Our directors are:
Ian Blackford, Chairman.
Ian spent almost twenty years in the city as a Fund Manager and a Investment Banker. He was Chief Executive of Nat West Markets Scotland as well as being Managing Director for the Dutch operations of Nat West Markets, Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank. Together with his wife Ann they established First Seer as a strategic management consultancy business.Currently Ian is a non-executive director of Commsworld, Edinburgh Bicycle Company and Golden Charter Trust. He also lecturer’s on leadership and management as well as company mentor. Ian stood for the Westminster Parliament on two occasions for the SNP as well as serving as the SNP’s National Treasurer..
Ann Blackford ,Director
Ann was born in Glasgow and is married with three children and three step-children. She worked for the Trade Union “Unison” for fourteen years and has also been an elected member of the Clydesdale District and South Lanarkshire Council for twelve years. Ann was leader of the opposition in South Lanarkshire for eight years and stood as a prospective candidate for the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Ann has also served on the “Children’s Panel” in Lanarkshire for four years,was on the Board of Clydesdale Housing Association for several years and a Justice of the Peace for eight years.
In 2003 she helped set-up a business with her husband named “First Seer” and now supports his work as a Management Consultant.
Ann and Ian bought a house in Glendale in 2003 and moved here on a permanent basis several years ago. Geary and Knockbreak in Waternish are the roots on Ann’s maternal side of the family.
Dave Perry Vice-chairman, Director
Born in London, Dave qualified as a Heating and Air Conditioning design engineer and worked in SE England until moving to Skye in 1992. After learning his building skills from renovating a 17th. century cottage in Sussex he started up as a Handyman on Skye working mainly in the Glendale area. He has been involved with The Glendale Trust since its formation.
Stuart Bell, Director,Treasurer
Stuart comes from Hampshire. Having been involved in the running of the British Association of Young Scientists, Stuart went to study Physics at the Royal College of Science(RCS), graduating in 1988. Stuart also jointly ran a vintage Dennis N-type fire engine in the RCS Motor Club, and was Chairman of this club as well as a driver of the appliance from 1987. He worked for Landrover Ltd. as a Design Engineer in diesel engines,designing components for engines such as the Landrover 300TDi and the Rover TCIe engine into the 200, 400, and 600 cars. He became a Development Engineer on Diesel Engine Electronic Calibration. Projects included the L-series and M47 Diesel engines in to Freelander, and the TDV6 engine into Discovery.From 2005, Stuart was the Technical Specialist covering Diesel control systems for Landrover and Jaguar.
He married Nancy in 1990,also a graduate, from the RCS, and they restored their first house in Solihull. They also founded the Rover P6 Drivers club. Stuart and Nancy moved to Holmisdale in 2008. He has moved all of his Rover and Landrover “projects” up to Skye (9 cars).
Currently Stuart is a joint partner in the Glendale Village Shop and Post Office, as well as conducting remote Calibration software Engineering for motor industry clients in the Midlands and the South East of England.
Ann Bowes Director
Ann achieved her ambition and moved to the island permanently in 2008. She was brought up in the Highlands and so far has traced her Skye ancestry back to the early 18th century.
Ann’s background is in Design and Exhibitions. She has worked in museums for around 25 years and latterly was part of a small team managing twelve museums and visitor centres & assisting other independent groups on the mainland.
Skye provides endless inspiration for her design work & digital photography.Ann has a life-long interest in Highland life and culture. Glendale and the surrounding areas offer various attractions for visitors and those fortunate enough to live here. Provision of a local museum in Glendale telling the story of the area’s unique heritage would draw greater numbers, boost the Gaelic language and provide exciting educational resources.
Fay Thomson was born in Feriniquarrie in Glendale and attended Borrodale School. Fay has been Highlands & Islands Manager for the Federation of Small Businesses for the past thirteen years and is currently based in Portree. Previous business roles include lecturing in Management, Politics and Economics; setting up and running a delicatessen and operating a guest house. Fay has recently renovated the family home in Feriniquarrie and hopes to make further improvements to the croft in the coming year. She has three children in their twenties: Scott; Stuart and Fiona. Scott and Fiona spend most of the year in Skye. Stuart is based in Edinburgh and visits regularly. Fay is studying for a degree in Gaelic on a part-time basis at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.