Property consultants CKD Galbraith said Pam Over will succeed Tim Kirkwood as the firm’s chief executive officer from January 2017.

Over is currently chief operating officer and leads the firm’s commercial property division.

Kirkwood, who has led the firm as chief executive for more than 20 years, will remain a partner and will focus on his portfolio of clients in the rural sector.

CKD Galbraith also announced a significant rise in annual revenue and profit as the business continues to build on its success in the commercial, energy, residential and rural property sectors.

In the year to April 1, 2016, the firm’s revenues grew by 5.4% to just under £12 million and profit to just under £3 million.

The firm employs 236 staff in 11 offices across Scotland.

Iain Russell, chairman of CKD Galbraith, said: “We are delighted to report our continued success as a multi-disciplinary, market-leading property firm.

“We have doubled our farm and estates agency income over the last year and have seen strong growth in the commercial division where only in the last few weeks we have completed significant international property investments in Edinburgh.

“We are delighted with Pam’s appointment as CEO.

“Her depth and breadth of career experience and commercial overview will provide energy and good judgement to the future development of our business.

“Tim has carried out the role of CEO for this firm, and its predecessors, for 24 years.

“Over that period the business has been developed from a modest Highland-based land agency practice to the national firm it is today.

“Tim has produced opportunity, employment, expansion and profit, all delivered with endless patience, good humour, deep intelligence, and a unique blend of wisdom and creativity.

“He elected last year to hand on the office of CEO in 2016, in order to provide continuity of business management and to allow a successor to build a new and broad-based executive team to take the firm forward.

“We are wholly committed to further growth and continuing to outshine competition within Scotland, while also undertaking commissions from London to Belfast.”