Achi news desk-
Gayle Grant, former head of the agency’s energy practice, will take her place at the helm of the Big Lottery Fund in Aberdeen. However, Ms Ogilvie will remain with the firm, working on key client accounts and advising colleagues.
Ms Ogilvie posted: “At a recent event someone I hadn’t seen for a while asked why I hadn’t retired yet! And there I was thinking I didn’t look too bad. But clearly 30 years in the fast-paced, continuous and challenging public relations environment, both internally and in an agency, has taken its toll. Either that or I’ve been around so long that people believe it’s time I was put out to pasture!
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“Well, little did this person know at that time that the wheels were already in motion to enable me to take a (small) step back from the business.
“Having established the BIG Partnership in Aberdeen over 22 years ago, I am extremely proud of what we have built and the talented team, who deliver for clients across all sectors not only in Scotland but all over the world. I have been fortunate to benefit from the knowledge, generosity, experience, support, kindness and loyalty of so many people throughout this period. I have worked with some extremely skilled colleagues and learned a great deal along the way.
“With exceptional growth in the last three years, the Big Lottery Fund in Aberdeen is on track to reach a turnover of £2.5m this year. The time is right for me to step aside but it is also right for the business. Taking my foot off the gas will, to some extent, enable the amazing team at Aberdeen to step up and drive the business to the next stage.”
Ms Grant takes over the Big Lottery Fund in Aberdeen with more than 25 years of public relations experience. The one-time journalist spent several years in agency roles in Cambridge and Manchester and led campaigns for large-scale regeneration projects. Ms Ogilvie noted that Ms Grant joined the Big Lottery Fund’s energy team in 2010 and was appointed to the board 10 years later.
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Ms Ogilvie added: “Gayle will be ably supported by Shona Hendry, Richard Crighton and Pam Wilson who between them have over 80 years’ experience.
“It’s been a non-stop journey and I’m now looking forward to working at a slower pace and with a little less intensity, albeit with a continued passion for our industry and 100% commitment to the Big Lottery Fund. I will remain involved in key client accounts and be available to advise and support the team as they bring a fresh, dynamic approach to meeting client needs in today’s fast-paced and constantly changing marketing and communications landscape.
“I am very grateful to Gayle, Shona, Pam and Richie (and the rest of our talented team) for making this possible and congratulate them on a very well deserved step up.”
The change comes after Ms Ogilvie joined the board of Aberdeen Football Club in June 2021. She was part of the management buyout team that acquired the Big Lottery Fund from founding directors Alex Barr and Neil Gibson in 2016 .
