Our Trustees
Eight trustees, headed by our Chair, Sandy Manson, have the overall responsibility for the management of the charity.
Adrian Astley Jones
Adrian has over 20 years’ experience in technology and commercial roles, ranging from Plc’s to early-stage startups, and 14 years’ experience in the Private Equity sector. He has worked on and been responsible for advising clients (on technology matters) on over 300 Private Equity and M&A deals across multiple sectors and geographies. As one of the first employees and former Chief Commercial Officer of Intuitus Advisory, Adrian played a key role in the merger with Endava Plc in late 2019 and went on to become Managing Director of Endava’s Private Equity Group. He is a graduate of the University of Dundee and Strathclyde Graduate Business School.
Alastair Salvesen
Alastair Salvesen CBE is a leading figure in the UK seafood industry and has been for over 35 years, receiving an honorary degree for his outstanding contribution to business and society from Cranfield University. Alastair Salvesen is also a Director of the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School Ltd, Dovecot Studios Ltd (one of the world’s leading contemporary tapestry studios), Archangel Investments Ltd and New Ingliston Ltd.
Harry Parker
Harry has worked in government, for museums and cultural organisations, for charities and in the arts. After education at Falmouth College of Arts and University College London, Harry joined the British Army, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was wounded in action and is now a double lower-limb amputee. He has written two books Anatomy of a Soldier (2016), and Hybrid Humans: Dispatches from the Frontiers of Man and Machine (2022), which explores ideas of disability and technology. Harry is currently the Deputy Director of the Royal Drawing School and lives in London. He loves to sea kayak in his spare time.
Judy Wagner (Vice Chair)
As a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Judy began her career as a Chartered Accountant and worked in commerce before co-founding FWB (now FWB Park Brown), an international executive search business with offices in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Houston, Texas. She is an Associate of the University of Edinburgh Business School and Joint Programme Director for the University’s Executive Women’s Leadership Programme and for the Non-Executive Director Programme.
Kirsty Lynagh
Kirsty is responsible for cultivating a high-performance culture at Seccl, and holds executive accountability for executive performance, people, communications and proposition. Kirsty’s human centric yet first principles approach has been shaped over twenty years, during which she has adopted non-traditional methods to delivering people strategies that enable inclusive, engaged and performing workplaces.
Lesley McPherson
Lesley is a communications and brand specialist who has led communications strategy in a number of major organisations, including Royal London, The Co-operative Bank, the City of Edinburgh Council, AEGON UK and the Association of British Insurers. Lesley is passionate about driving the positive impact of business in the community and has championed several corporate strategic charity partnerships. A Trustee of the National Library of Scotland for over 5 years, Lesley joined the board of SMC in September 2022.
Robin Dow
Robin is married to Sophie Dow, the founder of Salvesen Mindroom Centre. He has an extensive business background in marketing and general management. He is currently the chairman of a company specialising in infrastructure maintenance and MD of a property development company. As a Trustee, he has specific responsibility for Finance and Governance.
Sandy Manson (Chair)
In his professional capacity, Sandy is Chair and Head of Client Services at Johnston Carmichael, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers. He is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and joined Johnston Carmichael in 1991 where he was CEO from 2007 until 2019. Sandy is also a past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Sophie Dow
Sophie is our founder and the visionary behind our work which was inspired by her daughter, Annie, who has learning difficulties. A journalist and writer by profession, with 30 years of experience in the field, Sophie acts as Salvesen Mindroom Centre’s ambassador, constantly spreading the word about the charity and raising awareness of learning difficulties. She also undertakes special projects on Salvesen Mindroom Centre’s behalf. She is proud of her Swedish heritage and has managed to hang onto her accent despite having lived in the UK since 1982.
