We are delighted to announce that Emma Soanes has been appointed as our new Chief Executive.
Until recently the CEO of Young Enterprise Scotland, Emma has over 30 years of third sector experience in Scotland holding senior positions in a number of organisations working for people with learning disabilities. Prior to Young Enterprise Scotland where she led the organisation through significant change, Emma was CEO at Unity (formerly Unity Enterprise) for six years. She is also a trustee on the Board of the Scottish Union of Supported Employment and is a founding member, trustee and Vice Chair of ‘We Are One Scotland!’ Festival of Citizenship. She started working in the social care sector at the age of 16.
Welcoming Emma to her new role with Down’s Syndrome Scotland (DSS), Andrea Tonner, Chair of the Board at DSS said:
“We were thrilled with the response to our recruitment campaign with over 100 applications for the role and Emma has come through a rigorous process as the very best candidate for the job. We are delighted to have secured someone of Emma’s calibre as our new Chief Executive. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the learning disability sector in Scotland and her passion and drive for change and improvements will serve our community well.”
Responding to the news of her appointment, Emma said:
“I feel incredibly lucky to be joining Down’s Syndrome Scotland – what a wonderful opportunity to build on Eddie’s incredible legacy and the work of such a committed and passionate team. The impact of this organisation in supporting individuals, families and practitioners is exceptional and I’m very proud to be on board.”
Emma takes over from Eddie McConnell who has led the charity for the past six years and who will retire later this year.
She will join the charity next month (October) before taking up the position full-time from the 3 November 2025.