Vivienne MacLaren Joins WFS Board

Walking Football Scotland is delighted to announce the appointment of Vivienne MacLaren to its Board of Trustees, completing a series of new appointments.

Vivienne is passionate about sport, in particular women’s and girls’ football and has a keen focus on expanding the opportunities available to women and girls to take part in or return to sport. She is an award-winning marketing and digital specialist with 29 years’ experience spent in Scotland and London both client and agency side. She is also former MD and founder of an award-winning digital marketing agency, ad tech advisory board member and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.  

In 2016, Vivienne was appointed Chairperson of Scottish Women’s Football, the independent body that manages the domestic game in Scotland, after joining the main Board in 2014 as media and communications director. Vivienne led the transformation of the domestic game as a brand, a commercial entity and as an environment in which girls and women can thrive in Scotland.  

She led the huge growth of the Scottish Women’s Premier League and signed the first broadcast deal for women’s football in Scotland in 2018, shortly after securing the first ever league sponsor. In 2023 the largest sponsorship deal in the Scottish women’s and girls’ game was secured with ScottishPower, covering both Scottish Women’s Football and the SWPL. This was also led by Vivienne and SWF.

She is a strategy-driven professional who is regarded as one of the leading marketers in the UK. She regularly speaks at events including MarTech, Women in Business, University of Strathclyde MBA programme as well as media interviews on behalf of Scottish Women’s Football (SKY, BBC News, STV and various podcasts and radio).  

Vivienne was VP of Global Marketing at high growth, global technology SaaS company, Ideagen for over 6 years and is now a portfolio marketing director with The Marketing Centre.

She was also President of Giffnock Tennis, Squash and Hockey Club, 2020 and 2021 (LTA and Tennis Scotland Club of the Year 2021) and was appointed Chairperson of mental health and wellbeing charity, YAMS in July 2024.  Vivienne has represented Scottish Women’s Football on Scottish FA Congress since 2017 and was a member of the Women and Girls in Sport Advisory Board for 3 years, providing independent advice to the Scottish Government.

In 2021 Vivienne was the recipient of the Chair’s Award at the Institute of Directors Scotland (IoD) Awards.

A long-standing supporter of Walking Football Scotland, Vivienne has championed the organisation’s work and, in 2025, formally joins the Board of Trustees. Her extensive expertise in marketing, communications, and strategic leadership, combined with her passion for inclusion and community engagement, will be invaluable in supporting the continued growth of walking football across Scotland.

On speaking about her new appointment Vivienne said:

“I am passionate about providing opportunities for girls and women to participate in football, and sport. Whether that be on the path to elite football or the start of being part of a team, competing with friends, or in league competitions.

Walking Football offers women the opportunity to play the sport they love in a different way, and reignite their passion for the game. I am looking forward to working with the other Trustees to support the growth of Walking Football Scotland”

Walking Football Scotland is proud to welcome Vivienne MacLaren to the Board and looks forward to the significant contribution she will make.