Gathering Interactive
Click here to watch Lord Sempill's introduction to The Gathering 2009 and other videos.
The Gathering 2009 Team
Lord Sempill, co-director of The Gathering 2009 Ltd
Jamie has over 32 years of commercial management experience in marketing and communications, and spent over 12 years living and working overseas, mainly in South Africa. In 1995 he inherited one of Scotland's oldest titles and took his seat in the House of Lords. During 1998 he became actively involved in the Scottish devolution debate, and in May 1999 stood for Edinburgh North and Leith in the inaugural Scottish Parliamentary elections. He retains a great interest in Scottish politics and was actively involved in the 2007 parliamentary elections.
More recently, he has been an export sales manager for a whisky distiller, and director of marketing for a brewery. In between he spent 6 months in the USA promoting a Scottish affinity card scheme.
His hobbies include looking at fine art, watching rugby, scuba diving, reading history and listening to the Blues.
He is a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a High Constable of the Port of Leith, and Vice-Convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs.
Jenny Gilmour, co-director of The Gathering 2009 Ltd
Jenny's first job in event management was over 15 years ago when she co-ordinated 'Fringe Sunday', a major part of Edinburgh's famous Fringe Festival at which 200,000 people turned up!
Since then she has worked in the UK and around the world as a freelance event director on major sporting events, large corporate occasions and bespoke private events. She has worked at some of the world's great event venues including Sydney Opera House, London's Wembley Stadium, Gleneagles Hotel and Edinburgh Castle, showcasing famous names such as Hollywood actor Brian Cox, violinist Nicola Benedetti and many other stars from the worlds of sport and entertainment.
Jenny is owner and managing director of 'Red Sky at Night', a small but expert team of event managers based in Edinburgh who are the production team behind 'The Gathering 2009'.
She has a passion for Scottish music and culture (and shoe shopping) and one of her favourite projects of recent years was creating a trilogy of Alternative Burns Suppers for the global drinks company, Diageo.
Lucy-Rose Walker, Co-ordinator
Lucy-Rose studied Psychology at Glasgow University where she took a keen interest in the psychology of marketing. Her first job took her around North America promoting a Tartan Credit Card, alongside Lord Sempill.
Having experienced the passion and enthusiasm for Scotland felt by so many American Scots she went on to conceptualise & develop the board game Scottish Quest.
After 3 years of brand development and a number of distribution deals she felt it was time for a new challenge - The Gathering 2009.
She enjoys experiencing new cultures, especially trying different foods!
Bryony Hope, Events Manager
Bryony moved to Edinburgh 10 years ago and spent the first 6 of these working as a mapping specialist for the British Geological Survey. Spending so much time indoors mapping mountains gave her an appetite for the real thing, so she moved to the Rocky Mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado where she worked as a resort manager for a Scottish tour operator for 2 years.
On returning to Edinburgh Bryony worked as a supervisor in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival box office and then moved to the Edinburgh International Science Festival where she managed their website, box office and front of house.
In her spare time Bryony can be found either on skis, a snowboard, a mountainbike, a roadbike or, failing that, a comfy chair in her local hostelry.
Roderick Scott, Events Director
Rod joined the team as a freelance PR consultant and events assistant but has since become a full-time member of The Gathering 2009 family.
Prior to joining us he worked for more than 10 years as a television news and sports reporter and presenter with Scottish Television, working mainly on the ‘Scotland Today’ programme but also on ITN’s main news shows. In that time he covered major stories including the tragic murder of teenager Jodi Jones and the G8 Conference at Gleneagles and Edinburgh riots, as well as big sporting events like the Mike Tyson fight at Hampden Stadium in Glasgow and the Open Golf Championship. He was also the programme’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival correspondent for several years, interviewing the likes of Joan Rivers, Sean Connery and Emo Phillips.
After leaving Scottish TV Rod worked for a number of clients doing jobs ranging from presenting talk radio shows to press relations for a concert promoter and broadcasts for a golf website.
When he’s not working hard Rod enjoys playing golf and watching rugby and football in particular. He likes skiing (or more accurately skiing holidays!) and loves music and the cinema.
Richard Negus, Sponsorship Manager
Richard started life in The Life Guards Regiment of The Household Cavalry. Upon leaving the Army he ran his own stables training and riding eventers and point to point racehorses at the historic Quenby Hall in Leicestershire. He also managed a large commercial thoroughbred stud in racing’s headquarters at Newmarket.
After hanging up his riding boots Richard moved to Scotland where he has worked in sponsorship for projects including The Scottish Racing Academy, The Oatridge Horse Trials and The SNEC.
Out of work hours Richard is frequently to be found fly fishing rather ineffectually on various rivers in East Lothian and the Borders or walking his lurcher and whippet, with his wife, in the direction of any convenient real ale hostelry.
Pamela Jackman, Events and Administration Assistant
Pamela moved to Edinburgh 5 years ago after completing a communications degree at the University of Ulster Jordanstown. She worked for 2 years in administration for the Fringe Society, after which she taught English in Prague for 6 months.
After returning to Edinburgh she worked for 2 festivals as an assistant promoters liaison office at the Fringe. Between festivals she worked as a manager at The World Bar on Thistle street.
Most recently she has worked as an office manager for Seabright Productions during the 07 Fringe Festival as well as a box office clerk at The Edinburgh Playhouse and a receptionist at The Edinburgh Sleep Centre.
In her spare time she enjoys watching movies or hanging out with her friends in a comfy quiet pub.
