Public appointment: Members reappointed to the Scottish Enterprise Board

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes MSP, today announced the reappointment of Dr Poonam Malik, Dr Sue Paterson MBE and Karthik Subramanya as Members of the Board of Scottish Enterprise. 

Members 

Dr Poonam Malik is an entrepreneur, business strategist, innovation investor, and Life Sciences leader with deep expertise in MedTech, Biotech, digitalTech and Technology Commercialisation. She is Executive Chair of the Board and co-Founder of Microplate Dx and serves as Vice President (Business – Economy & Enterprise) for the Royal Society of Edinburgh.  She co-Chaired Scotland’s “New Deal for Business Group, alongside the Deputy First Minister, and as former Head of Investments at the University of Strathclyde, she led high-growth Venture Investments and funding into spinouts. She is a GlobalScot, with over 30 years’ experience and over 55 investment deals globally, she champions investment in diverse and Women founders and innovation-led growth. 

Dr Sue Paterson MBE is an oil and gas professional with over 30 years’ experience including FTSE 100 executive roles. She worked in the Middle East, Far East and Europe before moving to Scotland in 1999. She is a qualified IoD Charted Director with over 20 years of non-executive director experience in the public, private and voluntary sectors including as a board chair. She has served on the Boards of Norske Shell, British Geological Society, Cancer Link Aberdeen & the North (CLAN), Woodend Arts, International Energy Research Centre, Company of Wolves, Heriot-Watt University, NE Scotland Climate Action Network, and most recently the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. 

Karthik Subramanya is currently a Senior Advisor with Boston Consulting Group advising their energy and utilities clients on strategy and investments. He is a Panel Member of the Competition and Markets Authority. He has served on the Board of Creative Scotland and was a Trustee of Changing the Chemistry. He is also a Director of Indian Arts Connection, delivering excellence and inclusion in arts in Scotland. He previously held senior leadership positions in the utilities industry with SSE and in banking and financial services with Lloyds/HBOS. 

Reappointments 

The reappointments were for three months  from 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025. 

The reappointments were regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The reappointments attracted remuneration of £14,068 pro rata per annum for a time commitment of 30 days per year. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Dr Poonam Malik is a Member of the Board of Skills Development Scotland and receives £339.00 per day for a time commitment of up to two days per month. 

Dr Sue Paterson and Karthik Subramanya do not hold any other public appointments. 

Political activity 

All appointments were made on merit and political activity played no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there was a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there was any to be declared) to be made public. 

Dr Poonam Malik, Dr Sue Paterson and Karthik Subramanya have had no political activity within the last five years. 

Background 

Scottish Enterprise (SE) is Scotland’s national and international economic development agency. Through Our Focus on Economic Transformation, SE focuses specifically on accelerating the energy transition; scaling innovation; and boosting capital investment and works closely with regional partners including Highland and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise.   It has statutory powers to promote and assist economic development, enterprise and international competitiveness and to advise Scottish Ministers on all related matters.  SE has its headquarters in Glasgow and is responsible in 2025-26 for an annual budget allocation of approximately £236 million together with additional business income from its investments and property assets.