Management team
Iain Matheson, Managing Director
Iain Matheson is Managing Director, providing assistance to clients on a broad range of environmental concerns, in particular with regard to environmental legislation, discharge consents and monitoring programmes.
He qualified as a chemist in 1976, gaining early work experience with Buchanan Oils in the analysis and testing of oils, oil products and effluents, and subsequently with the Scottish Marine Biological Association in environmental survey methods and specialist hydrocarbon analysis.
In 1978, Iain joined the precursor company of ERT as a Chemist initially, and was promoted to Manager of Environmental Services in 1985. In this role he had the responsibility of co-ordinating all field and laboratory support for the Institute's environmental surveys. He transferred to the commercial arm of the Group in 1992 and utilised his knowledge in subsequent years in providing consultancy support to a variety of national and international studies, primarily for the oil industry.
Since 2000, as Managing Director of ERT, Iain is now in charge of developing the company strategy and overall management of all of ERT's operations.
Iain Dixon, Manager Environmental Consultancy
Iain graduated with a degree in biology in 1977, and promptly joined the Dorset Underwater Survey undertaking marine biological survey work off the Purbeck Heritage Coast and in Lyme Bay. Since then he After gaining an MSc in Oceanography in 1979, he worked at the Oil Pollution Research Unit (OPRU) in Pembrokeshire. At OPRU he carried out a mixture of survey work and research on the impacts of the offshore oil and gas industry. Here he was also involved in some of the first widescale investigations into the impacts of the aquaculture industry in the UK.
After finishing his PhD in marine ecology at the University Marine Biological Station Millport he joined the precursor company to ERT in 1991. His initial appointment was to lead the Biology Section and oversee ERT's biological survey services.
In 1995 he left the laboratory to provide scientific and technical input to licensing support activities for the oil and gas industry, distilleries, mariculture and national conservation agencies.
Iain now manages the consultancy team in undertaking environmental impact assessments, sensitivity studies and oil spill contingency planning. Additionally, he also continues to lead the coastal survey work.
Jim McDougall, Manager Environmental Services
Jim is a chartered chemist who graduated from Napier University in 1983, and joined the precursor company to ERT later that same year.
Following an initial period of experience in preparative hydrocarbon chemistry and metals analysis, he focused on spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques for identifying hydrocarbon contaminants in the environment. Jim then went on to become responsible for the management of ERT's survey and analytical services.
During his 20 years with ERT he has gained considerable experience in relation to the chemical analysis of organic compounds, particularly hydrocarbons within marine systems. In his current position he is responsible for the business management of ERT's survey and monitoring services which also involves co-ordination of all field staff and equipment for environmental surveys in the UK coastal and offshore areas, as well as internationally.