What we do and who we are
We have pooled our experience to offer a wide range of services including:-
- Observatory - indentifying best practice, innovation and partnership project opportunities
- Foresight - news from market, economic, climate change outlook placed in a H&I context
- Strategy support - working with clients to develop appropriate positional papers
- Scrutiny - provision of commentaries on draft legislation and regulations
- Focus groups - construction and servicing of standing or ad hoc groups.
- Periodic briefings - providing customers with summary of current and upcoming topics of concern or interest.
- Modelling - impact of policy change
- Trend Analysis - monitoring trends and examining cause and effect
- Liaison - developing and servicing communications with Scottish Parliament and European Parliament
- Project Development and Management
The Team comprises:-
Sarah Allen – Expertise in rural development policy and strategy in Scotland. Well connected with rural organisations in the Highlands and Islands. Proven track record in the agriculture and crofting sectors and well placed to integrate their requirements to the benefit of rural communities. Excellent knowledge of public sector governance and corporate responsibilities.
Frank Gaskell – 20 years experience of national, European and wider international liaison specialising in rural and regional development policy and transnational programme and project design. Current and past representative of rural interests on European Commission and FAO committees. Registered expert with European Commission. Past Chair of Highlands and Islands LEADER Monitoring Committee.
Davie MacLeod - Wide knowledge of Scottish agriculture, crofting and rural development combined with long experience working inside government on delivery and policy agendas. Farmer in his own right and brings an up to date practical understanding of issues affecting agriculture and rural communities. Has worked in the industry in a professional capacity from the Borders to Shetland and has a unique overview of Scotland’s rural diversity.
Becky Shaw – Experienced and well-connected rural development professional, working at regional and national level on policy issues and project development and implementation. Qualified in Law and Sustainable Rural Development. Has a hill farming background and was Land Use Programme Manager with the Scottish Crofting Foundation. Member of Committee of Inquiry on Crofting.
Bob Stubbs – An experienced policy and strategic planning specialist in the forest industries; agriculture and food and drink sectors. Over 25 years practical track record of developing rural development initiatives in the Highlands and Islands and well connected at National Policy level. Represents sectoral interests on a number of National policy forums.
Download a PDF example of our work (420k).
