Meet the Board

Maureen is the former Chief Executive of Falkirk Community Trust and a key leader in the development of The Helix, Home of the Kelpies. Maureen has held various board positions in the sport, recreation and culture sector. Currently Vice Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland and a board member of Sport Scotland, Maureen is an experienced leader in the Scottish recreation culture, sport and tourism community. Maureen’s interested in strategic development and placemaking to improve health and well-being while contributing to the tourism offer in Scotland. Maureen lives in Stirling and enjoys swimming, cycling and walking.
 

Neil McDonald brings to the board extensive technical, supply chain and business skills from his long international career with a number of blue chip global organisations. In his roles leading multi-country teams for Coca-Cola, there were always a common themes of achieving business growth whilst not compromising on quality, safety and sustainability. In addition to delivering large scale projects and strategic initiatives, Neil is also passionate about encouraging entrepreneurs and business start-ups, acting as a judge for Scottish Edge and a mentor and coach for Entrepreneurial Scotland. He is a non executive director of RYA Scotland, the national sporting body for sailing. Living in Perthshire, he stays active cycling, running and enjoying the outdoors.

Colette is an experienced consultant whose career spans both the public and private sectors across a wide range of industries and is delighted to be joining Scottish Canals. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Colette began her career in private practice before spending a decade working in economic regeneration, where she developed particular expertise in stakeholder engagement. She subsequently moved into further education, spending ten years building partnerships between colleges, businesses and the wider education sector. 

Robert McGregor is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. He has worked in transport for Network Rail in commercial and operational roles and then for London 2012 where he helped develop, test and run an Olympic Park control centre. Rob brings experience in corporate strategy, Board governance and risk. Until recently he worked for the Financial Conduct Authority supervising financial services firms and now works for the Scottish Government in regulation and International Trade. 

Michelle Wailes is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales with over 20 years’ experience in the professional and financial services industries and the public sector. She started her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, working in the Government and Public Sector team. During this time she was engaged on the delivery of statutory audit services, internal audit services and specialist advisory projects across a wide range of Public and Private Sector Bodies in Scotland and the South East of England. She then spent over a decade working at the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Group where she gained extensive experience in internal audit, risk and corporate governance. Michelle is currently a Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at the Scottish Qualifications Authority, and a member of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner Audit and Accountability Committee.

Robin has extensive experience working within the public and charity sectors, and is the former Chief Executive of West Lothian Leisure and Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust. He is currently a Board member of Scotland’s charity regulator (OCSR), Sportscotland’s Trust Company and Chair of Community Leisure Scotland (the organisation that represents leisure and cultural trusts). Robin is passionate about promoting the benefits of physical activity and the power of the natural environment to improve people’s health and wellbeing.