Economic Development Association Scotland (EDAS) has appointed Neil McInroy as chair, succeeding Liz McEntee in post.
McInroy lives in Oban and has an office base in Washington DC.
“EDAS is the country’s foremost membership organisation for organisations and people with an interest in economic development, widely recognised by policymakers and politicians as the sector’s go-to organisation,” said EDAS.
“Neil is an experienced economic and social policy activist, practitioner, trainer and organisational leader.
“As well as having recently completed a three-year secondment to the Scottish Government as a community wealth advisor, he is the global lead for community wealth building at influential USA-based think tank The Democracy Collaborative.
“Previous roles in his 25-year career include chief executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) – the UK’s national organisation for progressive local economies.”
McInroy said: “I’m delighted and looking forward to taking the chair of EDAS. Economic development and EDAS has never been more important, it lies at the cutting edge of the climate crisis challenge, helping to deliver a wellbeing economy and ensuring all Scots have a genuine and growing stake in the wealth we all produce.
“Over the past 25 years, I’ve striven to develop economies that truly work for people, place and planet. In these times, we must amplify progressive economic policies, with EDAS leading the charge for critical innovation in the practice and delivery of economic development.
“Working with enterprise, business and communities across Scotland every day, EDAS members are in a unique and special position with a vital role to play in forging the required step change.”
Charlie Woods, a long-serving EDAS board member who chaired the organisation on an interim basis during the recruitment process, said: “It’s fantastic to have a professional of Neil’s calibre taking the helm.
“He is incredibly well recognised across the sector. His passion for building a fairer, greener and stronger Scotland is abundantly clear – and will, I’m sure, strike a chord with our members and wider stakeholders. Colleagues are really looking forward to working with him more closely.”