programme to South Africa and 2010 visit programme to the USA and Canada and the Social Firms UK and Europe Annual Conference in 2010 and 2009. Previously she spent 4 years at Kibble Education and Care Centre as their Marketing Officer in the Funding Marketing and Communications team.

Telephone: 0141 352 7400
E-mail: fiona.campbell@specialisternescotland.co.uk

Fiona has been with the CEiS Group since May 1990 and most recently was IT Manager with CEiS before joining Specialisterne in September 2010. Fiona has an HNC in Computer Applications and an HNC in Accounting.

Telephone: 0141 352 7400
E-mail: keith.melvin@specialisternescotland.co.uk

Keith is a very experienced software engineer and has provided complex solutions to companies such as Orange, O2, Marie Curie, NHS and the Forestry Commission.

Keith’s expertise is in GPS tracking software and telecoms. Keith is a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) as well as holding an MA in Business Studies with Computer Science from Glasgow University.

Telephone: 0141 352 7400
E-mail: laura.priestly@specialisternescotland.co.uk

Laura spent 14 years with Education and Services for People with Autism (ESPA) in the North East of England.

Laura is a member of Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) holds PGCE Further Education from New College Durham, PGCE Autism (Adults) the University of Birmingham and MA (Hons) English Language from the University of Edinburgh.

Laura is responsible for the training and development area of Specialisterne. She provides staff and trainees with 1-1 support.

Telephone: 0141 352 7400
E-mail: maria.hubbert@specialisternescotland.co.uk

Maria joined Specialisterne directly from the Autism Resource Centre in Glasgow. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Autism Studies from the University of Strathclyde and a BA Social Sciences from the University of Strathclyde.

Maria is responsible for ensuring that our staff integrate into clients sites. She provides Autism awareness training and employer support in addition to general account management.