Advisory Council member

John Quinn

John Quinn is a Scottish businessman and entrepreneur who spent the large majority of his career establishing and growing Fasco into the country’s largest independent engineering merchants before its multi-million pound sale in 2007.

Prior to the acquisition, John begun to source from Asia. This facilitated many new customers, mostly in the dairy and retail sectors. Since the disposal of Fasco, John devotes much time to his property development and investment ventures with industrial properties in towns and cities across Scotland.

Local radio had been one of John’s interests. His involvement as a shareholder director in Central FM, a Central Scotland based station, has spanned over 25 years. In 2008 John become the majority shareholder and owner of the station in a deal reached with The Local Radio Company, Central FM’s former owners.  It has since become both a popular local media company and a profitable small business.  In addition, since John’s tenure as owner commenced, listening figures have shown dramatic increase as the station works toward his vision of a ‘local media playing a crucial role at the heart of the community.’  Central FM won Gold in the National 2009 Sony Radio Academy Awards in the Station of the Year category.

In 2009 John, along with Adam Findlay, acquired Original 106 in Aberdeen. Jointly they took the revenue and listener figures to an unprecedented high. 2018 saw the sale of Original 106 to a large Scottish owned media company.

John is a past board member of Stirling Enterprise Park (STEP), based in Stirling. He joined the board, having previously occupied the park as a tenant, upon the recognition of STEP’s invaluable contribution to the growth of small business.  Realising its importance, John felt drawn to involvement in such a worthwhile project.  John has previously been involved as a Board Member of Young Enterprise and as a Board Member of Stirling Business Centres Ltd.

Views from the board

  • Having heard investors that I know well, actively stepping back from investing in the Scottish economy, I fear for the future and am urging business leaders to share their support for Scotland to remain in the Union of the United Kingdom. It will only be by strength of voice and an evidenced based case that we will be able to defend the will of Scottish businesses of all sizes to remain in the Union.
    — Robert D. Kilgour
  • Patriotism is a love for your country and as a proud Scot I have spent my career helping to build economic opportunities and in attracting investment. I am also proud to be British and passionately want the United Kingdom to endure.  To succeed in that aim, we must acknowledge that remaining part of the Union is a key lynchpin in growing Scotland’s wealth.
    — Jack Perry CBE