Dame Susan Bruce DBE, has been appointed as the next Chair of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).
Chief Executive of Aberdeen Council from 2008 and of The City of Edinburgh Council from 2011 until earlier this year, Sue is also non-executive director with SSE, Chair of Young Scot and Vice Chair of SCDI. She is a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen and a member of the Merchant Company of the City of Edinburgh and has recently been appointed a Professor at the University of Strathclyde. Dame Susan is the recipient of many awards, including Chief Executive of the Year in 2013 and UK City Leader of the Year in 2014.
Sue succeeds previous incumbent Dr Brian Lang, who leaves the post after serving seven years, during which time the organisation experienced a rise in average audience figures to the highest in a generation, undertook a successful tour of China with its Music Director Peter Oundjian, and conceived and delivered on plans to rehome the Orchestra and choruses to a new, purpose-built rehearsal, recording and office space adjacent to the existing Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Sue is joined by new board appointment John Heasley, Divisional Managing Director, Weir Power & Industrial, Weir Group plc, who replaces Weir Group plc Chief Executive Keith Cochrane as RSNO Treasurer. In addition to Cochrane’s departure, RSNO Deputy Chair Stephen Carter OBE also leaves after seven years’ service. Finally, Cllr Karen Doran from The City of Edinburgh Council succeeds previous Edinburgh representative Cllr Norma Austin Hart.
In October 2015 the RSNO begins celebration of its 125th anniversary, coinciding with the organisation’s relocation to a new, purpose-built rehearsal and performance space in the centre of Glasgow.