“The Signature Gathering” – Welcome Drinks and a Four Course Dinner
Monday 9th March 2026 | The John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Headline Dinner Sponsors Glasgow Airport and Logan Air
Please be advised that the programme is subject to change.
During the reception and over dinner hear the thoughts of national leaders and inspirational people that are at the very top of their game!
Timings:
19:00 – 19:45 Welcome and Networking Reception
19:45 – 22:15 Four Course Gala dinner, curated by Heritage Portfolio, with Guest Speakers:
Kirsty McNeill MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Business and Employment
Rebecca Brooks – Scottish Tourism Alliance Chair
Rowen Shepherd – Former Scotland International Rugby Player
Hollie Davidson – Professional Rugby Referee and International Match Official
22:30 Carriages
Exterior and dining area in the John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Image credit: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Dinner Speakers:
Kirsty McNeil MP – The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Kirsty McNeill is the Scottish Labour and Co-operative MP for Midlothian and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland.
Immediately before her election to parliament Kirsty was an Executive Director at Save the Children, leading a team of 160 to deliver practical support to families across the UK and award-winning campaigns on international development and humanitarian action.
Between 2007 and 2011 she was an advisor to Gordon Brown, working first with him in Downing Street when he was prime minister and latterly with Gordon and his wife Sarah on their charitable and social change projects.
She has extensive non-executive experience having chaired IPPR, the Civic Power Fund, Larger Us and the advisory board of Our Scottish Future. She is a former board member of The Center for Countering Digital Hate, The Labour Climate and Environment Forum, The Climate Coalition, The Holocaust Educational Trust and The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. She was a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations alongside foreign ministers, former prime ministers and leaders from NATO.
She is the co-author of a Fabian Society pamphlet (Counter Culture: How to resist the culture wars and build 21st century solidarity) and author of chapters in two recent books (Raising the Nation and Children’s Experience, Participation and Rights During COVID-19). She has written for outlets including the Telegraph, Times, Observer, Guardian, New Statesman and Scotsman.
Richard Lochhead MSP – Minister for Business and Employment
Richard Lochhead has represented the Moray Constituency in the Scottish Parliament since 2006. Prior to that, Mr Lochhead represented North East Scotland from 1999 to 2006.
He attended Williamwood High School in Clarkston and Central College of Commerce in Glasgow, before graduating in Political Studies from the University of Stirling. Immediately prior to his election, he worked as an economic development officer for Dundee City Council.
Mr Lochhead previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment between 2007 and 2016, and was appointed Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade in March 2023. Mr Lochhead was appointed as Minister for Business in May 2024.
Rebecca Brooks – Chair, STA & Managing Director of Abbey UK, Director/Owner of the Abbey Group
Rebecca Brooks is Managing Director of Abbey UK and a Director/Owner of the Abbey Group.
A graduate of St Andrews University, graduating in Modern History, Rebecca has worked in international inbound tourism since 2001.
She served on the VisitScotland board from 2015 until 2023. Rebecca is also Chair of UK In-bound (19 February 2024) and a former chair of the Scottish Destination Management Association. Rebecca was a member of the Scottish Government appointed Tourism Recovery Taskforce in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and former member of the Westminster Tourism council. Rebecca was voted one of Scotland’s 100 women in Tourism in 2018 and 2020 and was awarded the UK Inbound chairman’s award for Excellence for Services to tourism in 2022.
Rowen Shepherd – Former Scotland International Rugby Player
Rowen Shepherd is a former Scotland international rugby player who played at fullback & centre. Known for his leadership, resilience, and presence within elite performance environments, he built his career in high-performance systems where discipline, mindset, and teamwork are central.
Following his playing career, Rowen moved into athlete management and co-founded Red Sky Management, where he supports elite athletes across rugby, Olympic and Paralympic sport. His work focuses on commercial partnerships, personal brand strategy, media development, and long-term career planning — helping athletes build sustainable futures beyond competition.
Rowen brings a powerful dual perspective to his professional work: lived experience as an elite athlete, and strategic expertise in shaping modern sporting careers. He speaks with clarity and authenticity on leadership, identity beyond sport, performance culture, career transition, and building purpose-driven lives after elite competition.
Hollie Davidson – Professional Rugby Referee and International Match Official
Hollie is a professional rugby referee and international match official who has become one of the most recognisable and respected figures in the modern game. As a pioneer in elite officiating, she has broken barriers at the highest levels of rugby, redefining what leadership and authority look like in traditionally male-dominated environments.
Operating in high-pressure, high-performance arenas, Hollie brings exceptional insight into decision-making, resilience, communication, and leadership under scrutiny. Her career is built on excellence, credibility, and composure — qualities that translate far beyond sport.
Alongside her professional work, Hollie is a passionate advocate for equality, representation, and inclusion in sport and society. She uses her platform to challenge outdated systems, create opportunity, and inspire future generations to lead with confidence and authenticity.
Hollie speaks powerfully on performance culture, resilience, equality, identity, and navigating high-pressure environments — offering audiences a rare perspective from the centre of elite sport, where clarity, courage, and conviction are required in every decision.
