Glencraft hires oil and gas chief as Scottish social enterprise springs back from Covid

Glencraft, which provides opportunities for blind, partially blind and disabled people, has announced that Donald MacKay will succeed Graham McWilliam at the helm of the Aberdeen-based charitable company.

Mr MacKay joins following a 30-year career in the energy sector that has seen him live in 10 countries. He began his career at Schlumberger and has held senior roles at companies such as Odfjell Well Services, Morgenstern and Read Cased Hotel, serving as chief executive of the latter.

Mr McWilliam steps down after six years leading 178-year-old Glencraft, which supplies leading hotels at home and abroad, having recently secured £75,000 of government funding to replace outdated machinery and improve reliability and efficiency at its Mastrick production site. He plans to pursue new opportunities after a short break.

Mr MacKay, who was born and raised on Lewis, said: “It is an honour and privilege to be entrusted to lead, support and develop such a highly-regarded and vitally important social enterprise. I’d like to thank Graham for his remarkable work during a time of intense challenges, including the downturn in the oil and gas market and the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. He passes on a business in a strong position, and we look forward to creating the next part of the Glencraft story. Businesses and the community across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have always been tremendous supporters of Glencraft and I look forward to strengthening those relationships. I have enjoyed my career in the energy sector but the chance to shape an organisation with an international reputation for quality and one that provides dignity through work opportunities that may not otherwise be available was simply too good to turn down.”

The leadership change comes shortly after Glencraft won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in May. Glencraft won the award for promoting opportunity through social mobility, in recognition of its commitment to supporting people from under-represented groups, for training and developing staff, and for its sustainable business model.

The award was hailed by the company yesterday as a fitting tribute to former chairman Duncan Skinner, who died earlier this year. Alongside Bob Keiller, former chief executive of energy giant Wood, Mr Skinner led the fight to save Glencraft in 2010 after it faced closure over funding issues.

The business has since recovered and employs 38 people, with customers across the North-east of Scotland including The Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar, Buchan Braes Hotel near Peterhead, Maryculter House Hotel just outside Aberdeen and The Chester Hotel in the Granite City. It supplies mattresses to the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, London, and the Caledonia Sleeper Service, as well as clients in the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Further afield, the company has sales agreements with five-star hotels and distributors in South Korea and China and, though partners, has branded stores in Singapore and Hong Kong. Talks are ongoing with a “major customer” in Germany.

Asked how the pandemic has affected the business, a spokesman said social distancing rules curbed production capacity during periods when restrictions were in place, with sales lost when the showroom had to close. The charity’s key hospitality sector also suffered. However, although mattress production was 50 per cent lower, the organisation said it traded at a surplus in the year ended June 30, 2021. A new contract with a customer in South Korea helped to lift exports. Having turned over £983,000 for the period, it aims to turn over £1.5m in the current year, “subject to Covid-19 issues”, even though it is taking longer for raw material supplies to arrive.

Jonathan Smith, who has been confirmed as chairman of Glencraft, said: “We wish Graham all the best in his next adventure. He led our transformation to a luxury brand, expanded our reach through international agreements and supported the growth and development of a talented team. When Graham announced he was stepping down, the Glencraft board set in motion a process to find someone whose leadership qualities embrace the professional will and personal humility that this demanding role requires. I’m delighted to say we have found that in Donald.”

Mr McWilliam said: “I’m of course sad to be leaving Glencraft but the time had come to find new challenges. In recent years, Glencraft has been put on the right track and I have no doubt that Donald and the team will build on this to ensure it continues to grow not only as a commercial enterprise but as a valued support network in the Aberdeen community.”