Deirdre is Chief Executive of Dundee Heritage Trust, the 98% self-funded charity that runs two five star rated visitor attractions in Dundee: Discovery Point and Verdant Works. Both are fully accredited museums, each with recognised collections of national significance.
In life before Dundee Heritage Trust, Deirdre trained initially in law, qualified as an accountant with Ernst and Young and has a Masters in Fine Art, with a focus on Dundee heritage.
She gained her culture, tourism, commercial, education and fundraising experience working at executive level in a large local authority, a university, the Scouts Association and as COO at Tate (London, Liverpool and St Ives) She has worked at board level in Dundee Contemporary Arts, Craft Scotland, the Society of Scottish Artists and as a member of Big Lottery’s Scotland Committee. She is currently Chair of the Exhibiting Societies of Scottish Artists (representing Scotland’s 3 largest exhibiting artists membership organisations, SSA, VAS and RSW), Chair of Dundee Tourism Leadership Group, a member of the Industrial Museums of Scotland and a member of Tayside Tourism Leadership Group.
