Bruce Hare

Chief Executive
Duddingston House Properties

Bruce Hare studied Architecture at Dundee University followed by Planning and Urban Design at Edinburgh University. Worked as an independent Urban Designer on projects throughout the UK before joining Percy Johnson Marshall planning consultancy in 1978. Under his direction the company developed into one of the leading commercial architects practices in the UK, now named JMArchitects. Formed Duddingston House Properties in 2000 and by 2007 had developed out over £500m of property assets throughout the UK. Currently has joint venture projects with Catalyst Capital LLP and Oaktree Capital Management as well as providing development management expertise to major corporate organisations. The creation of value from land and buildings through design has been a central focus to his career – with odd days of salmon fishing in between!

Nicola Barclay

Chief Executive
Homes for Scotland

Becoming Homes for Scotland (HFS) Chief Executive in February 2016, Nicola Barclay has direct responsibility for managing the Executive Team, delivering business strategy and meeting the wide-ranging needs of member companies. With a career spanning over 20 years in the home building industry and stretching over sales, land acquisition and planning, Nicola is ideally placed to take the organisation forward at what is a pivotal time, not only for the organisation, but also for housing in Scotland in general.

Previously HFS Principal Planning Advisor and Director of Planning before becoming Chief Executive, Nicola’s experience also includes working with Scottish Futures Trust as well as with a number of house builders.A graduate of Heriot-Watt University, Nicola became a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 1998 and is an active member of Women in Property.

Nicola currently sits on the Scottish Government’s Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group, and chairs their Home and Place sub-group. She also sits on the Government’s Financial Innovation Advisory Group, as well as sitting on the CITB Scotland Committee, the NHBC Scottish Committee, and the Consumer Code Advisory Forum. 

John Shepherd

Managing Director
Whiteburn Projects

He is also a former chair of the Scottish regional judging panel of the British Council for Offices,is currently on the BCO’s Scottish Committee, and is a member of the Scottish Property Federation.

Allan Watt

Dundee Waterfront Project Director
Dundee City Council

Allan is a Chartered Town Planner and proud to be a Dundonian. He left Carnoustie High school at age 17 and started his first job as a Town Planning Technician with the then City of Dundee District Council where he also gained his Technical Qualifications. He soon went on to study full time at Heriot-Watt University where he gained his Honours Degree in Town and Regional Planning. From 1981 until 1993 he held various posts with Tayside Regional Council including Strategic Planning Officer, Rural Affairs Officer and Transport Planning Officer where he gained Chartered Membership of the Institute of Transport.

He joined Scottish Natural Heritage in 1993 as Regional Planning Officer advising SNH and Magnus Magnusson on key projects such as the new Kincardine Bridge and the proposed new Forth Bridge crossing. Allan then took up post as a Lecturer in Town and Regional Planning at the University of Dundee becoming Director for the Universities Environmental Management Course.

In 1999 Allan commenced a 3 year secondment from Dundee University to COSLA/ Scottish Government, providing key advice to Government Ministers and Senior Civil Servants on a range of rural, area regeneration and social inclusion issues. He also led on the preparation of the Local Government Scotland Act 2003 and associated guidance.

Via the nationally recruited Senior Executive ‘Fast Track’ Programme, Allan was recruited to Scottish Enterprise (SE) in 2002. Where he worked in Glasgow with the SE National Team helping set up Economic Forums across Scotland and then transferred to SE Fife where he became Senior Projects Manager with key involvement in projects such as the Central Fife Economic Recovery Plan, St. Andrews World Class Project and the development of the Edinburgh International Gateway.

From 2007 until August 2010 Allan was Senior Director for Business Infrastructure and Industries with Scottish Enterprise in Tayside. His greatest achievement was in securing £33m of investment by SE in the Dundee Waterfront Project over the next 10 years.

Allan left SE in August 2010 and established his own Consultancy which provides economic development, planning and economic regeneration consultancy services. In November 2010, Allan secured a contract with Dundee City Council to become Dundee Waterfront Project Director which he describes as one of the most exciting and satisfying jobs he could ever have wished for.

Martin McKay

Executive Director of Regeneration
Clyde Gateway

Clyde Gateway is Scotland’s biggest and most ambitious regeneration programme. It is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council and Scottish Enterprise. Clyde Gateway is leading the way on achieving unparalleled social, economic and physical change across communities over an area of 840 hectares in the east end of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.

As Executive Director of Regeneration, Martin takes a strategic and executive role across all aspects of Clyde Gateways capital investment programme with a focus on Inward Investment to secure private sector development. With involvement now spanning 10 years Martin has overseen transformational projects in Bridgeton, Dalmarnock and Rutherglen with highlights including the Olympia, Police Scotland and The Albus. Clyde Gateway has won a range of wards for its portfolio of regeneration projects and 2016 saw the launch of Magenta @ Clyde Gateway a major new office location in partnership with Highbridge Properties Plc.

Martin is a Chartered­­­­­­ Architect and Fellow of the RIAS, a former Board Member of Architecture & Design Scotland and Past President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects.