The Inverness Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are nominated from within the membership and voted for by the members.
Nominations aim to ensure best representation of balanced gender, sectoral representation of membership, geographical representation of business location, representative of member business size and representative of public / private sector membership.
Marc Wilson
President
Marc is Head of Marketing and Engagement at High Life Highland, supporting the development of opportunities in culture, learning, sport, leisure, health and wellbeing across 9 services throughout the whole of the Highlands. He is responsible for the leadership, planning, and execution of marketing strategies, promotional activity, and communications. With over 15 years of experience working at in Marketing roles, Marc takes a great source of pride from being part of a strong, driven, and hard-working team with a passion for making life better for thousands of individuals across the Highland region. A proud native of Inverness, he is enthusiastic about his belief that the Highland and Islands’ is a hard-working, innovative, and forward-looking region. Marc lives in Inverness with his wife and son, and is a fan of running, especially off the beaten track, and enjoys travelling.
Steve Barron
Vice-President
Steve Barron heads up Highland News & Media as Publishing Director. With over 20 years’ experience in the local media, Steve has collaborated on projects with many private and public sector organisations across the Highlands and beyond. Steve believes that the built in resilience of businesses in the north of Scotland mean that we are well placed to bounce back quickly from the effects of the pandemic. A proud Invernessian, outside of work Steve enjoys making the most of the culture, sport and outdoor space on our doorstep.
Colin Marr
Colin has worked for 35 years in the arts and theatre industry. He was Chief Executive of Eden Court Theatre and Cinema in Inverness for 20 years, where he transformed the building from a single theatre to Scotland’s largest multi-arts centre. Under his leadership, both turnover and audiences tripled and he established the largest creative learning programme in the UK. Prior to joining the Chamber, Colin was Theatre Director of The Edinburgh Playhouse, the UKs largest seated theatre. He led the organisation through several capital development programmes, and the theatre re-opened after Covid in 2021 to record-breaking audiences. He has held a number of board positions and was the founding Chair of Visit Inverness Loch Ness from 2014 to 2017. He is experienced at working with local, Scottish and UK Government, and he is also a qualified coach.
Hilary Clelland
Hilary is an experienced tax and accounting professional with 18 years’ tax expertise and currently leads Saffery LLP’s corporate tax offering in Scotland. She advises a wide range of clients, including owner-managed businesses, large corporates, partnerships, and not-for-profit entities, throughout all stages of their business lifecycle. After training and working at EY for a decade and gaining in-house experience at Barchester Healthcare, Hilary joined Saffery LLP in 2017 and became a partner in the Inverness office. Raised in Inverness and educated at Inverness Royal Academy, she is passionate about supporting local businesses and contributing to the growth of the regional economy. She is proud to have built a strong tax team in Inverness and is committed to creating opportunities for the next generation of professionals. Hilary’s national and international client experience, combined with strong technical skills, allows her to provide valuable insights into developments in accountancy, tax, and the economy. As a mother of two, she is deeply invested in helping ensure the Highlands continues to offer bright futures for young people.
James Forbes
James is the Director of Engineering at Arthain, a company that provides environmental, planning, engineering, safety and design services across the Highlands and beyond. As well as directing a group in the company, he holds a dual role and heads up Arthian’s Highland and Inverness offices, which cover three locations and over 20 employees. He is a chartered engineer and environmentalist and routinely supports clients as they work to minimise environmental impact, reduce carbon emissions and work towards net zero. He is responsible for leading a diverse team of engineering professionals, with accountability for group commercial and technical performance.
Ben Hosie
Ben is the Product Manager at sfG Software, which provides IT support and software development services to businesses throughout the Highlands, since 2010. Ben attended university in the US, gaining his first degree whilst playing football on a scholarship. After returning to the UK in 2013, Ben began his journey in the world of IT. Whilst learning and developing in management roles at Capgemini for IT support, Level Global for product support and project delivery, Ben also picked up a degree in Business Management with a focus on leadership. Having gained a lot of experience in his various roles, Ben then got the opportunity to join sfG Software. A local lad, Ben lives in Inverness with his wife and two children. Outside of work Ben enjoys playing football, travelling with his family and enjoys lots of food.
Chris Hawkes
Chris Hawkes is Co-founder and CEO of Strut, a creative and digital agency based in Inverness with a UK-wide client base. With more than 20 years’ experience, he has built a reputation for delivering innovative, insight-led work across a wide range of sectors. Chris brings strong commercial awareness alongside a deep understanding of the opportunities presented by digital transformation and emerging technologies. He is passionate about collaboration and the role it plays in driving growth and unlocking potential within the regional economy. Through his work, Chris has developed a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing Highland businesses.
Helen Inkster
Helen Inkster is Managing Director of Pentland Ferries, where she has led significant growth while strengthening connectivity and resilience across the north of Scotland. With extensive experience in transport and infrastructure, she brings a strong understanding of the challenges facing rural and island economies. Helen is a values-driven leader, known for balancing commercial performance with long-term sustainability and community impact. She is a passionate advocate for SMEs and regional businesses, with a focus on practical support and collaboration. Helen is committed to ensuring the Highlands and Islands remain a competitive and thriving place to do business.
Victoria Leslie
Victoria Leslie is Joint Managing Partner at Ledingham Chalmers LLP, with a legal career focused on commercial and civil litigation across Scotland. She brings deep expertise in governance, risk and compliance, alongside strong advocacy and communication skills developed through working with businesses of all sizes. Based in Inverness, Victoria has long been engaged with the Chamber and wider business community. Her leadership experience includes serving as President of Highland Business Women, where she supported membership growth and organisational development. Victoria is committed to supporting sustainable economic growth and strengthening connections across the Highland business landscape.
Lindsay McCallum
Lindsay McCallum is Founder and Director of Braedown, a strategic communications consultancy focused on energy transition and clean growth. With over 15 years’ experience in communications and public affairs, she has advised organisations across energy, infrastructure and financial services at a national and international level. Having returned to the Highlands to establish her business, Lindsay is deeply invested in the region’s long-term economic future. She brings expertise in policy, stakeholder engagement and advocacy, alongside experience of working across complex, multi-sector environments. Lindsay is also Chair of The Care and Learning Alliance (CALA) Highland, reflecting her commitment to inclusive growth and strong communities.
Stéphane Portès
Stéphane is currently the General Manager for The Drumossie Hotel, part of Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, and was previously GM at Norwood Hall Hotel, Aberdeen. With thirty years’ experience in hospitality both in the UK and internationally, previous roles include Head of Hospitality & Retail Services at the House of Lords and Hotel Operations Director for Goldman Sachs’ European headquarters in London. He holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University, is a Board member for the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards, an Ambassador for Highland Tourism and an advisor/member for Visit Inverness Loch Ness.
Gavin Ross
Gavin has worked in both the public and private sectors prior to moving up to the Highlands from Stirling in 2021 with his wife and four children and settling in Fortrose. He joined LifeScan just as Johnson and Johnson bought the company, working there for 18 years as Senior Engineering Manager until 2017. He joined SGL for three years then left to join Northeast Nutrition in Invergordon who are part of Cooke Aquaculture. He rejoined SGL in 2023 and is currently restructuring the business to meet the current market demands. Gavin is also renovating a Mirror Class offshore yacht complete with inboard diesel engine. He enjoys innovation and have a patent in his name. He enjoys swimming, cycling and hill walking and is a keen fly fisher.