Welcome Keith Dawson as Chair of SOA

A warm welcome to our new Chair of Scottish Orienteering, Keith Dawson (INT). Keith was voted in at the AGM on 28th May and we look forward to working with him to realise the vision of our Mapping the Way Forward Strategy 2020-2024. Keith brings to the role over 48years experience in the sport of orienteering as well as coveted experience from the business and charity sectors. Keith is a well known face within the Edinburgh orienteering scene as well as a representative for mountain bike orienteering on the IOF. Welcome Keith to the SOA!

Keith Dawson (Chair)

Keith Dawson has orienteered for 48 years and been a member of eleven orienteering clubs including Czech and Austrian clubs. Keith moved to Scotland forty years ago and has been a member of EUOC, ESOC and INT.  He has mapped, organised and planned many events over the years including the JK. He has also held a number of club positions over the decades and has been the GB representative on the IOF MTBO Commission for the last seven years.  Keith has been a Grade 1 Controller and British Squad coach over the years. On a wider front Keith qualified as an agricultural environmental scientist, publishing pioneering work on greenhouse gas emissions and is well known throughout Scottish and UK farming circles. He has set up seven successful business start ups as a  cofounder and director in the last two decades with a value from £5m to £200m, including Europe’s largest regenerative arable farm with over 3000 employees in Ukraine and Cuba’s first renewable energy project.

He has also been a board director of several industry bodies and the leading Scottish Land based Research Institute-the James Hutton Institute. He is serving Chair of the charity the Scottish Society of Crop Research so brings considerable charity-related experience to the role of Chair.

Keith believes that Scottish Orienteering has come out of COVID in good heart due to its strong committed clubs and the good governance of the SOA Board in difficult times. There is a demographic and travel cost challenge ahead, but Keith believes that orienteering is unique in offering the public coming out of COVID just what they are looking for-physical and mental challenge in nature and a great social community. With WOC24 fast approaching there are great opportunities ahead for the sport.