Ministerial and Government Plenary Session - Biographies

Dr Tidu Maini

Dr Tidu Maini is Executive Chairman of Qatar Science & Technology Park. He heads the science park’s strategy and governance, and leads its development of international research collaborations.

Dr Tidu was appointed to this role in June 2007 by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, of which the science park is a part. He is also Qatar Foundation’s Science & Technology Advisor.

Dr Maini was most recently Pro Rector of Imperial College London, responsible for technology transfer, consulting services, strategic business alliances, development and alumni affairs. He is a member of the College’s Management Board and sits on a number of other College academic and business committees.

Dr Maini has 30 years of experience in the management of technology companies in the defence, electronics, energy and ICT sectors. His extensive experience includes management of business in Europe, US, Asia and the Middle East.

Prior to joining Imperial College Dr Maini was Senior Vice President of Schlumberger Inc, Main Board Member of Sema Group plc, Deputy Chairman GEC Marconi, and Managing Director GEC Software Systems.

Dr Maini is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Goodenough College, London and Chairman of the London 2012 Olympic Technology Board.

His other current positions include non executive board positions of Malomatia Ltd Qatar, Tata Africa Ltd, Imperial College Abu Dhabi Diabetes Clinic, United Arab Emirates.

He is a member of the Joint Advisory Board of Texas A&M University at Qatar, the International Advisory Board of Thorium Power in the US, the India-UK Roundtable and the Microsoft European Round Table.

Dr Maini is alTrustee of the Emirates Foundation, United Arab Emirates.

Dr Maini has a PhD and BSc in Engineering from Imperial College and was a Post Doctoral Fellow of the University of California Berkeley.

Jim Mather MSP

Born in March 1947, Jim Mather MSP was educated at Paisley Grammar, Greenock High School and Glasgow University, where he studied accountancy, law and economics. In 1964, he became an apprentice chartered accountant, going on to work in the computer industry, latterly running his own business, before entering politics.

From 2000 until 2004, he was the party's National Treasurer. At the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Jim was elected as a Highlands and Islands MSP. As Shadow Enterprise and Economy Minister, he was a member of the SNP's Shadow Cabinet. Mr Mather became the MSP for Argyll and Bute at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election and was appointed Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism. He has been involved in the development and promotion of the Economic Case for Independence and is a Director of Business for Scotland.

He is married with two children.

Ann McKechin

Ann McKechin was born in 1961 and educated in Paisley. She studied law at the University of Strathclyde and qualified as a solicitor in 1983. She was elected to the Commons at the 2001 General Election as the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill following the retirement of the sitting Labour MP, Maria Fyfe, and following boundary changes was elected to the new Glasgow North seat in 2005. She served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Jacqui Smith in 2005 in her capacity as Minister of State at both the Department of Trade and Industry and at the Department for Education and Skills. She has also served on a number of select committees including Scottish Affairs (2001-2005) and International Development (since 2005). She was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office on 16 September 2008.

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Ed Miliband is Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. He was previously Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, where he was responsible for helping to coordinate work across government, and leading the government's efforts to tackle social exclusion, support the Third Sector and coordinate the improvement of public services. From 2006 to 2007 he was Minister for the Third Sector, supporting charities, social enterprises and community organisations.

He was elected Labour MP for Doncaster North in May 2005.

Previously he was Chair of HM Treasury's Council of Economic Advisers, advising the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, on long–term policy development. Before that, as a special adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer after May 1997, he worked across a range of economic and social policy areas, including taxation, public spending, and labour market issues.

In 2003, he was a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Government at Harvard University and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for European Studies. He holds an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and a BA from Oxford University.

Jason Ormiston, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables and Co-Chair, FREDS (Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland)

Jason Ormiston has been Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, Scotland’s green energy trade body, for nearly three years. Before that he was its Senior Wind Energy Officer with Scottish Renewables after being recruited from business journalism. Scottish Renewables has more than 250 members all of whom want to see renewables a success in Scotland. You can find out more by visiting www.scottishrenewables.com

James R. Wright - High Commissioner for Canada

Mr. Wright assumed his responsibilities as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 27th August, 2006.

Born in Montreal, Mr. Wright attended McGill University (BA, 1972;MA, 1973) before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1976.

With the Canadian Foreign Service, he has served in Moscow (1978-1980), Washington (1983-1987) and London (1992-1996) where he was Minister, Political and Public Affairs, at the Canadian High Commission. In Ottawa, he has worked in the Office of the Prime Minister and as Director of Personnel.

From 1996-2000, Mr. Wright was Director General for the Central, East and South Europe Bureau. From 2000-2004, he was the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Global and Security Policy Branch. In January 2005, following a reorganization of Foreign Affairs Canada, he assumed the position of Assistant Deputy Minister for the International Security Branch. Mr. Wright also served as the Political Director.

He speaks English, French and Russian.

Mr. Wright is married to Donna Thomson, and they have two children, Nicholas and Natalie.

Peter Stephen, The Lord Provost for Aberdeen

The Lord Provost is Aberdeen’s civic head, an ancient office dating back to the 13th century. Peter Stephen was nominated and elected as the new Lord Provost for Aberdeen. The 43 members of Aberdeen City Council following the local government elections elect the ‘first citizen’ every four years. The Provost is also the Convener of the Council and continues to carry out the normal duties of an elected member.

The role involves the active promotion of Aberdeen at home and abroad. This involves a wide range of activities from hosting civic receptions and acting as the city’s ambassador, to taking part in a wide range of activities involving Aberdeen’s many groups and organisations.

Importantly, the Lord Provost is also the Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeen City and in this capacity, greets the Royal Family and visiting Heads of State. Other titles held by the Lord Lieutenant are the Lord High Admiral of the Northern Seas and the Vice Admiral of the Coast of Great Britain and Ireland.

Membership of committees, working groups and outside bodies

• Aberdeen & Grampian Tourist Board
• Justice of Peace (previously serving on bench)
• Patron of Aberdeen International Youth Festival
• Commissioner of the Northern Lighthouse Board
• Vice President of the World Energy Cities Partnership
• Member of the Gordon Highlanders’ Museum management Committee
• Chair of the Justices of the Peace Advisory Committee
• Trustee on the Aberdeen Safer Communities Trust
• Chairman of the City Council
• President of Aberdeen Scout Council
• President of the Aberdeen Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
• Patron of Mental Health Aberdeen
• Honorary President of Erskine Hospital
• Trustee of the National Library of Scotland
• Honorary President of the Bridge of Don Sea Cadet Unit
• Vice President of the Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Fund
• Honorary Member of the Aberdeen & North East Scotland Family History Society
• Member of Aberdeen City Council Licensing Committee, Standards and Scrutiny Committee, Grampian Joint Fire Board and the Aberdeen Licensing Board.
• Member of the Local Advisory Committee of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen