Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has appointed Sandy Cumming, a board member since 2011, as its new chairman.
Mr Cumming will succeed the present chairman Pat Machray in October. He is a former chief executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and was awarded a CBE in 2003 for his services to economic development.
SRUC principal and chief executive Professor Wayne Powell said he looked forward to working with Mr Cumming “during a period of considerable change for the organisation”.
He added: “SRUC is currently developing a bold new vision for our role in supporting the rural sector both here in Scotland and beyond our shores. Sandy’s close ties with rural communities, his appreciation of the value of research and his wealth of experience in change management across many sectors will be invaluable.”
Mr Cumming described SRUC as an organisation with a “bright future”.
He said: “It [SRUC] is a national institution with the ability to provide all parts of rural Scotland with the research, education, training and advice needed to sustain economic growth, add value to rural businesses and support strong and vibrant communities.
“Internationally, SRUC’s multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach is highly rated in many countries. There are considerable opportunities to expand our global reach.”