Public appointment: Members appointed to the Crown Estate Scotland Board

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the appointment of Deborah Freeman-Watt; Rachel Gwyon; Michael Stewart; James Withers; and Amanda Young as Members of the Board of Crown Estate Scotland (CES).

Members

Deborah Freeman-Watt is a real estate executive with over 30 years of global experience spanning investment, development, fund, and asset management. She has held senior leadership and board roles across institutional capital, listed companies, private wealth, and professional services, demonstrating a consistent ability to drive strategic growth and unlock long-term value. She led the vision and planning at 'Cambridge 2.0', one of Europe’s most ambitious mixed-use developments and previously served as Head of Mixed-Use Development at Land Securities plc. She sat on the Development Executive Committee and led a multidisciplinary team delivering commercial, ESG, and placemaking objectives. She was also a Board Member at MediaCityUK. Prior to Landsec, Deborah was Managing Director at Neo Capital. Earlier in her career, she was a Partner at Knight Frank.

Rachel Gwyon has worked as a Senior Civil Servant for both the Scottish and UK Governments, where she is currently a Director at the Department for Business and Trade. She brings wide government experience across trade and investment, economic development, infrastructure, food and drink, housing and energy efficiency. Rachel is a Chartered Director and a former Non-Executive Director of Scottish Ballet, Scottish Ensemble, Disclosure Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service.

Michael Stewart has over 30 years experience as a leader and executive coach. His sector experience includes security and defence, energy, UK and international government, and commercial sectors. He has led complex UK and international based change programmes including commercial business turnaround and organisation growth. He is passionate about sustainable leadership and aligning people, purpose and performance to deliver long term value.

James Withers is the former Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink (SF&D) and NFU Scotland. He now runs his own consultancy business, working with the private and public sector on economic development and strategy, particular in rural industry. As Chief Executive of SF&D, he co-ordinated an industry and government partnership to drive forward a growth strategy for the food and drink sector. James was appointed a GlobalScot in 2022 and is a Non-Executive Director of Abbey Group, working to grow the UK and Irish tourism industries. In 2022, James was appointed by Scottish Ministers to lead an independent review of Scotland’s £3.5 billion skills system, with reform recommendations now being implemented. He is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAgS).

Amanda Young has over 28 years of strategic and advisory leadership in financial services, with deep expertise in sustainable investment. She served as Chief Sustainability Officer at Aberdeen Investments and in senior roles at Newton Investment Management, CCLA, and Rabobank International, underpinned by academic credentials from Lancaster University and the University of Edinburgh Business School’s Executive Women’s Leadership Programme.  Amanda currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the Global Ethical Finance Institute and Big Issue Invest. Her previous board appointments include Social Investment Scotland’s Ventures Fund and the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association. Recognised six times by Financial News as one of the 100 most influential women in European finance, she brings a wealth of experience in sustainability, governance, and purpose-led leadership.

Appointments

The appointments are for three years. Rachel Gwyon; Michael Stewart; James Withers; and Amanda Young will be appointed from 24 November 2025 until 23 November 2028 with Deborah Freeman-Watt appointed from 5 January 2026 to 4 January 2029.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration and time commitment

The appointments attract remuneration of £300.00 per day for a time commitment of two days per month. New Members of the CES Board members have an additional two remunerated days in their first year for training and induction.

Other Ministerial appointments

Deborah Freeman-Watt; Rachel Gwyon; Michael Stewart; James Withers; and Amanda Young 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.

Deborah Freeman-Watt; Rachel Gwyon; Michael Stewart; James Withers; and Amanda Young have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

Crown Estate Scotland’s purpose is ‘investing in property, natural resources and people to generate lasting value for Scotland’. The organisation is at the heart of Scotland’s journey to net zero and has a key role to play in promoting sustainable development across a range of assets and sectors.

Crown Estate Scotland is a self-financing Statutory Public Corporation accountable to the Scottish Ministers and to the Scottish Parliament. It is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of land and property - called the Scottish Crown Estate - including seabed, coastline, commercial property and rural estates. Revenue profits from the Scottish Crown Estate are transferred to the Scottish Consolidated Fund for public spending and capital profits are reinvested in the Estate.

The diversity of the property, rights and interests comprising the Scottish Crown Estate means that decisions on investment, use and sale of assets have the potential to deliver significant economic, social, and environmental benefits for communities and business across Scotland. Community wealth building, impact investing, blue carbon (carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems), the transition to decarbonised energy and preventing nature loss are all areas of focus and opportunity for Crown Estate Scotland.