This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board
08/11/2006
Two new members have been appopinted to the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board.
The new members are:
Mrs Ailsa Symeonides is Co-founder and Sales and Marketing Director of Axios Systems Ltd. Recently named the UK IT support industry's Women of the Year by the HDI (Help Desk Institute), Ailsa established the Axios 'A' Star Awards in 2000, an initiative to address the gender imbalance in the IT industry and encourage young women to pursue a career in IT.
Mr Neil MacDonald is Chairman of Barr + Wray Group Ltd, and of G. T. Martin & Sons Ltd, and Proprietor of LEADERS Management and Investment. He is immediate past Chairman of Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire and has served on the Board of a number of public and voluntary organisations, including Scottish Enterprise Inward Investment Advisory Group (USA), DTI Offshore Energy Technology Board, and Scottish Enterprise Energy Advisory Board. He is a fellow of the Energy Institute.
Mrs Symeonides' appointment will be for 3 years and runs from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008. Mr MacDonald's appointment will be for 2.5 years and runs from 1 August 2006 to 31 December 2008.
The posts are part-time and Members receive no remuneration for a time commitment of 1 day per month. Neither of the appointees holds any other Ministerial Appointment.
The Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board (SIDAB) advises Scottish Ministers on the exercise of their devolved powers under Section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982, specifically in relation to the Regional Selective Assistance scheme. In practice, SIDAB provides advice to officials on larger RSA cases, where grants of over £250,000 are under consideration.
SIDAB comprises 12 Members including a Chair and, in accordance with statutory requirements, represents a cross section of experience at senior level in industry, commerce, finance and workers' representatives.
Further information on the RSA scheme and SIDAB is available on the internet at www.rsascotland.gov.uk
This Ministerial public appointment was made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. Neither of the appointees have been involved in political activity in the last five years.