Sharon Gillies joins from MND Scotland.
Responsible finance provider Social Investment Scotland (SIS) has named Sharon Gillies as its new chief operations officer (COO), supporting the delivery of loans and investments to social enterprises, charities, community groups, and mission-led businesses all over the UK.
Sharon joins from MND Scotland – a charity close to her heart – where she has been the director of operations and company secretary since 2022.
Sharon supported the organisation with the introduction of new processes and increased governance in areas such as finance, IT, people and culture, helping the charity make a huge impact for people with MND and their families.
Sharon’s career began as a certified accountant, and before moving into the third sector, she spent 25 years in financial services, 15 of which were spent in a range of roles across various business units at Morgan Stanley.
Most recently, she was head of corporate services and chief operating officer at the firm’s Glasgow office, where her role included responsibility for CSR, managing the firm’s large volunteer base and maintaining relationships with local charities.
While she will continue to work with MND Scotland as a volunteer, Sharon moves to SIS to take up the newly created COO position, as the organisation marks its 25th year of delivering economic and social impact through finance to Scotland’s communities.
Her responsibilities will include helping SIS to navigate new regulatory changes in areas such as HR, accounting standards and data protection, as well as looking at new processes and initiatives across the group.
Sharon said: “Having spent the last three years working for one of Scotland’s leading charities, I have come to realise that the third sector is where my passion lies.
“While MND Scotland will always remain close to my heart, I'm excited to be helping SIS enhance its operations and extend its reach to benefit even more communities and causes that desperately need support."
Sharon’s appointment follows a period of continued growth at SIS, which recently welcomed a new finance and operations assistant, Neovi Gough, who will also work toward a relevant professional qualification as part of her role.
Alastair Davis, CEO of Social Investment Scotland, said: “The combination of Sharon’s prior experience in both the charity sector and financial services means she has a wealth of relevant skills and knowledge to bring to SIS.
“She is a welcome addition to the team and is incredibly well-placed to advise on potential improvements to current ways of working as we get ready to launch our next strategic action plan.
“I’m looking forward to working alongside Sharon as we continue our journey towards building an impact economy.”
