The University of Strathclyde has announced that Mairi Spowage will be the new interim Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute — Scotland’s leading independent economic research unit — from March 2021. 

Spowage is a former senior statistician in the Scottish Government and was deputy chief executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission between 2016 and 2018.

She has been Deputy Director of the Fraser of Allander since 2019. 

Spowage said: “The Institute has gone from strength to strength over the last five years, and I look forward to building on our success in the coming months and years.

“We have an outstanding team at the Institute and I am excited about what we will be able to achieve together to help inform public debate about the Scottish economy and economic policy.” 

The announcement follows the news that Professor Graeme Roy will be moving to the University of Glasgow to take up a new position as Dean of External Engagement in the College of Social Sciences. 

Roy said: “I am very proud of what we have achieved at the Fraser of Allander Institute over the last five years.

“But now is a good time for me to hand over the reins to Mairi and move on to an exciting new opportunity. 

“Mairi will be an outstanding Director and I look forward to watching the continued success of the Fraser in the years to come.”