24 July2017
Reappointment of Members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise
The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, FergusEwingMSP, today announced the reappointment of PaddyCrerar, AlistairDoddsCBE, DonaldMacDonald, ProfessorDonaldMacRaeOBE FRSEFCIBS, IseabailMacTaggart and WilliamSwann as Members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise(HIE).
Reappointments
PaddyCrerar’s primary role is Chief Executive of the Crerar Hotel Group, a privately owned hotel, leisure and hotel management group. In addition, he has board level experience having served on the Board of Visit Scotland balanced with board roles at community enterprise and co-operative companies in the Hebrides and is an also independent strategy/business recovery consultant. He also owns and operates twoagricultural enterprises as well being retained on the board of Archerfield Estates Ltd which has a diversity of involvement from property, investments, agriculture, hospitality through to brewing and retail. He is passionate about developing opportunities and ambitions within Scotland - particularly the Highlands and Islands. He was born and raised in Oban and retains strong family, business and personal ties throughout the Highlands and Islands. Outside of business, MrCreraris Chairman of Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and Crerar Trust charities and a near twodecade member of the global CEO network, YPO.
AlistairDoddsCBE is originally from Kelso and now lives in Inverness having moved to the Highlands in1991. He held senior management positions in the Highland Council over a period of 18years in HR and Corporate Governance and was Chief Executive for over sixyears until August2013. He has a good understanding of remote and rural areas, been directly involved in significant public sector reform and delivered the benefits from strong and effective partnership working with the public, private and third/voluntary sectors. MrDodds is a Trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland (Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee), is currently Chair of the HIE Risk and Assurance Committee and sits on the Board of twolocal charitable organisations in Inverness. He was appointed CBE for services to local government in Scotland and awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of the Highlands and Islands in recognition of his work on the integration of health and social care.
DonaldMacDonaldis an active Crofter and has over 30years’ experience of running business in the rural communities of the Highlands. His main employment is in tourism and the arts. MrMacDonald was previously an assessor for ESF and ERDF and is currently on local area group for leader and until recently was the Chair of Staffin Community Trust. He is a Gaelic speaker and former Chair of Comunn Na Gaidhlig.
ProfessorDonaldMacRaeOBEFRSEFCIBS is the former Chief Economist at Lloyds Banking Group Scotland. A native of the Black Isle, he has been monitoring the economy for decades and is a passionate supporter of economic development in his home area of the Highlands and Islands. His particular skills are economic analysis, development and corporate governance. He holds an OBE and was recently appointed as Interim Chair of the Board of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.
IseabailMacTaggarthas senior executive experience in commerce and broadcasting at a regional and international level. She is Director of Strategy and Partnership for MGAlba, which operates the TVchannel, BBCAlba, in partnership with the BBC. She is responsible for MG Alba’s content commissioning budget and works with independent production companies across Scotland, both on their delivery for the channel but also on their development, including through internationalisation. MsMacTaggart has had senior roles within the whisky industry, as well as the broadcast industry, including a term as Member for Scotland on Ofcom’s content Board. As well as an MBA from Warwick University, she has a post-graduate in law, is a Mandarin graduate and is a fluent Gaelic speaker.
WilliamSwann has extensive experience at Board and Executive Director level in the International Charitable sector. He has implemented community-based programmes to improve the health and welfare of essential livestock in Afghanistan, Guatemala, the Middle East etc. He has chaired Government committees and has held public office including membership of the strategic implementation group for animal health and welfare within the UK. MrSwann and his wife manage their self-employed business in the Highlands and Islands and he is a respected professional artist extensively exhibited.
Length of Reappointment and Remuneration
The reappointments for MrMacDonald, MsMacTaggart and MrSwann are for oneyear from 1April2017 to 31March2018. The appointments for MrCrerar, MrDodds and ProfessorMacRae are for threeyears from 1April2017 to 31March2020.
The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £419.00per day for a time commitment of twodays per month.
The reappointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.
Other Ministerial Appointments
MrDodds is a Trustee of the Board of the National Galleries of Scotland, which is an unremunerated post, for a time commitment of twodays per month.
ProfessorMacRae is the Interim Chair of the Board of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, for which he receive remuneration of £350.00per day for a time commitment of twodays per week.
MrCrerar,MrMacDonald, MsMacTaggart and MrSwann do not hold any other public appointments.
Political Activity
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
MrCrerar,MrDodds, MrMacDonald, ProfessorMacRae, MsMacTaggart and MrSwann have not undertaken any political activity in the last fiveyears
Background
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which plays an important role in improving the productivity, equality and sustainability of the regional economy, increasing its contribution to the output of Scotland as a whole.
In line with the Government’s Programme for Scotland, and drawing on the focus of the Enterprise and Skills Review, HIE has aligned its efforts in close collaboration with nationaland local partners to build inclusive growth in all parts of the Highlands and Islands.
HIE pursues fourpriorities to achieve sustainable growth. These are supporting businesses and social enterprises to shape and realise their growth aspirations; strengthening communities and fragile areas; developing growth sectors, particularly distinctive regional opportunities; and creating the conditions for a competitive and low carbon region. In addition to its regional impact, HIE manages several Scottish Government initiatives across the whole of Scotland, including Wave Energy Scotland, Community Broadband Scotland and the Scottish Land Fund (in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund). HIE invests around £100million a year in delivering its remit and employs around 300people based in locations around the Highlands and Islands.