Senior Management Team
Alison Irvine
Chief Executive
Alison is responsible for setting the organisation’s direction, overseeing day-to-day performance, and ensuring decisions are made openly and responsibly. Working closely with Ministers, Parliament, and partners across the country, Alison works to help deliver safe, sustainable, and reliable transport that supports Scotland’s economy and communities.
As the organisation’s Accountable Officer, Alison is responsible for ensuring public money is spent transparently and that Transport Scotland operates efficiently, manages risks effectively, meets high standards of governance and leads the organisation in building trust and delivering value.
Alison has held various policy and delivery posts across the Scottish Government latterly leading the Cabinet, Parliament and Governance Division in Scottish Government covering all legislation and parliament business, the running of Cabinet as well as Protocol and Honours.
Having first joined Transport Scotland in 2008, in 2018 Alison was appointed Director of Transport Strategy and Analysis, responsible for the development of the new National Transport Strategy, the transport aspects of the Climate Change Plan and setting the investment priorities for transport across Scotland through the second Strategic Transport Projects Review. This included responsibility for supporting ministers through the transport response to Covid-19, EU Exit and the development of business cases and post opening evaluation for Scottish Minister’s trunk road and rail investment programmes.
Prior to joining Transport Scotland, Alison spent 18 years working in the consultancy sector as a transport planner and is a graduate from the University of Strathclyde, a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.
Fiona Brown
Director of Strategy Performance and Analysis
As Director of Strategy, Performance and Analysis, Fiona leads a Directorate of highly skilled analysts, communications experts and policy leads, as we strive for better cross-government working and collaboration, inclusive stakeholder engagement, outcomes-based communications, evidence-led policy making, and to provide effective advice across Transport Scotland.
Fiona joined the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland in 2013 and prior to that, worked at one of the major engineering consultancies for 11 years as a transport planner. During her early career Fiona has worked on local transport schemes, including design and modelling, and later contributed to transport planning for major events. Then moving to Transport Scotland to focus on strategic and national issues, including transport appraisal, data collection, managing the northern trunk road network.
As Director for Transport Strategy and Analysis for 4 years, her portfolio represented a broad range of technical, analytical, policy and coordination areas.
Fiona has a degree in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Transport Planning and Engineering and is a Chartered Engineer.
Morna Cannon
Director of Environment, Climate and Sustainability
As Director of Environment, Climate and Sustainability at Transport Scotland, Morna leads an expert team from a diverse range of professional backgrounds and disciplines. Together they are driving forward a portfolio which maximises transport’s positive contribution to the Scottish and global environment, while creating economic opportunities as part of a Just Transition to net zero. Whether managing the ChargePlace Scotland public charging network, bringing in laws to increase electric vehicle uptake, exploring refuelling networks for HGVs of the future, supporting clean transport skills projects, supporting Low Emission Zones, enabling new woodland planting, or planning for a transport system adapted to a hotter climate, the Directorate works draws together collaborative work with partners across Scotland and beyond to deliver a sustainable transport network.
Prior to joining Transport Scotland in 2021, Morna spent 14 years in climate and energy roles spanning the public and private sectors - from project managing environmental consents for offshore windfarms, to establishing the national net zero strategy for the maritime sector and also representing the UK in UN negotiations on a global climate deal for shipping. Morna’s academic background is in environmental economics and law, and she is a graduate of Cambridge University and the Paris Institute of Political Studies.
Graeme Cook
Director of Rail Delivery
Graeme joined Transport Scotland from Scottish Rail Holdings where he held posts as Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer. Before becoming involved with the railway Graeme held a number of government commercial roles in major programmes across the public sector.
Graeme has led work to review and design the governance and assurance of critical public services delivered by private, third, and public sector organisations. Joining the Scottish Government in 2007, Graeme helped build commercial collaborations across the Scottish public sector. Before joining the Civil Service, he worked in the NHS, forestry, and in scientific research.
Bill Reeve
Director of Rail Reform
Bill joined Transport Scotland to establish its new rail team, following the devolution of rail powers to the Scottish Parliament in 2005. I have worked in a number of roles in Transport Scotland, having previously been Director of Rail, Bill now heads a team leading work on Rail Reform.
Bill has more than 30 years of experience of the passenger and freight transport industry, working in British Rail, the privatised rail industry, and as Director of Project Sponsorship at the Strategic Rail Authority prior to joining Transport Scotland.
His career has included front line production management; rail freight business development; policy and strategy development; management of franchise contracts; and major rail project sponsorship including new railways, rolling stock and service developments.
Bill is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and recently served as Chairman of its Railway Division.
Mary Docherty
Director Bus, Concessionary & Active Travel
Mary has worked for Transport Scotland for over 12 years and was recently appointed as Director for Bus, Concessionary and Active Travel (BCAT). Prior to this she held various roles within the Agency including Finance Business Partner for (Major Infrastructure Projects, Roads and Rail), Smart and Integrated Ticketing Programme Manager and Head of Concessionary Travel and Integrated Ticketing Unit.
Mary is a qualified accountant and Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and hold an MBA. Prior to joining Scottish Government, she worked for UK Government, Scottish Enterprise and in her earlier career for the private sector.
As Director for Bus, Concessions & Active Travel, Mary oversees the delivery of an ambitious policy agenda, working with delivery partners to improve sustainable, accessible transport options and get the travelling public back to buses, walking, cycling and wheeling. The Directorate also operates concessionary travel schemes for disabled; older and young people and we’re working with operators to ensure all journeys on Scotland’s bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram networks can be ticketed or paid for using smart technologies.
The BCAT Directorate aims to deliver a sustainable, inclusive, and accessible transport system for Scotland. Recognizing that technology alone cannot meet climate change targets, improve air quality, close inequality gaps, or increase physical activity, the Directorate focuses on significant modal shift from private cars to buses and active travel. We strive to make walking, wheeling, and cycling easy for short journeys, while promoting greener buses for longer trips.
Hugh Gillies
Director of Roads Delivery and Operations
Hugh has 35 years of experience in roads and transportation, the last 22 of which have been with Transport Scotland. Since March 2016 he has been part of TS's senior management team. He's also Scotland's Chief Roads Engineer
He’s qualified both as a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Chartered Transport Planning Professional as well as being a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.
He has day to day responsibility for the safe operation and maintenance of Scotland’s trunk road network, (TRN). Like many in the Roads sector in Scotland, he also has a focus on adaptation measures to tackle climate change impacts. Beyond this, Hugh's role is diverse, helping to deliver the Scottish Government's policy objectives across portfolios.
He's played significant roles in leading and influencing the transport planning and delivery of several major events held in Scotland over a number of years, including Operation Unicorn, COP 26, the Solheim & Ryder Cups, the Cycling World Championships and Glasgow 2014 (Commonwealth Games). He's similarly been a major contributor to numerous and notable resilience challenges experienced in Scotland. Examples include the A83 Rest & Be Thankful, the Beast from the East and the unexpected closure of the Forth Road Bridge.
Stakeholder engagement is a major part of Hugh's role, with a requirement liaise and support Scottish Ministers, national and international forums, the wider transport community and beyond. He's an elected member of the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC), where he is chair of its Promotion of Gender Inclusion and Diversity Commission.
Catherine Jess-Gibson
Interim Director of Finance & Corporate Services
Catherine was appointed Interim Director of Finance and Corporate Services in October 2025. Catherine is responsible for ensuring that the key systems and processes enabling Transport Scotland’s delivery are operating effectively.
Before joining Transport Scotland, Catherine spent 11 years in senior finance roles within the UK Government, including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for International Development. Most recently, Catherine led the FCDO Strategic Finance through a multi-year spending review and oversaw delivery of the UK’s annual Official Development Aid commitment. Catherine is an active member of the Government Finance Function senior leadership team and received the 2025 Head of the Government Finance Function Award (2025) for inclusive leadership along with her job-share partner.
Catherine began her career in assurance with KPMG in Scotland and the Cayman Islands. Catherine is a graduate from the University of Edinburgh and is a member of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Lawrence Shackman
Director of Infrastructure Projects
With more than 39 years’ engineering experience, Lawrence was appointed as Transport Scotland’s Director Infrastructure Projects in 2021, responsible for projects such as A9 and A96 Dualling. I am also the Director of Purchasing.
This followed four years as Head of Rail Projects and Technical Services where Lawrence was responsible for the development and delivery of all rail projects in Scotland including the Queen Street station redevelopment and upgrade of the East Kilbride line.
Before this, Lawrence was Project Manager for the iconic Queensferry Crossing, seeing the project through from inception to completion over an 11 year period, and was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering Major Projects Award in 2020 for this role.
Lawrence has extensive experience of project design, maintenance and construction, delivering many projects through management positions in Transport Scotland’s network management and construction divisions.
Lawrence is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, and am also Transport Scotland’s Supervising Civil Engineer responsible for the training of ICE graduates.
Bettina Sizeland
Director of Transport Integration and Connectivity
Bettina joined Transport Scotland in 2022 as Director for Bus, Accessibility and Active Travel (BAAT), having previously worked for the Scottish Government as Deputy Director for Culture and Historic Environment and before that, as Deputy Director for Tourism and Major Events.
Bettina is a chartered civil engineer and holds an MBA. Before her time in the Scottish Government, she worked for ten years overseas in Africa and Asia as an engineering adviser for the Department for International Development. Here, Bettina worked on transport, water and building projects – working with communities to build roads, paths and bridges in Nepal, water points across East Africa and rebuild villages after the war in Mozambique.
Closer to home, Bettina has been part of projects such Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and Kings theatre refurbishment, Wester Hailes master planning, Edinburgh City Centre redevelopment, NHS asset management and eHealth development.
During her time as Director for BAAT, Bettina has overseen the delivery of an ambitious policy agenda, working with delivery partners to improve sustainable, accessible transport options and get the travelling public back to buses, walking, cycling and wheeling.
Bettina is now moving into a new role as Director of the newly formed Transport Integration and Connectivity Directorate.
Chris Wilcock
Director of Ferries & Ports
Chris was appointed Director of Ferries and Ports in October 2025. He joined Transport Scotland in 2009 and previously was Head of Ferries Unit and before that was Head of Ports and Shipping.
As Director of Ferries and Ports, Chris leads on policy, strategy and management relating to the CHFS and NIFS ferry networks, island connectivity, vessel and infrastructure upgrades, procurement and network contract management. This includes close working with Calmac, CMAL, Northlink Ferries and wider ferry stakeholders on the delivery of services and the development of new port and vessel projects.
Chris also leads on devolved policy matters covering commercial, publicly owned and trust ports and shipping/maritime policy.