Who we are
David Lee
David is Director of David Lee Media and Events Ltd. He worked in daily newspapers for 20 years, before setting up his own business in 2009.
He still writes and edits - and offers PR advice - but he is largely focused on event hosting, working with a wide variety of clients across a very broad range of topics.
David is also a podcast host, runs a successful media training business and is a Director of PA Co-Operative, working with Neil Cuthbert to provide communications, events and public affairs services.
Outside work, he loves being on the water with Eskmuthe Coastal Rowing Club - as a rower and a cox. On land, he is still an angry footballer and is much calmer when walking his border collies Dexter and Mabel. He has four grown-up children.
Gaynor Allen
Gaynor is Company Secretary of David Lee Media and Events Ltd. She has worked for daily and weekly newspapers and written for a variety of publications as a freelance journalist.
She is also a qualified yoga teacher and a very active community campaigner, who has directed films, run campaigns and chaired countless voluntary groups. She has an increasing interest in sustainability and finding environmentally-friendly solutions for local communities.
Gaynor is currently chair of Musselburgh Area Partnership and Eskmuthe Community Rowing Club. She enjoys coastal rowing, yoga, gardening and dog walking.
Associates
Peter Ranscombe
Peter learned the journalistic ropes from David Lee during their time together at The Scotsman and has since worked with him extensively on a variety of projects, ranging from media training to copywriting.
As a multi-award-winning journalist, Peter has developed a knack for telling stories clearly. In February 2025, he was named Business Writer of the Year at the Highlands & Islands Media Awards for his articles in The Press & Journal. He was also named Journalist of the Year: Nations & Regions at the Wincott Awards in 2023. He also writes regularly for publications including Scottish Field, Decanter, Whisky Magazine, The Times, and The Lancet’s special medical journals.
Away from journalism, his copywriting covers a broad selection of content, and he has written for clients stretching from banks, law firms, and stock market-listed companies through to small businesses, charities, and public sector bodies.
Nick Drainey
Nick has been a journalist since the days before Tony Blair was prime minister.
Now freelancing from Linlithgow near Edinburgh, he has enjoyed written and broadcast work covering everything from walking guides and features to hard news stories.
He specialises in the outdoors from a love of hill walking and is passionate about all issues affecting rural life, from deer numbers to enterprising individuals setting up businesses and coming up with new ideas.
Nick also does PR work and with his 20-odd years experience in journalism thinks he knows a thing or two about how the media works.
Suzy Powell
Suzy Powell suports the team with media training, using more than 35 years of experience in journalism and public relations. She has extensive knowledge of media and communications in a fast-changing environment, and wrote and delivered a media training programme for lawyers through the Law Society of Scotland. She is skilled at translating scientific research and development for a broad audience, as well as giving advice on simple and effective messaging.
Phil Wilkinson
Phil Wilkinson is a highly respected photographer and videographer based in the Scottish Borders. He worked for national newspapers as a staff photographer before setting up his own business (https://www.philspix.com/). He still has his work published regularly in a variety of publications, and works for numerous commercial clients. Phil has worked with David Lee on a range of video and photography projects, including this video for forestry company Scottish Woodlands Ltd at the 2024 Royal Highland Show.
Ross Russell
Ross has worked in media and digital marketing for over 25 years. A former head of design at The Scotsman as well as an alumnus of multiple creative agencies, he has since been engaging with some of the largest corporate and business clients in the world across multiple visual disciplines, both online and offline.
As well as creating our website and visual identity, he remains our go-to guru for all things design related.
If you would like to find out more about what we could do for your business or sector, email us using the link below.