Public appointment: Members appointed to the Board of National Galleries of Scotland (NGS)

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Ms Forbes, today announced the appointment of Elizabeth Kennedy and Joni O’Sullivan as Members of the Board of National Galleries of Scotland.

Members

Elizabeth Kennedy is Head of Legal for Havas UK, part of the global advertising and communications agency Havas. Elizabeth has over 12 years of experience working in the international creative and tech sectors and previously worked for a multinational production and post-production company specialising in CGI and creative tech. Elizabeth regularly provides legal and business affairs counsel on high-profile advertising campaigns and utilising innovative tech in storytelling. Elizabeth sits on the Board of The Fine Art Society and is passionate about art and design and its important role in society.

Joni O’Sullivan has over 20 years of experience in financial services leading on community investment, culture change and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at Lloyds Banking Group. She is now a strategic consultant, advising companies, charities and foundations. Joni has also previously worked for Business in the Community and co-founded Not My Style, a sustainable fashion app. Joni is on the board of Hastings Contemporary, an Arts Council funded gallery in Sussex, and advises the University of Oxford History Faculty. 

Appointment

The appointments will be for four years and will run from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2028.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointments are part time, with a time commitment of 12 days per year. Appointments to the National Galleries of Scotland Board are not remunerated.

Other ministerial appointments

Elizabeth Kennedy and Joni O’Sullivan do not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.  

Elizabeth Kennedy and Joni O’Sullivan have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS).

The National Galleries of Scotland comprises three galleries in Edinburgh and two partner galleries in the North and South of Scotland.  Our collection of fine art is amongst the best in the world.

The purpose of the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) as set out in the governing legislation (the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985) is to:

• care for, preserve and add to the objects in our collections;
• ensure that the objects are exhibited to the public;
• ensure that the objects are available to persons seeking to inspect them in connection with study or research; and generally, to promote the public’s enjoyment and understanding of the Fine Arts;
• and for those purposes to provide education, instruction and advice and to carry out research.