Edinburgh Palette is governed by a Board of Trustees. Our Trustees are responsible for providing strategic direction and ensuring effective governance is in place for our longterm future.
Our Current Board of Trustees
R. Grahame Wear
Chairman of Edinburgh Palette Ltd.
Contact Grahame
Grahame was educated at the Bradford Boys Grammar School, various colleges and Leeds University. After being brought up in the retail trade, he turned his back on the family business and joined the Rank Organisation, quickly becoming their youngest general manager in their Leisure Division. After three years he transferred to the Theatre Division where he stayed until early retirement in 1999. He was based at the Odeon in Clerk Street, Edinburgh, for his last ten years. Besides his routine business work of managing a multi-million pound business he specialized in premieres, events, marketing, advertising, business development and management training. His most memorable achievement was hosting the ‘world premiere’ of Rob Roy, a spectacular three day event cumulating in the star studded premiere itself. During his time at Edinburgh he was also the Chair of the Scottish Cinema Exhibitors Association, (CEA).
Two weeks after retirement Grahame was bored so took employment with the Scottish Parliament from March 1999, where he worked for a further eleven years as a Liaison Officer in the Presiding Officer’s and Chief Executive’s office. Here he was involved in planning and hosting VIP visits to the Parliament and major events, together with organising cross party out-going visits for MSPs around the world. He also sat on the Parliament’s Health and Safety Committee and is currently Chair of the Scottish Parliament’s Retiree Association.
In 2007 he, together with a former business colleague, Dale Gibson, formed a charitable company, Save the Odeon Ltd. This charity then became art’s complex, before becoming Edinburgh Palette. Grahame also runs a small private company, G1 Management Services, which primarily helps charitable organisations achieve their ambitions. The company motto being, “Your aim is our goal”. His leisure activities, besides his love for most forms of classical music, include building and property maintenance, gardening, serious boating and walking with his Jack Russell, Bobby.
Liz Engelsen
Non-Executive Board Member.
Email Liz. Or tweet @liznylon
Liz Engelsen joins Edinburgh Palette as a new Trustee. Having lived in New York City, London, Amsterdam and travelled/worked in 35 countries, Liz is curious about the influence of culture, customs and traditions on design. Growing in America, Liz was surrounded by creativity everyday – her mother, grandfather and sister are artists and other family members are photographers, jewellers, accessory designers, metalworkers and wood carvers.
Liz took a different path and spent the past 25 years as a global business, innovation and brand strategy consultant, helping some of the world’s largest companies transform their businesses. She’s led strategic assignments including the global repositioning of Wrigley and MasterCard; building innovation platforms for Smirnoff and Starbucks; establishing local marketing strategies for Reckitt Benckiser, and the award-winning relaunch of British Airways in the US.
Liz believes bringing people together in a collaborative, creative and strategic manner delivers the most compelling and inspiring results. This approach proved successful in the development of Starbucks Via™ and reinvigorating Wrigley’s employees through a new vision and purpose, a fresh new identity, and bespoke training programs in Asia, Europe and North America.
Personally, Liz is excited to bring her strategic skills and appreciation of the arts to Edinburgh Palette. She calls Edinburgh home with her husband Tony and is an avid supporter of the arts, is inspired by new art forms, follows design and start-ups and welcomes café recommendations.
Harry Turner
Non-Executive Board Member.
Email Harry.
Harry was born and educated in England, but has been an Edinburgh resident for almost 20 years. He has enjoyed a varied and interesting career, which has so far taken him around the UK, and included projects in Europe and South Africa. After working on the family farm, Harry’s first proper job was as a motor racing mechanic, from which grew an involvement in motorsports sponsorship, including Formula 1 Grand Prix.
In the 1980s, Harry pioneerd the concept of spectator radio stations at Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24hrs, Cowes Week, European Tour Golf events and major airshows. The balance of Harry’s career has been spent in sales, marketing and communications, and has included stints in marking the world’s biggest ale brand and as communications manager of the world’s largest cider maker.
To date, Harry rates his biggest achievement as the launch of Radio Le Mans, and his most memorable moment as being ‘jumped’ by stunt rider Eddie Kidd – although he does confess to having his eyes closed at the time.
Harry brings a wealth of real world knowledge and commercial acumen to the role of Trustee, as well as a focus on creatively-applied common sense.
Stephen Oswald
Non-Executive Board Member.
Stephen relocated back to Edinburgh from London in Jan 2013 after a 25 year period of study and work in the property and construction industries. He was a director of Guildhouse UK between 2001 – 2012, responsible for delivering major private and public sector projects. Currently now working for Hub South East Scotland seconded to City Of Edinburgh Council’s Property department looking at developing collaborative opportunities between the public sector and their partner organisations. Stephen is also a non executive board director of Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association.
Stephen is passionate about creating sustainable environments that enable people to thrive and communities to flourish by considering the development process more holistically. He understands the impact that employment, housing, education, health services, social care, leisure and creative outlets have on the general well being of individuals, families and communities.
Stephen has been involved in lobbying government about improving the integration between public/ community services and understands the huge contribution organisations such as Edinburgh Palette can make to both individuals the wider local community they work with.
Dale Gibson
Business Manager, Edinburgh Palette.
Contact Dale
Dale was educated at Dotheboys Hall Academy where he obtained a first in ‘Winder Cleanin’ and a PHD in ‘Compulsory Procrastination’. He failed to go in to the family chimney sweeping business because even at the tender age of six his head was too big for the flues.
His first major commercial venture commenced when Grahame lent him 20p for a cup of tea. Together they collaborated on their next big project where they discovered how to order coffee without giving their real names.
An Author his two controversial award winning titles: “Picasso, as square as he’s painted!” and “Dali, is he for real?” have taken the art world by storm (that is to say “mild for the time of year” type weather analogy). A big fan of Jeremy Clarkson, Dale’s hobbies include teaching his Anteater ‘Arnold’ the perils of sticking his nose in ‘Top Gear’.