Braves appoint three to first ever board

Caledonian Braves are delighted to announce the appointment of three non-executive directors at the club, following the extensive recruitment campaign Braves =.

Dr Josh McLeod, Heather Dewar, and David Fowler will join owner and chairman Chris Ewing on the board and begin work on developing the club’s strategy with immediate effect.

With experience at BBC Sport, FIFA, the Scottish FA, Deakin University, Heriot-Watt University and UFCB, the club is delighted at the experience that the trio will bring.

Dr Josh McLeod is an emerging talent in sports governance, having worked in a consultancy capacity for football clubs in the UK. He is currently a Research Fellow at Deakin University in Melbourne and was awarded his PhD from Heriot-Watt following research into governance in Scottish football.

“I will bring specific expertise on running football clubs and fan ownership to the Braves board,” Dr Josh said – who admitted he has been following the Braves ever since reading about the club in the Guardian newspaper.

“I am originally from Scotland, but the vast majority of my work has been international so I can bring a different perspective too.

“I have strong connections across the sport education sector. I see huge opportunity to leverage that for the benefit of the Braves. My philosophy is to be committed and constantly look for ways to improve fan engagement.”

Heather Dewar has been involved in Scottish football for twelve years and more recently became BBC Scotland’s first ever women’s sports reporter. She now hosts the BBC’s first women’s sports podcast and has set up her own PR agency, TITUS PR.

“I was very impressed with Chris’ vision and plans for the club and I’m delighted to be part of the team that is helping to drive the club forward,” she said.

“For me, innovation is everything – particularly in times of constant upheaval. The idea behind Caley Braves challenges the norm, but it’s founded in real tradition – that a club’s fans are everything.”

David Fowler is a seasoned pro from the world of marketing and strategy, having spent 13 years at FIFA where he was appointed head of brand and event promotion for the organisation. He then moved on to streaming service MyCujoo – an app that Braves fans already know well.

“I aim to bring this experience, together with my understanding of the sports technology sector, to help the club grow the fan community, explore other means of sustainable growth, and ultimately achieve the goal of getting into the top flight,” David said.

“The concept of building a community of fans is so powerful, yet so rare in football. There is no reason why the club can’t get to the very top of Scottish football.”

Chris admitted he was absolutely delighted to welcome the trio to the Braves.

“Highly qualified, driven and ambitious, Josh will be a great asset to the board,” he said.

“His experience in governance as well as his understanding of a modern football landscape will undoubtedly help drive the Braves forward.

“Heather’s enthusiasm and drive are infectious. Her experience in communications and PR are invaluable as we look to grow a fanbase both locally and internationally.

“David’s outlook and knowledge of brand development and fan engagement will be invaluable. For us to be able to attract someone with the professional experience of David is a real coup and sets down a solid statement of intent.”