(Dorothy) Lorraine Thomson

Leading on Interface's new regional approach to position Interface as a system enabler, focusing on ecosystem development, place-based innovation and regional economic impact.

Managing a dynamic portfolio of business and academic clients and enabling impactful business-academic collaborations by conducting structured expertise searches, managing business enquiries, and facilitating connections that drive sustained and impactful collaborations.

Enabling collaboration with innovation ecosystem partners and unlocking opportunities for innovation, research, and development.

Strengthening regional innovation by embedding Interface’s services and networks into place-based strategies.

Undertaking a short-term secondment with Innovate UK Business Connect to start delivery of the Innovation Collaboration Framework for Scotland.

• Managed business engagement in the region with strong impacts from our brokered collaborations.
• Established solid partnerships with regional stakeholders and intermediaries for business development opportunities.
• Responsible for lead generation activities with regular attendance at events, as well as delivering presentations and exhibiting.
• Key responsibility for our strategic relationship with Highlands and Islands Enterprise with effective communication and supportive relationships brokered.
• Secured high degree of client satisfaction with Interface service in the region.
• Seconded (November 2018 to October 2019) to Head of Business Engagement (job-share) which gave experience leading the then Business Engagement team.

Responsible for the successful operation of a 5 star visitor attraction with nearly 80,000 visitors a year.

Lead and motivated staff - overall responsibility for positive working relationships with 50 seasonal and 15 permanent staff.

Event management, both in hosting events at the castle and in organising and staging events.

Business engagement with partner organisations, the local community and travel trade.

Identifying and developing new areas for business growth.

Delivered new initiatives to increase the use of Scottish food and drink at events to support small-scale producers and to enhance the event experience.

Promoted best practice and stimulating close collaborations between public and private sector.

Set up and managed the sustainable event programme as part of the Year of Natural Scotland.

Overall management responsibility for over 8,000 tourism businesses in membership of our Quality Assurance schemes.

Developed and managed strategic relationships with key tourism representatives across all tourism sectors.

Responsible for managing a national service from an Inverness hub, supporting a field team of 30 across Scotland.

Managed the Quality Assurance research programme to monitor trade and customer satisfaction.

Contract management of the Green Tourism Business Scheme and contribution to the development of national grading schemes across many tourism sectors.

Managed Scotland's national tourist office in Scotland; responsible for promoting Scotland to domestic and international visitors and supporting travel trade and corporate events.

Extensive collaboration with the Scottish tourism network and industry to ensure excellent product knowledge to facilitate service delivery.

Represented the Scottish Tourist Board at industry events in London and overseas.