Public appointment: Chair and Non-Executive Director appointed to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited Board

The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie MSP, today announced the appointment of Christopher Holliday as Chair and Gillian Woolman as a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL). 

 

Chair 

Christopher Holliday has 40 years of regional aviation sector experience including over 20 years in senior executive and non-executive roles with regional airlines operating in and to Scotland and other island communities. His board leadership experience Includes current roles as Vice Chair of the Isle of Man Airport Board and Vice Chair of the Light Aircraft Association, and he presently serves as a Trustee of the Fresson Trust. He also applies his expertise through his work in aviation consultancy.  He holds a BSc (Hons) in Aeronautical Engineering from Bristol University. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of HIAL having joined the Board in March 2020. He is currently Chair of the HIAL Board’s Safety, Security and Environment Committee. 

 

Non-Executive Director 

Gillian Woolman is an experienced trustee, audit director, chief internal auditor and committee chair. She was a Member of the Leadership Group of Audit Scotland as well as being a Fellow of the Institute of Charted Accountants for England and Wales and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.  She is also a Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and a Trustee and the Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee of the Royal High School Preservation Trust. 

 

Appointments 

The appointments are for three  years. Christopher Holliday’s appointment as Chair runs from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2029. Gillian Woolman’s appointment as a Non-Executive Director runs from 22 December 2025 to 21 December 2028. 

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The Chair appointment attracts £345.92 per day for a time commitment of six days per month.  The Non-Executive Director appointment attracts £332.89 per day for a time commitment of two days per month. 

 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Christopher Holliday is a Non-Executive Director of the Board of HIAL and receives £332.89 per day for a time commitment of two days per month. He will stand down from this role when he becomes HIAL Chair. 

Gillian Woolman does 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. 

Gillian Woolman has undertaken canvasing for the Labour Party at the most recent UK General Election. 

Christopher Holliday has had no political activity within the last five years. 

 

Background 

HIAL is a public body wholly owned by Scottish Ministers.  The Company operates and manages 11 airports in the Highlands and Islands (Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick) and Dundee.  These airports are vital to the social and economic welfare of the areas they serve and enable the communities to stay connected. 

None of HIAL’s airports operates on a solely commercial basis and the Scottish Government provides subsidy to HIAL to close the gap between commercial revenue and operating costs to enable the continued operation of safe and regulatory compliant airports. 

HIAL is also a private company and those appointed to the Board will also be a limited company director registered at Companies House for HIAL and subsidiaries Dundee Airport Limited and Airport Management Services Limited.  The appointment, therefore, has Companies Act responsibilities.