Gilson Gray promotes marketing director to new joint leadership role

Full-service legal firm Gilson Gray has promoted Vanessa Kennedy to director of marketing and business development, after heading up the marketing division for the past six years.

The newly created post, which merges leadership of the two functions, will see Vanessa take responsibility for all of Gilson Gray’s marketing and business development activities, overseeing a team of five.

Vanessa has 26 years’ experience in corporate marketing and previously held roles at companies including PwC, Axcess Financial Europe and Macdonald Hotels before joining Gilson Gray in 2017. In her new position, she will drive the development of the firm’s regional offering, as well as help to introduce new service lines in key locations.

During her time at the firm, Vanessa has supported the rapid growth strategy which has seen Gilson Gray expand across Scotland and into England through a combination of organic growth and a series of strategic acquisitions. The firm now has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, East Lothian, Dundee and Lincoln and its headcount has increased from 60 to around 350.

Vanessa said: “Over the past six years I have really got to know the various teams and specialists across our different office locations and, with this new remit, I’m looking forward to working with them all to make an even greater impact. Marketing and business development go hand-in-hand, so it makes sense to have joint oversight of both areas.

“This next chapter is about building on what has been achieved so far in terms of growth, and I’m looking forward to leading a revamped strategy that can take Gilson Gray even further. My team will also be expanding, and soon we will be bringing in a new business development manager to support that.”

Glen Gilson, chairman and managing partner of Gilson Gray, added: “Vanessa has played an important role in the delivery of the firm’s brand to date. Expanding her responsibilities to include the oversight of our business development activity is an exciting move for both the firm and Vanessa’s career. Consolidating marketing and business development under single stewardship and expanding the resources within that team should help further and coordinate Gilson Gray’s rapid growth across the UK. We are all about talent and it’s great to see one of our key directorships progressing in this manner.”