Narec . New and Renewable Energy Centre :: He has been a Board Member of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, a co-founder of the Islay Development Company, an Executive Member of the Scottish Council Development and Industry, President of the Malt Distillers Association of Scotland and Council Member of the Scotch Whisky Association and was awarded an OBE in 1996 for his services to the Scotch Whisky Industry.

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Members of the Board

Dr Alan Rutherford OBE

Alan was educated at Gosforth Grammar School and went on to gain a BSc 1st Class Honours in Chemistry at Sheffield University and a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Chemist and Chairs the Energy Leadership Council for NE England.
He was made an Honorary Professor of Heriot-Watt University in 1998 and a Visiting Professor at Newcastle University in 2006.

Alan worked initially for the Cookson Group of companies specialising in energy technologies and then for 13 years with Scottish and Newcastle before joining the Distillers Company Ltd (now Diageo plc) in 1984 as Head of Research and Development and appointed to the Board in 1994. Since retiring from full-time corporate life, his main activities have centred on financial and managerial support for SMEs.

He has been a Board Member of  Highlands and Islands Enterprise, an Executive Member of the Scottish Council Development and Industry, President of the Malt Distillers Association of Scotland and Council Member of the Scotch Whisky Association and was awarded an OBE in 1996 for his services to the Scotch Whisky Industry.

He joined the Parachute Regiment (TA) in 1960 and retired in 1999 as Honorary Colonel of 4 PARA.

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