Former Scottish Rugby and Celtic Football Club executive Dominic McKay is to head up the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.

Mr McKay is joining the SEC as chief executive in May from European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) in Switzerland where he is currently executive chairman.

The SEC, which is marking its 40th anniversary, contributes an estimated £468m to Glasgow, £304m across Scotland and £263m for the UK.

At the EPCR, Mr McKay set a strategy for the organisation as well as leading the development and growth of the Investec European Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup across Europe and South Africa. 

He was briefly CEO at Celtic Football Club, joining in April 2021 but leaving in September in unexplained circumstances. He had been chief operating officer and executive director of Scottish Rugby Union for 13 years and helped attract major live entertainment promoters and performers and more than doubled Scottish Rugby’s commercial revenues.

This year will see the SEC host Sabrina Carpenter, Iron Maiden, Kylie Minogue and Billie Eilsh at the OVO Hydro. 

Seven new events have been added to the roster of exhibitions that includes Ideal Home, All Energy and the Scottish Caravan, Motorhomes and Holiday Home Show. The venue will welcome the British Society for Haematology, the Energy Networks Association and the European Academy of Clinical Allergology and Immunology.

Work has begun preparing for the Commonwealth Games in 2026, when the SEC will again host several events building on the success of the 2014 Games.

SEC chair Morag McNeill said: “Dominic brings an incredible breadth of strategic, commercial, entertainment and operational experience from his previous roles on the national and international stage.

“He is a strategic leader and has a proven track record of delivering growth with a real focus on customer experience and partnership working.

“The success of the SEC is hugely important to Glasgow and Scotland and Dominic has strong relationships with many of the SEC’s key stakeholders and partners, including our major shareholder Glasgow City Council and our wider stakeholder family. The whole board looks forward to working with Dominic as we continue our ambitious plans for the business.”

Mr McKay said: “I have been impressed by the ambition and determination of the board to build on the SEC’s outstanding pedigree as a truly world class entertainment and events destination with its incredible venues; OVO Hydro, SEC Armadillo and SEC Centre.

“I look forward to working with the board and leading the team to establish a new strategy that will include exciting new development plans for the campus while ensuring the SEC and its venues continue to be a thriving destination for the world’s greatest musicians, performers and international and national events.”