‘A privilege’ as Carol is made council chief
Interim boss given permanent role
Stirling Council last week announced its interim chief executive Carol Beattie has had the appointment made permanent.
Ms Beattie, who is 47 and from Falkirk, took the helm in August last year following the abrupt departure of predecessor Stewart Carruth.
Earlier this year, the council advertised for a new chief executive and offered a minimum £108,397 salary for the successful applicant.
Ms Beattie was one of four names on the shortlist for the job and her appointment was confirmed on Thursday following what a council spokesman described as a ‘rigorous’ selection process.
It was conducted by a recruitment panel chaired by council leader Scott Farmer and also comprising deputy council leader Danny Gibson, leader of the Conservative Group Neil Benny and Labour councillor Margaret Brisley.
The new chief executive attended Falkirk High and Edinburgh University, graduating with a MA (hons) in Scandinavian studies, Danish language and literature.
According to her Linkedin profile, she has knowledge of five languages – Norwegian, Danish, French, German and Swedish – and is an honorary fellow of the Institute of Export.
Ms Beattie was a senior manager at Scottish Enterprise from 1997 to April, 2013, and from then until 2014 she served as senior manager and latterly an international sector head at Scottish Development International, the agency tasked by the Scottish Government with attracting foreign investment to Scotland.
She joined Stirling Council in 2014 as senior manager for economic development , her first local authority post, and was appointed director of children, communities and enterprise in May, 2017, before stepping up to the role of interim chief executive following a four-month term as depute chief executive.
She said: “It is an incredible privilege and honour to be given this opportunity. Stirling Council is filled with the most dedicated and hardworking staff and I look forward to continuing our excellent work together to make all of Stirling a place where everyone can thrive.”
Mr Carruth’s four-year term as chief executive came to an end on August 31 when he stepped down – a decision which surprised many people in the authority.
He said it had been an “enormous privilege” to work for the authority but his departure followed a meeting with senior councillors who, according to insiders, wanted a change of leadership.