Obituary: Ken Scobie
20 Jan 2025Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death on Saturday (18 January) of former chair Ken Scobie. He was 86.
Scobie was chair of the Scottish Rugby Executive Board between 2000 and 2003, having previously served as a President of London Scottish in 1997 during the birth pangs of professional rugby.
His appointment followed the Lord Mackay review into the game’s governance.
A chartered accountant by profession, Scobie was educated at Daniel Stewart’s College and Edinburgh University.
In a career which included spells in Brussels and South Africa, he first became chair/chief executive of a Stock Exchange listed company at the age of 33.
Son of a Scotland cricket internationalist, he was a well- known Grange cricketer and East of Scotland tennis player. After playing for his school rugby first XV he restricted himself to social rugby with Stewart’s-College FP and London Scottish.
In business, he was chair of the Chemring Group PLC, in the aero-defence and marine-safety sectors, and Allied Leisure PLC, in the leisure centre, pubs and restaurants sphere.
Earlier in his career he was credited with reviving the fortunes of construction and mining- equipment company Blackwood Hodge PLC, which had operations in more than 50 countries worldwide.
And his role in rebuilding, as deputy chair and chief executive of Brent Walker, the leisure conglomerate, was also hailed.
Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to Ken Scobie’s family and many friends.
