Layla Robinson is Chief Partnership & Strategy Officer at Research Data Scotland (RDS). RDS was established in late 2021 to make it simpler for researchers to access public sector data for the public good. She has been with RDS since September 2022. She has over 20 years of working in partnerships, strategy, communications and related fields, mainly around research.
She has worked in the charity, private and research sectors in Edinburgh, London and internationally. This includes seven years working in public affairs and related consultancy in London and Brussels, advising a range of healthcare and research companies and charities. She was Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns for six years at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), including overseeing the team working with over 500 Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors, members of the public who actively supported public facing policy campaigns; and worked closely to develop the public engagement function at CRUK. She then worked in a number of roles in Scotland: leading a coalition of disability charities; a healthcare company; and at a research centre at the University of Edinburgh. All of these roles, throughout her careers, have involved public engagement in different forms.
At RDS, Layla oversees partnerships, strategy, public and user engagement, communications and operations.