Following the retirement in October of Angus Johnston, Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE) have announced the appointment of Peter Timms, CBE, as their new chairman.

Professor Timms has been a member of the board of AIE since 1998, latterly as vice chairman. He is an engineer and founder chairman and managing director of Flexible Technology Ltd, which was established in 1980. 

Based in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, this successful company manufactures and supplies electronic flexible printed circuits to customers in over 30 countries worldwide. 

Professor Timms previously held management positions at IBM in Greenock and at Thorn-EMI. He is active in the field of enterprise development at both a local and wider level, and was a member of the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise until 1998.

He is a member of the Scottish Industrial Development board, chairs several private and listed public companies and is chairman of the Argyll and Islands Local Economic Forum. He is also a director of Caledonian MacBrayne, and is an honorary professor at the University of Glasgow Business School.

Speaking of Professor Timms' appointment, AIE chief executive Ken Abernethy said: "Peter has brought a high degree of knowledge and experience to AIE during his time with the board and with the Argyll and Islands Local Economic Forum.  I am delighted that he has accepted the position of chairman and look forward to continuing to work with him over the next three years."

Paying tribute to Angus Johnston following his retirement, Peter Timms said: "It will be a real challenge for me to follow Angus. He has been a first rate, hugely committed and highly dedicated chairman whom we will all miss greatly."