Knighted in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List, Sir Ian McGeechan is distinguished as one of Rugby’s most popular and well regarded figures. His knighthood was widely applauded from all quarters of sport and he is attributed with having renewed the vigour of the Lions’ brand.

Ian has a great empathy with players, an ability to get the right people around him and is incredibly knowledgeable about the game. His quiet passion and determination to achieve excellence offer some fascinating insights about the nature of success, not just in sport but also within business.

During his playing career Ian won 32 caps for Scotland. He toured with the British Lions as a player in 1974 in the unbeaten tour to South Africa and in 1977 to New Zealand playing all eight tests. During his coaching career he spent five years with Northampton Saints after which he was appointed Head Coach at Scotland.

In December 2003, Ian took up the post of Director of Rugby of the Scottish Rugby Union after Jim Telfer retired. However, 18 months later, he was back to hands on coaching as Director of Rugby with Wasps.

Ian left Wasps in May 2009 and went on to manage what has widely been acknowledged as one of the best British and Irish Lions tours, despite a narrow series defeat.

Ian was entered into the Sportscoach UK Hall of Fame in 2001 and appointed Chairman of Sportscoach UK in April 2005.