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Donna Milton, Managing Director, Arneil Johnston

As Managing Director, Donna Milton leads the Arneil Johnston team with direct responsibility for the delivery of all consultancy services, as well as the direction and management of the company. Donna is a strategic thinker with extensive working knowledge of all aspects of social housing service delivery. She is expert in housing strategy development, asset management, housing business planning, development and regeneration appraisal and housing related research. She has extensive experience of developing strategic housing plans and is skilled in translating business, corporate, community and economic objectives into practical investment strategies.

Donna has a proven track record in consultation with stakeholders across the housing profession. Her consultancy work has involved the provision of advice to local government and national government, Registered Social Landlords, statutory bodies and the voluntary sector. Donna has an MA (Honours) degree in Politics; a postgraduate diploma in Housing Studies, is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (and previous Scotland Board member 2009-15), was a Commissioner of the RICS Scottish Housing Commission in 2015 and is the Chair of Clyde Valley Property Services.

Marc Cairns, Managing Director, New Practice

Marc Cairns is Managing Director at New Practice – a team of place experts working across the UK, Ireland and internationally. New Practice builds community, creative, and cultural capacity through place-based projects grounded in social value, architecture and engagement, bringing people closer to decision-making processes. In 2024, New Practice joined Civic, united by a mission to design places that support healthier, happier lives. Marc is a Design Council Expert, Director at Many Studios in The Barras, and Trustee of Springburn Winter Gardens Trust. He co-founded Open Plan Scotland, advocating for LGBTQIA+ voices in architecture, and sits on the Board of Cure Crohn’s Colitis.

Carole Mackie Director, Head of Residential Development Sales, Savills

Carole leads the Residential Development Sales Division in Scotland, offering consultancy and full estate agency services for new residential and mixed-use developments. A Chartered Surveyor with over 25 years of experience in new build residential development, she specialises in new homes sales, marketing, and advising developers, funders, and investors. Carole holds an MBA in Real Estate from the University of Reading and has delivered both new-build and listed building conversions in the West of Scotland. She and her teams support some of Scotland’s most high-profile projects, providing expert guidance from early land consultancy through to successful sales and marketing strategies.

Alastair Wood, Head of Planing, Savills

Alastair leads Savills planning team in Scotland providing expert planning advice across commercial, residential and renewables sectors. Alastair specialises in major mixed use urban regeneration projects, having been involved in some of the most significant developments across the UK on behalf of developers, landowners and institutional clients during his 20 year career. Alastair’s experience includes; Paternoster Square London, the Gherkin London, the Bullring Birmingham, Victoria Quarter Belfast, Glasgow Harbour and the Gyle Shopping Centre Edinburgh.

As a qualified planner, surveyor and environmental assessor, he is able to ensure projects comply with relevant legislation and that planning permissions are commercially deliverable to meet market demand.