Speakers

Grahame Steed

Grahame joined Glasgow-based BiP Solutions Ltd as Production Director in 2003, following 13 years as Magazine Editor, Publisher and latterly Publishing Director at EMAP plc. He is responsible for the Media Department at BiP, which includes the Contracts Management, Proofing, Communications, Design and Distribution Teams that are responsible for BiP's diverse range of business intelligence services. In 2008 his role changed to Publishing Director to more accurately reflect the nature of his department's activities. As Managing Editor of Government Opportunities (GO), Grahame is responsible for the overall content and direction of the publication and its GO Awards and www.govopps.co.uk brand extensions.

Stella Manzie

Stella has been Director General for Finance & Corporate Services in the Scottish Government since August 2008. She was Chief Executive of Coventry City Council from September 2001 until her appointment to the Scottish Government. She was also Chief Executive of West Berkshire Council for four years having overseen its transition to unitary council from Newbury District Council. Stella’s career has encompassed work in both the public and private sector. She was Borough Director of Redditch Borough Council for five years and spent three years as a management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Her early experience included working for Birmingham City Council, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Association of County Councils. Stella’s educational background includes an MSocSci from Birmingham University and an MA in English Literature at Cambridge University. In 1997 she won the Birmingham University Kieron Walsh Memorial Essay Prize on the subject of ‘Citizenship’. Stella has been a Non-Executive Director of HM Treasury since June 2005. In June 2007 Stella was awarded an CBE for services to local government.

Jim Murphy

Jim was first elected to Parliament in 1997 representing the Eastwood constituency in Glasgow, and subsequently served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to then-Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell and, following the 2002 general election, as a Government whip.

He was re-elected at the 2005 general election to the same constituency, now re-named East Renfrewshire, and was promoted to ministerial rank as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Cabinet Office, with responsibilities including e-government, better regulation and public service modernisation. In May 2006 he was appointed Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, with a brief also covering child poverty, and since June 2007 he has served as Minister of State for Europe, where his responsibilities included the European Union; the Balkans; and liaison with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe and NATO.

He was appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland on 3rd October 2008.

Liz Cameron

Appointed as Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce in October 2004, Liz has been an energetic and committed advocate of economic development and growth in a variety of public and private sector appointments. With a career spanning over 30 years, she has built up a wealth of experience at senior level and has extensive knowledge covering every aspect of business development, from strategic planning and growth creation through to communications and stakeholder interaction.

Liz has dedicated over a decade of her career to putting Scottish business on the map. Her successful track record includes senior appointments with the Scottish Council for Development and Industry and Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, where she held the post of Chief Executive for almost ten years. She also serves on a number of organisations where her business expertise assists in policy formation and execution. Liz is also a board member of ESEP Ltd and Vice Chair of the Scottish National Lottery Fund.

Derrick McCourt

Derrick started his career in the Irish IT industry as a developer, progressing to consultancy and project management roles and then into sales & marketing leadership positions. He joined Microsoft in 2001, establishing Microsoft’s office in Belfast and playing a prominent role in the local IT industry. As part of the Microsoft Ireland leadership team he ran the company’s Irish Public Sector Business.

Prior to his move to Scotland, Derrick had an international role with Microsoft as Director of the Public Sector Business Desk for Microsoft’s World Wide Licensing & Pricing Group. During this time he and his team were engaged in negotiations with governments and academia throughout the Europe, Middle East & Africa region.  Derrick’s key focus in Scotland will be to establish a strong Microsoft presence across all business sectors with a particular focus on Scottish Government and Health.

Michelle Mone

Michelle is a highly successful businesswomen and one of the UK’s top three female entrepreneurs. Since launching her Ultimo Gel Bra invention in 1999, Michelle has built up the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand, Ultimo, and seven further brands including ‘Diamond Boutique’ for Tesco, ‘Adore Moi by Ultimo’ for Debenhams, ‘Michelle for George’ for Asda, Ultimo D-G, Ultimo Swimwear, Ultimo Shapewear, Miss Ultimo and Ultimo Miracle Solutions, a range that boasts eight worldwide patented lingerie inventions.

Michelle, who is a regular panelist on BBC’s The Apprentice, has clocked up a number of prestigious awards over the years, including Best Newcomer at the British Apparel Export Awards, World Young Business Achiever Award at the Epcot Centre, Florida, and Business Woman of the Year at the Corporate Elite Awards in London.

In 2001 Michelle was invited by HRH Prince Charles to join the Board of Directors for The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust and more recently his Board of Main Council. Confirming her status as one of the UK’s leading female entrepreneurs, Michelle also supported the Sultan of Oman in setting up women’s enterprise in the Middle East. Michelle also scooped top prize with her team on this year’s Comic Relief Does the Apprentice, in which she appeared alongside Jonathan Ross, Ruby Wax and Carol Vorderman.