Mike Finlayson
Chief Executive

I have had what might be described as a ‘rich and varied career’ spanning the private and third sectors, to which I can now add a Forth Sector!

My first love was science but as the money was poor I went into retailing, for no other reason than I had a Saturday job at BHS. I ended up running large department stores around the UK for a well know national chain.

My first exposure to the third sector was as Retail Advisor to Oxfam.
I went on to run Community Business Scotland and then Employee Ownership Scotland. I joined RNIB as Director of Development for a year which lasted five. During this time I did some amazing things, including the Island Race, a 4500 mile run around Britain’s coast and managing an expedition to the South Pole (as you do) with Explorer Miles Hilton-Barber. Miles was one of the many amazing blind people I met. How many people do you know who have been to the South Pole, hold a world land-speed record or have flown blind from London to Australia (literally)?

A year’s sabbatical in the third sector is one thing but five years really is a career change and so I set up Teacher Support Scotland, a charity that did what it said on the tin.  As is often the case, one thing leads to another and I found myself leading a research task group on mental health and employability.  With a business background, many years experience leading organisations and an interest in mental health and employment the only place to go was Forth Sector.

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Susan Mclaughlin
Head of Employability Services

After qualifying as a SEN and RMN, Susan worked in Royal Edinburgh and Rosslynlee Hospitals, latterly as a Charge Nurse in Elderly Assessment.  In 1994 she was seconded to the Social Work Department, to set up one of the early community based support services for people, who had severe and enduring mental health illnesses, living in Midlothian. Two years later she moved to what was then Edinburgh Association for Mental Health to develop and manage a similar service within Edinburgh. 

She then returned to work in high dependency, managing a care home for people with dementia.   Susan started a part time MBA,  while working part time managing a housing support service  for people with mental health illnesses and learning disabilities.  After graduation, Susan was employed by a private care company, and responsible for managing 7 Scottish Care Homes and for developing housing support services for people with severe learning and behavioural difficulties .  Susan then worked for a Housing Association, managing their care homes and developing systems and policies for the housing support services to meet the National Care Standards and the Care Commission inspection process. During her work experience Susan has also been involved in tendering opportunities for care contracts within various local authorities and participated in agreeing service level agreements with 21 local authorities.

In February 2009 Susan joined Forth Sector as the temporary Team Leader of Employability Services, accepting the temporary post of Head of Employability Services in March 2009.  

She holds the following qualifications: SEN, RMN, Dip Nursing Studies, MBA. 

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Steve Baxter
Head of Social Firms

In the past thirty years Steve has undertaken a number of business development roles, including sales and marketing management, export and distributor sales management, and the establishment of a new limited company (in 1997) of which he was the majority shareholder and Managing Director.

The area in which he has gained most experience is the health and social care sector, negotiating the supply of equipment and services to third sector care providers, the NHS and local authority Social Services and Education departments.

In recent years, as part of the trading operations of his own business, he has provided consultancy and training services for a number of third sector care providers and local authorities in Scotland and the north of England.

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Jeremy Devlin-Thorp
Interim Finance Director

Jeremy Devlin-Thorp is a CA and was appointed by the Board of Forth Sector in August 2009 to work with the Chief Executive on the financial transformation of the company.

Jeremy has 32 years experience as a finance director and business advisor, and has worked for a number of major commercial companies as well as running his own business in the field of business and personal growth. As an active volunteer, on the Board of Couple Counselling Lothian for 6 years and through ongoing involvement with Faith & Light, working with adults with learning disabilities, Jeremy brings a key blend of commercial control together with an understanding of the third sector to guide Forth Sector to its next level of growth.

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Susan Duncan
Head of Finance and Administration

Susan Duncan is Head of Finance and Administration for Forth Sector. She has worked for the organisation since May 1999. From January 1990 to August 1998 she worked for Orkney Health Board initially in general finance but latterly as Accounts Payable Manager. She has recently completed her Association of Accounting Technician qualification and is a member of the association. The role is both varied and challenging and covers:

The funding environment such as European Social Fund, charitable funders and Local Authority

Small business set-up and arrangements for the financial accounting thereof

Statutory requirements for HM Revenue & Customs including payroll and VAT and other requirements such as audit and Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)

Negotiating supplier contracts and lease agreements

Susan manages a small team that provide a finance and administration service to all the departments/businesses within the Forth Sector group.

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