Susan Russell

Head of Marketing, Communications & Sponsorship

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

A marketing, communications and sponsorship leader with a demonstrated history of working in the tourism, culture, hospitality, events and technology/start-up industries. Skilled in strategic development & planning, growth & GTM strategy development, financial analysis & management, staff development, agency management and delivery of integrated marketing campaigns.

I am the Founder of Women In Tourism, a national not-for-profit membership organisation.  I sit on the Edinburgh Napier University Tourism, Events & Festivals Advisory Board and am a Trustee of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. 

In 2023 I graduated from the University of Edinburgh Business School with an Executive MBA (Merit). I have also completed the Edinburgh University Executive Women’s Leadership Programme (2017) and Edinburgh Napier University’s Destination Leaders Programme (2015). I was the author of the China Ready report which was the catalyst for Edinburgh’s China Ready initiative.