Interwoven: Business and Creativity from the Centre for Advanced Textiles

A celebration of 25 years of innovation at The Glasgow School of Art’s Centre for Advanced Textiles — and a showcase in turning creative talent into commercial success.

Are you ready to spark fresh ideas, tap into Scotland’s world-class creative talent, and discover how innovation can transform any business?The GSA’s Centre for Advanced Textiles, in partnership with Skypark and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce invites you to Interwoven: Business and Creativity at the Centre for Advanced Textiles - an exclusive evening showcasing the power of creativity to drive business success.

Why attend?

• Discover how creativity gives businesses a competitive edge — from haute couture and global brands to local enterprises.
• Hear from a panel of creative leaders and business innovators, sharing real-world lessons on building networks, navigating challenges, and staying ahead in a fast-changing economy.
• See why cultural icons like Grayson Perry, and brands including Converse, John Lewis, and Timorous Beasties turn to Glasgow’s creative talent.
• Network with ambitious young leaders and industry professionals in an inspiring setting.

Celebrate Scotland’s creative impactFor 25 years, the Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) has built a global reputation as the first facility of its kind - pushing boundaries in digital textile printing, working with world-famous names and nurturing the next generation of creative talent. Based in the heart of Glasgow, CAT is where Scottish creativity meets global business.Interwoven at Skypark, hosted with the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, will celebrate CAT, a hidden gem and share how its lessons in innovation and creativity can inspire your next move

Who should attend?

Emerging business leaders, creative professionals, and anyone looking to bring fresh thinking to their sector. Whatever your industry — design, tech, manufacturing, professional services — creativity is your competitive advantage.

What you’ll take away

• Thoughts from our panel whom have drawn from their own experiences in education, commerce and innovation at The Glasgow School of Art and in business
• Insights into how to build meaningful connections and develop creative skills for growth.
• A rare chance to experience the global influence of the world renowned GSA up close.

Host- Alison McRae, Senior Director, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

Alison McRae is Senior Director at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce responsible for creating a portfolio of strategic partnerships, working across a range of public and private organisations, which seek to innovate and anticipate new opportunities for Glasgow city region and its business community with demonstrable socio-economic impact. Her experience spans Board and C-suite level engagement and she specialises in identifying and then translating innovative concepts into tangible and commercial business outcomes across themes of climate, labour market & skills and innovation.
Alison leads an award-winning team whose work has been recognised by World Chambers of Commerce, World Economic Forum and the Global Good Awards.
Alison holds a range of Board positions including being a NED of British Chambers of Commerce and the Scottish Tourism Alliance; Independent Chair Argyll & Isles Tourism Strategic Partnership and Co-Chair of the Glasgow Employment & Skills Board. She is also Co-Chair of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Climate & Environment policy group and a member of the following groups: National Developing the Young Workforce Chairs Forum; BCC Green Innovation Challenge and the UK Business Group Alliance for Net Zero. Alison is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
Previously, she was Director of Destination Liverpool with Liverpool City Council and prior to that ran her own creative consultancy Blue Toucan as well as being a BBC Radio Scotland Broadcaster. Alison holds a Masters in Architecture from Trinity College, Cambridge University.

Panellists

Gregor Aikman, Founder and Chief Product Officer of STAC (Smart Things Accelerator Centre)

A graduate of the Glasgow School of Art in Product Design Engineering, Gregor has built a career delivering innovation at scale. He founded and grew several design agencies, most notably Filament PD, where he continues as Managing Director of one of Scotland’s leading product design houses. Over the past two decades, he has overseen the development and launch of more than 300 products, collaborating with global names including Ikea, Audi, Johnson & Johnson, and Mars. This track record of turning concepts into world-class products underpins his work today in building the next generation of technology companies.

Alan Shaw, Centre Manager at Centre for Advanced Textiles

Alan Shaw has been a key figure in the Glasgow School of Art’s (GSA) Centre of Advanced Textiles (CAT) since it’s inception. Following the completion of his Master of Design at the school in 1998, Alan took on a post at GSA compiling technical research for a successful SHEFC funding application, which led to the establishment of CAT in 2000.Since then, Alan has successfully procured second- and third-generation digital print equipment for the Centre, integrating it into commercial, educational, and research environments. His role encompasses collaborative research, textile consultancy, and management of the Centre’s commercial activities.Prior to his work at CAT, Alan spent four years with Glasgow-based textile printing firm Timorous Beasties, where he oversaw print production and finishing. He has also lectured at various Scottish colleges and worked as a freelance textile print designer.

Anthony Burns, Chief Operating Officer, ACS Clothing

Tony joined ACS in 2006. Throughout this period, Tony has led the company’s operations through the execution of the long-term growth strategy. Tony has driven operational alignment and effectiveness across the business, both in the UK, and in the US to exit. Tony has held a variety of senior roles in third-party logistics companies, and in-house operations. Tony graduated with a BEng (Hons) in Engineering in 1996 and followed this with an MSc in Logistics and an MBA at Strathclyde Business School in 2013. He was awarded an Honorary DBA in 2022.

Vicky Begg, Bureau Co-ordinator at Centre for Advanced Textiles

Vicky Begg is the Bureau Co-ordinator (job-share) at the Centre for Advanced Textiles. Vicky has worked at the Centre since 2002, having moved from London where she oversaw establishment and operation of one of the first UK-based commercial digital textile printing services, The Fabric Printing Bureau, for 3 years. Vicky specialised in textile print design graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, then Winchester School of Art at Masters level. Vicky boasts over 28 years of experience in digital textile print and textile design working with clients from a wide range of creative disciplines, linked to both business and education. Her role in the Centre allows her to focus developing the craft of digital textile printing through the individualised service provided to clients, the Centre’s Bursary Award and Volunteer Scheme.

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