Calum Ross
Managing Director & Proprietor, Loch Melfort Hotel
Calum has been living and working in the Highlands since 2008. He bought the now 4* Loch Melfort Hotel, near Oban, with his wife Rachel and combines the challenges of small business ownership with a consultancy business, mentoring and advising SMEs.
He was appointed to the board of Highlands & Islands Enterprise in October 2018 and was appointed to the Court of UHI (University of the Highlands and Islands) in January 2022. He was a board member of VisitScotland from 2013 until 2019 and served as non-executive Chairman of Midton Acrylics in Lochgilphead for two years until March 2020.
He continues to hold several other voluntary board positions in addition to his role as a Director of the Scottish Tourism Alliance; he is director of Argyll & the Isles Tourism Co-operative Ltd, Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards and the Chair of Arduaine Garden Friends. He is also a former Chair of Oban and Lorn Tourism Alliance. He was a member of the national Tourism Leadership Group and served on the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce during COVID-19.
Calum has been involved in the hospitality industry throughout his career and, prior to purchasing the hotel, he was employed in food & beverage supply to the industry. Starting as a salesman in Scotland, he went on to gain considerable international experience of the foodservice/hospitality industry, the last decade of which was at board level spanning roles from Managing Director UK (with European Customer Development and Marketing responsibilities) to Chief Operating Officer of Unilever Foodsolutions, Latin America based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. During this time Calum sat on the boards of Unilever UK, Foodsolutions Europe and latterly Foodsolutions Global.
Calum and his family live in their home in the grounds of the hotel with their Highland Cows, goats, hens and dogs. As a traditional Scottish musician since childhood, Gaelic culture and music have been strong influences in his life and continue to be so through his youngest son’s education at the local Gaelic Medium School.