Lawyer has foot in both courts in city link bid

A LAWYER has been appointed to spearhead joint promotional initiatives between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Laura Gordon, a senior corporate lawyer with Glasgow-based Boyds Solicitors, has landed the £55,000-a-year post of director of the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration project.

And today she dismissed criticisms that she had no experience of marketing, promising to bring a fresh approach and the benefits of a strong networking and communications background.

Ms Gordon will be in charge of efforts to help both cities bid for major events, create new festivals develop joint tourism initiatives and boost transport links.

Other initiatives include attracting movie shoots to Scotland, landing major conferences neither city could host on its own, and encouraging people in either city to visit each other's home ground.

She said the two cities should be connected by 24-hour bus and train links, and that commuters between the cities should also be able to enjoy uninterrupted mobile phone reception. She said: "There is obviously huge potential in the joint promotion of both cities, but it also has to be about opening up each city to people from the other city."

Ms Gordon, 40, who lives in Glasgow with her husband and four children, will take up her post next month. She has been awarded a two-year contract for the job, which is funded by the two city councils and Scottish Enterprise.

She was named rising star of the year in 2005's Scottish Legal Awards and has run her own business. But critics have questioned her appointment because of her lack of experience in marketing and promotion.

One senior business figure in the Capital said it was a mistake to appoint someone without any marketing experience.

He added: "I'd have thought that would have been essential for a job like this, bearing in mind the kind of initiatives she will be responsible for delivering.

"Laura Gordon is going to have her work cut out persuading people to buy into this project without any kind of track record in tourism, marketing or promotion. It seems madness to appoint a solicitor to such an important position."

Councillor Iain Whyte, Tory group leader on the city council, added: "It does seem odd to appoint someone without any marketing experience to a position like this."

But Ms Gordon dismissed the criticisms. She said: "I think I'll be bringing a fresh approach and I have a strong communications and networking background. Although I don't have marketing experience directly, I have a legal and business background that includes communications and business development and I think that is quasi-marketing in a sense."

A graduate in French and psychology from Glasgow University, she has worked at Boyds Solicitors, which has offices in both cities, for the last five years.

Prior to training as a lawyer she ran her own recruitment agency and had a children's clothing business. Her specialist fields at Boyds have included neighbourhood disputes, IT and media.

And she serves on the board of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of its tourism, leisure and retail committee.

Ms Gordon was appointed by a three-strong selection panel representing both city councils and Scottish Enterprise, who have all pledged £1.6 million for the project over the next two years.

Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Lesley Hinds, said: "Laura Gordon's appointment represents a major injection of new talent into the project team. I'm impressed by what she has achieved during her career and the wealth of experience she will bring to the position."