Highlands agency chief to step down for ‘personal reasons’
The chief executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise is to leave the organisation this summer after 24 years.
Charlotte Wright, who has led the economic development agency for the past five years, has announced she is stepping down for personal reasons.
In a message to staff, Ms Wright said she had taken the decision after a great deal of careful thought.
She said: ‘I have been with HIE since 1997 and in that time have enjoyed a variety of exciting and demanding roles. It has been an enormous honour and privilege to have led this organisation, initially on an interim basis, since 2016.
‘HIE has been a really significant part of my life, giving me the opportunity to live and work in the Highlands and Islands. I have also worked with so many talented, committed and passionate colleagues and friends who really care about what we do every day to make a positive difference to our region and its people.’
Ms Wright began her career with HIE in the agency’s Lochaber team, based in Fort William, and has held several senior posts.
These include local enterprise company chief executive, regional director for Highland, and director of business and sector development.
She was appointed chief executive in June 2017, having held the role of interim chief executive for nine months.
Before joining HIE, she ran her own small business in Fort William. Her early career was in the NHS on Tyneside.
Alistair Dodds, chairman of HIE, paid tribute to her service on behalf of the HIE board.
He said: ‘Those of us who work closely with Charlotte have great respect and admiration for her as a person and for all she has accomplished in her very successful career with HIE, culminating in these past few years as chief executive,’ he said.
‘She has continually proven herself to be a highly effective and professional leader with a real passion for the Highlands and Islands and a burning ambition for HIE to do all in its power to deliver sustainable economic growth in every part of the region.’
Accounts for 2019-20 show that the role of chief executive was paid between £120,000 and £125,000 including salary and pension.
During 2019-20, the agency awarded a total of £50.4 million in investment and said it helped create or retain nearly 650 jobs.
In February last year, Professor Lorne Crerar CBE stepped down after serving an eight-year term as chairman of the agency, with Mr Dodds CBE appointed in May.