New Alliance Trust chairman Lord Smith of Kelvin has made good on a promise to shareholders to return a female influence to the group’s board.
The Dundee-headquartered Trust has had a succession of women in promoted posts in recent years, including the previous chief executive and past two chairmen.
However, the departure of former CEO Katherine Garrett-Cox and her chairman Karin Forseke following a shareholder revolt last year left the company without a single female board representative.
At his first Trust AGM this month, Lord Smith said there would be female representation on the board again.
However, he said any new board member would have to earn their place at the table.
The company has now moved to appoint marketing and client service specialist Clare Dobie as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect.
Ms Dobie ran her own consultancy for 10 years until 2015 and was previously global head of marketing at GAM (Global Asset Management).
A former City Editor at The Independent, Clare also spent eight years with Barclays in a number of senior roles, including head of marketing.
Lord Smith said: “I am delighted that Clare is joining the Board as she brings extensive knowledge of marketing and client service within asset management companies.
“Her skills and expertise in the investment trust sector and her early background in financial journalism provide an ideal complement to an already strong board.”