Fat cat in extra job row quits as £276k quango executive
‘We need their undivided attention’
a Public sector fat cat criticised for taking on a lucrative second job with a private firm has quit as the boss of scotland’s business quango.
lena Wilson yesterday stepped down as chief executive of scottish enterprise, the scottish Government’s job creation body, which paid her a package worth £276,000.
she was attacked for taking on a £70,000-a-year second job with londonbased FTse 100-listed firm intertek.
Now ministers have been urged to ensure her successor does not take on paid work outside their main job.
announcing her decision, Miss Wilson said she is leaving the quango to ‘embark on a fresh set of challenges’.
scottish lib Dem leader Willie rennie, who led the criticism of her second job, said: ‘i wish lena Wilson well as she moves on.
‘While i disagreed with the decision to allow her to take a directorship with intertek while she was heading scotland’s economic development agency i respected her and the work she did on our behalf. The scottish Government must now change its policy on outside interests on this scale. any future chief executive should be focused on driving scotland’s economic development rather than being distracted by other significant interests.
‘earning over £200,000 should be sufficient income. Ministers should make it clear to applicants that we will require their undivided attention.’
in the last financial year, Miss Wilson was paid £276,000 from scottish enterprise, including a £64,000 pension contribution. The last set of annual accounts also show she has accrued a bumper pension pot worth £1.9million during nearly eight years in the post.
Despite her well-paid role, she took on the second job in 2012 as a non-executive director. it initially earned her £55,000 a year but that rose to £74,000 in 2015, falling to £69,000 last year.
after informing scottish enteprise of her decision, she said: ‘it has been a real privilege to work with so many talented people who want to make a positive difference to scotland.’
scottish enterprise chairman Bob keiller said a plan to appoint a successor would be released ‘in due course’.
First Minister Nicola sturgeon said Miss Wilson had been a ‘champion for scottish business’.
economy secretary keith Brown added: ‘lena has worked tirelessly with partners both domestic and international to improve productivity and help build a globally competitive economy.’
asked if they would ban the next chief executive from taking on a second job, the scottish Government said: ‘arrangements are currently being developed for the appointment of a new chief executive and we will review all terms and conditions.’