New court appointments

The new academic year has brought with it two changes to University Court.

With the conclusion of Dr Larry Rolland's chairmanship of Court, John Milligan has been appointed as the new Chair. John began his wide-ranging career as a miner at the age of sixteen, before going on to study as a mature student at Strathclyde University where he qualified as a mechanical engineer. Over the course of his career, John became Chairman and Chief Executive of 'Atlantic Power and Gas'. He now runs the Ballathie estate near Perth and is also a long-standing member of Robert Gordon University’s Board of Governors where he spent three years as Chairperson.

Principal Sir Alan Langlands said, "The University welcomes John Milligan in his new position as Chairman of the Court. John has already displayed dedication to the University in his position as a lay member and undoubtedly he will carry this through in his term as Chairman."

The post of Rector's assessor has been taken up by Esther Roberton, who previously held the position of Co-opted Lay Member of Court. Esther is Chair of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and a non-executive director of The Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), and was Chair of NHS Fife from April 2000 until April 2004.

From 1994, until Spring 1999, she was actively involved in the campaign to secure Scotland's Parliament. Most recently she served as a member of the Government's all-party Consultative Steering Group that developed standing orders and procedures for Parliament.

Esther has a long standing commitment to the social and economic development of Scotland, developed during her appointments with the Scottish Development Agency, the SCDI and the Scottish Community Education Council where she was Chief Executive from 1990 to 1993.

Educated at Buckhaven High School and Edinburgh University, Esther spent the first ten years of her career in the private sector in personnel and training.