Michael MacLennan
Senior communications leader and executive advisor. Founder of Faur, creator of Comms With AI, and a director of ScotlandIS. Based in South Queensferry, near Edinburgh.
Written to be used, not rewritten
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Short, 99 words
Michael MacLennan is a communications leader who builds with AI as well as advising on it. He founded Faur, a senior-led communications consultancy whose clients include Allwyn, ParalympicsGB and ACOSVO, and created Comms With AI, which won Gold for Best Innovation in AI Tools for Communications at the 2026 AI Comms Awards, where he was also named AI Communications Leader of the Year. He has been a ScotlandIS director since 2024. Earlier he spent five years at Brunswick and led digital work at Red Bull and Barclaycard. In 2021 he founded Covid Aid, which supported more than 385,000 people.
Long, 246 words
Michael MacLennan is a senior communications leader and executive advisor who builds with AI as well as advising on it.
He is the founder of Faur, a communications consultancy that assembles senior specialists around each brief rather than working from a fixed roster, serving multinationals, NGOs, membership bodies and startups. Clients have included Allwyn, ParalympicsGB and ACOSVO. He is also the creator of Comms With AI, a free set of practitioner-built AI templates for communications teams, which won Gold for Best Innovation in AI Tools for Communications at the inaugural AI Comms Awards in June 2026. At the same awards he was named AI Communications Leader of the Year.
He has been a director of ScotlandIS, Scotland's technology trade body, since 2024, with governance responsibility for marketing and communications. In 2021 he founded Covid Aid, an award-nominated online community that supported more than 385,000 people and raised over £250,000 with partners including the NHS, the Scottish Government and Marie Curie, and which he closed deliberately once the acute need had passed. He has since held interim charity executive roles, including interim chief executive of a national cancer charity.
Earlier he spent five years as a director at Brunswick, led global digital editorial at Red Bull, and built a digital operating model at Barclaycard. His career began in journalism at The Herald and STV.
He holds an MA (Hons) in Philosophy, an MLitt in Journalism, and Imperial College London's Professional Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
Roles, dates and remit
Senior strategic leadership across the agency’s most reputationally sensitive accounts, following a national restructure. Regeneration developments, executive communications for a global financial-services leader, and digital strategy around major moments for a senior minister in a G20 country.
Communications strategy, digital audits and content workshops for multinationals, NGOs, membership bodies and startups, built around what AI can now do.
Interim Chief Executive of Cancer Support Scotland, restructuring operations under severe financial pressure. Further assignments covering service delivery, efficiency and operational change.
A national online support community. More than 385,000 people supported and over £250,000 raised, with partners including the NHS, the Scottish Government and Marie Curie. Founded and led alongside the Brunswick role.
Digital and social strategy for global corporate and financial clients, including crisis and reputation work.
Global content strategy, an online VR channel, and the redesign of redbull.com.
A new digital and social operating model for the brand.
Award-winning websites and interactives, and the start of a career in journalism.
Board and trustee record
Governance responsibility for marketing and communications, and involvement in the chief executive transition and recruitment.
Worked closely with the board through a period of severe financial pressure.
Closed deliberately once the acute need had passed.
Water and sanitation charity working across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Awards
Named AI Communications Leader of the Year (Agency). Comms With AI won Gold for Best Innovation in AI Tools for Communications at the same inaugural awards. Result →
Trained for this, not retrofitted to it
Get in touch
The current CV is available on request, as are a high-resolution photograph and a tailored bio for a specific programme. Email is the fastest route.