Motivational Monday – Chief Executive
This month’s motivational Monday features Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self Caterers (ASSC), who credits South Hampstead for instilling her sense of resilience.
Appointed as the ASSC’s first Chief Executive in February 2015, alumna Fiona Campbell was charged with growing the Association. In an ever-changing tourism landscape, Fiona leads on policy and delivers national and international advocacy, representation and lobbying. She is an ambassador for positive change within the industry.
‘Making a difference in people’s lives is hugely important. The self-catering sector in Scotland is at a crucial juncture, facing a myriad of challenges exacerbated by regulatory changes, economic pressures, and shifting consumer behaviours. I have saved people’s businesses and won legal challenges which I am profoundly proud of and will never take for granted. At South Hampstead we were taught to stand up for what we believed in – I’m incredibly thankful for this streak instilled in me from a young age, and I feel that my time at school nurtured my confidence to face challenges head on and to expect to win.’
Fiona’s contribution to the tourism sector has been recognised through various accolades, including being named CEO of the Year by the Scottish Women’s Awards, Most Influential CEO 2024, and inclusion in the Top 100 UK Trade Association Power List. But her career path was never set in stone. ‘If you had told me aged 18 that one day I would be a Chief Executive, I would have laughed!’
Her favourite teacher, Mr Grey of the History of Art Department, told them that teachers were there to give students the tools to use their brains – something Fiona has carried with her to this day. ‘I wasn’t keen on traditional teaching, but Mr Grey helped me to harness my intellectual confidence and use it beyond the classroom.’
Attending South Hampstead during the 1980s, and under the headship of Ms Averil Burgess, Fiona lived through real cultural change in the school. She recalls lobbying for (and subsequently gaining) the introduction of trousers as part of the school uniform. Perhaps this dedication to campaigning for change was a foreshadowing of her impactful career to come…
Fiona recalls her days at South Hampstead incredibly fondly; she soon plans to meet life-long school friends, including some from her days at the Junior School (she started South Hampstead aged 4) for a 50th birthday party back in London. Describing herself as curious, reflective and open-minded, Fiona embodies the spirit of a South Hampstead girl.