Our Board of Directors
Ralph Porciani
AHS Chairperson and General Manager, Trump Turnberry
Ralph Porciani, General Manager at Trump Turnberry, began his hospitality journey in Dumbarton, in his family’s 85-year-old fish and chip shop business. He considers his father and grandmother to be his greatest influences as they taught him the ethics of customer service and hard work. Inspired by his father, he applied to the Glasgow College of Food & Technology where he planned to begin his career as a hotelier. However, as part of his course, he stepped into the kitchen and from the moment he first put on a chef’s jacket he discovered a passion that stayed with him until this day.
Ralph completed his training at Le Méridien Piccadilly in London and Le Maison Talbooth in Dedham, Essex, before becoming Executive Chef at the Craigendarroch Resort in Scotland, where he achieved both AA and Michelin recognition for The Oaks Restaurant. At 26, Ralph became Scotland’s youngest five star Executive Chef at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. In 1994, Ralph returned to London to head some of the city’s finest kitchens including The Four Seasons Regent Hotel (now the Landmark), The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane.
Whilst in London, Ralph was elected Vice Chairman and Director of Training for Master Chefs of Great Britain, which hosts over two hundred members from some of Britain’s finest hotels and restaurants. During this time, he designed and launched a modern apprenticeship syllabus.
Ralph joined the team at the iconic Turnberry resort in 2004 as Executive Chef. Here, he designed a Cuisine Creative menu which made the best possible use of fresh local ingredients. Ralph’s exceptional skills were further recognised in 2005 when he was promoted to Executive Chef in charge of Food & Beverage at Turnberry, a position that he held for six years.
In 2011, Ralph was then promoted again to Director of Operations, this was partly due to the key role he played in the repositioning of Turnberry when the resort moved from the Westin brand to Luxury Collection (2008). During his tenure, he was instrumental in driving forward operational innovation projects at Turnberry and also increasing guest service experience through management of operational teams including housekeeping and front office. Ten years after arriving at the resort, Ralph came full circle to fulfil his hotelier dream when he took on the role of General Manager of Trump Turnberry. Utilising his extensive experience and expertise. In 2015 Ralph led this historic resort through an exciting period of renovation and repositioning, working closely with the owners, the Trump Organization to make Turnberry the finest resort in Europe.
Rohaise Rose-Bristow
Owner of The Torridon Hotel
Before graduating with a degree in BA Hospitality Business Management (hons) from Leeds Metropolitan University, Rohaise worked all over Scotland gaining experience in both restaurant and front of house in many five-star properties. As a post-graduate Rohaise worked in event and conference management for ICI and IEE. In 1999 she took the challenge of going back to her roots and managing The Torridon with her husband Daniel, which her parents had purchased in 1992. Taking over ownership in 2004 they continue to build on the family success.
The Torridon is a 58 acre estate that consists of a luxury 18 bedroom hotel & fine dining restaurant, a traditional pub with 12 rooms, as well as a self-catering boathouse and outdoor adventure company. Employing up to 55 staff – the majority live on-site – Rohaise as a Qualified Coach and Group Trainer is predominantly the People Director of the company with a focus on offering every member of the team an individually led training and development programme. Rohaise also drives the excellence within the company and the hotel has won a number of industry and tourism awards including the prestigious Independent Hotel of the Year Award at the 2018 Cateys and Five Red Stars in 2019.
In 2017 Rohaise was appointed Chairperson of Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland, an industry led training programme that focuses on raising the profile of hospitality apprentices in Scotland. Rohaise focussed on the strategic development of the organisation which was awarded the Princess Royal Training Award. Ralph Porciani took over the role of Chairperson from Rohaise in March 2022.
Rohaise believes she has the best job in the world and wants to share the fantastic opportunities the hospitality industry has to offer.
Kelly Johnstone
Chief Operations Officer - The Springboard Charity
Kelly is the dynamic leader at the helm of The Springboard Charity across the UK and Ireland. Previously the Director for Scotland, NI, Ireland and North England, a post she has held since 2014. She has driven remarkable growth and vastly improved the impact of the Springboard Charity improving the prospects for employment of tens of thousands of young people as well as unemployed or otherwise disadvantaged adults within hospitality and tourism, in so doing helping the industry raise its profile as an employer and access fresh talent.
Her passion for the industry combined with a natural desire to help people, has meant Kelly’s influence has seen the charity flourish and win numerous awards. Kelly’s ethos is action orientated and getting things done, but is a stickler for quality, practicality and collaboration – working closely with key partners from across the industry, government and other stakeholders.
Prior to Springboard, Kelly spent 17 years with Thomas Cook and was one of the Founding Members of the Thomas Cook Children’s Charity established in 2009. She is a member of the Scottish Tourism Alliance Tourism Skills Group; Scotland’s Youth Employment Group, a Judge for the Scottish Thistle awards, a member of BII Scotland Council and a board member of Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland. Her other passion is football!
Marc Crothall
CEO Scottish Tourism Alliance
Marc is 60 years young and started his working life in the tourism, leisure, and hospitality industry at the age of seventeen at the then very well-known La Sorbonne Restaurant in Oxford.
Prior to taking up his current post, he held many front-line senior management and executive positions across various sectors of the tourism, hospitality, and leisure industry in various parts of the world, including posts in South Africa, France, the Channel Islands, London, the Highlands of Scotland and in his home city of Glasgow.
His wealth of first-hand experience and knowledge about the industry has been gained from working for leading corporate and independent organisations, including Gilbeys’ Hotels (SA), The Metropole Hotel Group, The St. Pierre Park, Sheraton Hotels and The Freedom of the Glen Hotel Group. In addition to his time spent in the hotel industry, he has also worked for leading contract and event caterers the Compass Group and Amadeus, plus has held senior posts at Alton Towers and with the David Lloyd Leisure Group.
Marc was appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) in May 2012. Over the past decade, he has led the organisation to becoming acknowledged as one of the strongest representative trade bodies in the UK.
Marc chaired the national Strategy Steering Group that was charged with developing and overseeing Scotland’s future tourism strategy Scotland Outlook 2030 which was launched at the beginning of March 2020 by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and was appointed in November 2022 by Scotland’s Tourism Minister Ivan McKee MSP to co-chair Scotland’s newly formed Tourism and Hospitality Leadership Group which is responsible for the strategy.
He is a well-respected influencer and spends much of his time engaging directly with senior ministers in both the Scottish & UK governments making representation on behalf of the industry to bring about the best policy and packages of support for the sector and for those who work in it as we recover from COVID.
Marc also co-chairs the National Food Tourism Leadership Board, is a board member of Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland, Interface and is on the advisory board of Springboard.
In June 2022, he was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours for services to the tourism industry in Scotland and in 2020 was awarded the “Fellowship” by the Scottish Hotel industry for his outstanding contribution to the industry.
He is married with five children 32yrs- 15yrs, lives in Glasgow and is passionate about all things Scottish, especially the food and drink!
Gordon McIntyre
Founder of Hospitality Health
A father of 3 awesome children, who keep him young and a keen mountain biker. Gordon has been involved in the Hospitality & Tourism industry for over 40 years, 34 of them in Further Education, many as the Associate Dean of Hospitality, Tourism & Events at City of Glasgow College. Gordon is presently the founding Chair of Hospitality Health, a charity that supports the wellbeing of staff in the industry, he is also Vice Chair of Experience Glasgow, which supports the food & tourism sector in the city. He attended primary school in Strachur, Argyll (God's country), and was employed in hospitality around Loch Fyne. He had a spell on cruise ships as an Assistant Purser, as well as worked hotels and pubs in the city of Glasgow.
An optimistic person, who believes a positive mind leads to a positive outcome, and you should strive to be the best at whatever you do, whether a professor, nurse, administrator or a mechanic. “Inspire before you Expire!”
Kristian Campbell
General Manager, Crieff Hydro Hotels
Graduating in Hotel & Catering Management from the University of Dundee 2003, Kristian then spend time working in the US for a number of seasons before setting up his own venture back in Dundee. He then started his career with Crieff Hydro joining as Asst F&B Manager back in 2006. Leaving to gain further experience and career progression at Qhotels in Cambridge, the private Healthcare sector for BMI healthcare in both North London & Sheffield where he also studied at Ashridge Business school.
He then returned to both hospitality and Scotland as the General Manager of Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews in 2015.
Kristian then re-joined Crieff as Resort General Manager for Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels in 2018 overseeing the operation of Scotlands leading family resort.
Kristian won Hotel General Manager of the year in 2019 at the Scottish Hotel Awards.
Andy Roger
AR Hospitality Consulting
Andy has over 20 years’ experience in the industry since graduating Edinburgh University with an Honours Degree in Business Studies 2002. He began his career in hospitality with a Graduate Manager position in Malmaison, Birmingham before spending over 10 years with the company in a number of their properties, taking on his first GM role with Hotel du Vin in Tunbridge Wells in 2007. He opened the award winning Malmaison Aberdeen in 2008 as General Manager before moving to take over the group’s flagship five star property, the iconic, One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow.
In 2013 Andy moved to Cameron House, Loch Lomond, first as Director of Operations and then from 2015, Resort Director. After 10 years at Cameron House, Andy has now set up his own consultancy company.
Andy has been heavily involved in a variety of industry and charity organisations including Maggies Cancer Care (Glasgow Fundraising Board) and HIT Scotland Committees and was also Chair of Love Loch Lomond the Destination Management Organisation and a Co-Opted Director on the Board of The Argyle and Isles Tourism Cooperative from 2017-2023. He joined the AHS board in 2020.
Gillian Dalziel
CSR Programme Manager – Learning for Life GB & Europe
Joined Diageo over 16 years ago in their Distillation & Maturation business. Since then, I’ve had amazing opportunities to work in L&D, HR and Corporate Relations. Passionate about helping young people reach their full potential.
During my last role in HR I manged our apprenticeship programme in Supply before moving onto a secondment in Corporate Relations leading on our Learning for Life programme across GB and Europe, supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into career pathways in our hospitality industry.
Jonathan Foot
Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland
Jonathan is the Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland. Results orientated Operations and Quality Director with extensive experience in the skills and training sector form senior management roles leading multi-site team across commercial business centres, the charity sector and in retail. Highly skilled at motivating and engaging teams to achieve exceptional results and an expert in driving change, designing, and implementing new programmes, structures, and processes.
I really enjoy supporting people onto the first rung of the career ladder at Compass Group and supporting the skills development and career progression of our existing employees resulting in attracting and retaining great talent in our business through structured quality apprenticeship roadmaps including Culinary, FOH, Business and Management, Finance, IT/Digital Solutions, Events, Procurement, & FM delivered by our preferred delivery partners across England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
Ian Whitaker
William Grant & Sons.
Ian started his 30 year hospitality career at the sharp end behind the bar in a number of Essex pubs while studying at Waltham Forest College in London. Management training with the inhouse catering team at the prestigious Lloyds of London followed, after which Ian moved to Leith’s at the QEII Conference Centre. An opportunity to open the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (with Leith’s) followed by the opening of Dynamic Earth, also in Edinburgh, saw Ian firmly ensconced in Scotland.
From 2001 Ian was at CairnGorm Mountain initially as Commercial Director and becoming Chief Executive in 2010. After the sale of the operating company he moved to Cawdor Castle as Managing Director. With a move halfway across the world in 2017 to South East Asia as Food & Beverage Director at The Empire Hotel and Country Club, a five star luxury hotel owned by the Sultan of Brunei. In January 2023 Ian moved back to the Highlands and now heads up the Luxury Hospitality team at Glenfiddich and Balvenie Distilleries for William Grant & Sons.
Over the years, Ian has worked with local and national tourism groups in Scotland promoting the opportunities the industry has to offer young people. He volunteered with Worldskills UK, an organisation which selects and develops young competitors to represent the UK at the biannual WorldSkills competition and continues to judge competitions for the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
