wider public policy debate as an independent commentator. She has spoken widely on strategic leadership and change, arguing for greater co-operation across political and sectoral boundaries and less reliance on 'top-down policies'. Since leaving politics, Deacon has held a portfolio of roles in higher education, business, the public and third sectors and has contributed to a range of governance and policy reviews in various areas of public life. She was Professor of Social Change at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh from 2007–2010 and, in 2010, became an Honorary Professor in the School of Social and Political Science, at the University of Edinburgh. She was Assistant Principal External Relations at the University of Edinburgh from 2012–2018 which involved developing the university's relationships with external stakeholders and encouraging greater collaboration between academia, policymakers and business. In 2010, Deacon was appointed by Michael Russell, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning as the Scottish Government's "Early Years Champion". Her report, Joining the Dots, received widespread interest and is credited with influencing policy and investment in children's early years development and education. Deacon became involved with the global energy group, Iberdrola, following its acquisition of ScottishPower Ltd in 2007, serving first on the company's UK Advisory Board and then as a non-executive director and Chairman of ScottishPower Renewables Ltd. She was a non-executive director of ScottishPower Ltd from 2012–2017 and from 2009 until 2014 was a trustee of Fundación Iberdrola, the Spanish group's global educational and charitable arm. Deacon has served on a number of other boards and advisory groups, including the Traverse Theatre, Pfizer UK Foundation, the Institute of Occupational Medicine, Dewar Arts Awards Trust, and the strategic review of the National Trust for Scotland. From 2008–2012, she was founding Chairperson of the Hibernian Community Foundation – the charity set up by Hibernian Football Club and, from 2015–2018, was Chair of the Institute of Directors Scotland, the first woman to hold the position. She is a non-Executive director of Lothian Buses Ltd, Chair of the Edinburgh Festivals Forum and a Professional Fellow and Advisor with the University of Edinburgh, and serves, in a personal capacity, as a Member of the Secretary of State for Scotland's Scottish Business Task Force. She is a fellow of the RSA and in 2017 was made a Companion of the chartered Management Institute. Deacon was appointed first female Chair of the Scottish Police Authority and took up this