Name – David Scotland

Trustee Role – Chair of Trustees

BRF Trustee since - 2021

 

Meet David Scotland..

Day to day, David is Chairman of The Preston Associates - a large international executive coaching company. Previously David’s career was in the global, branded, wine and spirits sector, working ultimately for Allied Domecq PLC. He has served on the Boards of several other PLCs including Inchcape and The Thompson Travel Group. His other Chairmanships have included the C&C Group and two international Family Offices.

David and his Wife Annie are both from Bath and their sons’ families also live in the area. Indeed, family life accounts for a large part of how he spends his spare time. David also enjoys active sports including skiing and sailing.

Why did David want to become a Trustee of Bath Rugby Foundation?

David has been a Bath Rugby supporter since he was a child, but this was not the main driving force behind him becoming a Trustee. David believes everyone should have a fair start in life and knows sadly that is not the case for many. David describes becoming a Trustee as a ‘no brainer’, he sees the value in using the power of sport, the outdoors, and the intervention of helpful people to boost and make significant impact on the nurturing and development of people who otherwise may not ordinarily receive such support.

How does David wish to add most value to the Foundation as a Trustee?

David is an extremely energetic individual; he wants to bring this energy with him and utilise it to add value at every level of the charity.

As well as being Chair of Trustees, David is a volunteer, and he can often be seen rolling up his sleeves to get involved with the delivery of programmes including Breakout and the learning academy, Bath Rugby HITZ. David feels that he wouldn’t personally want to be involved in a charity where he doesn’t engage at every level, to be able to fully understand the workings so that he can best support the growth and development of what the charity has to offer to the wider community.

In terms of adding value to the bigger picture, David wants to bring his experience in talent development to the Foundation, to nurture and to develop both team and programme participants. David recognises that the role of Trustees is very much to ensure safeguarding, governance, implement strategy and support the CEO with the growth of the charity. He believes that it is important that Trustees challenge the workings and strategies of a charity, not for negative reasons but to push it through the pain barriers of growth.

David’s hopes and aspirations for the future of Bath Rugby Foundation…

David hopes the Foundation manages its future bravely with flexibility and learning, to be adaptable and ready for the next phase of what is needed from it, and as much as possible, following the goals and objectives of the people in it.