BusinessScots consortium appoints CEO to enact green re-industrialisation

Scots consortium appoints CEO to enact green re-industrialisation

A SCOTS consortium has appointed a CEO as it hopes to implement the green re-industrialisation of Scotland

The Forth Green Freeport (FGF) has announced today that it has appointed Sarah Murray as its new CEO.

FGF officially opened for business last month in June with the intention of delivering a green growth strategy to re-industrialise Scotland.

It hopes that this will help to bring economic and net zero benefits for the country and local communities in Fife, Falkirk and Leith.

Sarah Murray smiling in her headshot. Image supplied with release by Spreng Thomson
Sarah Murray will take up the role of Chief Executive on August 27. Image supplied with release by Spreng Thomson

Murray has experience both in the public and the private sector and is currently the director of Local London, a sub-regional economic growth partnership of nine London boroughs.

She was also previously head of regulation for the City of London Corporation and spent 16 years working in Brussels in various roles.

Murray has also been an executive director of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and has recently been included on the Net Zero 50 list for 2024.

Murray was appointed following a process led by independent recruitment specialists as part of a two-stage interview process and will take up her role as CEO on August 27.

Dame Susan Rice DBE, chair of Forth Green Freeport, said: “The position of CEO of Forth Green Freeport is core to our success.

“We conducted a robust recruitment process to ensure that we got the right person for the job and we’re thrilled to have appointed Sarah.

“She brings with her a host of qualities and professional experience which are vital for the role as CEO of the Forth Green Freeport and we’re looking forward to working with her to deliver this exciting long-term programme for Scotland.”

Sarah Murray said: “This is an exciting opportunity for me personally and for Scotland to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits, both nationally and for local communities.

“Throughout my career I have gained a wealth of experience of working with multi-layered partnerships and I understand the importance of good, transparent stakeholder engagement.

“I am looking forward to getting started in August and to begin building on the excellent start that the consortium has already made.”

The Forth Green Freeport officially opened for business on 12 June 2024 following approval from the Scottish and UK Governments.

The group has designated three tax sites located in Grangemouth, Rosyth and Mid-Forth (Leith and Burntisland).

The public/private consortium hopes to attract new businesses and new jobs into the FGF area.

It will attempt this by offering a suite of financial incentives as it hopes to deliver major economic and net zero benefits for Scotland.

By focusing on the key target sectors of offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, modular manufacturing and logistics, FGF aims support the re-industrialisation of Central Scotland.

The consortium is currently developing its Final Business Case which will be submitted to the Scottish and UK Governments later in the summer.

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