HIE's senior management team

HIE's management team is chaired by Sandy Cumming, chief executive, and includes the five directors listed below.

Sandy Cumming, chief executive

With the inception of HIE in 1991, Sandy Cumming spent two years as its director of natural resources. He was then appointed chief executive of Ross and Cromarty Enterprise in 1993, where he remained until 1998. He then returned to HIE as director of Growing Businesses group and was appointed HIE chief executive in October 2000.  Sandy is a member of the National Economic Forum, the Strategic Forum, the Forum for Renewable Energy Developments for Scotland (FREDS) and SCDI's Executive Committee.  He is also a member of Scottish Development International's Management Board.

Sandy Brady, director - strategic planning

Sandy Brady has responsibility for planning and economics, communications and executive office.  He is also chair of the HIE Superannuation Scheme Trustees.

Brought up in Oban, Ottawa and Glasgow, Sandy is a graduate of the universities of Glasgow and Stirling.  He has specialised in regional policy since joining the HIDB in 1976 and was HIE's first Director of Strategic Planning in 1991.  As a regional geographer, Sandy continues to focus on the competitiveness of rural areas and how the Highlands and Islands can learn from what works elsewhere.

John Watt, director - strengthening communities

John Watt has responsibility for community land, community energy, social enterprise, the Third sector, culture and heritage, including Gaelic, and Initiaitve at the Edge.

John has worked for the Network for 25 years, in the areas of management, policy analysis, and working with communities. He was brought up in Inverness but lived and worked abroad (Africa, Canada) before returning to the Highlands.

Alex Paterson, director - regional competitiveness

Alex Paterson has responsibility for Inward Investment, International Trade, International Affairs, External Marketing, Transport and Telecommunications, Key Growth Sectors, Business R&D and Innovation, Learning Infrastructure, Workforce Development, Leadership and Management and Population Growth. Alex previously worked in the private sector and in management consultancy, and is a graduate of the Universities of Strathclyde and Bath.

Douglas Yule, director - operations

Douglas Yule has responsibility for all operational front line service delivery throughout HIE's area offices.  He is also responsible for management of HIE's equity investment and property interests as well as HIE's property development activities. 

He is a Chartered Surveyor and after working in the private sector in Glasgow, joined HIE in 1992.  After a period of working in Lochaber, Skye and Inverness he was appointed chief executive of HIE Moray before taking up his present post as director of operations in 2006.  He is currently chairman of the board of govenors of Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.

Forbes Duthie has responsibility for corporate services across the HIE network including finance, human resources, legal, information systems, procurement and facilities management.

Forbes was brought up in Dingwall and is a Chartered Management Accountant and a Chartered Company Secretary and has been with the Network for six years, previously having spent 10 years in NHS Highland in senior finance and audit roles. Prior to this he spent 10 years in the oil industry with BP - in various finance and business planning roles.