Meet Our Team

David was appointed Head of School in January 2025, having held senior leadership roles at Albyn since 2013.  A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, he is a passionate educator with a clear commitment to academic excellence, inclusive practice, and community impact. His leadership has shaped Albyn’s culture of ambition and care, with projects such as the Bridge Programme—offering enrichment opportunities to pupils from less advantaged backgrounds—reflecting his belief in education as a lasting force for good.

David began his teaching career in Aberdeen and London and spent a decade as Creative Director of Learning Performance, gaining valuable business and communication insight while designing the study skills programmes delivered in schools across the UK. A formative gap year teaching in Tanzania cemented his perspective on empowerment and transformation through education. He leads with the conviction that education should develop both intellect and character, and brings proven experience of leading through change, with a focus on wellbeing and long-term sustainability.

A published author and speaker at national education events, David brings creativity, ambition, and integrity to his leadership at Albyn.

Having studied law at the University of Aberdeen, Jennifer trained with a leading national practice in Edinburgh before working in Glasgow as a lawyer specialising in construction law, returning to her hometown of Aberdeen to join the law firm Ledingham Chalmers.

Having served as the firm’s chair from 2012 and then managing partner in 2020, Jennifer has now returned to a more client facing role. Alongside her roles at Ledingham Chalmers, Jennifer also served as Chair of CBI Scotland, as well non-executive director roles at local north east charity Charlie House and on the board of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce. She also served as an independent governor at Robert Gordon University between 2009-2016.

In August 2024, Jennifer was named an honorary fellow of The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS). Jennifer joined the board of governors at Albyn School as chair in January 2025.

With her son attending Albyn School, Jennifer’s spare time is taken up by family (including her two dogs) and getting outdoors as often as possible.

Graeme Bell is the Founding Shareholder and Managing Director of Bell & Associates Limited based in Aberdeen.  Bell & Associates are a corporate finance and advisory firm focused on providing value adding services to SME’s principally in the Energy and Technology sectors.

Prior to setting up Bell & Associates, Graeme worked for 15 years as either a CFO or CEO in several Energy Technology Businesses that were backed by either Private Equity or HNW Investors.  The experience he gained during this part of his career enables him to provide the in-depth knowledge and expertise to his clients in Bell & Associates.

Graeme acts as a Senior Advisor to Kroll, a Global Advisory firm where he provides expertise on cross border Energy M&A transactions and is also a Non-Executive Director with iSurvey, a Norwegian PE backed Energy Services business.

Graeme is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has been a member if the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland since 1996.

Graeme has two daughters, Evie and Erica both of whom attend Albyn School.

Lynn, a former pupil of Albyn [class of ‘88], has played an active role in the Albyn Former Pupils Club for the last two decades. Initially as a committee member, after a few years was nominated as Vice President and latterly President of the club while also representing the FP Community as Governor from 2011-2013.

A founding member of the Albyn Former Pupils Honorary Committee, Lynn rejoined the board in January 2024.

Lynn trained as a Beauty Therapist at The Mary Reid International School of Beauty in Edinburgh and has 37 years of experience in the Beauty Industry.

Lynn began her career as a Beauty Therapist working for national Beauty Salon chain ‘Tao Clinic’. Between 1989 and 1995 Lynn progressed quickly and was promoted to Aberdeen Branch Manager and shortly thereafter was promoted again to Scottish Area & Sales Manager for French Skincare company Isabelle Lancray.

In October 1995 Lynn established her own beauty business The Beauty Fountain and celebrates 30 successful years in business this year.

Lynn has two daughters Zoe and Emma, who attended Albyn School and are now also proud Former Pupils.

Sandy Hutchison was appointed Managing Director for TAQA UK in February 2025.

Having joined TAQA UK in 2007 and as leader of the Legal, Commercial and Business Services directorate since 2014, Sandy has extensive experience of the business; and has been instrumental in TAQA UK’s journey of growth and transformation, followed by its present-day focus on late-life operations and decommissioning.

Prior to TAQA UK, Sandy was senior legal advisor at Talisman Energy, having started his career in the Energy and Corporate Practice of international law firm CMS, working in their Aberdeen and London Offices. Sandy is a qualified solicitor in Scotland and in England and Wales, has completed the Oxford University (Saïd Business School) Advanced Management and Leadership Programme, and has achieved Chartered Director status of the Institute of Directors.

In his spare time Sandy enjoys sports, particularly golf, skiing as well as spending time with the family. Sandy has a son (Frederick) and daughter (Rebecca) at Albyn.

David McClean is Head of the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture & Built Environment at Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen, a position he has held since 2006. From 2014-18 he was a staff governor at RGU. Following academic study and registration as a Chartered Architect, he practiced in Cambridge for a period of 8 years before returning to his native Scotland where he entered academia. He has extensive experience of architecture education in the UK, being a Council member of the Standing Conference of Heads of Schools of Architecture, and having been heavily involved in the work of the Royal Institute of British Architects both nationally and internationally, for over 15 years. He has also undertaken validation work for the Union Internationale des Architectes, and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.

A committed educationalist, his research work focuses on aspects of creative education and its underpinning pedagogies, and he has been invited as a keynote speaker and to deliver workshops in a number of countries. He joined the Board in September 2019.

Holly McLennan joined the Board in May 2021 and is an Accredited Public Relations (PR) Practitioner and Certified Digital Marketing Associate, with specialist reputational and crisis communications skills.

Holly has more than a decade of communications experience in both the private and public sectors including global integrated corporate communications agency Fifth Ring, Food Standards Scotland, Marine Scotland, and currently Quality Meat Scotland as Director of Communications and External Affairs.

She has a Diploma in Professional PR and a BA (Hons) Degree in Communications with Public Relations, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

As well as being a proud former Albyn pupil (class of 2008), Holly has experience providing PR and media support to independent school, Robert Gordon’s College from her agency background, and enjoys mentoring university graduates and helping others develop.

Professor Marco Thiel is Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology at the University of Aberdeen. After being awarded his doctorate in Nonlinear Dynamics, he  worked as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Nonlinear Dynamics in the Department of Physics at the University of Potsdam in Germany. He joined Aberdeen University as a UK Research Councils’ Fellow in 2006. He has published extensively in the field of non-linear systems and is a member of the London, European and American Mathematical Societies. At Albyn School, he is a member of the Board’s Education Committee.

Jill is a Director of Rubberatkins and its international group of companies, which design and manufacture rubber components for the oil and gas industry. She is also an Aberdeenshire Councillor representing Banchory and Mid Deeside. She has held many prominent roles within local government since being elected in 2003 including that of Provost of Aberdeenshire, Vice Chair of Infrastructure Services Committee and Board member of Grampian Police Board, North East of Scotland Transport Partnership, Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority and Aberdeenshire South Licensing Board as well as serving on many committees including Education, Learning and Leisure. She currently serves on the Board of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce. Jill is a former pupil of Albyn and became a Governor in 2014.

Claire Yule joined the Board in September 2022 and is currently the Interim Head of Global Total Rewards & Recognition for Convatec since November 2024, having previously held several HR leadership roles for over 20 years in the energy sector. Prior to this, Claire enjoyed a successful management career in retail.

Educated in Aberdeen and a Business Studies graduate of Robert Gordon University, Claire’s two daughters attended Albyn, with the eldest a graduate of Stirling University, and the youngest attending Strathclyde University.