Alistair Gray, chairman of British Swimming and one of Europe’s leading management consultants, has been appointed executive chairman of Winning Scotland Foundation - founded by Sir Bill Gammell, the oil and gas entrepreneur and former Scotland rugby international.

 

Gray, founder of Glasgow based Renaissance & Company, assumes the part-time position with immediate effect and will drive forward a five year growth strategy for the business-led charity. 

 

The Foundation’s vision is Scottish success through ‘sustained effort’.  It aims to foster cultural change and encourage young Scots to adopt sport as a tool for life.

 

Gray brings a wealth of international sport and business experience to this new executive chairman role.  He was the first chairman of the Scottish Institute of Sport, former chair of British Basketball and recently retired from the European Hockey Federation board and Euro Hockey League after 20 years’ service.

 

Having co-founded the Foundation in 2005, Alistair Gray commented: “I am honoured to be working with a highly skilled team who are passionate about helping young people to be winners in life. It’s a pivotal time to take on this challenge as we are expanding our flagship programmes across local communities to help young people learn that success is achieved through sustained effort.

 

“We are focusing on four key areas: making sport and physical activity more enjoyable; increasing access to role models, developing better, more sustainable clubs and developing age appropriate physical and psychological development.”

 

Sir Bill Gammell will chair the advisory group and continue as an active member of the management board.  He added:  “Alistair has the perfect mix of skills to lead the board through an exciting expansion phase.  We share a vision where sport is recognised for its unique role in being able to develop young people to be winners in life.  But while sport has the power to inspire young people we know that sustained effort is the key to success in all aspects of life.”