The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the management of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and providing strategic guidance to the Senior Management Team.
Trustees are appointed by Scottish Ministers for terms of four years, with the possibility of reappointment. The Board is accountable to Scottish Ministers through the Chair and is comprised of nine members.
Dominic has had a successful career as an Executive and Trustee spans retail, energy, the public sector, social mobility and the arts. He has over 30 years of experience in senior, strategic communications roles working with the Boards of large, complex and high profile organisations. Most recently as Director of Communications & Investor Relations for Marks & Spencer, Dominic’s responsibilities included the communication of M&S’ ethical and environmental Plan A during a decade on the M&S Management Board. Dominic combines strategic thinking with the conviction to get things done. He has proven influencing skills across issues, media, and reputation management, as well as a wide network of influential contacts in the UK and internationally. Dominic has strong commercial experience and has been involved with successful fundraising campaigns for several charities as a Trustee.
Ian has degrees in ecology and zoology and was Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage from 2002 until 2017, having worked for the organisation since 1992. He has extensive experience of biodiversity, conservation and environmental education, including at international level. From 2017 to 2019 Dr Jardine was National Adviser on Environmental Policy working with the Scottish Government.
Sarah holds the Chair in Food Security at Exeter University. Sarah studied at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (BSc, ARCS, DIC and PhD (Plant Pathology)) where she was awarded the Huxley Medal for her outstanding record of achievement. Sarah was a post-doctoral fellow at St Andrews University and a Reader and Professor at Oxford University where she held a Leverhulme Trust Royal Society Senior Research and a NESTA Fellowship. Sarah was the first woman President of The British Society of Plant Pathology (2011), and was recently appointed to The International Advisory Board at SLU University, Uppsala, and as Advisor to the Scottish Government on Plant Health (RESAS 2018). Sarah was a curator of the Oxford Botanic Garden for 20 years and is a Fellow of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In 2019 Sarah was listed amongst the most highly cited researchers into plant pathology worldwide and has authored or co-authored over 170 publications including 12 high profile papers in Science, Nature and Nature Journals. Sarah lectures on plant disease - with particular emphasis on fungal infestations - all over the world and is a regular contributor on the topic across a wide range of international and national media. Sarah has great empathy for RBGE’s mission and ethos and will make a significant contribution to the team as we continue to counter the twin threats of biodiversity loss and the climate emergency.
Liz is a strategic business development business consultant working with a diverse range of clients across the private, public and not for profit sectors. Prior to setting up her own business, Liz's career spanned over 20 years working in senior management roles in the UK airports sector for BAA airports and Global Infrastructure Partners both in the UK and internationally. Liz has been a non-executive director of a number of organisations including Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, Winchester Business Improvement District and Action Hampshire. Now based in Scotland, Liz is also a Non-Executive Director of James Hutton Limited. Liz believes strongly in the importance of connectivity, collaboration and partnership and will provide the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh with a wealth of experience on maximising the value of assets and infrastructure at a time of change.
Professor Cara Aitchison is Chair of the Scottish Funding Council (2025 -), a member of the Board of Visit Scotland (2023 -), Honorary Professor at The University of Edinburgh (2024 -) and Professor Emerita of Geography and Cultural Economy at Cardiff Metropolitan University (2024 -) where she was President and Vice-Chancellor from 2016 to 2024 and led a major programme of growth, diversification and improvement. She was previously Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Plymouth Marjon University, Head of Moray House School of Education and Professor of Social and Environmental Justice at The University of Edinburgh, and Professor in Human Geography and Director of the Centre for Leisure, Tourism and Society at the University of the West of England, Bristol. A geography graduate of The University of Edinburgh, Cara's research focuses on tourism and rural sustainability and cultural identity and inclusion. She has been Chair of the UK Research Excellence Framework Sub-Panel for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism, and has held Council positions with the Academy of Social Sciences, UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Universities, and CBI Wales. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Leaned Society of Wales, Royal Geographical Society, Academy of Social Sciences, and Higher Education Academy. Cara retired from a 36-year career in higher education in 2024 and has returned to live in Stirling where she grew up.
is Chief Scientist at Scottish Water and is responsible for their Scientific and Research and Innovation Services. Prior to that she was Professor of Water Technology and Director of Environmental Technology at Cranfield University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Society of Chemistry and is on the Boards of UK Water Industry Research and Scottish Water Horizons. Professor Cartmell is a chemist with a BSc (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from Imperial College, London.
Stella is the Chair of Scottish Leather Group, which creates sustainable leather for the world’s most respected companies. She has had a long career in food and drink supporting organisations to innovate and increase customer engagement, most recently as Chair of Eden Mill, the spirits company partnering with the University of St Andrews to create a new sustainable Distillery at St Andrews. Previous Board roles include, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Planet Organic, the UK’s largest fully certified organic supermarket, Genius Gluten Free and Heineken UK. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and previously served on its Strategy Board for Scotland, and has previous Trustee experience at Scottish Ensemble, spanning fundraising, creative learning work, and community engagement. She has a lifelong interest in sustainability, biodiversity and the world of plants.
Thanks to family links, plants and horticulture have always been present in Claire’s life. She studied floristry and indoor plants in Glasgow, before owning her own flower design business. Recently named in Horticulture Week’s 30 UK Indoor Plant/Houseplant Industry Leaders list, Claire has been part of the Dobbies team for over 14 years, where she is responsible for sourcing and buying houseplants and indoor pots, as well as bulbs and indoor grow your own products. For nine years, Claire has held a position on the assessment panel for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, notably as panel lead for six years, also completing a three-year tenure as Chair of Assessor for all RHS shows. Claire will bring her vast experience in plants and floristry; sourcing, buying and product development; visual merchandising; and marketing to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Ed Ikin FLI is Chief Executive of the Ernest Cook Trust, a leading educational charity, grantmaker, and major landowner. He is an experienced horticulturist with a deep commitment to connecting people with nature. Previously, Ed was Director of Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, where he led the creation of the American Prairie and the Nature Unlocked research programme. His earlier roles include Head Gardener at Nymans (National Trust) and Assistant Head Gardener at Chelsea Physic Garden. Ed is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute, a Clore Leadership Fellow, and a former Chair of the London Gardens Trust. He holds the RHS Master of Horticulture and an MA in Garden History. A published author on plants and horticulture, Ed has also delivered a TEDx talk on the role of botanic gardens.
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