The Scottish Council of Independent Schools appoints new Chief Executive

The Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) has appointed Lorraine Davidson, Head of Education Strategy at the Scottish Government, as its new Chief Executive.

Lorraine will succeed John Edward, who announced his departure from SCIS in February 2023 after 14 years at the organisation. Lorraine will start the new position in July.

Previously the Head of Communications for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and prior to that Head of Corporate Communications for NHS Health Scotland, Lorraine is highly adept in strategy development, corporate communication, and crisis management. Earlier in her career, Lorraine was a political correspondent for STV, the BBC and The Times. This accomplished portfolio of work placed her as an ideal candidate for the position at SCIS.

Alan Hartley, Chair of SCIS, said of the new appointment:

“We are thrilled to welcome Lorraine to SCIS as our new Chief Executive following a rigorous recruitment process. Lorraine is a dynamic, passionate leader, with a proven track record in strategy development and stakeholder management. SCIS looks forward to seeing Lorraine build on the success of her predecessor to support the charity’s ambitions and continue supporting the needs of our member schools.”

Lorraine commented:

“I am extremely proud to be joining SCIS as the new Chief Executive, and I am looking forward to visiting the member schools and getting to know the staff.

“SCIS has an outstanding reputation and I am keen to leverage my skills and experience to support the sector at a challenging time and in the strong contribution it makes to Scottish education.”