Ex-Chamber chief means business in new Napier role

THE former managing director of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is to take on a new role at Edinburgh Napier University.

Graham Birse, who has spent seven years at the Chamber, will become the new director of the Edinburgh Institute of Leadership and Management Practice (EILMP).

Based at the university’s business school, the EILMP brings together business leaders and academics from a range of backgrounds to offer executive education and leadership training.

Mr Birse said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Edinburgh Institute and its energetic and capable team.

“Edinburgh Napier already has a great reputation for graduate employability and is recognised by the private sector as an organisation which speaks to business in language its people understand. Its business-friendly policies and programmes are shining examples of the way forward in executive education.”

Mr Birse’s previous roles include five years as marketing director at Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board and 12 years as director of communications at VisitScotland. He is also a non-executive board member of Marketing Edinburgh and of the national charity SACRO.

Professor George Stonehouse, dean of the business school and professor of international strategic management at Edinburgh Napier, said: “Graham brings a huge wealth of experience to the institute.”