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Board of Directors

The HSD Board

Overall responsibility for the administration of the School lies with the Board of Directors, with Board members being elected by bodies within the School and business communities.

David Thomson

Chair of the Board

David Thomson

I was appointed to the Board in August 2020, taking on the role of Chair in March 2024. I am a Director of DC Thomson & Co Ltd., an international media and investment business which has had its roots in Dundee for over 100 years. My three children are all currently being educated at the High School and I am also a former pupil. I am a qualified CA, having trained with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Edinburgh. I spent 3 1/2 years in the Audit Department before moving to the Public Private partnership team and joined DC Thomson in 2003. I previously sat on the V&A Dundee Board where I chaired the Finance & Risk Committee. I currently am a trustee on the V&A Dundee Foundation. I am a non-executive on British Ice Skating and also sit on the Advisory Board for Eden Scotland.

Katie Hughes

Vice Chair, Nominated by the Old Girls

Katie Hughes

I was delighted to join the Board in January 2023 and became Joint Vice Chair a year later. I am a dedicated marketing professional with over 20 years’ experience, gained both agency and client side. I run my own established business and marketing consultancy, working with a wide range of organisations to deliver strategic, creative, and commercially effective campaigns. My work spans multiple sectors, and I am proud to have built long-standing partnerships and have a strong reputation for results. I also train communication professionals and offer leadership mentoring. I have a particular interest in education marketing and have trained and developed in-school marketing professionals through the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS). I am a Former Pupil of the School and a current Junior School parent. In my spare time, I’m a keen equestrian and an avid rugby supporter — from P5 Dundee Eagles to the Ireland national team!

Peter Grewar

Vice Chair, Nominated by the Old Boys

Peter Grewar

I am a farmer based near Coupar Angus where we specialise in potato and vegetable crops as well as growing cereals and oilseeds. Grewar Farming is a modern agricultural business farming land across Perthshire, Angus and as far North as The Black Isle and Easter Ross. I also currently chair the Board at East of Scotland Farmers, which is an agricultural cooperative whose main purpose is the handling and marketing of nearly 200 members' grain, mainly to supply the whisky industry. Educated at HSD, before further study at both the Scottish Agricultural College and Edinburgh University. My wife Lucy also attended HSD and our 3 children are currently at the school. In my spare time I enjoy skiing, long distance walks and cycling. In June 2021 I walked the 105 mile distance between one of our farms on the Black Isle and our home farm at Coupar Angus, non-stop in a time of 32.5 hours raising money for Cancer Research.

Graham Binnie

Co-Opted Director

Graham Binnie

I was appointed to the Board in 2025 having recently retired from 29 years in Policing, with both Tayside Police and Police Scotland. Recent roles include Area Commander of Perth and Kinross, Superintendent in Tayside Division responsible for key partnerships and secondment to Scottish Government as Programme Director for Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC),. I spent a large part of my policing career dedicated to public protection and safeguarding. I have a daughter at the University of Dundee and a son in Form 5 at HSD. My spare time is largely spent in sport, and whilst my participation these days is largely confined to golf, gyms and Saturday morning at Mayfield, I am a Level 2 rugby coach, have coached boys and girls teams at Perthshire RFC from Primary 1 to adult and have worked with Scottish Rugby at Regional Player Development Hubs. I currently volunteer as Head of Development at Perthshire RFC and sit on the Perthshire Community Rugby Trust.

Scott Campbell

Co-opted Director

Scott Campbell

I was delighted to join the Board in August 2024 as an FP of the school. I am a Solicitor by trade having studied law at Dundee University and then founded a local Law Firm more than 20 years ago which I continue to run. I have an entrepreneurial mindset and co-founded Snappy Shopper (an e-commerce business) several years ago which is based in Dundee. My son attends the lower school and I have a strong interest in the continued success of the school. I enjoy to read, travel and follow my local football team. I enjoying playing football and golf (both badly!).

Lauren Chamberlain

Co-opted Director

Lauren Chamberlain

I was appointed to the Board in August 2024 as an FP and former Head Girl of the High School. I am a qualified solicitor, having studied at Oxford University and trained with Slaughter and May in London and Hong Kong. My work took me to Sydney, Australia for a few years before the COVID-19 pandemic brought me, my husband and children back to the UK to be closer to family. My children attend a prep school close to where we live in Warwickshire. I am passionate about ensuring the future continued success of independent education in this country and bring an international perspective from seeing how other countries manage their education systems. I enjoy skiing, running and spending time with my kids who are growing up so quickly.

Bruce Donaldson

Nominated By Nine Trades Of Dundee

Bruce Donaldson

I am excited at the opportunity to contribute and help shape the future direction of the school that I am a former pupil of. On a community level I am the Ex- regional Chair for Young Enterprise Scotland. I am also the current Education Convener and Trustee for The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee and as such have a close hand in looking to further the trades involvement in education within the city on a range of levels. I am also a trustee of The Dundee Educational Trust that looks to support students financially through their College and University journey. I have worked locally as a Civil Engineer; worked as a professional musician throughout the UK and Europe; set up a successful food and drink business covering all of Scotland and beyond; and my most recent role as Sector Development Lead for the Science, Engineering, Construction and Land based departments at Dundee and Angus College.

Jane Gilchrist

Co-Opted Director

Jane Gilchrist

I was delighted to join the Board of the High School of Dundee in August 2026. I am a Founding Partner at New Town Hanover, an executive search and leadership advisory firm. Over the past 15 years I have worked with organisations ranging from entrepreneurial businesses to listed companies, private equity-backed organisations and charities, helping them attract exceptional leaders and build high-performing teams. My work has given me a broad perspective across many sectors, with particular expertise in leadership, governance, succession planning and organisational development. I have a personal connection to Dundee and the surrounding area, having grown up in nearby Perth and graduated from the University of St Andrews. As a mum of three children in independent education, I understand the importance of providing young people with an education that inspires confidence, ambition and curiosity. Outside of work, I enjoy anything that gets me outdoors, particularly travelling, dog walks, horse riding, skiing and outdoor swimming.'

Damian Grech

Co-Opted Director

Damian Grech

With software and data engineering background, I have worked across a number of organisations and industries helping deliver large-scale technology initiatives. Today, I lead a global team of professionals at a global bank, focusing on data management and AI initiatives. Beyond my professional roles, I serve as a board member at The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, where I helped strengthen links between industry, academia, and education. I believe strongly in the transformative power of learning and was excited to join the High School of Dundee board in 2025 to support in its mission to nurture talent, inspire curiosity, and help every student achieve their full potential. In my free time during the weekends, you can find me building complex Lego sets, watching Formula 1, or hiking.

Hannah Lord

Co-opted Director

Hannah Lord

Born in Exeter, I was schooled at Bedford High School for Girls, where I was Head Girl. I travelled widely in a year out, and studied Medicine at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals, London. After graduating, I trained in Medicine and Oncology in Edinburgh. I enjoyed a Fellowship in cancer research at the Institute Gustave Roussy, Paris, before becoming a Consultant here at Ninewells Hospital in 2009, where I continue to work. I have had leadership roles in the NHS, held teaching positions for medical students at Dundee University, and I have been on the Board of Directors for the West End Tennis Club, where I was particularly active in fundraising. I hold a strong desire to see the school flourish and thrive in the years ahead. I believe it must continue to identify every child's talent and develop that to its full potential.

Dr Bill Maxwell

Co-opted Director

Dr Bill Maxwell

I joined the Board in 2019 as a proud FP of the school. After studying Psychology at Oxford and gaining postgraduate degrees at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, I worked as an educational psychologist before joining HM Inspectorate of Education. After a series of roles in HMIE and the Scottish Government's Education Directorate between 2002 and 2008, I became HM Chief Inspector of Education and Training for Wales. Returning to Scotland to head up the Scottish inspectorate in 2010, I then became CEO of Education Scotland, a position I held until 2017. I currently work part-time as an international consultant, supporting projects that promote quality improvement in education systems in Europe and beyond. I am also Convenor of Audit and Risk for the Scottish Care Inspectorate, a member of the Board of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and a member of the British Council's Scotland Advisory Committee.

Jonny Petrie

Co-Opted Director

Jonny Petrie

My professional career has been largely shaped by sport, and I sit on the Board alongside my current role as Managing Director of Newcastle Red Bulls - working for Red Bull in their sporting ownership portfolio, running their investment into rugby. I relocated back from Northern Ireland, where I served as Ulster Rugby CEO for 6 years, running one of Europe's top professional clubs as well as the Governing Body for the sport in the Province. During this time, I was also a Board member of the United Rugby Championship and Chair of its Sporting & Regulatory Committee. Prior to that, I was also MD at Edinburgh Rugby and Group Head of Sponsorship for SSE - a role I took on after my retiral from a playing career which saw me win 45 international caps and have the honour of becoming the 106th Scotland Captain. I bring to the Board a broad range of executive and governance-level experience across commercial, operational, and strategic disciplines - experience I believe can add real value at a time of significant change within the education sector. It’s a real privilege to support the school I left in 1994, and which played such a formative role in both my personal and professional journey.

Graeme Reid

Nominated by the Guildry

Graeme Reid

Born in Newport and educated at the HSD (class of 1980). Thereafter I studied Computer Science at Edinburgh University. Initially, I worked in IT in the oil and brewing industries. I then spent 30 years working in procurement, initially for Diageo and latterly for GlaxoSmithKline, where I also completed an MBA. I have just retired (early) and I'm looking forward to bringing some of my business experience to benefit the HSD. I now live in Broughty Ferry with my wife, a retired teacher. I have two daughters and one grandson. I have been involved with various local 'service' clubs - Dundee Round Table, Broughty Ferry Rotary Club, Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee and The Guildry Incorporation of Dundee. I'm a trustee of the Nine Incorporated Trades, an Assessor with The Guildry and past president of The Old Boys' Club. I play racketball, golf. I'm a season ticket holder at Dundee Rugby and spend Saturday afternoons at Mayfield watching rather than playing rugby.

Donna Walker

Co-opted Director

Donna Walker

I am the Operations Director at Howden (Insurance Brokers), where I lead operational excellence, efficiency, and business transformation for the Corporate and Commercial Business across the UK. I have spent over 20 years in the insurance industry and my career has been shaped by a strong focus on collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence - experience I believe is directly relevant to supporting the strategic direction of the school. I studied Law with German at the University of Dundee and am a former pupil of Morrison’s Academy (the only team HSD play where I will have split allegiance!) As a parent of a pupil going into L7, I am passionate about supporting the school’s vision and contributing to its ongoing success. I’m keen to bring my professional experience to help in any way I can to support positive outcomes for all pupils. I also have an older daughter who is now in work, so I am able to offer a point of view from different perspectives. Outside of work, I like to challenge myself as much I can, recently completing a charity InsureTrek climbing Mount Toubkal in Morocco. Most of my time, however, is spent as a parent taxi.

Lizzi Nicoll

Co-opted Director

Lizzi Nicoll

A former pupil of the High School Of Dundee, I was delighted to be appointed to the Board in August 2025. I was privileged to kick start my career at Dundee Rep, and spent time in public facing roles with Perth Rep, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Radio Tay, and as the CEO of the Federation of Scottish Theatre, Scotland's peak body for the performing arts. A significant and unexpected move to Tasmania in 2008 saw me take up the post of Head of Marketing and Development for Tasmania's international arts festival, and after three years on the apple isle, I relocated to Sydney, working as Head of Development for the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Director of External Relations for Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Deputy Executive Director of Sydney Dance Company, Australia's pre-eminent contemporary dance ensemble. Family commitments brought me, my Australian husband and my newly acquired dual citizenship back home to Scotland's sunniest city and I am now enjoying the challenging role as Director of External Relations at the University of Dundee. I am passionate about ensuring that future generations of young people can enjoy the start in life that has given me so much.

Garry Westwater

Co-Opted Director

Garry Westwater

I was appointed to the Board in December 2022. Born in St Andrews, I was raised in Fife – though I consider Monifieth as my home these days. My career has spanned several sectors including manufacturing, Government, NHS, management consultancy (Deloitte) and my own company. However, since 1998 my time has been spent in Education. I have worked in several Universities and FE Colleges - and locally with the University of Dundee, Dundee College, and Dundee & Angus Colleges. Presently, I work for Bolton College/University of Bolton as Executive Director of Finance/Group Finance Director Designate, respectively. I hold several Non-Executive Director and Trusteeships also. Outside of work, I spend quality time with my wife, our four children and four granddaughters. My hobbies include travel, theatre and sports – particularly football and golf - and I am a member of Monifieth Golf Club.

Ivor Morton

Ex Officio Director
With extensive experience as a senior executive and business transformation leader, I have played a pivotal role in driving growth and revitalising organisations with annual turnovers ranging from $100 million to $4 billion, employing between 1,000 and 21,000 people across Asia, the United Kingdom and Ireland. My approach is grounded in a firm belief in confronting adversity head-on and converting challenges into opportunities through the talent and dedication of motivated teams. I am deeply committed to the long-term sustainability of the independent educational system, from which I personally benefitted at Uppingham School. In this time of challenge for the sector, the importance of experienced, value-driven leadership is more important than ever. Now based in Dundee and enjoying semi-retirement with my wife, Margot, I remain actively engaged in civic life and currently serve as Lord Dean of Guild of the Guildry of Dundee. I previously served as Past President of Claverhouse Rotary Club and Abertay Probus. I am a strong and committed supporter of the City of Dundee and its future prosperity.

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