The new chief executive of Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) is to be Carroll Buxton who has been with the Local Enterprise Company since 1992.

Carroll has been acting chief executive for the past ten months following the appointment of former chief executive, Neil Money to the post of director of Strategic Projects. He is currently developing a Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network strategy to secure economic benefits from the decommissioning of UKAEA Dounreay.

Having lived in Caithness for more than half her life and with strong family connections in the area, Carroll has held various positions during her nine years at CASE including head of projects and communications and latterly head of executive office. Carroll began her working career with the Highlands and Islands Development Board where she was employed as an assistant marketing officer between 1986 and 1988 before moving to Barrow in Furness to work with a ship building and engineering firm.

Looking to the future, Carroll says she plans to ensure CASE gives top priority to disadvantaged communities: "Caithness and Sutherland is the largest geographical area in the HIE Network and there is a great deal of economic disparity, with some communities clearly doing better than others. We already try to focus our resources on the areas of greatest need, but I think we could take that further. I would like to see us stepping up a gear and actively giving greater priority to places such as parts of Sutherland and Wick where the economy remains fragile.

"At CASE we have always tried to listen to the views of the people, businesses and communities we serve and to tailor our services to meet local needs. I am committed to continuing that approach and developing it further, not least through developing closer working relationships with the business community and other agencies and also by promoting a better understanding of what we do and why we do it.

"These are big challenges but I am hugely looking forward to my new role and to working with our partners and clients throughout Caithness and Sutherland."

Chairman of CASE, Jack Watson welcomed Carroll's appointment saying: "We are all delighted that Carroll is our new chief executive and I am particularly pleased that she won the position in an open competition from a strong field of candidates.

"Each of our chief executives have brought unique talents to the position and the company has grown and prospered because of the leadership they have given. Carroll too brings talent and determination to ensure that CASE will continue to serve the community in all that we do.

"As many of us and our partners already know, Carroll shows great imagination and sensitivity in tackling problems but allied to a steely determination to see the job done to a satisfactory conclusion."

Sandy Cumming, chief executive at HIE said: "As acting chief executive, Carroll made a highly positive contribution to the HIE Network's "Evolving the Network" process. We look forward to working with Carroll, enabling CASE to achieve their ambitions for sustainable development throughout their area of responsibility."