There have been some big changes at Shetland Enterprise over the past 12 months with over half of the 15 strong team having been in their current posts for less than a year.

Dr Ann Black has been chief executive of the local enterprise company (LEC) for around three months.  She said: "I am excited by the changes going on at Shetland Enterprise at the moment.  We have a fresh and dynamic team who are all committed to providing the best service and support we can to the people of Shetland.

"We want to spread the word about what we do at Shetland Enterprise.  We cover so many different areas and have such a variety of support services available, they can prove invaluable to many different people and projects."

Operations manager, Steven Leask, is one of the veterans having been with the team for six years.  He said: "All our development managers have joined within the last year and are all keen and enthusiastic about what we offer.  This new blood, along with the old hands, allows us to offer a wide range of experience to people who come to the enterprise company looking for assistance."

New members of staff include: Katrina Wiseman, Leader+ co-ordinator, who is also responsible for community projects; Stuart Nickerson, development officer for exporting, community planning and management training; Mark Georgeson, development manager dealing with agriculture, food, manufacturing and production and childcare and John Thorne, development manager for tourism, arts and crafts and HIE-Starts for new business start ups.

The other new development managers are: David Watson, responsible for renewable energy, transport, innovation, aquaculture and whitefish; Rachel Stove, dealing with skills development and workforce development and Sarah Dell, also responsible for skills development and for community economic development (CED).

The remaining members of staff have all been with the company for a number of years.  They are, Rae Tulloch, who is the property and Investors in People (IiP) project manager; Roy Longmuir, e-Business adviser; Jem Arthur, administration manager and Colette Pottinger, Jonathan Gifford and Victoria Woollon who are all administration officers.

Brian Isbister, chairman of Shetland Enterprise said: "2003 was indeed a year of unprecedented change for the Company.  While throughout the year we have lost the services of some excellent and loyal colleagues we are lucky with the calibre of the replacements which we have been able to recruit. 

"After we complete the appointment of a deputy to the chief executive early in the new year Shetland Enterprise will be fully equipped to provide the people of Shetland with the best possible service that the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network can provide, crucially at a time when Shetland has never required the services of it's LEC more!"