James Macsween – managing director of Macsween of Edinburgh – has been appointed FDF Scotland chair, taking over from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners head of public affairs Jim Fox who has retired.
Macsween is joined by Baxters Food Group European legal counsel Katherine Dure, who steps into the role of vice chair.
Commenting on hid appointment, Macsween said: “I am honoured to lead FDF Scotland at such a pivotal time for our industry. My focus will be on driving sustainable growth and ensuring that our members have the support they need to thrive.
‘Stronger, resilient sector’
“Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient sector that continues to deliver high-quality food and drink that people enjoy at home and across the world.”
Macsween wasted no time in outlining his priorities in his role as chair to support the future growth of Scotland’s food and drink manufacturing industry.
With challenges surrounding minimum wage and National Insurance costs hampering businesses’ ability to invest and grow, he urged that other policies and legislation didn’t add further costs to already stretched companies.
To this end, FDF Scotland has called on the Scottish Government to collaborate with UK nations to develop consistent food and drink regulations, create a ring-fenced fund for the industry to de-risk innovation around de-carbonisation and support the development and implementation of a national food and drink net zero transition plan.
A full list of recommendations can be found below.
Fabric on the community
FDF Scotland chief executive David Thomson added: “Our members across Scotland are part of the fabric of local communities and have been for generations, providing jobs, investment and of course great food and drink to feed our families.
“However, these businesses are also facing several challenges, which we believe could be mitigated by minimising the cost and complexity of regulations, de-risking innovation around de-carbonisation, and ensuring food and drink manufacturers have the skills that they need.
“We are committed to working closely with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to create an environment where our businesses can flourish. I would like to thank James and Katherine for taking on their new roles as Chair and Vice Chair. Their leadership will be instrumental in guiding our industry towards a prosperous future.”
Meanwhile, Katie Pettifer has been appointed the new chief executive of the Food Standards Agency.
