Tennant to take the reins at Scottish Lands and Estates
In a move likely to upset adherents of nominative determinism, the board of directors of landowner’s organisation, Scottish Land and Estates (SLE), has appointed Mark Tennant as chairman designate.
Tennant will take over at the helm of the rural business body when current chairman, David Johnstone, stands down at the end of April 2020 after six years in the role.
Thenewchairmandesignate has been a long-standing member of the organisation’s Highland Committee and has served as the SLE’S vice-chair (Policy) since 2018. Commenting on his appointment, Tennant said that his immediate priority would be to work with private, community and charitable landowners to help them use their land in the fight against climate change:
He said it was a crucial time for businesses and communities in rural Scotland:
“Our farms, forests, moorands and peatlands can play a huge role in helping combat the climate emergency and without which Scotland cannot reach net zero emissions by its target of 2045.
“From the way we do business, to using land as a carbon sink to drain greenhouse gas emissions, our land plays a crucial role.
“For over 110 years Scottish Land & Estates has been helping rural Scotland thrive and I will continue this mission. I will be working with the Scottish and UK governments to ensure our farmers, rural communities and businesses are taken into consideration when they are making decisions on new policy and legislation.” Tennant’s working career has ranged from tending refugees to investment banking, beginning with nursing with the NHS, which included a period in a Tibetan refugee camp in India. A spell in the Scots Guards was followed by a career in the City of London in 1974.
As chairman of Scottish Financial Enterprise from 2009-12 Tennant dealt with the impact of the financial crash, and served as deputy chairman of the Scottish Government’s financial services advisory board chaired by the First Minister.