Zoe Ogilvie will join the Board of Directors of Aberdeen Football Club this month, becoming the first female director in the club’s 118 year history.

The Aberdeen businesswoman has been appointed as a non-executive director with a focus on marketing and communications strategy as the Club ramps up its fan engagement and community programmes, which are critical to growing its season ticket membership base.

AFC Chairman, Dave Cormack, said: “Zoe is incredibly well-connected and brings significant credibility across both the public and private sectors. She has been instrumental in setting and delivering our communications strategy in the last 18 months and has played a pivotal role in successful Club and Trust campaigns.

“She is committed to helping drive and successfully deliver our fan and corporate engagement programmes, being a welcoming host on match days and an active ambassador for the Club in the wider community.”

A highly regarded public relations practitioner in Scotland, Zoe has almost 30 years’ communications and marketing experience in the UK and abroad, including eight years with Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce as public affairs manager before setting up BIG Partnership.

As director of BIG, now one of the UK’s largest PR and marketing agencies outwith London, Zoe heads up the Aberdeen office which represents clients in the energy, property, professional services and food and drink sectors.

She is also on the Board of Governors of the Robert Gordon University and the Board of Directors of Aberdeen Inspired.

Zoe is married with one daughter, Francesca, who plays for AFC Women and was a Scotland U-19 internationalist.

Commenting on her appointment, Zoe said: “It’s a privilege to be making history as AFC’s first female director and an honour to serve a Club which is a vital part of the region’s socio-economic fabric and is cherished by so many people.

“Having worked with the Club on various projects for many years, I’ve gained invaluable experience of its operations and the dedicated people who work there. I’m thrilled to join the Board but do not underestimate the challenges we face nor the responsibility that comes with the role.”