Our Board Members

Anthony Dawson – Chairman

Appointed chairman in 2019, having served as vice chairman since 2017, and as trustee director and sub committee chairman since 2012, Anthony Dawson is currently senior partner at J&G Collie and Burgess of Guild for the city of Aberdeen. He is a former holder of the Scottish and British University badminton titles, won various tennis titles and represented Scotland in both sports. He has held various public appointments including chairman of the Active Aberdeen Partnership. In 2007, his sporting achievements were recognised by the Aberdeen Sporting Hall of Fame.
Gordon Edwards – Vice Chairman 

Appointed vice chairman in 2019, a trustee director and sub committee chairman since 2012, Gordon Edwards is a former corporate director for resources management in local government. Gordon currently services on a number of trusts and boards in both the public and private sectors, including Grampian Housing Association and Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO). He is also a trustee of a national third sector pension fund. Gordon completed a postgraduate certificate in coaching in 2012 and provides coaching, mentoring and financial advice to a range of organisations.
Colin G. Taylor – Trustee Director

Trustee director Colin Taylor served as Sport Aberdeen chairman from 2017 – 2019 and vice Chairman from 2010 – 2017. Colin was born in Aberdeen and was formerly Dean of Guild for the city. Colin’s active sporting involvement is in golf, snooker and cycling. He is a regular spectator at Pittodrie, where he is an active Aberdeen FC season ticket holder. Colin also holds a number of voluntary roles in organisations and charities across the city.
Dean Phillips – Trustee Director

Appointed in 2018, Dean Phillips is Assistant Director of Digital and Information Services at the University of Aberdeen. With a career spanning over 30 years, he is a highly experienced leader of strategy, vision and change. Dean has held a number of senior roles with the University of Aberdeen and the NHS, managing relationships with and between key stakeholders.  His recent focus has been on the delivery of shared services across the city.

A chartered IT professional, he was awarded a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors (IoD) in 2009. He is currently trustee treasurer of UCISA and USL Ltd, Director of Medical Illustration at NHS Grampian and a committee member of IoD Aberdeen branch. He participates in many sports and enjoys all aspects of keeping active outdoors and has also gained professional qualifications in fitness training.
Alan McLean – Trustee Director

Appointed in 2022, Alan is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and, over a 35-year career, has held senior positions in human resource management both in the private and public sectors. In addition, he is a past president of the Gordonian Association and previously served on the board of governors of Robert Gordons College. He is a former captain of Gordonian Rugby Football Club and played representative rugby union for the North and Midland. He is also a former cricketer, both with Dyce CC and Gordonian CC.

He is an experienced rugby coach and sports club administrator and was awarded Scottish Rugby Union Volunteer of the Month in  April 2017. He is passionate about sports, fitness and leisure for all the physical and mental benefits for participants, administrators and supporters. In his spare time, whilst still coaching rugby, he enjoys hillwalking, keeping fit, photography, and watching and encouraging his family to participate in sports and fitness.
Mary Forbes – Trustee Director

Appointed in 2022, Mary Forbes is a lawyer with over 20 years of experience in the field of dispute resolution. Her career has included roles in both the private and public sectors, including service as a legal officer for the British Army. Having worked in various locations throughout the UK, Mary relocated to work in Aberdeen in 2014 and was appointed as a trustee director of Sport Aberdeen in 2022. Mary’s own sporting interests include golf, tennis, CrossFit and running while she can also often be found beside the football pitch supporting her son as he plays for his local football team.
Kathleen Johnston – Trustee Director

An Aberdeen medical graduate, Kathleen enjoys a multi-faceted career. She is a consultant anaesthetist at NHS Grampian where her current practice is around neuro-anaesthesia and anaesthesia for trauma and orthopaedics. As a trustee of the Association of Anaesthetists, she represented anaesthetists in the UK and Ireland, providing strategic direction on clinical, political, and social matters. Kathleen brings trustee experience in charity governance, financial management and membership engagement. 

Locally, Kathleen has been involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education, being the lead for a final year teaching, college tutor, regional adviser and a locum associate postgraduate dean. She was awarded the John Snow medal by the Association of Anaesthetists in 2021 in recognition of her contributions and has twice been awarded the Humphry Davie awards by the Royal College of Anaesthetists for her leadership during the Covid pandemic and impactful guidance on fatigue management.

Stewart Macindoe – Trustee Director

Appointed in March 2023, Stewart Macindoe has over 35 years’ experience of working in the oil and gas industry around the world, working for major oilfield service and product providers in management roles covering business development, sales and operations. Having spent 15 years working overseas, he has seen and appreciated many cultures and experiences from around the world.

Brought up and educated in Aberdeen, Stewart went on to play junior football with Banks O’ Dee for 11 years, was a member of Hazlehead Golf Club and played squash at Aberdeen Squash & Racketball Club, where he is currently club captain. Stewart appreciates the physical and mental health benefits of sporting activities and spends as much of his spare time outdoors golfing, walking, cycling and skiing. He is currently involved with a number of local charities providing mentoring services and works with Instant Neighbour as a trustee director and volunteer.

 

Richard Booth – Trustee Director

Appointed in 2023, Richard has over 30 years’ experience working in the domestic and commercial audio-visual market, having held roles covering director, partner, business development, sales and operations.

He recently opened an Aberdeen office for Mediascape, an employee-owned commercial audio-visual company headquartered in Glasgow. Brough up and educated in Inverurie, he has been a keen squash player for over 40 years. Having represented Scotland at U16 and U19 levels, Richard continued competing in the national league for Aberdeen until his late thirties. He is a qualified squash coach and life member of Aberdeen Squash and Racketball Club.

Other interests include season ticket holder at Aberdeen FC, golf, padel tennis, walking and spending time with his three grown up sons.

Aberdeen City Council observer to the board of directors

 

John Cooke was first elected to Aberdeen City Council representing the Hazlehead, Queens Cross and Countesswells Ward, in May 2017.

His career includes holding senior public policy/regulatory roles in the telecoms, pharmaceutical, and financial services sectors, mainly in a blue-chip environment. He has also chaired a Scottish Government committee concerned with attracting and retaining inward investment.

He is an avid sports fan, being a passionate supporter of Scotland’s rugby and football teams, and a fan of Partick Thistle FC and Manchester United.

Keith Heslop – Chief Executive Officer

 

Keith Heslop is the Chief Executive Officer of Sport Aberdeen. With his early career largely based in the energy industry, Keith’s work has taken him all around the globe to locations including London, the Ivory Coast, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Prior to joining Sport Aberdeen, Keith spent some time in the Falkland Islands in Managing Director roles at two companies and latterly worked in Grangemouth for two years. He joined Sport Aberdeen in October 2022 as Director of Finance and Corporate Services, and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in January 2024.  

Below you will find the various terms of reference documents pertaining to Sport Aberdeen committees of the board.