Heriot-Watt University has appointed Ewan Andrew and Norman Murray as co-chairs of a new fundraising committee tasked with supporting a £35 million campaign to create a Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling (CSBD) at its Edinburgh campus.
Ewan Andrew, President of Global Supply Chain & Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer at Diageo, takes on the role as part of the company’s long-standing relationship with Heriot-Watt. The connection dates back to the 1980s, when Ronnie Martin OBE, then Production Director of United Distillers, became the first Visiting Professor at the university’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD).
He is joined by fellow co-chair Norman Murray, a Heriot-Watt alumnus and Honorary Professor. A former Chairman of The Edrington Group and Senior Independent Director at Greene King plc, Mr Murray brings significant industry and governance experience to the project. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and was awarded a CBE for services to the arts.
The £35 million CSBD project aims to advance the university’s leadership in brewing and distilling education through the development of state-of-the-art facilities and a focus on low carbon and sustainable technologies. The new centre will build on Heriot-Watt’s global reputation, including the launch of its first MSc in Sustainable Brewing and Distilling.
Speaking on the appointment, Ewan Andrew said, “I am delighted to co-chair the fundraising committee for the new Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling. Heriot-Watt has set an ambitious but important goal, and its achievement will benefit not only the university but also the wider brewing and distilling industry as it works toward a more sustainable future.
“The centre will provide the facilities and expertise needed to develop practical, sustainable solutions and equip the next generation with the skills our industry needs. I look forward to working with Norman Murray, our fellow committee members and Heriot-Watt University to help turn this vision into reality, building a world-class hub for innovation that future-proofs one of Scotland’s most important industries for decades to come.”
Norman Murray added, “Heriot-Watt has been a centre of educational excellence for brewing and distilling since 1903. But it was its unique International Centre for Brewing and Distilling, established over 35 years ago, which changed the face of teaching and research. It achieved this through fierce ambition and a dedication to academic excellence.
“It is that ambition which provides us with huge momentum as we look to help the University raise the funds it needs to build the CSBD. I look forward to working with Ewan and the fundraising committee to achieve that goal – and we will.”
Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal for Business and Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, said, “Together, we want to build broad support for a world-class centre for brewing and distilling, with new state-of-the-art facilities that spark sustainable innovation, develop future talent, and advance enterprising research. This will strengthen both industries for the challenges ahead so they can continue to thrive long into the future.”