The Spey Catchment Initiative (SCI) began in 2010 as a partnership between public bodies, land managers, environmental organisations and community interests, working together to improve the health and resilience of the River Spey and its catchment. It was guided by a Steering Group made-up of all its partner organisations.
In 2022 SCI became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO number SC052191), strengthening our governance and increasing our ambitions, enabling us to deliver long-term restoration and nature-based projects across the catchment in line with Our Strategy. It is a two-tier SCIO, with a Board of Trustees sitting above the Steering Group (recently re-named Advisory Group).
How we are structured
To ensure our work is transparent, collaborative and informed by a wide range of expertise, SCI has three key components in its governance:
1. Board of Trustees
Our Board provides overall leadership and ensures that SCI delivers its charitable aims responsibly.
Trustees help set strategy, oversee finances, approve major decisions and support the staff team. They are also legally responsible for the SCIO and ensuring it is run correctly.
Meet our Trustees:
- Martin Gilbert, Vice-Chairman, Standard Life Aberdeen (SCI Chairman) (Linkedin profile)
- Michael Alexander, Global Head of Sustainability, Diageo (Linkedin profile)
- Andy Ford, Director of Nature & Climate Change, Cairngorms National Park Authority (Linkedin profile)
- Alison Baker, Director of Restoration, Atlantic Salmon Trust (Linkedin profile)
- Susie Swift, Consultant Chartered Accountant , Saffrey (Linkedin profile)
- Angus Easton, Solicitor and Partner, Mackinnons (Co-optee & Legal Advisor) (Linkedin profile)
2. Advisory Group
Our Advisory Group is made up of a cross-section of organisations and individuals with an interest in the Spey catchment, who share SCI’s aims and actively support our work.
The Advisory Group meets two or three times per year, including after our Annual General Meeting, and once for a field visit to see our projects first-hand. These meetings help maintain a strong connection between SCI’s work and its partners, staff and the communities we serve.
What do our Advisory Group do?
- contribute local knowledge and partner perspectives to work and priorities
- help ensure SCI remains collaborative and transparent
- give relevant updates from their organisations, which could influence or impact SCI strategy or work
- approve trustee appointments
To see a full list of the organisations which make up our advisory group visit our here.
Advisory Committee
To ensure our work is technically robust and aligned with catchment needs, a small group of specialists, from the wider Advisory Group, are invited to form our Advisory Committee.
What does the Advisory Committee do?
- offers technical and specialist local insight
- reviews progress and project priorities
- provides advice on project prioritisation, development, opportunities and challenges across the catchment, in order to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
The Committee’s advice helps ensure SCI’s work remains well-informed, practical and aligned with wider catchment needs.
Meet our Advisory Committee Members:
- Ewan Harris, Savills
- Dr Sally Mackenzie, Cairngorm National Park Authority
- Jonathan Hart, Jahama Highland Estates
- Duncan Ferguson, Spey Fishery Board
- Anne Elliot, Nature Scot
- Duncan Pirie, Diageo
- Stephan Walker, Scottish Water
- Spey Catchment Initiative staff including Chief Executive, Roger Knight
3. SCI Members
SCI is a membership organisation. Most of our members are organisations represented on our Advisory Group, although we also have a small number of individual members, principally so that they can be appointed as .Trustees.
All members are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting and have the power to:
- vote on trustee appointments
- vote on proposed changes to our constitution
Members play an important role in ensuring SCI remains open, accountable and representative of the many interests across the Spey catchment.
You can view Our Constitution here.
How we operate
Day-to-day delivery is carried out by our staff team, who manage projects, work with landowners and communities, secure funding, and report to both the Board, Advisory Committee and wider membership group.
Find out more about Our Team.
Our commitment to transparency
As a registered Scottish charity (SC052191), we are regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
We publish each year:
our Annual Review
our Financial Statements
These documents are available to view and download on our Publications page so that anyone can see how we are run and how we use charitable funds.