JUDGING PANEL

Published on Monday 14 February 2005 15:22

Jim McFarlane

CEO – Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh & Lothians

Jim McFarlane returned to Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian as Chief Executive in May 2003. During a previous nine year spell he was a member of the Management Team and covered a range of responsibilities including strategy, support for inward investment and tourism.

He also led project teams responsible for a number of landmark projects. These included the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and Financial District, Our Dynamic Earth and the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.

Previous assignments include a spell as Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise Borders, during which time he Chaired SE's Rural Group and led efforts to support businesses across South of Scotland in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. He also served on the Scottish Executive's Ministerial Advisory Committee on the future of agriculture.

John Anderson

Chief Executive – Entrepreneurial Exchange

A well known specialist in entrepreneurship and new venture creation in Scotland, John Anderson brings considerable experience of emerging and high growth companies to his role as Chief Executive of The Entrepreneurial Exchange.

A founder member of The Entrepreneurial Exchange, John was a shareholding Director of a young venture backed Technology Company engaged in the design, manufacture and distribution of laboratory equipment. As an adviser in professional practice he worked with many of Scotland’s most exciting growth companies since returning to Scotland from Chicago in 1989.

An experienced non-executive director, he is a regular contributor to the media on issues facing emerging and high growth companies and was instrumental in setting up the Scottish Enterprise "Local Heroes" project, based in part on his own MBA thesis "Local Heroes - Scotland's Entrepreneurial Role Models".

Raymond O'Hare

Regional Director, Scotland - Microsoft

Raymond is currently Regional Director, Scotland - Microsoft's first director-level appointment in the region. He was formerly Regional Manager of the SME & Partner business in Scotland. Previous to this he headed up Microsoft's Services Organisation for UK Retail Banking and Scotland from July 2001. Prior to this he spent 4 years establishing Microsoft's position as an Enterprise Technology company in the Scottish marketplace. He has spent the last 21 years working in the IT industry in both Dublin and Scotland; and has worked for Digital, ICL and Nixdorf during this time. He initially joined the IT industry in a Finance role but has since held a variety of positions in, Internal IT, Sales, Major Account Management before his current management position within Microsoft UK.

Graham Bell

Business Development Consultant

Graham is a business development consultant, with a history as a serial entrepreneur. Over the last eighteen years he has started and run four companies in the energy and construction, transport and food sectors. He has also taught sustainable development in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In the last six years, as Manager of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust he has supported nearly four hundred business start-ups, adding 13.5m per annum, and a total of four hundred jobs to the Lothian economy. He currently represents Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce in media matters and gives freelance support to individual clients.