Dame Sue has been a member of the Merchant Company since 2014 and served as an Assistant on the Master’s Court from 2016-2018. During her term as an Assistant, and for a period afterwards, she was a member of the Erskine Stewarts Melville Governing Council. She also served on the Education Board.
After graduating with a diploma from Jordanhill College of Education, (followed by a number of degrees), Sue had a tremendously successful and trail blazing career in local government, initially in community education and economic regeneration before broadening into wider council management and leadership roles. Among other positions, she served as Director of Education and Chief Executive Officer at East Dunbartonshire Council before moving to Aberdeen as Chief Executive of the City Council there. After 3 successful years in that role she relocated to Edinburgh and served as Chief Executive of the City Council – with her first day of duty starting with the Hogmanay party closing out 2010, until taking retirement in her fortieth year of service in 2015.
Since her ‘retirement’ Sue has held a number of Non-Executive director and trustee roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors with appointments including directorships or trusteeships with SSE PLC, the RSNO, and is Electoral Commissioner for Scotland. Additionally, she is currently Chair of the King’s Foundation and Convener of the Court at Strathclyde University, her alma mater. Since 2016 she has served as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the City of Edinburgh.
In the 2015 new years honours list Sue was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of her contribution to local government in Scotland. Sue splits her time between homes in Edinburgh and Stirlingshire and is married to John.