There's a new face at the top of Lochaber Enterprise, where the company's head of business and community development has just been appointed as acting chief executive.

Charlotte Wright (39), will take over the reins for one year, while chief executive Jackie Wright undertakes a secondment to help Highlands and Islands Enterprise modernise its products and processes.

Charlotte moved to Fort William from her native Tyneside in 1995, leaving a senior management post in the health service.

In 1997 she joined the local enterprise company as a development manager, responsible for advising local people who were thinking of starting up new firms as well as a wide range of existing businesses.

In 1999, she was promoted to  head of community development, and then in January this year to her present post, a challenging role which has brought her into contact with businesses, community groups and other partner organisations throughout Lochaber.

Little surprise, then, that effective partnership working is at the top of her agenda for the year ahead.

"Continuing the economic and social development of Lochaber is a huge task and nobody can predict what challenges and opportunities the coming year might bring," said Charlotte.

"What we do know, however, is that Lochaber Enterprise can achieve much more for the area by working closely with partner organisations, such as the council, chamber of commerce and many others in the public, private and voluntary sectors, than we can by acting in isolation.

"The new local economic forum is already starting to prove its worth and all of us at Lochaber Enterprise are committed to making it a success.

"Another priority will be to establish the new Careers Scotland service as an all-age guidance service for all the people of Lochaber."

Lochaber Enterprise chairman Drew Macfarlane-Slack said he was delighted that the board had been able to appoint such a strong internal candidate to the interim post.

Charlotte lives in Fort William with her husband David Wilson, who is a landscape painter and mountaineer, and their two children.