Lord Smith adds marketing veteran to Alliance Trust board

Dundee-based wealth manager Alliance Trust has named marketing specialist Clare Dobie as a non-executive director.

Lord Smith said Clare Dobie was an 'ideal complement' to the Alliance Trust board. Picture: Contributed

Dobie, a former group head of marketing at Global Asset Management, joins after Alliance Trust chairman Lord Smith of Kelvin recently pledged to address a lack of female representation in its boardroom following the departure of previous chair Karin Forseke and chief executive Katherine Garrett-Cox.

Dobie, who spent 15 years as a financial journalist before moving into marketing, is currently a non-executive of Aberdeen New Thai Investment Trust, F&C Capital & Income Investment Trust and Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund.

Smith said: “She brings extensive knowledge of marketing and client service within asset management companies. Her skills and expertise in the investment trust sector and her early background in financial journalism provide an ideal complement to an already strong board.”

Alliance Trust came under pressure from activist investor Elliott last year, leading to a climbdown just before its annual meeting that saw it agree to appoint two of the US hedge fund’s suggested non-executives – City veterans Anthony Brooke and Rory Macnamara – to the board.

Brooke sparked an angry reaction from shareholders at the gathering in Dundee when he admitted that he had “no knowledge of Alliance Trust other than what I have read in the press”.