Our Board
Lady Ivory DL MA ARCM FRSA
Co-founder & Joint Chairman
DL; Founder and Director, since 1996 and Chair, since 2017, National Piping Centre (Deputy Chairman, 1999–2017)
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, King’s College Cambridge (MA), Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music (ARCM). Dir, 1988–97, Chm., 1995–97, Scottish Ballet; Dir, RSAMD, 1989–2002. Dir, Glasgow Internat. Piping Fest., 2004–. Trustee, Sri Lanka Reconciliation Music Trust, 2010–15. FRSA 1993. DL Edinburgh, 1998
DL; Founder and Director, since 1996 and Chair, since 2017, National Piping Centre (Deputy Chairman, 1999–2017)
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, King’s College Cambridge (MA), Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music (ARCM). Dir, 1988–97, Chm., 1995–97, Scottish Ballet; Dir, RSAMD, 1989–2002. Dir, Glasgow Internat. Piping Fest., 2004–. Trustee, Sri Lanka Reconciliation Music Trust, 2010–15. FRSA 1993. DL Edinburgh, 1998
Sir Brian Ivory CVO CBE FRSE FRSA MA CA
Co-founder & Joint Chairman
CA apprentice, Thomson McLintock, 1971–75; The Highland Distilleries Co., subseq. Highland Distillers plc: Dir, 1976–99; Man. Dir, 1988–94; Gp Chief Exec., 1994–97; Exec. Chm., 1997–99. Chairman: Macallan Distillers Ltd, 1997–99; Scottish American Investment Co. plc, 2000–16; Marathon Asset Mgt LLP, 2011–22; Dep. Chm., Shawbrook Bank Ltd, 2011–15; Director: Rémy Cointreau SA, 1991–2014; Bank of Scotland, 1998–2007; HBOS plc, 2001–07; Insight Investment Mgt Ltd, 2003–. Chm., Nat. Piping Centre, 1996–2017; Vice-Chm., Scottish Arts Council, 1988–92; Mem., Arts Council of GB, 1988–92; Chairman: Nat. Galleries of Scotland, 2000–09; Chm Gt Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust, 2011–17; The King’s Foundation 2011-2017, Trustee, Royal Collection Trust, 2021–. Chair, Governance and Nominations Cttee, St Andrews Univ., 2007–16. Mem., Royal Co. of Archers (King’s (formerly Queen’s) Body Guard for Scotland), 1996–. CIMgt 1997. FRSA 1993; FRSE 2001. Freeman, City of London, 1996. Paolozzi Gold Medal, Nat. Galls of Scotland, 2009
CA apprentice, Thomson McLintock, 1971–75; The Highland Distilleries Co., subseq. Highland Distillers plc: Dir, 1976–99; Man. Dir, 1988–94; Gp Chief Exec., 1994–97; Exec. Chm., 1997–99. Chairman: Macallan Distillers Ltd, 1997–99; Scottish American Investment Co. plc, 2000–16; Marathon Asset Mgt LLP, 2011–22; Dep. Chm., Shawbrook Bank Ltd, 2011–15; Director: Rémy Cointreau SA, 1991–2014; Bank of Scotland, 1998–2007; HBOS plc, 2001–07; Insight Investment Mgt Ltd, 2003–. Chm., Nat. Piping Centre, 1996–2017; Vice-Chm., Scottish Arts Council, 1988–92; Mem., Arts Council of GB, 1988–92; Chairman: Nat. Galleries of Scotland, 2000–09; Chm Gt Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust, 2011–17; The King’s Foundation 2011-2017, Trustee, Royal Collection Trust, 2021–. Chair, Governance and Nominations Cttee, St Andrews Univ., 2007–16. Mem., Royal Co. of Archers (King’s (formerly Queen’s) Body Guard for Scotland), 1996–. CIMgt 1997. FRSA 1993; FRSE 2001. Freeman, City of London, 1996. Paolozzi Gold Medal, Nat. Galls of Scotland, 2009
Fraser Morrison MA CA
Company Secretary
Fraser Morrison is a native of Perth. He is a Chartered Accountant with extensive UK and International Commercial, Legal and Financial experience, most notably in Scotch whisky & other Spirits Drinks, Communications & IT and Distribution & Logistics. He has specialised in Finance, Risk Management, Intellectual Properties & Business Development. He has been Secretary of the NPC since 1996 and a Trustee since 2003.
Fraser Morrison is a native of Perth. He is a Chartered Accountant with extensive UK and International Commercial, Legal and Financial experience, most notably in Scotch whisky & other Spirits Drinks, Communications & IT and Distribution & Logistics. He has specialised in Finance, Risk Management, Intellectual Properties & Business Development. He has been Secretary of the NPC since 1996 and a Trustee since 2003.
Colin J MacNeill WS LLB
Colin MacNeill joined the board of the National Piping Centre in 2018 when it acquired the College of Piping, where Colin had been chairman of the board and a director since 2015. Taught piping by his father, Dugald MacNeill, Colin has played in pipe bands, ceilidh bands and also competed as an amateur soloist. In 2023 he retired from a 30 year career as a corporate lawyer with Dickson Minto, where he specialised in mergers and acquisitions, investment funds and corporate governance. He is a trustee of Bethany Christian Trust and an elder in Newhaven Church, Edinburgh.
Prof Kirsteen C McCue MA DPhil FRSA FRSA
Kirsteen McCue is Professor of Scottish Literature and Song Culture at the University of Glasgow were she was Co -Director of the award-winning Centre for Robert Burns Studies (2007-22). She has edited the songs of Robert Burns (OUP) and James Hogg (EUP) and published widely on Scottish literature, on musical responses to Burns’s work and on national song. Most recently she has co-edited the works of the Perthshire poet William Soutar (Tippermuir Books). She began her working life as Manager of the Scottish Music (Information) Centre in the 1990s, also working for the BBC and the Edinburgh International Festival. She has been involved with several Scottish musical organisations since then, serving on the Boards of Enterprise Music Scotland, the Keynote Trust and, most recently, the award-winning Dunedin Consort. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2024. She joined the Board of NPC in 2019.
Alan S Robertson BSc DipLE FRICS
Alan Robertson is a Chartered Surveyor specialising in commercial property and spent most of his career with JLL, the global real estate consultancy. At various times he was based in Edinburgh, Istanbul and laterally Dubai, where he served as CEO for the firm in the Middle East & North Africa region. He is now retired and living in Edinburgh where he has a portfolio of part time commercial and voluntary activities.
He is experienced in education and charity governance, with current appointments including membership of the Court of Heriot-Watt University. Previously, he served as Master of the Royal Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh and Chair of the governing council of Erskine Stewarts Melville Schools.
He took up piping in his late 20’s and is a pupil at the NPC. Other hobbies include golf, skiing, cycling and bird watching.
Our Governance Structure
- The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors, supported by the Commercial Director and Director of Piping, who both report directly to the Board and contribute to setting strategy and policy.
- Financial oversight is provided through the Finance Committee, with regular reporting and accountability from senior staff, supported by an experienced internal finance team.
- The Board are committed to ensuring academic excellence and maintaining our place as the globally recognised standard for piping teaching and education. The Education Committee maintains an independent link to the Board to report on progress.
- The Board also maintains a steadfast commitment to EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity). The EDI Working Group maintains a direct and independent link to the board. Our EDI Action Plan is reviewed at every board meeting with the inclusion of Access & Safeguarding.
Our Patron:
HM The King
We are honoured to have His Majesty King Charles III as our Patron.
His longstanding support for traditional arts and culture reflects a shared commitment to preserving and promoting Scotland’s rich musical heritage. His patronage is a valued endorsement of our work and an inspiration to all those we represent.
