Meet the Team | East Ayrshire Council

The Economic Development Service within East Ayrshire Council is tasked with supporting new businesses to start up, indigenous businesses to grow and others to relocate into East Ayrshire and are happy to be the first point of contact for businesses interested in growing in East Ayrshire.

Get in touch with one of our business advisors to help take your business to the next level.

Business Support

Providing access to advice and guidance; loans and grants; and workshops and networking events to support business growth– the delivery of the Business Gateway Programme is a key element of this support and focuses specifically on start-up and high growth companies.

Business Support Team Leader

Mags Watson

mags.watson@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Business Development Officers

Anthony Baker

anthony.baker@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Allan Davidson

allan.davidson@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Jim Dunn

jim.dunn@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Rebecca Payling

rebecca.payling@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Gillian Thomson

gillian.thomson@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Business Start Up Advisors

Caroline Duff

caroline.duff@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Kaidi Hall

kaidi.hall@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Anne Quinn

anne.quinn@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Events and Marketing Officer

Nicole Drummond

nicole.drummond@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Graduate Intern

Emma McDade

emma.mcdade@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Inward investment

Providing a principal contact for all inward investment enquiries; undertaking property searches, undertaking marketing and promotional activities and supporting the creation of new property developments aligned to job opportunities.

Economic Development Officer

Dawn McGartland

dawn.mcgartland@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Food, Drink and Tourism

Working with a range of partner agencies to provide support to Ayrshire businesses from across the Food, Drink and Tourism sector. From ensuring they have access to advice, guidance and support to developing and growing the sector regionally, attracting more visitors, more spend and creating new job opportunities.

Sector Development Officer – Food, Drink and Tourism

Adrienne McGeechan

adrienne.mcgeechan@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

support staff

Supporting local residents to acquire the skills and qualifications required in the labour market and to assist individuals to access employment opportunities.

Administrative Officer

Anne-Marie Dawson

anne-marie.dawson@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Business Administrator

Darren Gemmell

darren.gemmell@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Senior Clerical Assistants

Ainsley Murphy

ainsley.murphy@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Laura O’Neil

laura.oneil@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Clerical Assistant

Lynsey Garrick

lynsey.garrick@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Ayrshire Growth Deal

Proactively engage and support private and third sector businesses to help stimulate growth and prosperity within East Ayrshire by promoting the pillars of Community Wealth Building and bringing a focus to local procurement spend; fair work and climate action.