Highland green freeport chief to step down later this year

The chief executive of Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport (ICFGF) has announced he will step down later this year.

Calum MacPherson has been with the organisation for the past three years, guiding the project through its set-up and leading it into its delivery phase.

The organisation said he would leave in June, and that the search for his successor had already started.

A spokesperson said his departure was not related to the UK government's decision last month to block Chinese firm Ming Yang from investing £1.5bn into wind turbine production at Ardersier Port.

MacPherson said: "It's the right time to pass the baton on to a new leader as the green freeport moves into the implementation phase."

He said he was leaving his role to pursue a new opportunity in the property and construction sector.

Chairman of ICFGF, Jim Smith, said: "Calum has played an instrumental role in the journey so far and in the success the green freeport has achieved to date.

"We are sorry to see him leave the organisation, but we respect his decision to seek a new career challenge."

ICFGF was selected by the UK and Scottish governments to become one of two Scottish green freeports in 2023, the other is on the Firth of Forth.

It offers tax and customs incentives to attract investment, such as the £350m investment by Sumitomo Electric UK in a subsea cable at Port of Nigg.

Over the next 20 years, ICFGF aims to attract £6.6bn in investment and support 11,300 jobs.