Forth Ports Limited announced that its chair Robert Smith is retiring from his role at the company and is being succeeded by former Wood plc CEO Robin Watson.
Smith was appointed chair of Forth Ports in 2015 and is stepping down in accordance with appropriate corporate governance guidelines at the conclusion of his 10-year tenure.
Forth Ports’ portfolio includes Tilbury (London), Grangemouth, Leith, Dundee, Rosyth, Methil, Burntisland and Kirkcaldy.
Forth Ports’ majority shareholder is Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) and its other owners include Australian pension funds Aware Super and Cbus, plus GLIL Infrastructure LLP (GLIL) — a joint venture between a number of English local government pension funds.
Smith said: “It’s been an honour to have worked with the fantastic team at Forth Ports over the last decade. We have achieved a great deal together and I wish the company and its people further success.”
Forth Ports said: “A marine engineer by training, Robin has more than 35 years of business and industrial experience.
“He is a Non-Executive Director at Nasdaq-listed Honeywell International and a Shareholder Nominated Director of National Gas.
“He is also an Operating Partner with Macquarie Asset Management and a Senior Adviser to McKinsey & Co. Robin has extensive boardroom experience of several government and industry bodies, most recently as a board member of the UK Government’s Investment Council and on the Board of the Institute of Directors.
“Prior to this he was Chief Executive of Wood PLC, having started his professional career in the energy sector, with ExxonMobil. Committed to learning and professional development, Robin is a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde and is Chairman of Edinburgh Business School’s international advisory board.”
Watson said: “This is a great time to chair the board of Forth Ports, which is a significant part of the UK’s ports infrastructure and the country’s nationally significant assets.
“In addition to providing essential support for the UK’s imports and exports, Forth Ports has significantly improved Scotland’s capacity to develop offshore wind and is consequently at the forefront of the renewable energy sector, with plans for further developments as the technologies around the needs of the nascent floating wind sector emerge. Lord Smith leaves the business in great shape and I look forward to working with the board and the management team to continue that positive journey.”
Forth Ports CEO Stuart Wallace said: “As an ambitious and successful ports business, Forth Ports is privileged to have had Lord Smith chair the board for the last 10 years and for Robin Watson to take over the reins.
“Lord Smith has presided over a period of significant growth for the business as we opened a new port at Tilbury on the Thames and two renewable energy hubs at the Ports of Leith and Dundee.
“The management team and shareholders would like to thank Lord Smith sincerely for his guidance, business acumen and support over the last 10 years and welcome Robin to the role.”