SkyeConnect Volunteer Directors
We are currently in the process of appointing additional directors from a wide variety of expertise, backgrounds and locations on to help drive our community forward.
Gary Curley - Executive Chair
Gary is General Manager and Director of Skye’s Sligachan Hotel & Seumas’ Bar. The business has been in his wife’s family for over 100 years.
Gary is an Entrepreneurial Scotland Saltire Fellow and was chosen to complete their 6 month Saltire Fellowship Programme which took him to study at Babson College, the top business school in the world for entrepreneurship.
Currently completing a masters in business at Strathclyde, Gary also brings professional experience from previous senior roles in sales management, marketing, creative industries and hospitality.
Jasper Buxton - Director
SkyeConnect is particularly active in representing the island’s interests to both local and central government.
At the same time, we are developing responsible tourism, for example by encouraging visitors to spend more time on the island. We are driving improvements in critical infrastructure, from increased parking capacity through to giving visitors comprehensive and up-to-date information about tourist attractions.
This means that visitors will continue to have an excellent experience on Skye, while quality of life for local residents is maintained.
Simon Cousins - Director
In 2018 Simon established Simon Cousins Media to offer communications services and advice for a range of clients across the country.
Having moved to Skye to live on the family croft, Simon has worked for SkyeConnect for the last two years. Over this period he has worked to promote a positive image of Skye and its tourism providers in the national media. Simon is the main point of contact for journalists and broadcasters looking for content and comment from the tourism industry on Skye.
He also produces films promoting the island and individual businesses as well as the weekly Skyetime Podcast, which is available here and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
If you need any help or advice Simon can be contacted on 07850 715111 or simon@simoncousinsmedia.co.uk.
Fergus Watson - Director
Fergus is a self-employed Tourism Consultant and Director of the Café Sia Group of operations on the Isle of Skye.
He has worked in a number of business development roles with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Business Gateway network. He also holds a number of Directorships and has recently invested in the South Of Scotland at the Auld Kirk Luxury Bed and Breakfast located in Kirkbean, as well as being Director of BTS Limited a Tourism Development Consultancy.
Fergus has a passion for Scotland and the tourism industry, working with tourism businesses supporting their growth and development. In his spare time, can be found trying to reduce his handicap on the golf course, skiing, cycling in Scotland or keeping fit with running up hills.
Calum Munro - Co-opted Member from Highland Council
Info to follow soon.