Public appointment: Non-Executive Director reappointed to the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited Board

Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie MSP, today announced the reappointment of Isabel Todenhoefer as a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL). 

Member 

Isabel Todenhoefer is a finance and mergers and acquisitions expert with more than 12 years of experience in the aviation industry, where she worked as Head of M&A Deutsche Lufthansa AG in Frankfurt. After leaving Lufthansa she co-founded the real estate financing platform Everge Financing SL based in Madrid. She holds an MBA from Insead, one of the world’s leading graduate business schools. 

Reappointment 

The reappointment is for two years and runs from 1 March 2026 to 29 February 2028. 

The reappointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The reappointment attracts remuneration of £332.89 per day for a time commitment of two days per month. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Ms Todenhoefer 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. 

Ms Todenhoefer 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.