Timothy Allan (Tim) CBE DL FRSE

Tim Allan is a private equity and property entrepreneur with many outside philanthropic interests. He is a founder and shareholder of MFG, the UK’s largest forecourt operator and he owns Tricorn Capital Ltd, a diversified private investment company with venture capital, private equity and commercial property interests. Tim is the Chair of the V&A Museum in Dundee and a former President of Scottish Chambers of Commerce. He has just retired as a member of Court at the University of St Andrews but holds a number of voluntary posts in the University, notably chairing the University Fundraising Campaign, and the new University Business School.

Graduating from St Andrews in 1988, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served in the British Army for 10 years. On leaving the Army, Tim spent 7 years in private wealth management working for first for Citigroup and then UBS with some of the UK’s most prominent entrepreneurs.

He set up Unicorn Property Group in 2006, developing the Dundee waterfront before in 2008, Tim and partners became involved in the fuel forecourt sector and in 2012, they founded Motor Fuel Group (MFG), which has become the largest independent fuel retailer in the UK with a turnover more of over £7bn. Tim is an active shareholder and non-executive director of MFG.

Outside his business, Tim served as a member of the Scotland Committee of the BIG Lottery Fund for 7 years, and was formerly the Chair of Young Enterprise Scotland, the leading business and enterprise education charity in Scotland. He served as President of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce from 2014 to 2016, and president of Scottish Chambers of Commerce from 2017 to 2021.

In April 2010, Tim was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion and was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Clackmannanshire in 2017. Tim was awarded a CBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours list. He is a member of The Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. In 2023, Tim was appointed as Honorary Colonel, C Squadron, the Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry. Tim was elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2025.

Tim is a major donor to a number of Scottish Charities including the National Trust for Scotland, the V&A Dundee, St Andrews University, Dundee University, the National Theatre of Scotland amongst many.

Tim is an active direct investor in 18 different early stage Scottish Technology companies, and a range of other private equity investments including Snappy Shopper and the Eden Mill Distillery in St Andrews, where he is a main board director.

David Ovens

David Ovens has been involved over a number of years in Scotland’s venture capital and athletics communities.

He serves as the Joint Managing Director of Archangel Investors, an Edinburgh-based venture capital firm that invests in and mentors promising start-ups in Scotland’s technology and life sciences sectors.

In addition to his role at Archangel Investors, David has been the Chair of Scottish Athletics since 2021, the national governing body for athletics in Scotland. He also holds non-executive director positions at UK Athletics and at LINC Scotland, the national association for business angels in Scotland.

David’s previous experience includes serving as Chair of SIS Ventures, a subsidiary of Social Investment Scotland, from 2019 to 2023, and as Chief Executive of Invercap, an investment firm managing a portfolio of early-stage companies, from 2011 to 2014. Before transitioning into venture capital, David built a career in corporate finance, working with institutions such as HSBC Investment Bank in London and Noble Grossart in Edinburgh.

He earned his LLB (Hons) from The University of Edinburgh in 1994.

Beyond his professional career, David is actively involved in athletics. He is a member of Fife Athletic Club, where he coaches a group of young athletes, and has a personal history as a middle-distance track athlete. His wife, Hayley, is a former 1500m competitor for Scotland, having participated in the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2006 and the World Indoor Championships in 2003. Their two daughters, Holly and Millie, also compete on the track for Fife AC.

Alan Wright PhD

Alan is an experienced Operations and Supply Chain Director with over 20 years Senior Management experience in the Global Spirits and Wine Industry working with key players Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Bacardi, and Distell.

Since 2020, Alan has been running his own consultancy business. His years of experience in Whisky procurement and trading for the major whisky companies has developed a strong network of suppliers and an expert knowledge of whisky value. Alan uses this expertise now to support extensive whisky brokering activities buying and selling from and too major distillers as well as small brand owners.

Alan also provides technical guidance and advisory support to developing businesses in the Spirits Industry, and the associated Supply Chain, as part of his consultancy activities.

With a wealth of operations, strategic, and transformational change expertise in Production, Planning, Logistics, Procurement, Innovation, and Compliance, he is focused on delivering Cost, Quality and Service, ensuring that customer expectations are met or exceeded.

Alan is also expert at extending businesses global reach capability through sourcing and structuring of “owned” and “third-party” manufacturing operations for Whisky, Gin, Cognac, and Liqueurs, and has managed Blending Teams responsible for multi award-winning Scotch Whiskies and Gins on the International Stage (IWSC, ISC, The Spirits Business, World Drinks Awards).

About Us

A shared vision

At Trossachs Cooperage, we are building more than casks. We are building a business, a team, and a legacy that everyone involved can be proud of – from our coopers and apprentices to the distillers we serve and the investors who back us.

Our vision is clear: to be a financially strong, fast-growing, and highly respected cooperage that sets new standards for quality, reliability, and sustainability.

We want to be known not just for what we do, but for how we do it – with pride, integrity, and a commitment to the people who make it possible.

Building more than casks.

The team behind the craft

Led by master cooper Gary Drummond, who brings 18 years of experience with Diageo across every aspect of coopering, our team combines the knowledge of seasoned journeymen with the fresh energy of apprentices. Together, we form a close-knit workforce where skills are passed on, morale is high, and every member is valued.

Supporting the workshop, General Manager Chris Mckeown ensures smooth day-to-day operations, while our board of investors brings strategic guidance and industry connections. This structure allows us to deliver not only expert craftsmanship but also reliable, professional service on every contract.

Where we’re heading

We are ambitious. With significant investment, a modern facility just outside Callander, and industry-leading machinery, we are set up to meet urgent demand from distillers across Scotland.

Our goal is simple:

To fulfil today’s needs with reliability and skill.

To grow quickly and sustainably as demand rises.

To become the partner of choice for distilleries who expect the very best.

More than a business

We know coopering is more than a trade – it’s a calling, an apprenticeship in an ancient craft, and a source of national pride. That’s why our commitment extends beyond profit.

We invest in people, create secure jobs, offer meaningful training, and uphold policies that protect our environment and support our staff.

Careers

Why it matters

Every cask we repair or rejuvenate keeps history alive, reduces waste and strengthens Scotland’s whisky industry. Every apprentice we train secures the future of a skill that has shaped our economy and our culture. Every distillery we serve builds trust in a business that stands for quality, sustainability and pride in Scottish craft.

Our promise

We’re here to protect the past, serve the present and build a future where every cask, every skill, and every story is given the value it deserves.