Public appointment: Members appointed to the Board of Scottish Enterprise

The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray MSP, today announced the appointment of Professor Stephen McArthur; Professor Gillian Murray; Raymond O'Hare; Graham Soutar; and Professor Richard Williams OBE as Members of the Board of Scottish Enterprise.

Members

Professor Stephen McArthur is Associate Principal and Executive Dean of Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. As an internationally-recognised research leader and expert in artificial intelligence and intelligent systems for energy applications, he has delivered over £60 m of collaborative industrial programmes. He is also a specialist in low-carbon energy technologies and has created and led academic centres, collaborative research programmes and industrial facing innovation centres. He has been working with AI systems for over 30 years and is co-founder and CTO of Bellrock Technology. Professor McArthur is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), a Member of the Board of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, the National Grid ESO Engineering Advisory Council and the Scottish Power Energy Networks Independent Net Zero Advisory Council.

Professor Gillian Murray has a track record in academia over the last 17 years in senior roles aligned to driving economic growth. She is strategic lead in both Heriot-Watt University’s involvement in the Islands Growth Deal creating the Islands Centre for Net Zero and the National Robotarium component of the Edinburgh City Deal. Professor Murray was previously involved in economic regeneration in the Liverpool City Region and Northern Powerhouse, the founder of LCR4.0 programme that has supported over 600 SMEs since inception and the precursor for the UK Government’s Made Smarter programme. She led the development of one of the UK’s first Enterprise Zones and the creation of Sensor City in Liverpool. Professor Murray is a founding member of the Centre for Work based learning.

Raymond O'Hare is former Director of Microsoft and Chair of the Institute of Directors in Scotland. He has held a number of executive positions at Microsoft and across the technology industry. Mr O’Hare has also held a number of Chair and Non-Executive Director roles across various sectors working with high growth businesses where he has advised on and supported them on business strategy, growth and governance. He has also mentored a number of Chief Executive Officers as well as up and coming leaders in a number of companies.

Graham Soutar is a Chartered Accountant and has extensive experience in advisory, investment and operating roles both in the UK and across Asia where he worked for over 25 years. His career has given him a global mindset, and extensive cross border trade and expertise in Asian markets. He was a Corporate Finance partner with Deloittes in Hong Kong, a senior partner in two Asian Private Equity firms and until 2018, was Chief Executive of the Beatson Cancer Charity based in Glasgow. He has served on and advised the Boards of Companies ranging from regulated financial services, Tech and Private Equity Funds as well as their portfolio companies and as such, brings deep experience of corporate governance and strategic input to this role.

Professor Richard Williams is an academic and entrepreneur and is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University based in Scotland, UAE and Malaysia. His background has involved creation and support of businesses and services in the chemical engineering sectors working internationally in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Professor Williams is co-chair of UAE-UK Business Council (Education and Culture) and was a founding director of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (Ansty). He is also a Trustee of the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, the Carnegie Trust for Scottish Universities and is on the advisory board of Lloyds Register Foundation.

Appointments

The appointments are for three years. Professor Murray, Mr O'Hare and Professor Williams will be appointed from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2026 with Professor McArthur and Mr Soutar appointed from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration and time commitment

The appointments attract remuneration of £13,408 per annum for a time commitment of 30 days per year.

Other Ministerial appointments

Professor McArthur, Professor Murray, Mr O'Hare, Mr Soutar and Professor Williams 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.

Professor McArthur, Professor Murray, Mr O'Hare, Mr Soutar and Professor Williams have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

As the national economic development agency for Scotland, Scottish Enterprise will play a critical role in helping to fulfil Scotland’s economic potential. Through its renewed focus on impactful investment, supporting world leading innovation and ensuring Scotland’s ability to attract international investment, Scottish Enterprise - working with key partners - will be at the forefront of change to ensure the business community is well supported through the current economic challenges and beyond. The agency will play a key role in delivering Scottish Minister’s ambitions for the future of Scotland’s economy as set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

SE has its headquarters in Glasgow and is responsible in 2023-24 for an annual budget allocation of approximately £264 million together with additional business income from its investments and property assets.