THE EDINBURGH Chamber of Commerce awarded the Forth Ports Chief Executive a Lifetime Achievement award Thursday night.
Charles Hammond OBE is expected to step down as CEO of Forth Ports after 23 years later this year.
Forth Ports was also successful at the annual business awards winning in the Large Business of the Year category.
Hammond led the group through the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring the port sector remained active for food, medicine, and medical equipment to move across the quaysides throughout the lockdown.
He recently set the company’s ambitious plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2042 and carbon neutrality by 2032.
Hammond joined Forth Ports when it was a publicly run ports and river authority in 1989 as Company Secretary and was appointed Chief Executive in 2001.
He was instrumental in managing the people of Forth Ports with his “youth policy” bringing in young talent with the aim of attracting a wider range of employees, increasing diversity to strengthen his workforce.
Hammond created the Leith Community Trust to provide local funding and target support for young people in Leith as well as to assist them in developing opportunities.
The company now owns and operates eight commercial ports and he oversaw the move from a publicly listed PLC to private ownership in 2011.
He was an OBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the UK ports industry and to Scottish business.
Hammond stood down from his role as Chair of the UK Major Ports Group in November 2023 after 10 years.
Edinburgh Chamber Chief Executive, Liz McAreavey said: “We are delighted to honour, with our Lifetime Achievement Award, the considerable accomplishments and service of Charles Hammond OBE, who steps down as Chief Executive of Forth Ports this summer after a stellar career spanning 35 years.
“During his career he has overseen the significant and strategic growth of Forth Ports’ operations across the UK, has served the communities in which they operate and has fulfilled many leadership roles representing the interests of business, the industry, the Chamber and the city with great distinction.”
Hammond worked as the Chairman of the SpaceandPeople Group and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh.
He is a current member of The Scottish Energy Advisory Board and is a strategic adviser to Ports of Jersey after four years as a Non-Executive Director and is a member of the Global Britain Commission.
Mr Hammond said: “I feel honoured and privileged to receive this award from the Chamber and I am very grateful.
“It is also fantastic for the team to be awarded the Large Business of the Year award too.
My career achievements have not been a solo effort and I want to dedicate this award to the fantastic team at Forth Ports who will take the business forward.”
