We are delighted to announce two key appointments to drive the delivery of our mission of enhancing relationships between the culture and business sectors.
David Nelson will assume the newly created role of Head of Development and Programmes from October. With extensive experience in development and fundraising, including a decade at the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, latterly as their Partnerships Manager, David is well-positioned for his new role spearheading the future development of the Culture & Business Marketplace Scotland (C&BS Marketplace) initiative. Launched last May, the Marketplace acts as an innovative platform for forging connections between the two sectors, enabling businesses to fill a gap within their practices by utilising the skills offered by creative organisations.
Working alongside our Chief Executive, David Watt, and other members of our senior management team, David will be responsible for promoting the values and purpose of the Marketplace, as well as its counterpart Culture & Business Scotland Fund (C&BS Fund), amongst key influencers, stakeholders and potential users from the business and creative industries. David’s role will involve not only helping cultural organisations to adapt to an ever-changing economic and public funding backdrop, but also delivering new opportunities for creative skills to address challenges within the business sector.
David Nelson said: “I’m really looking forward to joining Culture and Business Scotland at such an exciting time, as the organisation continues to take its new strategic plan forward. With the Fund helping to support cultural projects and the Marketplace having so much potential to unlock creative solutions for businesses, I believe we can cultivate deeper collaboration and connections between the two sectors and provide stepping stones to sustainable partnerships.”
As Head of Development and Programmes, David will work in tandem with Tommy McCormick, who has been appointed as Marketplace Manager. Having previously worked in a range of commercial sponsorship and fundraising roles within Scottish cultural organisations, Tommy is already well-established within C&BS, having managed the fund for creative projects for the last fourteen months. Continuing with dual responsibility for the C&BS Fund and the C&BS Marketplace, Tommy’s role will involve deepening and developing relationships between participating businesses and their arts, heritage and culture-based partners, and building on the successful reception that the Marketplace has already received.
Tommy McCormick said: “Having been involved in the Marketplace since its inception, it’s been extremely rewarding to watch the inspiration for it take root and develop into a unique tool for businesses and creative organisations alike. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow the Marketplace platform and helping businesses and cultural organisations to create mutually enriching and enduring partnerships.”
David Watt, Chief Executive of Culture & Business Scotland, added: “We’re delighted to welcome David and Tommy to their new roles within Culture & Business Scotland. Our goal is to awaken the huge potential contained within collaborative work between these two industries, and David and Tommy’s indispensable skills and knowledge will help us deliver on our goal of strengthening connections between two of Scotland’s most economically powerful sectors.”
