A board visit well spent in Shetland
Last week I accompanied HIE Chief Executive Stuart Black and board members on a visit to Shetland. It was a particularly special visit for me, as it was my first time back since taking on the role of Chair of HIE.
Board visits like these are an important part of our work, giving us first-hand insight into regional progress and a clearer understanding of local opportunities and challenges.
We spent time with HIE colleagues, led by Orkney and Shetland area manager Katrina Wiseman. Investment in infrastructure and community-led development emerged as important themes throughout our visit.
At Lerwick Harbour, discussions with Calum Grains, Chief Executive of Lerwick Port Authority, highlighted how plans for the ultra‑deep‑water quay at Dales Voe are positioning Shetland’s long‑term role in offshore wind, renewables and decommissioning.
Meanwhile on Bressay, community ownership is driving sustainable local solutions with projects such as Speldiburn, the former primary school transformed into a vibrant community hub, creating new space for enterprise and creativity.
What stood out was the group’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability and locally driven solutions to island challenges, demonstrating the community ambition.
Engagement with key partners reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing shared island challenges. Discussions with Maggie Sandison, Chief Executive of Shetland Islands Council, and Laura Burden, Principal of UHI Shetland focused on population, skills, education, housing and infrastructure, highlighting the strength of partnership working across the islands.
We also saw how targeted investment is supporting established sectors to modernise and grow. At Lerwick Fishmarket and Shetland Seafood Auction, HIE-supported investment in new equipment has helped online auctions, increasing turnover and prices for the local fishing sector.
Energy transition was another strong theme at Sullom Voe Terminal, one of Europe’s largest oil terminals and a central part of UK energy security. We heard about energy transition projects from Gavin Templeton, Chief Executive of Veri Energy; Donna Sutherland and David Thomson of Shetland Aerogenerators.
We then visited Frankie’s Fish and Chips, the UK most northerly chip shop where HIE’s investment in Solar PV has helped reduce reliance on the grid and improve business sustainability.
We held our board meeting in Lerwick Town Hall including discussing the Scottish Government’s Islands Plan and public service reform.
In Bigton we met Alex Green, owner of Stakkadale Café, to see how HIE support has enabled Shetland’s first coffee roastery strengthen the local food and drink sector while adding to the island’s tourism offering.
At Hymhus in Bigton, Bigton Collective Ltd has combined decarbonisation and heritage preservation to create a sustainable community space that supports local producers, creatives and year‑round tourism.
Directors Alister Leslie and Leigh Smith at Ness Engineering explained how the company has used innovation, digital and business development support to adapt to changing energy market demands, while retaining skilled engineering jobs in Shetland. The company now employs 46 people and has recently expanded to Orkney working for Tier 1 contractors.
Connectivity also featured prominently. Stuart and I had discussions with the Chair and Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd at Sumburgh Airport, which focused on the importance of partnership working to maintain and strengthen island connectivity.
We met with COPE Ltd in Lerwick, where a recent major expansion is enabling the social enterprise to grow its reuse and recycling services, delivering environmental benefits, inclusive employment and long‑term community impact.
It’s a great example of how a social enterprise can deliver at scale, combining a £1m expansion with growing reuse and recycling to create environmental, employment and long‑term community benefits. Stuart and I then travelled via Tingwall to Fair Isle, home to around 50 people, where we met a director of the Fair Isle Electricity Company, the community-owned provider operating the island’s off-grid power system. We discussed the challenges of maintaining reliable supply, particularly the reliance on mainland technical support. 
We also visited the outstanding Fair Isle Bird Observatory where HIE investment has supported a new multi-million-pound centre following a devastating fire. As the island’s main economic driver, discussions with Fair Isle Development Company focused on population retention, housing and the need for more people to live and work on Fair Isle.
As Chair, I find visits like this invaluable. They highlight the diversity and resilience of our region and the importance of strong collaboration, while time spent on the ground deepens our understanding local economies and how best to support them.
Coming from an island community myself, I am keenly aware of the opportunities and challenges island life brings. This was an inspiring and worthwhile visit to Shetland.
Angus Campbell
Chair of HIE
Angus Campbell is a local businessman in Lewis, employing 30 people in his own business which he established in 1996. He has 18 years’ experience as a councillor with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, serving as Leader for most of this time. Angus has strong experience of funding issues and socio-economic challenges across the Highlands and Islands, such as transport and housing, and is focused on developing transformational opportunities in the region, including the energy sector. He was a member of the Board of NatureScot and the Court of the University of the Highlands and Islands and was the founding chair of the Ferries Communities Board. Angus has a long-standing commitment to Gaelic language and culture. He is a passionate advocate for community land ownership and supporting a strong third sector.