New Ferguson Marine appointment
Mark Preston joins the board.
Scotland's publicly owned shipyard will benefit from further world-class commercial and shipbuilding expertise, following the appointment of Mark Preston as a non-executive director to the board of Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd.
The appointment follows the promotion of existing board member Duncan Anderson to chair of the board.
Mark Preston has more than four decades of experience in senior commercial and business development roles across the global marine sector including shipbroking, offshore renewables and vessel conversion. His track record includes growing a company's turnover from $27 million to $110 million and contributing to a successful listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy Stephen Flynn said:
"Mark brings exactly the kind of depth in commercial and international experience that Ferguson Marine needs at this stage of its development. His expertise in global markets and scaling businesses will be a real asset to the board and to Scotland's shipbuilding industry."
Mark Preston said:
"Ferguson Marine has a proud heritage and a highly skilled workforce. There is a clear opportunity to build on the strong progress already made and further strengthen the yard's ability to win work. I look forward to working with the team to support the delivery of existing and upcoming work, securing new opportunities and helping to ensure a sustainable long-term future for Scottish shipbuilding and Ferguson Marine."
Background
Mark Preston is appointed from 30 June 2026 until 31 May 2028. The appointment was made through an open and independent recruitment process, in line with the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland.
Mr Preston will be paid in line with pay policy for board appointments.
Mr Preston is currently an independent consultant, providing strategic, operational and commercial advice across the marine sector, including work with major international clients such as ADNOC and Bibby Marine. His career began with James Fisher plc and has included roles with Brovig Offshore and Lamnalco Group. As a Bid Manager and then Commercial Director at Gulf Marine Services (GMS) he served as a member of the executive leadership team increasing turnover from $27m to $110m, contributing to the successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) and listing on the London Stock Exchange.