"Collaboration is key for future opportunities” says Highland Business Dinner principal sponsor HIE
Audrey MacIver, HIE’s area manager for the Inner Moray Firth, calls for more smart working, collaboration and talking up the region to make sure we benefit fully from opportunities ahead.
I never tire of saying it, so I’ll say it again.
Our region is exceptionally well placed to contribute significantly to the country’s low carbon transition and benefit economically and socially in the process.
We have the natural resources. We have the workforce and supply chains with the necessary expertise and experience. And we have the infrastructure, particularly our extensive network of ports and harbours.
We’re already seeing economic and social benefits from large scale offshore wind and green hydrogen developments and the commercialisation through innovation of emerging technologies.
Many of our traditional sectors, such as tourism, creative industries, and food and drink are seeing improvements in productivity through decarbonisation, as are emerging sectors like life sciences and space.
The newly established Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport promises benefits well beyond its locale. It has already helped attract a multi-million-pound inward investment project – the Sumitomo cable factory development – and will doubtless attract others.
All of this presents what I’m sure many would argue is a once in a generation opportunity to significantly enhance our region’s economy and the extent to which many of our rural communities will thrive.
So, in the context of higher costs and lower budgets, how do we make all this happen?
Work smart
Well, firstly we can work smarter to secure maximum economic and community wealth generation. This means keeping a collective focus on the wider shared goal.
Work together
Secondly, we can collaborate to overcome challenges and realise the opportunities presented to us by the low carbon transition, while ensuring region-wide benefits from the Green Freeport status. There really is no limit to what can be achieved through effective collaboration – the Green Freeport designation being just one of many examples. It’s no accident that this is a recurring theme in our five-year strategy.
Shout louder
Thirdly, we can shout louder about the opportunities presented in the region and how continued investment in our infrastructure, housing, skills and so on, will benefit and is benefitting not only the Highlands and Islands but the whole country.
Audrey MacIver
Area Manager Inner Moray Firth
As a graduate of Aberdeen University (BSc Hons in Agricultural Economics), Audrey has dedicated her career to economic and community development of the Highlands and Islands. Earlier roles in HIE included community development, economics, tourism, skills and energy, director of energy and low carbon. She was appointed as HIE area manager in January 2024 to lead its work across the Inner Moray Firth area. Sustainable economic growth across the Highlands and Islands is HIE’s core purpose, and energy is a priority sector, offering distinct competitive advantages. In addition to securing maximum economic and social benefits from large scale offshore developments and stimulating innovation across emerging technologies, we're committed to the deployment of local energy systems, noting the region’s rich energy resources, and the community benefits such an approach can bring. Audrey is confident the transition to net zero offers exciting prospects, firmly believing the Highlands and Islands is a region that can punch well above its weight in contributing to the ambitious targets being set.