Mike Cantlay OBE

Mike Cantlay is Chair of the Scottish Funding Council which invests almost £2bn in Scotland’s 45 universities and colleges on behalf of Scottish Government. He is also Chair of NatureScot, Scotland’s nature agency and additionally is a Board Member of Crossreach, one of the largest social care agencies in Scotland. He was previously Chair of Forth Valley College, Chair of VisitScotland, Chair of Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, he was an advisory member of the Board of Scottish Enterprise and also Board Member of VisitBritain based in London.

In 2006 Mike was elected Convener of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority and more recently served as Chair of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd which is responsible for 11 airports across Scotland.

His family business is William Glen Ltd which operates tourism and leisure interests in Scotland, Canada and the USA.

Mike was awarded Public Sector Leader of the Year at the Scottish Leadership Awards 2012 and was made an OBE in 2014 for services to tourism and hospitality.

His re-appointment runs from 3 April 2021 until 2 April 2025.

Register of interests

1.  Remunerated directorships.

None.

2.  Remunerated employment, office, profession or other activity.

William Glen Ltd, Chair.

William Glen & Son Ltd, Chair.

3.  Clients connected with the further and/or higher education sector or other aspects of the Council’s business.

None.

4.  Significant gifts or hospitality arising from Board or Committee membership.  (To be reported as soon as reasonably practical).

None.

5. Significant shareholdings in a public company where the value is more than 1% of the total issued share value of the company.

None.

6.  Significant shareholdings in a private company which might give rise to a conflict of interest or trust.

None.

7.  Public activity in support of a political party within the previous five years.

None.

8.  Miscellaneous, for example, unremunerated posts, honorary positions and other connections which might give rise to a conflict of interest or trust.

Honorary fellowship of SRUC.

9.  Relevant and known interests of spouse, partner and close family.

Son is an undergraduate at the University if St Andrew’s and daughter an undergraduate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.