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Chair of Scottish Water
19/07/2007
Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson today announced the appointment of Ronnie Mercer as Chair of Scottish Water.
Mr Mercer has been interim Chair since April 2006 and was appointed after an open competition. He will continue to serve as interim chair until he takes up his position for a four year period from October 1, 2007.
Mr Stevenson said:
"Ronnie Mercer has been a highly effective interim Chair of Scottish Water since April 2006. A modern and efficient water service is an essential element of a dynamic economy. Scottish Water will remain in the public sector to help deliver our priority of sustained economic growth.
"Ronnie will give Scottish Water vital stability as it continues to deliver the improvements in quality and standards that the Scottish Executive requires it to achieve over the next four years."
Mr Mercer said:
"I am delighted to be appointed to continue to chair a business which is delivering real benefits to the people of Scotland. Increased efficiency has resulted in lower bills for our customers while we are delivering one of the largest investment programmes in the UK.
"High levels of investment and a focus on improving customer service is having a significant impact on customer service performance. There is much still to do but I believe that we have a business that can meet the challenges of the future."
Mr Mercer's term as interim chair expires on 30 September 2007. His appointment will run from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2011 and was made after an open competition under rules laid down for Ministerial appointments by the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland. Mr Mercer holds no other public appointments.
This post is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £692 a day for a time commitment of two and a half days per week.
Scottish Water is a public corporation established in 2002 by the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002. It is accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament for the provision of public water and sewerage services across Scotland.
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. Mr Mercer has declared that he has undertaken no political activity during the past five years.
As interim Chair, Mr Mercer was responsible for overseeing production of a Delivery Plan which commanded the confidence of the Executive and Scottish Water's regulators. As established Chair until 2011 he will oversee delivery of that Plan including a capital investment programme costing £2.45 billion over four years - one of the largest ever programmes of investment in water ever undertaken in the UK. This investment will deliver a 40percent improvement in customer service including better drinking water quality and substantial environmental improvements.
Mr Mercer's career started in 1960 as a chemist in the steel industry, progressing through British Steel to become one of its managing directors. He moved to Scottish Power in 1994 as its Generation Director. In 1998 he became Managing Director of Scottish Power's Southern Water subsidiary, after which he become a Group Director in the company. Until his retirement from Scottish Power on March 31, 2006, he was Executive Vice President - Operations at Scottish Power's PacifiCorp subsidiary and an Executive Team Member of Scottish Power. He has been interim Chair of Scottish Water since April 18, 2006.