New Non-Executive Directors Appointed to CGS Board
On behalf of Chair Ian Reid CBE and the Board, we are delighted to announce Joanne Deponio, Rob Shorthouse and Professor Gayle McPherson will join the Commonwealth Games Scotland Board as Non-Executive Directors for the 2025–2027 term.
Joanne Deponio has been appointed as Director for Governance. She is currently Director of Host Relations for the delivery company for UEFA EURO 2028, having played a leading role in the tournament from the bid stage onwards. In her current role, she provides senior leadership to the company, its Board and partners on strategic and operational governance, including compliance with the Code for Sport Governance. Joanne was responsible for establishing the governance structures for UK&I 2028 Ltd, the new company created to deliver the tournament across the UK and Ireland. This includes setting up delivery structures and ensuring integration with partner governance frameworks.
Joanne brings over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, risk management and programme management for major events, including multi-sport Games. Her previous roles include management positions with EventScotland, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Glasgow Life. She played key roles in delivering the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 European Championships and chaired the Finance and Risk Committee for the 2022 World Gymnastics Championships.
Rob Shorthouse has been appointed as Director for Public Relations and Communications. He is currently Strategy and Communications Director for the English Schools Foundation, one of the largest school groups in Asia. Earlier in his career, he played a leading role in Glasgow’s successful bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He has held senior communications, strategy and consulting roles across the UK, Hong Kong and the Middle East, with a background in government and political campaigns. As Managing Director at Teneo Strategy, he provided strategic counsel to a high-profile government account in Abu Dhabi. Prior to that, as Partner and Head of Asia-Pacific at Consulum, he led the successful ‘Relaunch Hong Kong’ campaign.
Rob has also served as Client and Communications Director for the ScotRail Alliance and was Director of Communications for the ‘Better Together’ campaign during the Scottish Independence Referendum. He has advised the Scottish First Minister, worked in the UK Prime Minister’s media team and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and held senior communications roles with Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Football Association.
Professor Gayle McPherson has been appointed as Director for Community Engagement and Legacy. She is Professor of Events and Cultural Policy at the University of the West of Scotland, where she is Director of the Research Centre for Culture, Sport and Events, which she established in 2018. She was a past member of the Board of Creative Scotland and served as Legacy and Cultural Adviser to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Paisley’s UK City of Culture 2021 bid. She is currently a member of the European Cultural Parliament and the British Council of Scotland Advisory Group.
Gayle’s international research background spans the legacy of events, cultural policy, sport and disability, public value, public policy and cultural diplomacy. She has acted as an advisor to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Scottish and UK Governments, local authorities and national and international sport organisations including Scottish Disability Sport and IPC Canada. Her work has focused on embedding community engagement at the heart of Games, events and festivals. She is currently setting up a research legacy network to inform Commonwealth Games policy and the social impact of Glasgow 2026. She recently completed an evaluation of equality, diversity and inclusion in festivals and events, producing a playbook that has been adopted by VisitScotland and Glasgow City Council, and a toolkit to maximise the social value of community events. She led a research team at the Glasgow 2014 Games, investigating the impact and legacy of the Games on volunteers and attitudes to disability. In 2024, with support from Spirit of 2012, she produced new research on the impact of Glasgow 2014, 10 years on.