Scotland 5G centre appoints new CEO to help fight digital divide

THE SCOTLAND 5G centre has announced a new interim senior to “lead it into the next phase”.

The centre – which is focused on accelerating the adoption of 5G connectivity in Scotland – has appointed Derek Waddel as interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

This decision is part of their objective to help fight the digital divide nationwide.

The centre believes that a plethora of Scots industries, communities and the public sector will benefit from the 5G scheme.

The scheme includes five 5G hubs across the country, with two more to come soon.

The centre’s previous phase funded three innovative projects which had significant operational returns.

It returned over £30m, created jobs and assembled resources to advance digital adoption.

Waddel, who will replace Paul Coffey, has extensive experience in the sector, with previous roles ranging from Director of Converge to CEO of Edinburgh Research and Innovation.

Speaking on his new involvement in the company, Waddel said: “Sectors like agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, or logistics are now seeing what a game changer 5G is.

“The Centre will be there to make sure there is no one left behind in this digital transformation era.”

Julie Snell, Chair of The Scotland 5G Centre, added: “It’s a very exciting time for the Centre as we move toward a much wider delivery phase.

£I’m delighted to have Derek’s expertise onboard to ensure we take the Centre into a new stage – delivering significant economic, social and skills development value through our 5GConnect hubs and testbeds.”