Exclusive:Beatson Charity stalwart set to take over Scottish Golf role from Rangers chief

Alan Kilpatrick, a lifelong golfer who cut his teeth in the game at Lenzie Golf Club and is now a member of Glasgow Golf Club, is in line to take up the post at the governing body’s upcoming AGM in Glasgow.

The position became vacant when Martin Gilbert, one of Scottish Golf’s biggest financial supporters for a spell through backing provided by Aberdeen Asset Management, decided last May not to stand for re-election following the conclusion of his three-year term.

Thornton, who had previously served as interim CEO before Robbie Clyde took up the post on a permanent basis in September 2023, was appointed as interim chair as a search for a new chair was undertaken.

From over 200 prospective candidates, a final field of 26 applicants was presented to Scottish Golf’s nominations committee and a final short-list of five candidates were interviewed earlier this year, with a proposal to appoint Kilpatrick then being endorsed by the SGL board a fortnight ago.

A chartered accountant, he is currently an executive director with North British Distillery, having built up extensive and international experience in senior finance, strategy, commercial and general management roles, leading significant business recovery and transformation. His career portfolio also spans corporate finance, global manufacturing and international business development.

As a founding director of the Beatson Cancer Charity, he was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2013 for services to people with cancer in the West of Scotland.

“I’m looking forward to my imminent retirement from executive leadership and would be honoured to volunteer my experience, earned through 40 years in senior roles within large and well-governed businesses,” said Kilpatrick of his nomination, which will be one of the main items on the agenda at the AGM ahead of the Scottish Golf Awards in Glasgow on 14 March.

“I was successfully treated for cancer at the Beatson when I was 19, and it has been an extraordinary privilege to have been part of the Beatson Cancer Charity journey, from its inception to development, to the sizeable organisation it is now.

“My real passion – outwith my family – is sport and, for me, the greatest sport of all is golf. My early experiences, its influence on my behaviour and relationships, the places I have played, watched (and still plan to) mean that to have the honour of chairing Scottish Golf would be a very special culmination of my career in ‘late middle age’.

“I am led by a simple but passionate desire to enable and encourage as many girls, boys, women and men to have the same thrill from golf as I do and to successfully develop as many as possible to top amateur level through a stellar performance pathway.

“Golf in Scotland is unique and sits on historic foundations, and for a greater, more meaningful understanding of how clubs, Areas and Counties support our sport, I intend to engage and meet with as many as possible over the coming months.

“I believe that my experience in business and charity sectors, alongside the networks I have built in Scotland, will further strengthen Scottish Golf in the coming years.”

Two existing directors - Vic Skelton and Alistair Gray - are seeking re-election for a second term of three years while Lynne Terry, who has been involved as a volunteer with Scottish Golf and its predecessor, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, for over 20 years, is set to take over as the governing body’s president from Paul Gibson.