Our Board

Francesca Osowska joined the Scottish Funding Council as Chief Executive in January 2025.

She has a wealth of experience in public service, ranging from her role as Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister, through Scottish Government posts in education; justice; culture; external affairs; tourism; and housing and regeneration.

Immediately prior to joining SFC, Francesca was the Chief Executive of Scotland’s nature agency, NatureScot, where she led a major change programme to create clearer links to Scotland’s national priorities, including a focus on addressing the climate emergency.

After serving as Director for the Commonwealth Games and Sport, in 2015 Francesca was awarded an OBE for services to Government and the Commonwealth Games.

Professor Cara Aitchison is an established higher education leader with a track record of delivering successful organisational transformation. She served for over a decade as a University President and Vice-Chancellor (University Principal) in England and Wales, having previously been Head of Moray House School of Education at The University of Edinburgh.

Most recently, she was President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University (2016 -2024) where she led a successful programme of financial growth and cultural transformation recognised in a series of awards including: ‘UK and Ireland University of the Year 2021’ (Times Higher Education, 2021) and ‘Most Sustainable UK University 2022/23’ (People and Planet, 2022). She was also named one of the UK’s ‘Top 32 Business Heroes of Covid-19’ by Business Leader (July-August 2020) and is committed to working in partnership with staff, students, business, industry and government.

In addition to the Scottish Funding Council, Professor Aitchison holds current Scottish Government public appointments on the Boards of Visit Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and was previously a member of the Scottish Government Commission on Rural Education. Recent Council member roles include the Confederation of British Industry, Wales (CBI Cymru) (2018-24), All Party Parliamentary Universities Group (2022-24), and Academy of Social Sciences (2015-21). She has chaired a range of education and research bodies and committees over more than 20 years including, most recently, Quality and Qualifications Ireland Institutional Review Panel (2024), Welsh Government-Universities Wales’ Ukraine Higher Education Sector Group (2022-2024), Universities UK’s Advisory Group on Staff-Student Sexual Misconduct (2018-2022), and the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) Panel for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism (2010-2014).

She has been a Director of two research centres (University of Gloucestershire and UWE Bristol) and her research focuses on the role of education, culture, tourism and renewable energy in developing sustainable places, inclusive societies, and international relations. She is currently Honorary Professor in Education, Geography and Cultural Economy at Edinburgh University and Professor Emerita at Cardiff Metropolitan University

Professor Aitchison, who grew up in Stirling where she now lives again with her partner, has a degree in Geography from Edinburgh University, a PhD in Social Science from Bristol University, two further postgraduate degrees and a teaching qualification. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Royal Geographical Society, Learned Society of Wales, and the Higher Education Academy.

Register of Interests

Since February 2019, Lorna has been Chair of the Highlands & Islands Airports Limited, a Scottish Government owned company which runs 11 airports including Inverness and Dundee, having served as a Non-Executive Director and Audit committee Chair from 2014 to 2018. She served on the advisory board of the Isle of Man Airport from November 2023 to November 2024.

She is also Chair of wbg Holdings Ltd, a private sector company offering accountancy and tax services, through a network of offices across the UK.

She is also the Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of the Netherlands covering Scotland, connecting businesses and organisations between both countries, keeping the Embassy in London updated on important Scottish developments and helping Dutch citizens in emergency situations.

Lorna was Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland, the professional body of 12,200 Scottish Solicitors until December 2021. During her time there she led the Society’s staff team in delivering a programme of transformation and modernisation.

She previously served on the Court of Aberdeen University (2017-2019) and was a founding Trustee and Treasurer of McConnell International Foundation for a decade.

Lorna is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, and a graduate of the University of Aberdeen.

Lorna’s reappointment runs from 4 November 2023 to 3 November 2026.

Register of interests

David Alexander has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) since 1996 and has held a number of senior roles in local government, colleges and with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

David is currently Principal and Chief Executive at Gateshead College, taking up post in June 2021. Prior to this, David was Vice Principal at West College Scotland from 2013. He brings extensive knowledge and experience of public sector finance and the education sector and is a passionate advocate of lifelong learning.

His re-appointment runs from 3 October 2021 to 2 October 2025.

Register of interests

Born and raised in Ayrshire, Richard Armour MA MSc PhD JP is a graduate of Glasgow, Open and London universities. He has spent most of his career in higher education, initially in the UK but predominantly overseas, particularly in Hong Kong serving in faculty, administrative and leadership roles.

His most recent full-time appointment was Secretary General (CEO) of Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee (UGC) which is the government department responsible for planning and funding of the higher education sector. Prior to that he was Senior Advisor to the President and Chief of Staff at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Recently he has served as a council member of Research England (a constituent research funding council of UKRI).

Richard’s appointment runs from 29 June 2024 to 28 June 2028.

Register of Interests

Linda Hanna is an experienced leader and non-executive working across academia, public and private sectors focusing on innovation and major economic opportunities.

As a member of the Executive Team at Scottish Enterprise for 10 years, Linda worked nationally and internationally, helping accelerate strategic investment in different parts of Scotland and industries such as high-value manufacturing, life sciences, food and drink, data-driven innovation and the low-carbon economy. Working with partners, Linda supported entrepreneurs, industries and communities in Scotland to grow, innovate and create jobs.

With her keen interest in science, innovation and skills, Linda now pursues a portfolio of interests to continue to drive ideas and action that ultimately benefits people and builds sustainable solutions.

Linda’s appointment runs from 29 June 2024 to 28 June 2028.

Register of Interests

Mhairi Harrington has worked for over 40 years in Education with her experience spanning Primary Education, Youth and Community Work, Adult Education and most significantly Further and Higher Education.

Throughout that time she had held a variety of posts which have encompassed learning and teaching, curriculum design and quality, programme and project management, commercial development and marketing and all aspects of middle and senior management. Mhairi was also an Associate Assessor with HMIE for a period of seven years.

As Principal and Chief Executive of West Lothian College from 2008 – 2018 she had responsibility for Strategic Leadership and Governance for all areas and functions of the college.

Mhairi has served on a significant number of national, regional and local boards, committees and forums.  On behalf of the Scottish Government Mhairi is currently Chairing the Adult Learning Strategic Forum Scotland which is responsible for the review of community based Adult Learning.

She is also a Senior Fellow for the College Development Network and is a local board member for Family and Community Development West Lothian.

In 2015, Mhairi was awarded TES FE UK leader of the year in recognition of her collaborative leadership and partnership working. In 2016, she was awarded an OBE for Services to Education and in 2018 was honoured to be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Glasgow Herald Higher Education Awards Event.

Her re-appointment runs from 3 October 2021 to 2 October 2025.

Register of interests

Ewart Keep holds an (emeritus) Chair in Education, Training and Skills at the Department of Education, Oxford University.

Ewart has researched and written on the links between skills and economic performance; the interaction  between economic development, business support, innovation and education and training; the workplace as a learning environment; and adult and lifelong learning.

He has advised the UK government departments, parliamentary committees at Holyrood and Westminster, the OCED and the governments of Australia and New Zealand.

Ewart’s reappointment runs from 4 November 2023 to 3 November 2026.

Register of interests

Andy Kerr has considerable experience in high-performing organisations, chairing and being chaired by others, working to the Nolan principles and providing effective leadership and getting the best out of people, teams, committees and Boards.

Andy has chaired several high-level Boards such as the Chairs and Chief Executives of the NHS, a variety of Scottish Cabinet sub committees, he was formerly the chair of the Board of Quality Scotland and South Lanarkshire College. He has extensive knowledge of business and commerce both as policy maker and as a practitioner and has worked in the public, private and third sectors.

As chair of South Lanarkshire College, he oversaw a strategic plan which delivered a balanced budget, many prestigious third party accreditations and SLC is one of the highest performing colleges in Scotland. Andy shares with many the mission of changing lifetime opportunities for students supporting economic growth, matching ambitions of students to the economy and positive destinations.

Andy’s reappointment runs from 4 November 2023 to 3 November 2026.

Register of interests

Kate spent her 30-year career spanning education and financial services, initially qualifying as an accountant, then as a Charter Financial Analyst. Her roles saw her teaching finance across the UK and globally, before running a fixed income desk for a global bank. After leaving banking Kate returned to education in a number of leadership roles at Fitch Learning, LTG and more recently as CEO of Ivy House. She also served for 6 years on the Board, and as Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee, for the Office for Students between 2017 and 2023.

Kate’s appointment runs from 29 June 2024 to 28 June 2028.

Register of Interests

Peter Mathieson was educated in Cornwall and graduated in medicine with First Class Honours from the University of London in 1983.

Peter was awarded a PhD by the University of Cambridge in 1992 and became Director of Studies for Clinical Medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge following this.

In 1995 Peter moved to Bristol as the foundation Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Bristol where he was later appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008. He practised as a consultant nephrologist in the NHS in Bristol for 19 years. In April 2014, Peter assumed office as the President and Vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, a post he held until January 2018. He was knighted for services to higher education in 2023.

Peter is currently the Principal of the University of Edinburgh.

Peter’s reappointment runs from 4 November 2023 to 3 November 2026.

Register of interests

Irene McAra-McWilliam has international experience of creative leadership having worked as Director of Design Research for multinational Philips Electronics. She is currently Deputy Director Research & Innovation at The Glasgow School of Art and was responsible for establishing GSA’s Highlands and Islands Campus in Moray and the GSA’s new Innovation School. Irene was awarded an OBE in recognition of her work in Higher Education, Innovation and Design.

Irene’s reappointment runs from 4 November 2023 to 3 November 2026.

Register of interests

Alison is a Senior Leader and Qualified Accountant with extensive experience in corporate finance, strategic and functional leadership, transformational client centric change, and P&L delivery within the financial services sector. Alison qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG and went on to hold a variety of leadership roles within Corporate and Commercial Banking and Workplace Pensions for Lloyds Banking Group. She is a strong believer in the power of individuals and their collective potential, and is passionate about making a difference by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion. Alison led her own business, manufacturing and selling extra protective iPad covers for those with additional support needs, and as well as Board positions for charities supporting people with disabilities in the past, she is currently a member of the Board of the Independent Living Fund.

Alison’s appointment runs from 29 June 2024 to 28 June 2028.

Register of Interests