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Marine Renewables - Biographies
Ian Davies - Marine Scotland Science, Renewable Energy and Marine Spatial Planning, Theme Leader
Ian Davies is renewable energy and marine spatial planning theme leader at Marine Scotland, Science in Aberdeen, Scotland. Originally trained as a geologist and geochemist at Cambridge and Edinburgh universities, he came to Abedeen in 1974. Since then, he has worked in marine environmental science, executing and managing a wide range of projects on marine pollution and the effects of chemicals on marine organisms. Links with several universities have led to sucessful supervision of MSc and PhD studentships. In recent years, he has given increased emphasis to productive aspects of the sea, acting as environmental adviser on aquaculture and renewable energy development.
Ian's representative roles have covered national and international groups concerned with marine environmental quality, and chairmanship of Working Groups and committees of inter-governmental agencies including the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and of the OSPAR Commission. In his current role, he leads the scientific aspects of renewable energy development and marine planning for Scottish Government through Marine Scotland, linking science, policy and planning to together for sustainable development of renewable energy in Scottish waters.
Phil Gilmour - Branch Head, Marine Renewables and Offshore Wind, Marine Scotland
Phil Gilmour has worked in both the private and public sector, for both local and national government. He worked for Lothian Regional Council as a Chartered Engineer on transport planning before moving to Halcrow Fox and Noble Lewis Partnership as a consultant engineer, spending 5 years working on a range of development projects. Phil joined the then Scottish Office 15 years ago to work on the Roads Programme and has spent time working on EU Environment Directives, Aquaculture and Food and Drink. He now heads up the Marine Renewables and Offshore Wind team within Marine Scotland, seeking to take forward a number of workstreams to provide marine spatial plans, SEAs and simplified licensing to help facilitate renewable energy sustainable economic development in Scottish marine waters.
Jim McKie leads the Licensing Operations Team within Marine Scotland, Aquaculture, Freshwater Fisheries and Licensing Policy Division. Jim has worked for 35 years in marine science and has18 years experience in providing marine environmental, regulatory advice and guidance to Government Departments, stakeholders and industries. Jim moved from science into regulatory advice at the time of the Braer oil spill in Shetland and since then has been involved in a range of high profile projects including the Brent Spar decommissioning, Beaufort’s Dyke munitions surveys, major oil and gas developments, early renewable device deployments in the Pentland Firth, Islay and Yell Sound in Shetland, Robin Rigg windfarm, and the test deployments at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. Whilst most of his working life has been devoted to marine licensing and regulatory advice, when he joined the Scottish Office in 1975 it was as a trainee marine chemist working on a range of analytical techniques including those for nutrients and heavy metals in water, sediment and fish. Before leaving marine chemistry in 1990 Jim worked on projects assessing the impact of man’s activities on the marine environment; included the oil and gas, shipping and aquaculture industries. His current role leading the Licensing Operations Team, is about delivering a range of statutory controls of coastal and marine developments, including marine renewable (windfarms, wave and tidal) power projects.
Jim has held representative roles on national groups concerned with monitoring the impacts of activities on the marine environment and has chaired a number of groups concerned with the environmental management of Scottish and UK seas.
Mike Neilson - Director, Marine Scotland
Mike Neilson is Director of Marine Scotland – the Directorate of Scottish Government responsible for the integrated management of Scotland’s seas. In Scotland, he has worked on Public Service reform, housing and regeneration and sponsorship of the Water Industry. Out with the Scottish Government, Mike has worked previously at the UK Treasury, the UK Permanent Representation to the EU, and the European Commission on a wide range of issues including financial markets, the EU budget and European Transport policy.
David Palmer - Marine Strategy Branch Head, Marine Scotland
Head of marine planning in the Scottish Government and was previously responsible for the delivery of the Marine (Scotland) Act. Before to coming to the marine area he delivered and implemented the legislation banning smoking in Scotland. Other notable features in his career include refranchising Scotrail and delivering Scotland’s first Budget Bill. David has a background in economics with qualifications from Aberdeen University and abroad and worked for a number of years as an economist in Government.”
Dr Fiona Simpson - Head of Environmental Assessment, Scottish Government
Dr. Fiona Simpson BSc (Hons) PhD MRTPI is Head of the Scottish Government’s Environmental Assessment Team, based in the Directorate for the Built Environment. Fiona is an experienced Strategic Environmental Assessment practitioner. She has recently completed several SEAs on behalf of the Scottish Government, including the SEA of the National Planning Framework, the Scottish Planning Policy, Permitted Development Rights for Domestic Microgeneration and the draft Policy on Higher-Activity Radioactive Waste. Fiona undertook the screening and scoping for the SEA of offshore wind energy in Scottish Territorial Waters, and is advising on the environmental assessment and development of the draft plan. Fiona is also a chartered town planner, with experience in project managing environmental impact assessments for several onshore wind energy developments.
