Public appointment: Members reappointed to the Board of Crown Estate Scotland

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the reappointment of Liz Leonard, Jean Lindsay and Ailsa Raeburn as Members of the Board of Crown Estate Scotland.

Members

Liz Leonard has 35 years experience in communications and broadcast news media. Her professional career has included being an executive producer at the BBC as well as serving as a Non-Executive Director, and then Chair, of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Scotland for eight years.  She was also on the Board of the Scottish Refugee Council for eight years, including as Vice-Chair.

Jean Lindsay is a HR professional with a background mainly in the public sector. She was formerly Director, Central Services and HR and Head of HR at the Forestry Commission. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and has significant experience in senior leadership, people management, corporate governance, health and safety, and change management including large scale organisational restructuring. She is a qualified executive coach and Myers Briggs practitioner as well as a Member of the Employment Tribunal (Scotland).

Ailsa Raeburn has lived and worked in rural Argyll for over 20 years. She is the Independent Chair of the community owned Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, Chair of Community Land Scotland, and a Member of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. She works with rural and urban communities across Scotland to support their sustainable development ambitions.

Reappointments

Liz Leonard will be reappointed for ten months from 1 May 2025 to 28 February 2026; Jean Lindsay will be reappointed for one year from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026; and Ailsa  Raeburn will be reappointed for three years from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2028.

The reappointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration and time commitment

The reappointments attract remuneration of £232.42 per day for a time commitment of two days per month.

Other Ministerial appointments

Jean Lindsay is a Member of the Board of Revenue Scotland and receives £310.52 per day for a time commitment of two days per month.

Ailsa Raeburn is a Member of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and receives £419.00 per day, for a time commitment of two and half days per month.

Liz Leonard 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.

Liz Leonard, Jean Lindsay and Ailsa Raeburn have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

Crown Estate Scotland’s purpose is to invest in property, natural resources, and people to generate lasting value for Scotland and it plays a key role in promoting sustainable development across a range of assets and sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, harbours and ports, aquaculture, and cables and pipelines.

Crown Estate Scotland is a self-financing public corporation, responsible for the management of land and property in Scotland owned by the monarch 'in right of the Crown'. All of its net surplus revenue profit is returned to the Scottish Government for public spending. No revenue is returned to the Monarch or Civil List.