Businessman Edgar Balfour has been appointed chair of the board of Orkney Enterprise. He takes over from Brian Kynoch who stepped down as chair at the end of April.

Mr Balfour is originally from Evie and has lived and worked in Orkney all his life.  He is the managing director of Orkney Meat Ltd, based in Kirkwall. The company was established in 1982 as Scotland's most northerly fully EC approved meat complex, and capitalises upon the wealth of quality local livestock. He was also the first chairman of Orkney Quality Food and Drink, from which he recently retired as a director.  

Following his appointment, Mr Balfour said: "My vision for Orkney is a place where there is full employment, a good standard of living, a place where it is a pleasure to live, which has a good community spirit.

"Having been in business for nearly 30 years, I feel that I have a lot of experience to offer to the local enterprise company. I also want to involve my fellow directors as much as possible, so that both I and Orkney Enterprise benefit fully from their wide and varied expertise"

Cameron Taylor, who has been a member of the local enterprise company board for two years has been appointed deputy chair. Mr Taylor is a partner in Seabridge Consultants, an Orkney based management consulting and design agency specialising in tourism and heritage projects. The company works with a network of associates and suppliers and has undertaken projects throughout Scotland, in North America and Europe. 

Mr Taylor's previous career includes a wide variety of civil service positions and senior management posts in tourism. His particular area of expertise is in the rapidly developing field of ancestral tourism. He is chair of the Orkney Homecoming 2007 which will see Orkney's long standing historical and cultural links with Canada, strengthened next year.  

Mr Taylor teaches at Orkney College, part of the UHI Millennium Institute, and at the International Centre for Culture and Management in Salzburg.

He said: "I look forward to working with the staff of Orkney Enterprise, my fellow directors and our new chairman to ensure that the economic and community life of Orkney continues to prosper and develop."

Directors are involved in up to 10 board meetings each year and must be resident in the Orkney area. They can be asked to represent the area at events outside Orkney and although positions are unpaid, necessary expenses are reimbursed.