Ayrshire College Foundation Newsletter Issue 4 | Page 2

Meet the Trustee
malcolm Simpson
restaurant and pub management. I then branched out
into human resources, training, personnel and area
management.
In the late nineties we decided to break out on our
own and started our hospitality business, SimpsInns.
The Old Loans Inn near Troon was our first property,
followed by The Gailes and the rest followed. We have
grown, expanded and diversified into hotels, restaurants,
weddings, conferencing and banqueting and golf and
leisure. All of our businesses are here, in Ayrshire.
Why did you decide to get involved with the Ayrshire
College Foundation?
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and a brief
history of your career?
I am long-time married to Karen, who is also my
partner in our business. We have two boys, who are
both grown up now and working within the business.
Lee graduated at Herriot Watt, and has just recently
returned from a two-year sabbatical travelling where
he reached the delights of the Far East, Australia and
New Zealand. Jack has just this year graduated and is
about to go travelling too – following in the footsteps
of his brother.
I was educated at what was previously Ravenspark
Academy in Irvine, now known as Irvine Royal
Academy. I left school with a handful of ‘O levels’ and
took up an apprenticeship in engineering. I attended
Kilmarnock College, went onto Galashiels College in
the Borders then Caledonian University in Glasgow.
I worked as an engineer for about 10 years and then
decided on a career change (as did Karen, who
worked locally in travel). We joined Whitbread PLC as
a trainee management couple and developed with
them, opening and operating hotels and restaurants
from Yorkshire to Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow
and back to Ayrshire. We learned all aspects of hotel,
I was approached by John Rainey, who was the Chair
of The Ayrshire College Foundation. John had been
in conversation with Willie Mackie, the current chair of
the Board of Management at Ayrshire College and he
had suggested I may be interested in getting involved.
Willie and I had worked on previous initiatives like Taste
Ayrshire and the North Ayrshire Regeneration Board. I
was very naive to the role and purpose of the Foundation
but the more I looked into it, the more interested I
became. It is a great opportunity to contribute, give
something back and be part of an incredible new plan
to have some of the best college facilities in Scotland. I
am still in awe of the fabulous projects that have been
undertaken and delivered with outstanding results. These
are a great credit to the College management team and
staff and not forgetting some amazing contribution from
the students themselves.
Are you looking forward to this year’s Mission
Discovery? What’s the highlight for you?
I can’t wait, if it is half as good as the past years, it will
still be amazing and if history tells a story it’s looking
to be twice as good as last year! Without a doubt the
highlight is bringing together the school pupils and
giving them the opportunity to interact and hear directly
from astronauts and scientist from NASA. What an
opportunity - to be inspired by people who have worked
hard and reached the pinnacle in their chosen career! Not
forgetting the fabulous competition to design a mission
patch that could potentially end up in the far reaches
of outer space! On a more ‘down to earth’ note, the
collaboration between scientists, astronauts, students,
teachers, private businesses and public sector is inspiring.
I love the ‘can-do’ attitude displayed from all involved
throughout the week.