Staff & Board

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

Gerry has been Chief Executive Officer of CEiS since February 2006 having previously been the founding Chief Executive of Social Firms UK.

Passionate about social enterprise, Gerry assisted the DTI to create the first Social Enterprise Strategy for the UK in 2001and was a founding director of the UK Social Enterprise Coalition (Social Enterprise UK). Gerry has since worked with governments and partners in Scotland, Australia, Canada, Europe and USA to develop national and regional social enterprise policy in order to create the best possible environment for social enterprise to flourish.

Gerry is currently a director of DSL Business Finance, CEiS Ayrshire, Catalyst Catering, Social Value Lab, Social Innovation Scotland, Ready for Business LLP and is a member of the Economic and Social Research Council Peer Review College. Having established the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) in 2008, Gerry is director of the Community Interest Company that provides the secretariat support as SEWF prepares for annual events in Calgary (2013) and Seoul (2014).

As a partner in the Developing Public Sector Markets for Third Sector Providers project Gerry is working with the Ready for Business partners and subcontractors to assist public authorities with sustainable procurement actions to improve commissioning and partnership with third sector organisations. Gerry worked with a range of social enterprise partners to establish the Just Enterprise consortium to deliver a national business support contract delivered by a consortium of 10 social enterprise providers, to support enterprising third sector organisations throughout Scotland with business growth and development support.

Telephone: 0141 425 2908

Email: fiona.mcclune@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
• 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. 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 2905
Email: patricia.sweeney@ceis.org.uk

Pat joined the Finance team in May 2011 and has experience within the public & private sector dealing with Finance & Payroll

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 2941
Email: stephen.cullen@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• B.A (Hons) Business Studies (Specialising in Financial Studies)

Stephen joined CEiS in February 2013. Stephen is a 360⁰ strategic marketing Consultant bringing integrated marketing through both Traditional and Digital promotion. With significant experience as a National Account Manager he also aligns Consultancy selling with negotiation and Sales Training.

His career journey brings experience from the FMCG sector, the  Construction industry, Transportation, Financial Services, Engineering, and Property markets. Although mainly from a private sector background Stephen has delivered online marketing expertise to the Third sector and also within Local government; and lists web design, “writing for the web” and paid and organic search within his portfolio of skills.

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 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 2915
E-mail: jennifer.thomas@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• B.Eng (Hons) in Product Design Engineering

Jennifer provides research and analysis support to the business advisers in the Enterprise and Communities team, as well as directly to social enterprises, across a variety of different industry sectors.  She is involved in a range of primary and secondary research projects including mapping and feasibility studies, market assessments, and community and stakeholder consultations.

With over 12 year’s consultancy experience, her skills enable her to carry out assignments in a broad range of sectors and her background extends to industry, product/service and sectoral research.  Beyond her primary and secondary research and analysis skills, her core speciality is intelligence gathering, interpretation and information management.

Prior to joining CEiS, Jennifer was with New Media Partners, and Optimat, both strategic marketing consultancies where she contributed to many major reports and assignments for both private and public sector clients.

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 Johnston joined CEiS in January 2009. CEiS Events is the premier event management social enterprise in the UK, delivering a high standard of events of every size and scale. With an extensive portfolio and a wealth of experience and knowledge within the third sector, it offers a service that sets new standards in event management including an impressive track record of delivering successful national and international events.

Lynsey is responsible for running a range of events which have included The Social Enterprise Exchange in 2012, the CEiS Annual Conference from 2009 to 2012 (the largest social enterprise conference in Scotland), Social Enterprise World Forum visit programmes to Brazil, South Africa, the USA and Canada between 2010 and 2012 and the Social Firms UK and Europe Annual Conferences in 2012, 2010 and 2009.

Lynsey has further responsibility providing the Secretariat function for the Social Enterprise World Forum as it revolves continents on an annual basis where she provides remote support to the organisers in the lead up to the event and onsite support during the forum.

Lynsey also provides the marketing function for CEiS and its subsidiaries and in-house design.

Previously Lynsey spent 4 years at Kibble Education and Care Centre as their Marketing Officer in the Funding Marketing and Communications team.

Telephone: 0141 425 2926
Email: ryan.horan@ceis.org.uk

Qualifications:

• BA Marketing, Glasgow Caledonian University

Ryan joined CEiS Events in January 2012 to support the event manager with the delivery of The Social Enterprise Exchange. Ryan’s duties included website management, managing the online booking system, finance, sales, customer service and clinic management. Ryan was also responsible for the management and execution of the Argyll Study Visit, a post-event visit where 20 delegates were escorted on a two day bus trip to visit some of Scotland’s most pioneering social enterprises.

Ryan supports all events managed by CEiS and works on any element required. Ryan is currently coordinating a series of engagement events with the Ready for Business programme, a third sector led consortium composed of Ready for Business LLP, KPMG, Social Value Lab and MacRoberts LLP. He is responsible for locating and booking venues, delegate management, facilitating discussions, time management, venue set up and gathering of feedback.