New chapter for Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation

The Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation is ready to play a key role in the post- pandemic renewal when more than ever, Scotland will need people who think, act and lead in an entrepreneurial way.

Update from Colin Robertson, CBE, Chair of the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation

Thank you for your support for the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation - I am pleased to report that, despite a tough 2020 and early 2021, the Foundation is ready to play a key role in the post-pandemic renewal. More than ever before, Scotland needs people like you who think, act and lead in an entrepreneurial way.

I wanted to update you, personally, on an important change in the organisation. Since 2019 and on Sandy Kennedy’s instigation, we have been building a strong leadership team and discussing a CEO succession plan. These plans were put on hold through the pandemic to enable 100% focus on the organisation’s future. Today, I am pleased to share with you that we are beginning the process of recruiting a new chief executive to lead the organisation at this next important stage. While Sandy will step down as an employee on 30 September, he will remain close to the organisation thereafter, albeit in a different capacity.

Sandy, who was initially CEO of The Saltire Foundation, has been CEO of Entrepreneurial Scotland since its formation in 2014. I know that you will wish to join me in thanking him for his enormous contribution and for providing such strong and inspiring leadership both within the organisation and more widely in Scotland.

It is thanks to his vision and passion for helping Scotland to become a beacon of entrepreneurship that we are so well-placed to respond to the enormous challenges facing us as we transform our economy and society in response to the climate emergency and Industry 4.0.

We have a strong, high-performing leadership team in place and given the Foundation’s commitment to nurturing and developing talent, we will be recruiting our next CEO from within the senior team. As Chair, I have seen first-hand that everyone at the Foundation has worked exceptionally hard throughout the pandemic and as a result, we are emerging confident about the future with a clear focus on our short to medium term goals.

The recruitment of Sandy’s successor will start now with the new chief executive in post this summer. This will enable a three-month transition period until Sandy’s departure at the end of September.

The Foundation provides something genuinely unique – something that people at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey wish to engage with and can benefit from. So, whether it’s supporting and nurturing talent through our 2021 Saltire Scholar programme or through our new leadership programmes, we play a central role in supporting our entrepreneurs, innovators and change-makers - wherever they are. With all the challenges facing our economy and society we need our entrepreneurial thinkers even more than we have before.

Our new crowdfund campaign, which runs until 23 April, is just one example of how we are addressing this vital issue. Please have a look at the campaign – it’s a great reminder of the impact we make. Anything you can do to support the crowdfund and share the message would be wonderful.

I hope it will not be too long before we are able to meet and our new chief executive is able to provide more detail about how the Foundation is supporting Scotland and how, with your help, we can do even more in future. Thank you once again for supporting our work. It makes all the difference.

Colin Robertson, CBE, Chair of The Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation

13 April 2021