New top team for Marketing Society Scotland

The Marketing Society Scotland has announced a new chair and vice-chair following the departure of Rod Gillies, brand director at the Dalmore and Whyte & Mackay, after two years at its helm.

Claire Prentice, head of marketing for Brand Scotland at the Scottish Government, has been named the organisation’s new chair. Pete Martin, founder and head of content strategy at marketing agency Always Be Content, joins as vicechair.

In her Scottish Government role, Ms Prentice brings together the collective communications efforts of key partners in building Scotland’s global brand and reputation.

She also leads the government’s net zero marketing team and is responsible for delivering national marketing activity to tackle climate change as part of the Let’s Do Net Zero brand and communications strategy.

Ms Prentice’s previous experience also includes seven years’ leading awardwinning behaviour change marketing campaigns for the government across health, road safety and justice, and also has extensive agency experience, having spent five years as account director at Edinburghbased the Union.

Marketing Society Scotland said Ms Prentice’s passion for the power of marketing to do good and support young talent, combined with her drive for promoting Scotland as a great place to study, work and invest, made her a perfect fit for the role.

Ms Prentice said: “I am really delighted to be taking over as the new chair and looking forward to working with the team in Scotland to bring our members another brilliant programme of events, insight, community and conversation in 2024.

“The Star Awards, our flagship event, will be celebrating 20 years of promoting the very best of Scotland’s marketing industry.”