Chair
Manus Fullerton, Director of Corporate and Commercial Banking, Lloyds TSB Scotland.
Manus Fullerton, is responsible for all corporate and commercial banking activities including business banking, asset finance, and treasury.
He began his career with the Bank of Scotland in Glasgow in 1966 and spent 14 years in London working in International Banking and Treasury before returning to Glasgow to take up a senior appointment in the International Division. He joined TSB Scotland as Assistant General Manager, Treasury and International in 1987 and took up his current position on his appointment to the Board of Lloyds TSB Scotland in 1999.
Manus was born and educated in Glasgow. He has an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and a member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.
Speakers for the motion
Jim Mather MSP - Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
Jim was elected Highlands & Islands MSP in 2003 and was member of the Finance Committee until the Parliament was dissolved prior to the May 2007 elections. As Shadow Enterprise & Economy Minister was a member of the SNP’s Cabinet.
Jim joined the SNP in 1996 and was the SNP’s National Treasurer from 2000 to 2004. He contested Ross Skye & Inverness West in 1999, Argyll & Bute in 2003 and the 2000 Ayr By-election. He now stands along with a team of hard-working, ambitious and energetic council candidates preparing to move Argyll & Bute forward following the elections in May 2007.
He has been involved in the development and promotion of the Economic Case for Independence and is a Director of Business for Scotland.
He was born in 1947 and is married with two children and is a chartered accountant who was involved in the computer industry, latterly running his own business, before entering politics.
A serial entrepreneur, Chris Gorman has headed several highly successful ventures in technology and retail businesses. A founder shareholder in UK mobile phone retailer DX Communications, Chris then went on to create the internet services company, Reality Group.
Current business interests include a number of mobile and internet enterprises as well as Quintessentially, GetFit Wellness, MyMart, The Light Agency, purplelounge.com, AWOMO and Blue Sky Designs.
Highly regarded, Chris has received many business awards for his entrepreneurialism over the years including Ernst & Young Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year, UK E-Business Entrepreneur, Young Business Leader of the Year, Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland in Business, and the laudable SBAAT Businessman of the Year Award.
In June 2005 Chris was delighted to receive an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to business.
Chris is a regular speaker at business events; he has featured in several business related TV shows; he lectures in schools and universities and has been awarded an honorary professorship in business at Paisley University. He is Vice Chairman of the Entrepreneurial Exchange and Governor of the Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama.
Speakers against the motion
Gavin Brown MSP - Conservative
Gavin is the Regional MSP for Edinburgh and the Lothians. He sits on the Economy, Energy & Tourism Committee. He is the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament Business Exchange.He is Co-Convenor for the Cross-Party Group on Skills. In his spare time, Gavin takes part in Tae Kwon-Do (he holds a black belt & is a former Scottish gold medallist). Gavin recently completed the Edinburgh Marathon.