After gaining her MSc in Brewing & Distilling at Heriot-Watt, Angela joined the brewing industry at Innis & Gunn in Perth then moved to be Technical Brewer at Williams Bros in Alloa before taking the opportunity to move into the world of whisky, gin and rum as a distiller. She is proud to be part of the Douglas Laing & Co family, and it wasn't long before she was promoted to Lead Distiller at Strathearn Distillery which may be one of Scotland's smallest whisky distilleries where she produces high-quality spirit using traditional, manual methods. She won the 'Distiller of the Year' award from The Spirits Business in November 2022 after less than 500 days in the distilling industry. In her words, “the hard work has been worth it!”

Angela is currently on maternity leave with her daughter Marcy, but still very much involved with Scottish Section events.

Stuart Maxwell graduated with an MChem in Pure and Applied Chemistry from the University of Strathclyde in 2013. That same year, he joined William Grant and Sons, where he gained experience in various roles through their graduate scheme. Following the scheme, he continued to build his expertise in the spirits industry by working in several technical and operational positions.

In January 2025, Stuart became the Head of Product at Proof 8. In this role, he is responsible for developing an advanced end-to-end production and inventory management system. This system will leverage innovative technologies to digitize and secure distillery assets for the long term. He has been on the Scottish Section Committee for the past three years and has been fundamental in planning and organising the annual Distilling Sustainability Day in Pitlochry.

The elder statesman of the Scottish Section Committee, after 10 years of selling insurance and pensions in London and Perth, Western Australia, Ken began his brewing career in 1993 as a brewer working for Matida Bay Brewing at its Sail & Anchor Pub Brewery in Fremantle, Western Australia, where he joined the CIBD’s forerunner, the Brewers’ Guild.  He made the move to Melbourne in 1995 to brew German-style lagers and wheat beers at the Redback Brewery, part of Carlton & United before heading back to Scotland in 1997 to join the Firkin Brewpubs in Dundee and Glasgow.  In 1999 he went to Inveralmond Brewery, becoming Head Brewer in 2002 and staying on when the business was bought by Innis & Gunn in 2016. Harviestoun Brewery in Alva was his next port of call covering maternity for its Head Brewer. The next move was to Williams Bros in Alloa where he worked as Deputy Head Brewer until moving out to the west of Scotland as Head Brewer at Fyne Ales. He then took up consulting to the brewing industry until opening the door into the world of distilling as Lead Distiller at Strathearn Distillery, covering his Vice-Chair Angela’s maternity leave. In his spare time, Ken is a drummer in the Atholl Highlanders’ Pipes & Drums, sings with the Perth Gaelic Choir, is a keen touring cyclist on his old Raleigh Banana and keeper of hens.

Ken was Scottish Section Chair 2019-2021 and since then has been Section Secretary.