Marie Macklin

In 2018, Macklin was awarded with an honorary degree by Glasgow Caledonian University within the Glasgow School for Business and Society and the School of Engineering and Built Environment due to the university's recognition of "outstanding contribution to the business world and Macklin's outstanding commitment to GCU students and the work of the University for the Common Good".

In 2016, Macklin was recognised as Business Woman of the Year and in November 2016 was recognised by the Scottish Business Awards as Female Business Leader of the year. In March 2017, Marie was named non-executive director of the year by the Institute of Directors Scotland (IoD), for her engagement with Appointedd.

Macklin was previously the CEO of The KLIN Group from 2004 until 2014 and was director of Klin Holdings Ltd. until her resignation on 6 February 2015.

Macklin sold the KLIN Group in 2015 and it continues to trade.

Throughout her career, Macklin has been committed to working with school pupils to develop their knowledge of business and enterprise, particularly at her former secondary school Kilmarnock Academy, where she has been an advocate and mentor to school pupils in creating business plans and proposals. In 2015, Macklin met with Head Teacher of Kilmarnock Academy, Bryan Paterson, to look at enterprise initiatives within Kilmarnock Academy and opportunities to support young people to develop an enterprising spirit. Macklin claimed that "entrepreneurial education at Kilmarnock Academy just keeps getting better and better".

In the 2015 New Year Honours, Macklin was awarded with a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Economic Regeneration and Entrepreneurship in Scotland (Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and Arran).

Having previously been a member of the Conservative and Unionist Party, Macklin supported a Yes vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, claiming that independence for Scotland could create more Scottish entrepreneurs.

Following the announcement in 2009 by drinks company Diageo of their intention to close the Johnnie Walker bottling plant and production factory at Hill Street in Kilmarnock, Macklin joined a large protest of 20,000 people through the streets of Kilmarnock in an attempt to persuade Diageo to reverse their decisions. Following unsuccessful attempts, Diageo remained with their decision for closure, leading Macklin to enter negotiations with Diageo to look at options for sale of the site and long-term plans for the future use of the site. Diageo eventually sold the land to HALO Group for £1, which led Macklin to create a £65 million regeneration proposal, The HALO Urban Regeneration.

Macklin purchased The KLIN Group in 2004 and became chief executive officer of the company. Macklin sought to move the company away from construction as it had been founded in 1988 and take the company in the direction of regeneration of urban areas. Macklin had entered into negotiations with supermarket chain Morrisons to expand into Scotland, using Kilmarnock as their debut store in 2004.

Macklin was born Mary Stewart Macklin in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Her father, John Dick created The KLIN Group in 1988 which focused on construction .In the early 2000s, Macklin bought The KLIN Group from her father. Her father originally worked as a bricklayer, whilst her mother was a hosiery worker. Macklin attended Kilmarnock Academy.

Mary Stewart Macklin CBE (born 20 October 1965) is a Scottish businesswoman, entrepreneur and property developer, who is Founder and executive chair of The HALO Urban Regeneration.

Under Macklin's ownership and direction, the KLIN Group would be responsible for the redevelopment of other major sites within Kilmarnock, including the restoration of Barclay House, the former offices and workspace for Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., turning the derelict building into commercial use and housing. Barclay House now serves as the main headquarters and administrative offices for the KLIN Group and has undergone extensive renovation work to provide additional office space for various companies within Kilmarnock, as well as housing space for rent or lease. Barclay House is home to a locomotive train, Drake, that was built by Andrew Barclay in the early 1940s for the war effort during World War II.