Pitlochry Festival Theatre Reveals New Chair And Trustees

Pitlochry Festival Theatre has announced the appointment of Lorna Jack as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees from March 2026. She succeeds the Theatre’s outgoing Chair, Crawford Gillies, who is stepping down on Friday 6 March after 8 years on the Board.

Lorna brings significant non-executive experience having served on the Boards of Highlands and Islands Airports, Scottish Funding Council (where she is Deputy Chair) and WBG Group as Chair. She is Honorary Consul for the Netherlands in Scotland and previously served as Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland for 13 years.

As Chair, she will work alongside the Board and leadership team to guide one of Scotland’s most dynamic cultural institutions into an exciting new chapter, championing theatre that engages the community and resonates with audiences at home and abroad. Joining Lorna on the Board are two exceptional new trustees. Diane Benjamin, a founding team member of Sonia Friedman Productions and former Executive Director of the award-winning theatre company, and Professor Dorothy Miell, Chair of the Board of Governors at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, bring extensive experience and insight. Their expertise will help Pitlochry Festival Theatre deepen its partnerships and influence, as the organisation celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Lorna Jack, incoming Chair of Pitlochry Festival Theatre said:

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking on the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This remarkable organisation has always held a special place in Scotland’s cultural landscape, and I’m honoured to support its continued growth and national and international ambition. I’m very mindful that I have big shoes to fill following Crawford Gillies’ outstanding leadership, and I want to pay tribute to the dedication and vision he brought to the role. I’m excited to work alongside my fellow trustees, the executive team, Alan Cumming as Artistic Director, and Pitlochry’s many and varied supporters to help shape the next chapter of this vibrant and much-loved organisation. There will be many challenges ahead in realising our collective ambition and I look forward to playing my part in that.”

Outgoing Chair of the Board of Pitlochry Festival Theatre Crawford Gillies said:

“It has been a privilege to work with so many talented, dedicated people at Pitlochry Festival Theatre over the last 8 years and to have had the tremendous support of our audiences and supporters. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.

One indicator of the positive momentum of the theatre is the very high calibre of individuals we are able to attract, and Lorna’s appointment is yet another example of that. As I step down, I wish Lorna, our board, and the entire Pitlochry Festival Theatre team, all the very best for what I am sure will be an exciting future.”

Dougie Cameron, interim Chief Executive said:

"On behalf of the whole team, I want to thank Crawford for his leadership and support over the past 8 years, and to wish he and his wife Alison all the very best for the future. Crawford’s legacy at Pitlochry is the strength of the Board he has built, and the platform from which the Theatre is now able to attract trustees of the highest calibre.

We are delighted to welcome Lorna as our new Chair. She brings a rare depth of experience across Scottish public life, governance and complex institutions, and that experience will be critical as the Theatre looks ahead. We are also pleased to welcome Dorothy and Diane as trustees. Together, they add significant strength, perspective and judgement to the Board as the Theatre enters its 75th year."

-ENDS-

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Lorna Jack Biography  

Lorna Jack is a chartered accountant and a graduate of Aberdeen University. She has served as Chair and non-executive directors on a number of Boards in the private and public sectors. In January 2026 she stepped down from a 12 year engagement on the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports having initially served as a NXD and chaired its audit committee, before becoming Chair of its Board in 2017.

Lorna is the Deputy Chair of the Board of the Scottish Funding Council, the body which provides £2b of funding and oversight to the Universities and colleges in Scotland, and she chairs its Finance Committee.

Since 1 September 2022 she has served as the Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Scotland and from 1 January 2024 became the Secretary of the Consular Corps, a voluntary association which brings together the diplomatic community in Scotland. She also chairs the annual Scottish Legal Awards panel.

She previously held the role of Chair of the Board of WBG Group, a private sector company offering audit, corporate finance, accountancy and tax services, with a network of offices across Scotland. 

In her executive career Lorna was previously Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland the professional body for Scottish solicitors, for 13 years until she stepped down in January 2022. Prior to that she worked in senior roles for Scottish Enterprise including as Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley and based in the United States running their international network of offices there. 

She previously served as a member of the Court of Aberdeen University and a Trustee and Treasurer of the McConnell International Foundation