New appointments strengthen Marketing and Communications team

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has strengthened its Marketing and Communications team with the appointment of two new members of staff.

At a time when the red meat industry is being attacked by anti-meat activists and misinformation, the two new appointments will tie in with the extensive work already being done to promote and market red meat to consumers across the world. They will support activities to pursue a positive image, understanding and sales of the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork brands on behalf of the Scottish red meat industry.

Lesley Cameron, who has over 20 years’ experience within the food and drinks industry, including working with Kettle Produce, Macsween of Edinburgh and more recently with Baxters Food Group, has been appointed as Director of Marketing and Communications.  Lesley replaces Carol McLaren, who left QMS in July after 10 years in this role.

Lesley will lead the future strategy, brand delivery and evaluation of all marketing and communications activities plus the wider corporate and industry communications, undertaken by the Marketing and Communications team.  Her remit also covers QMS’s health and education activity and communicating the work of our industry development and economic services teams. Issues management is another key aspect of the role.

Ruth McClean, who previously worked with NFU Scotland for six years, and has over 13 years of experience in the communications and media [[{"fid":"48177","view_mode":"default","attributes":{"style":"border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); cursor: default; font-family: Open Sans,\\\"Segoe UI","Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 99%; orphans: 2; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;","class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"2"},"fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}}}]]industry has been brought on board as Corporate Communications Manager. Through this new role, Ruth will be working to improve on the work already being done to communicate and listen to farmers, whilst protecting and defending the industry from ever-increasing misinformation.

Alan Clarke, QMS Chief Executive, commented: “The appointment of Lesley and Ruth further strengthens the fantastic team we have here at Quality Meat Scotland, and will help to further promote a positive image of our brands on behalf of the red meat industry in Scotland.

“Lesley comes from an extensive background within marketing in the food processing sector, and this will greatly complement the work already on going at QMS, providing further insight to take this to the next level. Ruth’s background in communications and knowledge of the industry will stand us in good stead to protect and defend our farmers and ensure they know what work we are doing on their behalf to protect their reputation.”

Ends

For further press information please contact Ruth McClean, QMS Corporate Communications Manager, on 0131 510 7920 or email: rmcclean@qmscotland.co.uk

Notes to editors:

QMS is the public body responsible for promoting the PGI labelled Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands in the UK and abroad and also promoting Scottish pork products under the Specially Selected Pork logo.

• Please note that the use of the word Scotch in the Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI brands is correct and should not be substituted for an alternative such as Scots or Scottish. The history of the use of the word Scotch in this way, traces back to the 18th century.
• QMS also helps the Scottish red meat sector improve its sustainability, efficiency and profitability and maximise its contribution to Scotland's economy.
• The quality assurance schemes run by QMS cover more than 90% of livestock farmed for red meat in Scotland. They offer consumers in the UK and overseas the legal guarantee that the meat they buy has come from animals that have spent their whole lives being raised to some of the world’s strictest welfare standards.
• Scotland’s beef, lamb and pork producers make an important contribution to the country’s economic, social and environmental sustainability, contributing over £2 billion to the annual GDP of Scotland and supporting around 50,000 jobs (many in fragile rural areas) in the farming, agricultural supply and processing sectors.
• For more information visit www.qmscotland.co.uk or follow QMS on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.