Gemma joined Hacking and Paterson as Chief Financial Officer in June 2025, bringing around 20 years of experience across finance, senior leadership, transformation and mergers and acquisitions.
Having originally trained with PwC in Audit, Gemma has since held senior roles across a variety of industries and organisations, including Eden Springs, global insurance broker Gallagher and, most recently, the Scottish Event Campus, home of the OVO Hydro. Her career has given her extensive experience in technical accounting, change and project management and mergers and acquisitions, alongside commercial contract negotiations, internal controls, risk management and governance.
Since joining Hacking and Paterson, Gemma has played a key role in helping build the foundations for the business’s next stage of growth. Working across finance and operations, she is focused on strengthening the way the business uses its systems and data, creating a stable structure that can support continued growth and change.
Bringing experience from outside the property factoring industry has allowed Gemma to approach the business with a fresh perspective, while drawing on the depth of knowledge already within Hacking and Paterson. A key focus is the ongoing transformation of finance and operations, particularly the opportunities presented by data, automation and AI to improve efficiency and reduce manual and repetitive processes.
For Gemma, the purpose of this transformation is ultimately about people and service – giving teams more time to focus on customers, build strong relationships and consistently deliver a high level of service. Her significant experience in mergers and acquisitions will also support the business’s wider growth ambitions as she works closely with Chris Breckenridge, our CGO, and the wider leadership team.
A passionate people leader, Gemma has supported and developed a number of individuals throughout their accounting and finance careers. She continues her commitment to higher education through her role as a Lay Member of Court at the University of the West of Scotland and is also a Trustee of The Nepal Trust, a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving education and healthcare for children and communities in Nepal.
Outside work, Gemma loves spending time with her family, travelling and taking part in fitness events. She has completed the London, Berlin and Paris Marathons and has most recently caught the HYROX bug. A keen music lover who played several instruments growing up, Gemma is also a regular at concerts and events – from Take That to Teddy Swims and everything in between, although her T in the Park days are now firmly behind her!
Read more about Gemma’s appointment and Hacking and Paterson’s new leadership team in Scottish Housing News.
