Scottish Event Campus Strengthens Board With New Appointments

Scottish Event Campus Strengthens Board With New Appointments

From AG Barr & The Merchants House of Glasgow

Scotland’s biggest events campus, the SEC in Glasgow, has further strengthened its board with the appointment of two new members in AG Barr’s Jonathan Kemp and the Merchant House of Glasgow’s Vivien Currie.

Kemp currently serves as Commercial Director of AG Barr plc where he leads all sales and marketing activity associated with brands such as IRN-BRU and Rubicon.  He joined the board of AG Barr back in 2003.

Previously, Kemp worked as a researcher at the House of Commons and studied Economics at Liverpool University before joining Procter & Gamble where he spent 12 years in a variety of customer, consumer and commercial roles. He is also closely associated with the University of Strathclyde where he carries out economics research and teaches "brand building" to final year Marketing students.

Commenting on his appointment Jonathan said: “The SEC is a hugely important asset to Scotland, and I’m delighted to be able to contribute to its continued success through this board position. It’s impact on a local and national level are significant, and the events the business facilitates have helped place Scotland firmly on the world stage. So, it’s an honour to now be part of that process.”

Currie is a Director of The Merchants House of Glasgow, the oldest social enterprise in the city, which provides benefits and grants to relieve poverty. She is also a Director of The Royal Stables in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, a historic equestrian centre in the heart of the city. 

Her executive career has included: Chief Executive of Ascot Racecourse and of Hamilton Park Racecourse Group, Non-Executive Director of the British Horseracing Authority, Vice Chairman of the Racecourse Association and part owner and Chief Executive of Livingston Football Club, which she took out of administration. She also sat on the Scottish Football League Management Committee, the first female in its over 100-year existence. 

A qualified Chartered Accountant via Ernst & Young, Currie worked in London, Australia and Glasgow before joining the global telecoms business Damovo as Director of Strategy, and later becoming Head of Global Sales & Solutions. She was also a member of Marie Curie’s Development Board for the Glasgow Hospice, and was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours in 2020 for her services to racecourse management, business and charity. 

Vivien said: “The SEC is a business I have known and admired for some time, so I’m delighted to take a seat on the board to help further the organisational goals set out by Peter Duthie and his team. There are many parallels that can be drawn between my experience and the sectors in which the SEC operates, and I look forward to working with the business in the weeks and months ahead.”

Peter Duthie, Chief Executive Officer at the SEC, added: “The experience and perspectives Jonathan and Vivien bring are as extensive as they are diverse, and we’re hugely excited to work with them as valued members of our board. We’ve already had the opportunity to hold our first meeting where they have instantly been able to add value to the business, so we’re looking forward to what he future holds with them on the team.”

-Ends-

About the SEC

Based by the river Clyde in Glasgow, the SEC is a world-leading conferencing, exhibitions and live entertainment events campus. It includes the 14,200 capacity OVO Hydro - one of the busiest live entertainment arenas in the world - and the SEC Armadillo, both designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners. The Armadillo is a Glasgow landmark with a unique style and purpose-built conference and entertainment facilities for up to 3,000. The third and largest of the venues on campus, SEC Centre offers five interconnected exhibition and event halls, and additional conferencing suites, with a combined area of over 22,000sqm.

In 2021, the SEC played host to COP26. A historic moment for the city, United Nations organisers praised the campus and its teams for their commitment to quality in all areas. With the highest number of in-person delegates attending any COP in history at 38,000 badged attendees, the UN also commented the conference was the most accessible in its history. COP26 was one of the largest events held anywhere in the world since the COVID19 Pandemic began. 

Previously known as the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC), the campus is operated by Scottish Event Campus Limited, which includes The OVO Hydro, SEC Armadillo, SEC Centre, car parks and surrounding land.